Wednesday, November 13, 2013

CONNECTING THE DOTS

My initial reaction to the research paper was to think smart when approaching it. That ring said, I managed my time so it wasn't a last minute, crappy assignment and so I was not stressing trying to finish it! So I thought "hmmm, well I'm gonna just do this." My passion in life is to study the body aka kinesiology. So, I figured out how to relate this with racism. We as humans are all "manufactured" the same. We function the same. The thing about our bodies that is different however is external appearances which is what you see right away. It's what you see before you see there "internals" and by this now I mean personality, demeanor, characteristics. An immediate judgement comes into mind right when you see someone based on their appearances. This judgement before even knowing someone caused a roadblock in a relationship immediately. These external appearances are one of the dividing lines in society.

Monday, November 11, 2013

RESEARCH PAPER


Tiana McMann
Dr. Preston
Expository Composition 
November 8, 2013
Research Term Paper
Everyday in the world, there is an act of racism that occurs. Some, we become aware of via news and some remain hidden within society. Then, there are national cases that headline our morning news, Sunday newspapers, and broadcast on our radio stations for a couple weeks. One of these cases you could ask any American about and they will know as soon as you utter the boy’s first name, Treyvon Martin. This major racism case occurring a little under two years ago on February 26, 2102, revealed to many Americans in denial, that racism is still a major issue in the United States. Huffington Post writer Jesse Washington, tells readers, “...Trayvon Martin reveals to us the racial landscape of 2013.” In the long hall, this occurrence caused a chain reaction of new laws, reviews of present laws, and deeper research into our country’s past and involvement in racism. 
In this case, a young boy aged 17, Trayvon Martin was walking home in his father’s neighborhood in Sanford, Flordia. He was unarmed and simply carrying a bag of skittles and a tea. George Zimmerman was on neighborhood watch when he called dispatchers about “a real suspicious guy.” Though police were on the way to analyze the situation, Zimmerman pursued and followed the young African American even after being warned by the dispatcher “Okay, we don’t need you to do that.” Dispatchers then received many calls from neighbors reporting that someone was yelling help and then there was a gunshot. The 911 calls are public from Zimmerman as well as the neighbors and in the calls, you can hear many screams of terror and then a gunshot. The background information to this case is vital to understand when considering if this is really an act of racism or not. 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

7 TIMES

1. Erica's tone in her essay is remorseful. Though she did not shoot the young boy, she still feels a sense of emotional in hearing about this story. She also shows confusion which shows how bewildered she was by this incident. Her tone is what make the whole essay have the meaning that it does.

2. The facts that Erica provided us is that the young boy was carrying a fake gun. He was then shot seven times. These two pieced of evidence we know are solid facts. One thing that could be a fact or a piece of twisted media is that he walked away when he saw the police.

3. Erica's conclusion she draws is that there was NO need to shoot 7 times. What is unclear in her essay is whether she believes it was an act of racism or not. To determine this, we should look at similar cases in which a person points a gun at policemen and how they reacted to this. However, no matter how close the cases may be, none are ever the same.

4. One HUGE strategy Erica uses is the very end! I don't know what that would be called, but the breakdown of the shots and what they "mean". This was powerful in conveying her conclusion listed in question 3.

5. One difference in the clarity of the essays is the picture Javi provides of the toy gun. In Erica's essay I imagined a Nerf gun shooting foam suction cups. The picture alone clarifies and in a sense justifies the story some. Another difference is Javi gives the justification to the police. He doesn't think it was right what they did, but, they took the necessary actions to protect themselves and civilians. Erica's essay focuses on the fatality of the event.

Monday, November 4, 2013

RACIAL PROFILING LIVES ON

This article was hard to follow!!
-FOURTH AMENDMENT prohibits unreasonablesearches and seizures and requires anywarrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.
-From the article I could defer that there can be many ways a police officer can justify his reasons for a search. 
-The Supreme Court is rather loose on it's definite meaning. A police officer doesn't have to tell somebody that they can resist a search by a police officer? Hmmm.... A person should be aware of these things by the people enforcing the law.
-This article emphasizes that a police officer can still enforce based on race pretty easily.
-Reasonable suspicion can be no more then a hunch and less then a probable cause.
-high crime areas play roles in reasons
-fourth amendment applies even when chased
-race is taken into account when enforcing immigration laws
-courts rely on police judgement
After reading through a second time, taking notes meanwhile, and reading paragraph by paragraph, the article became clear to e and easy to follow.

VOCABULARY#9

Ultimate -  Being last in a series, process, or progression
This was the ultimate season.
Interactive-  Acting or capable of acting on each other.
Cells are interactive.
Principle- a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
The constitution provides principles for our country.
Guidance-  The act or process of guiding
Parents provide guidance.
Collaboration- achieve shared goals.
In this class collaboration helps students get together.
Formative-serving to form something, esp. having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development.
Vocabulary is formative in brain development.
Summative- additive.
This article was summative to the other one.
Racism- actions, practices, or beliefs that consider the human species to be divided into races and treated based on these. 
Racism exists today.
Intelligence- The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.
An IQ test can test intelligence.

Hyperbolic- exaggerated
Her tone was hyperbolic.
Preceding - to come before
The book before was preceding to this one.
Unrestrained - uncontrollable
The sub felt the students were unrestrained at this point.
Provision - to supply 
The law is a provision to our safety.
Stop-and-frisk- search of a person's outer clothing wherein a person runs his or her hands along the outer garments to detect any concealed weapons or contraband
Stop and frisk is performed by police officers.
Discretion- the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
Viewer discretion is advised. 
Bar- (in context) except for; apart from.
Those students were barred from the final because of their high grades.
Seized-(of the police or another authority) take possession of (something) by warrant or legal right; confiscate; impound.
The police seized my gun.
Doctrine-a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group
The bible is a doctrine for Christians. 
Consent- permission for something to happen or agreement to do something
I give you consent to do that.
Hunch- a feeling or guess based on intuition rather than known facts.
I have a hunch it was him.
Predominant- present as the strongest or main element.
His features are predominant.
Warrant - Authorization or certification; sanction, as given by a superior.
The police issued a warrant.
Infraction- a violation or infringement of a law, agreement, or set of rules.
He made a traffic infraction.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

WHAT I SEE IS ALL IN MY HEAD

From the video, I actually saw the gorilla over the white shirt people passing the ball. The gorilla made it hard to focus. For me, it wasn't selective attention, but a distraction! Different people may have not seen the gorilla. This may be caused by different mind attractions or different perspectives at which we view things. Hmmm..?

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #3

THE VOW BY KIM CARPENTER
TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)
1.
a. This book is about a young couple who suddenly experiences a tragedy where Kim and Krickitt, husband and wife, and main characters in this story, are involved in a bad accident that sends Kim through the windshield. Her injuries include horrible brain damage that cause her to forget her life as she knows it. Krickitt is devastated as they have only been married 2 months and this happens. He must make her remember why she loves him.
b. After experiencing a major head injuring causing memory loss, Kim forgets her whole life including her husband, so Krickitt must help her remember their love. 

2. Kim Carpenter wrote about this event, because it was a huge hardship she and her husband were faced with. She never regained her memory so her life was changed incredibly after that accident. Her and her husbands lives during that time were hard and dramatic. Writing about it much later, the readers can infer that she is now in good state in her life with her husband. She has recovered as much as she could and felt this traumatic story should be shared.

3.     This book appealed to me because first of all, it's an amazing love story where the man overcomes the odds to win the girl. Though she was his wife already, in Kim's mind she wasn't. Therefore Krickitt was forced to win her over against Kim's ex husband. The love story background was the big attention grabber to me. Also, the fact of knowing the story line from the major movie forced me to want to read the real story without the Hollywood twist. A true story like this was hard to believe so I had to read and find out.

4.   I found this book to be very realistic. With the movie that followed the book alone, a story this severe had to be true. But, of course, you can't trust everything you "see". The movie wasn't my solid proof.  Her condition and  state of being following the accident  was very realistic. Brain traumas happen all the time and her story didn't seem exaggerated or overdone. Kim told it well so that  such an event was realistic to readers. The only part that seemed questionable to me was how she only remembered her life up to a certain point and then NOTHING after. I don't know how the brain works, however, so maybe that is possible. But it seems strange

VOCAB #8

cursory- going over something rapidly, without noticing details
I feel teacher generally check work with cursory.
impetus-a moving force
An impetus resulted from the petition. 
pinnacle-a lofty peak
The top of a mountain can be called the pinnacle.
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
Uneducated people tend to talk in a contumely way.bereavement-a state of intense grief over loss of a loved one.
At the funeral, intense bereavement fell over the family.
cache-a hiding place usually in the ground
In old homes, cache's can be found.
consummation- completion, perfection, fulfillment
My essay reached consummation long before the deadline.calamity-a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury
Many calamities are happening now.
avarice- miserly desiring to hoard wealth
My uncle is the opposite of someone who is avarice.fortify-to protect or strengthen against attack
We fortified our spot in CIF by winning that last match.erratic- deviating from the usual proper course in conduct
Children behave erratically in public.ubiquitous-being everywhere, especially at the same time
With school work, I feel like I am ubiquitous. fortitude-mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty courageously
Fortitude comes from experience.
nonchalant-coolly unconcerned
Some students are nonchalant about school.affect-to act on
Her actions affected the public punishment.
effect-something that is produced by an agency or cause
The death effected her life.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
Young kids misappropriate common classroom supplies.
pragmatic-of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations.
His proposition was pragmatic considering the cause.
metacognition- higher order thinking that enables understanding
Math requires a great deal of metacognition.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship or service
Religions are devoutly dedicated.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

HAMLET VALUE OF LIFE

ACTIVITY 1 courtesy of me, Tiana
1. What prior experiences do you have reading plays?
As a freshman in high school, we were required to spend a whole unit, studying, understanding and reviewing The Odyssey. This helped understand how to read plays and be familiar with them.
2. What did you notice about the format and annotations?
The format of Hamlet was strict iambic pentameter. Shakespeare followed a certain form and continued throughout the play. The connotations were very hard to understand in present day English. Shakespeare used old English to convey his messages.
3.What did you notice about the texts structure?
The texts structure as I said above was based on iambic pentameter. He had a strict format of which he used throughout. His lines and/or sentenced seemed to run on. I think this had a purpose in the conveying his poetic style however. Lastly, his soliloquy is written in common play format.


ACTIVITY 5: courtesy of Alyssa Barajas
Term                                                                       Antonym
Oppression                                                              Contumely (contempt)
Action                                                                      Calamity (tragedy)
Endurance                                                                To die-to sleep
Mystery                                                                    "take arms against a sea of trouble"
Life                                                                          Quietus (death)

Term                                                                       Word Family
Action                                                                      take arms, opposing, shuffled off, bear the whips, to                                                                                     grunt and sweat,
Thought                                                                    question, mind to suffer, to be wish'd, perchance to                                                                                       dream, conscience
Suffering                                                                   suffer, bear the whips and scorns of time
Morality                                                                   sins remember'd, grunt and sweat, coil, calamity
Fear                                                                         quietus, bodkin, suffer, slings and arrows, take arms                                                                                    
a
ACTIVITY 7: courtesy of Summer Morgan heart-ache, weary life,
1. Where does Hamlet ask the central question of his soliloquy?
Hamlet asks the central question, whether he should continue living or end his own life, at the very beginning  of his soliloquy.

2. Where does he restate this question in greater detail?
Hamlet restates his question of living in greater detail throughout the rest of his soliloquy. He goes deeper and deeper into his thoughts about what he should do, if he really could go on or if this was the end for him.

3. Does Hamlet ever answer this question?
Although throughout the whole speech Hamlet sounds melancholy causing you too think that, in the end, he will choose to give up on life instead of continuing it; he never really clearly states his answer to his own question.

4. Does he ask any other questions in this speech?
The whole speech is made up of smaller questions that coincide with his huge opening question. He starts his speech with the big question and the rest consists of smaller questions that lead into his first question of whether or not he wants to live.

5. Who or what interrupts Hamlet at the end of his soliloquy? Do you think he was finished talking?
Ophelia interrupts Hamlet at the end of his soliloquy, I don't think that he was finished talking, he just suddenly ended his thoughts and stopped speaking.

ACTIVITY 10 courtesy of me, Tiana
First, Hamlet clearly uses many strategies. One clear personification is this sentence:
"Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,"
Here, Hamlet personifies the sea by giving it troubles. All this line is saying is, "Should I fight against a these large amount of troubles."
"For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,"
Here is another example of personification where Hamlet gives time, "life" by personifying it. This sentence is conveying "Who wants to deal with all life's struggles?". 
Shakespeare's stylistic ways make him the famous playwright that he is. In this speech alone, these strategies create a dramatic atmosphere at which a reader gets engulfed in and can feel a mood. A reader can become more involved in the reading and also understand the true, deeper feelings the character feels.
ACTIVITY 12 courtesy of Gabi:

1. the soliloquy appeals more through pathos rather than logos. this is apparent because the soliloquy is more or less the thoughts and emotions of that person put into a monologue, therefore pathos is a big part of it.

2. Yes, Shakespeare uses pathos to create an effect on the reader. By Hamlet expressing his confrontational problem and stylistically debating it causes a nostalgic response for readers. people are able to connect this with something that may have happened to them, has, or is in their near future. It helps the reader to feel a connection to Hamlet because the emotions of confliction are common place.

3. Shakespeare also uses logic, or logos, to help the reader with understanding Hamlet. When Hamlet starts debating life and death, and what is worth it and what not, he uses logic to create a contrast between them:
"Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles..."

4. When people are put in tight situations, the value of their life becomes clear to them because they tend to take a broader stance when the situation is. Hamlet defines this with his soliloquy. He seems to be talking about the quality of life in general, but alludes to his life because it is what he knows.

5. YES, Shakespeare's views and thoughts are definitely worth considering. He provides insight and a fresh point of view to concepts we can all relate to, but that haven't been found. He expresses them through stories and artistically through characters, so as you learn about concepts through the characters, it feels less like you're being taught, and more like you are being enlightened.

Activity 13: Hamlet

Title: Hamlet's Soliloquy
Author: Shakespeare
Genre: Dramatic Play

What is the text's big issue?
-People have this misconception of this speech, as Hamlet trying to kill himself. That is not the case. The real issue is, Hamlet's uncle just killed his father, and slept with his mother. Hamlet wants to escape from his newly ruined life. He contemplates killing his uncle, but the real issue for him is to sleep. "To dream." If he can escape from this nightmare of a situation, that is really his goal. If he can sleep, and dream, then he can dream himself into a different life. Preferably a life unlike his very own at the moment.

What claim does the text make?
-The claim made is to live or die. To continue living this lifestyle, or begin to live a new one through killing his uncle, or to sleep and dream. To continue to tolerate the whips and scorns of time, or the pain of rejected love. It claims to either stay in the world given to him, to life with the mistakes of his mother and the ghostly remembrances of his father, or to create a dream in which he can escape his awful life and start a fictional one.

What are examples or quotes from the text?
-"to be or not to be, that is the question"-to be what he knows or to be what his life truly has become
"...tis nobler in the mind of suffering"-what is better, to ruin even more of what has become, or to stand tall and not fight back with his uncle's decisions
"by sleep we say to end"-to sleep, to end all his sufferings and to escape to a land of his own
"To die, to sleep"-which does he choose, his life where he is, or his own life he makes up
"To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come"-a chance to dream, to escape his tragedy and make his own world in which he designs the outline of his dreams

What do you think about the text's claims?
-The first couple times i read this text, I hated it. But now i actually kind of enjoy learning about new eras and texts from way back, Shakespeare time. I think this claim is far more elaborate and detailed than the naked eye can see. You really have to take a hold of the words given, and sort of read between the lines. I dont truly believe i have gotten a complete grasp on this Soliloquy yet, but in time i will, hopefully.


What are your examples from the text?
"Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,"
-this first section of Shakespeare's piece really stood out to me. This examples shows all the thoughts from Hamlet, from the death thoughts, to the dreaming contemplation

Monday, October 14, 2013

VALUE OF LEARNING/VALUE OF LIFE

My week to be this week would be having a calm, actual work environment instead of people being loud and obnoxious because there is a sub. I'd like to take advantage of the fact that we get to "teach ourselves" so to speak as well as the fact that a big amount if responsibility is on us as high school seniors to actually do what we are supposed to do! I want to, in depth, review the strategies that the module provides for us and apply them in outside the class work!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

THE AWESOME MOMENT WHEN...

That great feeling when one of your vocabulary words, ubiquitous, is on the SAT, and you actually know what it means.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

LITERATURE ANALYISIS #2

TOPICS AND EVENTS
1.
a.) A big Little Life by Dean Koontz is primarily about a Golden Retriever, Trixie, of which Dean and his wife, Gerda adopt. The story tells background on the family and Trixie and then goes into the perks and downsides of not only having a dog, but having Trixie specifically. Dean emphasizes how Trixie impacted their lives all throughout the story.
b.) This story is about the impact a special dog made on an average couple.
2. The author, Dean chose to write about his dog Trixie, because she was special. She played a special role in their family's lives, as well as many others, considering she was a service dog. Also, I think that this was Dean's "memorial" to his favorite companion. He wanted to show recognition for all that Trixie did. Lastly, Trixie WAS NOT an ordinary dog. She exemplified many times her "not the average dog" character. Many incidents it was as if she was a human. She could understand things Dean or Gerda would say. She even recognized the smell of one of her litter brothers from years earlier at a random meeting. Dean wanted the world to know of Trixie's incredible demeanor.
3. I wanted to read this book because I have a love for animals. Seeing as this was a non-fiction story about a dog, I figured the dog must have been amazing or special in some way, or such a book may not exist. I like the dynamics of animals in a story in that an animal is portrayed as a "hero" which is awesome for such a "helpless" (stereotype/generalization) creature. What made me continue to read it was the fact that everything I said above was true!
4. The book was realistic in many ways. But, I felt that each event that Trixie preformed, I compared to my dog and I could never see my dog doing these things! I do know, however, that dogs react differently with different owner so this made the book realistic to believe that Trixie did these things. I could not, however, relate because my dog is not so intellectually smart. But seeing as I have a dog, this book was somewhat connectable.
PEOPLE
1. I can't say for sure, but many of Trixie's attributes seemed exaggerated. This could be because of a special bond that Dean and Trixie shared, but if I met her, I don't think I would experience Trixie the same way! I think that this only shows that Dean was extremely attached to Trixie and how much he really cared. Usually, when people talk up of someone this is usually the case, or they are hiding something about them, but I don't think this is the case. 
2. Gerda is Dean's wife. She is, like Dean, very caring. Her way of life is positive, but like any wife, is reprimanding to her dog, and similarly to her husband. Gerda is open minded and outgoing. Her and Dean are a perfect match together judging by the settings in the book. Her ability to forgive is very astonishing considering how much mischief she dealt with between her husband and Trixie.
Trixie, as if not characterized enough, is an overly intelligent dog. She has a personality on her own. She is friendly beyond belief and loving to anyone she meets. This is why Dean and Gerda so easily fell in love with her. Trixie is also playful and mischievous unintentionally at times. Her demeanor is unforgettable with anyone who knew this dog.
3. These two characters are interesting to write about because of the fact that they are the main characters, and also some of the only. Their characters, or at least the way they are presented, also makes them good characters to follow. Though Trixie is only a dog, she has a better character then most people I know. Also, I like Gerda because she is easy-going and laid back which is a hard trait to develop in a crazy world! Trixie and Gerda together made the story interesting because they were like fuel for each other.

1. An example of direct characterization is Trixie. Because she, being a dog, can't talk, her character is solely direct. Mostly Dean, the author, describes her because he is writing it. There are few indirect cases where in a conversation people will give Trixie credit for her attitude. Gerda is indirectly characterized throughout the whole story. Based on what she says you can tell the kind of person she is. For example the way she reacts to things. Dean Koontz doesn't directly praise her for her personality.
2. Because the main focus of this whole novel is Trixie, Dean is mostly only describing his beloved dog. This being the case, his syntax is mostly remaining the same throughout when describing Trixie. Though, when Trixie did something exceptionally well, Koontz would use diction to emphasize her good dead. One event was when Trixie responded to what Dean was asking her by body movements or a sound. With this, he changed his diction by saying to his wife, "Gerda, Trixie, our dog, our golden retriever, is THE dog. Our dog is not a dog."
3. The protagonist was definitely static. As a dog, an attitude doesn't change. But, if I count Dean as the protagonist (him and Trixie were both) then he was very dynamic. Trixie changed his whole thought process and outlook on life. He did a complete transformation in this novel from before Trixie and after. He became more optimistic on life which he wasn't before.
4. I felt like Trixie was my dog in a sense because I felt like I was experiencing everything she did as well as Dean and Gerda. My heart broke in the end when Trixie died. I felt like my dog died. Because she had such a big impact on many people's lives, she was easy to "know". She was loving, loyal, humble, trustworthy, etc. One passage, "We thought the moment had come, that piece of the blood clot on the wall of her heart had traveled to one of her lungs.", when Dean described this, my emotions kicked in because Trixie was my dog also!
STYLE
1. Dean uses pathos. I don't think this was intentional, but many people have a soft spot for dogs, including me. Regardless, when Trixie was diagnosed to have blood clots, pathos was "in the air". Also, at the beginning of the book, foreshadowing was used. In the opening, Dean talks about how much his life changed due to Trixie. This let readers get an idea that Trixie would be this good of a dog and her actions would prove it later.
2. Koontz used many lengthy description passages to get his point across. Trixie was described well and I believe that anyone who read this story felt connected to her because of how much we "got to know her". Some description was through dialogue, but it was traits we already knew. The majority was through passages.
3. Like listed in question number 1, to create mood, a great deal of pathos was used to evoke emotion among readers. Dean wanted the readers to feel connected to Trixie. He wanted her to receive recognition for her actions. To do this, the most effective way was pathos and he used it to his advantage.
4. Dean's attitude toward this subject was sad, but thankful for the time he had with his best friend Trixie. He was also reminiscent on everything that happened. He never expressed regret of any kind. In describing her life, he was upbeat, and positive.
5. Some interesting evidence I found was the fact Dean and Gerda are actually huge donors to the organization that Trixie came from, Canines Companions for Independence (CCI). Knowing this, made Trixie that much more real. It made her actions reliable because Trixie came from this group that does wonderful things for people with special needs and they train their dogs to accompany these needs. Dean also made a website for her with videos, fans, and more info on this wonderful dogs life. It can be found here http://www.deankoontz.com/trixie

"In each little life we can see great truth and beauty, and in each little life we glimpse the way of all things in the universe." -Dean Koontz. This quote said by Dean himself is so true and powerful. In a way life is so short. We need not take these little moments of bliss for granted. What we should do is cherish each moment and each person, or in this case animal, who comes into our lives. Dean realizes this through Trixie's life and I think this is the way I need to start living. Another thing I took from this book that will stick with me is that you never know what can change your perspective or outlook on life. I must stay open minded and be ready for my life to be impacted in any form. It could be the smallest of gestures or words, or it could be a huge event like traveling that will make me realize what life is about. I love how Trixie changed Dean's whole life. I can't wait for this experience.

TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT 2

To be as I am now, or do I change for the better? Is it better to deal with the bad things in my life or end them forever? To die, to sleep, but to sleep is to end my heartache. It's something I wish for. To die, to sleep, or to dream. But, there is my conflict. What good things could happen that I don't know of. That's what worries me. Who would want to deal with life's hardships, all the let downs from superiors, men, lovers, the legal system, the people in office, and the constant mistreating of good people. Why go through this when it is so easy to end one's life. Who would bear a life of grunting and sweating because of the difficulties, but none other then those who fear what comes after death, the undiscovered country, where no one returns, which we always question but never get answers which is causing us to stick to evil ways we are familiar with the try the ways we don't know? Conscience makes us cowards, making our familiar character hidden with over thinking. Our actions are lost amidst this all. But now comes Ophelia.
What I think is the message is he is very indecisive on his next plan. He doesn't know if she should try something different and see where the results lead, or stick to his normal ways of resolution. His thinking is deep and meaningful. It's not literally about whether to kill himself, though he questions if that is the easiest way, but more of comparing the result of if he were to end his life, or try a new way and see the results of what happened.
My approach is if you have only been taking one approach to something and you are not seeing the results you want, you should try a different way. Keep trying, don't always take the easy way out despite how tempting it can be.

VOCAB #7

cursory- going over something rapidly, without noticing details
Checked cursorily, my teacher left few feedback notes on my essay.
impetus-a moving force
The petition turned into an impetus.
pinnacle-a lofty peak
I reached my pinnacle when I sung at the Superbowl
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
Why do people like to talk in such a contumely way.
bereavement-a state of intense grief over loss of a loved one.
Once her mom died, she was left in bereavement.
cache-a hiding place usually in the ground
Many Jewish people had caches during the Holocaust.
consummation- completion, perfection, fulfillment
My essay was consummated by the time it was due.
calamity-a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury
Syria is a calamity now.
avarice- miserly desiring to hoard wealth
An avarice overtook the family when the daughter won the lottery.
fortify-to protect or strengthen against attack
We fortified our chances to win with that touchdown.
erratic- deviating from the usual proper course in conduct
The tennis team behaves erratically when we go on long trips.
ubiquitous-being everywhere, especially at the same time
My think my mom is ubiquitous, especially having 6 kids
fortitude-mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty courageoulsy
My fortitude has grown since I have traveled across the world alone.
nonchalant-coolly unconcerned
Obama acts nonchalant with problems in our world.
affect-to act on
The distance affected our relationship.
effect-something that is produced by an agency or cause
A catalyst effects the result of the experiment.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
You are misappropriating this lab tool.
pragmatic-of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations.
The past event was pragmatically related to this event.
metacognition- higher order thinking that enables understanding
Metacognition is required for me when learning anatomy.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship or service
Some who goes to church everyday is devout. 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT

One major difference I noticed it Job's and Hamlet's speech is the fact that Hamlet says one should bear the hardships, almost let them happen. Job's says to learn from that and do better in the future. I also noticed that Hamlet considers giving up because things get tough, while Steve is the type to realize that he loves something and needs to work harder for it so he is successful. Lastly, Hamlet states that conscience makes us cowards, making this sound bad. Steve Job's encourages you to listen to you instincts and go with it, because your heart already knows what it wants. He thinks your conscience is a good thing and a handy tool. Despite the complexity of Hamlet's speech, these are three major differences I could defer.

DEAR STEVE

Steve Job's speech was inspiring. It was basically the rise from the bottom which you hear typically rappers tell. The background of his life, (adoption), set the tone for what to expect later in his life. He didn't just tell us this part for no reason. Informing the listeners of his 6 months in college was shocking considering his incredible success. His hardships his parents dealt with, spending their life's savings on his college, and his hardships of trading in his bottles to only pay for food also set the tone of his speech. He then worked his way into telling us how he relied on destiny or fate. Dropping out of college was a risky move, of course. But, how can we as people, know that later our "bad" actions one day, can make us extremely successful in life in 10 years. I don't think for me personally, I can "YOLO" moments and think "oh it's ok, this will pay off later". Of course there are some cases where this happens to people, like Steve Jobs, but, not everyone can design computers either.
In Job's second story, he tells us how Apple was the love of his life. He loved what he did. When he got fired it hit him hard. I do strongly believe with his philosophy here. Steve told the listeners that you HAVE to find what you love to do. You can't settle because your whole life is going to be that! He then continues to tell as that when you love what you do, you always got to go after that, no matter how hard it can be. When he got fired from Apple, he was devastated, but he continued to work to get back to where he was, and he did. I love that.
Steve Job's last story on death was also powerful. His mentality of looking in the mirror every morning and asking himself what he did was so meaningful. I think I will start doing this! But, anyways, Job's tells his audience that you must live your life like you really are going to die that day. Yes, it's a very cliche quote, but the way Job's states it really has meaning and isn't so cliche. Don't use this mentality to do stupid things, but rather, life changing experiences.
Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

THE VALUE OF LIFE

From this section, I think one of the key things I could learn is vocabulary, which we are clearly already doing. Reading for understanding is also very important because many times, when asked a question or given a prompt, it is answered in a way that doesn't even answer what was asked. Also, even in a text, by not knowing certain words, your whole understanding is thrown off. That being said, this topic is a big one. I would also enjoy learning about how to prioritize your "life schedule". Deciding what things you want to come first in your life can be a huge decision.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Netvibes

This website for a personal dashboard is a nice idea. It allow people to, in a sense, multitask, or keep up with things they may not get to. The set up, however, was confusing. Usually, I take to new things very easily, especially involving technology, but this didn't click for me. I think once I do get it figured out, I will be impressed by its features. As of now, I am going to continue to work with in and see what I can do. I'm excited to have all my "interests" in one spot.

Monday, September 23, 2013

VOCAB #6

Adroit- expert in the use of hands or body.
As a pianist, I am adroit.
Amicable - showing good will.
My mom was amicable when she donated her clothes.
Averse- strong feeling of opposititon
Many Christians are adverse to abortion.
Belligerent- warlike
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cubans were belligerent. 

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Objectives
-Learn new traits that help later in life such as college and a career ex: persistence, creativity, curiosity
-Organize gathered info to write
-Develop vocab through the course
-Sentence structure that demonstrates variety

FREEDOM OF CHOICE

The responsibility of decision making can be intimidating to many, or it could be anyone's desire! People like taking charge of their own life! Some find it easier with a set guide of what to do when. It can potentially be less stressful. I feel, some people are not capable of making their own decisions. Or, rather, they are, but they are not good ones. Some people are NOT mature enough for this freedom. But, they are still given it to an extent. Many people SHOULD be given the opportunity to make decisions for themselves because, they deserve it. This can challenge people. They are tested with time management, mature decisions, and weighing the options! It can be easier or harder. Like I said, for immature people, it's easier for them because it's what they want, but in the long run, harder because they are not learning from this opportunity. For responsible people, it can also be easier and harder as well. Easier in that they get to decide what they want to do. Tougher because this may be challenging to manage your "to do list" on your own time. I like making decisions on my own because I feel empowered. I feel responsible and that I am actually getting credit for this quality. I like seeing how I do under these situations with things such as managing my time. It's rather refreshing for a change while we students go through 18 years of our life being told what to do, when to do it.

Monday, September 16, 2013

NO CHILD LEFT UNTABLETED

With this passage, I have thought about the options. If a county like Guilford can afford to fund the schools to be able to do this, they should! Students are fascinated by the fact that there are people who actually care of our education, and want us to succeed. This can be shown by designing new ways of learning. The teachers in this passage, though some hesitant or slow to learn, at least put in the effort to help try a new system. If test scores improve in two to three years like they hope, this system could be revolutionary in America's education. With the tablet personalizing each students learning capabilities, as well as teachers now facilitating learning, I believe that this new idea seems nothing but beneficial. The Amplify tablets have numerous great features such as the ability to send out lesson plans to all students' tablets and give them the ability to learn at their pace. Another great feature is the classroom control which could track and monitor the students' history. This would probably be many people's biggest concern. "How do we know that students aren't spending time looking up useless things?" With this control, it's impossible. I think that there may be some con's people can think of, but with time and effort put into this, like the people in charge of Amplify and the teachers in Guilford county are already doing, these schools might see great results.

DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE

With my education in my own hands, I want to take advantage of that. I see that I can relate this course to my big question, that being, how people come up with new ideas for inventions and along the same lines, how they think to try two elements to make their invention work. Each day, coming to period 0 Expository Composition, we are forced to challenge our minds. We are expected to think outside what we normally would. These are requirements, but yet they don't seem forced. Everyday, these new ways of opening our minds and exploring a different thought process has become more and more natural. Maybe this is how inventors have been naturally thinking. Questioning logic in ways they haven't know they could. Maybe, this is what I am doing! Am I an inventor? Yes, I am inventor of my future!

VOCAB #5

Adroit- expert in the use of hands or body.
As a pianist, I am adroit.
Amicable - showing good will.
My mom was amicable when she donated her clothes.
Averse- strong feeling of opposititon
Many Christians are adverse to abortion.
Belligerent- warlike
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cubans were belligerent. 
Benevolent- expressing good will or kindly feelings.
She has a benevolent smile.
Cursory- going rapidly over something without noticing details.
In my attempt on my last minute essay, I cursorily wrote it in ten minutes.
Duplicity- double dealing
The duplicity of her actions was astonishing.
Extol - to praise highly
After receiving athlete of the week, i was extolled by my school.
Feasible- capable of being done
My homework is feasible.
Grimace- facial expression that indicates disapproval or pain
When she heard the news, her grimace was shown.
Holocaust- a great devastation, especially by fire
A holocaust was put upon the house because of the carelessness of playing with matches.
impervious- not permitting penetration or passage
Many say the American border is impervious.
impetus- a moving force
The passion in the young kids acted as an impetus for the project.
jeopardy- hazard of exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury
My life was in jeopardy when I got in the car with the drunk driver.
meticulous- showing extreme care about minute details
I meticulously worked on the project that I received an A on.
nostalgia- sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.
Many exchange students experience nostalgia while here.
quintessence- the pure and concentrated essence of a substance
As the stage in time, the flower was quintessence.
retrogress- to go back to an earlier and usually worse condition.
Many drug addicts retrogress to their old habits after help.
scrutinize- to examine with detail
The doctor scrutinized the X-rays to check for a break.
tepid- moderately warm
After sitting for awhile, my tea was only tepid.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

LITERARY ANALYSIS #1

The Diary of a Girl by Anne Frank
Topics and Events
1.
a) This book is a diary written by Anne Frank as a young, Jewish girl trying to not become a victim of the Halocaust. She writes nearly everyday and explains everything in her journal: her hideout, her family, and her emotions. Her and her family along with one other family remain in hideout barely being able to make noise day to day in fear of being found. As the war goes on, situations become worse.
b) Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, along with her family records her experiences in a diary as her and her family overcome one of the most brutal acts on humanity, the Halocaust.
2.The author, Anne Frank chose to right about this event because she was directly affected by it. Her people were targeted for all social and economic problems. Anne Frank wanted to record this time in her life because she knew that one day this racial act on Jewish people would be over and people needed to know what life at this time for a targeted group was. She herself wanted to remember this time of life in detail as you can tell in her descriptive entries. Anne Frank wanted people to see a real insight of the Halocaust. Aside from what text books say, but a real account. A true, personal story.
3. I chose this book because I had some background on the history of this event. Knowing the cruel acts that went on then, I knew that reading a true story of this time period would further advance my knowledge of the Halocaust. I also thought it would be interesting reading of a poor girl's experiences and really imagining her life as it continued and how hard it must have been living day to day in fear for your life. Also, an emotional appeal on literature really appeals to me because I enjoy relating or furthermore imagining. This book is clearly emotional considering the tragic conditions. This book is very famous and world-wide, so I had her about it before, but never sat down and actually read it.
4. I found this book to be EXTREMELY realistic because of not only my historical knowledge, but the fact that this book is so widely known and it was published after the time of Anne's death. She didn't know that her diary would be published therefore she couldn't have made major changes to her story. I don't think I could relate this story so much to my life because it is so intensely sad and I have not dealt with such tragedy. However, I did relate her story to what I have learned over the years between movies, history class, and other literature pieces. I also connected her story to my emotions directly. As I read, I felt how she felt to a certain degree. As I read, I could hardly bear the thought of Anne actually living through what she did.
People
1. Anne is a young teenage girl at the time of the event. She, therefore encountered many young people as well through school. At the beginning of the book, she actually takes a whole days worth of an entry to describe each person in her class. Because of her age, she has a developing attitude and is self revolved. You can make this assumption because many of her classmates are described as dumb, annoying, or dirty minded. Also, Anne describes her mother as someone who does not listen to Anne's needs or understands Anne much at all. From this I came to a conclusion that Anne has a snotty demeanor. The only person she speaks good of is her father. We now know that Anne is a daddy's girl.
2. Mrs. Van Daan is the mother of the other family in hiding. Mrs. Van Daan is only referred to as this, and Madame. She alone is enough to make the household go crazy. She can best be described as stingy, snotty, and abrupt. Anything that she brought to their "hideout home" cannot be used by the Franks. One by one, she starts removing items that were in public vicinities and storing them for her family's personal use. She is also snotty and abrupt in that she punishes Anne herself for things Mr. nor Mrs. Frank would punish her for. She also has the nerve to continually criticize Anne's upbringing. Peter is Mrs. Van Daan's son. Peter is a young boy who is shy and immature. Peter does not get along well with Anne at all. He also continues to mouth off to his parents which send him to his "room" without a bed or dinner. Peter can be easily angered, but can also easily anger anyone. Anne vaguely describes him as unfriendly. I would characterize them indirectly because their actions speak for themselves. Through the mishaps they perform the readers are able to tell what kind of character they are.
3. These two characters make the story more interesting. Between them two, they create enough arguments to last the whole war. Because they are from the same family, they have many similar characteristics. Anne is always finding a reason to complain with Peter and his mother, Mrs. Van Daan hiding with them. The way that the son and mother are so similar makes them interesting characters to compare and contrast.
Style
1. This author, Anne Frank chose to use a journalistic style because she wrote her diaries day by day. She never knew what the next day would bring. She also died before her diary was published so she was not able to even go back and edit things about her story. Not many fictional techniques were used. One that was used throughout her story was pathos. Her whole diary was appealing to emotion. I think this was not even done intentionally. Just the fact that the story was so tragic was enough to say pathos was used.
2. Anne frank definitely uses lengthy descriptions to show the personalities of all the characters. At the beginning of the book, she describes each member in her class with a detailed description. She also does the same for any main character later in this book. Eventually, you see how Anne is right about her characters through their dialogue, but the initial introduction to her characters are descriptions by Anne.
 3. Personally, I think the mood of this story sets itself. It is already a horrific story so people are already sympathetic to this. But, Anne appeals to emotion as I said before, using pathos. The way she describes each sad event that takes place, for example, their living conditions, the description really uses pathos because of the extreme measures.
4.The authors attitude toward the subject was, in a sense, calm and suttle. Anne never though, even after the whole war was over, that humanity was evil. She still, even after all that she went through, had a positive outlook on life. She quoted near the end of her book this amazing quote,  "I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart." This quote alone truly shows her attitude at the end of the war and her outlook on life. Her attitude toward the audience was not pity. She was never looking for anyone's approval or disapproval of her experience. She simply wanted to record her story for her own self. If people were to read it one day, she simply wanted readers to know what happened at this time. Not in pity for her or her family, but for the historical aspect of the matter. Anne Frank was an amazing girl with an even better outlook on life.
5. Anne Frank personally didn't include any kind of historical information about her story. This was because, it was strictly a diary. She wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone. She also didn't have access to any sort of these items as she was in hiding, and died before her book was even published. She herself did not include these things. However, her father who ended up deciding to publish her diary, chose to include family photos. These family photos helped put a face to the name I read about. These family photos helped understand the time period. These family photos helped relate for me in a sense. This extra piece of history didn't so much influence my thinking, but it made the book that much more interesting for me.

 “Although I'm only fourteen, I know quite well what I want, I know who is right and who is wrong. I have my opinions, my own ideas and principles, and although it may sound pretty mad from an adolescent, I feel more of a person than a child, I feel quite independent of anyone.”-Anne Frank, The Diary of a Girl. This is one idea I love from this book. Anne represents herself as such an independent, mature girl. So many adults think that young teenagers are immature or not capable of many things. Here Anne expressed her mature attitude. In a couple of years of Anne's life, she experienced more hardships than many adults do in a lifetime. This helped Anne develop at such an early age. Like the famous quote says, tough times don't last, but tough people do. Anne remained tough at this time and got through this tough time. I will remember Anne's bravery and mature demeanor through this rough time in her life.


Monday, September 9, 2013

VOCAB #4

 accede to give approval
I acceded the new project in English.
 brandish to shake or wave as a weapon
The soldier brandished his sword right before battle.
 comprise to include or contain
Our  English call is comprised of smart students.
 deft skillful or clever
I consider a painter to be deft.
 destitute deprived of
The family avoided the loan and therefore remained in destitute.
 explicit fully or clearly expressed or demonstrated
The movie was extremely explicit for young viewers.
 extirpate to remove or destroy totally
I want to extirpate the animal cruelty club.
 inopportune inappropriate
I feel her comments were inopportune.
 ironic The opposite of what is expected to happen
The movies outcome was ironic based on the plot.
 musty having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold
The abandoned building had a musty smell.
 officious objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help or advive
The maids at the hotel officiously offered help.
 ominous  portending evil or harm
The mystery book ominously told what was to come.
 pinnacle a lofty peakk
When we reached the pinnacle of the mountain, I was too scared to look down.
 premeditated planned in advance
Our groups plans were premeditated to the week before.
 rampant violent in action or spirit
The way she responded to the car accident was rampant.
 solace comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble
When her aunt died, chocolate was her solace.
 stately majestic
Many say that stallions are stately.
 supple bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed
Some wire is supple.
 suppress to put an end to the activities of.
The United States suppressed the Nazi reign.
 venal open to bribery
The cop was venal for the teenager's speeding ticket.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD


A scholarship I have come across recently is the Chamber of Commerce scholarship. This scholarship is very worth putting in the time for me because it is a local scholarship, a new winner is picked every month, and you are re-entered each month! The competition is lower then a national scholarship of course, so I have more confidence going into this application. This scholarship money if received will provide help for a higher education for me. With the cost of books being outrageously high, student loan interest rates on the rise, and not to mention the UC colleges at an average of $30,000 a year, any amount of "free" money will help me. College seems so unrealistic to many because of the high costs of EVERYTHING, but with so many scholarships out there offering money to students, it acts a glimpse of hope for high-achieving students like me.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

VOCABULARY #3

 accomplice- a person who knowingly helps another in a crime or wrongdoing, often as a subordinate.
In many action movies there is usually an accomplice.
 annihilate- to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence; destroy utterly
King Kong annihilated New York City.
 arbitrary-subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's 
 Having no parents, I am arbitrary to go to parties.
discretion- the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice
Arbitrary and discretion are similar in meaning.
 brazen-shameless or impudent
When his pants fell, he acted brazen.
 catalyst-something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.
The teacher sitting us next to each other was a catalyst in our relationship.
 exodus-a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people
It is an exodus when friends go to the bar.
 facilitate-to make easier or less difficult; help forward
The experts facilitated our meeting.
 incorrigible-not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform
Her choice of drugs was incorrigible.
 latent-present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential

Feelings can be considered latent.
 militant-vigorously active and aggressive, especially in support of a cause
People in the abortion argument are militant.
 morose-gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood
The rainy weather caused me to be morose.
 opaque-not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
A chalkboard is opaque.
 paramount-chief in importance or impact; supreme; preeminent
A teacher is a paramount in the classroom.
 prattle-to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble.
Elementary kids generally prattle.
 rebut-to refute by evidence or argument.
Being a lawyer, a rebut using police evidence.
 reprimand-a severe reproof or rebuke, especially a formal one by a person in authority.
My mom reprimands me daily.
 servitude-slavery or bondage of any kind
I feel like I have servitude to my house.
 slapdash-in a hasty, haphazard manner
The girl answered the teacher in a slapdash way.
 stagnant-not flowing or running, as water, air, etc.
 The oxygen to my lungs was stagnant as I swam underwater.
 succumb- to give way to superior force; yield
I want to succumb to my sadness.