LEAP INTO THE UNKOWN

As an add on to my essay, I wanted to really think of something relevant and meaningful. I touched on this in the first paragraph in my essay. I referred to the first day of the course back in August and how, we as the students, leaped into the unknown when saying yes to Open Source Learning. None of us knew what the process would be like. However, we jumped and tried something new. Spontaneous acts can turn into the best experiences. Many of us "Expository Compers" discovered that. This photo demonstrates the leap we took into the unknown!

MASTERPIECE INTERVIEWS

• What are you working on

I am working on a masterpiece project of traveling, mixed with adventuring, also mixed with "doing cool things". With all this I will create an amazing video full of awesome things I have done.

• Why?

I want to experience as much as a can that life has to offer and really live life to the fullest. 

• What is the significance of this project in your life/career?

In life, I can take so much from these experiences. Traveling and trying new things is such an enlightening experience that I can carry on forever.

• How do you see this work helping you in life outside of school?

Outside of school, I know I will be a much happier person and much more well rounded! I will be able to engage in many conversations and provide input based on my personal encounters.

• Has anything surprised you in your work?

I haven't really been surprised yet, but I will await the day!

• What do you need to successfully complete your project and present it?

I need my GoPro camera to come in the mail already so I can start filming all these cool things I do. With that camera filming my awesome times, I will make one amazing video full of highlights to present how I have made my project come alive.

• What have you learned that's worth teaching someone else?

I have truly learned that life is short and that we really need to take advantage of life's opportunities. Talk to new people because you never know where that conversation may lead. Mine led me to a trip to Italy, and now to Belgium. 


Malik

-I'm working on showing the different forms of sports and medical engineering and how they work and how they are applied.

-I chose this because I'm into engineering and also physical therapy so I found a way to combine the two together.

-the significance of my work will help me better understand how technology is helping athletes and people around the world recover from injuries. And from there I want to better what's out there already.

- this work will help me keep my passion for sports and my interest for engineering still in my life.

-I as surprised that it took me so long to find out my topic because I thought the two I was interested in before couldn't be related.

- to finish my project, I will need to demonstrate a few samples of technologies out there, what they do, how they work, how it's applied.

-I've learned that finding your passion will make work much easier and let you lead a happy life.

Summer

- im working on putting all of my research and ideas together into one final masterpiece project 
-im working on this because its times to put that work that i have completed over the course of the semester into the actual real masterpiece 
-the significance of this project in my life/future career is that it has helped me realize what i want to do and what i need to do in order to be successful
-this work is helping me outside of school because it has helped create a balance in my life
-not anything in particular has necessarily surprised me in my work so far
-i think that i need a more clear idea of how my masterpiece and how i want it to turn out to be successful in my presentation 
-i have learned that with too much work or too much fun, you will never feel totally content with your life, it requires a balance 


Xavier

1. I am working on making my own street wear clothing brand and getting my ideas out to the world. 
2. I'm doing it because I am really into the street wear culture and I need money to buy everything I like and eventually collaborate and make stuff I like with the brands that I love.
3. My work is significant because people are walking billboards and they will help me get my ideas out there and let other people see what's in my head 
4. The work will help me meet new people and connect with everyone in the world
5. It surprises me how many people like what I like and how many people want to help me get far in this business 
6. To successfully finish my project I will need to have a finished product ready to sell and ready to wear 
7. I've learned to just follow what you like and you can make an impact by just putting stuff out there 

BEGINNINGS

how will an adventurous lifestyle full of traveling and "doing something cool" help me begin a new chapter of my life? The question is how will it not? As soon as I have no true obligations such as school, meaning this summer, I am a free bird! I literally get to do whatever I want! And with that freedom, I will do a lot of cool things. My lifestyle will be changed completely for the good. I will be happier and it will be the start to a new chapter.

RANDOM FOOD FOR THOUGHT

After much consideration and thought on this topic, I have decided to again tweak and add to my masterpiece. So as it originally started, it was all about traveling! This was because I had recently had the opportunity to travel and fell in live with the way it made me feel and everything I got to experience because of it. Because one can not always jump on a plane and fly anywhere they want, (well in my case at least) I wanted to make my masterpiece something that I could be doing right now. So then I added adventure to my topic! Anything that seemed adventurous or new to me. This was totally achievable for me at the present moment! Now to make it even more broad, I am adding the topic of "doing something cool". This is stemmed off my favorite instagram page that is truly about trying things and exploring and doing rad things. It's all about enjoying life in the present moment with an open mind to try new things and fully be engaged in whatever thing you are doing at that moment. It is truly a way of life and I am totally about that life. So with these three things in full effect for my masterpiece I know that my final project will be nothing less than awesome.

CONNECTIONS

It is so crazy that this is the assignment today because just yesterday I was thinking this exact same thing. How many things throughout my day give me that "instant travel bug". Talking to Jared Perry yesterday was one thing that inspired me. Now together, we are going to scheme up a plan to "do something cool". This stems off the oh-so inspirational instagram page I follow that truly tells people to live life and do cool things in your life. Do what makes a better story. These two connections within one day made me want to get out there and do things! Then later, when babysitting and talking to this little girls mom who is from Germany, she offered me to come stay with her family anytime I want. Just another connection is exactly what I needed in my life now! I have never felt so content and happy in life!!! :)

DESIGN

it can be a difficult thing for a student to wrap their head around that they are supposed to design a course or pathway to benefit them in their learning experience.  These teachers who have gone to school for years and studied to benefit us are supposed to design a curriculum for us. They have had the experience of school before us and should know what is the best. Now, a teacher is telling us, the students, to make our learning experience better. I am not exactly sure how this is possible. By throwing out an idea, I came up with the people around me. However, you can't fix other people. What I mean by this though is that the people around me are never on task, always talking, and not motivated. It is hard for one to be fully committed to such work or even focused when people around you are constantly messing up your own motivation.

FIVE STEPS

Over break I spent my time on my masterpiece by...
1. Reviewing my favorite blogs. This gives me an idea of what the travel world followers like to see so that I can present things they want to see as well.
2. I personally "traveled" for my mom's birthday. This reminded me of the "travel bug" I get when I get to go places.
3. I read Brooke Saward's story of how she accomplished what I wish to do
4. I took note of the little things in each moment spent not in my hometown
5. I watched travel vlogs and put together my own

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

     My initial thoughts on this article was, "Why would we be reading on how to raise a child?" But as the article went on, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that this article made you take a deeper look on something that many people think comes so naturally. Parenting. It's supposed to get easier with experience right? Well, in some aspects this may be true such as learning the better products for your child. However, who says a first time parent can't be just as good as a parent on their sixth child. I feel like with this article's help, you can raise your child to be "morally good" with the help of understanding a few differences in how to react to your child's behavior.

IN SEARCH FOR THE POSITIVE

LOOK AT MY BRAIN

Traveling. How does this reflect on my brain? Traveling fulfills my soul. Being in a different spot, hearing the different languages spoken as I walk along an unfamiliar street, breathing the brisk air of a foreign country, eating the food from a local bakery. These small things that others take for granted while traveling are the things I thrive on the most and take full advantage of. My passion for traveling shows how creative my mind can be and how simple I can make things. While traveling, my souvenirs were things like receipts, flyers from shops, and thrift store finds. I enjoy these simple pleasures in life.

PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS

Our chat in class today ended very productively and on such a positive note. I felt empowered leaving the class room to do more for my project and I am sure I am not the only one. I feel the class talking like this should be done more often so more people can come forward and begin to pitch ideas or even problems and get tons of feedback in response.

RAISING DIGITAL AWARENESS

• Why is it important to draw visitors to your site?

Drawing visitors to your site creates a purpose for your writing. Though writing for pure enjoyment is also nice at times, your work being used and valued on top of that on a regular basis has its perks as well. By drawing visitors to your site, you as the writer get this satisfaction.

• How are you currently addressing visitors' needs on your blog/s?

I am currently addressing my visitors' needs on my blog by posting frequently about sites they can/should check out for tips on traveling. This includes everything from the cheapest times to travel to how to pack a carry on luggage to get the maximum outcome! I feel if someone is generally interested in traveling these things are quite helpful.

• What steps can you take to improve the value of your site for visitors?

What I can do now is continue to post daily on resources because I have really been slacking lately in that area of my site. Followers, fear not, more to come. 

• What do you think is more important in general: digital tools or human ideas/interaction?  Why?

I believe both digital tools and human ideas/interactions play a huge role in todays society and therefore neither is more important. They coincide in the success of a project. With technology today, our resources have expanded greatly and we are capable of achieving so much more than before. However, what are resources without the idea to fuel them. Without human interaction and ideas, your chances of using the resources for good become slim.

preview of coming attractions

Today I decided to combine my masterpiece with something that will make my project more feasible and exciting for that matter. I decided to make my masterpiece traveling/adventure. This way I can do some awesome local things that may be unknown to others!

LIT ANALYSIS

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
Chocolat begins with the arrival of Vianne and her young daughter to a small village in France. This village is strictly and strongly catholic where everyone goes to mass on Sundays. Vianne is the only one who decides to not go. Her resistance for the religion and her opening of a chocolate shop in the center of the town during lent set the plot as conflict unwinds between the mayor and Vianne.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
Enjoy yourself! That is the theme in simple terms. What Joanne wanted to capture in her novel is the simple theme of living life for yourself and not to please people around you. What truly matters in life is your happiness. Carpe diem! ;)
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The author's tone was strong to illustrate Vianne's personality as well as the overall theme. Because of the author's tone, reader's were able to capture the true depth and meaning of just how strong of a message the author was trying to get across. To illustrate this, " You don't misbehave here. It's just not done, did you know that? If you don't go to confession, if you don't... dig your flowerbeds, or if you don't pretend, if you don't pretend... that you want nothing more in your life than to serve your husband three meals a day, and give him children, and vacuum under his ass, then... then you're... then you're crazy."  "Roux: I should probably warn ya: you make friends with us, you make enemies with everyone else.
Vianne Rocher: Is that a promise?
Roux: It's a guarantee."
"Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive."

SEEKING MENTOR

My mentor has qualities of a great writer. She has the power to attract someone instantly in her first line of an article. Of course her destinations draw people in as well but a destination is nothing if you don't know anything about it. Her courage to do what she is doing I also admire.  The fact that she embarked on a year long of traveling by herself is amazing. This gal is none other than Brooke Saward of worldofwanderlust.com
check it out!

RESOURCE OF THE LAST 3 DAYS

For the last 3 days, Travel Channel has had a 3 part series on European countries. I clearly couldn't reflect on this before I finished watching, but now it's safe to say that I can. This was an amazing video diary of all the European countries. They covered the landscapes, the best cities, and the tourist spots as well as the local spots.

IS THERE AN EXPERT IN THE HOUSE?

My expert as mentioned many times before is Brooke Saward. She is truly an amazing person for the courage she has to do what she is doing at the moment. She was just awarded International Skyscanner travel blog of the year! Her blog was barely made a little over a year ago. The tremendous amount of success she has had has been astounding. What she is doing now is she embarked on a full year of traveling, by herself, and is taking one town, city, and country one day at a time. She is meeting people along the way via social media and is living her ultimate dream. She is one person I really look up to and admire. I pick her and emphasize on her because in a way she is just like me. She is still very young, and here she is, a go-getter which is how I view myself.

THIS IS ONLY A TEST

How does my masterpiece affect a potential career and then how does it differ from my true life passion? Like discussed in class, there are 2 kinds of tests; school tests, and this is where we as students are ATM'S in which the teacher deposits information throughout the course and on test days withdrawals it, and then there are life tests. Life test are the one's where we can draw on an experience and we really learn something. So in this masterpiece, I need to have both types of tests in a sense. However, we do not get the typical school test in expository composition. Anyways, back to my original question. This masterpiece could turn into a career if I wanted it to. It can transform itself into a full time, freelance journalism of my choice, and that is how I can make a living later in life. But, my passion is in fact traveling. So as I am traveling, and seeing everything there is to see, I am really pursuing a passion. My masterpiece could be a simple hobby of which I take up, or I can turn it into so much more. This really excites me to think of the possibilities.

MY EXPERT

My expert is someone who really inspired me to pursue travel journalism. My form of journalism will be a blog just as Brooke Saward did. She started her blog a little over a year ago and has had TREMENDOUS success. She has devoted herself fully to this and is enjoying her life greatly as you can see through her social media sights (i.e. instagram, twitter) as well as her daily posts on her blog. www.worldofwanderlust.com I am still waiting for a reply from her as to check out my blog, but I have made my step in the right direction.

RESOURCES TO CONSIDER

http://www.bunac.org
Here is a site you can go to to consider a great opportunity that can help you travel. Through this organization your traveling is paid for and you get to go to another country and do a great thing.
http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/timing-your-trip
Here you can see when is the best time to travel and why! This is great if you are trying to save money!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gogobot-/the-worlds-best-summertim_b_3473679.html
In this article, it tells you the best places to visit if you are going in summer and why they are amazing. I found it quite helpful!
http://www.macworld.com/article/2045191/what-to-do-and-not-to-do-when-traveling-overseas-with-apple-gear.html
This girl helped all of us fellow travelers out by telling reader's the do's and don'ts while traveling abroad.

Resource of the day.

This is almost as good as a joke of the day.
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/11-06/get-paid-to-travel-best-jobs-that-combine-work-and-travel.html
here if you are a desiring traveler and want to be paid for it you can find multiple jobs that you could pursue to still travel and get paid to do so. Check it out.

MY AWESOME ESSAY

This in class essay went very well for me. Going into it I expected to have writer's block. After all it was really early in the morning. However, it was quite the opposite. My thoughts continued to flow out throughout the period which ended up forming a well organized, content filled essay. I had great information to present and I defended my points! Overall you will be impressed.

I, ENTREPRENEUR

(a) how the expert you designed the 10 questions for is or isn't an entrepreneur according to how we defined it in class; 
My expert, Samantha Brown, isn't necessarily an entrepreneur because she works for company, that being the Travel Channel. However, in a way she built her own career up and got her to where she is now, so I feel she is an entrepreneur of her own career.
(b) how you are or are not an entrepreneur according to how we defined it in class; and 
I think I can be an entrepreneur with my project in a way. Though I don't have a product to offer people, I have information that could make some people's lives easier. For example, if people are looking for travel advice and they come to my future blog and find all kinds of helpful information, then I just gave someone information. If this were to happen, I believe I would be an entrepreneur because I would have a business in which I help others. 
(c) how this culture associates expertise with entrepreneurship, and how you think this idea should be reinforced or changed.
I feel like this culture makes entrepreneurship's about money and about who you know, not what you know. It does make the process easier, but these things do not define a successful entrepreneur. Someone without these resources can just as easily do this, and it has been done hundreds of times. 

TEN QUESTIONS

1. What made you want to pursue this career?
2. Had you traveled before this career?
3. How did you start out?
4. What was your major in college?
5. Did you start out with money?
6. Were you an instant success?
7. If now, how did you work your way up?
8. Do you still enjoy your career?
9. What advice do you have for a young mind in pursuit?
10. What can I do to get a jump start?

HOW TO GET STARTED

Start by exploring your options. How can you travel? Do you know anyone in different countries? Do you have a flexible schedule to travel. Keep in mind all the cheap ways to travel including staying in hostels, flying standby, and going to countries known for being cheaper (check out Prague). Can you stay for a long period of time? Do you want other people to hear about your trip via social media? Ask yourself these questions and see how you can get stared traveling.

BENCHMARK read onnnn....

Tiana McMann

Expos Comp Per.1

March 6, 2014

Why do people even have an interest in traveling? What about it makes it so interesting? Through much research through blogs, Huffington post writers, and world renowned travelers, I have come to know the positives and pitfalls of traveling. Many people have discovered that traveling has changed them greatly and has evolved them into something they wouldn't have expected, for the better. But how is this possible? Like all things that make us happy, there is always the question of how.  Of course, there are situations where people have to travel. In this digital age, it can be mandatory for jobs, family, etc.. In 2008, only 30 percent of trips over fifty miles were done for business. New science papers have found that getting away is actually essential. It can truly clear your mind by simply putting yourself some miles away from your own reality. I am interested, along with many others I am sure, as to why people travel, and what better way to know why this is none other than doing it yourself. I was quite fortunate enough to recently embark on my own solo journey so I feel I can add my two cents to this subject! 

RESOURCE

If you are looking to travel, and to do so for cheaper then normal, a good place is to start is by looking for naturally cheap countries. This site I came across presents readers' with 6 of the world's cheapest destinations and tells you how! Check it out at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/worlds-cheapest-destinations_n_4170896.html

Resource YO

http://nomadicsamuel.com/motivation/how-to-create-a-successful-travel-blog-in-your-first-year-of-blogging
This guy started a blog with failure not being an option. With this in mind, he came to become successful with it. He then created a page telling his reader's all about how he did it.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS

FICTION ANALYSIS

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
In the book Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, two best friends, Scarlett and Halley's friendship is put to the test. While Scarlett is the more popular, outgoing one, and Halley the sidekick, things change when Scarlett ends up pregnant. Now Halley steps up when Scarlett really needs her and acts as the main go-to girl rather then just the sidekick.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
The them of this book is you never know who is going to step up and be the solid foundation in your life. That is my interpretation of this novel but I feel like there were many more that could easily fit.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The authors tone was meaningful and cheerful when speaking of the girl's friendship, yet serious and heartfelt when speaking of Scarlett's recent life mishaps like the pregnancy and her boyfriend dying. 

SUPER 5

Brooke Saward

Samantha Brown

Anthony Bourdain

Alden Jones
Aaron Smith

All 5 of these people, with exceptions the the last two, I have known of for awhile and have come to greatly admire. Brooke is probably a person I can look to most because she is still young, and has started the same journey as what I wish to do. She became very successful and is now traveling for a year straight. How amazing is that? The last two people on this list, Alden Jones and Aaron Smith I have just found and look forward to getting to know. Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain are world renowned travelers that have their own show. That is the ultimate success. I can look to them as professionals.

MY TEAM

• Get to know everyone in the room and discover what they're working on.
• Find ways to share content, experiences, contacts, and skills.
• Identify five people as your "go to" support system (Note: you will eventually include Members in all 608 classes, but start with people in your class today)-- this will become the core of your peer network.  Besides providing immediate help and reinforcement, it will give you a foundation to work with as you expand.
• Consider what/who else you need in your network
• Take notes on it all so you can do the HW easily (or simply write your notes on a device and upload in a post to your course blog)

In my team, I find that by looking on the list of what everyone is doing in 0 period and 1st, I see that some people in 1st period which would be of great help to me. In this class however, I would say Jared, Maria, Shane, and Gabi. These people can, in some way, help me. Even if it is just another person's idea, I know that would be valuable. In my network I really need a photographer or videographer. 

WELCOME TO MY NETWORK

In this project, I am pursuing my dream of traveling. While I travel, I would like to document what I am seeing, doing, eating, and learning. This is why I want to start a blog about traht of enriching myself culturally along with many other things while truly enjoying myself!While I travel, I would like to document what I am seeing, doing, eating, and learning. This is why I want to start a blog about traveling. If anyone has this same passion and wants to join this process, let's do it.

MASTERPIECE ESSAY #1

For my topic for this first essay on traveling, I decided I want to write about my experiences while traveling. Within this topic I will have much to write about including how I felt being in a new, unfamiliar place, the language barrier, the culture difference, and all the good and bad that came with traveling, more good then bad ;) Coming soon so stay tuned!
        Not all who wander are lost. And this may be true for some, but I think I am lost. However, I am in a good type of lost. I am pleasantly lost. If you want to know what this means refer back to my post called pleasantly lost! I feel like I am having a mid-life crisis as a teenager because all I can think about is literally doing nothing but traveling. Is this acceptable as an adult? If I were to answer this question myself I would say yes because of all the positive, enriching qualities you gain while traveling.
        What types of enriching qualities am I talking about? Think of walking through a street, not understanding a word anyone is saying, but smiling because you realized you are actually somewhere other than your small hometown. This exact feeling happened for me when I went to Vienna, Austria and Turin, Italy about two months ago. I would say the language barrier is a difficult thing to manage at first; trying to communicate at a restaurant, to get directions, or just meet new people. It can be quite frustrating, but with the right tools, you can overcome this obstacle. With technology these days, you can download one of hundreds of translating apps right to your smart phone or device. If you are not a tech type of person, buy a simple book and think of it as an investment in your happiness ;).  To touch on my experience a bit, the language difference I found as a beautiful thing. First of all, hearing a different language constantly spoke around me, especially since it is deemed "the language of love" (Italian), I was enthralled to just listen and absorb what was around me. Everything you experience that is different from what you are used to, you will find either amazing or overwhelming but it is all apart of the experiences!
       Now, imagine driving through a city, town, or even the tiniest village and turning your head from side to side trying to see everything there is to see. When in a different place from your normal habitat, everything is new! The architecture, streets, and even the people. Just sight seeing you can gain so much enriching information. As a tourist you can easily learn about the architectural styles of the time period, religion of the region, and the influences of the area as well. While roaming the streets of Europe, I was excited to be walking on cobblestone and marble streets. This tiny perk that cost no money at all is what I found most exciting. Because this was a deviation from my normal, I found it intriguing! My advice on traveling somewhere new is to really enjoy the little thing! They go a long way and they are free! You can really save money by simply walking through the city and looking at everything there is to see! Through this, as well, you can gain so much.
      What is one thing we do at least 3 times a day? Eating! The food in new countries is a "delicious" aspect and discovery of your journey. I highly recommend trying EVERYTHING even if you may think it may sound weird. Some things you will find to really love! I sure did! Within cultures you will find so much different food. Some of which you never even thought would be good! Don't let the weird foods that we may not be used to freak you out. This aspect is all part of the great experience of trying new things. Try foods that are in street markets, indulge in a restaurant at least once, and if you can, meet someone from the region who can cook a traditional meal for you! Lucky enough for me, I got to enjoy all three of these differently prepared foods. My favorite was the street markets; walking along the city, deciding your hungry, and buying some warm, fresh chestnuts. Here in California, chestnuts is not a normal thing to eat and you sure don't find anyone roasting them and selling them on the street. I think this is why I enjoyed it so much. It was totally different from what I could have gotten back home and I took full advantage of that.
       To touch on my experience of meeting people, I think that meeting people where you are is hugely important. By meeting people, you are even further immersed into a real countries culture. After all, they are locals so they do know, and can show you, what is normal for citizens like them. To do this, you really can't be shy. It truly does take a certain type of person to travel. You have to be willing to be open!

VOCAB #4

jigger- rearrange or tamper with
liaison- communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations.
propensity- an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
predilection- a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.
denature- take away or alter the natural qualities of.
bourgeois- of or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.
status quo- the existing state of affairs, esp. regarding social or political issues.
neurotic- suffering from, caused by, or relating to neurosis.
tenet- a principle or belief, esp. one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy.

ardor- enthusiasm or passion.

affluent- having a great deal of money; wealthy.

discern- perceive or recognize something.

masticate- chew

halcyon- denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.

pejorative- expressing disapproval.

stentorian- (of a person's voice) loud and powerful.

furtive- secretly.

covert- not openly acknowledged or displayed.

ensconced- establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe, or secret place.

enmity- the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

RESOURCES WEEK 3

globalfreeloaders.com
couchsurfing.org
travelhacking.org
ciee.org/teach
hecktictravels.com

PEER REVIEWS

1. Shane Cheverez- Shane has a simple background so you as a reader are not too distracted. Knowing what assignments were required, I know that all his posts are up to date. Also his vocabulary usage is very good so I know this is quality content.
2. Malik Pope- Malik adds his personality to his blog by uploading a picture of him playing football. This brings his readers closer to him. His posts aren't as up to date as they should be, but the one's that he has seem to have been done with value and quality.
3.Valentina Alvarado- Her blog seemed to have all the elements! The only thing I would say is the hundreds of colored fonts takes away from the actual meaning of the writing. However, her blog is up to date and all done with great pride.
4. Maria Luna- Maria's blog has a cool aspect and it's that she included pictures of her own writing on paper! In my opinion, that is a very personal touch to add! It's awesome! Her blog is also clear to understand and large print for easy to read reading.
5.Erik Santos- Erik's background draws attention to that mostly! It feels like you can tell what kind of person he is by his background! However, he is far behind on posts and it doesn't look like he has posted anything this semester. He needs a little push from his classmates!

VOCABULARY #2

presumably- likely, reasonably
After much evidence, this is presumably the answer.
acculturation- adjustment to a culture
After a month of living in Italy, I finally began to acculturate.
red eye- an over night or late-night flight on a commercial plane.
I flew red eye to Europe.
kvetch- a person who complains a lot
After a two hour phone call of how horrible her life was, it was safe to say she was a kvetch.
philomath- a lover of learning
It is a good thing to be a philomath while traveling because you can learn a lot.
intrepid- fearless, adventurous
From traveling the world, I am now intrepid.
freelance- working for different companies at different times rather then being employed by one company.
I am working as a freelancer now. I have worked for 10 magazines.
pretentious- attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
The pretentious teacher talked for an hour about their life.
modicum- a small quantity of a particular thing, esp. something considered desirable or valuable.
The modicum of trinkets filled my suitcase.
uninitiated- without special knowledge or experience
Many people claim to know the answer but really they are just uninitiated.
nomad- a member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock.
The nomad has been to all of the European countries.
discrepancy- a lack of similarity or compatibility between 2 or more facts.
There has been a discrepancy between my mom and I about my plans.
relegating- consign or dismiss to an inferior position.
The king relegated the prince to a servant.
eradicated- depicted with the roots exposed.
The tree was eradicated.
retrospect- a survey of a past course of events or period of time
I retrospected on my past year of traveling.
meandering- follow a windy course.
I meandered along the yellow brick road.
undulating- move with a smooth, wave like motion
While surfing, I always undulate.
rejiggered- organize something differently
When that happened, I had to rejigger my plans.

RESOURCES #2

1. At this site, I received valuable information on how to successfully enter into the online world, how I should go about these steps in the most effective ways, and how to go about it all with a right attitude. All this from a professional, "been there, done that" person. This website helped me to create a plan for my future blog.

http://rhhbschool.com/?orid=6907&opid=106&sid=ytbvid1

2. This site I found today is a site where people looking for writers can post exactly what they need written. Members can then "bid" on these and submit their work. Many of these posting are about traveling which is perfect for me. You also get paid for your work. Sounds like a winner and a great way to get started.
freelancer.com
3. On this site, I found a guy who has traveled around the world and back. He shared the 20 things he has learned while traveling and his knowledge has really helped me. If I took one piece of valuable advice, it would be him sharing the two cheap airlines at which he flew across Europe 7 times for $120. I can travel across Europe for very cheap and this was very useful for me! Of course, who doesn't want to save money!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clayton-b-cornell/traveling-around-the-world_b_4065797.html
4. Jack and Jill provide exotic places, places least traveled to, and adventurous twist to a normal vacation. They document their crazy times with amazing, breath taking pictures as well as descriptions and tips for places traveled. If you consider going somewhere, check this  blog first.
jackandjilltravel.com
5.

WITH HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

If I had someone who would love to travel, and not just a one time travel either, and has some camera skills, that would greatly benefit me! Someone who could record our journey and edit them into awesome vlogs. Doing it by myself would be kind of difficult as opposed to having someone follow with a camera. Also, if anyone can design a sick blog, it would be very helpful to me. After all, in the online world a first impression is what you need, and those only take 3 seconds to make. This being said, the design and content is really what will get traffic.

WELCOME TO INTERDISCIPLINITARLY

Traveling brings forth so many topics. While you are traveling, or thinking of traveling, there are SO many things to factor in. Within my topic of traveling, I have come across the hundreds of different languages, the hundreds of different cultures, ways of traveling, and while on the topic of that, there is flying and when is the best time to fly, purchase your tickets, and flight patterns. This is not all. You also have the time differences whether it is solely going across the US, or if going abroad. There is different styles of architecture in different countries, or ample amount of history within your region of travel. There are customs within each country to know, for example in the US we tip for certain services where as many countries can't even fathom the idea. There are so many subtopics within my big idea of traveling that this list could go on for pages and it would branch into a large oak tree. However, I would like to keep this short and sweet, just long enough so you get the idea.

RESOURCES 1

1. I turned to this site for professional experience. Here you can take classes specifically for travel journalism. This includes photography, writing, and video.
Matadoru.com
2. A source I turned to was Samantha Brown. She is one of the most know travel show hosts. You can find her on the Travel Channel. By reading her story and her journey, I have been able to compare her life to how mine could be.
http://samantha-brown.com
3. I came across an awesome blog of a girl who pursued this field as a career and has succeeded and is still on her road to success. I follow her blog daily and see all the places she has been and see how she blogs about it. She provides true inspiration.
worldofwanderlust.com
4. A website that has helped make my travels come true is aupair.com. This site has been such a help because here I can talk with families from all around the world and talk of potentially live with them and nanny for them.
aupair.com
5. Another blog that has helped me greatly was ytravelblog.com. Here it gave me the idea of becoming an au pair and other helpful tips of how to save money while traveling.
ytravelblog.com
6. This is another blog of which is a great help. Not only does it show you ways to travel as well as where to travel, but it also gives a perspective of how traveling can change your mind. It also shows you other ways of thinking that you may have not seen before.
refinethemind.com
7. Along with aupair.com, I made a profile on aupair-world.net. This is a similar site as au pair where you make a profile and get matched with families as to which you can live with.
aupair-world.net
8. On this godsend of a site, members can share their travels with pictures and description. It really gives you a peak at what blogging is like. On the site, it describes it as "Triptease is a place where people save and share the best of their travel. Putting images front and centre, they capture what it was really like." You can also follow people!
triptease.com
9. By watching vlogs on Youtube, I have been able to see how people feel about their traveling, what places to potentially go, local secrets, and even I am able to see what people like to hear about traveling.
Youtube.com
10. On this blog, the publisher tells great tips for how to travel full-time for a year for cheap. Websites with tips like these from experienced people is such a great help because it brings my dreams to reality.
iwillteachyoutoberich.com
11. A show recently debuted on The Travel Channel called The Trip 2014 really interested me and made me have a huge desire to visit Spain. I showed me all the adventure out there and it also showed me how the professionals succeed at what they do. View it at:
http://www.travelchannel.com/sweepstakes/the-trip
12. Last, but surely not least is Instagram. Through Instagram, I have met many people aspiring to do the same thing as I have. I have contacted them in interest of collaborating and have gained some solid feedback and tips from these contacts.
Instagram.com

YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER...

But I'm not the only one. Who else is out there that has the same passion as me, traveling and wanting to publicly broadcast your travels through a blog, vlog, etc.? If you are reading this, let's collaborate and facilitate this process together!

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE: Philip Seymour Hoffman

I must truly say that Russell Brand's articulate words and the composition of them amazed me. He took a topic so deeply affected by so many and created a general conclusion that many people can then stop and think "Wait, this sounds like it's right." It's because it is. He explained addiction in terms that everyone can understand. He marked it as a "Addiction is a mental illness around which there is a great deal of confusion, which is hugely exacerbated by the laws that criminalise drug addicts." When reading that, readers take a second and think it over twice. Brand did a great job of capturing people's attention and then making them reconsider their presumptions. He tied all this in with Philip Seymour Hoffman which was tragic and Russell touched on this. Russell Brand was the best person to write this type of essay considering his circumstances as well. Read it here: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/06/russell-brand-philip-seymour-hoffman-drug-laws?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email

LAUNCH PAD

What am I passionate about and what do I want to do? When one is given the freedom to really think of what they dream of doing, many ideas start to form. My idea kind of came to me right away. I decided I would LOVE to travel. To many people it seems unrealistic to travel the world, blog about it, and eventually make money. It seems absurd and expensive. But, people laughed when they heard the draft plan of the first cell phone. I know this can be done with hard work and time. I know if I dedicate myself enough I can make this happen. How can I use tools from this course? Networking will be a huge part of this process. First I will need to reach out to experts or people who have started this process. Then, after debuting my blog specifically for traveling, I will need to network and get the word out so people can start following and viewing it. The internet will provide a HUGE resource for me. What better way of networking then reaching 8 billion people with a couple clicks? By June to be successful, I want to have a clear plan of where I am traveling and when. I want to potentially have a job in another country (au pair) or a possible college to attend. I want to have clear plans set. I also may want to have a blog up and ready for posts to be made as I start making my journeys. I believe this will not only please me, but others who have doubts. People will start to see my plan clearly for themselves, just as I am as well. Completing these takes will really take this dream to a real potential to be had. I have already contacted many people in the process. I have emailed people about collaboration, I have supporters just within my classes, and I want to reach out to renowned travel bloggers to facilitate this process for me. As of right now, I am one step in the process in that I officially know how I will start my travels. My next step is making this "know how" into a "is happening" which I am also in the process of. More to come! Follow me on my journey.

Pleasantly Lost...

As I get deeper into this project, I sit here thinking of a potential name for my project and a future blog to broadcast my travels including pictures and some journalism. I have though for a while and when you think of traveling, you think of different cultures, new languages, and unfamiliar places! In a sense, you start out lost. However, how great is being lost in a beautiful surrounding, engulfed in a beautiful culture. You are pleasantly lost! And that's where the title is derived from. In this project of "Pleasantly Lost", I am pursuing something I have always dreamed to do. I have always envied the people with this job. This is travel journalism.

My Vocabulary #1

Au pair- a young foreign person who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board.
I want to be an au pair in Switzerland.
Wanderlust- a strong desire to travel
I am wanderlust.
Indicative- serving as a sign or indication of something
The students not doing their homework was indicative that they were lazy.
Presumption- an act of taking something to be true
In the argument I presumed that's what you did
Keen- having or showing eagerness about something
I was keen about the idea.
Resiliency- ability to spring back into shape.
The resiliency of the girl after knee surgery was amazing.
Incognito- having one's true identity concealed
The American spy was incognito.
Prerequisite-a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.

In order to become a physical therapist, I need to complete my prerequisites.

Coherent- logical and consistent
The lesson today was coherent.
Emulate- match or surpass, typically by imitation
I emulated my sisters grades.
Ludicrous- so foolish, out of place, or unreasonable as to be amusing.
The joke was so ludicrous, everyone laughed awkwardly.
Disarray- disorganized
My desk was in a disarray.
Standby- readiness for duty
The soldier was on standby
Sui generis- unique
Many cultures are described as Sui Generis.
Opprobrium- harsh criticism
She spoke of my work with opprobrium.
Abjure- to reject
I abjured to the offer.
Approbation- praise
I received approbation for the discovery.
Diffident- shy
When traveling, one must not be diffident.
Promulgate- to make known
There was no need to promulgate the secret.
Manifold- diverse
Different cultures provide manifold foods.

VOCAB #4 SPRING

accolade-
an award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit. 
Being employee of the month was an accolade

acerbity-
a sharp bitterness
The old lady acted acerbity.
attrition-

the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure.
The attacker caused attrition on my body.

bromide-
a trite and unoriginal idea or remark, typically intended to soothe or placate.  
He spoke in bromides to help.
chauvinist- 
 a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
Many Americans are chauvinist.
chronic-
persisting for a long time or recurring
The disease was chronic
expound- 
present and explain an idea or theory systematically and in detail
The student explained metaphysics in an expound manner.
factionalism-
the splitting of a group into fractions
The teacher used factionalism to make the groups for the project.
immaculate- 
perfectly clean, neat, or tidy esp. person or their clothes
She dressed immaculately for the interview.
imprecation-
a spoken curse
The witch spoke imprecations.
ineluctable-
unable to be resisted
Chocolate is often ineluctable.
mercurial-
subject to unexpected changes of mood or mind
A bipolar person is said to be mercurial.
palliate-
make a disease less severe without removing the cause
The antibiotic helped palliate my disease.
protocol-
the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions.
The protocol was only a draft.
 resplendent-
attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous
The painting was resplendent.
stigmatize-
describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval
After failing at the job, the new employee was stigmatized.
sub rosa-
happening or done in secret
Students cheat in sub rosa.
vainglory-
inordinate pride in one's self or one's achievements
This one girl is always vainglory about winning the competition.
vestige-
a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists
We found vestige dinosaur eggs.
volition-
the faculty or power of using one's will
Teachers volition their power in the classroom.

HAFTA/WANNA

Is there a difference between life after high school and life in high school? Well, why did Dr. Preston pick this title? Did he already know what many responses would be? Or did he himself sincerely think one you have to attend, while one you want to attend. High school is a weird time and that is for certain. You are entering in and you are still kind of young and innocent, but you are surrounded by these large people, many of them 18. It's a crucial time in the development of many. Academic wise, we start each year by saying "Oh, this is the year, I'm going to try really hard," then the week after that, us high schoolers are back to the same shenanigans. It is true that maybe high school is a "have to" for many students because, well without it, your success will definitely not be in your career. It's mandatory to at least complete high school. Then senior year ends, and you are a free bird. Well, kinda. In a sense you get to choose what you want to do next. Military, trade school, universities, or nothing. This is the "want to" stage. People ask you what do you want to be when you're older? They ask this because your future is completely up to you. Life after high school is what you want to do. You can legally be on your own, make your own decisions if you want, and sign your own legal documents (I am assuming many of us are 18 when we graduate). The possibilities are out there and it's up to you what you want to do. In high school, students have required classes, day to day routines, and no flexibility in their schedules. This is where the difference is. After high school, essentially it's up to you to make the decision. There can be potentially no one telling you what to do.

SPRING LIT ANAL 1

1.
In "The Five People you Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom, Eddie, a very elder man works at a boardwalk fair. It is where he has been his whole life. As a child, to play, and now to maintain the rides. Right away the story jumps to "the end" or so Albom calls it. Eddie dies while trying to save a young girl from getting pummeled by a falling ride. Then, the story changes from real life, to Eddie's after life. It takes readers on a journey as to what it is like. How it is in the story is Eddie meets five people from his life who have died already that either impacted his life or he impacted theirs. He meets The Blue Man, Captain, his father, Ruby, and Margerite. I think the narrative fulfills the author's purpose of writing the book well. The author knows that there is no way to know for sure what happens after you die, so he creates a fictional story of how his Uncle Eddie's life after death is.
2.
The theme of this fiction novel I believe is that there are no random acts. In a sense everything does happen for a reason. If some things didn't happen, Eddie wouldn't have lived, for example Captain shooting his leg to save him from a fire. Or the fact that Eddie actually killed The Blue Man second handed. These things all happened for a reason and you see that as the story gets further and further in.
3.
The authors main tone is gloomy. It makes sense since the main character has died and Albom is trying to capture the feeling of death and the whole process. For example, an excerpt from the book right after Eddie's death read "Eddie saw nothing of his final moments on Earth, nothing of the pier of the crowd or the shattered fiberglass. In the stories about life after death, the soul often flouts above the goodbye moment, hovering over police cars at highway accidents, or clinging like a spider to  hospital-room ceilings. These are the people who receive a second chance, who somehow, for some reason, resume their place in the world. Eddie, it appeared, was not getting a second chance." (pg. 20) It is clear that this is a sad passage talking of how Eddie doesn't get a second chance. "Now he began to drop, hurtling toward the surface. It was faster than anything he'd ever imagined, yet there wasn't as much as a breeze on his face, and he felt no fear. He saw the sands of a golden shore. Then he was under water." (pg. 22) This is also gloomy in that you are imagining a person falling out of the air and straight into the water. Lastly, an excerpt describing a moment in Eddie's life as a captured soldier in the Vietnam war. "The enemy soldiers screamed and poked them with bayonets. Eddie, Smitty, Morton, Rabozzo, and the Captain were herded down a steep hill, hands on their heads. Mortar shells exploded around them. Eddie saw a figure run through the trees, then fall in a clap of bullets." (pg. 66)
4.
Setting: The setting of the Ruby Pier is where Eddie's whole life took place. By referring back to Ruby Pier events, or people he met at Ruby Pier, like the Blue Man, the setting tied into the theme. The majority of the setting was also in heaven which clearly played a huge role in the story as Eddie met the five people there which is what the story about. This is where the theme was presented.
Conflict: The conflict between his father and him played an important role in the solidification of the theme because it showed Eddie here that this was supposed to happen and it taught him why it did happen.
Dialogue: Dialogue played a big role in how the author presented characters. A lot of direct characterization was made largely this way. You can see how this is important in introducing vital characters. The theme was also presented through dialogue.
Tone: The tone is this book was gloomy. When speaking of death and trying to present an overall feeling and theme, the tone was very important to capture this.
Theme: The theme created a sense of organization for the story. It seemed that once the theme was presented, then the story was made around it. It created clarity and connections for many parts.
Characterization: As mentioned below, the author uses indirect and direct characterization to convey the characters a certain way.
Symbolism: symbolism is used in the relationship of Eddie and his family. The birthday cake in the story largely symbolizes his family. Anytime Eddie had a flashback to his family, it was at his birthday surrounding a birthday cake.
Point of View: When Eddie meets his father in heaven, we are introduced to him from Eddie's point of view. The author does this to create a lasting impression on the father.
Imagery: When Eddie had just died, the author paints a picture in our minds by telling us metaphorically how the sky looked. For example, "The sky was a misty pumpkin shade...". This clearly paints a picture in readers minds.
Metaphor: Metaphors were used sparingly to create a better sense of imagery. For example, " The sky around him changed again, to grapefruit yellow, then a forest green...". This shows readers exactly what Eddie is experiencing.

CHARACTERIZATION
1.
Direct characterization:
 Eddie: At the beginning of the story, our first approach to Eddie was direct characterization. We became aware of Eddie's attributes by direct text the author gave us. There was no underlying meaning we were left to uncover. We became aware of his job, an approach to his past, and how his past formed his present characteristics. Some of these characteristics are quietness, reminiscent, and rough on the outside, yet gentle.
The blue man: When Eddie meets the first person in heaven, it is the Blue Man. Because Eddie barely remembers him because he only saw him once briefly at a fair, the Blue Man introduces himself to Eddie which then introduces him to us readers as well. The author did this purposely because the Blue Man played a vital part in not only the story as a whole, but introducing the premise and theme of the story as well. After all this is where the theme is introduced as well.
Indirect characterization:
Eddie: Although Eddie was introduced directly at the beginning of the story, throughout the remainder, hints and clues were indirectly characterizing Eddie as we read. Some we very apparent like when others spoke of him. But, many were unapparent as the author wrote of experiences with his father and how it affected him emotionally, or how Eddie was always stronger then his older brother and how that affected the relationship with his brother. Little pieces of Eddie were indirectly characterized.
Eddie's father: When Eddie meets his father in heaven, readers are introduced to his father merely by the exchange of conversation between Eddie and his father and Eddie's thoughts. There is no initial introduction to him to give readers any background. Eddie's father is characterized by Eddie's perception of him which is about as indirect as it gets. Reader's have one viewpoint on him and that is all.
2.
The author did use syntax and diction when he focused on a character. It really made the readers able to connect with a character easier. By his style of talk, we can get a better sense of who he is, where he's from, or what he likes. For example, "But, I gotta pay." (pg. 47) The word gotta is not a formal word. In this case, Eddie is concerned and throughout the passage, the diction is changed, like in the example listed, to show his concern.
3.
The protagonist, Eddie is dynamic. At the beginning of the story, we are introduced to him as a old, grumpy man who can't really be bothered. As the story progresses, Eddie also progresses. He goes from the grouchy, bitter man, to the evolving Eddie. By evolving I mean that as the story goes on, his mind and views are changing. He is evolving before reader's minds. With each person he met in heaven, he started to really think about a lot of things. He began to retrogress through his whole life and wish he could go back and change many things. Eddie goes from a sore man, to a solemn man by the end of the story.
4.
After reading this story, I did feel like I knew character's. Because Eddie is "meeting" these people in heaven, I felt like as he reanalyzed their role in his life, I was also learning and getting to know this character. For example there is the Captain. The Captain came from a long line of military family members. As the name implies, he was a Captain in the Army. While in war, he, along with Eddie and 3 other men were captured and held hostage by the enemy which was the Vietnam people at this time. The Captain always had a motto and it was to never leave anyone behind. He held true to this when Eddie wanted to save a person that actually wasn't there. Eddie was risking his life as flames engulfed him and would not leave until he found this person he claimed to see. To save his life the captain shot him in the leg and him and the other men got him in the car. While driving away, the Captain sacrificed his life while making sure the coast was clear. He had stepped on a land mine and was killed. Throughout this section of the book as the Captain explained the details even Eddie didn't know until then, I felt like I got to know him.

VOCAB #3 SPRING

apostate-
a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle.
 effusive-
expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner.
 impasse-
a situation in which no progress is possible, esp because of disaggreement
euphoria-
a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.
 lugubrious-
looking or sounding sad and dismal
bravado-
a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate  
consensus-
general agreementdichotomy-
a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.
 Gothic-
of or in the style of architecture prevalent in western Europe in the 12th–16th centuries, characterized by pointed arches, rib vaults, and flying buttresses, together with large windows and elaborate tracery.
 constrict-
make narrower
punctilio-
a fine or petty point of conduct or procedure. 
metamorphosis-
process of transformation from an immature for to an adult for in 2 or more distinct phasesraconteur-
a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing waysine qua non-
a thing that is absolutely necessaryquixotic-
exceedingly idealisticvendetta-
a blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on the murderer or the murderer's family.
 non sequitur-
a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow the previous conclusion or statementmystique-
a fascinating aura of mystery, awe, and power surrounding someone or somethingquagmire-
a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfootparlous-
full of danger or uncertainty

I, SENIOR PROJECT/FIRST DRAFT

I have decided my plan/project will be traveling, but furthermore a travel journalist, so I can turn this into a career. I can majorly use networking and collaboration as an advanced tool for this particular project. We worked heavily on this subject in the fall. What I can do by June to prove to myself and to others that I have succeeded or at least taken a huge leap in the right direction is to improve my writing, preform interviews, and start studying and summarizing other travel journalists like Samantha brown for instance.

LIFE AFTER...

My life after high school I see very prominent. I see it full of many new adventures. Really, everything I do will be adventurous because everything will be so new to me. What I wish to do, and am in the process of making happen, is studying abroad. The thrill of being somewhere so different is what drives me to do this. Being somewhere new is pretty easy, I could drive a couple hundred miles and be in a city where I've never been. However, living a whole different lifestyle is what I yearn to experience. Studying abroad is exactly how I can fulfill my wants. I want to study in Europe. The European lifestyle is so different which I have already experienced a short preview of it and love it. It is always so nice to have so many perspectives and experiences to be able to draw from. It truly does make a person more well rounded and more of an interesting person as well.

VISUAL STORYTELLING

Hollywood does a great job of making you feel emotions. Not only do they create a story a certain way, but they add to the story by incorporating hints or clues that we automatically recognize and associate with a certain emotion. Sometimes, this recognition can be so natural that we don't even realize it is happening. In Murder Ball, the filmmakers incorporate many extras to add the feeling at the moment. One technique they use is music. For example, I noticed when they were showing Mark and his girlfriend in the pool goofing off, they played cute music you would signify with a cute couple. This was to show that Mark was a normal guy with a normal relationship. Another technique they use is camera positioning. By this I mean where the camera is at a certain time. To explain this better, I can refer to the scene where Kieth is finally coming out of rehabilitation after 10 months. This is a very big day for him. When he is leaving the nurses give him a card. The camera at the moment stays focused on how Kieth is struggling to open the card. It emphasizes how hard recovery can be mentally and stressing here the physical aspect. Lastly, another key example of visual storytelling is showing the guy who has no limbs whatsoever. He is surrounded by kids who are asking him questions of which only kids who don't know any better would ask. This scene is setting up the stage for a triggered emotion within the audience. We as the viewers feel bad for this man not only for his condition, but also the awkward questions he is forced to answer.

VOCAB #2

accoutrements-additional items of dress or equipment, or other items carried or worn by a person or used for a particular activity.
The props were accoutrements.
apogee-the highest point in the development of something; the climax or culmination.
After my 13 years of schooling, applying for college is my apogee.
apropos-with reference to; concerning.
I have an apropos about the guidelines.
bicker-argue about petty and trivial matters.
My mom and I bicker often.
coalesce-come together and form one mass or whole.
The group after an hour of arguing finally agreed and formed a coalesce.
contretemps-an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence.
The death was a contretemps.
convolution-a coil or twist, esp. one of many.
The rod formed a convolution.
cull-select from a large quantity; obtain from a variety of sources.
The fruit I chose for the salad was a cull.
disparate-essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison.
There was no disparate to the tastes. This one was better by far.
dogmatic-inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
A teacher is known to be dogmatic.
licentious-promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.
It is not professional to be licentious in the work place.
mete-dispense or allot justice, a punishment, or harsh treatment.
My dad meted me after my wrongdoing.
noxious-harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant.
The drug is noxious.
polemic-a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.
Many critics can be polemic.
populous-having a large population; densely populated.
China is populous.
probity-the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
The probity of the church is high.
repartee-conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies.
A comedian responds in a repartee way.
supervene-occur later than a specified or implied event or action, typically in such a way as to change the situation.
The character supervened and changed the premise of the story.
truncate-shorten (something) by cutting off the top or the end.
I truncated my tree today.
unimpeachable- not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized; entirely trustworthy.
His character was unimpeachable.

PROFILE IN COURAGE

This move shown today in class took an unusual viewpoint than many movies I have seen. The premise was taking something of which many people viewed as a bad thing but made it have a positive outlook. Many people have impressions or ideas of how people in wheel chairs are: depressed, lazy, or mentally challenged. What this film showed viewers was exactly the opposite of that. It showed how these men, young and older, overcame adversities in their lives and still enjoyed themselves. This film showed viewers the courage that these men possessed and even obtained along their long and hard journey of recovery. It showed that courage is also individual. It depends solely on the person, their circumstances, their attitude, and personal wants and fears. This was just what I got from the first part of the movie. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I would like to finish it so I can have an even better response!

THE CHOICE

Absent and to be written!

VOCAB #1 PERFORMANCE REVIEW

My performance on the first ever vocabulary quiz of the spring semester was really well! I was absent the first week back so I missed the introduction to the words and a couple days of studying, but I caught up an was on the track to success in no time. I posted my words and made up for lacked time by studying right away. Later that day I decided to make flash cards to help the process and potentially make studying more convenient and easier. This did help and I was able to study with ease and efficiency. My only mistake on the test was caused from rushing because of my overconfidence on my knowledge. I made a silly mistake by writing the wrong word for the wrong number! If I slow things down, I will be fine!

VOCAB: SPRING 1

adumbrate
report or represent in outline
Before I start an essay, I adumbrate my ideas.
apotheosis 
climax
When the author explained the conditions, it was the apotheosis of the book.
ascetic 
practice of severe self-discipline from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Many Catholics can be described as ascetic as they follow each guideline in the Bible.
bauble 
small trinket
While in Italy, I bought many baubles.
beguile 
charm or enchant someone, sometimes in a deceptive way
The mistress beguiled the old man to marry her just for his money.
burgeon 
begin to grow or increase rapidly
With the new soil, my flowers burgeoned.
complement 
thing that completes perfection
The final touches on the house created complement.
contumacious 
stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority
Many toddlers are contumacious.
curmudgeon 
bad tempered person
Upon waking up way to early, the curmudgeon man was grumpy.
didactic 
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.
The colorful alphabet was meant to be didactic for the new learners.

HACKING MY EDUCATION

This metaphor had always been a bit confusing to me! How do you take a lesson that a trained professional gives you and ask to do it totally different? More than confusing, it is intimidating!! What if your personal way doesn't work. Learning is very personal! So maybe that is why we are supposed to "hack our education". We as the students know what is best for our learning capabilities. By changing and personalizing the curriculum, we can get ample knowledge. This thing is starting to sound more and more reasonable. The hard part is how do we do it, and better yet, how will your way work for 39 other people in the class. The best way to judge is by trying. First semester I never suggested a different way. However, I honestly didn't know a better way. I do very well at learning the way I am presented. When I come across a better way this spring semester, however, I will bring it to your attention Dr. Preston!

THE CHOICE

1. What is the "choice" referred to in the title?
The choice in this essay is the choice they give their daughter. Whether to drink the "poison" willingly, or whether the parents need to force her to drink it.
2. Is it a real choice?  Why/why not?  What is the alternative?
This choice is not really a choice at all. First, she has to drink the medicine either way. Secondly, the alternative is she dies if she doesn't take it.
3. Why does the author use the word poison in the first line?
The word poison adds a lot of emotion to the article. By appealing to emotion in the first line, the author has the reader hooked from the beginning.
4. The author's daughter wants to play with a toy that is intended for older kids.  Why?  Do you agree with her?  
She wants to play with a toy that is intended for older kids because she says she will not live to be that age. I agree with the fact that she has to play with it. Everyone should have something they have to do before they die.
5. If you thought you might not live to the age of 30 what would you want to do right now?
Right now, I would want to do things I have always been scared of doing. I would want to accomplish many big things in my terms.
6. Under what circumstances does it make sense to endure discomfort--or even force it on a loved one-- in service to a greater/more important cause?
I think it always makes sense until they are old enough (in her case) and wise enough to make the decision of whether they want to keep fighting and potentially suffer, or give up.
7. Is suffering a necessary condition of life and love?
Suffering is a necessary condition of life and love because through experiences which cause suffering, an individual may view things different, or become wiser in some way, or even become stronger as a person from this suffering.
8. Most readers don't share the author's circumstances, but we feel an emotional response to his words.  Why? 
Many feel emotion to his words because this girl is so young and hasn't had the opportunity to really enjoy life to its fullest. Also, in many cases, reader's can relate.