Wednesday, 11 December 2013

Novel Response

        So far into the book, I really like the perspective of the story, as well as the how Christopher's words and actions can teach readers more about autism. Before the novel, I didn't know much about autism, save for a couple of things I've read on the internet. Reading in the main characters perspective puts living with a disability in a different light. Another thing that draws me towards the novels is how adults treat Christopher, adults such as his father. The possible scenarios that could involve both his parents as well as Mr. and Mrs' Shears can show how his parents may be keeping away information from him due to his autism. I wonder if the information they are withholding is best kept secret, or if they should be shed into the light. Perhaps Chris really would not be able to take the truth. Although he seemed almost nonchalant about his mother's "death", it may only seem that way because it had been two years since his mother died, or maybe explaining the emotions he felt was too hard to pin-point into a single expression like 'sad'.
      Parents withholding information is something I can relate to, although the fact that parents keep some information to themselves does not particularly make me mad or upset. Everyone, including adults are allowed to keep secrets. There are as many secrets in the world as there are people, and it doesn't hurt not to know your parents. That said however, when you have right to know about something, that's when parents need to tell you whats going on. For example, it's really unlikely that Chris's father is actually telling the truth about his mother. Although he may be under lots of stress, that doesn't excuse keeping that from his son. I personally think his father should tell Chris where his mother went, even if he doesn't want to deal with the repercussions.

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Connections with Pressure

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tanner-snider/teens-and-depression_b_4163298.html

When Suicide Strikes: How One Teen Wages War Against Depression

My transition from childhood innocence to the harsh reality of the world began July 20, 2004. The date changed my life in a way I could never have imagined. My Aunt Julie died that day. She committed suicide. I was only 8 years-old. An 8-year-old can hardly comprehend death, let alone suicide. I was confused. I felt pain and hurt. Everything seemed out of control. My family had always felt safe, now it felt chaotic, random, uncontrolled. Looking back now, I see how that dark July day, a day so final, marked my beginning.
For the next several years, memories of my aunt periodically came up in solemn conversations among family members. As the fifth anniversary of her death passed, I began to ponder how my life would be different if she had lived. The more I thought, the more sorrow I felt. I began to slip into a state of renewed grief. Was I slipping into depression? Fortunately, I realized grief was not going to make my situation better. It was in that moment a passion began to stir within me, and I became determined to make a difference.
One year ago, the beginning of my junior year, I realized my calling was to educate my community about depression, the same illness that took my aunt's life. Leading a group of my peers, I managed the planning of a convocation to be conducted at three Knox County high schools, including my own. I had never been involved in or organized such a large social justice project. Surprisingly, however, I didn't have one worry. Throughout the entire project, I knew my Aunt Julie's love from above would be supporting me. I was impassioned and committed to taking depression down. I couldn't bear the thought of someone suffering the way my family had.
The resulting project was named Down with Depression. It encompassed 50 hours of planning and required fundraising in excess of $2,000. My passion to lead and educate, the stirring I had felt, became a force. I knew Down with Depression would be a successful and worthwhile endeavor.
On March 9, 2013, that force guided me onto the stage and into the spotlight of my county's 1,800 students. I first addressed the ways in which students and family members could detect depression and perhaps prevent a loved one's suicide. Afterwards, I told the story of my Aunt Julie. A hush fell over the crowd. The reaction triggered feelings in me I'd forgotten I had. That old grief began creeping into my throat. Although emotion tried to overtake me, I continued speaking. I continued as if my life depended on it. I had to get the message out. According to statistics, I knew one or more of my audience members might be struggling with depression or know someone who was. I had to make them understand. I had to persuade at least one person attending that suicide was not the answer. If at least one person heard my message, I had done my job.
At each auditorium, as I finished speaking, the crowd would erupt into applause. I knew I had done the right thing and that I had made my Aunt Julie proud. But more importantly, during the final convocation, I searched the crowd for two familiar faces. The most defining moment was spotting my mother and father in the back standing and applauding, tears streaming down their cheeks. In that moment, I knew I had become the young man I'd always dreamt of being. My journey was predestined, the one that began the day my aunt died. Finally, I knew I could look to the heavens and say, "Aunt Julie, I'm sorry I was too late for you, but with your love I will continue to fight. I will make sure depression is taken down!"
If you're struggling with suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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I picked this article connecting to kid kudi's soundtrack to my life. Like the writer of this article, kid kudi also had a close family member that passed away in his youth. Also, depression is a mental disorder. It can inflict anyone, not only people with a terrible life with bad events happening one after the other. I think part of the reason why kudi wrote this song was because he didn't know why he felt so sad even though he had a decent and supportive family. Also, in the article, the author states how all of the sudden his family felt chaotic and random, when it once felt safe and secure. In kid kudis song, he states how his family, despite being a good one, couldnt see what he was really feeling.

 

Thursday, 21 November 2013

Pressure- Let it go (The Neighborhood)




"Let It Go"

I'm from a little city with expensive taste,
Where the cars don't run until the engine breaks.
Wasn't spending pennies on massive things,
But invested in mess with this recipe.
Couldn't quite see what the future held
And as days went by it would tell itself.
Let it struggle just a little bit more,
Let it struggle just a little bit more.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

Shouldn't try to fix it if it keeps getting better,
Just let it go, forget it for ever and ever and ever
Don't ever resent a letter inside a single word written,
A little change can play lanes with the right vision.
Couldn't tell what would happen next
But as weeks went by look what turned to best.
Let it struggle just a little more,
Let it struggle just a little bit more, mhm.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

If what they said was all pretend then it'd be different,
If it depended on if anyone was listening,
And I was listening.
And when they said that what I wanted was a figment,
I had to turn the other cheek but I was listening,
Yeah I was listening, listening to all.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
When it's said and done,
Let it go.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
I wasn't listening,
I wasn't listening, listening at all.

Remember what the people said,
Remember what the people said,
Oh I wasn't listening,
I wasn't listening, listening at all.

(At all at all at all )
At all,
At all.

Monday, 18 November 2013

(not done) The Values of Love

         Although Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous 'love' stories in the world, it can easily be seen as a story about teenage lust and whims. The idea of two people, much less teenagers being able to fall in love in the span of a few days, is extremely unlikely. Both were willing to throw away their family and friends. They disregard everything in their lives for the sake of each other, which is why many would argue that Romeo and Juliet were truly in love. However, there are numerous arguments that would say other wise.
        

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Act IV - Juliets Soliloquy

               In act two scene two, Juliet's ponders why a simple name would mean so much, how such a small difference can easily make the person she loves into a person she must hate.  She states only his name is stands between them; that only Romeo's name is her enemy. Juliet continues her soliloquy, adding that Romeo was his own person, someone more than just a simple name. She explains that his body doesn't define the name 'Montague'. Juliet remarks how a rose can be named something completely different, and still smell just as sweet. She then explains that Romeo is no different; that he would only remain to have the same perfection he owns. If Romeo's title was cast aside, then he would be all hers.
             
             Juliet's soliloquy does not necessarily serve a purpose to the plot itself, but it does summarize the entire conflict of the play. Two families are feuding, so naturally they must hate one another. Throughout the entire play, they both struggle against their family, all the way until they both take their final breath. The entire play depends on this conflict. Without the conflict, Romeo and Juliet would have been happy, if their relationship even worked out.

          I personally enjoy this soliloquy because it was easy to understand, and more straight forward than most in the play. Furthermore, I find it intriguing how a thirteen year old would be brave enough to risk her life for a boy she just met. Either it was an act of defiance or simply the acts of a love struck thirteen year old, it was still intriguing. The entire play balanced on the feud between the two families, with Romeo and Juliet wedged in between.   

 

Midterm Report Card

A) 
I need to improve on working faster and efficiently in class, as well as getting my assignments done on time so they aren't rushed. I am almost always in class, I've only been late and away once. I also need to work on in class conversations, and share my opinions/knowledge. However, I think I do a good job tweeting/checking the tweets of others, and making conversations on twitter. I think I deserve 20 out of 25%
tweets




 B) 
Out of the 15 tasks, I have completed 14. (the only one not completed is the tattoo assignment.) I believe I should get 23% out of  25.




 C)
 I feel confident over the quality over my work, and I think it compares well to my classmates. Although not every piece was my best work, I did put thought into my writing. Most of my posts lengthy, and I spent a lot of time on them. My work can definitely improve, I just need to give myself more time to do assignments. Overall, I think I my posts show rather decent writing ability. I think I deserve 24% out of 25.

D)
 I always help the people around me, and give them suggestions or ideas, as well as help understand the assignments in class. However, I need to comment more on people's blog posts. When I do comment though, I try to say something that would improve their writing, or fix a mistake they made. My best comment from this class would be the comment from the poem "Unentitled." I think I deserve 19% out of 25.

My overall mark is 86%.







Sunday, 3 November 2013

Act II - Relationships

         There are many relationships that can be seen as good or bad in Romeo and Juliet, some more obvious than others. One of the less obvious 'good' relationship is Friar Laurence and Romeo.
         Other than Benvolio and Mercrutio, Friar Laurence is one of the few friends of Romeo that thinks of his overall well being.  When Romeo approaches Friar Laurence  and tells him about Juliet, he is in complete shock. But in a split second, he thinks of one solution that solves several problems. He decides to marry Juliet to Romeo, which can help two teenagers become happy, as well as help resolve the feud between the Montages and Capulets. However, deciding to marry two teenagers was incredibly risky, and ultamitley led to their demise. Not only  that, but when Romeo is exiled and Juliet comes to him for help, he could have ended the charade there. At this point, the marriage of Romeo and Juliet cannot resolve the conflict between the two families. Friar Laurence should have called it off, and dealt with Juliet a different way. But overall, Friar Laurence did not mean any serious harm, and was concentrated on keeping the teenagers happy.
           Another example of a positive relationship is Mercrucio and Romeo. Mercrucio, like Friar Laurence acts as an anchor. He pulls Romeo away from his own self-drama and tries to bring him back to reality. An example of this is at the middle of Act I, when he tried to get Romeo to forget about Rosaline and come join him at the Capulet party. Mercrucio acts as a friend, not as someone who is supposed to make all the right decisions for him. 
        Two negative relationships in Romeo and Juliet, ironically enough is Romeo and Juliet, and Lady Capulet and Capulet. 
         The relationship between Capulet and Juliet would almost be completely  negative in all views. Capulet acts like a stereotypical abusive father, as well as husband. Although Capulet personally told Paris Juliet was to young for marriage, he quickly changes his mind once Juliet shows independence. He forces her to marry Paris, even with the negative reactions from not only Juliet, but Lady Capulet as well. Capulet's decision drove Juliet to see Friar Laurence, and feign her own death for the sake of Romeo.
        Finally, the last overall negative relationship is Romeo and Juliet. Although the two teenagers claim that they are in love, I highly doubt that either of them thoroughly thought about their relationship, and I definitely dont think 'fate' put them together. I believe they are just careless teenagers, who found each other by complete chance. They have a toxic relationship, toxic to the point that they were willing to put an end to there own lives for the sake of others. Not only that, but they completely overlook their friends and family for the sake of their relationship. Romeo and Juliet are both teenagers that easily get carried away, and they honestly should not be together.
        

Act I - Friar on Love

As a messenger of god, I believe the purest form of love is the love meant for god. However, concerning love between two people is another story. The thing with young people, is that they're feelings of 'love' may only be lust.

Saturday, 26 October 2013

Relationships - Formal Response Essay

          The poems thoroughly read and analyzed by the class, "How is Your Heart," "To a Stranger,"  and "Unentitled" all have different authors, as well as meanings, but all three poems share similar themes. Relationships are intricate, whether they are formed through bonds of love, friendship, indifference, or hate, those bonds weave through the everyday lives of people.
         
          The author of "How is Your Heart,"Charles Bukowski, has gone through many hardships in life, and has written multiple poems about his experiences. Although a very large percentage of teenagers have not experienced half the things the author has, many can relate to  how he feels. In "How is Your Heart" he describes his feeling of contentment, feeling neither satisfied or unsatisfied. Despite having to wake up and face his grim life that stood before him, he carried on without much complaint. Similarly, many teenagers who are struggling with issues of their own do not feel particularly happy or unhappy; for those feelings were all they know. Feelings like these are sometimes triggered by dysfunctional relationships, may it be with members from family or members from society.

         Like Bukowski, Walt Whitman most likely did not have many relationships. As a  bisexual humanist in the 1800s, Whitman had to hide who he was, fantasizing the people he sees as his past lovers. Although today's society is much more accepting and open minded, many teens can easily sympathize with his situation. Similarly, seeing another person on the street and creating a fantasy around them is common, especially with youth.

          Finally, the third poem the class evaluated is called "Unentitled" written by    Jennifer L'Hirondelle, can be perceived as feeling one with home, and sharing what is given to you with the people the environment cares for. The relationship in "Unentitled" is between the writer and the environment, which was very important to her.

         All together, these poems show the diverse range of relationships, may it be through a people or an environment. These poems are easily relatable with many people, as everyone experiences different types of relationships with different types of feelings.

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Interm Self-Assesment

This semester, I need to improve on finishing assignments on time, as well as contribute to the class more by commenting on other people's blog posts/personal pages. I  think my strengths are my writing skills and I'm also easy to cooperate with. Goals for next semester is to finish assignments on time, as well as put more effort onto my work. 

Sunday, 15 September 2013

Being a teenager.



Personally, being a teenager is confusing, as well as hard. It's always irritating, hearing people say, "Highschool is easy, getting A's are a no big deal, so why aren't you?" like no, just go home. Also, people tend to patronize you. They think you don't have capable ideas because of your age, and I hate that. There's also the fact that people have the tendency to judge you so easily based on what they see. On top of that, there's also the worry and stress over homework and fitting in properly. Teens also get pressured into making tons of mistakes, and you have to carry all the responsibility for them. Despite that, however, being a teenager is still enjoyable. My mom is quite strict, and it takes a lot to convince her to just let me go take a bus somewhere, or even just go out to movies. But the times, I do spend time with friends is what makes being a teenager fun. There's also the internet, and the happiness that comes with it. Even if you don't get to see them, you can constantly chat and skype with people you miss, which is great. I think being a teenager is an important part of becoming who you are in the future. Overall, despite the difficulties, I have to say I enjoy being a teenager because of all the things you learn, all the things you experience and all the friends that are with you along the way, experiencing the same things you are. I definitely think my friends are one of the main reasons I'm happy.

The Book Left Behind

I would not call my job hard. I, arrive, perhaps wait, as I sometimes prefer to come early. I am many things, but I am never late. Death is never late. I take what belongs to me, and I leave. Occasionally I linger, using the little allotted time I have. Although I would not call my job hard, it was tedious, and it was taxing. Despite the power I held, the amount of things I learn is scarce. Despite the fact I take away their lives, I know nothing about the people who owned them. My job simply required me to take them away. The faces of people often swirl together, but it is only natural, as I see so many in just an hour. Sometimes faces can no longer be distinguished, for reasons more than one.  Despite this, there is one face that stands out among the ones I have collected. I saw the hunter three times.

Technically, Garven Jaeger was not yet a hunter.  The first time I saw him, he had never harmed another living thing, let alone kill one. (he was only ten, after all.) I remember the night I saw him clearly. Coal dust with chances of indigo painted the midnight sky. A beautiful sight for a city where death constantly loomed over it. I was only passing by the towns train station, when I see the boy sprint towards me, arms filled with packages of food and canteens of what I presumed was water. At first, when I see him staring in my direction, I wonder if he was able to see me, as I remembered my breathing was somewhat loud that day. As he ran right through me, I foolishly realize he had his eyes set on the moving train directly behind me. Although I was not curious, I was intrigued. He was running toward the compartment housing a frail woman, a large key was worn around her neck. Germany in the year 1938 was a dangerous place to be, and i silently wished him and his mother luck.

I remember the second time I encountered him, this time the sky disguised by charcoal puffs of clouds, accompanied with constant showers of rain. The boy had aged into his early teens, this time accompanied by a girl his age. Similar to the first time, he was aboard a train. Unlike the first time, however, no woman was accompanying him,  a key worn around his neck instead. A hint as to where his mother was: I had a meeting with her earlier that month.I came to pick up the life of two men, and I arrived just in time. If I had the ability to turn back time, I would have arrived earlier. Little Garven Jaeger was kneeling beside the girl, her hems of her dress soaked with blood.
       "Like I said, if you don't fight, there's no way you can survive. This world is cruel. If you win, you live, if you lose you die."
       He was completely calm, despite the two corpses decomposing behind him. His voice did not waver, his eyes were merciless. The girls face was only blank, her breathing steady, though her eyes shook. She kept her gaze to the floor, and spoke.
       "Where do I go from here?"  A pause.
       "Try not to worry to much. My name is Garven Jaeger. What is yours?" The girl waited a few seconds to reply.
       "Rosa."
       "Just Rosa?"
       "Just Rosa."
I collected what was needed and left the scene. I only had a minute to spare, and I could sense that the children were going to linger there for a while longer.

The last time I see him, it has only been a year. He was accompanied with two of his age, one boy, and one girl. The girl, I realized was Trudy from the night I last saw him. The three were smiling and talking excitedly. The other boy with Garven was continuously waving an extremely thick book around. I realize I have indeed seen him before, and I wonder how in the world he became acquainted with Garven and Rosa. Then, something fell from the skies. Before realization hit any of them, There was a flash, followed by an explosion.  It happened very suddenly, though I can not say I was not expecting it. I was scheduled to take many lives that day, including the trio's. Garven Jaeger's last movement was used to grab the key around his neck. Then, taking his final breath, he let out a soft "no." Taking away their lives was much like robbery, they were survivors, and they had the potential to live lives much longer than they did. They did not deserve the death they were given, and it saddens me. Even death has a heart. As I took away their souls, I notice the book clutched tightly by the unnamed boy. I hesitated, and I took it with me. Later I find out I steal the trio's most valuable object.  Scribbled on the front with messy writing was "By Luke, Rosa, and Garven." Inside those pages were a story that I would truly remember.