In this school year, I have progressed in my writing. My thoughts run freely and I am capable to write without the usual writer's block. I can't explain it but writing is easier when you want to write about your own thoughts and ideas. Blogging is a free form of writing that some students won't understand because of the restrictions from other english teachers. I am glad we had to blog weekly, eventhough I didn't spend much time in revising my work. Typing may play a part in making things faster, but the writing process isn't as fast as I type. I am proud to say that I fancy writing more weekly then before and hopefully, my work shows this turn around.
1. Explain one or two ways your writing has improved (or not) over the semester. Include a few examples from your posts over time, with analysis and links to the original posts, to illustrate how the improvement(s) happened.
The beginning of the year I dreaded the thought of writing, especially on blogs where other people could read it. I like to exclaim my own ideas on politics and personal statements but I don't fancy saying them in an essay format. Blogs have become a comfortable thing to do. Though I'm not a strong writer, blogging has become easier for me to do. My identity as a writer, is getting stronger when I write about randomness. This year I have strengthened my writing in releasing my thoughts more freely. The idea to write about whatever you want is great. In previous English classes, we had to write about books and what the teacher told us to do. It was restricting myself as a writer. When I am blogging, my thoughts come out freely without trying to think about it so much. I can't necessarily say it makes perfect sense because sometimes my thoughts are scrambling to make sense of its own.
One blog that I believe worked with my crazy word scramble is my Alternate Universe blog. In my Alternate Universe blog, all my thoughts were placed into a more clearer version of what I was thinking. Given it wasn't revised, the grammar is still in the works. I think the blog covers what I was thinking in that moment in my class. In the middle of my blog I wrote questions and answers in detail of why I thought it was true. "I would have to find this black hole but where? Who thought of this? I don't know either because I'm working off a thought of my own. Like how Einstein made the theory of relativity, though his was a actual theory with facts to back it up. My theory is just another version to whom ever said it. I remember seeing this T.V show where they had an episode on this, and all their work sounded as if it was all true. Proving I don't really like science but am gullible to theories with big words. I know, that's pathetic but can't help it sometimes. I do have a mind of my own and I'm just showing what I was thinking lately." This quote taken from my blog adds to why my writing has improved. I have developed this conversation within myself as if I was talking to someone else. This the point of blogging, writing to others.
10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?
My ideas usually come from the the most memorable moment of the week. The current thought that irritates me, which gets released in my writing. Such as my Alternate universe. My top two topics is rugby and movies. Whenever I am watching a movie or playing rugby I analyze, just like writing. For movies I analyze why the characters are doing certain key points and what is the directory trying to potray. Movies are a hobby to me, watching the latest and classics. From my Movie Fascination I wrote, "I have grown into this huge fascination with movies. I have watched numerous classics, such as the Godfather series, Citizen Kane, the Untouchables, Gone with the Wind,the Titanic, the Lion King of course and others. I can not fully call myself a true movie junky til I have watched Casablanca." My love for movies is inspires me to write.
The second topic that inspires me to write is the international sport of rugby. The sport is capable for almost anyone, even if your scared of getting hit. Everyone touches the ball and gets time to play. Rugby is growing on me and though I would like to focus on school and other hobbies, my spare time is rugby and my time is rugby. This summer, playing in two sport teams I have chosen to start a rugby career until the end of college. My first rugby blog, BUSY SUNDAY, was the start. "Rugby is an amazingly fun sport, thought I haven't practiced much, this sport fits me as an athlete. I sometimes wonder why I played basketball instead of rubgy. Well you learn from your mistakes so I'm making up for lost time by going two times harder in practice. I even get to start on the team as flanker." Then in my last rugby blog of the school year, All Star Team, I wrote about what I was thinking in that moment. "To make my day even better, the day of was the banquet and I got the rookie of the year award. I really worked my butt off this season to learn as much about rugby and to continue it into college and next year. Tomorrow is the big day, I can't wait to play with the rugby ball again and prove my spot. I don't know what spot yet because I played numerous spots, but anything to start!" This sport means alot to me. I finally found the sport that completes me as an athlete and though I may not go as far to the olympics, it's an incredible sport.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
The novel, Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson is about a flock of mutants trying to save the world. The third installment of the Maximum Ride books takes the two percent of bird mutants into more challenges within each other. They find out who is the true leader and who they can listen to for reference. The biggest obstacles go to Max because she still looks for the missing pieces to who is her mother and father and why Ari is always trying to kill her, though they are brother and sister. Unfortuantley the answers reveal themselves in this book about the past, creating ways to the future of saving the world,
When Max takes on this task from the beginning of the book, her judgement gets challenged by her wingman Fang. The two cause conflictions in their relationship which shows to be unbareable to them both. To the part where they break, the girl's flock and the boy's flock. The clash of the two flocks leaves saddness and lack of motivation to carrying on and saving the precious world fro corrupt scientists, who think they created you, though they only made you an experiment. The mutant children are created to create a different world, where scientist rule and people don't last, especially mortal children. This book bring a whole new revolution of children because of the use a laptop, created by Fang. The blog spreads aroudn the world, helping the mutant flock into escpaing but not saving the world just yet.
1. What was the author's purpose(s) in writing this book, and how can you tell? How well was this purpose achieved?
In a interview by Barnes and Noble, http://media.barnesandnoble.com/?fr_story=5422941486aefd85e4224f972334a2bbf9f0fafe&rf=bm, James patterson reason was strictly for making people to enjoy what they are reading. He started with the concept of creating everyone's fantasy of flying. This is true beyond what age you are and how mature you are, flying would be one power people would love to have. To feel free and away from closed places, and quickly arriving at your destinations. Patterson's biggest critic, his son, loves the book as long with millions of other children. When Patterson knew of how well his book was selling, the series showed his love for this book. As he said, it was one of his best works, which millions of people can agree with. Patterson love to make people read his work is just as equivalent to making people read a book that they love and possibly their first book. I don't as many others who write because they are motivated by fans and care about what is given out to them. The countless fan blogs and critics critique motivate Patterson into creating books loved by everyone. The thoughtfulness of others show, which is reflected in the book by children trying to save the human race and the lives of soon to be mutants.
The purpose was accomplished. Flying relates to everyone aged person's fantasy, making this book unique to attracting to the older generation when it is labeled for children and teens. The character's ages range from children to teenages, but to those who wanted the independence to save the world and those who think about others. The difficulty ranges pretty easy but the detail and the way it is written draws people in to read more. His work in these books, though I have read two, show his dedication into creating something everyone will enjoy.
8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters.
Throughout every blog I wrote about I show the difficulties of being a leader such as the amazing Maximum Ride, so it would be no suprise that I write about her. From the first book, Max was learning the tricks of the trade, the rules to being a leader but in her own way. In the second book, I don't know exactly but she escaped into what was all told in the third book. This book she loses the defiance and discipline her flock of mutant birds. They judge her orders and of course want to live the lives of normal children. One thing that doesn't relate to us mortal humans is the fact that they barely showed the maturity or puberty. It would explain why Max can be easliy irritated. Throughout the book we live through her character, unfortunatley, I think we can catch on faster than her like any other mystery book. When you are her age, the last thing on your mind is to save the world. The flock was tired of doing the same old thing which is hiding from the earsers, but wanted to be normal and have fun. They weren't listening to Max but to Fang. Max's wingman and lover, Fang tries to give out more ideas that were more appealing to the rest of the flock, and so Max and Fang clash between having a life and sacrificing your life because your the "chosen one."
The split betweent the two near the end of the book leads to the obvious fact that they both need each other to survive together. When Fang acted out stupidly to Ari's new acceptance to the group, he left and prove to be difficult. He had to Max for the boys and though they managed, they couldn't live without their only motherly figure, Max. Stubborn is both well used to describe Fang and Max. The two just can't manage without each other no matter the easiness of the task. It's like Batman and Robin Hood, Max being Batman and Fang being Robin Hood. I can't understand why Fang would leave because he usually has a good head but I think his jealousy towards Ari was to much for him to handle. The flock never knew Ari was Max's brother. Fang and Max are a great force for the Maximum Ride books.
When Max takes on this task from the beginning of the book, her judgement gets challenged by her wingman Fang. The two cause conflictions in their relationship which shows to be unbareable to them both. To the part where they break, the girl's flock and the boy's flock. The clash of the two flocks leaves saddness and lack of motivation to carrying on and saving the precious world fro corrupt scientists, who think they created you, though they only made you an experiment. The mutant children are created to create a different world, where scientist rule and people don't last, especially mortal children. This book bring a whole new revolution of children because of the use a laptop, created by Fang. The blog spreads aroudn the world, helping the mutant flock into escpaing but not saving the world just yet.
1. What was the author's purpose(s) in writing this book, and how can you tell? How well was this purpose achieved?
In a interview by Barnes and Noble, http://media.barnesandnoble.com/?fr_story=5422941486aefd85e4224f972334a2bbf9f0fafe&rf=bm, James patterson reason was strictly for making people to enjoy what they are reading. He started with the concept of creating everyone's fantasy of flying. This is true beyond what age you are and how mature you are, flying would be one power people would love to have. To feel free and away from closed places, and quickly arriving at your destinations. Patterson's biggest critic, his son, loves the book as long with millions of other children. When Patterson knew of how well his book was selling, the series showed his love for this book. As he said, it was one of his best works, which millions of people can agree with. Patterson love to make people read his work is just as equivalent to making people read a book that they love and possibly their first book. I don't as many others who write because they are motivated by fans and care about what is given out to them. The countless fan blogs and critics critique motivate Patterson into creating books loved by everyone. The thoughtfulness of others show, which is reflected in the book by children trying to save the human race and the lives of soon to be mutants.
The purpose was accomplished. Flying relates to everyone aged person's fantasy, making this book unique to attracting to the older generation when it is labeled for children and teens. The character's ages range from children to teenages, but to those who wanted the independence to save the world and those who think about others. The difficulty ranges pretty easy but the detail and the way it is written draws people in to read more. His work in these books, though I have read two, show his dedication into creating something everyone will enjoy.
8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters.
Throughout every blog I wrote about I show the difficulties of being a leader such as the amazing Maximum Ride, so it would be no suprise that I write about her. From the first book, Max was learning the tricks of the trade, the rules to being a leader but in her own way. In the second book, I don't know exactly but she escaped into what was all told in the third book. This book she loses the defiance and discipline her flock of mutant birds. They judge her orders and of course want to live the lives of normal children. One thing that doesn't relate to us mortal humans is the fact that they barely showed the maturity or puberty. It would explain why Max can be easliy irritated. Throughout the book we live through her character, unfortunatley, I think we can catch on faster than her like any other mystery book. When you are her age, the last thing on your mind is to save the world. The flock was tired of doing the same old thing which is hiding from the earsers, but wanted to be normal and have fun. They weren't listening to Max but to Fang. Max's wingman and lover, Fang tries to give out more ideas that were more appealing to the rest of the flock, and so Max and Fang clash between having a life and sacrificing your life because your the "chosen one."
The split betweent the two near the end of the book leads to the obvious fact that they both need each other to survive together. When Fang acted out stupidly to Ari's new acceptance to the group, he left and prove to be difficult. He had to Max for the boys and though they managed, they couldn't live without their only motherly figure, Max. Stubborn is both well used to describe Fang and Max. The two just can't manage without each other no matter the easiness of the task. It's like Batman and Robin Hood, Max being Batman and Fang being Robin Hood. I can't understand why Fang would leave because he usually has a good head but I think his jealousy towards Ari was to much for him to handle. The flock never knew Ari was Max's brother. Fang and Max are a great force for the Maximum Ride books.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Lit Circle Week 3
The ending of this book was shocking was sad after I read it. The most heartfelt one out the series yet. I wish this was the last book because three seems to be my limit on series, unless it's Harry Potter. I don't remember the specifics but I do know that Max still has to save the world. I thought after droping the Director was going to save all her problems, I was still wrong. Who is she suppose to save the world from? It could be she saves the rest of the experiments and finds a cure? But that would be ridiculously hard because it's like finding a cure for cancer. You can figure out the reasons for it but no fast cure. The Director was a lying B----. Why would you say your someone's child when your clearly not, especially if that suppose child of yours doesn't like you one bit. The battle between the Omega and Max was epic and I knew somehow she would win but she took hella long to defeat him, until her father Jeb told her his weakness. He would of been a great asset to the bird flock if she could turn him good like Ari. Ari was the saddest moment of the entire book. He layed there during the fight/ escape, hopeless and dead. I felt like crying.
This part was what I was waiting for Max to feel. For those who have siblings, they know where I am coming from. Though they only knew about their blood relationship, Ari took into fighting by her side after what they have been through. I wished it was a longer relationship then having Ari die during a battle, not from someone else in the battle, but from the hands of curropt scientists. When Max realizes the loss, she shows every emotion that she had for him, proving he was a brother to her. This part of the book was a great part, saddening but great.
" After it was all over but the shouting, my only desire was to streak toward home. But of course I was outvoted, three to one. Even when I claimed that each of their votes counted for only half a vote, they still outvoted me."
This part of the book proved everyone is one the same page finally. This was what Max wanted from the begining and when the whole flock decide to continue to saving the world, it was a family unit again. It was like the same determination in them when they tried to save Angel, but they are saving millions of other kids from the end. This book is geared to kids but has a meaning of what a mature person such as an adult would feel.
" Oh God. I felt as if my breath, my spirit, had been knocked out of me. For several seconds I just stred numbly at Ari's ruined face, his unseeing eyes. My throat was gripped tight with emotion, and I brushed my fingers over his eyelids, closing them.
This poor, poor kid. I hoped wherever he was, he was no longer in pain, no longer ugly, no longer unloved and unwanted. Hot tears sprang to my eyes, and I wanted to sob."
This part was what I was waiting for Max to feel. For those who have siblings, they know where I am coming from. Though they only knew about their blood relationship, Ari took into fighting by her side after what they have been through. I wished it was a longer relationship then having Ari die during a battle, not from someone else in the battle, but from the hands of curropt scientists. When Max realizes the loss, she shows every emotion that she had for him, proving he was a brother to her. This part of the book was a great part, saddening but great.
" After it was all over but the shouting, my only desire was to streak toward home. But of course I was outvoted, three to one. Even when I claimed that each of their votes counted for only half a vote, they still outvoted me."
This part of the book proved everyone is one the same page finally. This was what Max wanted from the begining and when the whole flock decide to continue to saving the world, it was a family unit again. It was like the same determination in them when they tried to save Angel, but they are saving millions of other kids from the end. This book is geared to kids but has a meaning of what a mature person such as an adult would feel.
Alternate Universe
I was in APES class today watching a film called Life After Humans and I was wondering where exactly does our "souls" go when we die. Somehow I thought about an alternate universe where our we go to after death. I know the typical religious answer if heaven or hell, but I'm not that religious. I would like to think we like go to an alternate universe. The usualy imagery of an alternate universe would be the opposite of the world now, so I'm thinking a non-polluted and war free world? That is a stretch but why not. If someone knows where we go after we die, where? This question could never be answered because when I use to pray when I was young, I would ask the man upstairs to leave me a note under my barbie dolls. Never did I get an answer and man was I pissed. Of course the other man upstairs, my father never gave me an answer but that we go somewhere nice. Not an answer to me. Though I really want to know, I would never consider the way to finding out because I only have one life to live. Or do I have one life to live in this universe? Well, this alternate unvierse would probably be better than what people are living like now. The more I have been thinking, heaven is a term that can be used describe a place where people want to go to, to get away for where they are now. I see hell as this place, where people that want to cause destruction and suffering end up. So maybe this alternate universe is heaven because its suppose to be thsi grand place of tranquility and relaxation. I don't understand fully about this heaven and hell because I don't know who exactly said this. Well what about the supposed ghosts? They have all technology to proving their is such thins as ghosts, suching as a different temperatures in certain spots of haunted rooms. I've been thinking ghosts are in the alternate universe that are shown in through somehow. As if their was a glitch in the connection between our world and an alternate universe.
I would have to find this black hole but where? Who thought of this? I don't know either because I'm working off a thought of my own. Like how Einstein made the theory of relativity, though his was a actual theory with facts to back it up. My theory is just another version to whom ever said it. I remember seeing this T.V show where they had an episode on this, and all their work sounded as if it was all true. Proving I don't really like science but am gullible to theories with big words. I know, that's pathetic but can't help it sometimes. I do have a mind of my own and I'm just showing what I was thinking lately.
This may be pure insanity but I was just thinking. Why not? I had all these ideas in my head just building up on randomness and no facts. Though I would like to do a complete research on the black hole and dimensions of our universe, I feel its a waste because their is no solid fact or living proof to prove I may be on to something. I'm not going to become this crazed mad scientist trying to search this black hole in which holds the mysteries of the alternate universe. I believe I am going to just ponder on this subject til the time comes. Though I don't know what I will believe I can just imagine.
I would have to find this black hole but where? Who thought of this? I don't know either because I'm working off a thought of my own. Like how Einstein made the theory of relativity, though his was a actual theory with facts to back it up. My theory is just another version to whom ever said it. I remember seeing this T.V show where they had an episode on this, and all their work sounded as if it was all true. Proving I don't really like science but am gullible to theories with big words. I know, that's pathetic but can't help it sometimes. I do have a mind of my own and I'm just showing what I was thinking lately.
This may be pure insanity but I was just thinking. Why not? I had all these ideas in my head just building up on randomness and no facts. Though I would like to do a complete research on the black hole and dimensions of our universe, I feel its a waste because their is no solid fact or living proof to prove I may be on to something. I'm not going to become this crazed mad scientist trying to search this black hole in which holds the mysteries of the alternate universe. I believe I am going to just ponder on this subject til the time comes. Though I don't know what I will believe I can just imagine.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Rules of LOVE
My number one rule of love would be to never cheat. When your in love with someone you wouldn't cheat on them with someone else, even if their is temptations. Now in my age, love can be something they say without really knowing if it is real. Teenagers use the word love as a general term, with no meaning behind it. I have said "I love you" but after thinking about it I regret saying it. Because we use it as a general term, we make others actually believe it is true. After saying that, I don't know what true love is. Relationships are hard in this age, it adds up to more distractions from being focused on one thing, unless you don't have a focus in life. Being in love with someone means that both of you have to be on the same page of what you are trying to do in life, a little separate time doesn't hurt. Support and respect is key when you are in love with someone. The nice guy and girl are usually the ones who last longer in relationships because they can be more understanding and respectful. Probably having a chance of being in love with someone easier because they are so nice. They can on the other hand be taken advantage of unless they are headstrong.
All these rules I'm stating are coming from my parents. They know how to separate their time and do their own things they love and come home and act as if they were never away from each other. Though they married in 6 weeks after meeting each other in a blind date, they are one of the happiest couples. Sometimes they fight but out of nowhere they are back to being lovey dovey, which doesn't need to be seen in front of the kids. My mother is the most stubborn person and my dad has the lowest tolerance level, but somehow they balance out each other. they have been in love for more than 11 years. I've learned from my parents relationships and have figured out better ways to deal with situations. One day I will have this in love relationship, which will be greater than my parents and we grow up to being an old couple.
All these rules I'm stating are coming from my parents. They know how to separate their time and do their own things they love and come home and act as if they were never away from each other. Though they married in 6 weeks after meeting each other in a blind date, they are one of the happiest couples. Sometimes they fight but out of nowhere they are back to being lovey dovey, which doesn't need to be seen in front of the kids. My mother is the most stubborn person and my dad has the lowest tolerance level, but somehow they balance out each other. they have been in love for more than 11 years. I've learned from my parents relationships and have figured out better ways to deal with situations. One day I will have this in love relationship, which will be greater than my parents and we grow up to being an old couple.
Friday, May 14, 2010
All Star Team
Two weekends ago, I was super juiced to try out for the Nor-Cal All Star Team!! This was for rugby and I was preparing myself, with workouts, and building my stamina until the day of. My mother has this fear of driving long distance, especially with are van that we don't trust for long drives. Well, she was going to find a family member who would drive me because my dad had to work. This all happened the day of and my try outs was around 11 AM at some field farther than Sacramento. When my mom told me that I wasn't going, I was really pissed off my mine. I never felt so left down by my parents. Now I understand that it was all miscommunication but still this is a big deal if I want to play rugby in college. The whole week I wasn't feeling myself because I wasn't playing this sport that I surprisingly grown a huge liking towards. When I heard about the select players from my original team that tried out and made it, I was sad because I wasn't updating my facebook with the accomplishment of making the team. Honestly, I envied the girls, no hating on them though. Another part that ticked me off was my parents didn't ask why I wasn't talking to them as much, "silent treatment" until my dad asked. I explained how much this meant to me and he completely understood my passion for rugby. Though my mother wasn't liking that "silent treatment," which I understand was wrong towards her because she has the fear of long drives, especially 2 hours. The result of that week was that I still didn't get to play because the try outs was over and I never showed. It was one of those moments when you think everything will go the way you want it, but of course that didn't happen.
Since then I have been eating what ever seems delicious and stuffing my face with my favorite, chocolate, especially brownies that my parents keep making as a snack for us 5 kids. I kept on thinking why couldn't I drive by now, I'm 17 year-old and I don't even have my permit. After taking my APES exam I felt a tad better but not completely. Why can't there be a rewind button that works in the real world? I realized I can't sulk about the past but let it go and continue on. Surprisingly, I got an email. The coach of the All Star team, sent out emails again for a tryout/ practice. This was great! I was so happy but not fully. I needed the permission of my parents and a ride. Luckily, my dad said he would be able to drive me with his truck. I felt relieved and happy. It was like one of those things that you don't expect to happen even though you want to. To make my day even better, the day of was the banquet and I got the rookie of the year award. I really worked my butt off this season to learn as much about rugby and to continue it into college and next year. Tomorrow is the big day, I can't wait to play with the rugby ball again and prove my spot. I don't know what spot yet because I played numerous spots, but anything to start!
Since then I have been eating what ever seems delicious and stuffing my face with my favorite, chocolate, especially brownies that my parents keep making as a snack for us 5 kids. I kept on thinking why couldn't I drive by now, I'm 17 year-old and I don't even have my permit. After taking my APES exam I felt a tad better but not completely. Why can't there be a rewind button that works in the real world? I realized I can't sulk about the past but let it go and continue on. Surprisingly, I got an email. The coach of the All Star team, sent out emails again for a tryout/ practice. This was great! I was so happy but not fully. I needed the permission of my parents and a ride. Luckily, my dad said he would be able to drive me with his truck. I felt relieved and happy. It was like one of those things that you don't expect to happen even though you want to. To make my day even better, the day of was the banquet and I got the rookie of the year award. I really worked my butt off this season to learn as much about rugby and to continue it into college and next year. Tomorrow is the big day, I can't wait to play with the rugby ball again and prove my spot. I don't know what spot yet because I played numerous spots, but anything to start!
Lit Circle 2
I finally finished the book, "A Maximum Ride: Saving the World and other extreme sports" by James Patterson. This book defiantly one of the best since the first one because we skipped the second one. Even though we skipped the second book, the third one carried on with the complete review. I am going to talk about the second half of our book though I know what will happen in the end. I want to get into the deeper thought of this book and tear into pieces, one by one.
This was a big part in how the flock would manage without each other, especially the dynamic duo of Max and Fang. It was as if they were taking a time away and tried the waters with out each other. Max did clarify that they were going out with each other and broke up the day after escaping the School with the tremendously dangerous Aris, Max's brother. Though we all know that Ari is going to die, Fang is threatened by his presence and giving away their hideouts. In the real life, Max would choose Ari because they are siblings, but she let him join because he was going to die soon. I believe he wasn't ever to turn into an Eraser, but how would we know? Max has this big heart for the hopeless and despaired kids. I think that is the saddest thing ever for Ari to die at the age of seven. Fang and Max are just meant for each other and will defiantly make the ultimate couple because they are 2% bird. Fang's absence makes Max even weaker to fight and this shows when they get caught again and Max has to see Jeb.
"Fly west without Max, was like flying missing, Fang thought. He kept seeing her
face, furious, confused, and, even though she would never admit it, scared. He'd
seen that face just about every day of his entire life. He'd seen that it filthy
with caked-on dirt, bruises and bloodied, snarling, laughing, sleeping, telling
complicated lies with total sincerity... looking down at him with that light in
her eyes, that communication between them...:"
This was a big part in how the flock would manage without each other, especially the dynamic duo of Max and Fang. It was as if they were taking a time away and tried the waters with out each other. Max did clarify that they were going out with each other and broke up the day after escaping the School with the tremendously dangerous Aris, Max's brother. Though we all know that Ari is going to die, Fang is threatened by his presence and giving away their hideouts. In the real life, Max would choose Ari because they are siblings, but she let him join because he was going to die soon. I believe he wasn't ever to turn into an Eraser, but how would we know? Max has this big heart for the hopeless and despaired kids. I think that is the saddest thing ever for Ari to die at the age of seven. Fang and Max are just meant for each other and will defiantly make the ultimate couple because they are 2% bird. Fang's absence makes Max even weaker to fight and this shows when they get caught again and Max has to see Jeb.
" A sudden wave of exhaustion almost sucked on under. I wanted to roll upMax's body is taking a major toll in saving the world business. Her flock unit is half absent, doing something in the other side of the state, while her, Angel, Nudge, and Ari try to escape the Itex, from the Director, who is supposedly her mother. When Jeb walks in, all he does is acknowledge Max to keep trying, because he is the "voice." I guessed in a previous lit circle letter that the "voice" was her mother, but it turned to be her father. Though I'm not really surprised we also find out that her mother is Dr.Martinez. That part shocked me the most out the entire book. Max's body was crashing, I think from all the stress and finding more about her past even when she didn't even want to. This book keeps surprising me a lot over each page, and from finally finishing, I am captivated from every scene. I am anxious to read the next book, and hopefully finishing this action series.
into a fetal position and stay there for the rest of my life, which I hoped
would be mercifully short. I had been working so hard for so long, going at 140
percent. i had pretty much hit rock bottom"
Friday, May 7, 2010
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you want to be when you grow up? Hmmmm, I wanted to be multiple things and it all has a story to go with it. My first career was going to be an actress, not just any actress but a Disney star. Disney, like millions of other children, is the best channel, like who wouldn't want to be a Disney star. That idea crossed out because I can't sing and every Disney star can sing, though some are the worst singers ever. I believe Walt Disney would be pissed off in the lack of talent these Disney stars actually have. I wanted to be the next generation of the Mickey Mouse Club, but would ruin it with my horrible voice. Then came along video games. I was so in love with games that I wanted to be Luigi from the mario games. They were ridiculously fun for my age and still are. Luigi was definatley the most talented compared to his short red brother Mario. Luigi also had the best mustache then Mario, honestly Luigi would scrap Mario in any sport or fight because of the way he is built. I also wanted to be Sonic because of his ridiculous speed. Though they are animated character, we can still dream right? The only person that thought that was a cool idea was my baby brother who wanted to be Mario. If we actually dressed up like Luigi and Mario we could pass. I think I'm going to leave the animated character jobs as a alternate reality.
The next job career was going to be an artist. There use to be this old kid show on PBS, and this old guy would draw pictures. His drawings were like Picaso to me, especially how they came to life after he drew his pictures. Then after every show he would show fan drawings, and I always wanted to have my drawings on T.V. My parents never sent them in because I found them a month later in their closet. Anyways, I thought I was the most amazing drawer in the world, that everyone was going to know my name after watching the show. I still like to draw now, more graffiti but lost the patience to draw for long hours and once I stop I don't get the same flow. Drawing to me is in the moment type of hobby so I can't really be an artist. Then I went through a whole phase of trying to be the first girl NFL player. Honestly thought that could be true, but sorry ladies. Unless you have the body of a body builder and your body moves almost just like guys then stop or if you are a kicker.
Now I think I want to become an architect. I know, so typical but I like the thought of constructing a home or building for someone. Creating blueprints of my future home and others is exciting for me. I was going to become an intern for some majoy architect company and then create my own business called "Sini Town" next to Trump Towers in New York. Though this is a great plan for me, I still feel like I want to pursue multiple things, though the difficulties of this idea. I want to put my foot in every door before choosing who I want to be.
The next job career was going to be an artist. There use to be this old kid show on PBS, and this old guy would draw pictures. His drawings were like Picaso to me, especially how they came to life after he drew his pictures. Then after every show he would show fan drawings, and I always wanted to have my drawings on T.V. My parents never sent them in because I found them a month later in their closet. Anyways, I thought I was the most amazing drawer in the world, that everyone was going to know my name after watching the show. I still like to draw now, more graffiti but lost the patience to draw for long hours and once I stop I don't get the same flow. Drawing to me is in the moment type of hobby so I can't really be an artist. Then I went through a whole phase of trying to be the first girl NFL player. Honestly thought that could be true, but sorry ladies. Unless you have the body of a body builder and your body moves almost just like guys then stop or if you are a kicker.
Now I think I want to become an architect. I know, so typical but I like the thought of constructing a home or building for someone. Creating blueprints of my future home and others is exciting for me. I was going to become an intern for some majoy architect company and then create my own business called "Sini Town" next to Trump Towers in New York. Though this is a great plan for me, I still feel like I want to pursue multiple things, though the difficulties of this idea. I want to put my foot in every door before choosing who I want to be.
The Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson (lit circle 1)
Though we skipped the second book, the third installment did a complete review in the beginning of the book. The bird flock is back but Max, the head of the bird flock, is struggling to remain positive and strong. Though she is constantly getting questioned as the leader by her right hand man, Fang. Fang, honestly wouldn't surprise me if he became bad but would be hard to tack in for Max because they are the best of friend and eventually most likely to hook up by the end of the series. Her leader skills gets questioned when Fang wants to go to a football game and of course, Nudge, Gasman, Iggy, and Angel want to experience being normal children.
Max's points for not going are all understandable and therefore they should have stayed. Max choose to go because they are just children struggling to survive but stay normal children. Given they don't necessarily live in a home and live off of stolen money or fly in the sky but every child deserves a childhood full of fun memories, then having to worry about saving the world. Fang's "mysteriousness" is weird and annoying sometimes because he's all quiet but the one that most wants to be normal then any of them. He balances the saving the world and living as normal children. I like that but Max was right on trying to save the world first then living their normal lives. By the time they got they got caught before second half, that's crazy. Though people by then are use to seeing these mutants fly, headlining in newspapers and T.V channels.
This is an all new low for scientists! This was a tearful moment of the book and I realized that Ari who was talking in this quote is Max's brother. Because I remember from the first book Jeb screamed that Ari was Max's brother and if he is the brother then Jeb is her father. That was what Max wanted in the first place, a father, who she wished was Jeb. Indeed he would be and Ari would be her brother but Max doesn't acknowledge that. Poor Ari, only seven and close to dying. I wonder if the rest of the bird flock have a retirement date. Such a sad part about the book, but I think Ari was changed and so he could be able to leave with the bird flock, though some won't like the thought.
All I can say is this section of the book opens up to varitey of possible outcomes to the end of the book. The most greuling part would be the mad scientists who would do anything to kill off this bird flock. The adventure seens are written so delicatley that I can visualize what I am reading. So far, so good.
"We stepped through an opening in the cement wall and moved a couple yards away. I put my hands on my hips.'since when are you calling the shots?'I demanded. 'We can't go to the football game! There's going to be cameras everywhere. What are you thinking?'
Fang looked at me seriously, his eyes unreadable.'One, it's going to be an awesome game. Two, we're seizing life by the rail. Three, yeah, there's going to be cameras everywhere. We'll be spotted. The School and the Institute and Jeb and the rest or the whitecoats probably have feeds tapping every public camera. So they'll know where we are..........I weighed Fang's sanity against my determination to remain leader. Finally I sighed and nodded. 'Okay, I get it. One major firefight, coming right up. But you so owe me. I mean, my God, football!"
Max's points for not going are all understandable and therefore they should have stayed. Max choose to go because they are just children struggling to survive but stay normal children. Given they don't necessarily live in a home and live off of stolen money or fly in the sky but every child deserves a childhood full of fun memories, then having to worry about saving the world. Fang's "mysteriousness" is weird and annoying sometimes because he's all quiet but the one that most wants to be normal then any of them. He balances the saving the world and living as normal children. I like that but Max was right on trying to save the world first then living their normal lives. By the time they got they got caught before second half, that's crazy. Though people by then are use to seeing these mutants fly, headlining in newspapers and T.V channels.
"He shrugged and stood to start wheeling me forward again. 'I'll die. They would
have exterminated me with the others, but my time is really close anyway. So
they cut me a break. Because, you know, I'm Jeb's son.'
His voice cracked as
he said that, and I stared straight ahead down the hall.
this was a new low,
even for mad scientists."
This is an all new low for scientists! This was a tearful moment of the book and I realized that Ari who was talking in this quote is Max's brother. Because I remember from the first book Jeb screamed that Ari was Max's brother and if he is the brother then Jeb is her father. That was what Max wanted in the first place, a father, who she wished was Jeb. Indeed he would be and Ari would be her brother but Max doesn't acknowledge that. Poor Ari, only seven and close to dying. I wonder if the rest of the bird flock have a retirement date. Such a sad part about the book, but I think Ari was changed and so he could be able to leave with the bird flock, though some won't like the thought.
All I can say is this section of the book opens up to varitey of possible outcomes to the end of the book. The most greuling part would be the mad scientists who would do anything to kill off this bird flock. The adventure seens are written so delicatley that I can visualize what I am reading. So far, so good.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Monthly Review
The novel, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, by James Patterson, is a adventurous story following the mutant birds of Max, Fang, Nudge, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel. This tightly fitted pack, a family of their own, take on the world being young children with different ages trying to blend and learn about their unfortunate pasts. Along the way they face malevolent creatures called the Erasers, who work at the experimental place called School. Max, the leader at the age of fourteen, finds her inner stenght and love for her mutant family. When Angel is captured by the Erasers, Max is determined to get her back and obtain some revenge from the whitecoats, the scientists, and the Erasers. After accomplishing her goal, she still faces a family that wants to know why who their parents are and why they would give them up. The idea of figuring the past haunts Max because she knows enought to see the outcome being disappointing but relief to at least showing them because it eventually would have been asked.
4.How would you describe the author's style of writing? What's your opinion of the style?
James Patterson shines in making this book loveable to variety of ages, especially the young children of imagination. The characters are all young and are mutants, trying to defeat the School. It basically sums up what every kid imagines of doing. His writing style in this book digs into a fourteen years old girl who is overly mature for her age. He includes in sarcasm and jokes, differently set in each character which is a unique style. A book packed with laughter and adventure is rare for me to read and so I think that is a great style to have. Though he is a dude, he empowered the vision and emotions of what a girl would see in her everyday life, though Max is a mutant. Her personality is shown alot through her thoughts such as "Note to self:Give subconscious a pep talk re: better dreams." Patterson equips the action scenes with full details, and it may not be G rated. When Max bites Ari, an Eraser and son of Jeb, the emotions from both characters exudes. From Max teeth digging through the skin and Ari's whailing of pain. The suspense in this book is key to having me wanting to finish this book before returning it. The sub-sections of each chapter ends with a shock, and Patterson breaks the book into sections of each character in a different setting. That was very interesting, because I have never seen that happen before in a book. The flow between each character is carried along smoothly which was enjoyable to see. The flow doesn't leave the readers hanging from what is going on with all the mutant kids. Another style incorporated is the forshadowing of who Max's true parents are. James Patterson's style is unique and his own which is enjoyable to read through out this book.
8.Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth.
Hands down my favorite character was Maximum Ride. She is an her own individuality that can't be overused in other books. The leader of the pack she believes in what is right and shows so much strenght emotionally and physically. From beginning to end, she grows stronger and smarter, though sometimes she doesn't want to follow her own plans, it is what's best for her family. She thinks first about what everyone is feeling and thinking, and puts herself last, even to her secretly admirer Fang. She is definatley likes to be hard headed but it is what she feels right. When she saw this girl in an abandoned warehouse with three guys who had guns, she intervened. The girl escaped, but Max did not leave easily. She got shot and that hurt her time of saving Angel, and everyone's patience. One trait that I liked about her is her strong willingness to understand that you can't trust someone who is working against you, such as the character Jeb. Jeb was a father figure to the pack and supposedly died until he showed up working in the school. " Now my eyes were telling me that he was one of them. THat maybe he'd been one of them all along. that everything I'd ever known or felt about him had been a rotten, stinking lie." Max's fast change of mind, shows she sets aside personal history and feelings for the better of her family. When Max endures the massive headaches, that shock her body, she still tries to give her strenght into escaping because without her she wouldn't be able to make sure her family it safe and living freely. The Voice that keeps talking to her with knowledge but no straight answers, angers Max. Her wisdom wasn't up to par until the Voice started to speak to her and so she learns to use knowledge to find a way to the Institute, which holds the key to the pack's past. Smarts, and strength will lead hopefully lead Max to saving this supposed "world."
James Patterson unique incite of creating these fictional characters in the same world that we live in could definatley make someone believe that is could be true or it is just someone's childhood memory to have powers. The characters are depicted differently and have the same emotions as any other mortal or human. The struggles are uncomparable which saddens some readers but the funny moments makes this book one of a kind. The settings are all different, and includes the never sleeping city of New York. As they struggle to blend with humans, they must embrace their new powers which eventually helps them find what they are looking for. For any reader who adores action, this book embraces a variety of ideas into escaping and fighting. This is the first of the series and I am truely awaiting to read these Maximum Ride books. A book worth the time.
4.How would you describe the author's style of writing? What's your opinion of the style?
James Patterson shines in making this book loveable to variety of ages, especially the young children of imagination. The characters are all young and are mutants, trying to defeat the School. It basically sums up what every kid imagines of doing. His writing style in this book digs into a fourteen years old girl who is overly mature for her age. He includes in sarcasm and jokes, differently set in each character which is a unique style. A book packed with laughter and adventure is rare for me to read and so I think that is a great style to have. Though he is a dude, he empowered the vision and emotions of what a girl would see in her everyday life, though Max is a mutant. Her personality is shown alot through her thoughts such as "Note to self:Give subconscious a pep talk re: better dreams." Patterson equips the action scenes with full details, and it may not be G rated. When Max bites Ari, an Eraser and son of Jeb, the emotions from both characters exudes. From Max teeth digging through the skin and Ari's whailing of pain. The suspense in this book is key to having me wanting to finish this book before returning it. The sub-sections of each chapter ends with a shock, and Patterson breaks the book into sections of each character in a different setting. That was very interesting, because I have never seen that happen before in a book. The flow between each character is carried along smoothly which was enjoyable to see. The flow doesn't leave the readers hanging from what is going on with all the mutant kids. Another style incorporated is the forshadowing of who Max's true parents are. James Patterson's style is unique and his own which is enjoyable to read through out this book.
8.Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth.
Hands down my favorite character was Maximum Ride. She is an her own individuality that can't be overused in other books. The leader of the pack she believes in what is right and shows so much strenght emotionally and physically. From beginning to end, she grows stronger and smarter, though sometimes she doesn't want to follow her own plans, it is what's best for her family. She thinks first about what everyone is feeling and thinking, and puts herself last, even to her secretly admirer Fang. She is definatley likes to be hard headed but it is what she feels right. When she saw this girl in an abandoned warehouse with three guys who had guns, she intervened. The girl escaped, but Max did not leave easily. She got shot and that hurt her time of saving Angel, and everyone's patience. One trait that I liked about her is her strong willingness to understand that you can't trust someone who is working against you, such as the character Jeb. Jeb was a father figure to the pack and supposedly died until he showed up working in the school. " Now my eyes were telling me that he was one of them. THat maybe he'd been one of them all along. that everything I'd ever known or felt about him had been a rotten, stinking lie." Max's fast change of mind, shows she sets aside personal history and feelings for the better of her family. When Max endures the massive headaches, that shock her body, she still tries to give her strenght into escaping because without her she wouldn't be able to make sure her family it safe and living freely. The Voice that keeps talking to her with knowledge but no straight answers, angers Max. Her wisdom wasn't up to par until the Voice started to speak to her and so she learns to use knowledge to find a way to the Institute, which holds the key to the pack's past. Smarts, and strength will lead hopefully lead Max to saving this supposed "world."
James Patterson unique incite of creating these fictional characters in the same world that we live in could definatley make someone believe that is could be true or it is just someone's childhood memory to have powers. The characters are depicted differently and have the same emotions as any other mortal or human. The struggles are uncomparable which saddens some readers but the funny moments makes this book one of a kind. The settings are all different, and includes the never sleeping city of New York. As they struggle to blend with humans, they must embrace their new powers which eventually helps them find what they are looking for. For any reader who adores action, this book embraces a variety of ideas into escaping and fighting. This is the first of the series and I am truely awaiting to read these Maximum Ride books. A book worth the time.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Lit Circle week 3
This book has become one of my favorites but I rarely read as many books as I should. When they went to New York, it was definatley interesting and action packed. They barely ate in this part of the book and that can take a major toll on their body even if they are mutants. They weren't superhuman but they could eat three thanksgiving meals but were always interrupted by other people such as the rutheless Erasers. The funniest part was when they went to a fansy restuarant, amd I could imagine how they looked, asking expensive food. The rude waiter got what was coming and when Max dumped the oil on him I chuckled. The character I hated the most was definatley Ari, Jeb's son. When Max killed him, it was as if she never wanted to do that and she finds out that she killed her brother which means Jeb is indeed her father. This really didn't suprise me as much because I thought it really could be true. The fact that she killed her brother would hurt more because she didn't even know and I don't know if she would accept it then because Max seemed to be in denial when Nudge asked.
The end of the book showed more of their powers and so this was incredible to read. Angel was the most suprising because she seemed to have the most powers that were showen in the book. She could control people somehow,she could read minds, and suprisingly she could breath underwater. As if she was part fish as well. That is a weird power to have but she doesn't seem to mind. Nudge in the end, find out that when she touches things, she gets a recap or history of who and what was going on in there before them. Nudge's new power is the coolest, actually of there powers are amazing. They went to the Institute and found more kids who are just like them and that is really creepy because if the world on new. Oh yeah, Max has this voice in her that keeps talking knowledge but no straight answers. It annoys her but somehow she is coming to terms with it and thinks, making her a better and stronger leader. I have this weird feeling that it's her mother, I don't know how to explain it but it seems to be helping her and in the end of the book the Voice said it loved her. I geuss she is talking through the chip? Well whatever it is, it's helping them live longer.
When Max's Voice keeps saying she has to save the world. Max thinks that her world is her family, Nudge, Fang, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel. I think it is every child or animal that was tested on and has become a mutuant. She is young but too mature for her age. She could become this strong and powerful person that can take on the world, her world or maybe it is the entire world, mutants and mortals. I am eager to read the rest of the series to find out what this "world" she have to save and hopefully the complete pack are still alive.
The end of the book showed more of their powers and so this was incredible to read. Angel was the most suprising because she seemed to have the most powers that were showen in the book. She could control people somehow,she could read minds, and suprisingly she could breath underwater. As if she was part fish as well. That is a weird power to have but she doesn't seem to mind. Nudge in the end, find out that when she touches things, she gets a recap or history of who and what was going on in there before them. Nudge's new power is the coolest, actually of there powers are amazing. They went to the Institute and found more kids who are just like them and that is really creepy because if the world on new. Oh yeah, Max has this voice in her that keeps talking knowledge but no straight answers. It annoys her but somehow she is coming to terms with it and thinks, making her a better and stronger leader. I have this weird feeling that it's her mother, I don't know how to explain it but it seems to be helping her and in the end of the book the Voice said it loved her. I geuss she is talking through the chip? Well whatever it is, it's helping them live longer.
When Max's Voice keeps saying she has to save the world. Max thinks that her world is her family, Nudge, Fang, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel. I think it is every child or animal that was tested on and has become a mutuant. She is young but too mature for her age. She could become this strong and powerful person that can take on the world, her world or maybe it is the entire world, mutants and mortals. I am eager to read the rest of the series to find out what this "world" she have to save and hopefully the complete pack are still alive.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Rugby Season over
Lately I have not blogged about my rugby season so far. Our season is finished and I believe we are ranked 3rd out of 7 teams which really isnt that big of a position because we should be second. Well, my last two games are most memorable because I didn't get to finish the game. About three weeks ago, we were playing the Amazons, who are ridicously big and strong.Their name says it all. Basically they aren't the type of team you could beat unless we had big girls just like them, but we don't. Anyways, we were playing and I was playing pretty good. Theny WHAM!! Well I don't know if it was exactly a wham but all I remember was laying on the ground with my head throbbing. I tried opening my eyes but I was so dizzy, I felt lost. I didn't know what I was doing and where I was. Pretty view of the sky but people were surrounding me asking memory questions. They asked me the date and honestly I didnt know because I never know the date. I realized after 20 minutes that I couldn't g back and play so I started crying. I know, not exactly what I should be doing, but it pissed me off. I wanted at least get some smackes on these girls before they celebrate their win. I hate losing, especially if you know your team won't win. The sad part is, we have less dedicated players then players who barely try. We all could be such a better team if we worked twice as hard. Also, my family came out to watch me play. My cousin, who is more of an older brother was there and he is the reason of why I play sports and athletic. I sort of wanted to show him how good I was for a rookie and a starter. He did come down to see if I was good but I was sad that he couldn't really see my full potential in the game. I went to the doctor a couple days later and they said I have an concussion and can't play rugby for two weeks. Concussions are a pain in the butt, you can't move as much and my brother teased me, saying I have amnesia instead. I would hit him but my head would start throbbing. Missing practice sucked as well. I would stand during practice and watch everyone work, while I froze. Luckily, my next game was in two weeks. I got the doctor's permission to play and that felt great.
Our last game was against this scrappy team. They show up late and during the game they complain about getting tackled. I really wanted to swing at one girl for talking so much trash. We completely shut them out and they still were talking. Hopefully, the Amazons will shut them up. I played a completely different position and I was hard! I filled the position of our top back player because she was in Italy. I was so nervous and I did pretty good. I was suprised. So our season is over and we came out with a 5-2 record. Not bad but it should be 6-1. I can't way to play in the championship tournament. We are going to completely demolish the Motherlode, but I doubt we will beat the Amazons, but we never know.
Our last game was against this scrappy team. They show up late and during the game they complain about getting tackled. I really wanted to swing at one girl for talking so much trash. We completely shut them out and they still were talking. Hopefully, the Amazons will shut them up. I played a completely different position and I was hard! I filled the position of our top back player because she was in Italy. I was so nervous and I did pretty good. I was suprised. So our season is over and we came out with a 5-2 record. Not bad but it should be 6-1. I can't way to play in the championship tournament. We are going to completely demolish the Motherlode, but I doubt we will beat the Amazons, but we never know.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, lit letter 1&2
Maximum Ride The Angel Experiment by James Patterson brings laughter and excitement in one, which really suprised me. Max, who is only fourteen takes this big role as the the leader of the pack, including Fang, Nudge, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel. The very beginning of the book felt as if it drawed me into the story because it was as if I was part of the whole book. It turned it was more of a way to keep the readers reading and had a background of the story and characters. This is a book series and I do believe we are reading the first of the Maximum Ride series. The book starts of by describing that Max and her crew, or family, are all 2% birds and rest humans. They are experiments of the whitecoated Erasers, who work in the School. The conception of the book, of how the antagonists work for the school brings was simple but made the book more interesting. Millions of children dread the thought of school and so this book reaches a level of popularity in my case. Well back to the book, Max is so young but she is suprisingly mature and how she became the leader when Fang is the same age and a boy. Bonus points for having a femal heroin and she sticks to her gut feeling of doing what is right. Fang brings calmness and mysteriousness to him. He can get along with Hawks and understand them but can't show emotion to anyone else. Nudge is the stubborn one of the crew, and wants to follow her heart instead of thinking of the consequences. Iggy is blind, but he is definatley smart like Fang. I was amazed about how he could create a bomb using Gasman's eyes. Gasman and Angel are biologically siblings of the group and both are sweethearts. Gasman is the tpe of kid that likes to follow the group and join. Angel is purely an angel. I have fallen in love with her character because she so mature and sweet.
When Angel was captured it really brings this sadness, because she is the youngest. After reading up to the third paperclip, the erasers are jerks who treated Angel with the worst respect. She is undertreated and so she is weak but the Erasers were happy to be testing subject "11". When Max, Fang, and Nudge go to rescue Angel, of course they get sidetracked. The most interesing side adventure was when Max decided to an abandoned warehouse. In the warehouse she saves this younger girl from two guys with a gun and after kicking their butt she tries to escape and gets shot in the process. She then gets pulled into the house of Ella, the girl she saved. Ella and her mother, who is a doctor, take in Max as part of the family. I think Ella's mom is so loving and shocked me when she tries to understand Max's bird situation and she didn't even rat Max out to the Erasers. The Erasers are really annoying because they can find them in less than an hour or two. When Max got that X-ray scan I think she really does have a chip inside of her, and the others possibly as well. If so this is how they are getting caught, thought they seem to find a way to escape. Hopefully after they save Angel, I hope they go back to Ella's home and stay there.
The last part of these two paperclip section is that Max and Fang get caught. I'm so upset they got caught, because I wanted them to walk in with a plan. Then to bring more shock and storytelling, the Erasers have been working with Jeb. The dude that trained them. I would have taken out all my aggression out on him, if I were Max because he seemed to be on there side. I should have seen this when Ari, Jeb's son, became an Eraser. Jeb told Max that she is to sav the world, as if she was a secret lethal weapon, and I honestly think that is all lies. Every moment spent with Jeb was a lie. I can't wait to see Max and the bird family to get their revenge.
When Angel was captured it really brings this sadness, because she is the youngest. After reading up to the third paperclip, the erasers are jerks who treated Angel with the worst respect. She is undertreated and so she is weak but the Erasers were happy to be testing subject "11". When Max, Fang, and Nudge go to rescue Angel, of course they get sidetracked. The most interesing side adventure was when Max decided to an abandoned warehouse. In the warehouse she saves this younger girl from two guys with a gun and after kicking their butt she tries to escape and gets shot in the process. She then gets pulled into the house of Ella, the girl she saved. Ella and her mother, who is a doctor, take in Max as part of the family. I think Ella's mom is so loving and shocked me when she tries to understand Max's bird situation and she didn't even rat Max out to the Erasers. The Erasers are really annoying because they can find them in less than an hour or two. When Max got that X-ray scan I think she really does have a chip inside of her, and the others possibly as well. If so this is how they are getting caught, thought they seem to find a way to escape. Hopefully after they save Angel, I hope they go back to Ella's home and stay there.
The last part of these two paperclip section is that Max and Fang get caught. I'm so upset they got caught, because I wanted them to walk in with a plan. Then to bring more shock and storytelling, the Erasers have been working with Jeb. The dude that trained them. I would have taken out all my aggression out on him, if I were Max because he seemed to be on there side. I should have seen this when Ari, Jeb's son, became an Eraser. Jeb told Max that she is to sav the world, as if she was a secret lethal weapon, and I honestly think that is all lies. Every moment spent with Jeb was a lie. I can't wait to see Max and the bird family to get their revenge.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Last quarter writing goals
This year is almost coming to an end and I still have thoughts about new blog posts and improving my writing skills. Over this school year I feel I am able to present myself through my writing. If someone were to read my blogs, they could get a good sense of who I am. My insecurities about writing is breaking down bit by bit but I still would like to work on it. My major fallback is not proofreading my work, mostly because I literally work til last minute and knock out by the time I post my blog. Proofreading is a number one priority with my writing. I haven't reached the profound use of vocabulary and I would really like to work on that as well. Hopefully my writing will reach these standards before I hit the end of the year. If not I guess I will continue on with this next year.
The first thing I am going to write about is rugby. I grown to fall in love with sport even though I'm not playing the position I want. Maybe I will playing the position I want, but that is for future blogs. My blogs will vary so much that I can't stick to specific topics. Blogging to me is blogs of life experience, happening recently and fresh in my mind. I tried to do sticking to specific topics last semester but it was a major flop. My two topics I could possibly write forever about, is movies and rugby.Movies seems to be easy blog because the thoughts about certain films, directors, and actors burst out of me. I have watched a good amount for now and I have all these inputs and opinions.An easy way to write a blog that is about 500 words. I felt proud about my movie blogs. The Disney top 10 controversies was a big step to showing my opinionated side. Though I like to write about movies and rugby, I'd like to write about recent topics that is happening in the world or in my own life.
This last quarter will defiantly be a struggle to stay on top of everything. I have been improving on lessening my procrastination and so I study longer. I want to raise my grades to at least a 4.0 GPA but I need to study longer hours for test, especially in math. Math for some reason is a struggle when taking tests, but I do the homework and the quizzes are good. My expectations for this last quarter is set very high, I have to self motivate myself because my parents have to much to worry about. It would be a disappointment to my parents, if I didn't go to a university or state, and so I must try harder in sports and especially school. My athletic abilities could get people to recognize me but smarts gets me a jobs. I don't want to become a professional athlete, but I may change my mind over the years.
The first thing I am going to write about is rugby. I grown to fall in love with sport even though I'm not playing the position I want. Maybe I will playing the position I want, but that is for future blogs. My blogs will vary so much that I can't stick to specific topics. Blogging to me is blogs of life experience, happening recently and fresh in my mind. I tried to do sticking to specific topics last semester but it was a major flop. My two topics I could possibly write forever about, is movies and rugby.Movies seems to be easy blog because the thoughts about certain films, directors, and actors burst out of me. I have watched a good amount for now and I have all these inputs and opinions.An easy way to write a blog that is about 500 words. I felt proud about my movie blogs. The Disney top 10 controversies was a big step to showing my opinionated side. Though I like to write about movies and rugby, I'd like to write about recent topics that is happening in the world or in my own life.
This last quarter will defiantly be a struggle to stay on top of everything. I have been improving on lessening my procrastination and so I study longer. I want to raise my grades to at least a 4.0 GPA but I need to study longer hours for test, especially in math. Math for some reason is a struggle when taking tests, but I do the homework and the quizzes are good. My expectations for this last quarter is set very high, I have to self motivate myself because my parents have to much to worry about. It would be a disappointment to my parents, if I didn't go to a university or state, and so I must try harder in sports and especially school. My athletic abilities could get people to recognize me but smarts gets me a jobs. I don't want to become a professional athlete, but I may change my mind over the years.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Book Review
Sue Monk Kidd's novel, The Secret Life of Bees, displays Lily Owens and her maid, Rosaleen, escape from a prison like home. The soft spoken book is set in 1964 in the deeply racist state of South Carolina. Lily Owen, a young girl, lives with her father and her maid on the jailed peach farm. Lily has been a motherless child since a very young age. Her father, T.Ray, is a emotionally abusiver father with the lack to care for anyone's need. Rosaleen, the maide, is partly oblivious to some situations but is a strong women who reacts without thinking about the consequences. The book mainly revolves around Lily and wanting to understand her mother's past. When Rosaleen has to go to jail, Lily makes a gutsy move by escaping to Tibourn, where she meets the best replacements for what she has been needing.
1. What was the author's purpose(s) in writing this book, and how can you tell? How well was this purpose achieved?
The author, Sue Monk Kidd, constructes a book surrounding the thoughts of this young white girl, Lily Owens. While Lily is living with an offensive father,T.Ray, they were always arguing. The mentioning of her mother would lead to another argument but her mother is the core of their differences. Their unusual daughter and father relationship is a product of the absents of her mother. Lily must dwell in the memory of losing her mother, as well as her father. Though he does not care to her needs, she and Rosaleen take on an adventure to Tibourn, but Lily secretly wants to know more about her mother. Kidd picks up the pace of the book through Lily and the runaway prisoner Rosaleen, going to Tibourn. The purpose of the book, in my opinion, is a story of every child that doesn't feel the love from their raised enviornment but finds it somewhere else no matter where and who it is. The acceptance of this child can be given by anyone who uderstand why this child has left from wherever they came from. In the end of the book, Lily does find what she has been longing, and the best part is the love and "stand-in-mother" comes from various women, who are the Boatwright sisters. It is obvious to the reader but Lily's doesn't fully get a grip on the concept.
8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth.
The most intriguing character was May Boatwright. May, who had a twin, is one of the Boatwright sisters. The Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May, are the ladies that Lily thinks knows about her mother. While she stays there, on their bee farm, she learns about each sister from August, the eldest Boatwright sister. May is the youngest, who is the psychologically unstable out of the three. She dwells in the pass of her twin but has a grip on how things should be for everyone else but hers. She is the free one of the family, knows her responsibilitie but does her own thing. The sisters don't object because they know why she reacts to certain things. August told Lily that May and her twin had a close bond. Anything one would feel or do, the other would react in the same manner. The loss of her twin was the other half of May. May stresses when she hears someone, she cares for, is taken away. Zach, the boy who helps August was sent to jail, and May took his sentencing to heart. She doesn't show her stess to everyone but to herself.
This book of course has a strong love for bees. In each chapter, their is facts of bees that correlates with the entire chapter. The relationship between the characters and the bees is similar and bees are seen as powerful healers. I like how Kidd takes relates the two because it comes out to become a great match. Anyone can make anything with honey and bees are the source of this honey. I feel the character are seen as the bees and the honey is the love and care that every character posses. Another concept of the book was the deep racisim in the book. Rosleen was delt with the brutality of racism by hand while she was in jail. Rosaleen was left with scars on her forehead but stood strong with her own values. Then Lily got the feeling of what it feels like when she reaches the Boatwright house of three African American sisters. It wasn't all the sisters but June the middle teacher. Lily best stated her feelings when she said, " there was no difference between my piss and June's. That's what I thought when I looked at dark circle on the ground. Piss was piss." The statement shows how much Lily didn't care about the color of the skin but the personality of the person.
This books writting style flows easily to understand. Kidd style of writing is greatened by writing as if a child was writing this. The reader is seeing throug every detail of Lily Owens. Sometimes people may be annoyed by her, but she was an authentic child character living in this time. Each character is different, possesing a certain personality that is loved by the end of the book. I felt the time period of racism and hatred towards colored people but saw the other perspective. The various situation within a story adds on to what a reader is looking for. Taken into a different world of hatred within Lily and her father, she takes what she has and leaves. The freedom of Lily and Rosaleen builds onto their characters and what they both yearn for in the beginning of the book. The end result may please some but one particular part wanted me to have a sequel. This book is a very sad but admiring book to read for all ages. Lily is possesing everything when she lost her mother.
1. What was the author's purpose(s) in writing this book, and how can you tell? How well was this purpose achieved?
The author, Sue Monk Kidd, constructes a book surrounding the thoughts of this young white girl, Lily Owens. While Lily is living with an offensive father,T.Ray, they were always arguing. The mentioning of her mother would lead to another argument but her mother is the core of their differences. Their unusual daughter and father relationship is a product of the absents of her mother. Lily must dwell in the memory of losing her mother, as well as her father. Though he does not care to her needs, she and Rosaleen take on an adventure to Tibourn, but Lily secretly wants to know more about her mother. Kidd picks up the pace of the book through Lily and the runaway prisoner Rosaleen, going to Tibourn. The purpose of the book, in my opinion, is a story of every child that doesn't feel the love from their raised enviornment but finds it somewhere else no matter where and who it is. The acceptance of this child can be given by anyone who uderstand why this child has left from wherever they came from. In the end of the book, Lily does find what she has been longing, and the best part is the love and "stand-in-mother" comes from various women, who are the Boatwright sisters. It is obvious to the reader but Lily's doesn't fully get a grip on the concept.
8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth.
The most intriguing character was May Boatwright. May, who had a twin, is one of the Boatwright sisters. The Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May, are the ladies that Lily thinks knows about her mother. While she stays there, on their bee farm, she learns about each sister from August, the eldest Boatwright sister. May is the youngest, who is the psychologically unstable out of the three. She dwells in the pass of her twin but has a grip on how things should be for everyone else but hers. She is the free one of the family, knows her responsibilitie but does her own thing. The sisters don't object because they know why she reacts to certain things. August told Lily that May and her twin had a close bond. Anything one would feel or do, the other would react in the same manner. The loss of her twin was the other half of May. May stresses when she hears someone, she cares for, is taken away. Zach, the boy who helps August was sent to jail, and May took his sentencing to heart. She doesn't show her stess to everyone but to herself.
This book of course has a strong love for bees. In each chapter, their is facts of bees that correlates with the entire chapter. The relationship between the characters and the bees is similar and bees are seen as powerful healers. I like how Kidd takes relates the two because it comes out to become a great match. Anyone can make anything with honey and bees are the source of this honey. I feel the character are seen as the bees and the honey is the love and care that every character posses. Another concept of the book was the deep racisim in the book. Rosleen was delt with the brutality of racism by hand while she was in jail. Rosaleen was left with scars on her forehead but stood strong with her own values. Then Lily got the feeling of what it feels like when she reaches the Boatwright house of three African American sisters. It wasn't all the sisters but June the middle teacher. Lily best stated her feelings when she said, " there was no difference between my piss and June's. That's what I thought when I looked at dark circle on the ground. Piss was piss." The statement shows how much Lily didn't care about the color of the skin but the personality of the person.
This books writting style flows easily to understand. Kidd style of writing is greatened by writing as if a child was writing this. The reader is seeing throug every detail of Lily Owens. Sometimes people may be annoyed by her, but she was an authentic child character living in this time. Each character is different, possesing a certain personality that is loved by the end of the book. I felt the time period of racism and hatred towards colored people but saw the other perspective. The various situation within a story adds on to what a reader is looking for. Taken into a different world of hatred within Lily and her father, she takes what she has and leaves. The freedom of Lily and Rosaleen builds onto their characters and what they both yearn for in the beginning of the book. The end result may please some but one particular part wanted me to have a sequel. This book is a very sad but admiring book to read for all ages. Lily is possesing everything when she lost her mother.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Lit #3
This book really brought sadness and joy. The saddest part was when May died in the river. I didn't expect that to happen even though the book revealed she had a problem with losing her twin, who shot herself. August and June seemed to see it coming. Thought they saw it coming they steal were grieving after the funeral. Another sad part of the book was when Zach is in jail. While reading, Lily feared he would come out angry against whites because of the way the whites treated Rosaleen. Fortunatley he did not and came out with twice as much determination to become a lawyer. I felt relief because I really wanted them to remain a friends, until they get older and become a couple. This sad moment became a "happily ever after" moment.
One part I was really confused on was when T.Ray came to the Boatwright. It was as if he came with anger and gave up, so he left. Lily even asked who shot her mother, and he said T.Ray. I honestly wouldn't be suprised if he shot her. I geuss when Lily hugged her, he felt some type of emotion that made him feel right to leaving her alone.
The biggest and finishing part was the truth about her mother. She had so much resentment to her mother for leaving her but found a family in the Boatwright house. Her mother was going to come back but Lily shot her before taking her. She has to live with it but she is living happily with the Boatwright family.
One part I was really confused on was when T.Ray came to the Boatwright. It was as if he came with anger and gave up, so he left. Lily even asked who shot her mother, and he said T.Ray. I honestly wouldn't be suprised if he shot her. I geuss when Lily hugged her, he felt some type of emotion that made him feel right to leaving her alone.
The biggest and finishing part was the truth about her mother. She had so much resentment to her mother for leaving her but found a family in the Boatwright house. Her mother was going to come back but Lily shot her before taking her. She has to live with it but she is living happily with the Boatwright family.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Rugby
My rugby season is suprisingly going well. This year team is definatley dominated with more rookies, such as I, but still show some heart to what we learn every practice. I don't know what I would be playing if I wasn't playing rugby. Though I don't show it as much, I am very happy to playing this sport. I have tried to figure out what sport fits me the best and being athletic, I tried a "popular" sports. Football showed how much strength and courage I have. I didn't want to be known for playing football but I geuss I stood out. Basketball was difficult for me, the rules seemed to be too much and nothing flowed in a game. I one of players that stood out in practice but nothing would show in the games. I dreaded playing basketball and football games for the longest time. My coaches saw something in me and expected more, when I let them down it frustrated me more. Waterpolo was a joke to me, I tried taking it seriously but I was horrible. While everyone was swimming across the pool, I chilled out in the edge of the pool keeping my head up. Though everyone was a month ahead I was terrible with trying to keep up. I practiced only two days and then quit. My coach,who I knew through basketball, seemed to understand my position. What a relief to leave and know I was giving up anything important. I didn't feel like a quiter, just someone trying to find her place in this world of sports. Land sports, that is definatley my thing. Rugby was always in the back of my head but didn't seem so important, I considered playing badminton, but it was out of my comfort zone. So finally I decided to play the sport I said I would join my freshman year which is Rugby.
First of Rugby I had jitters, didn't know how the team would fit me in. I anticipated on playing a back but became a forward. I played positions I thought I would never play. I enjoy them but still would prefer to be a back. Our team doesn't have many strong or big players, one of the reasons I became a forward. Rugby fits me in taking out my aggresion, catching, running, and my favorite, hitting. Honestly it is the best part of the game, you won't get hurt if you run fast and hard. I've been told I'm not the type of person to fight or be anrgy but I do have things in life that need to be delt with aggression. Rugby completes that for me and this sport has done more for me. For one, my mom isn't telling me to work out, though pratice is twice a week I have put some more effort of the field. Running for instance in the morning has made me happier. This sport has brought me bliss and sometype of balance I can't explain. We have one three games, shuting out all three but lost one which I will not talk about. In my next game I hope to score and go hard to help my team win.
First of Rugby I had jitters, didn't know how the team would fit me in. I anticipated on playing a back but became a forward. I played positions I thought I would never play. I enjoy them but still would prefer to be a back. Our team doesn't have many strong or big players, one of the reasons I became a forward. Rugby fits me in taking out my aggresion, catching, running, and my favorite, hitting. Honestly it is the best part of the game, you won't get hurt if you run fast and hard. I've been told I'm not the type of person to fight or be anrgy but I do have things in life that need to be delt with aggression. Rugby completes that for me and this sport has done more for me. For one, my mom isn't telling me to work out, though pratice is twice a week I have put some more effort of the field. Running for instance in the morning has made me happier. This sport has brought me bliss and sometype of balance I can't explain. We have one three games, shuting out all three but lost one which I will not talk about. In my next game I hope to score and go hard to help my team win.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Letter #2
The book has shown the difference of Tibourn from where Lily came from in her father's Peach Farm. Since she is living with the Boatwright's, August, June, and May, they have given her and Rosaleen a place to sleep and eat. Not all for free, they must work on the bee farm of theres and work to help August. I think the work that Lily does is twice as more interesting then what her father gave her. I like how June doesn't like Lily because of her skin color and Lily was taken a back from her not liking her for who she is. When Lily wrote "Ther was no difference between my piss and June's. That's what I thought when I looked at the dark circle on the ground. Piss was piss." I don't feel Lily was trying to say June was piss but that there was nothing different between June and Lily. June constantly looks at Lily with dislike of course, but not to Rosaleen. When they finally laught together, it made the book more lovely. That they are bonding and showing nothing is different.
I liked how Lily met Zach Taylor. The saddening part that they would never be becuase of that time, I can't wait to see what is going to happen between the two. They have grown to be the best of friends and Lily's first official crush but since they are differnt skin colors she gets really sad. I hope they work out together in the end. Lily never looses her mind of why she is living there. The thought of her mother keeps coming into her head, and through nightmares. I think the nightmares may show some truth to the fact that her father was right. That Deborah, Lily's mother, did leaver her. When Lily asked May about knew a Deborah, she says yes. That strengths Lily to search for more information about her mother. I can't wait until she actually reveals the truth behind the reason she is living with the Boatwrights. I have a feeling all the truth will reveal itself when T.Ray makes his way to Tibourn. When Lily called T.Ray, I think he would find the house that he got the call from and then find Lily.
The author Sue Monk Kidd shows a more exciting and loving life for Lily when she is with the Boatwrights. I could see Lily ending up staying there and growing old with Zach. That is only my imagination of a fairy tale ending but it would be a great ending to the book.
I liked how Lily met Zach Taylor. The saddening part that they would never be becuase of that time, I can't wait to see what is going to happen between the two. They have grown to be the best of friends and Lily's first official crush but since they are differnt skin colors she gets really sad. I hope they work out together in the end. Lily never looses her mind of why she is living there. The thought of her mother keeps coming into her head, and through nightmares. I think the nightmares may show some truth to the fact that her father was right. That Deborah, Lily's mother, did leaver her. When Lily asked May about knew a Deborah, she says yes. That strengths Lily to search for more information about her mother. I can't wait until she actually reveals the truth behind the reason she is living with the Boatwrights. I have a feeling all the truth will reveal itself when T.Ray makes his way to Tibourn. When Lily called T.Ray, I think he would find the house that he got the call from and then find Lily.
The author Sue Monk Kidd shows a more exciting and loving life for Lily when she is with the Boatwrights. I could see Lily ending up staying there and growing old with Zach. That is only my imagination of a fairy tale ending but it would be a great ending to the book.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Obesity
In class today we watched the TED video about obesity in children, specifically in the U.S.This video reminded me about my family. In my mother side I believe diabetes runs through the family, two of my closest aunts and my grandmother have diabetes. I have had family members who have died from diabetes. On my dad's side, my grandmother also has diabetes. I don't see anything wrong with them, besides being overweight. On my mom's side that is a very common feature about Tongans. They blame it coming to the U.S and eating fast food but still there are high amount of overweight Tongans in the islands of Tonga. I read in an article that 60% of Tongans are overweight, I don't know how legit that statement is. I feel like it is growing on my mom's family and we are the new generation of kids to stop it. In my dad's side my grandmother looks like any other grandmother but when we eat McDonalds, she eats the Eat Right microwaved dinners. I wouldn't mind eating Eat Right because they aren't that bad. It hurts to know the relation to the number of deaths and diabetes in my family.
In our household, my parents have treated to the nasties of junk of food, but we don't see that way. We have oreos, chips ahoy, lays chips, ice cream, ho-hos, brownies, and tons of sugar filled, processed food. I see them as treats for our lunch and desert. My brothers see them as anytime snack. We are an active family but my brother's don't understand the concept of health risks in all these junk foods. We do love to cook, or mostly my dad. My dad's the chef of the house and there always delicious and healthy. It is usually healthy because my mom tries to limit sugar and fat in our food. I have learned to cook some dishes from my parents and my grandmother. Besides having junk food, we love to eat fruits and alot of granola bars. Learning what is healthy and cooking will help in preventing diabetes to further generations.
Like I said we are an active family. My brothers and I play multiple sports, we may not be the best, but we always try and we like to be outside. My mom likes to run and my dad likes to swim. We are a strong family unit so we always try to stay that way. When I told them about the TED video today, my parents listened and took consideration. I doubt they will take on new tasks of staying healthy and fully acknowledging diabetes in our families. It's a slow process but I'm interested in stopping the family health history.
In our household, my parents have treated to the nasties of junk of food, but we don't see that way. We have oreos, chips ahoy, lays chips, ice cream, ho-hos, brownies, and tons of sugar filled, processed food. I see them as treats for our lunch and desert. My brothers see them as anytime snack. We are an active family but my brother's don't understand the concept of health risks in all these junk foods. We do love to cook, or mostly my dad. My dad's the chef of the house and there always delicious and healthy. It is usually healthy because my mom tries to limit sugar and fat in our food. I have learned to cook some dishes from my parents and my grandmother. Besides having junk food, we love to eat fruits and alot of granola bars. Learning what is healthy and cooking will help in preventing diabetes to further generations.
Like I said we are an active family. My brothers and I play multiple sports, we may not be the best, but we always try and we like to be outside. My mom likes to run and my dad likes to swim. We are a strong family unit so we always try to stay that way. When I told them about the TED video today, my parents listened and took consideration. I doubt they will take on new tasks of staying healthy and fully acknowledging diabetes in our families. It's a slow process but I'm interested in stopping the family health history.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Letter
This book has shown to be very sad and depressing for just one girl to handle. Gabriel is living in this jail, as she calls it with her father, T.Ray, and their servant Rosaleen. The part of the book that really touched me was how her mother died. It shocked me to find out that it was her that accidentally shot the gun at her mother at a very young age. Living with, so far, a heartless father that constantly shakes this skinny girl to bring sometype of sense to her. I do love how she tries to stay with her mother by faint memories, that add up after hearing more about her. The African American version of Virgin Mary shows more about her mother, and personally I think her mother was losing herself, living with T.Ray in a town that isfull of peaches and Baptist Churches. Rosaleen is seen as an incoherent servant, but tries to prove her equality to white people. When Rosaleen was arrested, she was treated badly with beatings and scars on her head because she was standing up for herself, eventaully going to the hospital. This part brought realism to what was happing in that time.
The author, Sue Monk Kidd, brings a connection between Gabriel and the world. When they reach August house, I think that was when she was more free from anywhere else. I really want to know why her mother went to the Auguste's house in Tiburoun and then returned for her clothing. I have a feeling her father will do the same by finding Garbriel and beat her because she left him like her mother did. Probably one of the reasons of so much hatred built up inside of him. I love how Gabriel takes the risk of leaving her father and sneaks Rosaleen out with her. She shows bravery and witt when she comes up with lies, that of course will eventually catch up with her. Rosaleen and her show a connection, like they were sisters from different parents. I am eager to see what will eventaully unfold from all of her lies and how long her father will find out where she is. Especially finding that she is living with African Americans.
The author, Sue Monk Kidd, brings a connection between Gabriel and the world. When they reach August house, I think that was when she was more free from anywhere else. I really want to know why her mother went to the Auguste's house in Tiburoun and then returned for her clothing. I have a feeling her father will do the same by finding Garbriel and beat her because she left him like her mother did. Probably one of the reasons of so much hatred built up inside of him. I love how Gabriel takes the risk of leaving her father and sneaks Rosaleen out with her. She shows bravery and witt when she comes up with lies, that of course will eventually catch up with her. Rosaleen and her show a connection, like they were sisters from different parents. I am eager to see what will eventaully unfold from all of her lies and how long her father will find out where she is. Especially finding that she is living with African Americans.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Today's Hot List Entries
I have recently become a member of the Rottentomates.com, a site filled with movie ratings, critics, and reviews. Usually before I see a movie, I like to read the rating of the movie because I want my money to be spent on a movie worth watching. Rottentomatoes is the best site to visit for a good movie choice, in my opinion. After creating an account, they listed " Today's Hot List Entries" which were The Godfather, Taxi Drvier, The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, and No Country for Old Men. Out of all these movies I would watch The Godfather, directed in 1972 by Francis Ford Coppolla and starring Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, and James Caan. This movie is claimed to be the best movie of all time and undoubtedly it is. This movie brought us into a whole new world of being part of an italian mafia family. Marlon Brando shined through his intimidating and respected character, Don Vito Corleone, the ultimate godfather and gave the most memorables lines of all " I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." Though being in the mafia, such power could strain one person, showed through the rest of the Godfather movies in Al Pacino's character, Micheal Corleone.
Of course the next movie to watch would be Godfather part II, but based on the order of what I think are the best of cinematography, I would watch Taxi Driver. Taxi Driver was directed by Martin Scrosese in 1976 starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. The first thing I love about this movie is how Rober De Niro's character, Travis Bickle, drives through the rundown and grimey streets of New York and analyzes how people act around their environment. De Niro prevails in acting out a twisted guy with the need to do what he believes is right and Foster shows her first works as a real actress, acting as a young prostitute. I admite some parts of this movie is so unecessary but the Travis Bickle character can never be remade in cinematography history. Okay, now you can watch the rest of the Godfather Part II, which brings more of a young Robert De Niro as an young immigrant of Don Vito Corleone.
Goodfellas, another movie directed by Scrosese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. One of my favorite actors, Robert De Niro, again shows another badass in this gangster film. The moive is narrated through Ray Liotta's character, Henry Hill. Henry Hill shows what it takes to become one of the trusted member of a gang. If you didn't follow the rules you were to get smacked. If Scrosese and Coppolla were to create a film together, it would be the most bloddy and realistic gangster moive, but for now it's just a dream.
The next film that you of course would be No Country for Old Men, directed by the Colen Brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. This movie I'm not to crazy about, but I think I am only saying that because the ending pissed me off when I first watched it. Later on I found out the reason for the ending, and though I wish it was different, it made complete sense with movie. My favorite charcter was Javier Bardem's character Anton, a psycho killer for money. To me, his character is the modern day Frankenstein carrying around a powerful oxygen tank that was connected to some type of device that would shoot out enought oxygen to leave a whole through a key hole. His character was unstoppable, and that is why his charcter survives. Tommy Lee Jones played the old sherieff that basically gives in because there's "No Country for Old Men." To me a good movie but nothing compared to the others.
Of course the next movie to watch would be Godfather part II, but based on the order of what I think are the best of cinematography, I would watch Taxi Driver. Taxi Driver was directed by Martin Scrosese in 1976 starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. The first thing I love about this movie is how Rober De Niro's character, Travis Bickle, drives through the rundown and grimey streets of New York and analyzes how people act around their environment. De Niro prevails in acting out a twisted guy with the need to do what he believes is right and Foster shows her first works as a real actress, acting as a young prostitute. I admite some parts of this movie is so unecessary but the Travis Bickle character can never be remade in cinematography history. Okay, now you can watch the rest of the Godfather Part II, which brings more of a young Robert De Niro as an young immigrant of Don Vito Corleone.
Goodfellas, another movie directed by Scrosese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. One of my favorite actors, Robert De Niro, again shows another badass in this gangster film. The moive is narrated through Ray Liotta's character, Henry Hill. Henry Hill shows what it takes to become one of the trusted member of a gang. If you didn't follow the rules you were to get smacked. If Scrosese and Coppolla were to create a film together, it would be the most bloddy and realistic gangster moive, but for now it's just a dream.
The next film that you of course would be No Country for Old Men, directed by the Colen Brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. This movie I'm not to crazy about, but I think I am only saying that because the ending pissed me off when I first watched it. Later on I found out the reason for the ending, and though I wish it was different, it made complete sense with movie. My favorite charcter was Javier Bardem's character Anton, a psycho killer for money. To me, his character is the modern day Frankenstein carrying around a powerful oxygen tank that was connected to some type of device that would shoot out enought oxygen to leave a whole through a key hole. His character was unstoppable, and that is why his charcter survives. Tommy Lee Jones played the old sherieff that basically gives in because there's "No Country for Old Men." To me a good movie but nothing compared to the others.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Dialogue
Opening the door to Main St. Café, a guy named Robbie walks in with enthusiasm, wearing a buttoned up shirt, and jeans. He looks for a spot to sit and waits for the arrival of his best friend. While Robbie smiles down at the flyer he brought, there was a shadow, hovering over Leonard’s shoulder. Robbie stares and says “Hey took you long enough.” Hovering over his shoulder was Robbie’s best friend, Leonard. Leonard was the complete opposite of Robbie, he looked grimy with a messy beard and crooked glasses, wearing a flannel shirt and ripped jeans.
“What do you want Rob?” Leonard says with no expression.
“Dude, don’t tell me you’re still sad about Ren?”
“Explain to me why I am here?”
“Read this.” Robbie hands over Leonard the flyer:
Are you pursuing to become a director? You want to be just like Steven Spielberg and James Cameron? Want to create a box office hit, well you’re in luck. Paramount Pictures, us, are in search for the next big movie and director(s). All you have to do is make an hour movie and a script to your movie. For all information see other side.
“No!” Leonard slams the flier and starts to leave then Robbie pulls him back down.
“Hey I haven’t even said anything, let alone asked anything from you.”
While sighing, Leonard stares directly at Robbie, “I already know what you are going to say. You are going to ask me to make a movie with you and then you think we are going to win and then we are going to move to Hollywood as happy and rich celebrities,” Leonard says sarcastically.
“Well then. Hey waitress,” snapping his fingers, “can you get my friend something that will loosen him up a little.”
“Rob, I have to go.”
“You have nowhere to go Leonard. You’ll just go back to your bed, laying there thinking about Ren. I wouldn’t be surprised if you started crying.”
Leonard sits back down, “I don’t cry. It just hurts Rob. It’s like she pulled out my heart and stomped on it and stuffed it back in my chest.”
“You only knew her for two weeks. That’s sad and she’s weird, she only likes nerds. Not that you’re a complete nerd, your just top of our business class and she only left you because Steve looks like Albert Einstein.”
“Fine but I’m still not doing the movie.”
“Okay, BUT you’re an amazing writer and I’m top of my film class.”
“Rob, I write for the Senior Center newspaper. Old people love my stuff, especially the old ladies because they love squeezing my chubby cheeks. I don’t write stories, and if I did I would write about a guy, who spent his life trying to make it big, and failed miserably.”
“Hey that would be a great idea!” Robbie shouts, shaking his head.
Leonard then continues on with disapproving ideas, while Robbie zones out, thinking about intriguing ideas that would captivate movie viewers. Robbie thought about classic movies made from Paramount and tried to envision a story that has never been done before. He realized that he couldn’t envision this without his best friend. Sure he wrote for the senior center but Robbie knew Leonard has been writing tons of stories in creative writing. All of his stories varied from drama to comedy but had a story that everyone would listen to. Robbie then had to think of how to get his best friend to take the chance.
“…Your ideas are ridiculous. Rob I got to go.” Again Leonard tries to leave.
“Well, I guess your right. Hey where are you going? I need to pay first. You want to lend me a couple bucks?”
“What the hell Rob, first you come with a stupid idea...”
“Hey excuse me miss.” Robbie calls over the pretty waitress. “Hello but my friend has a question for you.” Robbie elbows Leonard, “Please excuse the way he looks, he’s having a rough time.”
Leonard stares at the waitress, in ah of her looks.
“Leonard,” Robbie snaps his fingers, “Well my friend here, he’s trying to make a movie for Paramount Pictures and is in desperate need of a leading actress. Right Leonard.”
“Uhh yeah, yeah. I’m looking for that girl with something special and you’re perfect…for that role.”
Leonard smiles and after the waitress agrees, they walk off to their dorm to start writing.
“What do you want Rob?” Leonard says with no expression.
“Dude, don’t tell me you’re still sad about Ren?”
“Explain to me why I am here?”
“Read this.” Robbie hands over Leonard the flyer:
Are you pursuing to become a director? You want to be just like Steven Spielberg and James Cameron? Want to create a box office hit, well you’re in luck. Paramount Pictures, us, are in search for the next big movie and director(s). All you have to do is make an hour movie and a script to your movie. For all information see other side.
“No!” Leonard slams the flier and starts to leave then Robbie pulls him back down.
“Hey I haven’t even said anything, let alone asked anything from you.”
While sighing, Leonard stares directly at Robbie, “I already know what you are going to say. You are going to ask me to make a movie with you and then you think we are going to win and then we are going to move to Hollywood as happy and rich celebrities,” Leonard says sarcastically.
“Well then. Hey waitress,” snapping his fingers, “can you get my friend something that will loosen him up a little.”
“Rob, I have to go.”
“You have nowhere to go Leonard. You’ll just go back to your bed, laying there thinking about Ren. I wouldn’t be surprised if you started crying.”
Leonard sits back down, “I don’t cry. It just hurts Rob. It’s like she pulled out my heart and stomped on it and stuffed it back in my chest.”
“You only knew her for two weeks. That’s sad and she’s weird, she only likes nerds. Not that you’re a complete nerd, your just top of our business class and she only left you because Steve looks like Albert Einstein.”
“Fine but I’m still not doing the movie.”
“Okay, BUT you’re an amazing writer and I’m top of my film class.”
“Rob, I write for the Senior Center newspaper. Old people love my stuff, especially the old ladies because they love squeezing my chubby cheeks. I don’t write stories, and if I did I would write about a guy, who spent his life trying to make it big, and failed miserably.”
“Hey that would be a great idea!” Robbie shouts, shaking his head.
Leonard then continues on with disapproving ideas, while Robbie zones out, thinking about intriguing ideas that would captivate movie viewers. Robbie thought about classic movies made from Paramount and tried to envision a story that has never been done before. He realized that he couldn’t envision this without his best friend. Sure he wrote for the senior center but Robbie knew Leonard has been writing tons of stories in creative writing. All of his stories varied from drama to comedy but had a story that everyone would listen to. Robbie then had to think of how to get his best friend to take the chance.
“…Your ideas are ridiculous. Rob I got to go.” Again Leonard tries to leave.
“Well, I guess your right. Hey where are you going? I need to pay first. You want to lend me a couple bucks?”
“What the hell Rob, first you come with a stupid idea...”
“Hey excuse me miss.” Robbie calls over the pretty waitress. “Hello but my friend has a question for you.” Robbie elbows Leonard, “Please excuse the way he looks, he’s having a rough time.”
Leonard stares at the waitress, in ah of her looks.
“Leonard,” Robbie snaps his fingers, “Well my friend here, he’s trying to make a movie for Paramount Pictures and is in desperate need of a leading actress. Right Leonard.”
“Uhh yeah, yeah. I’m looking for that girl with something special and you’re perfect…for that role.”
Leonard smiles and after the waitress agrees, they walk off to their dorm to start writing.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Top 10 Disney Controversies
Time Magazine,http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1946727_1946724,00.html, wrote about the top 10 controversies in Disney movies. The top 10 controversies were, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland, The Little Mermaid, Dumbo, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, Pocahontas, and in tenth spot was in general all Disney movies with princesses who have problems. These movies that are all listed are all Disney classics except the latest release of The Princess and the Frog. Disney movies are all loved by every generation, being one of the top family movies, and giving good morals to young children. Though this may be true to an extent, Disney has stirred up controversies that hs been covered up by the magic of having money. The first controversy was The Princess and the Frog. Time magazine stated it as the first Disney movie with a African American heroine. Time magazine smashed the Disney movie with its first black heroine who ends up with a light skinned hero. I have never seen the movie, nor do I plan to because I hate the fact critics compared to the best Disney movie, Lion King. I would like to say though Lion King was a movie set in Africa and though the all the characters were all animals they were "African." The hero would be of course Simba, but I geuss animals don't count towards bringing different races into these movies. In the Aladdin movie, the opening song sang ""where they cut off your ear/ If they don't like your face," and concludes, "It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." Arab-Americans slammed the movie because it stereotyped Arab people. This is crazy for a g-rated movie to have such content. I never realized it and my parents didn't either. Animated movies and cartoon shows appeal to young children but have adult content. I understand why parents have tried to bring an end to kid's favorite cartoons. Though Aladdin gave such content, to an extent it does happen in most of Arab but Disney made it another perfect ending with the guy saving the weak and lonely princess.
The Dinsey verison of Alice and the Wonderland, took the characters and changed them to be happy characters. Honestly, theres nothing wrong with that. It's like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, people change the characters around and make it appealing to certain people. If your going to make a remake of any type of classic, then it better be amazing. Disney did exactly that, they took the unknown Lewis Carol tale and turned it into a childhood favorite. Alice in Wonderland has been adaptated again with Tim Burton's 3D version, and more kids will know about the Disney story today then any other period. In the Little Mermaid, Time Magazine stated that it stired up controversy because it the postr of the castle resembled a penis. "But the movie's home-video cover deserved an adults-only rating, at least in the eyes of many scandalized parents. One of the tall, thin castle spires depicted in the cover's artwork (also used in posters and other promotional materials) bore an uncanny resemblance to the kind of protuberance that men generally cover up with bathing suits." At least at the fact that the main character, Ariel was swimming around in a bra. That controversey was complete nonsense. All of these controversies are true in some circumstances but they some are just ridiculous. Disney has lost its touch lately, but I geuss they have to back up their movies, and their not the only company that brings in soo many controversies into the film industry.
The Dinsey verison of Alice and the Wonderland, took the characters and changed them to be happy characters. Honestly, theres nothing wrong with that. It's like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, people change the characters around and make it appealing to certain people. If your going to make a remake of any type of classic, then it better be amazing. Disney did exactly that, they took the unknown Lewis Carol tale and turned it into a childhood favorite. Alice in Wonderland has been adaptated again with Tim Burton's 3D version, and more kids will know about the Disney story today then any other period. In the Little Mermaid, Time Magazine stated that it stired up controversy because it the postr of the castle resembled a penis. "But the movie's home-video cover deserved an adults-only rating, at least in the eyes of many scandalized parents. One of the tall, thin castle spires depicted in the cover's artwork (also used in posters and other promotional materials) bore an uncanny resemblance to the kind of protuberance that men generally cover up with bathing suits." At least at the fact that the main character, Ariel was swimming around in a bra. That controversey was complete nonsense. All of these controversies are true in some circumstances but they some are just ridiculous. Disney has lost its touch lately, but I geuss they have to back up their movies, and their not the only company that brings in soo many controversies into the film industry.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Rugby Results
Last Sunday was the craziest day of this year, but definatley the most exciting and tiring. I woke up around 5:30 AM to get to the Woodstock field to go to Sacremento for the Red Robin Tournament, women's rugby tounament. It was my first ever rugby game and I was sort of juiced. My cold got worse so I didn't know how well I was going to play. Usuallly I get so caught up into playing that I don't pay attention to me physically. Our first game was against one of the hardest we will probably ever face. The Amazon team, which consist of mostly Tongan girls, who were two times bigger then us. We held our own in the scrum which I was proud of and I got in some good tackles, but their toughness and built bodies ran over our defense, including me. One of their own coaches complimented our scrum and so that made my first game even a greater experience. Our next game against Mother Lode, was completely different from our Amazon game. The Mother Lode was a team that have been playing together for a while and so they know what they are doing, compared to us who have never played together as a team. We got killed by them and one of there forwards was a beast. She scored over and over, I tackled her once. The saddest part was their beastley forward was scoring from the same route. By our third game, some of players were getting injured. From bloddy nose, concussions, sprained hands and more. We were all tired after our second game because of being unfit so some of us wanted to just go to sleep. Somehow we pulled it together to get our first score in the tournament against Humbolt. After our first score we continued on with scoring and we were all excited. Then after that we scored a couple more times. I was relieved that we were done.Before we finished, one of our players had to "shoot the boot." I'm geussing if you scored then you have to drink gatorade out of you own cleat with grass. It was a good day of rugby and we definatley need to practice more on fundamentals and getting fit. I am looking forward to our next game as a stronger team.
When I got home a whole different sport was going on. My entire family was cheering on the Saints, while I was trying to wash up and ice my bruises. I wanted to sleep but who could sleep when during the Superbowl. Sure tons of people can but, I love football. I think it's the most easiest sport to understand but I have been watching since I was 5 years old. I got home and the score was 10 - 3 Colts. I was shocked, but I love watching the comebacks. I believe those who can make a comeback have more of a heart than anything else. When Peyton threw the interception the game was over and done. Drew Brees was amazing in this game, and he won because he admitted that he doesn't watch the scoreboard but play. I think that motto wil be my own motto for this rugby season. This will be easy because rugby hasn't reach the publicity to have our own scoreboard, i think.
When I got home a whole different sport was going on. My entire family was cheering on the Saints, while I was trying to wash up and ice my bruises. I wanted to sleep but who could sleep when during the Superbowl. Sure tons of people can but, I love football. I think it's the most easiest sport to understand but I have been watching since I was 5 years old. I got home and the score was 10 - 3 Colts. I was shocked, but I love watching the comebacks. I believe those who can make a comeback have more of a heart than anything else. When Peyton threw the interception the game was over and done. Drew Brees was amazing in this game, and he won because he admitted that he doesn't watch the scoreboard but play. I think that motto wil be my own motto for this rugby season. This will be easy because rugby hasn't reach the publicity to have our own scoreboard, i think.
Friday, February 5, 2010
BUSY SUNDAY
This sunday is a huge day! First of all its Superbowl Sunday!! Everyone should be cheering for the Saints because they have never been in the Superbowl. The Colts should just throw in the towel, becuase they've won numerous times and everyone knows Peyton Manning is one of the all time best quarterbacks. The Saints deserve this win and all season would have had a perfect season but unfortunatley they lost one game. Just one game that a person lost sticks with them forever. This sunday is the biggest game in American sports and I'm going to miss the kickoff because of rugby. Rugby is an amazingly fun sport, thought I haven't practiced much, this sport fits me as an athlete. I sometimes wonder why I played basketball instead of rubgy. Well you learn from your mistakes so I'm making up for lost time by going two times harder in practice. I even get to start on the team as flanker. Flanker basically rushes up on the defense if they get the ball or they stay behind supporting the forwards. Forwards are like the recievers of football. The only downfall of this sport if that we have a tournament on Superbowl Sunday! I hate missing the kickoff, it builds the rush to watching the game. To take out my anger I am going to hit the first girl so hard that she will not realize what she is suppose to be doing. I'm not a cocky player but when I am angry I take it out on sports.
To add on to this anger of mine, I am coming down with this nasty cold. I can't sleep because my dry throat irritates me and a stuffy nose. I'm twice as tired then usual and I realized this week is a busy week. Suprisingly, once I start playing it doesn't bother me so much but I want to be completely healthy. Every year since I was a freshman I have gotten pneumonia and it always starts off with a cold while I am playing a sport. This year it will not happen! The worst thing is to play crapy and then go home with a fever. It is the worst feeling but I love to play! Sports just relax me and its just a natural ability of mine. I learn twice as much, but I can nail a certain shot or tackle in two weeks or less. Hopefully, I will come out with wins in both my tournament and football, and will be healthy before Sunday.
To add on to this anger of mine, I am coming down with this nasty cold. I can't sleep because my dry throat irritates me and a stuffy nose. I'm twice as tired then usual and I realized this week is a busy week. Suprisingly, once I start playing it doesn't bother me so much but I want to be completely healthy. Every year since I was a freshman I have gotten pneumonia and it always starts off with a cold while I am playing a sport. This year it will not happen! The worst thing is to play crapy and then go home with a fever. It is the worst feeling but I love to play! Sports just relax me and its just a natural ability of mine. I learn twice as much, but I can nail a certain shot or tackle in two weeks or less. Hopefully, I will come out with wins in both my tournament and football, and will be healthy before Sunday.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Homes of the Stars by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The dialogue that I chose was to write about was from The Homes of the Stars. In this short story, about a guy named Pat Hobby who takes these tourists, the Robinsons, through the Hollywood homes. The Robinsons believed he could take them to these A-list celebrities but they end up getting scammed by this struggling writer. This story is parallel to F. Scott Fitzgerald own life. The part of dialogue I focused upon was the when Mr. and Mrs. Robinson lecture about the stars they adore, to the part when Pat drives away from Ronald Colman. While driving to Colman's home, the Robinson's question Pat reason for giving tours while he a writer for movies. Fitzgerald shines in making up dialogue that shows how a man can think on his feet and make up every lie to look good. When Mr. Robinson asked why the writer's were in strike for, Pat responds by saying, " Oh, better living conditions,' he said finally, 'free pencils and paper. I don't know- it's all in the Wagner Act.' After a moment he added vaguely, ' Recognize Finland." The classic, make up a white lie and change the subject so the person you are lyinging to doesn't further interrogate you. His lies keeps the story going because the reader wants to read on how far this guy can go until he gets caught. Pat Hobby's character takes in these people that are in love with actor's lifestyles and scams them for some extra cash, because they would believe any L.A native.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
FINAL
8. How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?
One blog a week, easy 10 points, and has to be 300-400 words. That was my first thought on blogs. Do what is required and I get an easy A. This easy assignment became forgettable to me, to the point where I would skip two weeks of blogging. My grade went down because I forgot. I'm not a big fan of writing, because I have never had a teacher or someone to motivate me into this world of writing. I had to write about books that I didn't care for or a topic that I could care less about. After watching my grade go down, I realized that this assignment could be a way to write about a topic that I liked. My teacher could know alot more about me and other students, just from blogging weekley. We didn't have to follow a format on writing, but to purely write down what you are feeling. I don't know why this didn't hit me in the first place. Blogs are a way to write your thoughts and ideas. All my blog topics are something that I care for deeply but I couldn't convey my passion onto my blogs. Another ordeal that I had with blogs was the issue of having a semi-fear of writing. I have never felt comfortable with writing, because I never really liked what I wrote. It was either the boring overuse of simple words or having grammar issues. I believe that I am an insecure writer. Blogs are starting to change my insecurity about writing.
Throughout my whole school years, I felt lost in how to write. Each teacher had their own idea of how we were suppose to write and I geusss this made my insecurity with writing worse. I felt better on writing what teachers wanted to read instead of creating my own writing identity. Blogs helped me create this identity that I have been yearning for. I have learned to like blogging and how they work for this class. A whole new way to vent on those thoughts and knowing that you could be heard from a couple of friends to a possible thousands. I doubt I have people reading my blogs but blogging gives me that mentality. Everytime I blog, I feel that a million of people are going to read this, and so I write to be more interesting but all me. Though blogging is helping me with my writing identity, I still have trouble with writing down what I mean. Sometimes a person can't always say what they mean, this irritates me. Blogging is helping me with writing down what I mean, though it is a gradually growing goal, it's going forward. My insecurtiy is slowly falling down like any other insecurtiy that people have, and I'm glad I have a way to do it. I have grown to enjoy blogging and how it helps to show who I am as a writer.
10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?
My ideas so far, have been a little more on personal topics. They are usually topics that are recent and close to me. Such as the The Only Girl blog about my experience as the only girl playing football my freshman year. That blog idea, really felt good to write about because I have never went into detail about my experience. In the beginning of the year I had a million ideas of what to write about. It varied from school, family, music, sports, and more general genres. Anyone can write about anything for there blogs, but why not write about something meaningful? I admit I was going along with the idea, but I have changed my topics on blogs. I have written about 13 blogs this semester and half of them are my own ideas. Some of them are from quickwrites, or required for English Class. The topics such as my two statemet of purposes were for school. I enjoy my second statement of purpose because it delt with the goals I wanted to achieve in my writing. Suprisingly, I wanted to blog about what I wanted to accomplish in my writing. Another blog post, Graffiti....Defacing??, was from a quickwrite and related to me. English class quickwrite gives hard topics that can be posted because everyone's interpertation varies.
Alot of my blogs are inspired by what was going on in that moment. My Bob Marley blog post was written because I was listening to him, while we were blogging in class. His music inspired me to write about him, becuase I have this long history with listening to him. One blog post that had the biggest inspiration was my Movie Fascination blog. I was watching the movie Julie & Julia, and Amy Adam's character, Julie Powell, was blogging about her journey in creating the beloved Julia Child's famous dishes.She wanted to create every single recipe in one of Julia Child's books in a year. While I was watching this inspirational movie, I wanted to blog about this movie. After I started the blog about this movie, I somehow shifted gears into writing about my love for movies. Movies have been this huge comfort of mine. It always help me to take my mine off of things. I have been inspired to write about things that mean the most to me.
2. Choose one of your posts. (Your favorite? Your least favorite? The one that surprises you the most when you reread it? Any one you want to pick.) Analyze it in detail, with quotes etc.
My favorite blog post was my Movie Fascination blog. Movies bring me this sensation of blocking all stressful thoughts. It brings sometype of relaxation and interest since I was a kid. Movies are a major comfort for me. When I wrote this blog I didn't realize how much I loved movies. My blog title didn't originate into my head until I wrote "I have grown into this huge fascination with movies." This quote of mine, sparked this blog into what I wrote it out to be. Making this blog is not only my favorite but the most suprising one. I felt it was like writing a rant about movies and everything that I wrote covered my reasons for loving movies. From writing a decent amount of blogs, my writing gradually breaks the fear of truely writing what you feel. I feel more confident in my writing, creating my writing my own identity. All from this one blog post of movies.
Another reason to calling this blog post my favorite is because it showed how much my father's influence in movies carried onto me, "My dad has seen many classics and I am trying to reach his level." He has been seeing movies longer then I have. My dad could demolish my list of movies. Almost every movie that is an oldie, he has already seen it. I have seen some kids not have anything in common with their fathers, causing this dead silence when they are alone. With my dad, we could talk nonstop because of movies. This close bond we have makes my relationship easier with my dad. This blog will definatley be memorable to me. Instead of becoming a movie critic, I think I am going to critique movies from my blog. When I wrote, "The future of the film bussiness will most likely get more fansy and realistic, and I am taking this personal journey with friends and family on seeing this unravel," I didn't comprehend what I just wrote. It is a given to watch a movie with someone, either friends and family, but as I get older I have this feeling I will be annotating every movie I watch.
One blog a week, easy 10 points, and has to be 300-400 words. That was my first thought on blogs. Do what is required and I get an easy A. This easy assignment became forgettable to me, to the point where I would skip two weeks of blogging. My grade went down because I forgot. I'm not a big fan of writing, because I have never had a teacher or someone to motivate me into this world of writing. I had to write about books that I didn't care for or a topic that I could care less about. After watching my grade go down, I realized that this assignment could be a way to write about a topic that I liked. My teacher could know alot more about me and other students, just from blogging weekley. We didn't have to follow a format on writing, but to purely write down what you are feeling. I don't know why this didn't hit me in the first place. Blogs are a way to write your thoughts and ideas. All my blog topics are something that I care for deeply but I couldn't convey my passion onto my blogs. Another ordeal that I had with blogs was the issue of having a semi-fear of writing. I have never felt comfortable with writing, because I never really liked what I wrote. It was either the boring overuse of simple words or having grammar issues. I believe that I am an insecure writer. Blogs are starting to change my insecurity about writing.
Throughout my whole school years, I felt lost in how to write. Each teacher had their own idea of how we were suppose to write and I geusss this made my insecurity with writing worse. I felt better on writing what teachers wanted to read instead of creating my own writing identity. Blogs helped me create this identity that I have been yearning for. I have learned to like blogging and how they work for this class. A whole new way to vent on those thoughts and knowing that you could be heard from a couple of friends to a possible thousands. I doubt I have people reading my blogs but blogging gives me that mentality. Everytime I blog, I feel that a million of people are going to read this, and so I write to be more interesting but all me. Though blogging is helping me with my writing identity, I still have trouble with writing down what I mean. Sometimes a person can't always say what they mean, this irritates me. Blogging is helping me with writing down what I mean, though it is a gradually growing goal, it's going forward. My insecurtiy is slowly falling down like any other insecurtiy that people have, and I'm glad I have a way to do it. I have grown to enjoy blogging and how it helps to show who I am as a writer.
10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?
My ideas so far, have been a little more on personal topics. They are usually topics that are recent and close to me. Such as the The Only Girl blog about my experience as the only girl playing football my freshman year. That blog idea, really felt good to write about because I have never went into detail about my experience. In the beginning of the year I had a million ideas of what to write about. It varied from school, family, music, sports, and more general genres. Anyone can write about anything for there blogs, but why not write about something meaningful? I admit I was going along with the idea, but I have changed my topics on blogs. I have written about 13 blogs this semester and half of them are my own ideas. Some of them are from quickwrites, or required for English Class. The topics such as my two statemet of purposes were for school. I enjoy my second statement of purpose because it delt with the goals I wanted to achieve in my writing. Suprisingly, I wanted to blog about what I wanted to accomplish in my writing. Another blog post, Graffiti....Defacing??, was from a quickwrite and related to me. English class quickwrite gives hard topics that can be posted because everyone's interpertation varies.
Alot of my blogs are inspired by what was going on in that moment. My Bob Marley blog post was written because I was listening to him, while we were blogging in class. His music inspired me to write about him, becuase I have this long history with listening to him. One blog post that had the biggest inspiration was my Movie Fascination blog. I was watching the movie Julie & Julia, and Amy Adam's character, Julie Powell, was blogging about her journey in creating the beloved Julia Child's famous dishes.She wanted to create every single recipe in one of Julia Child's books in a year. While I was watching this inspirational movie, I wanted to blog about this movie. After I started the blog about this movie, I somehow shifted gears into writing about my love for movies. Movies have been this huge comfort of mine. It always help me to take my mine off of things. I have been inspired to write about things that mean the most to me.
2. Choose one of your posts. (Your favorite? Your least favorite? The one that surprises you the most when you reread it? Any one you want to pick.) Analyze it in detail, with quotes etc.
My favorite blog post was my Movie Fascination blog. Movies bring me this sensation of blocking all stressful thoughts. It brings sometype of relaxation and interest since I was a kid. Movies are a major comfort for me. When I wrote this blog I didn't realize how much I loved movies. My blog title didn't originate into my head until I wrote "I have grown into this huge fascination with movies." This quote of mine, sparked this blog into what I wrote it out to be. Making this blog is not only my favorite but the most suprising one. I felt it was like writing a rant about movies and everything that I wrote covered my reasons for loving movies. From writing a decent amount of blogs, my writing gradually breaks the fear of truely writing what you feel. I feel more confident in my writing, creating my writing my own identity. All from this one blog post of movies.
Another reason to calling this blog post my favorite is because it showed how much my father's influence in movies carried onto me, "My dad has seen many classics and I am trying to reach his level." He has been seeing movies longer then I have. My dad could demolish my list of movies. Almost every movie that is an oldie, he has already seen it. I have seen some kids not have anything in common with their fathers, causing this dead silence when they are alone. With my dad, we could talk nonstop because of movies. This close bond we have makes my relationship easier with my dad. This blog will definatley be memorable to me. Instead of becoming a movie critic, I think I am going to critique movies from my blog. When I wrote, "The future of the film bussiness will most likely get more fansy and realistic, and I am taking this personal journey with friends and family on seeing this unravel," I didn't comprehend what I just wrote. It is a given to watch a movie with someone, either friends and family, but as I get older I have this feeling I will be annotating every movie I watch.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Group Work
From always blogging, almost every week, I rarely proofread my work. I re-read it probably once and then I post it. From doing group work, I have more people that can edit my work. I like to add more then chopping off, so since we are learning how to cut redundancy sentences, group work would help me. I have found in previous times, that group work has improved my writing. I was more cautious about certain things, and how I was writing. I have realized what I write about comes off confusing to another reader. When more people edit your work, you paper is easier to comprehend, and flows better.
On the subject of friends vs. people writing the same thing, I would prefer both. Honestly, it is very akward for some random person to read your work and is also doing the same topic as you. The plus side is that they have the same or more knowledge as you do about that certain topic. They can add more insight about the topic and tell you if some points are wrong. Working with friends is much more easier and you can share your ideas more freely. Conversating with friends about their or your work does help, because you are trying to reach the highest potential in your writing skills.
On the subject of friends vs. people writing the same thing, I would prefer both. Honestly, it is very akward for some random person to read your work and is also doing the same topic as you. The plus side is that they have the same or more knowledge as you do about that certain topic. They can add more insight about the topic and tell you if some points are wrong. Working with friends is much more easier and you can share your ideas more freely. Conversating with friends about their or your work does help, because you are trying to reach the highest potential in your writing skills.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Movie Fascination
From an early age I can truly say that my first movie was one of the classics. The age of 1 years old, I saw in theaters the Lion King. Though it is animation, who else can say that their first movie was one of Disney classics, well a lot of kids can. I have grown into this huge fascination with movies. I have watched numerous classics, such as the Godfather series, Citizen Kane, the Untouchables, Gone with the Wind,the Titanic, the Lion King of course and others. I can not fully call myself a true movie junky til I have watched Casablanca. I will eventually and then finally I will feel close to complete. Very dramatic but that was how movies were brought into the theaters. People like books, but I prefer seeing a visual fantasy.Though not all movies are fantasies they are also a visual realization of what people or animals are going through in the world. I do believe that if a movie was based off of a book, the book is always better. A possible way to bring a book equal to a movie was if movies could be longer then three hours.
My dad has seen many classics and I am trying to reach his level. Recently we were watching one of his favorites, Jeremiah Johnson. A 1972 classic starring Robert Redford, about a man trying to make a living in the wilderness without the knowledge of being a hunter. I wasn't into it for the first few minutes because I'm not a fan of most cowboy movies. I have seen The Good, The Bad, the Ugly, but not a big of fan. I think my band teacher ruined the experience because he continuously stops the movie in less then 10 minutes. Jeremiah Johnson sort of changed my thought on those type of movies. It held up to my expectation from how my dad was ranting about the movie. There is always time to watch a classic movie no matter what time of the day. Recent movies that I am considering classics from my generation is Juno, Precious, Slumdog Millionaire, Avatar, and the Harry Potter series. Most likely I am forgetting certain movies, but these are one of my favorites.
Like any other teen we are drawn to an action packed, sci-fi movie. One movie that has everything and more is the recently released Avatar. James Cameron out done himself once again, making a another all-time worldwide box office movie since the Titanic. He has also done the Terminator series and one of my dad's favorites, Aliens. This movie brought a whole new level of what special effects and technology can do. The two and a half movie is worth staying for a storyline that holds the audience.
If I were to be a movie critic for the rest of my life, I would love to go to work everyday. I would probably never take the job because I would never be living like a celebrity. I might as well be living with my mom on the couch, waking up every morning, picking those chewed popcorn pieces stuck in between my teeth. I won't be collecting popcorn pieces, but movie tickets for the rest of my life. The future of the film bussiness will most likely get more fansy and realistic, and I am taking this personal journey with friends and family on seeing this unravel. My fascination with movies, is an unexplained joy.
My dad has seen many classics and I am trying to reach his level. Recently we were watching one of his favorites, Jeremiah Johnson. A 1972 classic starring Robert Redford, about a man trying to make a living in the wilderness without the knowledge of being a hunter. I wasn't into it for the first few minutes because I'm not a fan of most cowboy movies. I have seen The Good, The Bad, the Ugly, but not a big of fan. I think my band teacher ruined the experience because he continuously stops the movie in less then 10 minutes. Jeremiah Johnson sort of changed my thought on those type of movies. It held up to my expectation from how my dad was ranting about the movie. There is always time to watch a classic movie no matter what time of the day. Recent movies that I am considering classics from my generation is Juno, Precious, Slumdog Millionaire, Avatar, and the Harry Potter series. Most likely I am forgetting certain movies, but these are one of my favorites.
Like any other teen we are drawn to an action packed, sci-fi movie. One movie that has everything and more is the recently released Avatar. James Cameron out done himself once again, making a another all-time worldwide box office movie since the Titanic. He has also done the Terminator series and one of my dad's favorites, Aliens. This movie brought a whole new level of what special effects and technology can do. The two and a half movie is worth staying for a storyline that holds the audience.
If I were to be a movie critic for the rest of my life, I would love to go to work everyday. I would probably never take the job because I would never be living like a celebrity. I might as well be living with my mom on the couch, waking up every morning, picking those chewed popcorn pieces stuck in between my teeth. I won't be collecting popcorn pieces, but movie tickets for the rest of my life. The future of the film bussiness will most likely get more fansy and realistic, and I am taking this personal journey with friends and family on seeing this unravel. My fascination with movies, is an unexplained joy.
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