Cheer-Up Writing

Assignment 7- A Test Case, "The Garden Party"

2011-08-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

What does the story signify? How does it signify?
The author’s main point would have to be the difference and tension between the two social classes present. While the posh upper class throws a garden-party, those who live in small cottages down the lane mourn the death of a friend, father, and husband. Mansfield is pointing out the differentiation between the two groups while also trying to tie them together with a common event, death. We would all hope the reaction of the upper class family would be regretful, supporting, and helpful actions; but it is actually quite the opposite. “People like that don’t expect sacrifices from us,” stated Mrs. Sheridan when asked if she would still hold the party after being informed of the death. Mansfield shows a little spark of hope when Laura pleads with her mother to cancel the party. She feels sympathetic towards the family and can’t stand the idea of hosting a party while those down the street are in such a dire situation. After her mother reassures Laura the party will continue though, she is able to enjoy the afternoon at the party and forget her worries for the mourning family.
Reflection
I captured the main issue discussed in the story, however missed some of the more delicate details. I didn’t catch the symbolism of birds and flight or the similarities of Laura and Persephone. These similarities, after being pointed out, were very surprising! I don’t know the story of Persephone myself, but I can tell how the comparison deepens the characters and plot of the story while once again proving there is no completely original text.

Assignment 6- Archetype

2011-08-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

An archetype is basically a story component repeated over and over again. This pattern is recognizable in countless stories and is an element we are naturally drawn to based on the “aha! Factor” (page 191), meaning we recall the familiar storyline and are drawn to it. One example is in Water for Elephants when the main character Jacob falls in love with his bosses’ wife, Marlena. This is not only a problem because she is married, but also due to the fact her husband is the person in charge of Jacob’s job. They typical string of events then proceeds to happen: Marlena realizes she also loves Jacob, they sneak around to be with each other, and in the end (when Marlena’s husband is killed in an elephant-related accident) are happily together. This archetype is the forbidden romance found in so many stories like Romeo and Juliet, Camelot, and Westside Story.

Assignment 5- ...Except the Sex

2011-08-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

The film Donnie Darko is a perfect example of sex being implied rather than explicitly shown. Donnie is a troubled teen who regularly sees a psychiatrist and takes medication for psychological problems. Donnie is visited by what everyone assumes is an imaginary visitor who tells him the world will end in twenty-eight days. After hearing this news, Donnie realizes he isn’t ready to die and begins to feel very alone. A new girl, Gretchen, comes to school and Donnie ends up dating her. Gretchen turns out to be one of the few people with whom Donnie can share his experiences with the visitor and confide his fears with. When Donnie throws a party at his house, Gretchen shows up late and is very upset because her mother, who is being stalked by Gretchen’s stepfather, has gone missing. Finding comfort in each other, they head to Donnie’s room to be alone. They begin talking and then the moment clearly starts heading a certain way but before anything actually happens, the screen cuts to the next scene with Donnie and Gretchen walking down the stairs smiling and in synchronized step with each other. By not actually showing the sex scene, the movie is kept a bit less crude. More importantly though, the scene instead of the sex scene (walking down the stairs) shows how the two connected with each other and are happy together.

Assignment 4- It's All Political

2011-08-14T20:24:00.001-07:00

Almost all literature can be related to politics in some way. Weather it is an overwhelmingly general statement or something inspired by a specific event, literature is one of the greatest and most productive ways to spread an idea. Suzanne Collin’s The Hungar Games sheds a negative light on full government control. The country of Panem is controlled by a central city called the Capitol. Every year, one child is taken from each district of the country and forced to participate in “The Hungar Games.” These children are released into an arena and have to completely survive on their own until only one child is left living. When first reading the book I thought this was a very strange and unusually cruel tradition with little purpose. It then became clear that the Capitol was only doing this to remind all the citizens of the absolute control they held. Families and communities were completely helpless as one of their own children were sent into the arena with the tiniest chance of coming home alive. The government in the capitol also strictly controlled media within the country. School children were taught very little other than information on the specific resource their district produced and history of the country. Television was also very limited only broadcasting shows regulated by the government and preaching government ideas. This politically represents a totalitarian government and the author uses pathos with the struggle of the main character, Katniss, and her family as she is powerlessly sent away to the games to create a pessimistic shadow on this type of government.

Reading Assignment 3: It's More Than Just Rain or Snow

2011-08-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

In Lois Lowry’s The Giver weather plays a part in helping describe the setting and living conditions of the story. The book takes place in a future society where the government controls almost all aspects of life. Everyone is a complete equal and individuality does not exist. The weather is very mild representing the lack of change in the characters’ daily lives. They get up every day and go to school until they are twelve. When they reach that age the government assigns each student a job. They then attend this job for the rest of their lives, waking up, going to work, coming home to their family, eating dinner, discussing their day, and repeating. No rain or snow ever falls on the community in this book. There is a lack of beauty and emotion that the characters don’t even know they are missing out on. Emotion and even the ability to see color is withheld from the citizens in attempt to keep the dystopian society functioning.

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

2011-08-07T16:44:00.001-07:00

http://prezi.com/qse_iirda1-s/allow-me-to-introduce-myself/

Assignment 2- Intertextuality

2011-07-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Intertextuality is basically the linking of two stories. This can be done across all genre types, time periods, story types, etc. Authors consciously or sometimes subconsciously add aspects to their story from works they have previously encountered. This can help to add depth and meaning to a character, event, or setting.

The main example of intertextuality I have encountered would have to be between Lowry’s The Giver and Huxley’s Brave New World. Obviously the two communicate back and forth with their similarities in setting. Both are presumably in the future and are “utopian” environments. It doesn’t stop there though. One of the main characters in Brave New World is Helmholtz who feels controlled and suppressed in his world of sameness and smothering necessary for a “utopia.” Published in 1932, this book was around long before The Giver so either purposefully or not, main character Jonas from The Giver has a lot in common with Helmholtz (especially after he receives the memories.) Both realize what those controlled by society are missing out on: beauty, love, happiness, feeling. But the two also come to understand the price they pay for these positive emotions. Fear, hate, selfishness, and aloneness come along with these positive emotions.

The next example of intertextuality comes from my favorite author, Sophie Kinsella. Her most famous books, the Confessions of a Shopaholic series, tie in with her stand alone novels: Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, Can You Keep a Secret?, and The Undomestic Goddess. It’s almost odd how much the main characters of these books have in common. Don’t get me wrong; these books are my absolute favorites but they seem creepily linked together. Becky from the Shopaholic series is a twenty-something year old girl facing a major problem…her mounting debt. She can’t seem to stop shopping! Another main plot in the book is her relationship with business owner Luke Brandon. In Remember Me? Emma is also a twenty-something year old girl facing a giant problem of her own; she unknowingly spilled all of her deepest darkest secrets to her boss, who just happens to be handsome and charming. Twenties Girl tells the story of Lara, struggling to keep her new business afloat. She is visited by the ghost of her great aunt Sadie who recently passed away. After being dumped by the “love of her life,” Sadie forces Lara to ask someone new out. Almost achieving partnership at her law firm, Samantha makes a huge mistake in Kinsella’s The Undomestic Goddess. Fleeing the scene, Samantha comes across a beautiful home and decides to stop and ask to make a call. The home owners assume she is their new maid and Samantha doesn’t correct them. The only problem is that Samantha doesn’t even know how to work an oven! Oh, and of course she starts up a nice relationship with the gardener. Remember Me tells the story of Lexi who suffered serious injuries in a car accident. She wakes up later in the hospital thinking it is 2004 when it’s really 2007. To her extreme surprise she learns she is married to a millionaire! Her life seems perfect until she starts to actually live it. Her husband is distant and fake and his right-hand-man even tells Lexi they were having an affair! The main connections between these novels and characters are staggering. All of these girls are in their twenties, involved in some storyline trying to find the perfect man, and are facing a challenge of some sort. The linking goes even further when you actually read these novels and find the same compulsive, giddy, and naïve personalities in every single girl.

Assignment 1- Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)

2011-07-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster identifies the five steps recognizable in almost every story involving a quest. In Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, main character Jacob goes on a quest to find himself after a tragic accident that causes him to lose both parents.

Our quester: Jacob Jankowski

A place to go: More like a place not to go! He wants to escape his normal life and future with no parents.

A stated reason to go there: Jacob is in veterinary school and plans to join his father’s practice after graduating. When his father suddenly dies, Jacob feels lost and without a place causing him to jump on a passing circus train.

Challenges and trials: Jacob starts facing the normal hardships of a traveling circus worker: cruel bosses, no pay, little room for sleeping, and stress.

The real reason to go: Having no plan for this on the outset of his journey, Jacob meets and falls in love with his bosses’ wife, Marlena.

Teacher Argument

2011-04-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

I strongly agreed with Kati Haycock's opinion she shared in her article about raising the status of teachers in the United States. To increase the respect for teachers in our culture we must amplify the training they receive. This boosted training would insure teachers were well prepared and fully educated for the job. With more education and work, teachers would deserve raised salaries. This would help improve their status on the economic ladder. It is clear our country values higher education by the respect doctors, lawyers, and other professional career people receive. College is tough, and continued education proves dedication, intelligence, and value of an individual. With increased difficulty in teacher training, we would be surer that teachers were fully prepared and qualified for the treacherous task of educating the next generation. Highly skilled teachers would be released into schools with the utmost knowledge on their subject. Respect would practically be demanded towards these learned and skilled professionals. In the United States, wealth commands respect. Millionaires with huge mansions and fancy cars are respected because their material items suggest the hard work that went into accomplishing their fortune. If teacher's salaries could be increased, the same effect would occur. Instead of the mindset being, "Oh, poor teachers. They make so little money. I would never consider that as a career," it would shift to being a more highly held and appreciated position. This would also help solve the need for more students to select teaching as their career. High salary is a strong driving force for selection.

Great Gatsby Analysis

2011-03-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Fitzgerald’s hopeless and reflective tone sets the stage for his discussion about the past and the future along with his literary devices that help imply his tone. The overall idea of the passage is time. Our present time slips away, and before we can realize importance, events, places, and feelings are gone for good- mostly without proper appreciation or realization. How can we let this happen? How can we let our present time pass us by?

The author imagines the island as it appeared to the “Dutch sailors’ eyes.” “Inessential houses” begin to melt away. Houses are not what are beautiful or special about the island; they don’t matter. The natural island “flowered” and was “green.” Full of opportunity, the trees represent the dreams of those seeing the island for the first time. As they were chopped down, dreams and opportunity also “vanished.” Could the builders have not been happy with the island just the way it was? Must we always desire something more or different? The author longs for the original state of the island, as it was in the past. This has disappeared, however, and he can only be left yearning.

Through the last paragraphs, the author’s syntax is broken and lingering. Using commas, dashes, and ellipses he drags out the ideas. This technique implies a sense of hope. As each idea builds upon the other, the idea begins to complete itself. As he clearly completes the thought as he writes, the thought is new and original. The quote “stretch out our arms farther. . . .” lets the reader know Fitzgerald isn’t done with the idea, he is just drifting to another thought.

Fitzgerald uses metaphor when he describes the island as a “fresh, green breast of the new world.” The greenery of the natural island leads him to make this comparison. The newness and untouched trees were “fresh” and the whole island appeared “green” with life. He also uses personification when he describes that the trees “had once pandered in whispers.” Representing the dreams of humans, they remained until they were chopped down, still left whispering of the dreams until their last moment alive.

Time can vanish so easily and we fail to realize it is already behind us. Fitzgerald’s tone and devices make this point clear and provide detail as to what we are losing.

Consumerism Quote

2011-03-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.

-G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

This quote goes into the deep desires people feel for material posessions. The only two options are for you to be happy with what you have or to always desire more. This quote connects to the text Shopaholic Ties the Knot. In this book Becky always wants more. She suffers from a shopping addiction and can't seem to say no to buying. The obvious choice is to desire less. This will allow you to be happier and actually obtain and accomplish the things you want.

Third Quarter Reading

2011-03-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

I read four books, the equivalent of six books.

Catch 22, 455 pages
Kardashian Konfidential, 256 pages
The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie; A Doll's History and Her Impact on Us, 123 pages
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, 272 pages

My favorite book was The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie. I have loved Barbie since I was a little girl and have always idolized her. This book goes through the history of Barbie from the very beginning. I found it really interesting to learn about her start, her inventor, and the development of different Barbies throughout history. Her impact on our world is so huge, and this book explains her different roles throughout history. If you like Barbie, or just pop culture, I would suggest this book.

New Advertisement Techniques

2011-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

The ad I found on this website is a perfect example of the new advertisement techniques discussed in the NY Times article we read. The main focus of the ad is family time or bonding. This falls right into the category of improving time at home. Having a Wii, the ad summarizes, will help you have quality family time and an activity to enjoy and do together. Will this really happen? The answer is probably not. In reality, the teenage son or daughter will end up playing the Wii alone on the weekends or even everyday. Parents who are "too busy for games" might have the best intentions when purchasing this gaming device but, realize they easily fell for the tantalizing advertisement technique all too easily.

Think About It! Where is Your Trash Going?

2010-12-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. Sometimes it gets a bit annoying when you hear "RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE!" from eco-supporters, but here's the thing; there are so many other topics we should be pushing as well. In addition to pushing the average citizen to do more recycling, we can also encourage big companies to do their part. This article opened my eyes to the many other efforts we should be concerned about for our future.

Starbucks, for example, serves some of their beverages in a non-recyclable container. Yes, a few cities may have fancy recycling centers that can actually process these cups; but where does that leave the rest of us? Putting our cups in the trash. So basically, there are two solutions to this problem. One would be building more fancy new recycling centers all around the country. But the second more realistic option would be for Starbucks to develop a recyclable cup! They could advertise and let their customers know to toss their used cup in a recycling bin, even provide them at the store! The coffee company could also allow you to bring in your own cup or mug. These could be filled then taken home with the consumer, washed, and reused.

Simple acts like these could make such a difference. When a problem is as big as the environmental crisis we are dealing with right now, any effort made is greatly helpful. If only the issue were as important to major companies as their profit for the year.

12 Sentence Story

2010-11-29T21:46:00.000-08:00

When I was little I loved jumping around on the furniture, jumping around at gymnastics, and jumping around while playing outside on the trampoline. I loved being active; sitting down to watch TV wasn't an option. One day I was in the living room and I started a game, much to my mother's dismay, of jumping to and from furniture around the room. I hopped onto the table, over the couch, near the TV, and on the arm chair. I loved this game until things took a turn for the worse. Of course. My mother always had to be right when she told me not to jump on the couch, not to cut my own hair, not to let go of her hand in the mall. It seemed like she was always right and I was always wrong. Crashing head first into the coffee table after finishing a front flip, completely shocked I was when my head hit the glass. How bad was the damage? I was bawling, and bleeding, and embarrassed, and had a big gash in my head. My mother always had to be right, her advice never failing, the comfort she provided, the lesson taught-what a great mom to have.

Living Life Too Large?

2010-11-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Reading this article I found on the LA Times website really opened my eyes to what a major problem our country has with childhood obesity. The habits we develop as children stick with us and shape the rest of our lives. Obese people between the ages of 12 and 21 are "seven times more likely than normal-weight or overweight peers to develop severe obesity by the time they reach their late 20s to early 30s." What does such a startling study prove? It proves we need to make a plan, make a change, and make it a priority to help these kids.

Obesity leads to "cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and musculoskeletal pain." Early obesity may also lead to changes in your metabolism and hormones in your brain that oppose weight loss. Being healthy and fit should be a goal promoted by teachers, by parents, by role models, by everyone and everywhere young people eat, learn, or spend time. While some efforts have been made, there is so much more that can be done. Communities need to let students know how important their health is and offer facilities that offer fun and exercise. Schools always need to offer and promote healthier alternatives to a hamburger and french fries. This is such a huge problem that needs to be tackled head-on because the facts are there; we just need to make a bigger effort.

2nd Quarter Reading Plans

2010-10-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Over the second nine weeks I plan to read Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I have already read the first two in the Hunger Games trilogy and I am anxious to see how the story ends. I already know and love the characters so this book will be easy for me to understand. I got this book out of our classroom library.

I also plan to read The Book Thief. Several of my friends have read this book and strongly recommended it to me. We mostly have the same taste in books so I should enjoy it. I can also find this book in our classroom library.

I may also read Lord of the Flies. This book was also recommended to me and is available in our classroom library. I have talked with friends about this book and I think i would enjoy the story.

2nd Quarter Reading List

2010-10-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

After being rescued from her second time in the arena, Katniss Everdeen faces the biggest challenge of her life: being the face of a rebellion against the capitol. She feels so many pressures from Coin, the leader of District 13, and Heavensbee. She tries to be a good leader, but can't seem to get the acting right. So she is forced to get her propaganda footage in actual fight scenes. Peeta, her beloved friend, is still captured, and being tortured she is sure, by the capitol. Trying to do her best to be a leader, Katniss finds herself missing Peeta. She must do this for him. President Snow is Katniss's number one enemy. He is the one who put her through the pain of the hunger games and is now threatening and actually hurting the ones she loves. Katniss is determined to kill the evil Snow but can the rebellion be that successful? Katniss's character is one of immense bravery and strength. While on the outside she appears to be a little seventeen year old girl, she possesses the power to lead a country to fight it's leader. Loving and passionate towards her family, this is where she finds weakness; when those she loves are in harm.
(390 pages)

Griffin, Kathy. Official Book Club Selection: a Memoir According to Kathy Griffin. New York: Ballantine, 2009. Print.

I re-read one of my favorite books ever! Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin. She has been one of my favorite comedians for a long time and i really appreciate her humor. In the book, she tells it like it is and doesn't spare any of the details. Even the rougher parts of her life like her plastic surgery battle and family issues are brought into daylight. While reading the book I just felt like Griffin was telling me a story herself. She used the same language I've become used to from watching her comedy performances and hit show My Life on the D-List. Kathy loves talking about her family. She is from Chicago and makes fun of her mom's accent throughout the whole book, quoting things like, "CHR-EYE-SSAKE!” Her struggle to fame is a great story and major part of the book. With her start at The Groundlings, an improve club, she worked long and HARD to be where she is today. She is talented to tell her story in a fun and humorous way. I love this book but would only suggest it to a more mature audience.
(331 pages)

Kinsella, Sophie. Shopaholic Ties the Knot. New York, NY: Dell Book, 2004. Print.

What girl doesn't dream of her wedding day? This is exactly what Becky Bloomwood has done for her entire life. She enjoys all girlie things like SHOPPING, being pampered, and having a wonderful handsome boyfriend, Luke. While living in New York and working as a fashion consultant at Barneys (the perfect job!!) Becky can't help but to be jealous of her best friend Suze who is getting married at home in Britain. Becky and Luke travel home for the fabulous event. Even though Becky is thrilled for her friend's lavish wedding, she can't help but to feel a pang of jealousy. These girls have gone through everything together, and Becky can't help but feel that she is being left behind. Romantically, Luke ends up proposing to Becky at Suze's wedding while all her family and friends are there. OMG! Becky can't believe this actually happened! She gets started right away looking at dresses, trying cake, every little detail that brides love to ponder over. Becky's mom immediately says she will throw Becky and Luke a wedding in their quaint little country home in Britain. Even though this is always what Becky had realistically imagined for herself on her wedding day, she can't help but to dream for a little more. After all, her fiance IS a millionaire! But she could never hurt her mother's feelings and reject the wedding she has waited her whole life to plan! Back in New York, Becky gets constant updates from her mother on the wedding plans. Just as she begins to become sure she made the right decision, Luke's mother steps into the picture. Luke's mother was mostly absent from Luke's childhood but Luke still seems to adore her just the same. Becky can clearly see, however, that he just desperately needs to have her approval. Not liking the woman too much herself, Becky is blown away by her offer; a fabulous wedding at the Plaza hotel!!!! It is just what Becky has always dreamed of! So glamorous and classy! Designers to transform the already beautiful ballroom into a magical ceremony site! Without hesitation, Becky accepts the offer for the wedding. After coming down from cloud nine, Becky soon realizes there is a major problem; she now has TWO weddings planned, for the same day! Realizing she really wants the New York wedding she calls her mother to deliver the news. So anxiously she listens to her mother go over every special little detail and hard work that she has already put in and Becky decides there is no way she could crush her mother's feelings like that! Ready to call off the Plaza wedding, Becky is swept off her feet by the designers willing to jump at her every wish to give her exactly what she wants. She simply cannot decide! So in typical shopaholic fashion she does the unthinkable: doesn't decide. She simply lets both wedding plans continue on for months without one set of planners knowing about the others. As the days tick down, Becky has no idea what she is going to do. How will she manage to get out of this one?
(407 pages)

Independent Reading Reflection

2010-10-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

During the first nine weeks of this school year I have developed a habit of regular reading to get my required 150 minutes per week. I usually read one or two nights on school days before bed. The rest I usually did over the weekend. I took a book to work and read when we weren't busy. The first nine weeks I became obsessed with The Hunger Games books so my reading diet probably wasn't as balanced as it should have been. I did, however, read Brave New World by Huxley. I did a pretty good job inking my thinking. That helped me realize the deeper meanings of the books I read and analyze the text. Next kate is stupid and she has a red dog, that is really mean and sometimes bites black people. conclusion? she's racist. Next nine weeks I plan to vary my choice of books a little bit more and choose some more challenging texts. I want the read the third book in The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay. I also might read The Book Thief because it has been recommended to me by several people.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

2010-10-11T10:14:00.001-07:00

The Socratic seminar over Brave New World was an enhancing experience that helped me develop my understanding and opinion of the book. I encountered new ideas about Helmholtz. I realized I didn't fully understand his character before the discussion. Because he was an artist in a society that didn't allow full creativity, he was confined and he was one of the few who realized he was so controlled. Through his art, he was able to break the boundaries that society had placed on him. My thought on Huxley's main idea about societies was wrong. I thought he was trying to say society had to be either completely free like the Savage Reserve or strict like the society in Brave New World. When I discussed this concept with my group, I realized that an in between society could exist; our own! I now think Huxley's idea was to show the two different extremes in society as a way to compare the two and show what you must give up in order to obtain one or the other. Preparing for the discussion was the most educational part. Further thinking about the ideas and concepts really helped me go deeper in my understanding.

I did very well in the Socratic seminar. I voiced all my opinions while listening to and considering others ideas. I found it difficult to jump into the conversation because I was worried I would interrupt someone. Everyone was talking so fast, it was hard to get a word in. I enjoyed the natural flow of the conversation. It felt like I just sat down with some of my friends to have a conversation. If i had a do-over I would try to speak up a little bit more. Even though this would still be hard to do without talking over other people. As a communicator, I learned that I am sometimes shy, but never afraid to voice my ideas, even when they are different. I think the Socratic seminar went very smoothly and was helpful to everyone. I would, however, change the rubric the observing students used. Things need to be more specific so people can't let others off easy or be unfairly critical.

Annotated Reading List

2010-10-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. 1st ed. Vol. 1. Scholastic, 2008. Print. The Hunger Games.

Collin's The Hunger Games takes place in a nation called Panem. The rich capitol controls all of the 12 districts. Each one specializes in producing a certain good to provide for the country. The districts are all poor mostly containing families with very little money and even starving children.
Katniss Everdeen and her family lost their father in a mining accident. Now, with her mother always feeling depressed, Katniss has to provide for the family, which includes her little sister, Prim. When the annual Hunger Games come around, Prim's name gets called to be the female competitor for District 12 in the games. These games are horrible! Children fight to the death while the whole event is broad casted all across the nation for the people to watch. Loving her sister too much, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place. Her male counterpart is a boy named Peeta. Katniss promises Prim that she will do everything possible to come home alive. Katniss won't let herself get too attached to Peeta, knowing that even if they were lucky, only one of them could come home alive. This changes dramatically when Peeta publicly announces his love for Katniss. Is this part of the strategy or does he really feel this way? Katniss can't decide. The two head into the arena and Katniss doesn't know what to think. All she knows is that she will do everything in her power to come home to Prim. I really enjoyed this book because it was unlike anything I have ever read before. The interesting setting and details of the book really kept me focused and addicted. (384 pages)

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.

Huxley's Brave New World focuses on a society very different from our own. People are genetically engineered and then taught from birth to be exactly what society wants them to be. There are different class levels with different jobs and levels of intelligence. Bernard and his friend Helmholtz are different from everyone else. Instead of flying through life without meaning or deep thought, they question things and realize the restraints society has placed on them. When Bernard takes a visit to the Savage Reservation, he truly begins to understand his own society and the freedoms it lacks. John the Savage goes back to the Brave New World society with Bernard expecting it to be beyond wonderful and happy. Realizing the nonexistence of individuality there, John would love nothing more than to go back to his old life. Being friends with the savage, Bernard becomes very popular and slips into the way of life that he longed to be a part of in the past. Was Bernard truly different then if he merged into the way of life he had looked in upon for so long as soon as it became possible? Helmholtz was, however, truly different. Through his inability to fully express himself, he realized that society had these restraints over him. He was able to break these restraints even though they had been forced on him since before he was born. The author's writing style was very unique. Telling multiple stories all at the same time. It got a little confusing sometimes and I found myself wanting to just focus on one plot at a time! This book really opened my eyes to the intricate effects society can have on people. Society can't be completely stable and safe without giving up certain luxuries. Is it worth it? (268 pages)

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. Vol. 2. Scholastic, 2009. Print. The Hunger Games.

Tossed back into the arena for another round of Hunger Games, Peeta and Katniss are in big trouble. In their first games, they defied the capitol by threatening to both kill themselves when they were the only two competitors remaining. This act didn't sit well with President Snow at all. He threatened to kill Katniss, her family, and her friends unless she could convince the citizens that she did it as an act of love for Peeta, not to defy the capitol. In the arena Katniss and Peeta team up with Finnick and Mags from District 4. Little do they know there is a huge plan in the works to destroy the arena and begin a huge rebellion against the capitol. This book makes me thankful for the great country I live in and all the freedoms I have. There is no evil capitol or President to control things. This was a fun read and great sequel to The Hunger Games. (391 pages)

Analysis- A Whole New Mind

2010-09-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Dan Pink's vivid examples prove Americans are headed towards more right-directed thinking and away from left-dominant thinking as in the past. First Pink says, "on average, everybody who can drive has a car of his own." This detail explains that while automobiles were a luxury in the past, today, they are very common. His overall point, that abundance has made us more right-brain dominant, is justified by this statement because now we expect more out of our cars. Today, we not only want our cars to function properly, but also look nice and have custom accessories. The wide variety now available in stores also makes us look for more in our products. Pink illustrates this vast variety by listing the televisions available Best Buy, "plasma, high-definition, flat panel-that began with a 42-inch screen and escalated to 47-inch, 50-inch, 54-inch, and 65-inch versions." There are so many choices for common items such as TVs. Americans have such a large selection of goods to choose from so why not search for the best? The one that is the most fashion-forward or sleek. The one that inspires "beauty, spirituality, and emotion."

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Advertising

2010-08-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

The "Scotch" Tape advertisement my group chose is from the 1940s. Culturally, many things today are very different than they were back then. One thing that remains the same is the three different types of persuasion, ethos, pathos, and logos. These three techniques are still used in the same way today. This ad shows a woman dropping her lunch while on a bus because she didn't seal her package with tape. Overall, it can be considered an apology because it explains to customers why "Scotch" brand tape hasn't been widely available during the war.

In the ad, "Scotch" appears credible because they associate themselves with the military. This approach is called ethos, boosting credibility by associating brands with celebrities or trusted experts. "Emergency food rations are packed in cartons sealed with "Scotch" Acetate Fibre Tape." Soldiers are looked up to and admired for their bravery, hard work, and patriotism. If soldiers use "Scotch," why couldn't you trust it for your everyday needs? The ad also contains a statement encouraging citizens to buy war bonds,"INVEST IN VICTORY-BUY WAR BONDS." Consumers might think more of a company who encourages this because instead of advertising for their own brand, they are advertising the selling of war bonds to help support the war effort.

Logos is the logical way to get an idea across. Facts and logic build a solid base that consumers feel they can trust and rely on. In the "Scotch" ad, consumers are told about all the different varieties of tape. "One of the more than 100 varieties of adhesive tapes made in the U.S.A. under the trademark "SCOTCH," by Minnesota Mining & MFG. Co. Saint Paul, Minn." This fact makes people realize the many different kinds of "Scotch" tape available. Having so much variety enforces the idea that this is a big company that is trusted by many. Listing the different ways this tape is used reminds people of how essential the product is in their daily lives. Sometimes we forget how often we use it for "mending torn book pages, sealing packages, and a hundred and one other jobs quickly, easily."

Pathos is used in this advertisement by getting you emotionally involved. Advertising war bonds to ensure victory reminds people of friends and family who are fighting in the war. Emotionally, this will remind them of the sadness they feel but also inspire them to do what they can to bring soldiers home safe. This builds the trust of the company even more. "If they have the same values I do, "Scotch" must be a good company." The smiling people in the ad show feelings of joy and the continuation of normal life even though the war is going on. The smiles say, "We're happy to do our part here at home while continuing with our normal everyday lives."

This advertisement combines ethos, pathos, and logos to really get the attention of the consumer. By appearing patriotic and trustworthy, "Scotch" did a wonderful job creating this ad to appeal to the everyday citizen.

Is Cheerleading a Sport?

2010-08-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

The article Connecticut Judge Hands Down Verdict - Cheerleading's Not A Sport really captured my attention. As a cheerleader, I know how much time, effort, and physical work goes into a good squad. The article states that in order to be considered a sport, "an activity must have coaches, practices, competitions and a governing organization."

Every squad has a coach or at least someone in a leadership position. Practices are mandatory in order to learn all the cheers and chants for games. Building also takes lots of practice and strength. Cheer competitions are just like any other sporting event. There is fierce rivalry between teams and everyone sets specific goals they would like to accomplish. As a high school cheerleader, there are many rules we have to follow. Safety rules, dress codes, and behavioral rules help keep everyone safe and uniform.

Something that so many people work hard for and dedicate themselves to really deserves to be recognized as an official sport. Almost all people involved with cheerleading would agree that it meets the requirements set forth to be called an official sport.

When is Free Speech Okay?

2010-07-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

The article Victory for Peace Activist in T-Shirt Case discusses the journey Dan Frazier went on when he created a T-shirt that contained the slogan "Bush Lied...They Died." It also listed the names of all the fallen soldiers at the time, 1,600 names. The shirt was immediately a controversial issue and Dan was sued by the state of Arizona. They did not want to allow the sale of this shirt in the state. When this happened, Dan got help from ACLU and "prevailed in court against the state." One victory was established, but the shirt would continue to make people angry and even cause more law suits.

The family of one of the fallen soldiers sued Frazier for $40 billion and demanded he take the soldiers' names off the shirt. A federal judge tossed the case out claiming, "Exercising free speech in criticizing the government is not outrageous."

When is free speech not okay? When do people not have the right to say what they feel? Tricia Herzfeld, a staff attorney with the ACLU-Tennessee, said, "This case goes beyond this particular shirt to the larger issue of chilling protected political speech. We cannot let our emotions jeopardize the free speech rights of Mr. Frazier or others who want to speak out against the war.” Mr. Frazier speaking out against the war is just another example of how wonderful our rights are as Americans. We ARE allowed to criticize the government's actions and disagree publicly with events that are taking place. This is shown clearly in the example of Dan Frazier and his T-shirt.

A Breath of Fresh Air for China?

2010-07-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

How can we help future generations? Improving our environment and taking all possible steps to reduce pollution and prevent further contamination. A clean and breathable future is the one we should keep in mind for our children and grandchildren. One of the simplest and most effective ways to accomplish this is by driving hybrid or electric cars instead of the many gas powered cars available today. The article China's Push for Hybrid and Electric Cars, But Will Anyone Buy? explains how the Chinese government is pushing for their population of over 1.3 billion to become more active in the hybrid and electric car market. I found this very interesting because it describes why electric or partially electric cars are less realistic and unaffordable for the Chinese people.

China has taken many steps to promote electric cars and make them more practical for everyday consumers. The article claimed the Chinese government had offered "discounts of $8,800 for electric vehicles, $7,350 for PHEVs, and up to $36,750 for fuel cell vehicles." This is definitely a step in the right direction but the cost of the fuel efficient vehicles is still much higher in China. Even with the appealing incentive, the price of the F3DM, a popular electric car in China, is about six thousand dollars more expensive than its competitor, the F3 which is completely gas powered.

Looking to become a bigger competitor in the electric car market, China hopes to "quickly improve quality via collaboration with foreign car makers that have spent decades competing in Western markets." It will take time for this to catch on though. Americans want to make sure these cars are not only green, but safe and reliable. China must start selling these cars widely in their own country before expanding to sell these cars in the U.S.

My Photo Story

2010-06-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is me! Click here to learn more.

Of Mice and Men

2010-05-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

John Steinbeck uses the first paragraph in his book, Of Mice and Men to set up the whole story. He uses parallels in his first few sentences that gives clues of characters and events that are going to happen. Almost the whole paragraph can be used as parallels to later happenings in the novel.

"the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green." This quote can be taken in many ways. The word green means alive, fresh, natural, and new. Green parallels to Lenny who is more naive. Deep means strong and solid like George.

Another great parallel comes from the quote "slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains." Rocky is Lenny's equivalent because he is unable to think for himself. Without George helping him, Lenny is rocky when it comes to decisions. Strong describes George's personality. He knows what is best and helps Lenny try to live a normal life.

The quote "the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it" describes George taking care of Lenny. The word worn means tired or broken in. George is so used to taking care of Lenny it is natural to care for and protect him.

The tone in Of Mice and Men is of sadness and despair. Lennie and George are constantly reminded of their hard life and problems. Throughout the book, Steinbeck uses tone to help add detail to the story.

Quotes in the book often reinforce both George and Lennie's lack of education or knowledge. "An' I ain't so bright neither, or I wouldn't be buckin' barley for my fifty and found" describes the poor life style of George. He can't get a better job, so he has to settle for bucking barley earning little pay. This quote has a depressed tone because it shows George's lack of a better life.

George tells Slim about Lennie's tendency to get in trouble by saying, "But he gets in trouble alla time because he's so dumb." This quote shows that Lennie doesn't understand many things and is continuously getting into trouble because of his lack of knowledge. This trouble causes many hardships on George. They have to move from place to place to avoid people who are after Lennie for what he has done.

The theme for Of Mice and Men is to care for one another. It is so important to look out for those who are around you. Family is the number one thing you should care about. It is also crucial to do the same for friends and even mere acquaintances.

With everyone taking on the same attitude George had towards Lennie, the world could be a much better place. People would be more willing to help and more understanding to those in need.

George gave up so much to take care of Lennie. He had to move around the country, not have a wife, and keep a low paying, unsatisfying job. George really cared about Lennie and that is why he was willing to give up these things for the well being and happiness of another person. It is a very admirable thing to do and others should take note of his courage.

Migrant Mother Photos

2010-05-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother photos express a lot of emotion. They portrait the mother's feelings of sadness and defeat. The children are all huddled around her and it is obvious she has extreme love for them. Their shelter consists of a sheet with half of it left completely open. The mother looks worn out and ready to give up. She probably has no money and no where to turn for help.

Looking at these pictures makes me think about what a great life I have. I have a nice home, plenty of food, and a wonderful family. The family in these pictures has a lot of problems and things to worry about. When I'm worrying about school or homework, this family is worried about food and safety. It makes me realize what a blessed life I have to be fortunate enough to have the essentials in life.

The Giver Book Review

2010-04-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

What would your community be like if everyone was completely equal? Who would be in charge? What information would be withheld from citizens? Lois Lowry's book The Giver is a great story that tells about the struggles of a young boy in this type of community.

The setting of this book is sometime in the future. The weather is always the same with no rain or snow. There are no hills and the temperature is always mild. Jonas lives in this community with his family. Here, students go to school until they are twelve then they are assigned their occupation. From then on, they spend their time working at this specific job.

When Jonas turns twelve, he goes to his assignment ceremony and is told he will be the next "Giver." Unsure of what this job actually is, Jonas is nervous to start. On his first day, Jonas goes to see a man who is the current giver. He tells him that the giver is the one chosen to hold all the memories of the past. They keep these memories from the public because some are much too painful for the average person to deal with. The giver then begins to transfer all his memories to Jonas. Some are happy and loving but others are harsh and show scenes of war, hate, and other negative things that don't exist in Jonas's time.

Will Jonas be able to handle all of these truths? How will he react to some of the harsh realities that he has been sheltered from his entire life? I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It was a great story and really inspired me to think outside the box.

Animals Portray Utopias

2010-04-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

George Orwell uses animals in his book Animal Farm to portray his message about utopias. Pigs, dogs, horses, chickens, and many other barnyard animals are characters in this book. All the animals take on human qualities like the ability to speak, but they remain in their animal form.

In the book, the animals are inspired to have a rebellion against their master, Mr. Jones. When the rebellion happens, everyone is ecstatic about the future. They make plans together and are sure they will have a wonderful life. The pigs take the leadership of the farm. Napoleon and Snowball, two of the pigs, assume joint leadership of the farm. When the two leaders begin to disagree, Napoleon trains young dogs and runs Snowball off the farm.

At first, all the animals are happy and content. Things are running smoothly on the farm and work is shared evenly among all the animals. Then, things start to turn for the worse. Napoleon begins to abuse his power and makes the animals work like slaves. He takes advantage of their lack of intelligence and changes the rules. With eloquent speeches or claiming the animals remembered incorrectly, Napoleon was wonderful at making the animals believe his every word.

The message in this book is that what you might think is or will be a utopia can quickly turn into a distopia. The animals were all sure the new farm without Mr. Jones would be their version of a utopia. In the beginning, it probably was or was very close to that. But slowly, as Napoleon began to abuse his power, the animal's conditions got worse and worse. This book proves that a utopia is impossible to obtain.

Cross-Examination

2010-04-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

One thing I do that is a little out of the ordinary is keep all my school binders after the school year is over. I have a coat closet with shelves lined with binders, folders, and random school papers.

A lot of people might think this is weird, but what if i need them?! I could be doing a project and realize a whole unit we did on the subject in the past. All I would have to do is go to the closet, find the right binder from the correct year, and then flip through to the information I might need.

Some might argue that there are so many other resources, like the Internet, that I could use to find this vital information. What I have found is that most of the time you can find these topics but they are usually not in as much detail or as explanatory as your fourth grade teacher might have taught it.

Maybe this is weird, or maybe it will pay off. Who knows? Having these binders gives me a secure feeling that I have what I need. They are real pieces of paper in a time of almost completely paperless education.

My Red Wheelbarrow Poem

2010-04-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Spring is wonderful
and great.

Plants come back to life
and bloom.

Spring is a time for hope
and peace.

The sun shines bright on Earth
with light.

Rejoice for Spring and its
wonders.

Celebrate!

2010-04-12T10:23:00.001-07:00

One thing I can celebrate everyday are my WONDERFUL friends. They have so much influence and impact on my life. Everyday I can rely on them to support, care, and love me without question. Through rough times they always have my back and stay with me when I need them most. True friends are hard to find, but once you find them, you know exactly who they are.

My friends are there to celebrate with me. April is a month full of birthdays! We have so many parties and fun activities to do. Buying each other special presents, birthdays are always time for celebration.

My best friends know who they are and I really hope they know how much they mean to me. Friends are such an important aspect of my life, I don't know what I would do without them. They are like a second family to me.

The Removable Mask

2010-03-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

An invisible mask is worn to hide your feelings.
It can always be present,
Or just at certain times.
It is a barrier from the real world,
Protecting yourself
From what might happen if you were to express your true thoughts.

I have a removable mask.
Sometimes I put it on to hide my thoughts.
But other times I have no mask
And let my true feelings shine through.

The mask can be a security blanket
Used when you are afraid your ideas may be rejected or ridiculed.
It can also be a barrier
To keep your feelings silent when they differ from others.

When the mask is gone, ideas and expressions flow freely.
I have no worries about my ideas being judged
And even feel my ideas might be approbated.
To remove the mask, I have to feel safe.
I must be comfortable with those around me,
or sometimes, completely alone.

The mask is a good thing,
Protecting me from saying something I might regret.
I think before I remove the mask,
Making sure my feelings are appropriate to express.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's is a fun holiday when people can dress up. Most people wear green to symbolize their love for Ireland. If you don't wear green you might get a pinch from a friend! There are many parades and the Chicago River is even dyed green to celebrate this holiday. On this day, people remember Irish ancestors. It is also just a fun holiday to celebrate with people at school, work, and in the community.

To me, St. Patrick's Day is a day to wear green to school. It is fun to see everyone's ideas and some people even wear fun hats or bring candy. I love hearing about how people all around the world celebrate in different ways.

Call of The Wild

2010-03-13T17:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gone thousands of miles in the freezing Alaskan winter? Buck and his friends did. Buck is a big dog who was sold because gold was found in Alaska. Many people were rushing there to collect their fortune and were getting there with a dog team and sled. Jack London's Call of the Wild told a great story about standing up for what you believe in.

Spitz was an older dog on Buck's first team. Although he was old and wise he was incredibly strong and cunning therefore, he was the leader of the team. This bothered Buck because he knew he should be the leader. This caused lots of tension and Buck and Spitz always seemed to be quarreling. Finally, one day it came to a head. Buck and Spitz knew it was a fight to the death and the remaining dog would rightfully be the leader. They began to fight with all the other dogs around watching. Spitz came off strong, but in the end, Buck used his intelligence to win the fight. Buck took a stand for himself because he knew he was the rightful leader even when others doubted him.

The setting of this book was in Alaska. Most of the book took place during the bitter winter. Everything was frozen including all the rivers. Snow covered the ground and the dogs buried themselves under it to keep warm at night. Towards the end of the book, spring began to emerge. All the ice slowly started melting and life was once again moving around.

Buck is sold many times throughout the book. He once finds himself owned by men named Hal and Charles. They also are accompanied by Charles's wife, Mercedes. These people are not prepared at all for the harsh Alaskan environment. They don't realize all the work and preparation that must be done before heading out to find precious gold.

At first on the trip, the dogs were fed well, too well. The food supply ends up running out before the trip is anywhere near over. This caused the dogs to start losing lots of weight and become really weak. On top of that, Charles, Hal, and Mercedes made the dogs travel extreme distances with little or no rest. The dogs were in horrible shape and a few even died. One stop they made was at the camp of John Thornton. When it was time to leave, Buck was called to get back in his harness at the front of the sled. Buck was so weak he could barely move so he decided it was time he took a stand against Hal and Charles. When he refused to get up, Hal started beating Buck severely. Buck was already in so much pain that the blows from the club barely bothered him. He just stayed on the ground and took the punishment. Then, it was John Thornton that took a stand. He told Hal that he needed to stop beating Buck. He stood up for Buck and as a result, Buck got to stay at John Thornton's camp.

Call of the Wild was an interesting book. I learned information about dog sleds, Alaska, and dog behavior. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about dogs or overcoming obstacles. This book was an easy read and fairly short. It would be great for either boys or girls.

Persuasion

2010-03-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

I use persuasion all the time. I persuade my parents, friends, and teachers. First off, I state the facts. By doing this, I make myself seem more believable and knowledgeable. People try to convince others into almost anything, like less homework, going out somewhere, or to borrow money. Persuasion is always a very helpful technique when you want to get your way.

Persuasion is used extensively on television. The Home Shopping Network is the worst! They tell you their product is amazing and know exactly how to make you feel like you need it. They also use a sense of urgency with their "limited time offers" that make customers think it is a once in a lifetime chance.

Persuasion can also be harmful. If a great persuader has a wrong idea, that person may be able to convince others they are right when in fact, they are wrong. Everyone should be careful when letting someone persuade them. Make sure the facts are right before you let someone change your mind.

Commitment

2010-03-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

Training and attending the Olympics is one huge commitment. These athletes have dedicated their lives to one particular sport. It is an honorable thing to do because these people give up so much to go and represent their country.

One thing I have committed to is trying my best to be a good person. This might not seem like much but it affects almost everything I do. Every important decision I make I take time to think about what is right and wrong and the consequences I might face. Commitment is something many people have trouble with. It takes a very mentally strong person to fulfill a difficult commitment.

Winning

2010-03-03T11:11:00.000-08:00

Being a winner can mean so many things. A winner can be someone who gets first place at a sporting event, science fair, or any other type of competition. A winner is also someone who tries their hardest. Winning isn't always about BEING the best, but KNOWING that you did YOUR best.

Sometimes winning can have draw backs. The winner might have to deal with jealousy problems. Also, to achieve their win, some competitors might have had to make harsh personal sacrifices in order to complete or prepare for their event. The thing that I am most proud of winning myself is first place at a gymnastics meet when I was ten.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

2010-01-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

There are so many things in life that make me happy. Everyone has specific things they enjoy or call "their favorites." These can include: favorite songs, bands, food, colors, activities, friends, celebrities, teachers, movies, and so much more! Your favorite things make you feel happy or cheerful. They can help lighten your spirit and sharing them with others helps you express who you are.

My favorite color is most definitely pink! Pink is such a happy color and gives a positive vibe. It reminds me of spring when pink flowers bloom everywhere. It is also an Easter color and makes me think of Easter eggs and little baskets to hunt them with. My room is covered with pink and when given a choice in clothing, I almost always tend to gravitate towards the fun color.

My favorite band is Muse. Muse has a great sound! They are a pop/rock band from England that has really awesome style. Their music puts me in a great mood and I listen to it all them time! The lyrics of their songs are inspiring and true.

My favorite actor is Will Ferrell. He is always hilarious! No matter what part he is playing he always seems to steal the show. When he was on Saturday Night Live his skits were the best! His movies are mostly comedy related and he is so great at making audiences laugh. He stars in some of my favorite movies: Anchorman, Taladaga Nights, and Step Brothers. Watching any of his movies always puts me in a better mind set because they can always make me laugh.

Book Review- Remember Me?

2010-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

"Look, it can't be 2007. It's 2004. I'm not stupid!" This is what Lexi says after waking up from her horrible car accident. It turns out she had lost some of her memory! It's odd, she didn't lose it all. She remembers everything in her life up to a previous head injury in 2004. It's now May 6, 2007 and Lexi has a lot of learning to do. Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? entertained me with the fun and witty story of a girl lost in her own life.

Lexi is a normal girl. She has a regular office job, a great group of friends, and is in search of the right guy. After waking up from her car crash, Lexi learns things are a little different in her life now. She is the director of the floor at her previous job. This means she is now the boss of her friends which has apparently caused some tense relations. Also, the job came with a pay raise. A PAY RAISE. Not to mention, she is now married! Not only is her husband Eric sweet and gorgeous, but he is also filthy rich! On the surface, Lexi's life seems amazing and she can't wait to go out and live it.

One theme in this book is taking a stand. One of Eric's work friends, Jon, tells Lexi that they were having an affair and she was about to leave Eric for him before her accident. Lexi is appalled and refuses to believe she would ever have done such an awful thing! Her marriage is perfect! As time goes on however, Lexi begins to understand. As she gets to know Jon through Eric's work related outings, she begins to like him more and more. Also, things with Eric seem to be getting worse as she actually gets to know him. He seems fake and artificial, unable to express real emotions. He just smiles and pretends to listen when in actuality he couldn't care less. Jon seems heartbroken that Lexi can't remember their love. He shows her pictures and tells her stories of the things they did together. Lexi starts to realize why she had made the choice she did before the accident. Lexi has to take a stand for herself in order for her to be happy. She decides to file for divorce from Eric and do what truly makes her happy, be with Jon. This was a very hard decision because her life with Eric was "perfect," at least on the outside.

Sophie Kinsella lives in England and uses that vernacular in her writing. Her writing is easy to follow and her descriptions are very detailed. This story was really clever and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to any mature girl. It has a great love story and really teaches the lesson that things aren't always as they appear.

An Admirable Stand

2010-01-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

I greatly admire the volunteers and community leaders that operate Batesville's Help and Hope Organization. They took a great stand against hunger in Independence County. This is a strictly volunteer based organization that runs purely on donations and contributions by caring individuals. In today's economy, more and more people are using the services Help and Hope provides by giving food and clothing to those in need.

Volunteers take their own time to sort, package, and distribute theses goods to those that need them. They take time away from their families, jobs, and other activities to provide for those that are less fortunate. Churches and members of the community donate money to help purchase food. Many youth groups go and help package food in bags for people to come pick up.

Everyone that contributes to this organization is really doing something great for our community. It is a great idea to help others when you have an opportunity. If you and your family needed help, an organization like Help and Hope could provide it for you. This proves that you always need to help others because you never know when you will need the help yourself.

Standing For What I Believe In

2010-01-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

I took a stand when I chose to purchase a hybrid car. Other car models might have been cheaper but even though this car was slightly more expensive, I feel it was the right choice. This choice was positive for many reasons.

I greatly reduce my carbon footprint by having a hybrid car. Hybrids use much less gas and reduce pollutants released into the atmosphere. Hybrids reduce gas consumption by turning the gas powered engine off while the vehicle is idle or requiring low output.

Having a hybrid car helps to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Since hybrid cars are part electric, they require a smaller amount of gasoline. The more people that have hybrids, the less oil the United States will need to supply our vast need for it. Oil is a major political issue and has caused many tense relations between countries.

I set an example to others by purchasing a hybrid car. When other people see my car, I hope it inspires them to take a stand of their own. Having a hybrid car can sometimes be more difficult, but it is really worth it. By showing others that having a hybrid car is an easy and simple way to reduce your impact on the earth, I hope to make this great invention more popular and wide spread.

Julius Caesar Book Review

2009-12-17T20:04:00.000-08:00

Would you ever kill a leader for the sake of your country? This is the problem Brutus had to face. Shakespeare's Julius Caesar interested me with an interesting plot and dynamic characters.

This story took place in ancient Rome. It is written in old English by Shakespeare. It was a little bit difficult to understand but has notes on the side of every page to help you with your reading. It was the story about the fall of the great Julius Caesar.

Cassius, the main plotter against Caesar, decides to kill him because he is becoming too powerful. He brings together a group of men on the consul, like himself, to commit the act. Brutus, a friend of Caesar, has to be convinced very heavily to participate in this horrible act. He finally gives in deciding he will do it "for Rome."

Caesar gets warnings not to attend consul the day the killing is supposed to take place, but he attends anyway. Will they go through with the killing? If so, who will be the new ruler? Will a war break out?

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read Shakespeare novels. It was an interesting story and wasn't dull. It was, at times, violent. To fully understand this book, you need to be a good reader who can interpret the language Shakespeare uses.

Book Review- Shopaholic and Sister

2009-12-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Crash! It happens and it’s time to get back to reality. Becky Brandon is back from her TEN month honeymoon with her new husband Luke. Becky was her typical self and bought tons of items from their round-world trip. Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic and Sister entertained me with the comical story of these newlyweds.

Sophie Kinsella has a series of these Shopaholic Books that I enjoy very much. The theme of this series is a light-hearted look at the life of a compulsive shopper. Although these stories are comical they show the consequences of irresponsible shopping. Kinsella writes in a very easy-to-understand and entertaining format. The stories take place mostly in Britain and some words and expressions used are in this vernacular.

When she returns, Becky discovers her best friend, new mom Suze, has found a new “best friend” with whom she has bonded with because they are both new moms. Also, Luke is becoming extremely annoyed because ALL of the boxes filled with the things Becky had bought on their trip are arriving at their already packed apartment. With all this stress happening Becky finds out she has a long lost sister! She is thrilled and immediately wants to know everything about her and become close friends.

She meets her sister, Jess, and things aren’t at all what she had expected. Her sister DOESN’T like shopping! How horrible! She hates spending money and hardly spends a dime on everyday things like food. Becky is so disappointed. She has no idea how to bond or even interact with a person so different from herself. Can Becky work out her problems with Luke and Suze? And can she figure out how to set aside the differences and learn to love her sister?

I would recommend this book to any girl that loves to shop and can relate to Becky. This is definitely a very girly book but it tells a great story. It was an easy read and although it was long, I never got bored with Becky and all the crazy things happening in her life.

400 Pages

What Makes a True Leader?

2009-12-13T14:56:00.001-08:00

What makes a true leader? This question has so many answers. A true leader is someone who leads selflessly. They always put the interest of others first. This might be hard to find in leaders because power can really go to someone's head.

In Julius Caesar, Caesar was a great leader. He helped conquer new lands and also deeply cared about the people. In the words of Mark Antony from Shakespeare's book Julius Caesar, "When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept." He was asked to be the kind three times but every time refused.

A ruler is a representation of a nation. He or she must be open to new ideas and willing to listen to the people. A leader's unpopularity most often comes from people who feel they are unheard or uncared about. A true leader has only the best interest of the nation in mind.

A true leader must also be convincing. Being able to give a good speech to back up ideas really helps the common citizen understand reasoning behind decisions being made. It is very important for there to be a great line of communication between rulers and the subjects they rule.

Parent Book Review

2009-12-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

My mom read the New York Times Bestseller The Help. It is a novel by Kathryn Stockett about race relations in 1960s Mississippi. My mom loved it so much, that even though it is over four hundred pages, she read it in two days.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the main characters. This was a really effective tool to make you understand the thoughts and feelings of both the African American and white characters. It made my mom realize just how far race relations have progressed in her lifetime.

The story centered on the relationship between southern white women and their maids. Most of the women treated their maids very poorly. Some families were kind to their maids and looked at them as an extended part of the family. However, the needs of the family always came first and the maids own family or lives were rarely considered.

One story line in the book is how there was a drive to make outdoor or separate bathrooms for the maids to use. Examples were given in the book of how the maids were expected to serve the families and raise their children. Many of the maids in the book, had intelligence and experience but all credit for their accomplishments in cooking and child raising were given to the women they served.

The central plot of the book revolves around a grown, well to do white woman who was raised by her family's beloved maid. When she is away at college the maid disappears. She starts to question the secrecy and lack of appreciation shown by her family and others towards "the help." It is this revelation that drives her to seek the trust of other maids and have them help her write a book of their experiences as domestic help. This was very risky considering racial violence and attitudes of the time and place.

I'm really glad I talked to my mom about this book! It was a great topic to discuss together and led us on to talk about other books we have enjoyed.

1 Book

Semester Tests

2009-12-13T13:50:00.001-08:00

It's the end of the semester! Guess what that means? Semester tests. Everyone despises these evil tests. So much studying and stressing come along with them. They count for twenty percent of your semester grade for goodness sake!

It is difficult to remember everything you have done in school for eighteen weeks for one test! Most teachers are nice enough to give you study guides and some classes like english just require you to write an essay. But it is wrong for one test to count for so much of your grade. If you are a straight "A" student and do badly on that ONE test you could suffer greatly.

I would recommend either stopping semester tests or lowering their effect on your semester grade. One good idea is to not require students with an "A" in the class to have to take the test. These students have worked very hard for this grade and it would be a small reward for them. Also, students with high grades in the class would be the ones to actually do WELL on the test. This would inspire other students to make "A's" so they wouldn't have to take the test either.

Over a nine week period you learn so much material. The subjects can vary so greatly. In math for example, you might start the nine weeks doing linear systems then end doing matrices. If subjects vary this much in one quarter, imagine the variety in one semester!

10 Things I Am Thankful For

2009-11-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

1. Family- My family consists of the people that love me the most. They would do anything for me and support everything I do.

2. Friends- My friends make every day worthwhile. They make me laugh and are always there for me.

3. Health- I have no major or life threatening illnesses.

4. Home- I am so lucky to have a safe home.

5. Church- My church family loves me very much. They help me learn about God.

6. School- I get a great education.

7. Saturday Night Live- It makes me laugh every week.

8. Weather- Nice weather always puts me in a good mood.

9. My job- I really enjoy it and like the people I work with.

10. Nutrition- I have enough food to eat and am healthy.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

2009-11-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey is a great self help book for teenagers. Mr. Covey explains seven simple steps for teens to follow to improve their lives. He explains these steps in an easy-to-understand way using short stories and personal experience as proof.

My favorite habit was synergy because it is so true. Working with people gets SO much more accomplished! Group work is also more interesting and helps you learn more because you hear the ideas of someone other than yourself.

My least favorite habit is to sharpen the saw, and that's probably because I'm bad at it. Sean Covey explains that you need to take time out for yourself to relax and de-stress. I have trouble with this habit because i feel like i can't give myself a break until EVERYTHING is done. In actuality, it would be easier and better for me to give myself a little break to do something i enjoy, like go on a run, before doing stressful things like homework.

The habit I have mastered is putting first things first. I have a good set of values and usually know exactly what is important to me. Although sometimes it is hard to put more important things ahead of hanging out with friends, talking on the phone, or getting on the computer, I usually know what is most rewarding and have enough self control to make the right decision.

I would recommend this book to any teen. It has helpful tips for anyone! The stories in this book really relate to everyday teen experiences. It was an easy read that really made me realize some key success points for my life.

2 Books

Homecoming

2009-10-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Homecoming is something i look forward to all year. The football game, dressing up all week, and of course the dance! People don't realize how much work all the preparation takes, but it is worth it! There is always a cool theme and the cafeteria decorations and spirit week days match it. Girls get chosen to be on the homecoming court and wear beautiful dresses. We have a pep rally on Friday to get ready for the big game! The only problem seems to involve the dance. It is just too short! Here are the top reasons the dance creates problems.

1. It is RIGHT after the football game. This creates a problem for the football players, cheerleaders, prancers, band members, and any student attending the game. It is usually wet and clod and everyone has to go home and get ready AFTER the game is over and the dance has already started.

2. Everyone is tired. After a long day at school, decorating the cafeteria, taking down decorations in the halls, a pep rally, AND a football game, I know I would just like to go home and get in bed!

3. Hair. Oh yes, the all important hair style for homecoming. How are cheerleaders and prancers supposed to manage this all important factor during the football game? You can get your hair done before the game and risk it getting messed up or rained on, or you can get it done afterwards and cut your time at the dance down even further!

4. By the time everyone gets there, its already at least 11:30. Then, 12:30 rolls around and you realize its time to leave and you've only been there an hour, just long enough to see everyone, get your picture taken, and dance to a few songs.

The homecoming dance creates some major problems. A clever solution would be to have it on Saturday night AFTER everyone has recovered from the crazy week and football game. The dance could start at eight and end at twelve. Everyone would have plenty of preparation time and have a fair chance of getting there when it actually starts!

Book Review- Freckled and Fourteen

2009-10-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

“And now she’d lost her best friend.” Rusty Eastman is a fourteen year old girl who is having some problems. Her best friend, Jeri, has become obsessed with boys and Rusty could not care less about them. Also, there is a big family secret Rusty has found out about. And her brother Alan, star of the sports teams at school has quit athletics all together! Viola Rowe’s Freckled and Fourteen entertained me with the story of a troubled teen.

Rowe wrote this book in our normal, everyday language. It was easy for me to understand and I did not have any trouble with vocabulary. Rusty lives in a normal town where she attends the local high school. Her father is the coach and her brother is the has-been athletic star. After Alan quits all the sports teams, they start to do badly without him. All Alan seems interested in is girls, which Rusty just finds appalling. And to make matters worse, Rusty’s best friend Jeri is now interested in boys! What can Rusty do? Who can she talk to?

Luckily, she has her wonderful Uncle Law. She can go to him with any problem and he will do his best to give her advice. Rusty finds adoption papers in her family’s file cabinet. She immediately assumes she was adopted since she is the only one in the family with bright red hair. She asks Uncle Law and he confirms her suspicions thinking Mr. and Mrs. Eastman had already told Rusty. This leaves Rusty feeling confused, alone, and misplaced. Who were her real parents? Why didn’t they want her? Did the Eastman’s still want her? Read this book to find out how Rusty can deal with all these issues clogging up her life.

I would recommend this book to any teenage girl. It deals with some of the everyday struggles they might encounter. Rusty learns many valuable lessons. This was a great story and I enjoyed reading it.

192 Pages

Book Review- Official Book Club Selection

2009-10-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

“This is my book.” This is what Kathy Griffin states in her autobiography. She tells it like it is and exactly like she wants to. I used to think Kathy Griffin was just some crazy comedian, but after reading her book, I realize she is a well trained, determined, and hilariously funny comic. Kathy Griffin’s Official Book Club Selection tells her life story and her long tough struggle into the spotlight. She talks about anything and everything, even her personal life and plastic surgery battle.
This book is written just like a conversation. Kathy is telling you a story and a lot of the time, I felt like she was directly talking to me. Some of the language and content might be inappropriate for children or easily offended people. Griffin talks just like she always does and this includes profanities.
In her book, Kathy makes fun of her family a lot. She grew up in Chicago and her parents were very Catholic. She imitates her mother’s accent by using capitol letters and hyphens. “CHR-EYE-SSAKE!” she says, copying her mother’s voice. Her brothers would have famous kegger parties and she was exposed to drinking at a very young age. Lots of her family members were alcoholics and that is why, to this day, she does not drink. Griffin jokes about how her mother was “the second prettiest girl at presentation” at church when she was growing up. (The first was her father’s sister!)
Kathy Griffin discusses some of the more difficult points about her life as well. She worked and worked to become a star. Spending many years at The Groundlings, an improve group in Chicago, working to get acting roles or maybe even become a cast member on Saturday Night Live. She was very discouraged and hopeless when she was not finding work and had to do some pretty low down jobs. Kathy’s brother Kenny was a troubled guy. She explains why she thinks he was a child molester. There were multiple times she saw him beat his wife or girlfriends. She separated herself from him for many, many years and finally came to peace with the situation when she went to see him at the hospital. On his deathbed, Kathy realized he couldn’t ever hurt anyone else.
I recommend this book to anyone with a good sense of humor. You do need to be a mature, accepting reader, however, to fully appreciate and laugh at the comical stories Kathy Griffin tells. This book was so fun to read and also helped me learn a lot about a person I was no’t really familiar with.

331 Pages- 2 Books

Book Review- Lush

2009-10-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

“Well, my father is at it again.” This is what main character Sam always says about her father’s drinking problem. She knows it is not normal for her father to go out drinking every night and come home completely drunk, but she does not know what to do or who to talk to about it. Her mother pretends it’s not even a problem and her little brother Luke isn’t old enough to understand. How can Sam escape this horrible problem that dictates her life? Natasha Friend’s Lush touched my with the sad story of a normal teenage girl with an alcoholic father.
Natasha Friend wrote this book in a way that is easy to understand. She used normal every-day-language. It was a quick read because I did not have to think much about what I was reading. I comprehended very quickly what she was trying to describe or explain.
Sam lives in a normal town and often walks to her neighborhood library. She has a group of close friends: Angie, Vanessa, and Tracey. Angie loves to read. She reads romance novels and always compares the girl’s everyday lives to them. “Remember that love scene from Hearts Interrupted? Instead of Ridge and Rebecca, picture Danny and Molly Katz.” She said of the heartbreaking realization that Danny liked Molly instead of herself. Tracey is a really “good kid” who will frequently say things like “You don’t have to curse” when someone says crap. Vanessa is the really supportive friend. She always is there for all the girls when they are upset about something.
While Sam, Angie, Vanessa, and Tracey are all best friends, Sam is afraid to confide in them the secret about her father. She worries they will pity her or treat her differently. These girls have sleepovers every Friday night and they never go to Sam’s house. Sam has to work hard to hide this big secret from her friends. Sam visits the library everyday and starts exchanging notes with a mysterious A.J.K. She doesn’t know who this stranger is but they help give her advice and encouragement about her problems. Will Sam ever meet this mysterious A.J.K.? Will her family ever realize that her father needs help? And will Sam ever learn that she needs to tell her friends about her secret so they can help her deal with it?
I would recommend this book to any girl, especially anyone with a troubled parent. It discusses what to do, who to trust, and how to react to these types of situations. It was an emotional book but also had some humor and gladness. Overall, it was a great story that taught a very important lesson.

178 Pages

Book Review- The Invisible Man

2009-10-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

“He stared right through me.” The Invisible Man is the story of a troubled character named Griffin. He is a very smart man who figured out how to make things invisible, including himself! Instead of sharing his discovery and becoming famous, he uses his new discovery to harm others and put himself first. H. G. Well’s The Invisible Man was thrilling and captured me by explaining the life of this troubled invisible man.
The author’s writing style was in old English. This made the book a little harder to understand and caused me to have to use footnotes. It does, however, help establish the time and setting the story took place. I haven’t read many books in this style and although it was challenging I felt it was a good, educational book to read.
The main character in this book is the invisible man, Griffin. The author paints a pretty negative picture of him throughout the book. During his stay at the Coach and Horses he was excessively rude to Mrs. Hall. He demands meals, stresses that he must be left alone, is discourteous to the clock repairman, and even goes as far as to make furniture come “alive with spirits” and attack Mr. and Mrs. Hall. He makes Mr. Thomas Marvel do everything he commands with the threat of killing him if he doesn’t. Griffin also steals from innocent people. He goes to the department store called “Emporium” and steals food, clothes, and sleeps there using bedding from the store. He also steals from citizens using force. He tied one man up in a bed sheet after knocking him out so he could steal clothes and money from his home.
The setting of this book is the 1890s in England. There are many things about this setting that are different than the present time. The author used lots details to describe the picture of the places in the story. I could see vivid images of all the places described in the story.
After Griffin discovers how to become invisible, he goes on many adventures. He has to escape from people as they figure out that he is invisible and run from the people he is stealing from. Read this book to find out if he can get away in time. Will he ever become normal again? Will Mr. Marvel ever get away from his evil grasp?
I liked the book The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I would recommend this book to any fairly advanced reader. It was a little bit harder to understand than most books but overall had a good story line. This book taught me some new vocabulary and I think I learned a lot from reading this book!
163 pages

Book Review- Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

2009-09-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

“Just be yourself.” This is what Cammie’s mom tells her at the beginning of the new school year. Cammie is a spy and is used to blending in. Throughout this new school year, Cammie is supposed to try to be herself instead of what she is trained to do, be like everyone else. Ally Carter’s Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy fascinated me by explaining the life of a spy.

The main theme of this book is to be yourself. Being spies, the girls at the Gallagher Academy are specially trained to be “normal” and blend in with ordinary citizens. The main character Cammie, whose nickname is actually “the Chameleon,” struggles with this.

I love the way this author wrote the book. I enjoy the way she adds in thoughts of the characters and describes things so vividly. The main character Cammie is the narrator. This helps me understand the events going on around her and her feelings and thoughts about them.
All of the characters in this book are very unique and different. Cammie has three roommates: Bex, Liz, and Macy. Liz is extremely book smart. She loves to study and solve puzzles. Bex, who is also very smart, likes more real-world problems, perfect for being a spy. Macy is a fashion expert. She has tons of make-up and clothes.

This book takes place at the Gallagher Academy, an old mansion. Although it is old, the mansion has cool spy gadgets. The mansion is also home to many old passage ways ideal for sneaking around. I love imagining this school because I have never been anywhere like it.

At the beginning of this book, the Gallagher girls find out about an institution called Blackthorne. Blackthorne is also a school for young spies, but for boys! After the boys move in (and the girls freak out), everything seems to be weird. Lots of “Code Blacks,” or extreme lock downs start happening and no one can seem to find out why. Can the Gallagher girls find out what these boys are actually up to? Will there be any romance at this all girl’s school suddenly infested with boys?

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy was a wonderful book! I would recommend it to anyone. The life of a spy is mysterious and full of adventure. This book combines adventure, romance, and thrill all into one amazing story.

240pages

Football Season :)

2009-09-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Football season is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather is perfect because it is the beginning of fall and the air is just turning cooler. Everyone is getting into the regular school routine.

Cheerleading has just started. We have all been practicing really hard to get ready for the first game. All the posters have been put up in the halls and good luck cards have been passed out. Everyone is so nervous about winning the game. The main goal is to get the crowd cheering and pumped up about the game.

The football players have all been working so hard to win. Tons of practices and lots of sweat have gone into preparing for the season. The coaches have been strategizing and planning for the other team's competition.

Everyone in the crowd is wearing orange and black making the bleachers look like a sea of pioneer spirit. All the fans are really loud and energetic. They are what makes football season happen. Rooting for the boys even when they're losing, the fans are the number one supporters of the football team and all the other athletes.