My So-Called Writings

This is Lauren

2011-08-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

Well. This is me. Yipee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB9GfSmeXnk

http://www.teachertube.com/members/viewVideo.php?video_id=242408&title=Tosh_and_Lauren_Talk_About__Lauren

HTRLLAP: The Garden Party

2011-07-26T12:29:00.002-05:00

What does the story signify?
"The Garden Party" focuses on social classes. Laura's class throws lavish parties as members of poorer classes perish outside. Her class sends scraps to members of that poorer class, looking condescendingly on them as if they were dogs. Is it the thought that counts? Laura faces this gap between her life and the lives of others, not quite understanding how to handle it. The story shows one debutante's coming into glory, though she often has second thoughts.

How does it signify?
Laura's discomfort with her social situation is shown mainly through dialogue. She hopes to stop the party to honor the dead man, but her counterparts laugh this idea off as improper. The proper socialites seem to be given bird-like qualities: Jose is called "the butterfly," Laura goes to meet the workers and "away she flew," then she "skimmed" back to the house. Birds do resonate in society as elegant and graceful, flying above all else. Perhaps Laura's mother is the mother bird pushing her chicks out of the nest and into the socialite world around them. That woman and Laura's sisters were a bit flighty. (Haha! Yes!) Laura's slight disconnect from her world is shown multiple times in her appreciation of nature. She comments on the beautiful day and the lovely air. She admires the work man who stops to smell the lavender. On the other hand, her family only worries about material things like the marque while Laura worries about the trees it will cover up.

So, I thought I did pretty well! I picked up on the meaning of the story, and sort of got how the author did it. My response was very similar to the examples.

Foster points out the similarities between Laura and Persephone. Those similarities are very, very close. I was pretty amazed. It added a new understanding to Laura's character and a timeless feel to the story. I personally am not up on my Greek myth knowledge, so I didn't recognize the similarity myself.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 21- Marked for Greatness

2011-07-22T10:00:00.002-05:00

(You all know what book I'm going to pick for this)

The Phantom of the Opera. Love. Passion. Operas. Masks. As soon as I read this chapter about physical imperfections, Gaston Leroux's classic novel flooded my mind. Following musicals, movies, and sequels also feature the main character with a physical imperfection, but we need to go to the original. The original Phantom (his name is actually Erik) wears a full black face mask. Erik has deep, deep set yellow eyes that can only be seen in the dark giving him the look of a person with no eyes. His skin is pale, deathly white and slightly translucent. His lips are paper thin as though they are not there at all. Creepiest of all, the cartilage of his nose is absent leaving only two holes in his face. The same situation applies to his ears. He has about three long hairs sprouting from his otherwise bald head. Not quite the sunburn-looking, not that bad, forgettable next to Gerard Butler's beauty deformities of the 2004 movie. Anyway, Erik was born with his deformities, causing his mother to cast him aside and society to reject him. That's what led him to the Paris Opera House and the catacombs underneath.

Not only do his deformities cause his living situation, but, as previously suggested, they alter his relationships. Those who seem his are frightened. Those who are not frightened become his only allies. When his falls in love with the young Christene Daae, she is initially drawn to his lies about being an angel and his voice. Once she realizes what he looks like, she tries to run. Still, she's drawn to his musical power and deep sadness. But the Phantom is frightening, and Christene is naive and scared. Trouble ensues as the Phantom becomes obsessed with the girl who cannot stay away.

Marred from birth, the Phantom was cursed to a lonely existance. His story is troubling and depressing. All I want to do is give him a hug. The sad part is, I don't know if I could.

HTRLLAP: Interlude- One Story

2011-07-22T09:30:00.004-05:00

Once again visiting the concept that no stories are wholly original, Foster throws in the word archetype. An archetype appears over and over in literary works. It is a basic "story component" (pg 191) that simply cannot be put to rest. They excite or interest us so much, that even archetypes found in modern books can provide the same desired reaction.

Here's am example: a race against time to save to world/human race/someone in danger. Our hero battles something or someone with a time limit, be it a bomb or a serial killer waiting to strike or a meteor heading towards earth. If he or she doesn't win, people die. The story creates suspense and that squirmy feeling readers get when they know this will end well but can't help doubt.

Surely countless works and stories are popping into your head. One I can remember? Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. In this first installment in the chronicles of Robert Langdon, the college professor/sybologist/adventurer must help the Swiss Guard find a small canister of anti-matter that simply awaits detonation. When the battery pack for the canister runs out, the anti-matter will hit the side of the canister and blow Vatican City and surrounding Rome off of the map. For the next 500 pages, Robert runs around the Vatican reading clues from ancient artwork and literature. The suspense is intense (That rhymed. Unintentional.) and readers are taken on a roller coaster journey. This is just one modern example of an ancient archetype.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 17- ...Except Sex.

2011-07-06T13:49:00.002-05:00

*Guess what! More spoilers.*

When I first read the prompt for this assignment, I thought "there is no way that I have ever read or seen anything that even remotely suggests sex without saying it." Eventually, I realized that sexual allusions are everywhere, especially in movies like Moulin Rouge that want to keep a PG-13 rating. Then, I re-watched the mother lode of sexual suggestive-ness: Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Anyone who's seen RHPS knows that it's.... crazy. There's no other words. With a plot that is all over the place, a transvestite alien scientist, and raunchy inappropriate-ness everywhere, viewers must be warned. There are four major "almost sex" scenes. Each involve different characters and add immensely to characterizations and plot.

The first scene is between Dr. Frankenfurter and his sex toy creation, Rocky. After singing a lovely song about muscles and sweat, a curtain pulls back revealing a bed chamber as the marriage march plays. Rocky and Dr. Frankenfurter walk into it and as the curtain closes, Frankenfurter jumps on top of Rocky, straddling Rocky's chest with his legs. And we all know what happens next. What this shows is that Frankenfurter is infatuated with his creation, and Rocky has a rampant libido and no idea what's going on, making him easy to manipulate later in the movie.

Second, we see an interesting encounter between the heroine Janet Wise and Dr. Frankenfurter. Frankenfurter comes into Janet's dimly lit room and seduces her while disguised as Janet's fiancee Brad. When she realizes that her lover isn't Brad, she freaks out, but Frankenfurter convinces her to play along. Behind a screen, the two start kissing and we hear laughing as the screen goes dark. We see that Frankenfurter has a libido worse than Rocky and that he is very persuasive.But we also realize, that Janet isn't as uptight as she seems. She is gradually falling into the castle's decadence.

The third scene is almost verbatim to the second. This time however, Dr. Frankenfurter preys on Brad. Once again, using the same words, Frankenfurter convinces Brad to play along and the screen again goes black. It seems Brad has a weak will as well. Janet sees the two men (if you'd like to call Frankenfurter that) together on the camera screen, and she is driven straight into the arms of...

...Rocky! She finds him crying after being chased by some very big dogs, and she just goes for it because she feels betrayed by Brad. Janet sings a very suggestive song and the two are last seen laying together in a box. Later, they're found holding cloth up to hide their naked bodies. This infuriates Frankenfurter and Brad, though both eventually forgive their partners.

From all this suggested sex, viewers clearly see that there is something erotic and strange going on in the castle. Well, they don't clearly see it, but it's understood. Straight up sex scenes would make RHPS just too much to handle. Suggested sex scenes make it awkward, but fun.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 15- Flights of Fancy

2011-07-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

*Caution: Spoilers...? I think.*

In chapter 15, Foster elaborates on the effect of human flight in literature. He does leave out on category of character: characters that not only have wings, but are full-blown birds. Why would an author choose a bird as his main character? Or in the case of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, (What can I say? It's very symbolic and such.) why would the author choose a seagull, the most boring of birds?

I don't know much about seagulls, but from this novel, I learned that seagulls don't do much crazy, impressive flying. They just fly low in order to capture food. So, Jonathan Livingston's special flight isn't just a spurt of uneasy flying. His achievement consists of beautiful, majestic flight: high, fast, and dangerous. He uses it to metaphorically break free of the restrictions usually placed on low-flying seagulls and to literally break free of his binding bird clan when they exile him for being ridiculous.

Even when exiled, Jonathan Livingston continues to experiment with flight and the mental freedom he feels during it. This leads him to a fall from a great height to a rocky death. But then, Jonathan Livingston finds himself in a new dimension of higher existance where he can teleport. Each level of existance allows him to shed earthly boundaries and to experience greater freedom. Pretty trippy, right?

HTRLLAP: Chapter 10- It's More Than Just Rain or Snow

2011-06-29T12:05:00.003-05:00

In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, (I don't know what my deal is with Narnia books right now...) young Lucy Pevensie becomes the first character to discover the magical world of Narnia by crawling through a wardrobe. When she reaches the land, snow covers the terrain. Now, Narnia is huge. The landscape varies: covered in snow, forest, and fields. So why did C. S. Lewis choose to thrust Lucy into the snow?

From reading chapter 10, I realized just how many characteristics of snow also characterize Narnia. By creating a snowy, Narnian vision in the reader's mind, Lewis gives Narnia traits without flat-out saying them.

Go back in time a bit to when you were about, say, seven. One single snowflake hits the ground, and, all of the sudden, you are thrown into a frenzy. Snow is magical for children and adults alike. Narnia also flows with magic. It is, after all, a land hidden behind a wardrobe with talking animals. Snow invokes feelings of fascination and wonder, which Lucy feels as she travels through her new discovery. A landscape coated with snow seems new and quite different from the original landscape. Similarly, Narnia is a new and fresh landscape to Miss Pevensie.

On the other hand, snow can be cold and dangerous. When the White Witch is introduced to the reader, she is coated in white furs and pulled by polar bears. Lewis clearly wanted to associate her with snow as well. The White Witch, is not fresh and quiet, but is instead icy and cruel. As much fun as snow can provide, we often forget how we would die if left alone in it. Snow can be unforgiving, just like the White Witch that tempts Lucy's brother Edmond.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 7- ...Or the Bible

2011-06-26T10:26:00.003-05:00

*Caution, here be spoilers*

One simply cannot separate The Chronicles of Narnia from The Bible. Almost every installment in the series shows religious ties, but the novel with the most is the final chapter, The Last Battle, which includes numerous allusions to the book of Revelation and Christian prophecies about the end of the world.

Anyone who's read The Chronicles of Narnia recognizes Aslan's correlation to Jesus. In The Last Battle, an ape named Shift finds a lion skin that was left by a hunter and puts it on, pretending to be Aslan. Sound familiar? Shift directs the people of Narnia to do deeds in his name for his own enjoyment. All in all, Shift is the Anti-Christ, wooing people over with lies.

There is also an evil character named Tash. One reference to a specific Bible verse appears when Aslan returns and forgives a follower of Tash who was not satisfied with his leader and lead a wholesome life. A little bit of "whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me" type thing.

In the end, Aslan calls all the denizens of Narnia, dead and alive together. He then separates them out, sending one group into the shadows never to be seen again. It is believed that they were sent to the Land of Tash, a symbol for Hell. The rest basically die, and Narnia is destroyed. However, the reader then rejoices when a New Narnia is created, and those who were deemed worthy get to spend all of eternity in joy, happiness, and light in the Land of Aslan. Just like Heaven, right?

Almost Bible History 101 for children. Kudos, C.S. Lewis, kudos.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 5- Now Where Have I Seen Her Before?

2011-06-26T08:18:00.004-05:00

According to Foster, texts are linked in a system called intertexuality. This cements the relationship between characters, plots, and themes in literature. That being said, the same basic characters and character types appear in multiple works. Forster says, in all bold print, "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature."

Two matching characters that I have encountered live in the pages of Anthem by Ayn Rand and Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. The main character of Anthem, later self-named Prometheus, lives in a world where all forms of individualism and knowledge have been eradicated. Prometheus eventually finds a tunnel left from the old world, which leads him to discovering electric light. He presents his findings to the great Council, and they banish him from the town, leaving him to fend for himself in the wilderness. Always the explorer, Prometheus finds a home left behind that is filled with modern marvels and books. He uses these tools to develop a new society that includes the words "I" and "me" and reaches a higher state of enlightenment than that of his previous mates.

Now on to the next one. The main character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull is called Jonathan Livingston and is, wait for it, a seagull. How constricting could the life of a seagull be? Apparently, very. Jonathan Livingston loves to fly. Not normal seagull flying: shallow, short, and only for eating. No, Jonathan Livingston loves to really soar. He practices flying as high as he can and making sharp, fast nose dives. This ridiculous seagull behavior gets his thrown out of his colony. Jonathan Livingston, once exiled, just keeps experimenting. He finds the deep emotional state of serenity in flying, and one event sends him on his way to enlightenment.

See the similarities? Both characters love to search for knowledge in worlds where such things are frowned upon. Both get thrown out of their communites. Both use that to reach higher states of happiness. Both can teach us lessons about reaching our own potentials.

A List of Literature

2011-06-21T12:55:00.015-05:00

Lord of the Flies (1954) by William Golding intrigues me with its dis-topia theme. The survival of the fittest story of plane wrecked young boys should prove to be haunting. The book is about average high school read size, and the writing style seems easy to understand with descriptive clauses and fragments.

J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye (1951) was recommended to me by my grandma. She and I usually have the same taste in books and movies, so I decided to give it a go. I think I will enjoy the "teenage angst" story, even if I don't have much angst myself. This book will be perfect to reward my hard-working reading muscles since it is only about 300 pages and the writing style is that of a seventeen-year-old boy. I can for see the style adding to the characterization of Holden Caulfield, the main character.

The Kite Runner (2004) by Khaled Hosseini tells the story of two boys in Afghanistan and how events affect their bonds. From what I've read, this book seems both moving and interesting. It has been recommended to me by many people who have varying tastes. The 400 pages are written in first-person style, which is different from many books that I read.

Last year, nearly every boy in my English class read George Orwell's 1984, (1949) and they continue to rave about it's greatness. The style seems to be very similar to Huxley's Brave New World and the themes match some too, though 1984 is longer at about 400 pages. 1984 presents a "utopian" society that turns out not to be very utopian after all. I love reading utopia/distopia novels such as Anthem, Brave New World, and The Giver which I have read previously in school.

Catch-22 (1955) by Joseph Heller was another novel read by and lauded by my classmates. It is a satire on the effects of war, a genre I don't usually read. I have heard that the style, though not overly grammatically difficult, is hard to read. Since the book is about 550 pages, it should prove to be a challenge, a challenge I'm willing to take.

The Awakening (1899) by Kate Chopin is shorter than most of the books I read at only 120 pages. I saw it on a "Must Read Classics" shelf at Barnes and Noble, and decided to check it out. Telling the story of a Victorian woman trapped by society and her "awakening" to a new world differs from the scary, adventure stories I love. Online reviews make The Awakening appear to be an intellectual delight. The style seems easy to read with short paragraphs and simple words, since the story takes place in New Orleans, Chopin chooses to use French phrases which might require the use of a translator.

I was first introduced to this book when we watched the movie in Oral Comm. I know that the book is probably far better, so Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury sits on this list. A classic example of my favorite genre, the sci-fi novel chronicals the tale of a fireman in a world where firemen start book-burning fires instead of putting them out. Soon, he discovers the wonders of the literature that has been kept from him for so long. Bradbury's style in the 200-page novel seems discriptive and full of supporting clauses. I believe I will enjoy the haunting tale.

Pride and Prejudice (1813) by Jane Austen has been recommended to me multiple times by Tosh. She simply adores this book, and she and I usually share tastes in books and movies. Written in the 1800s and at about 300 pages, I am expecting to be challenged by the novel, but the sample I read seems to have short chapters and paragraphs. The classic story of courting rituals between rich and poor has appealed to people for ages, and I should be no diferent.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson embodies the classic horror story of man-controlling-science-and-then-science-gets-crazy along with the next entry on my list. A review I read said the ending was one of the best in horror literature history, so I'm excited for that. I expect this book will be a challenge as well as the writing style seems classic of the 1800s and it is almost 300 pages.

Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley wraps up my list with a monster. Once again a classic horror story, it tells of Dr. Frankenstein's monster and how he loses control. I have heard that this book can be difficult to read, but that the subject is interesting, so it balances out through the almost 250 pages.

How long is it? How old is it? Writing style? Story?
Title. Author. Publication date. Number of pages. Difficulty level. Reflection.

HTRLLAP: Chapter 1 - Every Trip is a Quest...

2011-06-16T07:16:00.004-05:00

Zombies. Brain-eating, slow-walking, groaning and grunting zombies. A large portion of zombie movies lack any substance at all: zombies just aren't as scary as other horror movie fiends, and directors use that to make brain-numbingly dumb movies. Ahhh! Zombies, Pot Zombies, and Zombies, Zombies, Zombies: Strippers vs. Zombies show the bar that has been set for this genre of film.

But then, from a golden glowing cloud, comes a different breed: Zombieland! Maybe I'm far-reaching. Maybe I'm just too in love with this movie. But the point is, even Zombieland has just a little to give. That is, it tells the epic story of a quest of two characters in particular. So... Here we go.

Our quester(s): Two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, surviving in the zombie-infested United States. When everyone they knew turned into zombies, they knew that they must stick with each other to get by. However, they shy away from creating bonds with other survivors they meet.

A place to go: The two sisters are found by our other two heroes, Columbus and Tallahassee, in a super market where they try to trick the boys to get their supplies. When the lovely ladies finally decide to band together with the dashing boys, they tell us that they are headed for an amusement park in Los Angeles, an amusement park that is supposedly a zombie-free haven.

A stated reason to go there: Little Rock, the younger sister, is searching for the Garden of Eden in their "Zombieland" USA. She wants to find a place where she can lose her fears. Wichita, however, secretly knows that the zombie-free rumors are bogus. She just wants to please her sister, afraid to tell her otherwise.

Challenges and trials: Travelling with Tallahassee and Columbus, the sisters must first and foremost face hoardes of zombies. They learn Columbus's rules to surviving a zombie apocalypse. Wichita, always looking out for her little sister, faces the decision between being loners or joining this zombie-fighting pack permanently. Along the way, the sisters try to run off multiple times, but always seem to go back.

The real reason to go: After fighting a hive of zombies attracted to the sudden activity in the amusement park, Wichita and Little Rock realize that without Columbus and Tallahassee, they are alone in this zombie-world. On the road to LA, they faced the constant pull to have other human community. Still, they continued to run from it. The realizations at the amusement park showed them that they loved their companions, and they genuinely shared a love with them. Not to mention a zombie-killing group of four is way better than two. The quest showed them the importance of family, even if that family is a Twinkie-crazy, gun-happy cowboy and a paranoid, clown-fearing nerd.

Toulmin and Teachers

2011-03-30T20:10:00.006-05:00

Most Americans are guided by teachers through a significant portion of their lives. These teachers are put in positions to mold and shape who students can become. Still, the teaching profession faces hard times on the status ladder. A teacher shortage plagues our nation. We can partly thank the low respect for the teaching profession as a whole. As a nation, we must find ways to change this view of one of the most important professions in the cultivation of our future.

Vern Williams presents a solution in his Internet response to this dilemma. I agree with him in saying that allowing teachers more control in the curriculum and the practices of the classroom will help to raise the status of teachers. Curriculum for schools is largely determined by groups in the government of teachers who may or may not still be practicing. Students are changing, and teaching methods need to be changing with them. Who better to invent and implement these changes than teachers who are interacting with students every day? Teachers who have seen the times change and have kept up with innovations. Teachers who could have revolutionary ideas about how to teach this new "YouTube generation" of students with attention spans as long as a YouTube video. If teachers were allowed to control what and how they taught more directly, they could teach the material better and be more appreciated for it.

Some may say that if teachers were given such freedom, students would not learn what is needed. I am not saying that standardized curriculum should be thrown out the window. I am saying that teachers who want to implement new ways to teach that curriculum should be lauded and allowed to do so. If they can make the necessary learning more stimulating for students, we can raise a generation of students who will remember fondly their teachers. These students could then be inspired to grow their own ideas on learning. This would be a welcome change from teachers in my school who teach only the state-set material using state-given textbooks with state-written worksheets and nothing else. Sure this may teach students to pass the state standardized tests, but that is about it.

Those teachers are not the ones who are remembered. I will remember my innovative teachers: the one who challenges us, but still makes us feel like he is our friend; the one who let us pick what broad, real-world topics we were interested in and then taught the concepts based on those; the one who created a role-playing game to teach us the ever important, timeless concepts of history. These are the teachers that inspire me.

The Great Gatsby

2011-03-16T12:37:00.004-05:00

Using The Great Gatsby as a channel, Fitzgerald presents his views on America and the prosperity she experienced in the 1920s. His hopeless reflection through the narrator Nick on the last page of the book analyzes the American mindset about the past and the future. He suggests that though we try valiantly to move forward and modernize our world, we can never out do the wonder that nature provided originally. The future may seem bright and accessible, but all we can do is let destiny run its coarse.

The Old World descriptions illuminate the reader's imagination with images of youth and joy. When the narrator lost himself in the island, the man-made structures faded away leaving the memory of the old island. Fitzgerald alluded to the landing of Dutch sailors in America, the first foreigners to do so. The beauty of this new land inspired them, filling them with dreams, desire, "wonder." The "fresh, green" land stood untouched by humans for them and "flowered" by only the graces of nature. The diction of the passage makes readers feel they can see the glorious land that could be captured in a breathless "enchanted moment" and hear the personified trees speaking softly.

In contrast, when Nick returns to his modern island, he sees "inessential houses," "dark fields" of struggles, and the ghosts of the glory of the past. He acknowledges how humans strive toward that "orgastic future" but can never quite get there. That imaginary ideal eludes us every time, and we strive ever harder to catch up. In his intentional fragment in the second to last paragraph, Fitzgerald builds up the excitement and hope for the success of the future. Then, it suddenly stops. The fragment brings us back to Earth where we can never achieve as much glory as we desire. Fitzgerald compares humans to boats who can try ceaselessly to row against the current but always find themselves pushed back, maybe even farther back than where they started.

The 1920s were filled with extravagance and wealth, and this is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby. Throughout the book, however, Fitzgerald uses his characters to bring that high-life mentality back down to Earth. He reminds us that success and development do not always mean happiness. He reminds us that excessive spending or partying does not always make us friends. He also reminds us of the beauty of the natural world, a world that we did not touch.

"My Wood" Screencast

2011-03-08T21:30:00.002-06:00

Here's my screencast on "My Wood"

Consumerism and Happiness

2011-02-28T12:54:00.002-06:00

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)

Over the last few days, while reading about consumerism, a common idea has continually popped up. Almost every article I have read discusses the happiness levels of Americans now and in decades past. Turns out that people in the 1950s were just as happy, if not happier, as we are now. But how could that be?! They didn't have nearly the "stuff" that we do!

According to Chesterton, they were just as happy as we are because they desired less. Consumerism is a ravenous monster: you can try all you want, but it will never be satisfied. If we continue to buy and buy and buy and buy, a non-ending cycle will develop. Buying "stuff" may make you satisfied for a short amount of time, but later that feeling leaves and you feel the need to buy more.

Maybe, then, we should take Chesterton's advice. Maybe we should try to desire less. Maybe we should appreciate what we have more than what we want.

Heart Warming Advertising

2011-02-26T23:40:00.004-06:00

A nice family sitting down for dinner. Cute kids. Yummy food. Milk. Ahhh... Don't you just want to jump right into that advertisement, take a seat, and eat with them? I sure do.

The creators of this ad play on our heartstrings in order to make us want to buy some delicious Stouffers lasagna. They used one of the techniques described in the New York Time article: they are making the home seem more fun. Who needs to go out to eat at an expensive restaurant when you can just pop some lasagna into the oven and enjoy marvelous family time? If "every family dinner is a story waiting to happen," then every family dinner is a chance to make memories and and a great time, even at half the cost.

But the advertisers don't want to let us forget that every family dinner requires something to dine on. They are reminding us that staying in for dinner can be just as fun (especially if you have a fairy child) and that we can always turn to Stouffers for a delicious center to the family dinner.

Whom Can We Trust?

2010-12-03T16:01:00.009-06:00

What would you do if you saw any one of these men on the street? Would you just ignore them? Would you walk right past? You might take a closer look at Guy #1 but only because he has a crazy moustache, right? What if I told you that all three of these men were serial killers? That changes everything.

The book The Devil in the White City tells the true story of the World's Fair of Chicago in 1893. Half of the novel recounts the creation of the fair and its attractions. The other half presents the terrifying story of H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer and Guy #1. A fairly attractive and charming man, Holmes was able to lure women into his "Murder Castle" where, after he made them fall madly in love with him, he killed them in a variety of ways. The book provides chilling detail as it tells of how women adored his "bright eyes" and tendency to "touch them" in tender ways that forced the women to trust him naturally. After that, it recounts the screams Holmes endured and the excitement he felt.

This is not the only story of killers that demand trust. Take Guy #2 Ted Bundy. Also an attractive man, he preyed on the caring tendencies of women by pretending to be injured. After they agreed to help him with whatever activity he requested, he kidnapped and murdered them, often after raping them as well. Bundy was believed to be linked to the murder of at least 100 women that were "white, thin, and single and had long hair that parted in the middle." But guys, don't think you're safe! Guy #3, also known as John Wayne Gacy or the "Killer Clown," only looked for male victims from nine to twenty-five years of age. He also convinced his prey to trust him, and he killed them once they came to his home. That pretty much covers everyone who could be reading this, right?

The question we must ask is: whom can we trust? Most of the victims of these killers trusted in them. Holmes was married to more than three women at the same time, most of whom he later murdered. What are we supposed to do when we see a man asking for help on the side of the road? A man who is injured, kind, rather handsome? The truth is, I do not have much of an answer. There is no way to tell the genuinely charming people from the crazies. I have trouble trusting people anyway, and Devil in the White City has certainly not helped that. I suppose all we can do is to be careful and follow what our parents told us. "Don't talk to strangers." "Don't walk alone at night." Intuition is also an important tool. I know we women often have gut feelings as to whom we should believe. It is very unfortunate that our society has such people in it, but we must face that fact and be careful where we put our trust.

The Time I Was a Gargoyle (In 12 Sentences)

2010-11-23T13:08:00.003-06:00

Georgia and I always go crazy at my house, our stomachs aching from laughing so much, our iPod batteries dead from the endless dance parties, our voices hoarse from singing and screaming. It was the dead of winter: the weather outside was grey and freezing cold. I decided to make us fully loaded hot chocolate, a delicious but terribly sugary drink, to help with the cold. We travelled through the living room, across the foyer, out the front door, and onto the porch to enjoy our hot chocolate. Georgia and I then pretended to be gargoyles. Of course. Georgia got a text from her mother who instructed that we pack Georgia's things and that we wait for her to arrive and that we prepare to leave. Mrs. Weygandt pulled into my driveway, but she backed out of it immediately. Across my neighborhood to catch her, we ran frantically. Why had she left us? We caught her and jumped on top of her car and stopped her. The confusion we faced at her strange actions, the mini race we ran to catch her, the life-threatening jump we made to stop her all payed off when Georgia finally got to go home.

A Literary Slap in the Face

2010-11-09T13:00:00.007-06:00

... or not. The video entitled A Dramatic Reading of an Actual Breakup Letter is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen on YouTube. The amusement comes not only from the hilariously bad writing but also from the narrator's reading.

After watching and laughing multiple times, I began to think about the background of the letter. Where did it come from? Who wrote it? Has the writer EVER had an English class... ever? Some part of me also began to feel sorry for the person who wrote the letter in the first place. Whoever this person is was obviously subjected to a terribly ridiculous relationship. If the horror of having a terrible relationship was not enough, the letter written was then placed on YouTube and made fun of in front of anyone who wants to watch. Viewers laugh at the relationship described, the funny voices used, the first grade writing.

When you think about it, this video is really just an example of a piece of writing gone bad. The author meant for the letter to hurt "Chris" and convince him that she or he (we can't assume) was done with the ups and downs of the relationship. Unfortunately, that purpose was completely shadowed by the horrible writing. No one can take the letter seriously with so many misspelled words, run-on sentences, and ridiculous "text talk."

So what can we learn from this? There really are stupid people out there. No, just kidding. We can all learn that good writing techniques are important. In order to properly express a point, authors need to know how to write properly. If a reader cannot understand what is being said in the plain-Jane text, then they will never understand the main purpose of the passage or the subliminal hints.

Moral of the story: pay attention in English class! That way, when you want to break up with someone via letter, they will actually pay attention instead of going on YouTube and making fun of you.

My Reading List

2010-10-21T13:05:00.003-05:00

As previously mentioned, I want to expand my reading horizons. I am trying to be very open to suggestions this nine-weeks period. I also plan to read some books are not new and were written more than five or so years ago.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

I mainly plan to read this book because my mom told me to. Normally, she and I have different taste in books, but maybe I will enjoy the book. Plus, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was written in the 70s, so hopefully I will get a different style of writing than the modern teen books I am used to reading. My mom has a copy, so I will just get her copy.

The Devil in the White City

I was browsing our class library, and this book caught my eye. My dad and a friend read this last year, and I am pretty sure they both liked it. Since the book is readily available, I might as well try to read it. Also, the book seems to be historical fiction and I have never really read anything like that, so I should try.

Love in the Time of Cholera

Once again, I simply found this book in my house. Upon reading the title page, I discovered that it won the Nobel Prize and is part of Oprah's book club. If the book is good enough for such renowned people, it will be good enough for me.

Reading Independently

2010-10-15T12:03:00.002-05:00

Reading is one of my favorite pass times. I love to dwelve into a different world and escape my own. At the first of the year, I had to push myself to read regularly. Now, however, reading for a while every night has become a habit. Not to mention, the books I chose this period were all pretty interesting and fun to read.

Inking my thinking was a harder habit to get into. Sometimes, I have trouble pausing my reading to write what I'm thinking. I found that I have many deep thoughts, I just cannot get them on paper very well. Looking over my reading journal is quite entertaining, though, since I can go back and remember how I felt during certain parts of the book. My favorite part of my journaling is writing down quotes that I love from books.

I am sure that I am reading more analytically this year. I know that I am putting more thought into the books I choose. Next quarter, I want to expand my reading variety even more. I am going to start with a book that my mom has recommended from the 70s called Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I want to read books that normally wouldn't have read.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

2010-10-11T12:14:00.003-05:00

The Socratic Seminars proved to be a fun, interesting way to talk about "big ideas" in Brave New World. As we discussed we came to a conclusion that "there is no way for a utopia to exist because it cannot be perfect for everyone." I have really been thinking about this over the past weeks. Every person, no matter how hard any government tries, is different. With so many people to please, there is no way that everyone can be completely happy all of the time. This logic solidifies for me the use of soma in the book. The government cannot make everyone happy naturally, so they found a drug to do that chemically. By researching for my Seminars, I found that Huxley tied Shakespearean tales into his book. John the Savage can be related to many of Shakespeare's characters. Also, while talking about fads, (iPods in particular) one group concluded that even though they may be a fad, iPods bolster individuality because they allow users to listen to their own taste of music. From now on, I can imagine that I will be seeing the individual appear even in the following of trends.

By participating in the Seminar, I took two roles: I participated in the discussions and I also had to evaluate someone else in his or her discussion. Being in the discussion felt almost unnerving; I imagined myself as a fish in a bowl with everyone else looking in. Soon into the discussion, however, I was usually too into talking and listening to remember my surroundings. Evaluating my classmates gave me an opportunity to hear new ideas and watch how people interact with one another.

Overall, I felt I did pretty well. Sometimes I had trouble getting all of my researched thoughts in before I got distracted and moved on to another idea. I often had five or ten new ideas running through my head as another person was talking, so I had to push those out of the way to really listen to them. I generally like the seminar, but there was one point when the discussion turned into a flat-out debate. That was a little uncomfortable; many people seemed to walk away with their feelings hurt.

The Socratic Seminar was thought by Socrates to be one of the highest forms of learning. By participating in a civilized discussion, one not only collects his or her own ideas, but he or she also hears what others have to say. I am certain Socrates would be proud of the discussions we mere teenagers were able to have.

Pink's Purpose

2010-09-10T14:52:00.002-05:00

Pink's amused humor reveals that Americans have forgotten how incredible their abundance is and are seeking meaning and creativity. For example, Pink describes the incredible environment of his local mall, but discovers that "what's so remarkable about Potomac Yards is how utterly unremarkable it is." (pg. 32) By comparing his childhood shopping experiences to modern ones, Pink shows that abundance in America has increased since the 1970s. This paradox explains how Americans overlook the extravagance of the normal objects in their lives because they are commonplace. However, this prosperity has not made Americans that much happier. Pink says "while living standards have risen steadily, personal, family, and life satisfaction haven't budged." (pg. 35) He is not suggesting that Americans are not happy, only that material possessions have not made Americans any happier than they were previously. Basically, Americans are looking past their material possessions to search for meaning and internal satisfaction. Pink's ideas lend themselves to suggest that American society is moving into an age where material possessions and technology are not as important as seeking purpose and self-satisfaction.

Persuasive Appeals Analysis

2010-08-25T13:12:00.009-05:00

Most advertisements, whether directly or indirectly, use persuasion. Some try to persuade consumers to buy a product. Others, persuade people to stop or start a practice such as anti-drug and "got milk" advertisements. In order to do this persuading, advertisement designers use the three forms of persuasion: ethos, logos, and pathos. One ad that uses all three forms of persuasion is this ad for Triumph motorcycles.

The first persuasive technique that can be found in this add is ethos, an appeal to credibility or character. The most obvious example of this is the use of the Star Wars saga to try to grab attention from consumers. The top of the ad says "The Empire Strikes Back" which is also the name of the fifth movie in the Star Wars saga. The comparison of Triumph to the Empire from Star Wars also invokes thoughts of strength and power in the mind of consumers. Another play on Star Wars is seen in the first line of text: "Not all that long ago..." This is a play on the famous opening text from Star Wars that says "A long time ago..." These uses of ethos are what drew me to the ad, so they obviously worked. The second paragraph of text shows that Cycle Canada magazine called the motorcycles "sublime." Ethos tries to create credibility, and the ad is saying that if Cycle Canada, a credible publication (in Canada), likes these bikes, consumers should like them too. The text also tells consumers that Formula One technology, such as that used in race cars, influences the building of each bike. After all, who doesn't secretly love race cars?

Logos, or logical appeal, is clearly seen in the text below the photographs in the advertisement. The whole first paragraph speaks of the great benefits and bonuses that are included in each motorcycle. The ad tells consumers that each Triumph motorcycle is "crafted in the world's most modern motorcycle factory in the English midlands." Plus, "each Triumph is backed by a full two-year unlimited mileage warranty." The Formula One technology and hand craftsmanship are also facts about the bikes that could convince a consumer to buy a Triumph. All of these great facts about the motorcycles and the company make them seem more desirable.

Finally, pathos is used. Pathos appeals to the emotions of consumers. This ad is designed to make consumers feel excited about Triumph motorcycles. All of the photographs show riders in all black going very fast. The angles at which the pictures are taken make the scenes look fun and even a little daring. Besides the photographs, the text can also appeal to emotions. Talk of "traditional hand craftsmanship" remind consumers that they generally trust such craftsmanship. In the second paragraph, each motorcycle pictured is briefly described. The Daytona 955i is compared to a tactical fighter. The Speed Triple is said to have "the pugnacious attitude of an English bulldog." These comparisons make consumers want a Triumph because tactical fighters are cool and English bulldogs are too. Motorcycles that can be compared to these objects must be cool as well. Plus, the comparisons and the rest of the text has a sense of wit and humor. This makes consumers laugh and like Triumph even more.

By using all three forms of persuasion, the ad has proven to be successful.. Each persuasive technique is balanced by the others so that the advertisement is appealing and pleasing to consumers. This ad makes Triumph motorcycles seem cool and desirable, thus the advertisement has done well.

A Modern Marvel

2010-08-03T09:38:00.002-05:00

For my confirmation, I received a book called Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla: A Woman's Life. At first, I pictured the book would be a semi-interesting, informative biography. I soon discovered inspiration and a wonderful story within the book's pages.

In a nutshell, Saint Gianna Molla was a modern day saint who lives between 1922 and 1962. She grew up with twelve siblings in a very religious family. She went to college to become a nurse to fulfill a need to help people. Gianna had four children herself, the last of which she sacrificed her life to give birth to. She remained as religious as her parents, and she went to mass every single day. She was the leader of many church youth and women's organizations. However, she also had many other interests such as opera, mountain climbing, and skiing. Of course, none of these took a larger place in her heart than that of her God.

Throughout the book, first-hand accounts of Gianna were given. In all of these accounts, family members and friends spoke of her appreciation of life and religion. One quote inpired me the most. "[Gianna took] pleasure in the small and great joys God grants us even in this world." I can always be greatful for the "great joys" that I experience such as when I succeed in a task or when I get a wonderful gift. This quote reminded me that we all should also be thankful for the "small joys" such as the weather on a nice day or a day that just seems to be going right. Often, I find this hard, but my eyes were opened to these small parts of my life.

During the pregnancy of her last child, Gianna discovered some complications that had three options to fix: an abortion, a surgery that would be very dangerous for the baby, or a surgery that would be very dangerous for Gianna. As she had a giving mother's spirit, Gianna chose the last option. Because of this, a few days after the baby was born, Gianna died. Her sacrifice for that of her child is incredible. I am not a mother, so I cannot really understand such love. I still ask myself, though, if I would be able to make such a sacrifice. Gianna knew that she would likely die, but she also knew that her baby would live. I also wonder how difficult the decision was to make.

There are thousands of Catholic saints out there. However, many of those modern saints are often overlooked. I am very glad that I could learn about a modern woman whose actions led her to become a saint. Who knows, maybe someone I know could become a saint.

"This is Your Moment, No Hesitation"

2010-07-11T15:06:00.004-05:00

Every so often, I find a song that is so good, I listen to that song constantly. My newest song obsession is "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" by Shakira. This song has a killer beat that makes me want to dance. However, my favorite part about the song is the lyrics. Once I read the lyrics, I felt inspired and actually pretty confident.

The lyrics of "Waka Waka" are all about believing in oneself and being strong. Even the old adage "try, try again" is included in the inspirational message. One line of the song says "if you fall get up...and when you fall get up." Obviously, Shakira is singing about continuing the fight for whatever is needed, even if failure comes first. Every person fails at some point, and these lines remind us that failure is not necessarily the end.

My favorite line from this song says "your time to shine don't wait in line y vamos por todo" (which means "we go for all"). To me, this line is saying that we should go and take what we want to achieve. I also feel impowered and ready to face the world when I sing this to myself.

I continually play "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" everywhere. I love the song and the message that the lyrics send. This song was chosen to be the 2010 FIFA World Cup official song. After reading the lyrics and taking them into consideration, I can clearly see why. The song is empowering, and perfect for a soccer team hoping to win.

Food for Thought

2010-07-04T09:54:00.002-05:00

Some books are pure entertainment. They take the reader into another world, and when the book is done, the reader thinks "hey, that was fun." Other books, however, not only entertain, but they also propel the reader into thought and questioning. One such book is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Not only did this book keep me reading, but I could not help but question myself, the characters, and both worlds: the real world and the fictional one.

The main character of The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen, was faced with great challenges during the annual Hunger Games during which her whole purpose was to kill everyone else in the arena. As I read, I found myself feeling almost weak. I know for a fact that if I were placed in the Hunger Games, I would be the first to die. Compared to Katniss and the other players, even the young and innocent Rue, I am seriously handicapped. I wondered how I could fare in such a situation, and I admired how the characters in the book showed such immense strength.

In the book, the Hunger Games are controlled by important people to make them interesting to watch and difficult to win. Throughout the book, the Gamemakers threw challenges and horrors at Katniss such as a spontaneous fire. However, they also seemed to bend the rules when they agreed to let two people win if they were from the same place. Then, a few days later, the Gamemakers revoked this rule. In other words, Katniss had to continually change her state of mind. One moment she has a partner, and the next she is supposed to kill him. I was astounded by how quickly she could adjust to these changes. As a person who resists change, I could see how difficult this would be.

I also was horrified at how a government could force such annual bloodshed. Not only did they force the Hunger Games to take place, they also forced all other citizens to watch. I cannot imagine how terrible watching such a program would be.

After I finished The Hunger Games, I found myself hungry for more so to speak. I cannot wait to find out how the rest of the trilogy plays out.

My Annotated Photo

2010-06-14T21:16:00.002-05:00

A condensed look into my life. Click to see more...

Of Mice and Men

2010-05-24T11:54:00.013-05:00

Analysis of Detail:

From his first paragraph, John Steinbeck sets the scene in Of Mice and Men through his use of imagery as he describes the natural world as a parallel to later events in the novella. These vivid descriptions can be used to foreshadow future events in the novel and represent characters.

Take the following quote for instance: "the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green." Some words that provoke the senses in that quote are "deep" and "green." Deep arouses thoughts of heaviness, solidity, and strength. These characteristics can be used to describe George. Though he is smaller in size than Lenny, he is definitely Lenny's support. He is solid in mental state where Lenny is weak. The word green can be used to symbolize young, fresh, lively, and natural people and objects. Children often have these traits, and Lenny is very much like a child. His mind is innocent and simple.

Another quote found in the first paragraph is "under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp." The deepness of the piles of leaves means that all of the leaves are depending on the others. They are relying on each of the other leaves' strength. It provokes thoughts of dark and cool places. Lenny is like the pile of leaves in that he depends of the strength of George to protect him. His mind could represent that cool and dark place, since he is simply mentally disabled. When leaves fall from the trees and remain on the ground they turn crisp. This shows age, fragility, and brittleness. George can be compared to this. He is not fragile or brittle, but he is weaker than Lenny. His temper can be fragile at times, as he is quite hot-tempered. With age comes wisdom, and George shows this wisdom in the face of troubles.

Steinbeck also writes "the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it." Smoothness arouses feelings of welcome. Many smooth objects, such as the branch, have been well used. George could be compared to the branch. He has been used by Lenny for help, and he sometimes even feels a little worn down from this. Despite that, he welcomes Lenny to remain as his traveling partner.

All of these quotes are found in just the first paragraph of Of Mice and Men. By analyzing the words and imagery used, the reader can discover that there is deeper meaning hidden in the sentences of the novel.

Analysis of Point of View:

The third-person objective point of view shows that even though the men live solitary lives, they still yearn for care and love. The men in Of Mice and Men, and most men of that time period, travelled alone. They seemed to try not to make connections, so that their moves where clean breaks. Many may have even tried to put on a mask to hide their true feelings. Despite this, these men really longed for good relationships.

One character in the book has an old, blind dog. His bunk mates try to convince him to kill the poor animal. "Candy threw his legs off the bunk. He scratched the white stubble whiskers on his cheek nervously. 'I'm so used to him,' he said softly. 'I had him from a pup.'" (p. 45) This scene shows how Candy feels about his dog. He really cares about the dog. In fact, he cares enough that he has had the dog for many years. Candy knows that killing his pet would be the best option, but he just does not want to lose the dog. Candy does not want to lose possibly the only real, loving relationship he has. He may seem like a loner, but truthfully, he has a partner in his dog. He yearns for the love and devotion that dog gives him.

Another passage shows the longing for care: "Slim said 'You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me.' He led George into the entrance of the trail and up toward the highway." (p. 107) Obviously, George is very upset about the murder he just committed. He lost a friend. He lost a good, strong relationship that he had built. Also, Slim shows genuine care for George. He tries to console George and even leads him up the trial. George seems to give up trying to be a loner, and he takes the care that Slim is giving him.

All of these men may have liked some of their coworkers better than others, but they also tried to make and keep caring relationships. Whether they loved a brother, a friend, or even a dog, they worked hard to show their pal how much they cared.

Analysis of Tone:

The lonely and melancholy tones in Steinbeck's writing reflect the sad lives and conditions of the Great Depression. This is reflected because Of Mice and Men is set in the Great Depression. Many passages in the novel have such tones that have an effect on the reader.

One passage that has a lonely tone is on page 39: "You know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work a month, then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a [care] about nobody." This passage speaks of the solitary lives that the workers live. They do not seem to care about anyone or travel with anyone. Their lives can be lonely since they try to simply work instead of making friends. This lonely tone carries on into the entire book, and almost every character ends up experiencing loneliness.

The passage, "He reached into his side pocket and brought out Carlson's Luger; he snapped off the safety and the gun lay on the ground behind Lennie's back. He looked at the back of Lennie's head, at the place where the spine and skull were joined." (p. 105) has a very melancholy tone. This passage provokes great sadness and a feeling of despair. George, the character whom the passage is about, loves Lennie immensely, yet here he is, about to kill Lennie. The whole situation is devestatilgly sad. In the wording of the passage, George seems to be pretty emotionless despite what he is about to do. Multiple passages provoked feelings of melancholy, but this was the worst.

All in all, Of Mice and Men was a sad book. This sadness is due partly to the story, but the tone that Steinbeck uses also has a huge impact on the reader's feelings. The book leaves readers feeling like the characters and the tone: lonely and melancholy.

Analysis of Theme:

All throughout Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck and his characters explore the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" In the novel, George asks as Lennie's "keeper." Even when Lennie offers to leave because he is such a nusiance, George says "I want you to stay with me, Lennie...No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn't like you running off by yourself, even it she is dead." (p. 13) Of Mice and Men shows that humans are their "brother's keeper." The novel shows the bond between humans and how they take care of each other in times of trouble. Sometimes, this relationship only helps the party in need, such as Lennie. George, however, lets Slim in on the benefits he gets.

"'I ain't got no people,' George said. 'I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time.'"
"'Yeah, they get mean,' Slim agreed. 'They get so they don't want to talk to nobody.'"
"'Course Lennie's a nuisance most of the time,' said George. 'But you get used to goin' around with a guy an you can't get rid of him.'" (p. 41)

George obviously cares about Lennie and likes the company he gives. Plus, Slim seems to understand the desire to help. All people rely on other people at some point in their lives. Therefore, we should all look out for our fellow humans if we expect as much in return.

"Migrant Mother"

2010-05-20T11:49:00.002-05:00

The photos entitled "Migrant Mother" envoke many feelings. After seeing these photos, I felt sorry for those in the pictures. I was also reminded that there are many, many more people who live in similar situations. Some people face horrible challenges and conditions, yet they still show courage. I feel like the mother in these photos showed courage. Maybe she needed to be there for her children. Maybe she needed the courage to continue. Maybe she just needed the courage for herself. She seemed to be taking care of her children as best she could in her conditions.

I am also reminded to be thankful for what I have. I am lucky that I do not have to live in situations such as those shown in the photos. I could just as easily been in that place. We should all be greatful for what we have, and these photos remind us just how awesome our lives are.

The Giver

2010-04-30T12:15:00.003-05:00

What would be necessary in a utopia? Would there be no sickness? No grief? What about no color, no love, and no sense of family? How could someone think that such a society was perfect? This is the question that comes to mind when reading Lois Lowery's The Giver. This book had me reading enthusiastically from cover to cover until I was done.

The Giver tells the story of a boy named Jonas who lives in a seemingly perfect society. His life gets turned upside down when he turns twelve. In his society, all children are considered adults once they turn twelve. They receive their job and become functioning members of society. Most children get assigned to be judges, teachers, or care givers, but Jonas is chosen to be the new Receiver. This means that everyday he will go to the current Giver to receive the memories that were taken away when this utopian society was formed. As Jonas begins to receive these memories, he realizes that his society is not so perfect after all. An internal struggle begins to take place inside Jonas. He questions what is truly best for people and community. How does Jonas take all of the changes that he can now see in his life?

The setting of The Giver is different from any other book that I have read. In the community in the novel, everything is the same and no one can see colors because they do not have the memories of them. I had great difficulty imagining the setting because The Giver is set in a place that is very different from our own. Lowery did not provide a whole lot of description of the setting. However, this did not prove to be too important in the understanding of the story.

The characters in the novel were very well developed. I grew attached to Jonas and began to feel his pain. I felt sorry for characters such as Fiona who did not know what great things they were missing out on. I worried for the outcome of the questionable Gabe. Each character had his or her own struggles and triumphs. Lowery did a wonderful job in the creation of her characters.

Overall, I enjoyed The Giver very much. I would recommend this book to anyone. The Giver was easy to read and interesting.

Animal Farm

2010-04-30T11:59:00.002-05:00

George Orwell's Animal Farm shows the progression of a utopia. This utopia starts as a wonderful place for all of the animals of the farm. However, as time wears on corruption sets in and the utopia soon turns into a distopia. Orwell obviously does not believe that utopias can exist.

Characters are important in the formation of a story and a theme. Orwell chose to use animals as his main characters. This classifies Animal Farm as a fable, but this novel is far from a child's story. Animal Farm shows how corruption can ruin a society. This is a very human idea, yet Orwell used animals to convey this viewpoint.

Many authors could not have pulled this off, but Orwell's use of animals was very effective. The animals had human characteristics, and they acted very similar to people would when put in such situations. I even often forgot that the book's characters were animal and not human. Orwell managed to use farm animals to show how utopias often end up, and with the use of animals, a humorous aspect was added.

Animal Farm used a "fairy tale-esque" style to convey a very deep theme. By using animals as his main characters, Orwell created a perfect balance between a fun storybook and a thought provoking political essay.

Cross-Examined!

2010-04-20T12:40:00.002-05:00

I am pretty much a good girl. Despite this, my parents cross-examine me quite often. Sometimes, they can get pretty cop-like.

Generally, they do the interrogations before I go somewhere such as to a friend's house or to a movie. My parents always want to know every single detail.

"Who's going to be there?"

"How are you going to get there? How are you going to get home?"

"How much money do you plan to spend?"

"Are you lying to us? Are you really going to ditch the movie and run off to do something else?"

You get the picture. Sometimes, they can really get on my nerves. However, I know they are just trying to proctect me because they love me and all of that. But, do they really think I am going to run off?

Hope

2010-04-12T14:30:00.002-05:00

I get hope from the
sunrise

When nighttime turns to
daytime

I get hope from the
colors

How the blackness turns to
beauty

Celebrate!

2010-04-12T12:21:00.004-05:00

My favorite celebration is the celebration of a birthday. April is a big month for my group of friends because four people have birthdays in this month. I love to help people celebrate their birthday with well wishes, gifts, parties, and cake.

Birthdays are very important to me, especially since I am so (relatively) young. They act as a way to tell someone how much they mean to you. Think about what a birthday celebrates. Basically, when celebrating a birthday, you are saying "Hey! I am so glad that you were born 'x' years ago! I think you are awesome, so we should celebrate your birth and having you here!" Who does not want a day all about celebrating them?

I am very excited to help my "April Baby" friends celebrate their big days. And just think, after April comes May. With May comes my birthday! I think that is good cause to celebrate!

I Wear the Mask

2010-04-01T17:02:00.002-05:00

I Wear the Mask

My life is a lie.
No, it's not that extreme.
My life is a fib,
And my emotions are unseen.

They say the eyes
Are a portal to the heart,
But mine hide the truth.
My inside and outside are apart.

Outside is ecstasy
With a little anger in my mind.
My mask hides the inside
Making it hard to find.

Under the mask,
I have a different side.
My emotions can be scary,
So the mask helps them hide.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T12:01:00.002-05:00

"Oh my name is Bishop Patrick. I sailed across the sea to teach the Irish folk about the Blessed Trinity."

This is a song that I taught to the kids at vacation bible school a few years ago. That year, the theme was the story of Saint Patrick of Ireland. For me, St. Patrick's Day is not about luck, leprechauns, or pinching people. Instead, I look at St. Patrick's Day as a day to honor the Catholic saint the day is named for.

Time for a little history lesson:
St. Patrick was born in 385 in Scotland. When he was about fourteen, he was captured in a raid and taken to Ireland as a slave. He remained a slave until he was about twenty when he escaped. After that, legend says that St. Patrick had a dream in which the Irish people were calling out to him for help. Because of this, he returned to Ireland, studied to be a priest, and eventually became the Bishop of Ireland. He went all around Ireland teaching the people about Christianity. His main teaching was that of the Holy Trinity. (I am not going to even attempt to explain that here. You can ask me later if you are really that interested.) He used the three leaves of the shamrock to help explain this abstract idea. One legend says that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. Personally, I have no idea if there are snakes in Ireland today, so I just believe the stories.

I chuckle a little when I see people getting all geared up for St. Patrick's Day. I feel that way about St. Valentine's Day, too. Most people have no idea what this day is about. Good thing you all have me to tell you, right?

The Call of the Wild Review

2010-03-13T08:10:00.002-06:00

Imagine living a happy, comfortable life. Then, imagine being taken from that life and thrown into the complete opposite: a life of hard work and struggle. This is the beginning of the story of Buck in The Call of the Wild by Jack London. The Call of the Wild proved to be an exciting and interesting book.

The Call of the Wild is about a dog named Buck during the time of the gold rush in Alaska. Prospectors began to race to Alaska to find gold, but in order to get there, they needed sled dogs. Since sled dogs were very expensive, a black market took form. Buck gets sold into the black market and soon discovers just how difficult his life will be. This is the story of Buck's survival in the tough conditions, his fight to be top dog, and his road to answering the "call of the wild."

The characters in this book are very interesting. The entire book is written from the point of view of a dog, so this provides unique insight into the mind of an animal. Each other dog on the sled team is thoroughly described, and I found myself thinking that they were real people. Each dog had his own personality and traits. There are people mentioned in the book, but they stay in the background because the story is about Buck.

The setting that Jack London created in The Call of the Wild was interesting. He described the many places that Buck had to go to including the Alaskan and Canadian wilderness. Each scene was not perfectly clear in my mind, but since there were so many different scenes, that would have been very difficult for London. With that much extra description, The Call of the Wild would have been an extremely long book.

The Call of the Wild illustrates a theme of survival of the fittest. In order to survive, Buck and the other dogs had to push themselves to the limits. Many dogs died because they simply were not fit to work. The book shows what great lengths Buck will go to in order to survive and proper.

The Call of the Wild provided interesting insight into the world of a character who would normally not be brought into light. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age.

Writer's Notebook: Persuasion

2010-03-03T12:51:00.001-06:00

Persuasion is used all of the time. Everywhere I look, someone is trying to persuade me into doing or buying something. Often times, I do not even notice the persuasive techniques being used on me.

I would like to think that I am pretty good at persuading people. Feel free to argue. Most of the time, I am persuading people to trust my answers for assignments. That is about all of the persuasion that I use, so I mostly use the technique of logos. I always try to have a reason for the answers I put down, and I rarely just guess. However, I often find that when I am trying to persuade someone, I talk about my subject so much that I begin to doubt myself. Persuasion can sometimes influence my decisions because I value other's opinions.

Persuasion is used on television every time a commercial plays. The whole purpose of a commercial is to get consumers to buy a product. Many different techniques are used in commercials.

Writer's Notebook: Winning

2010-03-03T12:50:00.004-06:00

Winning and losing is part of everyone's life. Sometimes, we are on the winning side. Other times, we are the losers.

Being a winner does not always mean receiving a reward. Instead, being a winner means achieving the goals set for you or receiving an honor. In the game of winning and losing, there are not always losers. For example, one person may receive an award. That person is a winner. Are the rest of the people losers? Since the rest may not have been striving for the award, they are not losers.

I am most proud of the awards the 2008-2009 junior high quizbowl team won last year. We won by teamwork and "brainpower." That means more to me that winning any athletic event by skill or strength. We worked hard to develop our knowledge, and all of those days payed off.

Writer's Notebook: Commitment

2010-03-03T12:50:00.003-06:00

Olympic athletes make extreme commitments in order to compete and train. They commit to their sport, their team, and their training. All of these aspects come together to make a well trained, successful athlete who can lead his or her country to victory.

Although I have not made commitments as extreme as the ones made my Olympians, I have made a serious commitment to my dance studio. I have been taking dance classes for over eleven years, but I have really committed to the studio over the past two. I am at the studio, Batesville Ballet Etc., dancing for about ten hours a week. Three of those hours are on Saturday mornings. I have given up so much time to teach and learn the art of dance. Unlike most kids my age, I do not have many extracurricular activities, but the ones I do have, mainly ballet, take up most of my free time. I have suffered pain and stress, but the outcome is worth the price. Performing is amazingly fun, and ballet has helped me in more than just my fitness. Dancers at Batesville Ballet are not required to be as committed as I, but I would not hesitate to step in when needed. My commitment has hopefully made a difference for others.

How to Pick a Confirmation Name

2010-01-23T15:41:00.001-06:00

Do you know how to pick a confirmation name? Seriously, I need some help.

This July, I'm going to get confirmed in my church. Confirmation is a rite of passage that shows that a person has decided to be fully Catholic. It is a huge deal. I have to take classes until July and the bishop, a man named Anthony Taylor, is coming to Batesville to confirm us. One part of the process is choosing a name. A candidate for confirmation gets to pick a saint's name to take as part of their name. No, this will not be part of my legal name, but in the church records, I will have an extra name. This is all very exciting, but I am finding choosing a name to be extremely difficult. I have gone through numerous books and I have been reading tons of articles on websites such as this site and this site. If you decide to look at these websites, you can see that there are thousands of saints for me to choose. This is narrowed down a little because I do not really want to take a male name. Even after eliminating the male names, there are still tons of choices. How am I supposed to choose?

This has been on my mind since they told us to start looking at names. I cannot chose a saint that is boring or that does not "speak to me." I have a few that I am leaning towards, but I just cannot choose!

I have been thinking that maybe I should be glad that I did not have to choose my own legal name. Maybe I should thank my parents for that. Having a pretty awesome name, I have reason to thank them. If I would have had to choose my own name, I am sure that I would still be picking. For now, I only have to worry about my confirmation name. At least I have a deadline.

Taking a Stand by Others

2010-01-14T14:50:00.001-06:00

(Please note that this post is about taking a stand against abortion. I am only providing an example of a group taking a stand. I do not want to start any ethical discussions.)

Many groups are formed just for the purpose of taking a stand. Take, for instance, PETA. PETA just stands up for the ethical treatment of animals as the name suggests. Other groups will take a stand for something they believe in, even if people do not expect anything. This happened about a year ago in my church.

I go to St. Mary's, a Catholic church. As a fundamental Catholic teaching, we believe that abortion is wrong. Anyway, last year, Congress was debating on some Pro-Choice legislation. Honestly, I do not remember exactly what it was, but I am pretty sure it was mainly about whether or not health care programs should cover abortion costs. My church, and many other Catholic churches in our diocese, decided to take a stand. Leaders in my church such as council members, our deacon, and our priest urged us to write letters to our representatives in Congress. They said that if we did so, they would mail all of the letters to Congress. After about two weeks, almost every family had a letter to send in. I was very proud of our congregation when the stamps went on the envelopes and the letters went on their way.

Our letters probably did not do much. I do not really know the outcome of that particular debate. However, I still felt accomplished. At least our view was made known. We stood up for what we believed in. Sometimes, taking a stand does not do much good. We keep taking a stand simply because we are waiting for that chance that it will make a difference for someone.

When I Took a Stand

2010-01-14T14:36:00.000-06:00

On most days, I have to ride a bus home. Until this year, my brother Anthony and his friend Jimmy rode the bus too. For some reason, they decided this year that they should start walking home from school even though the bus passes right by them. Unfortunately for them, we can see them walking down the sidewalk on many occasions from the bus. Again, for some reason, they decided that they should start to break out into a run every time we pass. From the point of view of the sister, they do look a little silly running down the street with all of their bags in tow. But, if they want to walk home everyday, that's their prerogative.

One day, I forgot to bring my mp3 player onto the bus. I was already pretty steamed because without my music, it is impossible for me to just close my eyes and pretend I'm somewhere else. Anyway, we were going home, and the bus passed Jimmy and Anthony. They started running. The guys who sit behind me started to laugh and prodeded to call Jimmy and Anthony names. They made fun of them, and I just did not think it was appropriate. I turned around and said

"That's my brother and his friend, and you need to just stop."

Lucky for me, those guys did not get violent. They simply sat down, and turned their attention elsewhere. I did not do much, but I still felt accomplished.

Sure, standing up for Anthony and Jimmy was not really nesseccary. After all, they could not hear the things being said about them. All that taking a stand did was make those guys behind me think that I was a crazy, annoying girl. Still, I feel like I did something that day for those who could not help themselves. Let's just overlook the fact that they did not know help was needed.

The Count of Monte Cristo Review

2010-01-14T14:02:00.001-06:00

Historical fiction novels can reside on opposite ends of the spectrum of good books. They can either be exciting and possibly even educational, or they can be terribly boring. At a staggering 591 pages, Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo took determination and time for me to get through.

This book was published sometime between 1844-1846, so the language used in it was hard for me to follow. Along with that, Alexandre Dumas applied a style in which the story was told by a different character in each chapter. Generally, this style adds to the story because the reader can understand what each character is feeling. In this book, however, there are many, many characters, so switching around is just confusing.

The Count of Monte Cristo tells the story of Edmond Dantes. Edmond gets wrongly arrested on the eve of his wedding. Once in jail, he meets a man who is willing to help Edmond escape. Escape may not be the best plan for Edmond since he has been in jail for fourteen years. How does one piece his life back together after so long?

This book is set in France around the early 1800s. In my opinion, the author did not do a good job of describing the setting. I have no idea what France looked like during that time, so there is no background information to help me. Plus, the setting is constantly changing with the change of characters.

The theme "Taking a Stand" fits nicely into this novel. The Count of Monte Cristo is very rich, but he does not only use those riches to help himself. He also helps those in need of money, such as the young girl who has no money for her dowry. All through the book, the Count makes many friends with those that he helps. He takes a stand against their poverty.

Truthfully, I did not like this book at all. I was not interested in the subject, and there was hardly any action. It was also very difficult to read and hard to get through. I would not recommend it to anyone.
591 Pages

Julius Caesar

2009-12-11T13:58:00.000-06:00

Many people think that dramas written by William Shakespeare are dull and boring. This is not the case with Julius Caesar. I loved the historical action that Julius Caesar provided.

Julius Caesar tells the story of the demise of Julius Caesar and the consequences of his death. In an act for the common good, Marcus Brutus plots with a group of patricians to kill Caesar. They believe that with his death, a tyranny will be ended. Their plan begins to backfire when Mark Antony, a friend of Caesar's, turns the people of Rome against them.

The main characters in this drama, such as Caesar, Brutus, and Mark Antony, are real people. They all lived way before my time, so there is no way I could know how they felt or thought. Julius Caesar provides an insight to historical events through these characters. Although Shakespeare could not have know how they felt either, it is interesting to see how he interpreted their feelings.

The setting of the drama is ancient Rome. As with the characters, ancient Rome was a real place, but it thrived before my time. I have seen pictures of ruins and drawings of what it may have looked like, but never have I been able to envision how people interacted in the city. This drama provides that look into the lives of those of ancient Rome. However, by simply reading the play, I cannot vividly see what the town looked like. The only descriptions I get are from the characters.

The style of Shakespeare is widely recognized. He usually writes in iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter is characterized by ten syllables in each line. Since he lived in old England, he also uses old English language in Julius Caesar. Sometimes, this language can be hard to understand, but the version of the drama I read provided explanations on the side to aid in comprehension. All in all, the language Shakespeare uses adds to the overall effect of Julius Caesar.

I enjoyed reading Julius Caesar. Everyone should be required to read at least one of Shakespeare's dramas, and Julius Caesar makes a very good choice.

209 Pages

An Ode to Leaders

2009-12-11T13:37:00.000-06:00

Almost every major group has a leader. Without one, anarchy often occurs. Groups can only hope that the leaders that come to power are good and successful. With that said, what is it that makes a good and successful leader?

A leader should always be concerned for the common good of his or her people. Good leaders have many positive attributes such as honesty, loyalty, and integrity. Leaders are not working for themselves. Instead, they want to help their people and their group or country achieve all that they possibly can. They can help others through tough times. Leaders should be inspirational. I want to listen to a leader and feel the need to work for his or her cause. For this, good speech skills can help a leader. It is not always possible for someone to make the right decisions all of the time, but good leaders can accept their mistakes, apologize, and fix them. Good leaders are very important because a good leader makes a good group.

Below I have compiled a list of excellent leaders.

John F. Kennedy- He was very good for our country and its people.
Queen Elizabeth I
Pope John Paul II- This pope was excellent at reforming some of the teachings of the Church to improve it.
Fred Jones (From Scooby Doo)
Pope Benedict XVI- As the current pope, Benedict has worked hard to make good speeches and appear public ally to restore respect for the Catholic Church.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Optimus Prime- Optimus is in charge of protecting the people of Earth from Decepticons. He is very inspiring to both humans and Autobots.
Jesus
Aragorn (From The Lord of the Rings)- Aragorn is the king of Gondor. He was successful in leading an army and defeating the army of Mordor. He lead men, elves, dwarfs, and even some dead people. That is not an easy task especially since elves and dwarfs usually cannot stand each other.
Abraham Lincoln

My Christmas Playlist (Plus Commentary)

2009-12-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas music. I start listening to my CDs and records the day after Thanksgiving. Below is a list of my favorite songs with added commentary. (Note: I am not actually including ALL of my favorites. My Christmas playlist actually contains many, many songs, so I figured that would be way too boring. Enjoy!)

1. "Blue Christmas" Elvis Presley- This is a classic song. It's original and has that Elvis flair. I really enjoy Christmas music even more when Elvis sings it anyway. His version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" is a must hear.

2. "Little Saint Nick" The Beach Boys- The Beach Boys really know how to harmonize. This song is just really cute.

3. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" Brenda Lee- I cannot help but laugh when I hear this song thanks to a certain Weygandt and her misinterpretation of the words.

4. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" Bruce Springsteen- "Everybody been good out there? Ah, that's not many, not many. Ya'll are in trouble."

5. "Opera of the Bells" Destiny's Child- This version of the classic song is just beautiful.

6. "Jingle Bells" Frank Sinatra- Frank Sinatra's voice makes me feel like I am living in the 1940s sitting back laughing at some sort of cocktail party. Jingle all the way, you guys.

7. "Up on the Housetop" The Jackson Five- I love how the lyrics to this song have been changed so that they talk about the Jackson kids.

8. "A Wonderful Christmas Time" Paul McCartney- This song just makes me happy. It makes me want to sway from side to side and make a cute face or something.

9. "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" Thurl Ravenscroft- How the Grinch Stole Christmas is definitely my favorite Christmas book and half-hour special. The song for the special fits so perfectly. It has crazy lyrics and Tony the Tiger makes this song amazing. (Did you know the guy who sings this song is Tony the Tiger? You do now.)

10. "Christmas Wrapping" The Waitresses- This song is so cute. It makes me want to bob my head. I cannot get it out of my head despite the fact that I only know the first two lines. This is one of the best modern Christmas songs in my opinion.

Give Thanks

2009-11-24T12:28:00.000-06:00

Everyone has people or things that they are thankful for. At this time of year, we should think about that which we are thankful for and why we appreciate them.

Family- My family means the world to me. When all else fails, family is always there. My parents especially will help me when I need help and try to get me whatever it is that I need.
Friends- Along with my family, I know that my friends are there for me too. They can always cheer me up. All of us are like a family. We are close to each other and I really care about all of them.
My health- Not every person fully realizes how much of a blessing good health is for them. I am a very healthy person, and have generally always been that way. I realize that many families must face horrible diseases, so I am glad that I have been graced with my good health.
Church- Church is a very big part of my life. I am thankful for church because it has shaped me into a good person. The people at my church are always eager to help those in need.
Ballet- As my major hobby, ballet takes up a huge part of my life. Ballet serves as a safe haven for me. I can forget whatever is going on in my life and just dance.
Economic status- Money is not the most important aspect of my life, but no one can deny the fact that money is important. Luckily, my parents work hard so that my family is pretty well-off.
School- Here in Batesville, we have a good education system. I feel that my education here will help me in college later in life. Not only that, but school also keeps me out of trouble. What else would I be getting into if I was not generally occupied with schoolwork?
Our soldiers- I often think about the soldiers that are in foreign lands protecting our country. We live in the best country in the world and I know that the United States would not be so successful without the help of those who are willing to serve it.
My house- I honestly love my house. Of course, I am thankful that I have a house, but the one I have been granted is simply the bomb. I have been allowed to re-do my room, and it fits me perfectly. I will be very upset when I have to leave for college.
Morals- I have been instilled with good morals since I was very young. These morals will help me throughout my life. I am thankful for them since they will benefit me from now on.

The Lost Symbol Review

2009-11-16T13:57:00.001-06:00

What happens after the action of The DaVinci Code? Apparently more action and mystery. Dan Brown continues the adventures of Robert Langdon in his suspense filled The Lost Symbol. This book had me hooked with its thrilling mystery.

The Lost Symbol follows Harvard professor Robert Langdon on another adventure. He gets a call from what seems to be one of his friend's assistants detailing a lecture at which Robert's presence is requested. After flying to Washington D.C., Robert soon discovers that there is no lecture, but there is instead a search for the Ancient Mysteries of Masonry. Langdon's friend Peter Solomon has been taken captive, and his captor only wants Langdon to decode all of the Masonic symbols and riddles involved in the search. The other Masons, including Peter, do not want Robert to unveil the Ancient Mysteries. Along with that, Peter's sister Katherine is in danger. Peter's captor does not want Katherine's research on Noetic sciences to become public. Who is this strange captor? Will Robert be able to set Peter free?

Dan Brown has written The Lost Symbol from the viewpoints of many different characters. Each chapter is from someone else's view. Sometimes, the changing viewpoints can get confusing, but it shows how what is occurring in the story affects each character. Brown also ends almost every chapter with a cliffhanger. Obviously, this keeps the reader engaged if the exciting story is not enough.

The main character in this book is Robert Langdon. As a teacher, Langdon sometimes seems out of place in the action-packed scenes, but he only become more interesting to read about. Every character is described in detail, not only physically, but also in how they think and feel.

The Lost Symbol is set in Washington D.C., so some of the monuments mentioned are familiar to readers and thus easier to picture. Those that are not familiar however are adequately described by Dan Brown. The book also puts a new twist on these places with "hidden secrets" in the story.

The places, organizations, and ideas mentioned in the novel are real, so connections can be made to our real world. However, Brown adds fictional story lines to them.

As far as books go, The Lost Symbol is one of the best. I would recommend this book, along with other Dan Brown novels, to anyone. They are exciting and engaging. This book was very long, but The Lost Symbol was not very hard to read.
509 pages

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

2009-11-10T13:35:00.000-06:00

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey is a guide for teenagers who want to live a good, meaningful life.

The most helpful chapter for me was "Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood". This chapter gave lots of good insight into the mind of other people. It also helped me to learn how to listen and negotiate better. "Habit 5" showed how much relationships depend on good listening from both parties.

I have mastered Habit 3, "Put First Things First". I have good priorities in my life, and I make sure to try to keep them balanced. School, family, friends, ballet and church are all important to me, but I try not to let one take over my life. A balanced life is much less stressful than an unbalanced one, and I definately do not need any more stress.

"Habit 4: Think Win-Win" is the habit that I need to work on the most. I tend to go to one extreme or the other. I am either a cut-throat person who needs to win, or a push over. Most of the time, I just let the other person win if we are in a conflict. I like to avoid such conflict. I need to learn to compromise more.

Sean Covey wrote a very helpful book. I would recomend this book to every teen. We all can pick up some tips from it.

Ballet Class (For the Teacher)

2009-10-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

After about two months of teaching five classes a week at the ballet studio, I have come to notice that every ballet class has a certain progression. That progression even applies to the teacher. Taking a ballet class, however, is different than teaching one. This is how a ballet class goes for the teacher:

1. Attendance- This is my favorite part of the class. I don't have to think about what to do. All I have to do is call names, write them down, and help kids put star stickers on the "Star Chart." It is the easiest task I have to do.

2. Warm-up- During warm-up, I usually make the girls run around the room. After that, we do jumps "a la first". Sometimes, I feel like the warm-up is in vain since I'm the only one who keeps going and does not stop, but as long as the girls get warmed up, it's all good.

3. Stretch- I changed my mind, this is my favorite part of class. We sit on the floor and, as the name suggests, stretch. There is not a set order of stretches to do. We just do whatever stretches that either I or the other teachers fancy. Not only is it easy to decide what to do, but stretching also benefits me.

4. Center- This is the most stressful part of class. Most of the learning takes place here, so the kids can get pretty frustrated. They often start to lose focus because I do more talking and teaching during this time. If any part of class was like a performance, this would be the part.

5. Across the Floor- After sometimes tedious center work, across the floor work is the time to let loose and use the whole floor. Since I mostly teach little kids, we usually do leaps during this part. I'm always exhausted by this point, but everyone loves to leap.

After the class is done, everyone gets a sticker if they've been good. Finally, class is over and everyone can go home. That is unless another dance class awaits. Then, the cycle starts all over again.

Princess in the Spotlight Review

2009-10-16T13:12:00.001-05:00

Meg Cabot returns with another story about the struggles of Princess Mia and how she deals with them in Princess in the Spotlight. This book captured me by pulling me in with an unusual style and good characters.

Princess in the Spotlight tells the story of Princess Mia Thermopolis. She has begun to accept her new responsibilities of being a princess. Such responsibilities include a high-profile interview and continuing her princess lessons with her grandmother. Aside from her royal concerns, Mia’s mom has unleashed an unexpected announcement: she is pregnant with Mia’s algebra teacher’s baby. With the new baby on the way, Mia’s mother Helen decides to marry her beau Frank. The two of them want a simple, city court wedding. Count on Mia’s grandmother Grandmère to cause problems. She thinks that the mother of a princess needs a fancy, expensive wedding. Torn between two sides of her family, Mia must choose who to help. Mia also has been receiving very interesting mail from a secret admirer. Who could it be?

The theme of Princess in the Spotlight is that of responsibility. Mia must decide which responsibilities to fulfill and which to avoid. Her life has become stressful with princess, family, and relationship problems, so Mia has to determine how to take care of it all. This book shows that sometimes it is important to put one’s self before others.

I love the style of all of the Princess Diaries books. They are all written from the viewpoint of Mia in the form of her diary. They are very easy to read because Meg Cabot has written them in the same tone that teenagers of today use. The style makes the reader feel like they are having a conversation with Mia about her life.

This book is set in New York. I think that Meg Cabot does a very good job of describing all of the different scenes. Each one is clearly visible in my mind’s eye. This helps the reader to relate to the story since they can see the settings.

Meg Cabot has set a high standard for her books in this series, and Princess in the Spotlight lives up to that standard. I would recommend this book for any girl. It is easy and fun to read.

Boys R Us Review

2009-10-04T10:57:00.001-05:00

What is an alpha to do without her clique? Better yet, what is a clique to do without their alpha? Lisi Harrison’s Boys R Us pushes these problems on the Pretty Committee and shows how they deal. This book was fun to read and very easy to relate to.

Boys R Us tales place after Massie Block disbands her clique the Pretty Committee. Much to her surprise, the other members Kristen, Alicia, and Dylan are quick to leave. Clare, however, hates to see her friends torn apart, so she decides to stay neutral. Alicia, the old “beta” of the Pretty Committee, sees endless possibilities. Since Massie was the only girl without a beau, she insisted that the other girls ditch boys. Without Massie as their alpha, the girls can do whatever they want. Alicia starts a new clique called the Soul M-8s, the first boy-girl clique in the history of the school. Massie decides to take charge and start her own dominant clique that she calls MAC, or Massie And Crew. Too bad everyone has heard of Massie’s over-controlling tendencies because no one is jumping at the chance to join. Instead, Massie hires gorgeous but brainless models to play her new friends. Can the girls get over their problems to come back together as the Pretty Committee once more?

After reading the book, I determined that the theme for this book is the same as that of the other books in the Clique Series. That is that being popular or having the best clothes, best looking friends, or best boyfriend is not important. Instead, the most important is to have good friends that really care about you.

Lisi Harrison writes this book from the point of view of all five members of the Pretty Committee. She writes in a very easy to read way that sounds like what a teenager would think or say. Some passages include text conversations, IM conversations, notes, or written lists. These different styles add variety to the book.

The main characters in the book are very easy to imagine. They are well described. I can even see characteristics of myself, my friends, or other people I know in them. It is interesting to see how the characters act in different situations. For example, at school, Massie is a confident alpha with impeccable style. When she’s at home or with her friends, she is insecure. Each character has different characteristics that sum up what they are all about.

The setting of Boys R Us is New York. Each scene is described to that the reader can clearly see what the characters see. Lisi Harrison describes everything, including what each girl is wearing, in great detail.

Because of the characters, Boys R Us is very easy to connect to. Any teen aged girl can relate to the problems that the Pretty Committee goes through. The characters think and feel like we do when put in situations, and even though we may not live lives like theirs, we can imagine how we would respond.

As always, I loved this book. I say as always because I really like all of the books in the Clique Series. They are easy to read, but they are still entertaining. I would recommend this book for every teenage girl.

320 Pages

The Time Traveler's Wife Review

2009-09-30T20:05:00.001-05:00

Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife explores the extent of patience and love for others. It was touching and very enjoyable.

The theme of this book is love. The love between the two main character’s Henry and Clare is very complicated, but they still keep it alive. Niffenegger shows how far one will go for their love. The book shows the up, downs, ins, and outs of Henry and Clare’s relationship and life together.
Niffenegger uses a very unique style with this book. The Time Traveler’s Wife is written from both Henry and Clare’s perspective. Plus, all of the chapters include the dates in which the events happen since Henry time travels. I found this very helpful when I was trying to understand the book.

The two main characters in the book, Henry and Clare, were easy to feel for. That is, while reading, I could very clearly feel their emotions. I loved to see how they changed throughout the book.

The setting of The Time Traveler’s Wife was very confusing to me. Since Henry time travels, the setting could change in a flash without warning. However, the reoccurring settings were very well described.

To put it simply, Henry is a time traveler. He goes without warning, without noise, and without clothes. On one of his trips, Henry meets a young girl named Clare. Clare decides that she is going to marry Henry, a man who she knows all of her life and a man whose age changes each time she sees him. Finally, Clare meets the “real” Henry, the Henry that lives in the present. They fall madly in love, but how does one love a man who disappears?

I really liked The Time Traveler’s Wife. I would recommend this book for anyone. The book was not too sappy, but it was touching. However, I do not think that this book it suitable for younger people, as it is very sexual at times. Also, The Time Traveler’s Wife is clearly very long, but I did not even think of that since I enjoyed the book as much as I did.

560 Pages

The Time Machine Review

2009-09-30T19:17:00.000-05:00

If time travel were possible, would it be a beneficial technological advance? H. G. Wells explores that question in his novel The Time Machine, a book that was full of suspense and adventure.

The theme of this book explores what time travel could result in. The book also hints to the old cliché “be careful what you wish for.” The main character in the book, the Time Traveler, ventures into the future hoping to find a race of humans superior to our own only to discover that the human race is no more. The glorious future he hoped for does not exist. He then finds himself in a jam since he is in a foreign time. The Time Traveler got what he wished for, but not in the right form and it brought only trouble to him.

The Time Machine was written in 1895, so the style of writing is different from that of today’s writers. H. G. Wells used words that I had never heard of, and that made the book harder to read. For some, the hard-to-read language could be a negative point for the book.

H. G. Wells did not include very many physical descriptions of the characters. For example, he did not even give the main character a name. Instead, he is only known as “The Time Traveler”. However, I could clearly feel the Time Traveler’s emotions throughout the book.

The setting of The Time Machine was very confusing for me. This could be because I was not connecting with the book enough, but I could not see what the “future” looked like. Since the main setting, the future, was unknown to me, I didn’t have anything to aid me in visualizing the environment except the author’s words, which didn’t paint a clear picture.

In The Time Machine, a man only known as the Time Traveler discovers a way to transport himself into the future. When he gets there, he discovers that the future is not what he expected. Later, when the Time Traveler decides to return home, he finds his time machine missing. Trouble ensues. What is one to do in a foreign place and time where no one can help?

All in all, The Time Machine was a pretty good book. The novel had a good story, but was hard for me to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction and is willing to look up unknown words in a dictionary.

83 Pages

The Princess Diaries Review

2009-09-22T14:46:00.000-05:00

Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries entertained me with its sweet story and relatable narration. The novel was fun and easy to read.

The Princess Diaries details the life of Mia Thermopolis who lives with her mom and cat. Mia’s father lives in France, and he is a politician. Little does Mia know that his title is that of a prince! After he finds out that his testicular cancer will prevent him from having kids, Mia must take the role as heir. Now, Mia must deal with being a princess, making her friend Lilly happy, and passing algebra. Can she do it all?

The theme of The Princess Diaries embodies the question “Who am I?” Mia Thermopolis discovers that she is the heir to the throne of a small European country called Genovia. Throughout the book, she tries to come to terms with her new-found responsibilities. Mia is caught up in trying to balance school, friends, and princess lessons. Her stressful schedule causes her to toughen up a step up to the plate.

Meg Cabot used a very unique writing style in this book. The Princess Diaries is written in the form of a diary as told by Mia. This makes the book feel like Mia is talking directly to the reader. The book becomes more personal because of this.

The characters in this book are very fun to read about. Mia has insecurities just like the rest of us, so she becomes relatable. Even though readers probably will not go through Mia’s problems, how she deals with those problems sparks the reader’s mind to make connections to their own life.

The setting of this book is primarily New York City, but Mai often speaks of Genovia. The descriptions provided of scenes in the book are detailed enough for the reader to picture them clearly. Each scene provided not only location, but also people, props, and conditions of those factors.

As I stated previously, most readers will not have to govern small countries. However, they can connect to Mia’s friend problems, insecurities about her body, and fear of taking on new responsibilities. The Princess Diaries is a good, funny story that is told in a fun way. This book is a wonderful read.

283 pages

Tosh and Lauren Talk About

2009-09-19T09:20:00.001-05:00

In a moment of boredom earlier this morning, I decided to check every account I currently have on the web. So, of course, I played around on YouTube for a while. I checked the status of Tosh's and my account. To my surprise, we have 1,317 views on our Tosh and Lauren Talk About videos! This is for you Mrs. Gillmore: can you say cha-ching?! I feel almost famous. Now, most of our viewers know us, so we're not that famous, but still...

Tosh and Lauren Talk About started as just something to pass the time in choir class. (You can read all about this here http://marypoppins10.blogspot.com/2009/09/tosh-and-lauren.html) Tosh and I soon found that making a talk show was really fun, so we decided to do it regularly and upload it to YouTube. Now, in the above link, Tosh talks all about the beginning and development of Tosh and Lauren Talk About. I'm not going to do that, but I'm going to reminisce. And advertise. :)

I love watching our old episodes. I literally laugh out loud during each of them. Sometimes, it's because of what's going on in the episode. Other times, it's because of what happened before filming or what was going on behind the camera. Tosh and I don't write out scripts. We just come up with ideas, get our props into the GBBOE (That's the Great Big Bag of Everything for all of you non-viewers), and go. There's no telling what will end up in the final cut. For example, in our most watched episode "Tosh and Lauren Talk About Sleepovers", we ended up having to film about three times. Each time was completely different. In one take, we ended up singing songs. In another, Tosh chased me around. I think the only part the remained the same was the begining: Tosh came out and sang our theme song (Yes, we have a theme song) and I hid in the GBBOE. That was fun.

Each episode brings back memories for me. In one episode, viewers called in with questions and comments. That took forever to work out, and it was probably the most frustrating to make. When we came up with the Cristmas episode, Nelson was originally supposed to be the Grinch. :) But, he chickened out, so we ended up bribing my brother to do it. Once, we got really bored at my house, and just decided to do a video response to Tosh's cousin's video. We just did the exact opposite of everything he did. I remember we wore headphones that weren't connected to anything because he wore headphones in his video. Then, I got up to do something during the video, and my headphones drug on the ground. Since it was the dead of winter, there was static electricity everywhere and the headphones shocked me over and over in my ears. It hurt, but if you watch the video, you'd never know. Every single episode involves Tosh saying something about me being funny looking. I have no idea how that started, but it's just hilarious to me. After we film, Tosh always says "Now Lauren, remember that I think you're not funny looking." I guess she feels bad each time. But it does make for funny videos. We have tons more ideas for episodes. Plus, we decided to start a new line of videos that have nothing to do with us talking about stuff. They're going to be called "Tosh and Lauren Talk About Presents:..." I don't see an end to this anywhere. We have way too much fun.

By the way, if you want to check out Tosh and Lauren Talk About, click here http://www.youtube.com/user/ToshaKenzie.

Fame Has Its Price

2009-09-08T13:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend, my cousin came from Little Rock to take me out to eat, and she brought me a gift. No, it wasn't my birthday or some crazy holiday, but she found a book and Barnes and Noble that she thought was perfect for me. It is a giant (more that one foot by one foot at least) book that is about, guess who, Elvis Presley! It is about his life and is full of very nice pictures. I devoured it in about one night. I was really excited to read this book, but as I reached the end, something made me a little melancholy.

Elvis was a country boy, and being thrust into the spotlight was a huge shock to him. Throughout his career, he experienced changes; changes in his friends, changes in his family, and most of all, changes in himself. These changes can be seen in his personal appearance throughout the years. From eccentric young "rebel" to flashy, overweight icon, Elvis' problems definitely showed. He was tired of being surrounded by people who pretended to be his friend just to get in the spotlight. At one point he even said, "I'm tired of being Elvis Presley." All of that fame and Elvis' abundant lifestyle took its toll. He turned to prescription drugs and food as a comfort. Still, he was always devoted to his fans, and always tried to please them with his performances. He eventually overdosed on August 16th, 1977. He died young, he was only 42, so the question is always asked: "What could have been?"

Even though he died over thirty years ago, Elvis is still remembered. Still, it makes me sad to think of how such a talented person died in such a terrible way.