How does Faber define the value of books? Does his definition of "quality" apply to media other than printed books? Do you think his definitions are accurate or not? Explain using specific examples for the text in your argument.
Faber defines the value of books as many different things. "Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget." In this quote, Faber is referring to books as a resource of holding information. Through this quote, Faber is basically saying that books take things deriving from many different sources in put it all into one complete thing, "they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us." Another thing Faber says about books is that they have way more then meets the eye, "This book can go under the microscope." This means that if you look at it more closely, you'll find more. Faber defines books as something holding information and detail on life that you can't see with your own eyes. To sum it up he says, "They show the pores in the face of life." This means that it shows the unseen things in life, the pores being the unseen things and life being the face as a whole.
I don't think Faber's definition of quality applies to media, just printed books. Media prefers to show extremes and only the good things. They don't show you everything, just what they want you to see. I think media can be most closely associated with another quote from Faber, "The comfortable people want only wax moon faces, pore less, hairless, expressionless." Even when the media is showing you something bad about society or whatever topic they're discussing, they only show you one perspective and many times don't allow you to think for yourself.
I personally disagree with his definitions. Books certainly do display detail and excessive information, but that's not the sole purpose. Everybody gets their own benefits from reading and everyone reads for a different purpose. The author of a book did not sit down with his priority in his book being to tell detail. Author's have a unique perspective of their own they want to share with the world. "Do you know why books such as this are important? Because they have quality." I disagree with this quote because there are many reasons why books are important. Every book is important for a different reason, it just depends on the individual. Books aren't important because they have quality, quality is just an essential or distinctive characteristic. Everything on this planet has quality, a book is not important because of it's quality, quality to one person is garbage to another. Books are important because they offer knowledge, information on an endless variety of topics.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
TU Tuesday- Local
The article I read was about a devastating car accident in Warren County on May 9th. The car accident was especially devastating because a passenger, 15 year old Sara Porter, died after being rushed to the Albany Medical Center. The driver, Aaron Palait, was driving on route 8 and ended up in a drainage ditch only to barrel into a couple of trees before landing turned over in a pool of standing water.
The central idea of the text is that there was a car accident involving a death. The first paragraph goes on to establish the plot. The who, "A 15 year-old from Ticonderoga." The what, "died Wednesday from injuries suffered." The when, "In a May 9 automobile accident, and the where, "in Warren County." After that the rest of the article just goes into more specific details on the entire plot. Eventually the article includes other people involved in the accident and a brief but detailed description of the accident.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Crash-claims-girl-15-3596571.php
The central idea of the text is that there was a car accident involving a death. The first paragraph goes on to establish the plot. The who, "A 15 year-old from Ticonderoga." The what, "died Wednesday from injuries suffered." The when, "In a May 9 automobile accident, and the where, "in Warren County." After that the rest of the article just goes into more specific details on the entire plot. Eventually the article includes other people involved in the accident and a brief but detailed description of the accident.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Crash-claims-girl-15-3596571.php
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Tried and True
Video Games: A
Procrastinating: A
Eating: A
Being Tall: A
Sleeping: A
Matching: A
Being Bored: A
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Downtime- What I do Offline to Recharge
It's almost a daily ritual for me to lie down on my black leather couch after school or when I'm not on the computer and watch Netflix through my Xbox 360 console. Netflix is an app that allows you to watch a variety of television shows and movies instantly. There genres range from horror movies to thrillers to comedies to romance movies and many others. I usually watch the show Weeds or The Office or Workaholics. Comedies are my favorite types of shows. Steve Carrell is one of my favorite actors, he plays Michael Scott in the office. Workaholics has to be one of the funniest shows of all time, up there with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. When I'm not sitting on my couch watching Netflix, I'm usually doing something active. On a sunny day I'll go outside and play basketball at the community basketball court or swing on the swings. Other outside activities I take part in after school or when I'm not on the computer is working out, playing tennis and/or going for a run or walk. Occasionally I'll stroll on over to my mom's neighborhood and spend the afternoon there. I'll play foosball or pool or just sit and watch Television. Sometimes I'll jump on the trampoline or play with the dogs. I try to be as active as I can as often as I can.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Love to know slideshow
http://freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:Journal_Writing_Prompts~3
What is your greatest accomplishment in life so far? What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years? Ten years? Twenty years? Do you think your goals are realistic? Do you have a plan for achieving them?
I can't say I've achieved something spontaneous so far in my life, I think about my life a lot and what I want to be. I plan to be a pharmacist when I grow up and I've been planning this for a while now. If I eventually do become a pharmacist I think that would be a great accomplishment, considering I have to go through 7 years of college before getting to that point. I'll be getting my permit soon which I think is another major accomplishment, and I hope to get my license shortly after. I've always been especially proud of my grades and overall academic performance. I know junior years the hardest and that's when I hope to excel. I gave up sports when middle school started and that's something I'd like to start up again before it's too late, even though it might already be. I plan to play football next year, my dad was talking about buying a house for me my brother and my sister before he leaves and moves back to Puerto Rico. I'd live there and go to a local college, preferably Albany School for Pharmacy, until I graduated. After I graduate I want to move South and become employed as a pharmacist and eventually buy a nice home and start my family. I absolutely hate winter and want to experience it as little as possible. In 10 years I should just be finishing school and taking on the next chapter of my life and by 20 years hopefully I'll be settled down with a female. I think my goals are realistic as long as I stay on the straightened arrow. Hopefully this will work out for me because I have back up plans but none of them seem to fit my future as perfectly as this plan does, it definitely won't be easy but nothing worth having is gained easily.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Philosophy- Communism
Communism: Communism is a revolutionary socialist movement to create a classless, money less, and stateless social order structured upon common ownership of the means of production, as well as social, political, and economical ideology that aims at the establishment of this social order. It began in the 19th century by a man named Karl Marx. I personally do not agree with communism, and don't believe it can be achieved. A form of it can be achieved but not full communism. People are naturally to greedy and selfish, they want more then their peers and want to be looked up to which cannot be achieved in a communist state. Anyone that knows anything besides communism would feel deprived of the things they could have. Most people don't want to be seen as an equal to everyone around them, they want something to stand out. This also is not possible in a communist state. People are naturally lazy as well. In a communist state it's possible to do absolutely nothing and still receive the same thing all your neighbors get. Whether you work or not you will still receive what everyone else receives. A lot of people would take advantage of that and not do any work. It has been attempted numerous times and has not once proved to work, that says something. Culture would be very dull in a communist state and for the most part not enjoyable. People are different and therefore there needs to be a society that allows for variety rather than complete equality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
TU Tuesday - Classified
http://timesunion.kaango.com/ad-must-sell-german-shepardsin-need-of-attention/20546889
DOUBLE TROUBLE
These 2 "7 year old's from the same liter" are not only german shephards, but they're brothers. They are both "trained and neutered." The writer of this ad is a 28 year old male named Brandon. The reason he's attempting to sell these German Shephards is because he recently decided to have his girlfriend move in. She's not a fan of dogs at all, she's been afraid of them her whole life. She told him that if she is to move in, the dogs must go. Although Brandon has had these dogs for 5 years now, he thinks things are going well with his girlfriend and would like to make her his fiance sometime soon. The dog on the left, the black one, goes by the name of Baxter. The tan German Shephard is called Maxy. Brandon will only sell these dogs to an owner who will buy them both. Because they are brothers he wants to keep them together. To make sure they go to a good home, Brandon will inspect the owner's home before selling them. They must be previous dog owners and he must approve of the next owner. It won't be an easy thing to do but it's time for Brandon to make advances with his girlfriend Kirsten. Best of luck to them.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
These 2 "7 year old's from the same liter" are not only german shephards, but they're brothers. They are both "trained and neutered." The writer of this ad is a 28 year old male named Brandon. The reason he's attempting to sell these German Shephards is because he recently decided to have his girlfriend move in. She's not a fan of dogs at all, she's been afraid of them her whole life. She told him that if she is to move in, the dogs must go. Although Brandon has had these dogs for 5 years now, he thinks things are going well with his girlfriend and would like to make her his fiance sometime soon. The dog on the left, the black one, goes by the name of Baxter. The tan German Shephard is called Maxy. Brandon will only sell these dogs to an owner who will buy them both. Because they are brothers he wants to keep them together. To make sure they go to a good home, Brandon will inspect the owner's home before selling them. They must be previous dog owners and he must approve of the next owner. It won't be an easy thing to do but it's time for Brandon to make advances with his girlfriend Kirsten. Best of luck to them.
Monday, April 30, 2012
H = Harvest Apple Pie
Ingredients
Pastry for 2 crusts
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks. If your pie
pan is deep enough, you might want to use more apples, as many
as 9. If you don't use Granny Smith, make sure your apples are tart!
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar
1/3 Cup light corn syrup
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter, softened
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks. If your pie
pan is deep enough, you might want to use more apples, as many
as 9. If you don't use Granny Smith, make sure your apples are tart!
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp sugar
1/3 Cup light corn syrup
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter, softened
Directions
Fill pastry-lined pie pan with apples. I highly recommend using a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet or chicken fryer -- these make a great crust. Combine next 6 ingredients and pour over apples. Cover with top crust; a lattice works best as it allows plenty of steam to escape. If you don't know how to make a lattice, "Joy of Cooking" shows you how. Bake at 425 F for 30-45 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and spread over crust. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until topping is bubbly.
This recipe reminds me of apple picking when I was younger. Years ago my mom would take me to an orchard with my sister and occasionally my brother. I thought it was one of the funnest pass times there was. Now that I'm older though I've grown out of it. I spent time climbing trees and collecting the most interesting looking apples. After spending the day at the orchard we'd return home and make apple pies in the kitchen. My mom would always have her best friend over, we called her by the name "Aunt Pat" even though she wasn't our real Aunt. We were all just very close to her so we called her by that name. She would bring a machine over that peeled the apples and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I just remember being in the kitchen and being absolutely fascinated by how quickly it got the job done. I guess I kind of miss being at my mom's house, even more so being a little kid. Even though I'm still somewhat a little kid. My Grandma loves her pies. As a kid I remember that every single time I went to my Grandma's, without fail, there would be a pie or a cake after lunch and dinner. Even though she would always have a variety, apple pie was no doubt my favorite. I have another glimpse of a memory, being at my moms in the living room and sitting down and eating apple pie and ice cream together for the first time. Let me tell you, best combination ever. All this writing about apple pie is making me want to devour some right about now.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Famous Poem Starters
But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep
There's never time to weep, and what you sow you will reap
Hard work and no sleep, nothing good ever comes cheap
Words that in my mind I'll keep, God's our Shepard we are his sheep
I cannot rest until all my work is done
These miles to go will be a run
Get all my work done before I see the sun
Even if the works a ton
When I close my eyes I will have won
There's never time to weep, and what you sow you will reap
Hard work and no sleep, nothing good ever comes cheap
Words that in my mind I'll keep, God's our Shepard we are his sheep
I cannot rest until all my work is done
These miles to go will be a run
Get all my work done before I see the sun
Even if the works a ton
When I close my eyes I will have won
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Nursery Rhymes ARE relevant to life
Eencey Weencey spider
Climed up the water spout;
Down came the rain
And washed poor Eencey out;
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain;
And the Eencey Weencey spider
Climbed up the spout again.
This nursery rhyme reminds me of my childhood. This was the first nursery rhyme I memorized completely and could retell on my own. I remember learning this song around the same time my family and I took a road trip down to Missouri. I must have sang this nursery rhyme at least 100 times on the way there and a hundred back. My brother and sister also joined me in the singing and in driving my parents crazy. Reflecting on this nursery rhyme with the mind I have now, it has a lot of hidden meanings. It tells not only a story of perserverence, but about life as a whole. Sometimes your flush and sometimes your bust, meaning sometimes things are going good and sometimes things aren't. I think that's what the rain and the sun are representing in this nursery rhyme.
http://blackboard.neric.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_2263_1%26url%3d
Climed up the water spout;
Down came the rain
And washed poor Eencey out;
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain;
And the Eencey Weencey spider
Climbed up the spout again.
This nursery rhyme reminds me of my childhood. This was the first nursery rhyme I memorized completely and could retell on my own. I remember learning this song around the same time my family and I took a road trip down to Missouri. I must have sang this nursery rhyme at least 100 times on the way there and a hundred back. My brother and sister also joined me in the singing and in driving my parents crazy. Reflecting on this nursery rhyme with the mind I have now, it has a lot of hidden meanings. It tells not only a story of perserverence, but about life as a whole. Sometimes your flush and sometimes your bust, meaning sometimes things are going good and sometimes things aren't. I think that's what the rain and the sun are representing in this nursery rhyme.
http://blackboard.neric.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_2263_1%26url%3d
Monday, April 23, 2012
Turn your Inkblot into a Butterfly
Last year I couldn't have been more lazy
The day before school I dropped AP
I thought it would be a time bandit
Now I have no college credit
My AP grade would have been flawed
If I had taken AP I wouldn't be prepared
My skills would have appeared impaired
Honors Renaud was a necessity
I now think I have the ability
To pass AP if I work real hard
It'll be a battle, down to the last yard
Nothing good ever comes easy
AP certainly won't be a breezy
Hard work and learned skills will guide me
Any teacher or hard worker will agree
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Dayelin Roman
Dayelin Roman is a female journalist, "She was born and raised in Miami, Florida." Her profession as a journalist is more on the risky side. She "covers crime and other breaking news in the Capital Region." To go into greater detail, she covers cops for The Gardner News in Massachusetts and things of that nature. She obtained her master's degree from Syracuse University, specifically from the "S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications." Those aren't her only degrees though. She also has two bachelor's degrees from Florida State University.
The article she wrote about had to do with an argument between, "ZBA chairman Peter Barber" and "Ron Levesque, project manager for Sign Studio, who represented Walgreens." Walgreen's wants to put a hanging W on the window of the steeple of the Walgreen's on Western Avenue. The problem is that Barber rejected the sign due to his opinion that "It's intended to draw attention to motorists on Route 20 and 155." The decision was made by a group as a whole, the Zoning Board of Appeals. They are asking Walgreen's to come up with a variance, Levesque is frustrated by the situation.
http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Guilderland-sign-ruling-irks-Walgreens-3492857.php
http://www.timesunion.com/dayelinroman/
The article she wrote about had to do with an argument between, "ZBA chairman Peter Barber" and "Ron Levesque, project manager for Sign Studio, who represented Walgreens." Walgreen's wants to put a hanging W on the window of the steeple of the Walgreen's on Western Avenue. The problem is that Barber rejected the sign due to his opinion that "It's intended to draw attention to motorists on Route 20 and 155." The decision was made by a group as a whole, the Zoning Board of Appeals. They are asking Walgreen's to come up with a variance, Levesque is frustrated by the situation.
http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Guilderland-sign-ruling-irks-Walgreens-3492857.php
http://www.timesunion.com/dayelinroman/
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
NYT Tuesday
Luxury
Live like a billionaire
you're never alone
even in my private jet
flying to my Rolls-Royce
spotless white interior
football field's worth of legroom
car spews smoke, breaks sputter
go pick up another Mercedes
the chauffeured cars
the private planes
the V.I.P. access
the endless privilege
Living like a billionaire
Monday, April 2, 2012
10 things I really like about my best friend, sibling, parent, or relative
The person I chose for this prompt is my brother
1.) I like how he's turning his life around
2.) I like the fact that he's the family peace maker
3.) I like that I know no matter what he'd always be there for me
4.) I like how he's taught me things he's learned along his own life
5.) I like how he's always watching out for me and my sister
6.) I like how he cares so much about other people and would put others before him every time
7.) I like how religious he is
8.) I like how he always trys to make things easier for the people around him even at his own sacrifice
9.) I like that he plays football and basketball
10.) I like that he always pushes me to be the best I can be
1.) I like how he's turning his life around
2.) I like the fact that he's the family peace maker
3.) I like that I know no matter what he'd always be there for me
4.) I like how he's taught me things he's learned along his own life
5.) I like how he's always watching out for me and my sister
6.) I like how he cares so much about other people and would put others before him every time
7.) I like how religious he is
8.) I like how he always trys to make things easier for the people around him even at his own sacrifice
9.) I like that he plays football and basketball
10.) I like that he always pushes me to be the best I can be
Thursday, March 29, 2012
G=Gateway Diner
Gateway Diner has to be one of my favorite Diner's. Everything is as close to perfect as it can get. Bubbly waiters/waitresses that will make anyones day at least a little bit better. One of the largest and variety filled menus out there, with breakfast lunch and dinner served around the clock. Not expensive at all so you get way more then what you payed for. It's a friendly environment as well as it is neat. The foods always good no matter what you order, I guarantee you it'll take you a good amount of time to order due to the large variety. Everything sounds, looks, smells, and tasted superb. I would recommend this diner to anyone from the ages of 0-110, any older then that and I recommend you inform the Guinness Book of World Records because that must be a world record.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Book That Changed My Life
The book that had the largest impact on my personal life would have to be Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I'm not really sure why, I guess because of the interesting point of view and subject. I've never read a book like that before and I really enjoyed it. It was written for a more mature audience then the books I had read previously. I loved how it put things in a new perspective than the average human brain would usually think up. I also enjoyed how it would make an attention grabbing statement then back it up with facts on facts on facts. It made something absurd and skeptical sound absolutely reasonable and correct. Malcolm Gladwell went through great lengths to make the information understandable and comprehend able to his readers. I know many people in our class are not on the same boat with this book as I am, but I'll always remember that book. It really got me thinking and was very time consuming in a good way. I'd like to see/read more books by this author because I loved his writing style and it was a great read. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes to expand their thinking and has a good mental capacity.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Bucket List
1.) Get married- So I can have a wife and never be alone, i'd always have someone in my life that I knew loved me and that I knew I loved
2.) Have a kid(s)- To feel like I've left my mark on this earth and even when I'm not here anymore my kids will carry on the family name
3.) Have a 100k salary job- To be able to get things I want and be successful
4.) Own an escalade- I've always loved this car and it would show some class
5.) Go to college- To make my dad proud and open doors in my future
6.) Be successful- To have some self-worth and feel accomplished
7.) Sky dive- Because anyone that's experienced this says it's an experience of a lifetime
8.) Travel- My mom was always big on travelling and has gone to multiple continents and many different countries. It seems very unique and worthwhile
9.) Buy a house- This symbolizes settling down and achieving a milestone in my life
10.) Storm the court after a march madness upset- March madness (college basketball) has been one of my favorite sports to watch since I was a kid and it would be a dream come true to storm the court after an underdog upset one of the top seeds
2.) Have a kid(s)- To feel like I've left my mark on this earth and even when I'm not here anymore my kids will carry on the family name
3.) Have a 100k salary job- To be able to get things I want and be successful
4.) Own an escalade- I've always loved this car and it would show some class
5.) Go to college- To make my dad proud and open doors in my future
6.) Be successful- To have some self-worth and feel accomplished
7.) Sky dive- Because anyone that's experienced this says it's an experience of a lifetime
8.) Travel- My mom was always big on travelling and has gone to multiple continents and many different countries. It seems very unique and worthwhile
9.) Buy a house- This symbolizes settling down and achieving a milestone in my life
10.) Storm the court after a march madness upset- March madness (college basketball) has been one of my favorite sports to watch since I was a kid and it would be a dream come true to storm the court after an underdog upset one of the top seeds
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Language of Song
Song used: Paradise by Coldplay
Song lyrics English and Spanish: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/paradise-paraiso.html
There was once a young girl who was constantly moving. Her parents weren't making enough and had to travel from place to place looking for work that provided them with the amount of money that they needed. Every time she felt settled in and comfortable at their new home, they had to move again. It got to the point where she didn't want to get close to people anymore because she knew that would make it that much harder when it was time to say goodbye.
She dreamed of a life where she could do the things everyone else did. She was sick of moving around and being the new kid at school that everyone judges and criticize. Any time she got bored in class or had free time on our hands she'd close her eyes and disappear into her fantasy world. In this world she imagined what it would be like to go to the same school for longer then a year. She imagined what it would be like having real friends that she could have long term relationships with.
Eventually, when she reached 10th grade her parents finally landed solid jobs. They told her it was almost a guarantee that they would stay there. For the next 3 years she enjoyed the company of friends and being close to someone her age for once. Her fantasy world, or paradise, had finally become real.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Irish Blog
I couldn't figure out how to get the writing over the 4 leaf clover so I just listed facts next to a 4 leaf clover instead.
-St. Patrick was kidnapped at age 16
-He escaped via a pirate ship that brought him back to Britain, voices told him to do so
-St. Patrick died March 17, 461
-Until the 1970's, St. Patrick's day was a minor religious holiday
-On St. Patrick's day the number of pints of guinness consumed is around 13 million pints, more then double the usual daily average
-Steve Bailey came up with the idea of putting green dye in the Chicago river
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
TU Tuesday-Crime
MY QUESTION: How many Afghanistan's were massacred? Where and Why and by which american soldiers?
http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Obama-Afghan-shooting-inquiry-will-be-thorough-3402644.php
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/12/soldier-suspected-in-afghanistan-massacre-like-to-be-tried-in-us-could-face/
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/afghanistan-massacre-horrible-crime-serious-setback-article-1.1037732
According to the 2 articles I read to gather more information about the massacre, 16 Afghanistan civilians were killed. Obama intends on fully investigating the killings and will not treat it lightly. "Defense secretary Leon Panetta said he could face the death penalty." Neither of these articles reveal the name of the soldier being investigated for the massacre. The most specific line reads, "More details emerged Monday about the suspect, an Army staff sergeant who is currently detained in Afghanistan." Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, didn't take lightly to this massacre. He expressed his thoughts about it by saying, "When the Americans are killing civilians intentionally, this is called terror and it is an unforgivable act." The massacre was done in the most cruelest of ways. The staff sergeant entered civilians homes in the middle of the night, shooting and killing multiple innocents. Among these innocents, 9 were children and 3 were women. The suspect "suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2010 after a vehicle rollover accident in Iraq." He also had family problems, revolving around his marriage, before he was deployed for the 4th time. Despite all this information about the suspect, it does not even come close to justifying his awful and stupid actions in Afghanistan.
http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Obama-Afghan-shooting-inquiry-will-be-thorough-3402644.php
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/12/soldier-suspected-in-afghanistan-massacre-like-to-be-tried-in-us-could-face/
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/afghanistan-massacre-horrible-crime-serious-setback-article-1.1037732
According to the 2 articles I read to gather more information about the massacre, 16 Afghanistan civilians were killed. Obama intends on fully investigating the killings and will not treat it lightly. "Defense secretary Leon Panetta said he could face the death penalty." Neither of these articles reveal the name of the soldier being investigated for the massacre. The most specific line reads, "More details emerged Monday about the suspect, an Army staff sergeant who is currently detained in Afghanistan." Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, didn't take lightly to this massacre. He expressed his thoughts about it by saying, "When the Americans are killing civilians intentionally, this is called terror and it is an unforgivable act." The massacre was done in the most cruelest of ways. The staff sergeant entered civilians homes in the middle of the night, shooting and killing multiple innocents. Among these innocents, 9 were children and 3 were women. The suspect "suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2010 after a vehicle rollover accident in Iraq." He also had family problems, revolving around his marriage, before he was deployed for the 4th time. Despite all this information about the suspect, it does not even come close to justifying his awful and stupid actions in Afghanistan.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Creative Contest 2 Blog
It looks like a poster you would see in a health class. It promotes individuality. The square headed stick figure is supposed to stand out. I feel like if there was facial features, the square headed one would be the only one smiling. There hands were always connected but the square headed one was the first to raise his arms, and they all followed. I imagine if there was a caption it would read "Be a leader, not a follower."
Thursday, March 8, 2012
SCRUPLES
9. You find a wallet containing $300. By the address, you can tell that the owner is wealthy. Do you keep the money?
I wouldn't keep the money. Any time I've found money or another person's personal belongings as a child, my parents made me return it. I developed a pattern of always returning things I found that didn't belong to me. I would rather make the person happy and show them people do good deeds rather than have 300 dollars. One good deed can have a chain reaction or ripple effect and make people I'm unaware of do nice things, as a result of my good action. Also, if the person is wealthy and sees my act of kindness there is a chance they would let me keep the money anyways. I would feel guilty if I pocketed the money, I wouldn't want that on my conscience.
I wouldn't keep the money. Any time I've found money or another person's personal belongings as a child, my parents made me return it. I developed a pattern of always returning things I found that didn't belong to me. I would rather make the person happy and show them people do good deeds rather than have 300 dollars. One good deed can have a chain reaction or ripple effect and make people I'm unaware of do nice things, as a result of my good action. Also, if the person is wealthy and sees my act of kindness there is a chance they would let me keep the money anyways. I would feel guilty if I pocketed the money, I wouldn't want that on my conscience.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
My Blog Idea
My blog idea is to watch an episode of your favorite T.V. show and then blog about it, whether it be a reflection or comparison to your own life or a free writing based on the creativity it inspired. This combines watching T.V. with doing homework and I think it'd definitely be helpful in coming up with something to write about. Seeing as a lot of students watch their favorite show on a nearly daily basis, it wouldn't be time consuming and it would be a writing assignment that doesn't stray far off the students day.
I chose an episode of scrubs. Scrubs is my favorite show because all in one episode it can make you laugh, be sad, understand something you could never understand before, and it's extremely emotion yanking. At the end of every episode, J.D., the main character sums up the episode into a deep life lesson. In this episode the lesson at the end was "It's hard to own up to your shortcomings. Like, for instance, your own hypocrisy. Still, once you do own up, you might be surprised to see that you did make a difference. I always assumed that growing up happened automatically as he got older, but it's really something you have to choose to do." I love that last line, it's been stuck in my head. I feel like I can always relate/learn from this show. It gets me thinking, I don't just brush it off and start up a new episode. I felt the same way until a couple months ago when I finally realized growing up is a choice. Since then I've been working on my bad habits and trying to break them. I go to college in a few years and I want to really be absolutely ready for it. This episode really made me reflect on my own life, which every now and then is extremely important. Instead of waking up and doing the same things over and over I've been trying my best to try and do the things I've been doing forever, but just slightly better. Change doesn't ever come right away, and I'm an impatient person so I get frustrated easily when I spot a personal flaw and it won't go away immediately. With patience and commitment though I should be able to slowly but surely make some positive changes.
I chose an episode of scrubs. Scrubs is my favorite show because all in one episode it can make you laugh, be sad, understand something you could never understand before, and it's extremely emotion yanking. At the end of every episode, J.D., the main character sums up the episode into a deep life lesson. In this episode the lesson at the end was "It's hard to own up to your shortcomings. Like, for instance, your own hypocrisy. Still, once you do own up, you might be surprised to see that you did make a difference. I always assumed that growing up happened automatically as he got older, but it's really something you have to choose to do." I love that last line, it's been stuck in my head. I feel like I can always relate/learn from this show. It gets me thinking, I don't just brush it off and start up a new episode. I felt the same way until a couple months ago when I finally realized growing up is a choice. Since then I've been working on my bad habits and trying to break them. I go to college in a few years and I want to really be absolutely ready for it. This episode really made me reflect on my own life, which every now and then is extremely important. Instead of waking up and doing the same things over and over I've been trying my best to try and do the things I've been doing forever, but just slightly better. Change doesn't ever come right away, and I'm an impatient person so I get frustrated easily when I spot a personal flaw and it won't go away immediately. With patience and commitment though I should be able to slowly but surely make some positive changes.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Revisions
Hopeful Reality
I am unstoppable
Nobody can beat me
That's improbable
Nothing special about me
An unwavering will to win
Nobody can beat me
Addicted to sin
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering will to win
Nothing is guaranteed
Doubt will fill your mind
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering reason you need to find
Keep you going through those times
Doubt will fill your mind
Victory isn't always, just sometimes
I am unstoppable
Keep you going through those times
That's improbable
Golden Goal
Fighting viciously for freedom
for liberty
for the day the unstoppable
is stopped
Chief walking with swag
in his infinite power
be powerless
use Stealth to achieve liberty
lose everything to gain everything
infinite
equality
Rafael - I think your poem Hopeful Reality would be wonderful set to music. You have some nice repetition and rhyme to work with.
Your second poem is a manifesto of sorts, and I think needs to be expanded to fit in all that you have to say. Try to add imagery to fill out the poem.
Mimi Moriarty
Golden Goal revised
Fighting viciously for freedom
Heart filled with valor
Never backing down
Sacrificing everything
In hope that one day
You will make a difference
Be of importance
Remembered
Respected
A piece to a whole
Something way bigger
Than you alone could ever be
I think the revised version is better because like you said, Mimi Moriarty is a gifted and published poet. Her possessional opinion definitely assisted me in revising my poem to make it the best that it could be.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
F = 8 Living People to Emulate
Frank Ocean- He made one of the best songs known to man, a classic hit. He also probably has more money than I thought possible.
Joe Flacco- He's an NFL quarterback and extremely well known. He has millions of fans who have never met him.
prince Fielder- He's an MLB 1st baseman and extremely famous. Also he has a ridiculous paycheck and won the home run derby in 2009.
roger Federer- Another professional athlete. I aspire to be one of these regardless of the sport. Getting payed a ridiculous amount to play a game would be too awesome.
brett Favre- He lead the Packers to an NFL super bowl victory and was on the cover of Madden 09.
Forrest griffin- He's a professional UFC fighter. Probably one of the meanest people on the planet, a superb fighter. I'm a huge fan
Larry Fitzgerald- One of the best wide receivers the NFL will ever see. He's going to leave a mark that won't be erased for some time.
Marshall Faulk- A vicious NFL running back, nearly impossible to take down. Makes more money then imaginable and does what he loves for a living.
Joe Flacco- He's an NFL quarterback and extremely well known. He has millions of fans who have never met him.
prince Fielder- He's an MLB 1st baseman and extremely famous. Also he has a ridiculous paycheck and won the home run derby in 2009.
roger Federer- Another professional athlete. I aspire to be one of these regardless of the sport. Getting payed a ridiculous amount to play a game would be too awesome.
brett Favre- He lead the Packers to an NFL super bowl victory and was on the cover of Madden 09.
Forrest griffin- He's a professional UFC fighter. Probably one of the meanest people on the planet, a superb fighter. I'm a huge fan
Larry Fitzgerald- One of the best wide receivers the NFL will ever see. He's going to leave a mark that won't be erased for some time.
Marshall Faulk- A vicious NFL running back, nearly impossible to take down. Makes more money then imaginable and does what he loves for a living.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
TU Tuesday - Culture
"What to do when burglaries get out of hand? In Denmark, police think they might have the answer: Turn to the experts themselves, the housebreakers." Since all other tactics attempted by the Denmark police to lower the number of house thefts have failed, they have decided to take a new approach. Arrested burglars will have to be anonymously questioned about their methods of house theft. To be more specific, the article states "The region, which has seen a 60 percent annual surge in break-ins in some areas, will ask robbers questions about their typical targets, motives and disposal methods for stolen goods." The Denmark police are trying everything they can to diminish this increasing and re-occurring problem in their country. So far nothing has worked, but hopefully new methods will bring an end to this criminal mischief. This article connects to the poem "WHERE IS OUR HUMANITY TODAY?" by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen. The last stanza in her poem reads, "When citizens in our one world, cannot sleep in their own homes, because of the nightmares of criminality, we raise the common question,"Where is our humanity today?"." This applies to the very real and serious problem of house theft and other criminal activity taking place in Denmark. Innocent citizens have to be constantly watching out and being worried, they have no time to fully relax and rest. Hopefully these new police tactics will change that soon, the citizens of Denmark are hopeful.
http://www.voicesnet.org/displayonepoem.aspx?poemid=197107
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Danish-cops-recruit-robbers-to-stem-burglaries-3335792.php
http://www.voicesnet.org/displayonepoem.aspx?poemid=197107
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Danish-cops-recruit-robbers-to-stem-burglaries-3335792.php
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentine's Day
One time I felt especially loved was when I was around 12 years old. My brother's friend has been staying with my father, my brother, and I at my dad's apartment. He had been there for almost a full 2 months. Suddenly he had decided to leave my father's apartment, with the destination being rehab. My brother's friend was 21, named Sean, and had begun to develop into an almost brother figure in my life. He was a great kid. He constantly attended church, every Sunday. He was always helping to diffuse situations in the household. He had a great heart and was one hell of a kid. As me and my brother were assisting to pack his luggage into his rides' car, it came time to say goodbye. I went for the normal handshake but Sean pulled me in and gave me a hug. He then said "I'm gunna miss you brotha" before leaving for Syracuse to pull his life back together. This moment clearly has been a powerful one to me, I've remembered it since.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Dreams are lined up against the wall
Unnamable
Dreams are lined up against the wall
one by one they all fall
Ruined and wasted by bad choices
and now you re-hear the advice in voices
Dreams are lined up against the wall
overcome with a feeling of hopelessness
All assumed dead but one will still crawl
remembered forever, it is ageless
Looking back now was it worth it?
Not even close, I'd take it all back in a moment
So next time think before you act at all
picture your dreams lined up against the wall
Dreams are lined up against the wall
one by one they all fall
Ruined and wasted by bad choices
and now you re-hear the advice in voices
Dreams are lined up against the wall
overcome with a feeling of hopelessness
All assumed dead but one will still crawl
remembered forever, it is ageless
Looking back now was it worth it?
Not even close, I'd take it all back in a moment
So next time think before you act at all
picture your dreams lined up against the wall
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Comic Connection
This comic relates to my life not by it's sole story but by the comic "Calvin and Hobbes" as a whole. The name of my 2nd cousin is Calvin and this was and will always be his favorite comic. At some point during a family holiday celebration I noticed his extreme focus on a book. It happened to be Calvin and Hobbes and he introduced the comic to me, giving me a short background on the history of the kid Calvin and his ridiculous imaginary adventures with his imaginary stuffed animal friend, Hobbes. My brother was also introduced to this addicting comic. Once my parents recognized our admiration for the comic, they bought us a book with a collection of Calvin and Hobbes comics. Every holiday that involved gifts, from then until we out grew it, my parents would get me and Diego more and more books with collections of these comics. From this comic me and my brother began branching off to other comics. Our favorite for the longest time was the Garfield comics. I can proudly say that at the age of 15 I am no longer reading comics.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Original poems 3
Diego-Ladder Poem
Diego
My brother
Goofy and Funny
Best big brother ever
Not the best role model
But I love him
And miss him
Making changes
Improving
Loneliness-Free Verse
Worst feeling ever
Even worse then bored
And I hate being bored
More then being stabbed by a sword
Everyone needs company
Be nice to that weird kid
Even if your friends don't approve
He'll never forget what you did
Things like that mean so much
5 minutes and you'll make their day
And remember you're never really alone
God's always there just pray
June-Sestina
Damn I love June
What's not to love?
It's my birthday month
Turning 16 this year
Get my permit and drive
And best of all summer
I absolutely love summer
My favorite month being June
I can't wait to drive
Just in time for Junior year
The freedom I'm going to love
Just 5 more months
I enjoy any summer month
Good things happen during summer
Best summer was this year
When school ended in June
I fell in love
This summer I'll drive
and I'm so excited to drive
In 5 short months
I will most certainly love
driving during the summer
Starting last day of June
And continuing for years
The end of Senior year
Out of the lot I'll drive
Someday in June
A glorious month
Starting off the summer
The season I love
Not as much as I love
The school I've been in for years
What a change this summer
When I can finally drive
Only 5 months
What a glorious June
Diego
My brother
Goofy and Funny
Best big brother ever
Not the best role model
But I love him
And miss him
Making changes
Improving
Loneliness-Free Verse
Worst feeling ever
Even worse then bored
And I hate being bored
More then being stabbed by a sword
Everyone needs company
Be nice to that weird kid
Even if your friends don't approve
He'll never forget what you did
Things like that mean so much
5 minutes and you'll make their day
And remember you're never really alone
God's always there just pray
June-Sestina
Damn I love June
What's not to love?
It's my birthday month
Turning 16 this year
Get my permit and drive
And best of all summer
I absolutely love summer
My favorite month being June
I can't wait to drive
Just in time for Junior year
The freedom I'm going to love
Just 5 more months
I enjoy any summer month
Good things happen during summer
Best summer was this year
When school ended in June
I fell in love
This summer I'll drive
and I'm so excited to drive
In 5 short months
I will most certainly love
driving during the summer
Starting last day of June
And continuing for years
The end of Senior year
Out of the lot I'll drive
Someday in June
A glorious month
Starting off the summer
The season I love
Not as much as I love
The school I've been in for years
What a change this summer
When I can finally drive
Only 5 months
What a glorious June
Original poems 2
Apology
Sorry Dad
for being a teen
and causing you
great amounts of stress
Just 3 more years
And ill be gone
leaving you
with gray hairs
3 kids
must be hard
but you stay strong
I love you Dad
Swift
Squirrels are
interesting animals
quick and squirrelly
Always on the move
choppy movements
always so alert
searching around
for their buried nuts
hibernation starts soon
moving frantically
panicking due to
the lack of time
Opposites
Never been so tired
Can't get anything done
Content with the day
My mind can't focus
Can't get anything done
So much energy
My mind can't focus
Want to go out and run
So much energy
Don't know what to do
Want to go out and run
But I think I'd rather sleep
Never been so tired
Don't know what to do
But I think I'd rather sleep
Content with the day
Sorry Dad
for being a teen
and causing you
great amounts of stress
Just 3 more years
And ill be gone
leaving you
with gray hairs
3 kids
must be hard
but you stay strong
I love you Dad
Swift
Squirrels are
interesting animals
quick and squirrelly
Always on the move
choppy movements
always so alert
searching around
for their buried nuts
hibernation starts soon
moving frantically
panicking due to
the lack of time
Opposites
Never been so tired
Can't get anything done
Content with the day
My mind can't focus
Can't get anything done
So much energy
My mind can't focus
Want to go out and run
So much energy
Don't know what to do
Want to go out and run
But I think I'd rather sleep
Never been so tired
Don't know what to do
But I think I'd rather sleep
Content with the day
Original Poems 1
Acrostic Poem
Makes me forget
Unnecessary and unimportant
Stress that is unavoidable
In life, music is life
Changing
Strong Words
Fighting viciously for freedom
for liberty
for the day the unstoppable
is stopped
Chief walking with swag
in his infinite power
be powerless
use Stealth to achieve liberty
lose everything to gain everything
infinite
equality
Terzanelle
I am unstoppable
Nobody can beat me
That's improbable
Nothing special about me
An unwavering will to win
Nobody can beat me
Addicted to sin
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering will to win
Nothing is guaranteed
Doubt will fill your mind
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering reason you need to find
Keep you going through those times
Doubt will fill your mind
Victory isn't always, just sometimes
I am unstoppable
Keep you going through those times
That's improbable
Makes me forget
Unnecessary and unimportant
Stress that is unavoidable
In life, music is life
Changing
Strong Words
Fighting viciously for freedom
for liberty
for the day the unstoppable
is stopped
Chief walking with swag
in his infinite power
be powerless
use Stealth to achieve liberty
lose everything to gain everything
infinite
equality
Terzanelle
I am unstoppable
Nobody can beat me
That's improbable
Nothing special about me
An unwavering will to win
Nobody can beat me
Addicted to sin
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering will to win
Nothing is guaranteed
Doubt will fill your mind
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering reason you need to find
Keep you going through those times
Doubt will fill your mind
Victory isn't always, just sometimes
I am unstoppable
Keep you going through those times
That's improbable
Grandpa
Goes by Manuel
Few distant memories
but they're definitely good ones
if only he was around longer
he would be proud
had 4 great kids
a fairly quiet man
bad Alzheimer's
successful doctor
for the little time I knew him
he will be missed
Thanksgiving
A glorious feast
Mom forgot the yeast
Eating til' I pop
Even then I won't stop
Fried turkey on my plate
I can't even wait
To stuff my face
Me and my brother race
My plate is completely full
Mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing
Not even 10 minutes later
Left on my plate there is nothing
Now I'm falling asleep
Because I have turkey idis
I eventually pass out
You would think I was Irish
Small
Furry
Scared
Quick
Agile
Determined
Gray
Wild
Crazy
Furry
Tailed
Squirrel
Furry
Scared
Quick
Agile
Determined
Gray
Wild
Crazy
Furry
Tailed
Squirrel
Haiku
Priorities change
Blindly following/trusting
God will guide me right
Blindly following/trusting
God will guide me right
Ultimate Poem
I want to hear a poem that flows together better then peanut butter and jelly
I want to hear a poem that makes me want to be more friendly
I want to hear a poem that's like music to my ears
I want to hear a poem that I'll remember for years
I want to hear a poem that's lyrically genius
I want to hear a poem that leaves me speechless
I want to hear a poem that reminds me what's important
I want to hear a poem that is absolutely brilliant
I want to hear a poem that makes me want to be more friendly
I want to hear a poem that's like music to my ears
I want to hear a poem that I'll remember for years
I want to hear a poem that's lyrically genius
I want to hear a poem that leaves me speechless
I want to hear a poem that reminds me what's important
I want to hear a poem that is absolutely brilliant
One day we'll stop waiting for change with our hands in our pockets
One day we'll stop wasting time with our eyes on the clock
One day we'll stop going to war with our nuclear rockets
One day we'll stop paying attention with our money on our minds
Keep your chin up
For the first times I went up to visit Diego, I was obviously very upset when it came time to leave. The first 3 or 4 months that we visited on the weekends I cried when we had to drop him off. I'm not too prideful to admit to that. While there I made friends with a few of the kids Diego dormed with. One time one of the older kids pulled me to the side and gave me a slight "pep talk." He told me that my brother needed to be there, which I already knew because I had been told that hundreds of times. Even though I knew this it still made me sad. Then he went on to say the perfect thing. "Everytime he sees you sad, it makes him sadder that he's not there for you, you don't want him to regret being here do you? Keep your chin up." And from then on I haven't cried when dropping him off because I remember those words. I want my brother to be happy that he's there and not have to worry about my well being, he should be focusing on his.
TU Tuesday
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Giants-hope-Cruz-goes-dancing-2933465.php
"But not to us here in Albany. We knew." And later goes on to say "Funny, because here in Albany, we kinda did." = repetition ; a word, phrase, or idea repeated in a piece for emphasis.
"Behind the scenes, Cruz remains the same humble, fun-loving kid who reveled in spending time with fans along Autograph Alley at UAlbany." = imagery: painting an image in the mind of a reader
"Before he became the salsa-dancing star receiver who charmed the football world with his rags-to-riches story," = foreshadowing: giving the reader a sense of what will happen in the future
"Giants hope Cruz goes dancing" is an article by Pete Lorizzo which talks about the "Undrafted rookie-turned-star receiver', Victor Cruz, and the Super bowl game Sunday. In the Superbowl game, "The Giants will face the New England Patriots." The piece talks about Victor Cruz's success story. It talks about how he went from being undrafted to being "Not just one of the biggest stars on the Giants." The figurative language used in this article helps the writer give a better sense of who Victor Cruz was before, and after. "Cruz remains the same humble, fun-loving kid." Later on in the article it reads, "This happened so fast, and he never let it go to his head." The repetition used in the article shows the reader emphasis on the fact that it wasn't as much of a surprise here in Albany. It was almost expected that Victor Cruz would become an amazing wide receiver. The foreshadowing used helps set up the series of events within the article. The piece takes you on a journey through the short career of a star who hopefully will not be short lived.
"But not to us here in Albany. We knew." And later goes on to say "Funny, because here in Albany, we kinda did." = repetition ; a word, phrase, or idea repeated in a piece for emphasis.
"Behind the scenes, Cruz remains the same humble, fun-loving kid who reveled in spending time with fans along Autograph Alley at UAlbany." = imagery: painting an image in the mind of a reader
"Before he became the salsa-dancing star receiver who charmed the football world with his rags-to-riches story," = foreshadowing: giving the reader a sense of what will happen in the future
"Giants hope Cruz goes dancing" is an article by Pete Lorizzo which talks about the "Undrafted rookie-turned-star receiver', Victor Cruz, and the Super bowl game Sunday. In the Superbowl game, "The Giants will face the New England Patriots." The piece talks about Victor Cruz's success story. It talks about how he went from being undrafted to being "Not just one of the biggest stars on the Giants." The figurative language used in this article helps the writer give a better sense of who Victor Cruz was before, and after. "Cruz remains the same humble, fun-loving kid." Later on in the article it reads, "This happened so fast, and he never let it go to his head." The repetition used in the article shows the reader emphasis on the fact that it wasn't as much of a surprise here in Albany. It was almost expected that Victor Cruz would become an amazing wide receiver. The foreshadowing used helps set up the series of events within the article. The piece takes you on a journey through the short career of a star who hopefully will not be short lived.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Original poems 3
Diego-Ladder Poem
Diego
My brother
Goofy and Funny
Best big brother ever
Not the best role model
But I love him
And miss him
Making changes
Improving
Loneliness-Free Verse
Worst feeling ever
Even worse then bored
And I hate being bored
More then being stabbed by a sword
Everyone needs company
Be nice to that weird kid
Even if your friends don't approve
He'll never forget what you did
Things like that mean so much
5 minutes and you'll make their day
And remember you're never really alone
God's always there just pray
June-Sestina
Damn I love June
What's not to love?
It's my birthday month
Turning 16 this year
Get my permit and drive
And best of all summer
I absolutely love summer
My favorite month being June
I can't wait to drive
Just in time for Junior year
The freedom I'm going to love
Just 5 more months
I enjoy any summer month
Good things happen during summer
Best summer was this year
When school ended in June
I fell in love
This summer I'll drive
and I'm so excited to drive
In 5 short months
I will most certainly love
driving during the summer
Starting last day of June
And continuing for years
The end of Senior year
Out of the lot I'll drive
Someday in June
A glorious month
Starting off the summer
The season I love
Not as much as I love
The school I've been in for years
What a change this summer
When I can finally drive
Only 5 months
What a glorious June
Diego
My brother
Goofy and Funny
Best big brother ever
Not the best role model
But I love him
And miss him
Making changes
Improving
Loneliness-Free Verse
Worst feeling ever
Even worse then bored
And I hate being bored
More then being stabbed by a sword
Everyone needs company
Be nice to that weird kid
Even if your friends don't approve
He'll never forget what you did
Things like that mean so much
5 minutes and you'll make their day
And remember you're never really alone
God's always there just pray
June-Sestina
Damn I love June
What's not to love?
It's my birthday month
Turning 16 this year
Get my permit and drive
And best of all summer
I absolutely love summer
My favorite month being June
I can't wait to drive
Just in time for Junior year
The freedom I'm going to love
Just 5 more months
I enjoy any summer month
Good things happen during summer
Best summer was this year
When school ended in June
I fell in love
This summer I'll drive
and I'm so excited to drive
In 5 short months
I will most certainly love
driving during the summer
Starting last day of June
And continuing for years
The end of Senior year
Out of the lot I'll drive
Someday in June
A glorious month
Starting off the summer
The season I love
Not as much as I love
The school I've been in for years
What a change this summer
When I can finally drive
Only 5 months
What a glorious June
Friday, January 27, 2012
Original poems 2
Apology
Sorry Dad
for being a teen
and causing you
great amounts of stress
Just 3 more years
And ill be gone
leaving you
with gray hairs
3 kids
must be hard
but you stay strong
I love you Dad
Swift
Squirrels are
interesting animals
quick and squirrelly
Always on the move
choppy movements
always so alert
searching around
for their buried nuts
hibernation starts soon
moving frantically
panicking due to
the lack of time
Opposites
Never been so tired
Can't get anything done
Content with the day
My mind can't focus
Can't get anything done
So much energy
My mind can't focus
Want to go out and run
So much energy
Don't know what to do
Want to go out and run
But I think I'd rather sleep
Never been so tired
Don't know what to do
But I think I'd rather sleep
Content with the day
Sorry Dad
for being a teen
and causing you
great amounts of stress
Just 3 more years
And ill be gone
leaving you
with gray hairs
3 kids
must be hard
but you stay strong
I love you Dad
Swift
Squirrels are
interesting animals
quick and squirrelly
Always on the move
choppy movements
always so alert
searching around
for their buried nuts
hibernation starts soon
moving frantically
panicking due to
the lack of time
Opposites
Never been so tired
Can't get anything done
Content with the day
My mind can't focus
Can't get anything done
So much energy
My mind can't focus
Want to go out and run
So much energy
Don't know what to do
Want to go out and run
But I think I'd rather sleep
Never been so tired
Don't know what to do
But I think I'd rather sleep
Content with the day
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Original Poems 1
Acrostic Poem
Makes me forget
Unnecessary and unimportant
Stress that is unavoidable
In life, music is life
Changing
Strong Words
Fighting viciously for freedom
for liberty
for the day the unstoppable
is stopped
Chief walking with swag
in his infinite power
be powerless
use Stealth to achieve liberty
lose everything to gain everything
infinite
equality
Terzanelle
I am unstoppable
Nobody can beat me
That's improbable
Nothing special about me
An unwavering will to win
Nobody can beat me
Addicted to sin
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering will to win
Nothing is guaranteed
Doubt will fill your mind
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering reason you need to find
Keep you going through those times
Doubt will fill your mind
Victory isn't always, just sometimes
I am unstoppable
Keep you going through those times
That's improbable
Makes me forget
Unnecessary and unimportant
Stress that is unavoidable
In life, music is life
Changing
Strong Words
Fighting viciously for freedom
for liberty
for the day the unstoppable
is stopped
Chief walking with swag
in his infinite power
be powerless
use Stealth to achieve liberty
lose everything to gain everything
infinite
equality
Terzanelle
I am unstoppable
Nobody can beat me
That's improbable
Nothing special about me
An unwavering will to win
Nobody can beat me
Addicted to sin
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering will to win
Nothing is guaranteed
Doubt will fill your mind
Sacrifice needed to succeed
An unwavering reason you need to find
Keep you going through those times
Doubt will fill your mind
Victory isn't always, just sometimes
I am unstoppable
Keep you going through those times
That's improbable
What I Need to Know about WRITING AND WRITERS to become a better writer
Me and my partner chose the topic question "What makes a piece of writing good?" It may seem like a general question but some people have a general idea or criteria that a book or piece of writing needs to fit for it to be "good." I want to know if that is a constant thing, or if it varies depending on personal interest. I want to know sure things that are guaranteed to attract attention to my work. I know how to form and structure my writing, but I lack something that makes it different. I lack the factor that makes my writing stand out. I want to know what things you can add or things you shouldn't add to make my writing be the most eye grabbing and interesting writing that it can be. Obviously if these people were successful in publishing a piece (which I have heard over and over is so hard to do these days) then something about their writing wasn't the same as everybody else's. Something about their writing stood out for it to get published. I want to know if there's a specific criteria for what makes writing good, or even just a few tips on things I can add to make it better.
Vocabulary on my mind
The brevity of the insolent toady's behavior was castigated and he was mollified by the contemporary and unprecedented pugnacious subordinate who was extremely pretentious and had an unwavering desire to be venerated despite the fact that he was ponderous and a narcissist who, due to a lassitude, was quiescent and began to prattle which caused people to view him as an enigma but the subordinate convalesced and was rebuked by the strident crowd that had a plethora of epicurean non-affable people.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Round 4 = Marni Gillard
I enjoyed this reading. It evoked my emotions and many forgotten memories. As a swimmer there's a lot in this reading that I could personally relate to. I enjoyed her use of literary devices, specifically her similes. The part where she back flops I can relate to. Many times I personally, or a sibling of mine, has either belly or back flopped. I shared her fathers laughter when I read the line, "Nooooo, Daaady, I didn't do it right."I could almost hear her saying that in my imagination. One of my favorite lines is, "His advice fit me like a too-big-hand-me-down shirt." I love this comparison, I think it's an outstanding simile. I would have never in a million years put those 2 together. I completely understand because I have an older brother and growing up, my parents were pretty darn stingy. Twice in the book she uses a simile to compare her dad to a sea animal. The first example is, "riding his hairy back like a whale." The other example is, "He looked up, shaking the water off like a seal." I think what works best in the journey chapter is when she talks about watching the audiences emotions during a storytelling. I had never thought about that, I'm always too nervous to take the time to read the faces of the audience. It makes sense though, that's the only way to find out what other people are thinking about your story. I wouldn't know what to remove from the journey part if it needed to be cut. I'm never good at these things, it's all obviously extremely important and meaningful to her so I don't think any of it would need to be taken out.
1/12 speaker = (****)
1/12 speaker = (****)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Round 3=Mary Moriarty
After reading Mary's villanelle, I learned some things about the style of this poem. It revolves around rhymes. Each stanza has 3 lines, each second line rhymes with the others. The first and third lines also all rhyme. The last word of each stanza alters between 2 words, no stanza rhymes with any other word besides those 2. For example the first stanza ends with disaster, the second with master, the third with disaster, fourth with master, and the 5th and 6th with disaster. Here's a list of the end words from the 2nd lines. Intent, spent, meant, went, confident, evident; they all rhyme. Here's my attempt at writing a villanelle.
I always got a hat on my head
I have 9 different snapbacks in my room
I'm only without one in my bed
I've always been smart my parents said
But listening's been a problem since I was in the womb
My biggest fear is being dead
Enough about me, I let it get to my head
Literally, without jokes life's a gloom
Without jokes I wouldn't get out of bed
One thing I will always dread
The feeling of missing someone, someone whom
Has always been there but will eventually be dead
When that day comes I'll be hanging on by a thread
The thought of it makes my head go boom
Then I really won't get out of my bed
After reading the poem The Backseat of My Mother's Car, by Julia Copus, I got a sense of the style used. The poem is structured in a way such that when you read it, you get a false understanding of the line until you continue reading and finish the sentence. Every sentence is split and spans over more then one line. To give you an example of this I'll show you how the poem starts.
"We left before I had time
to comfort you, to tell you that we nearly touched
hands in that vacuous half-dark. I wanted". The first line seems like a sentence in itself, but it continues to be a smaller part of a bigger sentence. The first line is also the last line, they both read "We left before I had time". There's no rhyme pattern that I could identify.
I enjoyed the poem Fatherland by Mary Moriarty. The thing I probably liked about it the most is the form. I love how the form gives you a different understanding of the poem every time you read it. It doesn't allow you to read it the way you read a basic book. I liked the usage of her metaphors, for example "and I am left holding an album of nameless warriors." Another metaphor she used is "the hollow middle with it's coatless summers."
I was not as fond of the poem Track Photo. It had a depressing tone (for lack of a better word) in it. I'm usually not fond of sad poems. I like how the poem ties together, and how she doesn't go on and on, it's short and to the point. She uses a small amount of words to tell a bigger story. I like how she doesn't come straight out and say it, she tells the reader in a kind of mysterious or hidden way. For example when talking about the person in the track photo, she wrote "Now you are missing, your urn pushed." Clearly the person has passed away but she doesn't say it like that.
I always got a hat on my head
I have 9 different snapbacks in my room
I'm only without one in my bed
I've always been smart my parents said
But listening's been a problem since I was in the womb
My biggest fear is being dead
Enough about me, I let it get to my head
Literally, without jokes life's a gloom
Without jokes I wouldn't get out of bed
One thing I will always dread
The feeling of missing someone, someone whom
Has always been there but will eventually be dead
When that day comes I'll be hanging on by a thread
The thought of it makes my head go boom
Then I really won't get out of my bed
After reading the poem The Backseat of My Mother's Car, by Julia Copus, I got a sense of the style used. The poem is structured in a way such that when you read it, you get a false understanding of the line until you continue reading and finish the sentence. Every sentence is split and spans over more then one line. To give you an example of this I'll show you how the poem starts.
"We left before I had time
to comfort you, to tell you that we nearly touched
hands in that vacuous half-dark. I wanted". The first line seems like a sentence in itself, but it continues to be a smaller part of a bigger sentence. The first line is also the last line, they both read "We left before I had time". There's no rhyme pattern that I could identify.
I enjoyed the poem Fatherland by Mary Moriarty. The thing I probably liked about it the most is the form. I love how the form gives you a different understanding of the poem every time you read it. It doesn't allow you to read it the way you read a basic book. I liked the usage of her metaphors, for example "and I am left holding an album of nameless warriors." Another metaphor she used is "the hollow middle with it's coatless summers."
I was not as fond of the poem Track Photo. It had a depressing tone (for lack of a better word) in it. I'm usually not fond of sad poems. I like how the poem ties together, and how she doesn't go on and on, it's short and to the point. She uses a small amount of words to tell a bigger story. I like how she doesn't come straight out and say it, she tells the reader in a kind of mysterious or hidden way. For example when talking about the person in the track photo, she wrote "Now you are missing, your urn pushed." Clearly the person has passed away but she doesn't say it like that.
Thanksgiving
2 years ago
at my mom's house
the last Thanksgiving with Diego
before he went away
Even though it pains me
I'm thankful for it
If he didn't, we'd still be at home
fighting/arguing over something
we both don't care about
There was so much tension between us
the smallest of things
were blown way out of proportion
not because we actually cared
just to have a reason to argue
and be upset at each other
Visiting him now, we never fight
he's finally someone I can look up to again
I can't wait for him
to come back home
It'll be like being young again
even though I'm still young
2 years ago
Monday, January 9, 2012
Marilyn Kemp-Mystery Writer
Marilyn Kemp is extremely good at supporting her characters with an abundance of detail. When she first introduces a new character, she immediately gives a quick and detailed description of him/her. Throughout the exerpt she adds more detail but in a very suttle manner. One example is when she writes, "Van Wiesal excused himself to look for a coal with which to light his pipe." This shows the fact that Van Wiesal is a smoker but in a way that doesn't jut out from the story. It's not obvious that she's trying to add character to her character. An example of how Marilyn adds detail to her character upon introduction is a line saying, "The stranger was dressed in a stained but sturdy white shirt and tea colored waistcoat." She puts a visual image of the "stranger" in your head. Even the way Marilyn refers to this character as a stranger at first is one way she adds a sense of mysteriousness to her stories. The ending of the exerpt also adds to Marilyn's mystery factor in the story. At the end, a man participating in a play collapsed due to drunkness at the first assumption. Creasy announced the man dead after more closely inspecting him. The cause of this man's death is unknown, adding even more to the mystery of the story.
1.) What are some easy ways to add a sense of mysteriousness to your writing?
2.) When reading, what are some specific examples of things that appeal to you? or catch your interest?
Speaker 1/6=****
1.) What are some easy ways to add a sense of mysteriousness to your writing?
2.) When reading, what are some specific examples of things that appeal to you? or catch your interest?
Speaker 1/6=****
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Round One Susan Cominos
The biography is extremely short and doesn't really provide any information about Susan as a person but more as a writer and of her accomplishments. Clearly Susan is a hard working poet, I doubt any lazy poet could achieve the title of "the winner of the 2010 Yehuda Halevi Poetry Competition run by Tablet Magazine." While reading her poetry, one thing I quickly realized was the inability to comprehend. I had to go back and re-read her poems multiple times to even begin to understand any meaning of it. Her vocabulary is way above average and she prefers to use a hidden meaning style. In a review of her poem Getting Out of the Roman Bath, Jake Marmer says "The poet's meanings cannot be, as it were, nailed down." I had less trouble understanding this poem than understanding deconstruction workers. This is more of an opinion than a fact, but I assume she is a patient person because of the choice of her words. I can't imagine it taking a small period of time to put words like hers into her poems. From reading her poems I think she is most likely religious, because of her mentions of Christianity in 2 of them. In Getting Out of the Roman Bath one line says "-a crucifix at the door" and in Deconstruction Workers one line says "become a Christian sprig." Her poem Deconstruction Workers also gave off the impression that she's into nature. She mentions plants multiple times and even references an animal at one point.
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