Hitting the Right Notes

HTRLLAP: A Test Case

2011-07-30T20:38:00.002-05:00

In this story, I think Mansfield is saying that only the child saw how her family got so caught up in their own party, that they overlooked the suffering of someone who was right on their doorstep. We so quickly fall into the extravagance of our own lives, that we overlook the struggles of others. And when we do finally venture into the middle of someone else's world and issues, we realize that all the pomp and ritual we were putting into our own lives is worthless compared to the simplicity of life's joys and sorrows.

Mansfield employs great description of the extravagance of the garden party, the reactions of Laura's family to her concern, and Laura's change of heart throughout the story to make her point very clearly. Seeing how much work the family put into this party, and how they reacted to Laura when she was concerned, really made me see what I saw in this work.

My response got to the outlying point of this essay, but it more just scratched the surface of the actual story, rather than going deep into the subtext of it. I think this is partly because of my level of mental exhaustion at the moment.

The comparison of Laura to Persiphone adds a huge level of comprehension and appreciation to the story for me. First off, it blows my mind how the story fits so well together. And the way it connects to the mythology really makes me appreciate intertextuality even more. It shows me that issues and coming of age scenarios span the gap of time. Something from Ancient times and something from modern day can bridge the gap so easily. Mansfield's story takes on new meaning as a coming of age archetype of life, death, and maturity.

HTRLLAP: ...And Rarely Just Illness

2011-07-30T20:37:00.007-05:00

When I ponder the principles of governing the use of disease in literature my mind immediately jumps to not first a book, but a movie. Moulin Rouge.

*Spoiler Alert!!!!!!*

The main character of Moulin Rouge, Satine dies of the picturesque disease, according to Foster, TB. After reading all of the principles foster lists in this chapter, I find that Satine's life, death, and disease all completely fit the principles to a T.

Throughout the movie, we see Satine's disease progress little by little. First a cough, then coughing up small bits of blood, all the while Satine is composed, dainty, and yes, picturesque. She never loses herself completely. The disease slowly eats away at her body. But instead of creating an ugly exterior, she stays beautiful, while her insides slowly start to turn on themselves.

Staine's death from Tuberculosis fits into the story with a strong metaphorical implication. Her lifestyle of prostitution can be interpreted to wear away at one's physical and mental well-being, while her disease wears away at her physical health. While Satine chooses to sell her body to the night, she is involuntarily losing her body to TB. Wow look, an archetype.

This affects the plot and symbolism. Christian is so madly in love with Satine, but he is losing her to her lifestyle of prostitution. They cant have a monogamous relationship for obvious reasons. So he can't have her completely on a sexual level. Satine considers giving up this lifestyle for Christian, only to be convinced by her "pimp" that it would hurt Christian more to have her, then have her only to die later from TB. The disease sets up the perfect framework for this romantic tragedy.

HTRLLAP: ...One Story

2011-07-30T20:37:00.003-05:00

An archetype is basically just a fancy word for a pattern. When I think of an archetype I think of a text message template. A basic plot line of something to say, which can be edited to contain more, or less information.

The first archetype I can think of is probably the most common one of all. That of a weak being defeating an evil being, then said evil being coming back, and being hell-bent on destroying all good in the entire world.

My mind immediately jumps to Harry Potter when I think of this archetype. Harry as a young baby defeats Voldemort, killing him. Harry grows up, Voldemort returns, tries to kill Harry, Harry kills him. The end, happy hugs tears, yippee.

I can think of many other places this archetype is used, the Lord of the Rings for example. We are all familiar with the story. Evil defeated, evil comes back, good destroys evil.

Archetypes, very interesting, impossible to escape. My mind has officially been blown.

HTRLLAP: ...Except the Sex

2011-07-18T17:10:00.012-05:00

*Contains Spoilers!!*

In the movie Stardust, the main characters Tristan and Yvaine stay together at an inn right outside of Tristan's hometown. There is a scene where Yvaine is bathing, then Tristan comes in, and the scene cuts to the next morning where she is laying in bed, and the other side is empty, where obviously Tristan ended up sleeping the night before.

The implied sex between these two greatly affects the plot, as it solidifies their romance and love for each other. The movie started out with Tristan going to collect a star for his "love," and the implied sex shows the complete shift from a quest for Tristan's "love," to him falling in love with the object of his quest.

This scene also shows viewers the shift in Yvaine's mindset to loving Tristan. At first, her only desire was to return to the sky, from where she fell down to this earth. But this scene indicates her shift from a desire to go "home," to stay with Tristan, and keep this love that she has found.

Even though the sex in this case wasn't explicitly described or shown, it clearly affected the characterization of Tristan and Yvaine by signifying the drastic, unexpected shifts for each of them in their mindsets, and goals for the rest of the movie.

HTRLLAP: She's a Christ Figure Too

2011-07-18T17:10:00.011-05:00

In The Hunger Games saga by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen most definitely fits the criterea of a Christ figure.

*Contains Spoilers!!!*

Katniss fits the following of the "Christ" criterea

1) She has been tempted by the "devil," and confronted said devil (president Snow): Katniss has been confronted several times in the books by a very prominent and obvious devil figure. President Snow is in control of the country of Panem, and has threatened, tempted, and hurt Katniss, and her family

2) In agony (friends and family killed, home destroyed): President Snow ordered Katniss's home, District 12, to be destroyed, and most of the people Katniss grew up with and loved were killed in this mass destruction of her home.

3) Spent time alone in the wilderness (hunting, hiding out with the resistance): In the first book Katniss spent time in the forbidden woods with Gale, her long-time childhood friend, and often went there for time alone to gather herself and be one with the woods.

4) Last seen in the company of theives (the resistance): Katniss became the figurehead of the Resistance to the Capital, and an unwilling figurehead at that (another feature of a Christ figure), and she was portrayed as the ideal resistance fighter, and she stayed with the resistance, known by everyone in the Capital, who didn't know the real truth about them, as theives.

Even though Katniss doesn't fit every criteria of being Christ, she fits the definition of being a Christ figure very easily.

HTRLLAP: It's More Than Just Rain or Snow

2011-07-18T17:09:00.005-05:00

In Natalie Babbit's Tuck Everlasting, weather plays a huge symbolic role. The weather in the novel symbolizes the life-forces of those who inhabit each area. When Winnie is stuck at home, yearning for something different from the monotony of her plain life, the sun is beating down on her back, the weather symbolizes discomfort, and a long for change. Sun often symbolizes exhaustion, and Winnie is very much exhausted of her life behind the fence.

When Winnie meets the Tucks, she enters a world with a climate much like that of the lives of the family. Constant, vibrant, warm, and full of life. The sun is warm, but not too warm, the weather stays in a constant state of equlibrium, never becoming unpleasant, much like the Tuck's, never growing old.

Finally, on the last evening the weather is dark, rainy, and gloomy, which symbolizes the bleakness of the situation. The Tuck's secret may be discovered, but at the same time, the rain is washing away the whole situation, a renewing of Winnie's spirit for life, a time-limited life, as we see in the later part of the book.

HTRLLAP: ...Or the Bible

2011-07-06T14:05:00.003-05:00

The Bible, next to Shakespeare, probably the most alluded to work ever published on planet earth. When I think about Biblical connections in literary works, the first name that comes to mind is a name that I have held dear to my heart in childhood and adolescence, C.S. Lewis. Never has an author so flawlessly woven in biblical concepts, stories, and ideals to a work and still captured the hearts and minds of readers a world over.

I was read the Narnia books as a child at bedtime as far back as I can remember. I always wanted to hear the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Why? Some may say because of the high publicity of that book as the flagship for Lewis's Narnia series, I know the reason for my love of the book. This book retell's the Bible's most famous and amazing stories almost exactly. The story of Jesus, laying down his life for us, sinners, who have screwed up royally, to save our souls. And just when readers think the story is over, sin has won, He rises again, conquering death and shining His light for the world to see.

Change the name Jesus to Aslan, sinners to Edmund, and sin to the white witch. You have The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Reading this book as a child, and seeing the biblical allusions I truly believe really helped teach me the morals and messages of the Bible in a way that I could relate to even more at that age. A fantasy story. When I go back on the Narnia books, I can't help but see more and more of Lewis's genius in his writing, and these books will always have a dear place in my heart as to how even in the darkest and coldest places, Jesus will conquer our fears, and get us through our trials, to make something new, and beautiful.

HTRLLAP: The deep intertextuality of it all...

2011-07-06T13:51:00.006-05:00

We as readers always have the tendency to wonder at the astounding creativity and originality of authors, or at least we did. Without a doubt, authors are still master storytellers, but Foster makes clear in chapter five of How to Read Literature Like a Professor that authors, like everyone else, pull details, plots, and story lines of past "greats" to make a whole new work of literature, a masterpiece in itself. The technical name of this art is intertextuality, or the ongoing interaction between poems and stories which brings multiple layers of meaning to the text, some of which readers may not even consciously notice.

One of the main examples intertextuality that pops into my mind is Shakespeare's tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, parent's don't see eye to eye, boy and girl plan escape, confusion, tragedy, death/separation. When put in these simple terms, this has become the standard plotline of almost every tragic romance published to this day.
Another work that is very frequently referenced is Tolkien. Almost every story of overcoming one's own evil self for the greater good of the whole can be linked back to Tolkien's works.

HTRLLAP: How to Read for "QUESTS"

2011-06-26T08:13:00.005-05:00

"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit."

-J.R.R. Tolkien

These first words, of Tolkien's first book in his Epic Lord of the Rings world of Middle Earth, started the story that would capture the hearts and minds of people a world over for decades.

The eternal battle between good and evil rages on in a world beyond our comprehension in a time long ago. The battle has been quiet for generations, until a hobbit named Bilbo finds a ring, goes on an assortment of journeys, comes back home, and passes the ring on to his young relative, Frodo Baggins, and with that, a journey began that won't soon be forgotten by anyone for years to come.

Our Quester - Frodo and Samwise

Place to go - Mordor
Reason to go - To destroy the Ring of Power and save Middle Earth
Challenges - orks, Saurman, Sauron, Witch King of Angmar, She Lob
Real reason to go - To overcome his personal evil to grow as a person and bring about the greater good of Middle Earth

Style Anslysis

2011-03-16T12:35:00.003-05:00

Fitzgerald's reflective and epiphanic tones communicate his ultimate realization that in human life, no matter the scenario, our nature causes us to lose sight of what will truly make us happy. Happiness doesn't always rest in success, in achieving our dream, happiness is rooted not in the resolution, but in the dream.

As the narrator is watching the scene around him, as the "moon rose higher" and the "inessential houses began to melt away," Fitzgerald immediately jumps into an obvious extended metaphor of our human condition. When the true and pure light of the moon shone down on the world, the unimportant, and extra things that humans had added faded away from the narrator's sight. He saw the "old island" that was once there, the "fresh, green breast of the new world." When the push comes to shove, when the hard times and the piercing, yet subtle light of the truth pokes through to our innermost thoughts and emotions, the useless material things fade away, revealing the original base outline of our happiness, unclouded by materialism.

As the narrator broods, he thinks of Gatsby who "could hardly fail to grasp" his "dream," when all along, he had already moved passed his dream. That it lied in the past. His goal, his happiness, lied not in the accomplishment of his dream, but the mere concept of having a dream. The concept of hope, of having something to move toward is what Fitzgerald proposes is the true root of having happiness. Humans must always have a dream, a goal to work towards. A dream that lies "back in that vast obscurity beyond the city." The happiness that consists not of accomplishing our dream, but the happiness is in the concept of the dream itself.

My Wood

2011-03-10T13:08:00.002-06:00

I reacted very well to the work "My Wood." It was a great work, and made the point very clearly. We have sunk ourselves into a world of consumerism. Once we get what we want, we only want more, and we want change. It's not actually that we personally want more, our society has just molded us to think that's the only thing that can make us happy.

The point that the author is trying to make is that humans are not necessarily designed to be like we are now, that our society has molded us into these morphed, transmogrified, mutated beings that we are now.

Reading List

2011-03-10T12:44:00.002-06:00

I have read 3 books, an equivalent of 5 books.

-Camelot, 145 pgs (3 books)

-The Great Gatsby, 180 pgs (1 book)

-If I Stay, 272 pgs (1 book)

I enjoyed reading Camelot because it has a great plot with some small bit of historical accuracy buried somewhere deep within the faeries, witches, and incest. The book tells the story of King Arthur, and obviously Camelot, of the rise and fall of the system of chivalry thought up bravely by King Arthur. This book was very interesting, because it combines all of the great elements of a comedy, a tragedy, and drama all in one play.

Consumerism Quote

2011-03-07T11:32:00.002-06:00

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 speaks volumes about the solution to our main problem. Our mindset. We as consumers, will never solve our problems of over-consumption without spending ourselves dry, unless we train ourselves to want less. This quote is from many years ago, and it's obvious that the idea of reducing our consumption is going to improve our lifestyles. And this was written even before the big problem of overconsumption that we know today came out.

This quote has hit me very well, and it's kind of like a duh moment. This quote seems totally profound, yet when looked at in its simplest concepts, it is one of the most obvious, yet most overlooked things in our society.

2011-02-27T21:52:00.006-06:00

www.walmart.com

This advertising slogan, by Walmart, "Save money, live better," was Walmart's strategy to reach out to customers during the recession. Walmart used this new slogan to tell customers that they are looking out for their basic needs, they realize that money is tight, and they want customers to know that they can, for the best price, give customers the best value on the best products to get them through this recession.

This strategy is using a lot of pathos, they are appealing to the desire of consumers to have a solution, to have something that will make them happy, and will come at a price they can afford in this time of recession.

I react well to this advertising technique used by Walmart, they are not giving out false information, they really do have great prices, and with all of the different items in their stores, there must be something that would make someone's life easier. Whose to say that I can't find something in there that will make my life easier, and help me "live better."

What a Tangled Web We Weave

2010-12-09T21:46:00.004-06:00

The article Learning to Lie on New York News and Features makes some really compelling points in research about reasons why kids are drawn to lying, and examples that they are actually following to develop these habits.

The article goes over the basic childhood time line of lying. The child starts out young, and avoids punishment by lying about their actions, then it progresses to white-lies, which the article points out were actually initiated through parent's examples and encouragement. When a parent tells a child to put on a happy face and act like they love a present at Christmas that they really hate, that is lying. Yes, the lie may make someone feel better, but it is still a lie.

When parents encourage children to lie, they are setting them up for a life of dishonesty. The question that must be answered is: where does the line need to be drawn? Obviously we don't want kids getting gifts and screaming their outrage and hate over them, but at the same time, we don't want them lying about bigger things, like matters of safety and morality.

So the question posed by the article is: Where do children get hooked on lying? Well, lying is a stage that most children go through at some point in childhood, but they usually grow out of it through socialization. However, if they find lying works for them, or that they see others around them doing it, and succeeding, they will continue. Telling a telemarketer you don't speak English is lying. Cheating on taxes is lying. Lying is lying, plain and simple. Don't try to sugar coat something that is plain and simple as day. Children learn by example, and while things aren't always the parents fault, there is the possibility that detrimental behaviors learned by children didn't just pop out of nowhere, they started closer to home than we may think.

I Had a Great Fall

2010-11-30T12:17:00.003-06:00

I got on my bike, my mind prepared for the task at hand, my fingers clenched around the handlebars, my teeth clenched, my body totally ready. I was ready to peddle my bike; I had to make it over the ramp; I had to get to the other side. My task, getting over the ramp, seemed simple enough. I had to get up the ramp, over the top, down the side, and back to the ground, safely in one piece. I began the to pedal my bike over to the ramp. Simple enough...right? As I climbed further up the ramp and as I began to reach the top I began to become scared as I began to fall. My fall was terrible in appearance, yet the pain was little. On my hand, blood I saw spreading. Why did I feel no pain? I began to walk inside, and walked, and tripped, and found, and spoke to, my mom. Her view of my wound and her awe at the grotesqueness and my lack of panic, moved her to slowly but surely clean and bandage my wound, patting me on the back for my bravery.

Why Do We Find Joy in Pain?

2010-11-11T20:22:00.002-06:00

We have all seen America's Funniest Videos or watched funny videos of people doing stupid things, and ending up hurting themselves, sometimes very seriously. The very sentence I just wrote conveys my point exactly. We find these videos funny. Why?

In this video, "Scarlet Takes a Tumble," we see a woman, who decides to climb up onto a structurally unsound table, and proceed to dance and move her body in motions that do not equally distribute her weight along all support structures of the table. Scarlet proceeds to dance, proceeds to sing, proceeds to fall, as the table flies out from under her when she unfortunately walks too far forward, thereby unevenly distributing her weight to the front part of the table, causing said tumble.

Just while typing this description of this video, I am struggling to contain my laughter. But why? Why do we laugh at the pain of others? Why does the pain of others seem to amuse us to no end? When we see others, such as Scarlet, in unfortunate situations of unexpected pain and trauma, a number of things go through our minds. First off, humans have the innate, and not always becoming trait of finding cruel humor amusing. Secondly, and primarily, we have the urge to laugh at others pain because when we see someone else in an unfortunate situation, we have the "funny feeling" of relief that we are not in that situation. We are looking at Scarlet take her "tumble" and we say to ourselves "Wow... Glad that wasn't me." We then proceed to laugh because we know that she is alright, or the video wouldn't be online, and also because we have something that we are able to look at and be grateful we aren't in that persons shoes.

Three Books I would like to Read

2010-11-09T11:55:00.003-06:00

I would like to read 19 Minutes, because Natasha and others have recommended this book to me and I heard it was really well written. I would also like to read The Red Tent, recommended to me by Ms. Weygandt, about Joseph's sister who was little mentioned in the Bible. Lastly, I want to read Among the Hidden, also recommended to me by Ms. Weygandt. I trust her recommendations because she has recommended me some very good books to read in the past.

My Independent Reading This Quarter

2010-10-15T13:03:00.004-05:00

This quarter, I have established a regular habit of reading. I read every night now before I go to bed, even if it is just by Bible reading. I have had a few issues with keeping up with my reading earlier in the quarter, but now I am doing really good with it. I honestly probably wouldn't be reading 150 minutes a week if I didn't think I needed to do it just for the grade. Life right now is just so busy I don't always have that much time to read. I have a relatively balanced reading diet, some frill reads, along with some mroe serious reads, like Inexcusable. Reading this quarter has really been hard to squeeze in, but I think over the long run, I have learned how to make and keep some good habits that will stick with me for a long time.

Getting in my required number of books was hard. I read some really good books, but then my reading became kind of stagnant and boring for a while. I just need to be sure to stay in the swing of reading every day and finding good books to read that keep me thinking and entertained at the same time.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

2010-10-11T12:14:00.005-05:00

The Socratic Seminars we took part in during class proved to be a very interesting and enlightening way to explore ideas and pick each other's minds on topics from Brave New World. In the seminars, my group and I spoke about the differing viewpoints of John the Savage and Mustapha Mond. I also spoke about John's use of Shakespearean quotes in his speech when he is talking to people in the "civilized world."

While preparing for the seminars, I was pleased to find in myself the ability to look at a text and actually interpret a deeper meaning than the impression given on the surface. I was proud of myself that I was actually able to exercise that extra level of critical thinking in a practical manner by taking notes and pondering ideas Huxley presented, for example, the differing viewpoints of Mond and John on the topic of having something more to believe in than just emotion.

I encountered many new and intriguing points of view from my peers during the seminars. For example, my peers pointed out how the words of Shakespeare could have been chosen by Huxley because Shakespearean literature is so timeless and appeals to every human emotion in the most simple, yet at the same time complex, ways. Therefore, John could have been quoting Shakespeare in times of trouble not only for comfort of tradition (my original viewpoint) but because he understood some surface meaning in the words of Shakespeare.

In participating in the seminars, I discovered that I am naturally inclined to initiate conversation with people, and ask lots of questions. I most enjoyed being able to talk to my peers in a smaller group without fear of interruption and hearing the views of some I don't normally have the opportunity to talk to.

The Socratic seminar was very challenging. I was really nervous about it, because I was afraid I would either monopolize the conversation or not speak at all. However, they went really well, I think we all did a great job in my group. The most difficult part for me in the seminar was being sure to pause and give others in my group time to speak and really hearing their ideas. Once I was able to open myself up and listen to the things everyone said, I really felt enlightened on the subjects we spoke about. It was quite interesting to discuss the ideas in "Brave New World" with my peers instead of the usual style of debate. If I had a do-over of the seminar, I would devote more time to listening to my peers and their ideas.

Pink's Purpose

2010-09-13T10:25:00.005-05:00

Pink's sarcastic, grim observation of the shift in lifestyle in America, combined with his observation of the shift in thinking of Americans, aims to show our change of mindset and how we are taking our abundance for granted, possibly giving us cause to change. Staples is "a 20,000 square foot box selling 7,500 different school and office supplies." Pink is using this example of something we see every day to show us the massive nature of how we as a people seem to need a thousand different choices when over half of them do the exact same thing. He is bringing to light the fact that our forgetfulness of our abundance has led to a change in mindset. We have gone from I need this to survive, to I want this because I like it. When we can't store things, we just throw them away. Pink's frank statement of this visible fact shows the obvious American wasteful attitude and his effort to bring to light this change of mindset. Americans need to buy things we need, so therefore we won't have more stuff than space. We are drowning in our waste of our abundant resources, and Pink uses tactful sarcastic humor and straightforwardness to make us aware of our current state.

Use Rhetoric...invest in victory!

2010-08-26T18:34:00.006-05:00

Everyone wants to help out Uncle Sam, right? This advertisement for Scotch tape from the 1940's uses Logos, Pathos, and Ethos to advertise their unique and new (at the time) brand of tape.

First and foremost, this ad obviously appeals to Logos, by showing readers the practical uses of their tape. For example, Scotch tape is being highlighted in this ad as a valuable tool in the war effort. The tape is used to hold together care packages for soldiers and hold together parts in factories producing wartime goods.

This ad also uses Ethos, giving it credibility, by telling of those same ways Scotch brand tape is helping Uncle Sam, and telling of the many places in which scotch brand tape can be found and used.

This ad is also more than an ad. It is a notice, telling faithful users of Scotch brand items that the reason their favorite products can not be found on shelves anymore is that they are helping out the country. An obvious appeal to Pathos, Scotch is spending their money to tell consumers of their efforts to aide in American Victory (notice the use of Victory, a positive description) and advising citizens to invest in war bonds, a completely non profit to Scotch action. Scotch is appealing to the hard ingrained emotions of patriotism within the hearts of Americans.

Another appeal to Pathos that this ad uses is the obvious display of an aesthetically pleasing woman in a bright red dress as an attention getter, drawing people in, particularly men, to read on in the advertisement and be delivered Scotch's intended message. Also notice that everyone in the picture is smiling and happy, showing readers that Scotch has a positive attitude and wants America to win the war.

Scotch's 1944 ad, or public announcement to be more accurate, uses at least a tidbit of every type of Rhetoric, to effectively draw readers attention, sell them on the product, and keep spirits up in America's time of trouble.

Are we becoming tweeting Twits?

2010-08-10T19:31:00.007-05:00

How reliant have we as humans become on the use of technology for the everyday acts of communications? As shown in Mashable's article, "Twitter's official tweet button has arived,"referenced on CNN.com, twitter has come up with yet another way for users to tweet, keep track of other's tweets, forward tweets, and follow tweets, and just about any other action that uses the word tweet. Have we gone too far? Is the urge to be able to communicate with others 24/7 overtaking our lives?

Twitter's new button lets users keep track of how many "retweets" (reposts) they get on their own posts, and also lets other users "retweet" something that someone else has posted easily and with the push of a button. Am I the only one who is taken aback by this statement? Have we stooped to the point of being too lazy to type out our own responses? Going deeper, what ever happened to writing?

These questions may seem old fashioned and weird, but let me be the first to say, I love facebook. I am on that website more than the average person, and even the average person is on it more than necessary. I am just asking the questions to make us think. We as individuals and as a society must get out of our computer chairs and do something. If we let the lazy attitude that society has adopted start to overtake our lives, we will soon be sitting in the middle of a crumbling world.

Mashable's article illustrates just one of the many ways our society, already amazingly blessed with everything we have, is becoming more and more dependent on technology and more accustomed to instant gratification. This doesn't mean we should all throw our computers out on the sidewalk and only ever communicate through handwritten letters ever again. This does mean, however, that we need to take a step back and reevaluate where the line should be drawn between convenience, and laziness.

Are We Happy Plastic People?

2010-07-24T13:21:00.006-05:00

The first line of the chorus of the song "Stained Glass Masquerade" by Casting Crowns asks the question that many of us wonder about our peers. And if we are not asking that question, maybe should we?

Popular culture and entertainment is abuzz with shows, movies, and literature telling us to look into ourselves and let our true personalities show, get help with issues we are dealing with, and to look at others with the idea that don't know everything that may be going on in their lives. But, when I look around our schools and communities today, nobody seems to be taking that message to heart. Why?

At first glance, the song "Stained Glass Masquerade" seems to be a contemporary Christian song telling listeners to look down and see if they are hiding themselves from God and other Christians who can help them deal with their problems. When looked at from a broader perspective, we see the song telling listeners, Christian or not, to realize that the people around us have open hearts and minds to hear our problems, and help us get through them. So that "maybe then we close the curtain, on this stained glass masquerade."

If there are so many different sources like "Stained Glass Masquerade" telling listeners they are not alone in their struggles, and encouraging them to let God and others help them through their problems, why do we still see suicides, murders, and depression resulting from unresolved issues? Why is society still filled with people who think they need to huddle under a blanket and put on the facade of happiness for the whole world to believe, or see through?

The answer to this question can be very simple, and for some, very complex. In my personal views and experiences, I know that life is easier, for me, by letting my peers and close confidants know my issues and being open to their help for me. More importantly however, for me personally, is the confidence in my faith and willingness to turn my problems over to God. For those who do not believe Christianity, to each his own. Just know that life is always easier when we share our burdens with those we trust, and take off our masks, to show the world who we truly are. And if you are still not convinced of this reader, I ask you the simple question, what do you have to loose?

"And if the invitation's open,
To every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we close the curtain,
On this Stained Glass Masquerade."

-Casting Crowns

Shall we cover, or Correct?

2010-07-11T13:04:00.004-05:00

Bad breath is a nightmare, a menace, a plague that frequently strikes down some of the best and brightest of all generations. This daily strip of Zits illustrates this problem that many of us come across at the most inconvenient times. "Oh no, I have bad breath... Lets get a mint... Oh no, now my bad breath is minty!" Trying to cover up issues doesn't solve any problems. The only product that results from covering up a issue is this: a covered up issue.

Looking at the strip of Zits on the surface I see an average teenager, confronted with the common problem of bad breath, and like any other human being would do, he tries to drown his bad breath with the more strong scent of mint. Sadly however, Jeremy (this "he" I have been speaking of) realizes that all swallowing a whole box of mints got him was minty smelling bad breath. The simple conclusion one can draw from this comic strip is this: Mints don't fix bad breath. Brush your teeth.

Little do readers realize, the conclusion drawn from that one situation can not only (and most definitely should be) applied to cases of bad breath, it is the extremely simple solution to some of the most major problems humans face as individuals, and a society as a whole. Compare the situation shown in this strip of Zits to life. Any problem we attempt to cover up with lies, or quick fixes, may seem "fixed," but underneath is never truly solved.

The decision is left up to the individual of course, but I know that a clean mouth is happy mouth and (all humor aside) living a clean life and showing everyone I encounter who I truly am is better and more fruitful than leading a sham of a life in a bucket of stink with a nice little bow on top. So the choice is yours: Shall we cover, or Correct?

My Photo Story

2010-06-21T17:47:00.004-05:00

A picture is worth a thousand words. Here's just a few to share my life with you. Click to learn more!

Analysis of "Of Mice and Men"

2010-05-24T13:47:00.010-05:00

Analysis of Detail
"Runs deep and green'' represent the fact that the river has more than what is just on the surface, and is full of life, represented by the adjective green. The whole sentence, "The Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green," describes how the river, being Lennie and George's path, has depth, like George, with his deep calculating below the surface, and Lennie, full of life and simple childlike joy.

"Curve up the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains," shows how the river, which is deep and green, curves up the mountains, which are strong, and yet rocky at the same time. In other words, the mountain path taken by the river is defined, yet difficult. The juxtaposition of these terms, "curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains," shows that the path taken by George and Lennie, the river, will be definite, but also with possible struggles and trials.

"Deep and so crisp" indicates how the leaves are thick, and tangled on top of each other, not easily gone through, and crisp as in how quickly they might break and send the whole pile down. "Under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp." Lennie and George, based on this sentence, are going to be far under, "deep", in problematic situations, where one wrong move could send them over the edge.

"A path beaten hard by boys coming down...beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down" shows how the path "beaten hard" has been traveled frequently by people of many different backgrounds. The path that Lennie and George will take "to swim in the deep pool," has been taken by others, so they are not alone in their perilous situations to come.

"The limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it," shows how the limb that many men come to rest on in the end, is the same limb which has supported many men before them. Lennie and George will come to a solution to all of their problems, "the limb," could possibly mean that solution may be unorthodox, yet a solution others have tried before.

Analysis of Tone
The third-person objective point of view solidifies the solitary lives these men lead and gives readers the opportunity to see inside the minds of more than one character.

The quote, "Crooks did not see him...on raising his eyes...a scowl came on his face," taken literally, this shows readers the actions of Crooks, in response to Lennie coming into his room. Zooming out however, we are able to see clearly the emotional reaction of Crooks to this unwanted entry to his room, enforcing the fact that Crooks has lived a very solitary life. Crooks is black. Crooks is a cripple, and Crooks works with the horses. He is not used to having men from the bunkhouse enter his room in the stables, because in the day and age of this book, whites and blacks were treated equally by any means. Possibly Crooks doesn't like the intrusion by Lennie, because he is so used to being alone in his life, thus, he does not like the change of scenery.

When "Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends," we obviously see that Lennie is lonley, if we take the sentence at face value. Looking at the big picture however, we see that Lennie is reaching out to make friends, because his life has been solitary, his only friend being George. Lennie has the mental capacity of a child, thus the only person who has really taken care of him is George, for reasons not quite understood completley by readers. Lennie is drawn to the barn because he sees that Crooks is there, and having the mind of a child, Lennie doesn't judge Crooks based on his skin color or occupation, the way the other men do. Lennie sees Crooks as a human, a possible friend waiting to be made.

These two quotes also show how the author uses the third person point of view to give readers insight into the minds of multiple characters in the book.

Analysis of Tone

The tones of commitment and hope in Steinbeck's passage reflect his view of the situation that George and Lennie, showing how they are devoted to each other as friends, and that they have hope for a better tomorrow.

"I want you to stay with me, Lennie," are the words of George, who is committed to stay with Lennie until the end, not matter how much trouble he may cause for George. George's quote completely supports the tone of commitment that Steinbeck's work is eminating in this book. Once George had committed to taking care of Lennie, he was going to take care of him. No matter what.

"An we'll live off da fatta da lan," shows how George and Lennie have the constant hope that even though times are tough, and things look bleak after they are run out of Weed. This message clearly shows Steinbeck's tone to be one of hope amongst struggles, even in the hardest of times. Especially in Of Mice and Men, which takes place in the era of the great depression, where everything and everyone was overcome with hardships and strife. This book shows us that there can be hope, and even if things don't turn out the way people always want, there can always be some sliver of hope forthe American dream to survive.

Theme

The theme of Of Mice and Men is that we are all our brother's keeper.

In Steinbeck's work, George is the keeper of Lennie, he always takes care of him, like when they were run out of Weed, he stuck with Lennie. No matter what happens with Lennie and George, George is always there because that is his duty.

All readers can learn from Of Mice and Men, because this work shows us how, we are, to a point, responsible for the actions of our brothers, and also responsible to take care of them.

The tone of Steinbeck's work supports the theme of being our brother's keeper. George says, "I want you to stay with me Lennie," and this shows readers that George is committed to Lennie, and has a hope for them having a better tomorrow.

These passages all reflect the hopefulness and sense of duty shown in Of Mice and Men that all of us as humans have a responsibility to take care of our brothers. Brother's being mankind.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2010-05-20T13:35:00.006-05:00

Dorothea Lange's series of photographs of a family during the great depression, speaks thousands of words about life and the changes people had to accept, and deal with during the depression.

The family which Dorothea photographed was living in a makeshift tent, with their few belongings that had not been sold to survive. The mother had recently sold the wheels to their car, the main means of transportation, so the family was recently restricted to travel by foot.

This mother, her face solemn and sad, had given up all she had to protect her family. She did, however, keep her wedding ring, which is seen in the pictures, prominent on her left ring finger. This mother, who was struck in one of the worst ways by the depression, lost everything. She and her children were living on the street, just barely surviving.

Dorothea Lange's photos of this family show without words, but with raw emotion and power, the poverty thrown onto the average family during this horrid time. But, they also show the willpower and perseverance to survive and persist through the troubling times our nation and many others in the world faced.

Orwell's Effective Use of Animals as Characters

2010-05-10T13:52:00.003-05:00

Orwell used animals instead of humans in the book Animal Farm for a variety of reasons. One reason possibly could be that the use of animals would be more easily taken by the greater population of the world. If Orwell had used humans in the story, people might have taken the story as a personal insult to humanity.

Orwell effectively used animals as characters in that by the end of the book, we were all very into the story, and we viewed the animals almost as humans. The animals became characters in our minds, completely and effectively personified in situations parallel to those of the Russian Revolution.

Orwell might have also decided to use animals in his book rather than people because that would make the story more like a fairy tale, thus making the story a fable. If the story had been told with humans instead of animals. Animal Farm would have been just a story about what actually happened during the Russian revolution, thus making the book more of a historical fiction, rather than a work of fantasy. Animal Farm, being fantasy, appeals to a wider audience than a straightforward historical fiction work.

The Message of the Giver

2010-05-10T13:50:00.003-05:00

The Giver by Lois Lowry has the obvious message that, in her opinion, a Utopian socety can't exist if the population is aware of what they are missing by having total equality.

In The Giver the society is completely controlled, everyone has the same birthday, their jobs are assigned to them, and nobody sees color. There is no pain, no sorrow, in fact, no real emotions. The theme of this novel is the fact that no matter how perfect a Utopian society may appear to the world, the society can never be truly perfect in human standards.

Humans are born with the natural instinct to want to achieve, to succeed, and to dream. So, the only way the society in The Giver could work perfectly, with all the citizens having the same jobs, income, number of children, and birthday would be for the citizens to not know what they were missing. Thus, the giver was introduced. He recieved ALL of the memories that were not part of the mass that the citizens were supposed to know, good and bad. So, there was only one citizen who had to live with the horrors of hunger, thirst and disease.

The message of The Giver is obviously that although life may be hard and difficult at times, the human mind and body won't be satisfied with just the minimum, we will always strive to achieve and do better.

Cross-Examination

2010-04-20T14:22:00.002-05:00

On what would you be cross-examined? That was the question posed to our class this afternoon on the blog. I must admit this was something I had to give quite a bit of thought to, because I always strive to be who I am, everywhere I am, and not put on different masks to satisfy the different people I encounter.

After pondering this topic for some time, I have concluded that if someone were to examine my life, something that might puzzle them, and give them cause for cross-examination would be my closet.

My closet is in a constant state of dissaray. There are clothes everywhere, hangers strewn across the floor, and the closet that once was walk in, has been transformed into a walk-in-if-you-dare closet. You may wonder why I think I would be cross-examined on this part of my life, a messy closet, what's the big deal? My life and personality is together, not scattered, I have things under control. The fact that my closet is so out of control might cause someone to wonder why, and if that means the rest of my life is out of control also.

The answer to this question, I am happy to say, is no. My life is together, my closet is just a mess. Simply put, I don't have time to sort out that junk. My messy closet is a part of me, it's where my crazy disorganized side can roam free.

Smile

2010-04-13T12:42:00.008-05:00

Celebrate

2010-04-13T12:32:00.006-05:00

I wake up in the morning
And open up my eyes.
I'm alive and breathing;
From my bed free to rise.

I am blessed to be alive
And have freedom to learn.
For basic needs of life,
I do not have to yearn

When I look at my life
I know that this is true.
I have cause to be thankful.
So I celebrate
Will you?

2010-03-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

No Mask I Wear
Crist Blackwell

As you go through life
and you see
myself,
I,
there being me,
What you see is what you get;
my voice is my own.
No mask I wear;
my true colors are shown.

My life with lies,
I do not defile.
My personality
is true.
I greet you with a smile.

So when you see me
don't expect me to change!
Becuase no mask I wear,
who cares if I'm strange.

St. Patrick and Me

2010-03-17T13:48:00.002-05:00

All St. Patrick's day has really ever been to me is a fun holiday. However, I do not like when I get pinched for not wearing green. For the past two years I have, by chance not been wearing green, but thankfully, this year, I did wear green, although I did not pinch anyone. Why do something to someone that you would not want to be done to you?

One time when I was in elementary school, in first grade I believe, at lunch time on St. Patrick's day we had green bread, green hot dogs, green chips, green everything. The lunch tasted fine, although eating all the green things was somewhat weird. Now, in hindsight I wonder, were the food items died green? Or was that the school's was of getting rid of the spoiled food?!

I personally think St. Patrick's day is a fun holiday, but some people do take the holiday a bit too far. There is one easy way to avoid the trauma of being pinched though, just remember to wear green!

Call of the Wild Review

2010-03-09T14:59:00.003-06:00

Have you ever wondered what the life of a sled dog is like? If so, then look no further because Jack London's Call of the Wild takes readers on a wild ride through the life of Buck, a domesticated dog who is thrown into the world of mushing in gold rush era North America.

The book is set all throughout North America during the time of the gold rush. Buck originally is from Southland, in the US. He is sold by the family garderner to pay for his gambling habit and thrown into a world of dog trading, and by a twisted chain of events, into the world of mushing. Most of the book takes place in the northern parts of North America, partly in the snow covered lands of Alaska.

Buck develops greatly throughout this book. The story begins when he is a household pet, completely domesticated, thinking he is the master of the world. When the gardener sells him for extra cash, Buck is introduced to the real world, seeing how dogs are treated by some people. He learns that man is his master. When Buck is taken out to do sled work, he slowly starts to realize his true wild nature. He must rely on his instincts to survive in this harsh world. Most of the characters in this book are Static, and only stay connected to the story for a short period of time. However, Bucks character is dynamic, developing greatly from where he is at the beginning of the story to the end of the book.

The theme of this book is overcoming circumstances and finding the will to survive. Buck will die if he doesn't change his ways and learn the ways of the wild. He has to get in touch with the long forgotten instincts of his ancestors to prevail. Call of the Wild shows readers that not everybody and every place is the same. Things are done differently in other places, and we must either adapt, or be crushed.

Call of the Wild was an interesting read. I did not pick the book out myself, nor would I have probably read this work if not assigned to do so. However, after reading this book, I have become more open minded to the animal-type genera of books. I would recommend this book to all readers, however, at times the book's language has a few moments some readers might find offensive.

Being a True Winner

2010-03-07T12:23:00.003-06:00

Being a winner is all in the eyes of the beholder. Sometimes people always look at winning as something that MUST be done. Something that they will do anything to achieve.

Being a winner does not always mean that you actually win whatever you are doing. Being a winner, in my eyes, is knowing that you have learned something from the situation, and will not make the same mistakes you did that time, the next time. True, actually winning the competition may make you an actual winner, but does that make you a true winner?

People will go to extremes to win at competitions, some people even resort to cheating. Even if that person does win the competition, are they a true winner? Yes, I know this all sounds cliche, but the truth is the truth.

I am most proud of winning my life for Christ. Everyday is a constant struggle with sin, for all of us. But, knowing that I have made the decision to give my life to Christ, and am firm and stick to my beliefs, I know I have won, better yet, Christ has won me and I know I have eternal life in him.

Commitment Like an Olympian

2010-03-05T14:17:00.004-06:00

With the Winter Olympics underway, although now finished, I have been reflecting on the commitment and determination required to be successful in such a grand competition.

The competitors in the Olympics have all trained for months, even years of their lives in preparation for this competition. The amount of commitment and perseverance that goes into their daily practice routines is of a level very hard to match in any other area. These individuals sacrifice their time, money, and other hobbies and have committed to train and attempt to bring glory and gold home to their countries.

While nothing may seem as grand as competing in the Olympics, there are things that other people have given utmost devotion to in their lives, much like the Olympians. For example, musicians must commit time to practice if they expect to improve in their field. Like the athletes in the Olympics, the musicians sacrifice their time and devote themselves to the furthering of their chosen path.

I lean more towards the commitment of a musician. I strive to improve my musical ability in my guitar playing, trumpet playing, and singing daily. I always try to tie music into every aspect of my life.

The rewards of being committed like an Olympian are great indeed. For the competitors in the Olympics, the reward may be coming home with a gold medal and forever being remembered as bringing honor to their nation, and for the musician, the pride of a job well done, knowing that they have played their heart out and given the audience a great performance.

Persuasion

2010-02-23T13:41:00.003-06:00

Persuasion is a tactic which I, and everybody else I know, uses everyday, sometimes without even knowing that they are. People do not always notice, but just day to day living requires the use of persuasion at some point.

I use persuasion constantly in my life, however I also do try to pick my battles. There are always times where I do not agree with people, and their opinions, but I do my best to choose the right times to voice my opinion and try and persuade people to see the situation my way.

When I do decide to try to persuade someone to do/believe something, one of the main tactics which I use is Logos, the use of logic, numbers, facts, and data to support my argument. When something is presented to me in a logical, orderly, and factual way, I am more inclined to sway towards agreeing as opposed to being presented something in a manner which I have to practically run in circles to understand.

The Necessity of Sleep

2010-02-02T16:26:00.010-06:00

We've stayed up all night before, either for lack of time to do a project for school, the novelty of staying up all night, or to watch that late night show. However, like many of us have been told, sleep is the last thing people need to give up when having to get something done in a short amount of time. Sleep is our body's natural time to restore itself, and for us teenagers, to grow. And sorry to disappoint readers, but sleep is not a luxury, sleep is a necessity! When was the last time you sacrificed sleep so you could do something else which seemed more important to you at the time?

When we stay up late, for example, not going to sleep at all one night, our entire sleep cycles can be thrown off completely. Our bodies crave sleep, even though we might not necessarily feel tired. So when we don't sleep an entire night, our body gets confused, and our sleep cycles are thrown out of whack. There are many symptoms of sleep deprivation, and as we look over them, we see that these symptoms are appearing in more and more teenagers every day.

So, as we continue on with our lives of schedules, homework, relaxing, fun, and boredom. We must remember that sleep is not our enemy. Sleep is our friend, and when we start to cut our time spent sleeping, the effects may be positive for a time, but when our bodies catch up to us, the effects can be devastating.

Someone I Admire, Taking a Stand.

2010-01-18T18:56:00.007-06:00

There is always someone, someone who nobody likes, everybody talks bad about, and doesn't have many friends. The person I admire for taking a stand is one of my friends who said one day, I'm not going to go with the crowd, I'm going to reach out to this person and be the kind of friend I would want to have in this situation.

I am not going to share the real name of my friend, or the person they were helping, because that is not the point of this story. But for the sake of not overusing pronouns, let's call my friend Jim, and the outcast Bob. The point is that we all follow too closely in the crowd, afraid to stand up and be different. Too many times do we sit back and watch someone fall, and not do a thing, thankful we are not in their shoes.

Bob was new to the school at the time, was always upset about something, and everyone thought he was annoying, and just went on with their lives not doing a thing. But one day, Bob was almost at his breaking point, and Jim approached him and offered up his story about life, and how he understood where Bob was coming from. Jim told Bob that he was not alone, and that he would be there for him if Bob ever needed someone. Jim also told Bob that even when people are not there for you, God will always be. Jim did what I wanted to do, but had been afraid to do at the time.

I will always admire Jim for what he did, and he truly took the stand that all of us are afraid to take. Reaching out, without fear of ridicule, to help a someone in need.

"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." ~William Shakespeare

The Time I took a Stand

2010-01-18T16:34:00.009-06:00

Taking a stand can be difficult to do, especially when everyone around you is doing something, and you're the one to say no, I will not do this. I took a stand on cursing. I am not the type of person to beat someone over the head with a Bible for cursing, however I request that people around me do not use that kind of language. I, like everyone else, make mistakes and a word slips once in a blue moon, but I make it one of my personal standards to not use bad language.

When I was in the eighth grade, I had friends who cursed, a lot. And I, at one time, fell into the habit as well, which I am not proud of. However, one day I realized that I was going with the crowd and giving in to peer pressure. I was not standing up for what I believed in, and I was being hypocritical. So one day I said to my friends, I am not going to speak like that anymore, and I'd appreciate it if around me you tried to tone down that kind of language as well. My friends were very understanding and respected how I felt. I was scared to say anything because I didn't know what they would say, or if they might make fun of me for thinking differently. But in the end, I felt better because I broke a bad habit and stood up for my beliefs, even when I was afraid to do so.

The fact that someone says a curse word in itself is not as much a problem. The problem is that by saying curse words, you are offending someone else. People need to have the respect for others to watch their language so that, even if they don't see a problem with cursing, they will be respecting the people they are around.

Water for Elephants Book Review

2010-01-17T17:59:00.017-06:00

Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants threw me into a world of spectacular shows, and crazy conflicts. This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, and had me wishing for more as I turned the final pages of this work of literature.

The main character of this book, Jacob Jankowski, is either 90 or 93, he can't quite remember. He is in a nursing home, and goes back and forth between flashbacks of his life as a young man and real time. Most of the book takes place in the earlier parts of Jacob's life, when he finds out his parents are dead, and runs away from the world, walking out on his final exams to become a liscenced vetrinarian. He jumps onto a train-car for the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth, and unwittingly, jumps into the twisted world of a circus in depression-era US.

There is no single theme of the book Water for Elephants. Among the many themes of this book is taking a stand. Jacob is in love with Marlena, the menagerie worker at a circus he travels with. However, Marlena is married to August, a man who is bipolar, and abuses Marlena. Jacob knows he has to stand up against August, to defend Marlena, but he has yet to know all the problems he will encounter along the way, with this traveling circus.

I would recommend this book to most readers readers, however young children, and people easily offended by some risque moments might not want to read Water for Elephants. Sara Gruen has succeeded in creating the vivid image of a circus in depression-era United States. However, in doing so, she did capture the unsavory parts of life, as well as the sweet parts.

331 Pages 2 Books

Coraline Book Review

2009-12-17T13:46:00.004-06:00

Every child dreams of a better world where all their dreams come true. But no child could want what Coraline Jones found behind the door in her parlor. Neil Gaiman's Coraline sent chills up my spine with a tale that kept me interested until the very end.

The theme of Coraline is to be thankful for what we have, and to realize that anything that seems too good to be true, most likely is. Coraline dreamed of finding a place where everything was great. She dreamed of a world where her parents were more caring, her neighbors didn't constantly mispronounce her name, and her life was full of adventure. Coraline got just what she wanted when she went through the door in the parlor of her house one night, which normally lead to a brick wall, but now lead to a world just like her own, only better. Or so she thought.

The characters of Coraline are extremely static, but that is done on purpose by Neil The world behind the door is controled by the "other mother," a seemingly perfect version of Coraline's real mother, but it turns out, the other mother has kidnapped children before. She lures the children in with a vision of a perfect place, almsot just like their own life, and she steals their souls. The other mother just creates the other characters in the world to suit her needs. They have whatever personality she gives them. Nothing more, nothing less. Very static.

Coraline is a great book, although for some this book might be a little chilling. Coraline is also a quick read. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages, however I would advise parents to pre-read this book before allowing nightmare-succeptible children to read.

What Makes a Leader a True Leader?

2009-12-15T10:50:00.003-06:00

What makes a leader a true leader? The question is simple, the answer can be very complex.

No matter where we look in life, we always have someone to answer to. Employees answer to their bosses, bosses answer to their bosses, and so on an so forth. But, the differences between a leader that we just answer to because we have to, and a leader which we respect and want to follow are very distinct and obvious.

A true leader is someone that inspires people to follow them. They must be bold, eloquent, and make people want to respect them. To be feared is a quality some leaders strive for, which true, does force people to serve, but as soon as the fear factor is gone out of the situation, people will refuse to follow.

For a person to be a true leader, they must be willing to listen to other people, and willing to be wrong. If someone leads with the attitude that they are always right, never doing anything wrong, they are believing a lie, and how can they expect others to believe them when they won't
even admit to the problem?

There are many qualities that are needed in a person to be a true leader, but out of them all, the most important quality is the willingness to learn. If a leader is not willing to learn, nothing will change, nothing will improve, and all being leader will have done for that person is earn them a title.

To be a leader is not for the fainthearted, but if taken seriously and done right, many people have the potential to be a great leader. If they only listen, and learn.

Julius Caesar Book Review

2009-12-15T10:09:00.004-06:00

What really happened in the minds of the conspirators that murdered Caesar? What could have resulted from this tradgedy? Shakespeare's Julius Caesar took me back to the days of the Romans, and showed me an intersting possible story behind the actual events surrounding Julius Caesar's death.

The theme of Julius Caesar is that every action has a reaction, or consequences, and we must deal with them, weather good or bad. Throughout the play, Brutus, the main character, is constantly faced with decisions to make, and he always seems to make the wrong one. But, even though Brutus makes mistakes, he has to live with the consequences, which could even cost him his life.

Julius Caesar is set in Rome, at the time before, during, and recently after Caesar's death. Most of the play takes place in the city of Rome, however in some of the battle scenes, some characters are followed while fleeing from Rome.

The main plot of the story revolves around Brutus, a prominent man in Rome, held in high esteem by Caesar. Brutus is convinces by a man named Cassius and other conspirators to plot to kill Caesar, because they are afraid Caesar will cause the fall of the empire because he is "too ambious." After Brutus and the other conspirators murder Caesar, Mark Antony, sometimes refered to as Caesar's right arm, instigates a war between the conspirators, and those still loyal to Caesar.

Full of tradgedy, death, sorrow, suprises, fights, and conspiracy, Julius Caesar is a classic work of literature which is intersting, although some readers might find the play difficult to understand, as a result of being written in the old English of Shakespeare's time. I would give this book a thumbs up. However, some readers might grow weary of having to double back frequently to be sure they understand what is going on.

What's in a Name?

2009-12-09T14:08:00.002-06:00

My name is Crist Scott Blackwell Jr., a name made up of many parts, that have been passed down throughout my family for generations.

Crist was my father's paternal grandmother's maiden name. The name Crist was originally spelled Christ. This was not an unusual way of honoring an admired figure in the 1700s. The name was originally the last name of my first ancestor on my father's side to enter the United States from Bohemia, named Rudolf Christ. When his son was born, the "H" was taken out of the name.

Scott, my middle name, is also a family name on my father's side. Scott is my father's middle name. This name was also the name of one of my father's ancestors named after the famous general Winfield Scott.

My name has been passed down throughout my family for generations, and he has great meaning to me and my life. My name will also help me always remember the rich heritage of the Blackwell side of my family.

"Missing" Review

2009-12-03T10:08:00.004-06:00

Running away from home is something children do on a daily basis, although most come back. Derek, however, never came back from running away. Catherine Macphail's Missing kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

Maxine Moody knows her brother is gone. She just wishes her parents would come to accept that fact. Time has passed since Derek left the house one morning after an argument with Mom, and never came back. Maxine feels invisible, her parents are forever preoccupied with trying to find Derek. But, one day when a policeman tells the family they have found Derek's dead body, Maxine thinks everything will possibly go back to normal. Then the phone calls start. Someone is calling the house claiming to be Derek, and Maxine is freaking out. Is Derek really alive? Could someone be playing a cruel prank? All of these questions are answered in the Missing.

The characters of Missing are Maxine, her parents, a bully at school, Derek (maybe), and some of Maxine friends. The characters are mostly static, although sometimes we wonder if some characters might have something to hide.

Missing is set in Maxine's hometown, although the story speaks of possible places Derek might have been before he "died," which are all over the world. The author does a good job with one of the places where a phone call was supposedly placed from, a graveyard, from a phone right next to Derek's grave.

I would recommend Missing to any reader, although this book is somewhat of an easy read. This book will keep readers wanting more, never a dull moment. Missing receives a two thumbs up from Crist Blackwell.

Being Thankful....

2009-11-24T14:02:00.005-06:00

Ten Reasons/purposes for the Tanksgiving season.

1. To See Family
2. To remind us to be thankful for all we have
3. To remind us of when the pilgrims arrived
4. To Give people a break from work and school
5. A time for shameless overeating
6. Gives family a chance to reconnect
7. Gives people time to recouperate and recover
8. Gives stores a time to prepare for the Christmas rush
9. Gives people time to do Christmas shopping
10. An opportunity for more Potlucks and fellowship

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens

2009-11-10T20:07:00.006-06:00

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey is a self-help/improvement geared toward teens of the 21st century. The book covers seven habits that, if developed properly in the lives of teens, will contribute to a more successful and happy life.

My favorite habit in this book would have to be habit three. Although habit 3: put first things first is my favorite, this habit is also the one I need to work on the most. Putting first things first involves many things, because there are multiple parts of the process to implementing this habit. First, an individual finds out what type of person they are, then what type of person they need to be. I am a procrastinator. I am not as much of one as I was in the past, but procrastinating is still a problem I struggle with. I must always remember to keep my goals in mind (another part of another habit, go figure) and also be sure to decide what things are important enough to me and be sure to commit myself fully to them.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens was a good read, although somewhat hard for me to get through, because I'm not very into self help books. But, for a teen who needs some help sorting out their life, feeling like everything is a crazy mess, this work of Sean Covey is right for them.

Facebook: Friend or Foe?

2009-10-31T20:32:00.004-05:00

Facebook. Every teenager seems to have a page on this website. To us, Facebook is the ultimate way to keep up with all the people in our lives. To others, Facebook is a way to meet new people. And for some, this site is just a meaningless time-waster that keeps them from the more important things in life. There are several pros and cons to this social networking site.

Pros to using Facebook:
1. Facebook helps users expand their social networks to meet other people.
2. Facebook is a way to communicate when there might not be any other opportunities to do so.
3. Facebook is a way to keep up with people that live far away.
4. Facebook lets friends check up on other friends and see how they are doing.
5. Facebook has many fun applications to mess with to occupy free time.

Cons to using Facebook:
1. Facebook is addictive.
2. There is a level of uncertainty for privacy when using Facebook.
3. Some people use Facebook as a tool for procrastination.
4. Harassment can also occur on Facebook.

When all is said and done however, even knowing the pros and cons of Facebook, I enjoy using Facebook, but also admit there is somewhat of an addictive quality to this networking site. In the end, however, the decision needs to be left to each individual.

"To each his own." (Suum Cuique): Cicero; Roman author, orator, & politician (106 BC - 43 BC)

Book Review #6 Gathering Blue

2009-10-18T14:23:00.007-05:00

Hundreds of years into the future, Earth of today no longer exists. A whole new world where the color blue is lost, people are starving, and rely on a song sang once a year to remember their past, is created by Lois Lowry in this amazing book. Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue took an interesting take on what the future of earth might end up being.

Kira, a girl with only one usable leg, has just been orphaned when her mother died of an unknown illness. In Gathering Blue Kira relies on her skill of weaving and embroidery to survive. The plot of Gathering Blue has a few twists that will keep you turning the pages.

Like other Lois Lowry books, Gathering Blue is set in the future, on Earth, except the earth has gone in a different direction than most people believe. The people live in a village, and are ruled by a council. Every year the people gather to hear a song, sung by the singer, which tells of the downfall of earth and how this new village arose from the destruction. Kira, is selected to be the person who will take care of the robe, worn by the singer each year. The robe tells the story of earth and all the history of the people who now inhabit our planet. The robe is vibrant and beautiful, but...the color blue is completely absent. On top of everything, Kira is responsible to fill in the blank part of the robe with what the council tells her will be in the future.

The characters of Gathering Blue are somewhat static, we find out most all we know about Kira and the other characters usually in the first chapters where we meet them. Most of the story is focused more on plot than characterization.

Overall Gathering Blue was a good book, but not my favorite work of Lois Lowry. I would recommend this book to fans of Lois Lowry's books, but I would say that some of her other books are better.

Book Review #4 & 5 Catching Fire

2009-10-15T21:04:00.005-05:00

Imagine being thrown into an arena where killing every other person in that place was the only path to survival. Imagine co-winning that contest with a friend only because the whole society believed you were a lovestruck couple bent on getting out together or dying. Then imagine being thrown into that arena again. Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire took me on a wild ride of adventure and imagination.

Katniss and Peeta have just won the hunger games, an annual display of blood and gore used by the Capitol, the main city of this country called Panem, to scare the "districts" (somewhat like states), into submission. Normally only one victor emerges, having killed all of the other candidates, but in an attempt to both win, they attempt to commit suicide together so the Capitol would be forced to crown them both victors. The Capitol was not happy. That is what happened in The Hunger Games, the first book in the saga, Catching Fire is the second chapter in the Hunger Games saga.

Catching Fire is set in a country called Panem, a new place which rose out of the ashes after the United States fell into chaos and fell to destruction. There were originally 13 districts, somewhat like states, which all bowed to the Capitol, the main city in this new land. But, when the 13th district rebelled against the Capitol, district 13 became no more. Now there are 12 districts, each specializing in making a good for the use of the rich Capitol, while the people of the districts lie on the fence between starvation and survival.

All irony aside, Catching Fire has the theme of standing up to the man, if you will. The people of Panem are on the verge of rebellion, and the flame started by Katniss and Peeta has just enough power to ignite an inferno of rage inside the hearts of this country's people.

I would recommend Catching Fire to anyone who likes a good futuristic "What if?" book and enjoys being suprised. Catching Fire, like most other books I read, will glue readers to the edge of their seats, and keep them waiting for the next chapter in the Hunger Games saga.

400 Pages -- 2 Books

Book Review #3 The Giver

2009-10-15T20:57:00.005-05:00

What would happen if our world collapsed? What if a group of people changed life forever, and worst of all, left us none the wiser? Lois Lowry's The Giver kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

The Giver is set on Earth, in the far future, where after all the wars, trauma, and heartache, the people of the world have decided to take all the memories away and put them into the minds of one person, The reciever of memories. When Jonas, a 12 year old boy is chosen on his 12th birthday to be the new reciever of memories, the whole village gets turned upside down.

The Giver focuses a lot on becoming an individual and stepping out of the box when everyone in life seems to be part of a never ending stream of sameness. The theme of this book is that no matter what happens in the world, there are certain fundamental aspects of life, that without, life would cease to have meaning for many people in society.

This book is most definitely written in the same way most of Lois Lowry's books are. She takes a twist on the reality of today, throws the world into chaos, and then brings to life a new and crazy world out of the ashes.

The Giver is a must read book for people of all ages, teaching a fundamental lesson to our youth: To have a good life with meaning, we must endure the hardships together. This book will have readers on the edge of their seats all day and begging for more at the conclusion.

Book Review #2 "The Time Machine"

2009-10-05T19:49:00.002-05:00

Is time travel really too far fetched to be possible? Can this amazing feat truly be obtained in the power of mortal man? H.G. Well’s The Time Machine dives head first into this pool of ideas and puts an interesting spin on the topic of time travel. The Time Machine truly broadened my idea of what the future might be like with the vivid details and sky high tales of what the earth might be like one day.

The Time Machine seems to take place in the mid to late 1800s in London, England. This book however, as the name implies, does jump around in the time stream. Although throughout most of the book the time traveler is in relatively the same place, he is not, however, in anywhere near the same time period.

The time traveler, we do not get more of a name than that, begins the story by having a get together with some peers to discuss the possibility of his machine. Then, at another meeting, he announces that he has traveled through time. The time traveler then spins a tale of amazing proportions, telling of the earth in hundreds of thousands of years. The reader learns about the whimsical and carefree over-world people, the Eloi, and the animal-like primitive under-worlders, the Morlocks. The time traveler learns a great deal about these people in the quest to recover his stolen time machine.

The Time Machine encourages readers to think about the future. This book also gives a broader range of more imaginative ideas than most literature of this kind. Times are changing, and we, the readers, decide how time unfolds.

I would recommend The Time Machine to fans of science fiction. Although the vocabulary is somewhat above the average level for a teenage read, teens will most likely find this book interesting.

Book Review #1 "Thirteen Reasons Why"

2009-10-04T13:21:00.002-05:00

Why do people commit suicide? Could life really be that bad? Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why catches my attention because this book takes a very tough and controversial topic and shows readers the sometimes untold story in the tragedy of suicide.

Clay, the main character gets a set of tapes, which he finds out have been recorded by a girl, Hannah, before her recent suicide. Clay soon discovers that these tapes chronicle all of the events in Hannah’s life that led up to her decision to kill herself, but the catch is: Someone only get the tapes if they’re on them. That means he must be one of the thirteen reasons why. . . Right?

This story takes place all over the town in which Clay lives. Hannah provided a map with the tapes telling the listeners where to go at the right time to help get the full effect of what she has to say. This addition of changing scenery really does add to the magnitude and emotion that pulsates out of this amazing book.

Thirteen Reasons Why really makes readers think, and causes the them to realize that actions toward others do matter. If a person is hurt by another individual, soon events can lead to a domino effect and make that person’s world seem to be crashing down.

Without a doubt, I recommend Thirteen Reasons Why to any reader in the world, especially high school students. This book truly makes the reader think about how the everyday actions that are just blips in our memory can have a catastrophic effect on the persons toward whom those actions are carried out.

Blogging for Beginners

2009-09-09T20:37:00.005-05:00

Well, this is my first blog post. And I don't know really what to type. So, I guess I'll just explain my idea of what a blog is/should be. I view a blog as somewhat of a public journal, if you will. A place for an individual to be able to post his/her thoughts and feelings for other people to see.

In my point of view, if used correctly, blogging can be a useful and informative if used the right way. However, some people today use blogs as the ultimate source of information, and view all of the said information as fact. Which is false, blogs are statements of opinion by people, and an individual can choose to agree or disagree with that as they will. I find it very annerving when someone reads a post on a wall or blog, and then confronts the author, saying something along the lines of "How could you write something like that?" when instead, the individual could take the opportunity to discuss their perspective on the issue which was written about.

In a way blogging can be considered a sign of the changing times. Our parents may have had journals to write their personal thoughts in. But nowadays, teens tend to lean toward blogs more than actual paper journals.