Article response 7: Dave Barry on college

 

 

I really enjoyed this article. I thought it was genuinely funny but at the same time informal. I mean I always knew that I NEVER wanted to major in something lame like math or chemistry, and i've always thought about majoring in English, but this just emphasized my wish. NOT DONE!

 

 



Book response...5? or 6?

 

I'll be completely honest here, never in my life have I really inquired to read a Nicolas Sparks books. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm a girl, and romance is cool and all, but PLAIN romance just ISNT my thing. Movies, books, anything with just PLAIN romance and NO real action or suspense is not a movie or book id like to take time on. Plain romance books and movies...are BORING...BORING...BORING and all about sex, sex, sex YEAH I SAID IT! But its true...and not only is sex not love, its not something I really care to fixate on. That's all Nicolas Sparks books were...including his movies...and they just were not my thing...or so I thought.

Friends can dare you to do silly things, including reading books that you otherwise wouldn't have second glanced at. Michele is a dear companion of mine, and she is quite a big fan of romance movies and books, especially N.S., Which I always knew. Book after book, she read and read, claiming that they were all soooo good. I of course never thought so (though I never took time to sit down and read one). Anyways, eventually she challenged me to read the latest N.S. book that she just finished reading, claiming that it was fantastic and that I would love it. I didn't believe her one bit, I thought that I would be SO bored and it would be HECK to get through...

but when I actually took the time to stop and read it, without a biased opinion of how much I would dread the novel, it was pretty good.

 I KNOW! SHOCK ME TOO!

 

Now there is a difference between Romance and Really cute gooshy gooshy cheesy romance that is cute and innocent. a Huge difference. This book so far has been really cute, and actually intriguing though it has been confusing. two different stories are taking place at once, and somehow...they intertwine and make sense at the end.

An old man(named Ira) has crashed his car on the side of a silent snowy road, unable to free himself, and hurt badly. Eventually his pain causes him to hallucinate, causing his deceased wife, Ruth (whom he loved most of all in life) to appear in the seat next to him in a ghostly young form. Through the book they talk to each other and you really just learn more about their life and who they were.

Then there's Sophia and lukes story, two young people who end up falling in love. Sophias a high class college girl and Luke is a good old country boy, who takes care of his family's HUGE acre farm and rides bulls on the side for a living. I haven't gotten really far in it so...like without getting into details that's pretty much how I would sum up whats happened so far. Sophia and luke meet at a party, as he ends up saving her from her scum bag ex, and they just hit it off. Somehow along the way Ira and Ruth will crash into their story but I don't know how..

gotta keep reading I guess...

Proposal for project 4

My area of interest is: Disney Princesses

My initial claim is: Disney princess movies teach  children that there is hope in the world, and as we grow up this hope gives us courage in our oncoming future. Also, each individual princesses and their stories have powerful lessons to teach kids, and inspire them to become great and powerful women.

Others might say: Disney princess movies are bad for the mind, giving children unrealistic interpretations of what the future holds, and happily ever after.

How this is significant/ What does this say about our culture: People all chose to raise their children in different ways, filling their minds with all sorts of morals and ideas that they feel is right.  Some parents challenge the idea that "children shouldn't watch unrealistical, magical, or fantastical, movies" because its "bad for their minds" or "teaches them false things about life" But, children need that sense of hope and creativity at a young age to grow up happy and healthy! Even if there are no Fairy god mothers or princes that save the day, there are forms of those in the realistic sense, and we need to never lose sight of the positivity that reality can bring to us.

My resources will be: "Disney princesses no more"

http://brookeandthebeanstalk.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/disney-princesses-no-more/

"Gender roles and steriotypes found in disney movies"

http://filmandmedia12.wikispaces.com/Gender+Roles+and+Stereotypes+Found+in+Disney+Films

Fifth reading response: Article 2.

 

Sometimes I feel like, as Americans, teenagers (and students of all ages), take the education, and the education system, that we have for granted. I know I know, you've heard it a million times "You need to be grateful for what you have, think of the children in Africa who have no education and in china who are told what kind of life they have", But have you ever really, and I mean really took the time to just STOP and realize how LUCKY you are? We get free education when other countries do not, or don't even get one at all. We get to CHOSE what we want to be, instead of our government deciding for us, or deciding if you'll have a future at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I understand that sometimes, sitting down and listening to lecture, after lecture, after lecture, isn't always the most enjoyable, or effective way to learn, but sometimes we have to engage in things we don't particularly like. However, its understandable that in some instances teachers aren't truly effective in their teaching, but never the less, students need to learn to cooperate more in class activities if we want to get the most out of class.

 

The article got me thinking, I mean, I've heard that foreign counties like Finland and Sweden had the highest success rate in teaching their students, but I never really knew why. Its obvious that students in America take for granted their education and all together have this ungrateful I don't care attitude that pushes us to be so...not in the top intelligence, but that couldn't have been the only reason, there had to be more. The article gave me the other reason I was looking for. The way people teach....hands on learning, personally, I enjoy it and learn a lot from the activities. Things like chemistry and science are not easy classes to take by any means, but they...I feel, have more of an appeal to them because there are so many hands on activities involved with them. Creating things, dissecting animals, things that you learn about in class taking action in your hands and creating memories in your brain, it just seems like such an easy way to learn.

 

Elementary school was (learning wise) a fun time. Field trips, art projects, I mean things like that, small and not so significant, but very hands on, are good ways to teach students an people how to learn. Of course we still need to train ourselves to work by just listening, and train our brain to memorize what we hear, but doing things has a long last effect on the memory maybe even more so, than hearing. ALSO something that we NEED to work on as youth and as a NATION is the community within schools, and the atmosphere presented by them. To learn better, people shouldn't have to work about being picked on, or something like that, they should feel comfortable and safe within the school so that their brain can hown into just learning, and not worrying about what's going to happen after school, or at lunch. I feel that the article made a nice point when pointing out how community plays part in an effective learning environment.

 

Well, I liked this article, it actually interested me a little because it was something that I wondered about and thought on. I read through it with interest but occasionally had to pause because it was lengthy, but didn't hesitate to finish it. I enjoyed reading through it and thinking about things as I read along.

Article 1 Response

While reading this article, I didn't stop and take notes or anything, but I did make sure to pause and reflect on how I personally think technology is reflecting on our youth, today. The youth of this generation re becoming more and more simple minded, trying their least to accomplish the barely passing point in life. Then again why should they try if all their questions can be answered by the simple click of a mouse? Kids, and teenagers, don't realizes what a gift knowledge is to have, and since any thing they wonder or would like to know can be answered by just going to google and trying it in, why should they try paying attention in life?

"What does this mean?"
"I don't know, just google it"

oh how many times in a day I hear those words, and how many times I too an equally guilty of saying them to someone. Now i'm not trying to say that we shouldn't use the  technology that's available to us, truly I am excited about what great inventions are to be made in the near future. However, I do feel that we take advantage of our current resources, and because we demand such fast answers, and have an outlet that allows us to get those answers quickly, our mind automatically becomes trained to search for the quickest possible answer without stopping to learn anything else along the way. Its kinda like a treasure hunt, with knowledge and experience being the ultimate prize. It isn't about the end result, no matter how amazing it is, its about the journey that leads you to your destiny, and that allows you to grow and shape into a wiser and more experienced human being.

I feel like that's sorta what the article is getting at. I think the author was trying to say that people demand answers so quickly, that were actually dumbing ourselves down because we don't stop and try to think of ways to find it. We just get our answer...and then..oh...ok whatever, moving on. NO! life isn't about just getting answers HERE AND NOW! its about the EXPLORATION and adventure that searching for, and working hard to obtain knowledge can give you, using the resources you have! Technology is great and fantastic! But think, what would happen to our world if our known resources for our technology crashed and just...stopped working? would we be such at a mental loss that, like stupid animals, we wouldn't know what to do and would just run around scarred? personally I think we rely to much on google, and the internet, heck, i'm even guilty of it myself, but at least I know its NOT good and that google isn't ALWAYS the answer! Because its not...there are so many more ways out there to acquire the available skills and ideas that create our minds and cause us to think and act as we do.

Just like that boy in the picture, mindlessly starring into the brain sucking oblivion that is the computer, this is what we are all guilty of becoming if we do not stop and take some time to smell the roses once in a while, instead of simply demanding everything NOW.

what..what is my inspiration? lets find out.

Honestly, it took me a while to figure out what really inspired me, even though it's really obvious to myself. Its just when i was asked the question, and told to write about it, my mind went blank and i wasnt sure. But after a helpful break on tumblr it all came flooding back to me in one swift motion.

1.pictures

Pictures are like blank canvases for writers. You can take the picture anywhere and you can transform that place into anything you can imagine, the scene is all yours. Pictures can also be just as much inspiration for writing as it can be for drawing. Sometimes i get a feeling where i really want to draw but i dont know what to draw, and other times i have an idea but i need some images to smooth out the lines and help the drawing turn out more completely. of course if you draw from a picture, meaning copy the persons work, you should credit the original idea to the main artist.

2.Music

 

Pale by Within Temptation

After The Storm by Mumford and Sons

and of course you cant forget the infamous Lord the Rings soundtrack

 

music is another one of those things that can lead your mind in any direction. Its a little cliche, and of course everyone is a little inspired by music, but when it comes to being creative, music is of up most importance. sometimes when you wanna write about sadness but aren't feeling particularly sad Boom! theres a song for that. When you want to write about something action-ie happening, and completely dangerous but arent feeling like that much of a daring wild cat Boom! Theres a song for that! or maybe your getting saucy and feeling like you want your characters to go out on in a night on the town, or to a club to dance the night away Boom! There are MANY songs for that out there. Anyhow, same goes with drawing, music can take you down many roads and fill your head with a multitude of ideas.

 

3.Daily life

 

well of course, id write about things i can relate to, and things that i know others can relate to. Now when i say relate to, i mean emotionally, cause most people cant relate to having their closest friend dying in a hideous attempt to keep them safe, or a lover being sacrificed to a wild beast in an attempt to keep the other out of harm, but people can empathize with those feelings and imagine what it would be like to go through that. Drawing is kinda harder to put into this category. Drawing in itself isnt really something someone has to relate too, however your daily life can play part in what ideas inspire you.

and lastly

4.Cats

 

 ok ok, so maybe cats dont REALLY inspire me to write or draw but i mean COME ON! these adorable and MAJESTIC creatures always put me in such a good mood! they make me happy and they make me giggle! in a way they inspire me by just...making me laugh and putting me in the mode to do things.

 

 

Reading Response 3: Heros of Olympus: The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune opens with Percy Jackson being chased by two gorgons (sisters of Medusa), Stheno and Euryale, who hate him for killing their sister Medusa. They reveal that they're working for Gaea. While making his escape, he runs into an old woman named June. The old woman reveals herself to be Juno (Hera) and gives him a choice: provide her with a favor or live safely under the sea and everybody and everything destroyed. As a favor, Percy carries her across the Little Tiber, which is a powerful river. In doing so, he loses his invincibility (Achilles Curse) from the River Styx. When he reaches his destination he meets Hazel Levesque, a daughter of Pluto (Hades), and Frank Zhang, a son of Mars (Ares, Greek god of war). Percy saves Frank from the Gorgons by drowning them. Percy is then taken into the camp after Juno introduces him to Camp Jupiter (training camp for Roman demigods). Reyna seems to recognize him, but refuses to acknowledge him. She sends Percy and Hazel to Octavian, the camp augur, to see whether or not he's fit to join the legion. Along the way, Lares, the camp's ancestral spirits, call him Greggus, or Greek, which makes Hazel act worried. When they reach Jupiter's temple, Octavian is cutting teddy bears open and reading the stuffing. Octavian threatens Hazel by telling her that if she doesn't vote for him, he'll reveal her secret. He declares good omens, and Hazel and Percy go to the temples, where they meet Nico di Angelo (brother of Bianca di Angelo), a main character from the Percy Jackson series. He acts suspiciously and claims not to know Percy, even when he recognises him. Meanwhile, Frank is organizing weaponry when a Lare appears and tells him he knows about his stick and his birthday. Frank then runs off to find Hazel and Percy. He takes Percy to the baths while Hazel and Nico talk. Hazel reveals that she's from the 40's and has a blackout. She realizes that she's late for the war games, so she and Nico rush to line up.
During war games, a Camp Jupiter activity, Percy impresses everyone with his battle skills and instincts, even though they are not Roman tactics and are more Greek-style. After the games, Octavian hurts Gwen, a centurion of the Fifth Cohort, and she gets severely injured and dies, only to come back to life a few moments later. Mars, the god of war, then appears and informs the campers that "Death has been chained." (Thanatos). He also claims Frank Zhang as his son and gifts him a spear with a dragon' tooth. Mars insists that Percy and Frank must go on a quest to free Thanatos, the god of Death. He has been captured in Alaska and is no longer able to keep mortals dead. Frank requests that Hazel also come on the quest, and they set off towards Alaska. While traveling on their quest, Percy struggles to regain his memory. Time and time again, he recalls things but never where from. The only clear memory to him is a girl named Annabeth (his girlfriend). Hazel reveals that she had died long ago, but that Nico di Angelo, son of Hades and her half-brother, saved her from the Underworld. Frank informs the other two that he was given a piece of wood that is tied to his life; if the wood burns up completely, he will die. Percy regains most of his memory after he gambles with gorgons blood and Gaea lets him win saying she still needs him as a pawn to free herself. After many events and monsters, such as basilisks, giants, and an unexpected meeting with the Amazons (an all woman tribe), they finally get to Alaska, where they find Thanatos in chains. His chains can only be broken by the fire of life i.e. the piece of wood tied to Frank's life. Percy defends Frank while he melts Thanatos chains with his burning stick, losing more and more of his life. Hazel attacks Alcyoneus, the giant born to oppose Pluto. Thanatos is eventually freed and with the help of Hazel's horse, Arion, they drag the giant out of its land (Alaska) to Canada where it is able to be killed (Alcynoneus couldn't be killed in his birthland).
Percy regains his memory as they race back to Camp Jupiter. Knowing that the camp is under attack, Percy takes charge and leads the Romans into battle with the help of some of his old friends from Camp Half-Blood and the Amazons. The morale of the Romans is recharged after discovering that Percy recovered the camp's lost standard, which had been missing for years. Percy then challenges the giant, Polybotes the giant born to oppose Neptune, to a duel and calls to Terminus, the Roman border god, to help him defeat the giant. He has been told that only when gods and demigods work together can the giants be defeated. Percy eventually defeats Polybotes by using the head of Terminus' statue as a weapon. The camp then name him a praetor, a leader of the Roman camp. The Greek demigods from Camp Half-Blood appear in the flying ship Argo II sailing towards the camp. The Romans argue over attacking the ship. As praetor, Percy orders them to hold their fire. If the Greeks attacked, he would be to blame, but he is not worried. With Frank and Hazel, he approaches his "other family".

This book continues on the prophecy from the previous book which states:



“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call
To storm or fire, the world must fall
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death”

slowly through a turn out of events, the seven mentioned in the prophecy is revealed. My opinion of this book is of course...High. Cause i LOVE the percy jackson series! DUH! if i didnt would i read all 5 books plus continue on to the spin of series? I THINK NOT! sooo like READ THEM! THERE AMAZING AND YEAH!