We just got back home from the trial, Atticus, Dill, Scout, and I. Dill and Scout are already sleepin' since it's already past 9:00. The trial didn't turn out as I had expected. The jury, they convicted him, Tom Robinson even though he didn't do a thing! I was so sure, so sure we had the trial won. Atticus went through every part of the examination and presented every flaw in the Ewell's story, but somehow, I can't quite put my finger on it, but somehow, the trial still said Tom was guilty.
I know that everyone in that courtroom must have believed Tom was innocent after all that Atticus went through. Everyone knows Tom was innocent, that Mayella Ewell is just a liar, like her father...nothin' but Maycomb's trash. They even live out by the dump, and now because of their selfish lie Tom, an innocent young man with a family, is being sent of to the chair. It's just prejudice. Everyone on that jury was prejudiced, not only did they not like Tom, but they also hate Atticus, which is probably the only reason Tom was said to be guilty.
Where's the justice in Maycomb anymore?!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
To Kill a Mockingbird Cover
I chose this as a cover because I wanted to portray the drama of the novel in a way that puts the main aspects into view. The tree's shadow is meant to be the oak tree on the Radley Lot, and important part of the drama in the novel and the mockingbird is of course the unforgettable heart of the story, showing the death or victimization of the innocent. This element is slightly transparent to show that it is an underlying and elusive theme throughout the novel.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Lord of the Flies: Book vs. 1990 Movie
The Lord of the Flies is an intricate novel filled with subtleties that make it a memorable book, in the 1990 version movie however, Harry Hook failed to capture many of these aspects, including the point that the "beast" was an actual person, the lack of a "Lord of the Flies," and the loss of the novels allegory to real world events.
Upon arrival on the island the boys soon develop a fear of a so-called beast. In the novel the beast is simply made up, but actually symbolizes the evil within each human being, which comes back to be central theme throughout the book. In the movie, the pilot survives the crash and wanders off eventually to be confused with a "beast" in the forest. In the novel the beast was simply a psychological phantom that came from within the child and when it's confused with a tangible object the storyline looses the point that the fear that eventually drives the boys to violence is a figment of the human psyche versus a simple and meaningless confusion.
A major symbol of the novel is The Lord of the Flies, which is a manifestation of the fear and evil that lurks within each being, as well as being the symbol for the devil. The scene in the book describes a direct confrontation between Simon, the godly figure, and the Lord of the Flies, the demonic figure. Without this crucial scene in the novel the entire biblical parallelism and Golding's stance on religion is completely lost, even though it was an important underlying theme of the entire novel.
Finally a major part of the novel was its extended allegory of real world events occurring the same time the book takes place, WW2. This ultimately showed his view on the issues at stake and how he thought things played out which again is an important message the the film failed to capture. Without this point, Golding's underlying message is lost and his statement on the current event.
It's because of these major assets that the novel is so incredible not only in it's storyline, but in what lies between the lines. The movie could simply not catch the essence of all the novels best functions and that is why the book will always be better than a movie. No film director will be able to recreate the true depth to Golding's classic words.
Upon arrival on the island the boys soon develop a fear of a so-called beast. In the novel the beast is simply made up, but actually symbolizes the evil within each human being, which comes back to be central theme throughout the book. In the movie, the pilot survives the crash and wanders off eventually to be confused with a "beast" in the forest. In the novel the beast was simply a psychological phantom that came from within the child and when it's confused with a tangible object the storyline looses the point that the fear that eventually drives the boys to violence is a figment of the human psyche versus a simple and meaningless confusion.
A major symbol of the novel is The Lord of the Flies, which is a manifestation of the fear and evil that lurks within each being, as well as being the symbol for the devil. The scene in the book describes a direct confrontation between Simon, the godly figure, and the Lord of the Flies, the demonic figure. Without this crucial scene in the novel the entire biblical parallelism and Golding's stance on religion is completely lost, even though it was an important underlying theme of the entire novel.
Finally a major part of the novel was its extended allegory of real world events occurring the same time the book takes place, WW2. This ultimately showed his view on the issues at stake and how he thought things played out which again is an important message the the film failed to capture. Without this point, Golding's underlying message is lost and his statement on the current event.
It's because of these major assets that the novel is so incredible not only in it's storyline, but in what lies between the lines. The movie could simply not catch the essence of all the novels best functions and that is why the book will always be better than a movie. No film director will be able to recreate the true depth to Golding's classic words.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Lord of the Flies: Taking Part in a Trial
Good Morning, fellow jurors. We are here to judge the case against Roger Wilds being tried as an adult for the murder of James “Piggy” Civil. To review what the jury has agreed on I will repeat our stance as of yesterday.
“This jury has been able to agree upon the fact that Roger Wilds did push the rock that killed James “Piggy” Civil, but the charges and final sentence have not yet been declared.”
I strongly believe that Roger Wilds is guilty of aggravated manslaughter and should serve 45 years to life imprisonment. I have concluded that this is the accurate charge and sentence based on information I have collected from eyewitnesses that I would like to share with you today, including historical records of Wilds being drawn towards violence, the fact that Roger committed this act on his own accord with no order or command from Jack Merridew, as explained through an eyewitness report by Sam and Eric Windom, and a statement released by Ralph Kent from after the murder in regards to Wilds’ behavior.
To begin, I would like to bring to your attention an incident in which Roger threw stones at an eight year-old boy named Henry Wells, this record confirmed by Wells himself. Here is an excerpt of the interrogation of Wells in which he tells about the circumstances of the incident and what happened, but I would just like to summarize it and show you where he verifies that it was Wilds who threw the stones.
"Henry Wells: Roger was throwing the stones towards me, or at least in my general direction. He looked angry, but at the same time, confused, like he was considering something. I was frightened that he was considering actually throwing the rocks at me."
In this historical record, it is evident that Wilds’ intent was not to hurt the child, but through violence, the supposed intent could be to scare Wells. Wells describes a look of confusion on Wilds’ face, like he is considering something. This violent act, though it caused no injury, contributes to the idea that Wilds already desired to cause harm to others; this desire, though rather small and insignificant at the time, would eventually concentrate itself inside him until he had the desire not to injure, but to kill. Here we see no motive whatsoever for why Wells would want to injure the child, so we can see that he needs no strong motive to drive him to injure and/or kill someone, but we can be sure that at the time he was sane as well as when he killed Piggy because before, during and after these events he interacted normally with all the other boys on the island with no signs of insanity.
Following this event, Sam and Eric Windom explained the scene of the murder and the circumstances in which is occurred, including the events preceding and following it.
“We were going to Jack’s fort because the previous night Piggy’s glasses had been stolen when Jack’s tribe raided our shelters. Piggy wanted to go demand them back so we decided to go but take spears. When we got there Jack thought they were a threat, but they were just a line of defense. As we arrived Piggy stepped forward to say some words. He said ‘Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? Which is better law and order, or hunting and breaking things up?’ That’s when Roger rolled the boulder off the cliff. We couldn’t really understand why Roger had done it; As far as we knew there had been no signal from Jack, and they couldn’t have planned it before, because they couldn’t have known that we were coming to get Piggy’s glasses, and even less that he would step forward right to the trajectory of the boulder. The only reason Roger might have rolled the boulder is because we arrived with spears and he took it as a threat, after all, he had been ordered to protect the fort, but Piggy hadn’t been carrying a spear because he couldn’t see without his glasses, and with his vision compromised he posed no threat to their tribe.”
Again as the Windom boys stated, there seemed to be no motive, even though he was ordered to protect the fort. Piggy posed no threat in any way to the tribe and violent action was not necessary.
Lastly, I want to share with you a statement released by Kent about Wilds’ behavior after he murdered Civil.
“After Roger killed Piggy, he demanded authority. He immediately became the intimidating figure. I knew they were coming after me. I had to hide. I met up with Samneric and they told me he was sharpening a spear at both ends; I didn’t really understand what it meant. Roger immediately became a powerful figure who made everyone fearful; after all, he was the one who had killed a person. Though Jack said he would, he never did, whereas Roger did, and not only that, he was ready to kill again with no remorse or change in attitude.”
Ultimately this shows that Roger was not upset or remorseful of what he had done. He chose to accept the fact that he had murdered someone, and he also took advantage of it in order to gain power and “respect” in the tribe. If he did in fact feel any form of guilt there is no way he would be ready to kill Ralph so quickly, and especially not so violently as to use a spear sharpened at both ends.
With these facts I build up my case and come to the conclusion that Roger Wilds is fully responsible in the murder of Piggy Civil and is guilty of aggravated manslaughter. We can see that Wilds had a history of leaning towards violence and in those instances he was completely sane, something we can derive from how witnesses interacted with him. It’s been verified that the murder was committed solely by Wilds, without instruction of Merridew, the so-called “chief” of the tribe. Using the facts it has been impossible to justify why Wilds killed Civil even under the order to protect the fort because Civil posed no threat. We’ve proved that the kill was not premeditated; this makes it manslaughter, also adding on to the fact that he committed the act without command from Merridew because they could not have known that Civil would come or even stand in the very trajectory of the boulder. Finally, if Wilds had felt any type of remorse to at least make it possible that it had been some sort of “accident” we would have seen it after the murder, but instead he continued with his violent attitude and planned to kill yet another individual. On these grounds I believe Roger Wilds should be charged with aggravated manslaughter and be sentenced 45 years to life imprisonment.
“This jury has been able to agree upon the fact that Roger Wilds did push the rock that killed James “Piggy” Civil, but the charges and final sentence have not yet been declared.”
I strongly believe that Roger Wilds is guilty of aggravated manslaughter and should serve 45 years to life imprisonment. I have concluded that this is the accurate charge and sentence based on information I have collected from eyewitnesses that I would like to share with you today, including historical records of Wilds being drawn towards violence, the fact that Roger committed this act on his own accord with no order or command from Jack Merridew, as explained through an eyewitness report by Sam and Eric Windom, and a statement released by Ralph Kent from after the murder in regards to Wilds’ behavior.
To begin, I would like to bring to your attention an incident in which Roger threw stones at an eight year-old boy named Henry Wells, this record confirmed by Wells himself. Here is an excerpt of the interrogation of Wells in which he tells about the circumstances of the incident and what happened, but I would just like to summarize it and show you where he verifies that it was Wilds who threw the stones.
"Henry Wells: Roger was throwing the stones towards me, or at least in my general direction. He looked angry, but at the same time, confused, like he was considering something. I was frightened that he was considering actually throwing the rocks at me."
In this historical record, it is evident that Wilds’ intent was not to hurt the child, but through violence, the supposed intent could be to scare Wells. Wells describes a look of confusion on Wilds’ face, like he is considering something. This violent act, though it caused no injury, contributes to the idea that Wilds already desired to cause harm to others; this desire, though rather small and insignificant at the time, would eventually concentrate itself inside him until he had the desire not to injure, but to kill. Here we see no motive whatsoever for why Wells would want to injure the child, so we can see that he needs no strong motive to drive him to injure and/or kill someone, but we can be sure that at the time he was sane as well as when he killed Piggy because before, during and after these events he interacted normally with all the other boys on the island with no signs of insanity.
Following this event, Sam and Eric Windom explained the scene of the murder and the circumstances in which is occurred, including the events preceding and following it.
“We were going to Jack’s fort because the previous night Piggy’s glasses had been stolen when Jack’s tribe raided our shelters. Piggy wanted to go demand them back so we decided to go but take spears. When we got there Jack thought they were a threat, but they were just a line of defense. As we arrived Piggy stepped forward to say some words. He said ‘Which is better—to have rules and agree, or to hunt and kill? Which is better law and order, or hunting and breaking things up?’ That’s when Roger rolled the boulder off the cliff. We couldn’t really understand why Roger had done it; As far as we knew there had been no signal from Jack, and they couldn’t have planned it before, because they couldn’t have known that we were coming to get Piggy’s glasses, and even less that he would step forward right to the trajectory of the boulder. The only reason Roger might have rolled the boulder is because we arrived with spears and he took it as a threat, after all, he had been ordered to protect the fort, but Piggy hadn’t been carrying a spear because he couldn’t see without his glasses, and with his vision compromised he posed no threat to their tribe.”
Again as the Windom boys stated, there seemed to be no motive, even though he was ordered to protect the fort. Piggy posed no threat in any way to the tribe and violent action was not necessary.
Lastly, I want to share with you a statement released by Kent about Wilds’ behavior after he murdered Civil.
“After Roger killed Piggy, he demanded authority. He immediately became the intimidating figure. I knew they were coming after me. I had to hide. I met up with Samneric and they told me he was sharpening a spear at both ends; I didn’t really understand what it meant. Roger immediately became a powerful figure who made everyone fearful; after all, he was the one who had killed a person. Though Jack said he would, he never did, whereas Roger did, and not only that, he was ready to kill again with no remorse or change in attitude.”
Ultimately this shows that Roger was not upset or remorseful of what he had done. He chose to accept the fact that he had murdered someone, and he also took advantage of it in order to gain power and “respect” in the tribe. If he did in fact feel any form of guilt there is no way he would be ready to kill Ralph so quickly, and especially not so violently as to use a spear sharpened at both ends.
With these facts I build up my case and come to the conclusion that Roger Wilds is fully responsible in the murder of Piggy Civil and is guilty of aggravated manslaughter. We can see that Wilds had a history of leaning towards violence and in those instances he was completely sane, something we can derive from how witnesses interacted with him. It’s been verified that the murder was committed solely by Wilds, without instruction of Merridew, the so-called “chief” of the tribe. Using the facts it has been impossible to justify why Wilds killed Civil even under the order to protect the fort because Civil posed no threat. We’ve proved that the kill was not premeditated; this makes it manslaughter, also adding on to the fact that he committed the act without command from Merridew because they could not have known that Civil would come or even stand in the very trajectory of the boulder. Finally, if Wilds had felt any type of remorse to at least make it possible that it had been some sort of “accident” we would have seen it after the murder, but instead he continued with his violent attitude and planned to kill yet another individual. On these grounds I believe Roger Wilds should be charged with aggravated manslaughter and be sentenced 45 years to life imprisonment.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Shell and The Glasses
Just the aftermath.
After the sinister kill.
Oh but we was scared,
It was just an accident.
No Piggy, that was murder.
After the sinister kill.
Oh but we was scared,
It was just an accident.
No Piggy, that was murder.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Better Things To Come
Description:
Hope: –noun, the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. Often times we find ourselves relying on hope to get us through tough times, whether it be in the face of disaster, loss, or massive change. These works of art express situations where we need to hope that things will turn out as planned or that somehow they will fall into place; other times we feel that we need to hope for others and dream of better lives for them.
Synopsis:
Poems about hoping for the best. When things seem their most bleak, we hope for better things to come...
A Removal From Terry Street by Douglas Dunn
"Hope" is the Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson
May Miracle by Robert Service
Hope and Faith by Alfred Ramos
Begin Again by Susan Coolidge
Times of Uncertainty by Miles Patrick Yohnke
The Instinct of Hope by John Clare
Bird Of Hope by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Paper Men To Air Hopes And Fears by Robert Francis
Monday, April 18, 2011
Silver Lining—Benjamin Moore 2119-60
Gazing out the window,
pondering the outside.
The nighttime sky
silent,
somber.
Idle
and waiting for her.
The moon hangs low in the sky;
It's ripe with mysterious milky light.
So close
her fingers seem like they could dance upon its surface.
She fingers the silver window pane.
Forbidden to break through,
for the horrors that would await her if she
dared
go out.
Her hands
longingly linger
at the hinges.
The entire world at her fingertips
only separated by a
thin sheet of glass.
She is trapped by the impending walls of
fear.
Her outside world
existing only
when laced with the silver lining of the window pane.
She smiles to herself
there's a silver lining for her...
but
what about the outside looking in?
Perplexed and
realizing that
the world sees her
through a dirty window
of an
unimportant
unnoticed
apartment.
Isn't there any worth in me?
She pondered.
Where is my silver lining?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wintergirls
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Wintergirls was by Penguin.
Genre: The genre of the hard-hitting novel is realistic fiction.
Where I Got It: I found this book while looking through Anderson's works after reading her novel Speak, which had affected me so much with it's beautiful writing style and edgy topic that I was very interested in reading more by the author.
Single Sentence Summary: Cassie and Lia are best friends and wintergirls, but when they enter in a deadly competition to see who can be skinniest, Cassie succumbs to the pain and pressure, and Lia is left haunted by her best friend’s agitated ghost and forced to overcome her inner demons and thaw from the brittle sheet of ice that confines her.
First line:“So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked on her coffee.”
First Chapter Summary: The first chapter starts immiditely engrossed in the story with no introduction to the characters whatsoever. It is made evident that a tragedy has occurred, stating:"...body found alone in a motel room..." and then furthermore, "It's not nice when girls die." It's obvious that the character is conflicted about the event because she speaks about not letting herself hear this (the news) and "...my walls go up and my doors lock," to show that she is trying to shield herself from the topic
Verdict: This book keeps the reader in stitches and entices them to come back for more. It is masterfully written with grace and delicacy even when describing the grave topic of self-destruction and eating disorders. The novel provides tremendous insight to the mind of Lia who struggles to deal with the loss of her best friend and the anorexia that stifles her. Wintergirls, like Speak, gave me a greater understanding and appreciation for the strength, and resilience of those affected by these destructive disorders. This is a book that I will carry with me for a long time and that, with the passing of the years, I will continue to come back to.
Cover Comments: On the cover there is a depiction of a young woman's face covered by ice. This symbolizes the frail and fragile bodies Lia and Cassie were trapped in, Cassie never got out. The ice also emphasizes the "Winter" part of the title suggesting that the girls aren't dead or truly alive, but in a state of hibernation.
Publisher: Wintergirls was by Penguin.
Genre: The genre of the hard-hitting novel is realistic fiction.
Where I Got It: I found this book while looking through Anderson's works after reading her novel Speak, which had affected me so much with it's beautiful writing style and edgy topic that I was very interested in reading more by the author.
Single Sentence Summary: Cassie and Lia are best friends and wintergirls, but when they enter in a deadly competition to see who can be skinniest, Cassie succumbs to the pain and pressure, and Lia is left haunted by her best friend’s agitated ghost and forced to overcome her inner demons and thaw from the brittle sheet of ice that confines her.
First line:“So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked on her coffee.”
First Chapter Summary: The first chapter starts immiditely engrossed in the story with no introduction to the characters whatsoever. It is made evident that a tragedy has occurred, stating:"...body found alone in a motel room..." and then furthermore, "It's not nice when girls die." It's obvious that the character is conflicted about the event because she speaks about not letting herself hear this (the news) and "...my walls go up and my doors lock," to show that she is trying to shield herself from the topic
Verdict: This book keeps the reader in stitches and entices them to come back for more. It is masterfully written with grace and delicacy even when describing the grave topic of self-destruction and eating disorders. The novel provides tremendous insight to the mind of Lia who struggles to deal with the loss of her best friend and the anorexia that stifles her. Wintergirls, like Speak, gave me a greater understanding and appreciation for the strength, and resilience of those affected by these destructive disorders. This is a book that I will carry with me for a long time and that, with the passing of the years, I will continue to come back to.
Cover Comments: On the cover there is a depiction of a young woman's face covered by ice. This symbolizes the frail and fragile bodies Lia and Cassie were trapped in, Cassie never got out. The ice also emphasizes the "Winter" part of the title suggesting that the girls aren't dead or truly alive, but in a state of hibernation.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Drifting
We are all drifting...
Pacing
by the water.
Every path
an improvisation.
Sketchy;
irregular.
We are all drifting...
The time had come for the assembly;
for business.
We need an assembly,
not for fun,
not for laughing,
not for cleverness.
We need an assembly
to put things straight.
We are all drifting...
We decide things;
they don't get done
Ever.
We've got to-or die.
We are all drifting...
Things
are breaking up.
I don't understand why.
Looking beyond them
at nothing.
Remembering the beastie,
the talk of fear.
We are all drfiting...
I know there isn't no beast.
I know there isn't no fear.
Unless we get frightened of people...
We are all drifting
and things are going
rotten.
Pacing
by the water.
Every path
an improvisation.
Sketchy;
irregular.
We are all drifting...
The time had come for the assembly;
for business.
We need an assembly,
not for fun,
not for laughing,
not for cleverness.
We need an assembly
to put things straight.
We are all drifting...
We decide things;
they don't get done
Ever.
We've got to-or die.
We are all drifting...
Things
are breaking up.
I don't understand why.
Looking beyond them
at nothing.
Remembering the beastie,
the talk of fear.
We are all drfiting...
I know there isn't no beast.
I know there isn't no fear.
Unless we get frightened of people...
We are all drifting
and things are going
rotten.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Where I'm From
I am from cardboard boxes
and shipping crates.
From United States Postage,
and styrofoam packaging.
I am from empty homes
that new beginnings
filled with promise
and empty homes
filled with nostalgia
which reverberates the excitement
or the sorrow
within them.
I am from the vines
that latch to the dormers of a house
by nature,
never letting go
until pried off.
I am from packing out early
and "camping" in an empty house.
From waiting to see what comes next
and needing the patience
to wait for the answers.
I am from my mother's expectations
and my father's encouragement.
From Dad's
"Just do your best and that's good enough,"
and Mom's
"Good enough
is never
good enough."
I am from Sunday school
and saved first communion mementos.
I'm from El Salvador,
Cuba and Spain.
From stories about my grandfather housing earthquake victims
and my grandmother starting a new life at zero
and starting again after a house fire.
I am from learning to ride a bike
in an embassy parking lot.
From teaching Miranda to swim
on hot summer days.
From learning Math techniques from my mother.
I am from dusty picture frames,
childhood achievement certificates,
preserved birthday cards
and scrapbooks mom no longer has time to make.
Roots that hold,
a trunk that stands tall,
branches that reach longingly to the sky.
A tree,
that still and strong,
will stand the test of time.
and shipping crates.
From United States Postage,
and styrofoam packaging.
I am from empty homes
that new beginnings
filled with promise
and empty homes
filled with nostalgia
which reverberates the excitement
or the sorrow
within them.
I am from the vines
that latch to the dormers of a house
by nature,
never letting go
until pried off.
I am from packing out early
and "camping" in an empty house.
From waiting to see what comes next
and needing the patience
to wait for the answers.
I am from my mother's expectations
and my father's encouragement.
From Dad's
"Just do your best and that's good enough,"
and Mom's
"Good enough
is never
good enough."
I am from Sunday school
and saved first communion mementos.
I'm from El Salvador,
Cuba and Spain.
From stories about my grandfather housing earthquake victims
and my grandmother starting a new life at zero
and starting again after a house fire.
I am from learning to ride a bike
in an embassy parking lot.
From teaching Miranda to swim
on hot summer days.
From learning Math techniques from my mother.
I am from dusty picture frames,
childhood achievement certificates,
preserved birthday cards
and scrapbooks mom no longer has time to make.
Roots that hold,
a trunk that stands tall,
branches that reach longingly to the sky.
A tree,
that still and strong,
will stand the test of time.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Japanese Tragedy
This past week, on Friday, March 11th, tragedy struck Japan when it was rattled by an 8.9-9.0 (magnitude is being debated) earthquake. The earthquake preceded a tsunami that hit no more than 30 minutes after the powerful quake. The initial wave of the tsunami was reported to be about 10 meters high and caused much devastation in the already imperiled city.
The earthquake and tsunami caused major technical difficulties in some of Japan's nuclear plants. After the violent shaking a backup generator failed and caused the plant to keep running without anything to cool it down; not even the most adept engineers can find a way to shutdown the reactors in time. There seems to be no way to decelerate the radioactive pressurebuilding up within the plants, but it is crucial that some pressure is released in order to preventyet another disastrous explosion. The main concern having to do with the nuclear plants are the health repercussions that could affect the citizens if any radioactivity is leaked.
Meanwhile, the citizens—as well as residents—of Japan have been left with copious amounts of destruction and loss; most have had to leave their homes and have even lost loved ones in all the chaos. There is little room to house the victims who lots their homes, for capacious areas that were once suitable for housing people have been destroyed andare now bits and pieces of rubble.
The Japanese government cannot grapple this alone and other governments leave no room for banter when deciding whether or not to help Japan; the answer is clear, aid isbeing offered and sent to Japan from over 70 countries around the globe. Nations are currently deploying as many supplies and aid volunteers to Japan as they can. Hopefullythis will facilitate Japan's journey—on a long and winding road—to recovery and thedistressed and fitful lives of all Japanese citizens will be able to be at peace again soon.
The earthquake and tsunami caused major technical difficulties in some of Japan's nuclear plants. After the violent shaking a backup generator failed and caused the plant to keep running without anything to cool it down; not even the most adept engineers can find a way to shutdown the reactors in time. There seems to be no way to decelerate the radioactive pressurebuilding up within the plants, but it is crucial that some pressure is released in order to preventyet another disastrous explosion. The main concern having to do with the nuclear plants are the health repercussions that could affect the citizens if any radioactivity is leaked.
Meanwhile, the citizens—as well as residents—of Japan have been left with copious amounts of destruction and loss; most have had to leave their homes and have even lost loved ones in all the chaos. There is little room to house the victims who lots their homes, for capacious areas that were once suitable for housing people have been destroyed andare now bits and pieces of rubble.
The Japanese government cannot grapple this alone and other governments leave no room for banter when deciding whether or not to help Japan; the answer is clear, aid isbeing offered and sent to Japan from over 70 countries around the globe. Nations are currently deploying as many supplies and aid volunteers to Japan as they can. Hopefullythis will facilitate Japan's journey—on a long and winding road—to recovery and thedistressed and fitful lives of all Japanese citizens will be able to be at peace again soon.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Have a Little Faith
Have a Little Faith
By: Mitch Albom
Have a Little Faith gained its title because the journey he takes throughout the book is in losing his faith and finding it again and also the small divine flicker inside all of us that need a little help to turn into a fire, to again ignite the fire of faith within him, he must “have a little faith” in his life.
This memoir is about Albom’s realizations about faith and rescuing his beliefs. As a child, Albom grew up in a Jewish community and was raised under the religion, but as he became an adult, he slowly drifts from his faith and distanced himself from any form of religion. When his childhood rabbi asks him to write his eulogy there is no turning back and through getting to know the man who seemed to mighty, he discovers the amazing feats of maintaining faith in today’s modern world.
The story was told skipping around in time, alternating from his childhood, to visits with the pastor, to the life of Henry (a pastor who also helps Albom realize important connections between faiths), and excerpts from sermons. A lot of the story has major reflection that challenges the reader to ponder faith and realize the great impact it has on our lives.
Through this story, Albom realizes that faith is one thing that will never change and through it he can find the strength and love to do great things just as Henry and Albert had done in their lives. Furthermore, he comes to realize that beliefs are not what divide us and people of other religions, but what bring us together.
Lines we love:
“And, as in often the case with faith, I thought I was being asked a favor, when in fact I was being given one.” (Page 2)
“If you could pack for heaven, this is how you would do it, touching everything, taking nothing.” (Page 210)
“Nothing haunts like the things we don’t say.” (Page 212)
“I am in love with hope.” (Page 249)
By: Mitch Albom
Have a Little Faith gained its title because the journey he takes throughout the book is in losing his faith and finding it again and also the small divine flicker inside all of us that need a little help to turn into a fire, to again ignite the fire of faith within him, he must “have a little faith” in his life.
This memoir is about Albom’s realizations about faith and rescuing his beliefs. As a child, Albom grew up in a Jewish community and was raised under the religion, but as he became an adult, he slowly drifts from his faith and distanced himself from any form of religion. When his childhood rabbi asks him to write his eulogy there is no turning back and through getting to know the man who seemed to mighty, he discovers the amazing feats of maintaining faith in today’s modern world.
The story was told skipping around in time, alternating from his childhood, to visits with the pastor, to the life of Henry (a pastor who also helps Albom realize important connections between faiths), and excerpts from sermons. A lot of the story has major reflection that challenges the reader to ponder faith and realize the great impact it has on our lives.
Through this story, Albom realizes that faith is one thing that will never change and through it he can find the strength and love to do great things just as Henry and Albert had done in their lives. Furthermore, he comes to realize that beliefs are not what divide us and people of other religions, but what bring us together.
Lines we love:
“And, as in often the case with faith, I thought I was being asked a favor, when in fact I was being given one.” (Page 2)
“If you could pack for heaven, this is how you would do it, touching everything, taking nothing.” (Page 210)
“Nothing haunts like the things we don’t say.” (Page 212)
“I am in love with hope.” (Page 249)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
What I Believe
I believe that if it’s not a bad day,
Then it must be,
By default,
Forever and always,
With no exceptions,
A good day.
I believe in making art on the driveway
With simple colored chalk
And watching the colors bleed together
When the rain comes to wash it away.
I believe that even the most brutal winter
Will eventually give way
To a beautiful spring.
I believe in the magic
Between the pages
Of an amazing book.
I believe that when you have nothing more to give,
Give a smile;
Even for a second,
The day will seem much brighter.
I believe in placing a hollow object to your ear
And being taken by the awe and curiosity
Of the empty sound
That remotely sounds like the ocean.
I believe in the
Unbreakable bonds
That hold my best friends and I together.
I believe that the sky is the limit
And once you’ve reached it,
You should aim for nothing less
Than the stars.
I believe that you shouldn't have to wait for someone to listen
to make yourself heard.
I believe that everything
could use a pinch of
sparkle.
I believe that we must never surrender our beliefs
because each one
is like a part of you,
and we should never
lose ourselves.
Then it must be,
By default,
Forever and always,
With no exceptions,
A good day.
I believe in making art on the driveway
With simple colored chalk
And watching the colors bleed together
When the rain comes to wash it away.
I believe that even the most brutal winter
Will eventually give way
To a beautiful spring.
I believe in the magic
Between the pages
Of an amazing book.
I believe that when you have nothing more to give,
Give a smile;
Even for a second,
The day will seem much brighter.
I believe in placing a hollow object to your ear
And being taken by the awe and curiosity
Of the empty sound
That remotely sounds like the ocean.
I believe in the
Unbreakable bonds
That hold my best friends and I together.
I believe that the sky is the limit
And once you’ve reached it,
You should aim for nothing less
Than the stars.
I believe that you shouldn't have to wait for someone to listen
to make yourself heard.
I believe that everything
could use a pinch of
sparkle.
I believe that we must never surrender our beliefs
because each one
is like a part of you,
and we should never
lose ourselves.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Lost Empire
Many, many years ago, in the sweltering jungle of Africa, stood The Empire. It once stood strong and powerful, then, calamity struck and anarchy shackled the once growing kingdom.
Once, long ago, before the dissensions and the conspiracies, The Empire controlled most of the continent. It assimilated many nomads and travelers, but not without meticulous planning. Soon they decided that they would draw them in with promises of wealth, happiness, and freedom. As time elapsed, the population continued to grow, and The Ruler was lionized, for he had kept his promise and all who lived in The Empire led successful lives.
But The Empire's prosperity was short-lived. Soon after it had reached it's peak, it's downfall began. It started when an obscure and bizarre illness began to infect the population. No one could apprehend how such a disease could have entered The Empire. The Ruler decided that a citizen must have started the illness and ordered all his subjects to interrogate every individual in order to find out who had done this to The Empire. Once found, The Ruler decreed that the person found guilty would be held prisoner and without being arraigned, would be sentenced to death.
In all the confusion, subjects began to make accuse each other of conspiracies to start the epidemic and dissension broke out between them leaving The Ruler with few subjects. Though the search for who had spread the disease continued, no one ever found out who or what had caused the illness.
In the following months, The Empire's population had dwindled to a couple hundred as the disease killed off all it had infected. Then, The Ruler fell ill and the end of the once great Empire was imminent.
Monday, January 31, 2011
My Group of Best Friends
This year, my "group" has turned into more of a "three people who sit together on the far end of a lunch table and cling to each other in the halls" type of thing. It's pretty lonely. Sitting with only two other people doesn't really look like a lot of fun to other people, and even though they're my best friends, it's not always fun.
Our group is especially sad when there's a dissension between two of us and the third person sits between the other two at lunch and tries to start a conversation about an assignment but they end up being the only talking. Last year we barely ever got in fights. Even when we did, there was always a good amount of people not involved that you could talk to; people who would take your side when they heard the evilness of the other person instead of staying neutral, or at least until everything was resolved.
To be fair, we knew this was coming ever since around this time last year when Sabrina and Ally made their big reveal and we realized we were gonna be on our own. We figured some new students would assimilate into our group because we are friendly, fun, and fabulous people, but as you may have noticed due to the stunning lack of filled chairs at our lunch table, that didn't happen. Over time, we had meticulously planned welcoming new students, and befriending new students, but there were less students than expected so the plan kind of fell through. Also, I don't think they really like us...
I can't really complain about our group though. The people in it are the best part no matter how many of us are there. We are all alike in one way or another and can relate in so many ways. We can always understand each other because we have all shared similar experiences. We are all dependent on each other, but at the same time, we are all leaders. We never pick favorites and we never lionize one specific member, unless they need some major cheering up.
Being apart has been the greatest challenge that we as a family have had to face, but soon, we'll all see each other again and I am counting the days...
The people you surround yourself with say a lot about who you are. I couldn't be happier with who I've chosen!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Havoc Strikes in Small Republic of Noname
The remote country of Noname (Just to let you know, I couldn’t come up with a real name so I considered Country That Shall Not Be Named but that wouldn’t make sense so I called it No-name. Feel free to pronounce it however you like, preferably in a way that doesn’t sound like the words no and name put together) is in a complete state of anarchy. Due to the protests of the citizens, the president has been forced out of power and civilians have seized control over the small country. Without the rule of a stable government, everything is spinning out of control as laws are ignored and all authority has been disregarded. It is estimated that at least 150 people have been killed as citizens fight over power the power to control Noname, and more is expected.
An anonymous source shares that there have been several groups conspiring to overthrow the government for several years and other nations around the globe say that they wouldn’t be surprised if it had been designed for many years in advance. “You can tell it’s been planned meticulously over the past years,” states the source. “It would take a lot of planning to overthrow a government as stable as ours was,” he finishes.
Bordering countries say that they cannot apprehend why such violence broke out between the government and its citizens. They also report that if this continues they will have to invade the nation and stop the violence themselves.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thinking of Times to Come
I Am…
I am strong, but I’m afraid…
I wonder what it will be like when I have to leave…
I hear the laughter & the happiness that surrounds me now and dread the tears to come…
I see the people I love and the place I never want to leave…
I want to stop time and never have to go…
I am strong, but I’m afraid…
I pretend there’s enough time to make it last…
I feel the nostalgia creep up on me, though I haven’t left yet…
I touch my own sorrows that hang thick in the air, threatening to smother me…
I worry that they will forget about me too soon…
I cry about losing everything I’ve known since elementary school…
I am strong, but I’m afraid…
I understand that this will be a good opportunity…
I say “hope for the best, expect the worst;” I can’t tell if it's good or bad yet…
I dream that it will be easier to leave than I think it will…
I try to convince myself that I will be happy there…
I hope they’ll miss me just as much as I know I’ll miss them…
I am strong, and I hope I will be able to overcome.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Day 22: Love You Too
You can tell someone loves you
When they write profanity directed towards everyone
And you’re included.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will hold everything
And anything
Against you.
You can tell someone loves you
When they tell you they hate you
In front of everyone.
You can tell someone loves you
When they encourage you to list things you like about yourself
And then tell you what’s wrong with what you listed.
You can tell someone loves you
When they ignore the fact that something is private
And that it’s something you shouldn’t tell people
And they tell people anyways.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will emotionally abuse you
Just because.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will tell you that you’re fat
Even if you’re fighting low self-esteem.
You can tell someone loves you
When they hang up on you
And have the nerve to call you back
For homework help later.
You can tell when someone loves you
When they try to make your flaws
Looks worse than theirs
When they aren’t.
So all you people
Who just love me,
You know who you are.
When they write profanity directed towards everyone
And you’re included.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will hold everything
And anything
Against you.
You can tell someone loves you
When they tell you they hate you
In front of everyone.
You can tell someone loves you
When they encourage you to list things you like about yourself
And then tell you what’s wrong with what you listed.
You can tell someone loves you
When they ignore the fact that something is private
And that it’s something you shouldn’t tell people
And they tell people anyways.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will emotionally abuse you
Just because.
You can tell someone loves you
When they will tell you that you’re fat
Even if you’re fighting low self-esteem.
You can tell someone loves you
When they hang up on you
And have the nerve to call you back
For homework help later.
You can tell when someone loves you
When they try to make your flaws
Looks worse than theirs
When they aren’t.
So all you people
Who just love me,
You know who you are.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Day 17: Happy New Years!
2010 is finally over and I feel like it went by so quickly. 2010 had some really sad times, but at the same time, some really nice memories came from it. Around February last year, Sabrina's parents had gone on a trip to Mexico to find out if they were moving or not. I had begged for her to tell me as soon as she knew but she refused and told me that Ally had some news too and that they wanted to share it together. Knowing now what they were gonna tell me, I think it would have been so much better if they hadn't told me during school because I had a total emotional break-down when they did finally tell me. We were sitting at lunch, waiting for the news, when Sabrina finally announced that she was moving, only with a shrug and a blank look on her face. I was a bit confused about what was going on exactly because as soon as Sabrina finished her sentence she left the table and everyone started talking in a sort of panicky chatter.
I jumped up out of my chair and followed Sabrina. Behind me, Tiffany followed. We asked her what the final deal was and she said that she would be moving to Monterrey that summer. At that point I was already really sad because Sabrina truly understands me better than anyone has. We laugh at the same stuff, we help each other out when we don't understand, and we did just about everything together; plus, she was my only friend who would cuddle. Not in a creepy way or anything. I mean, who doesn't love to cuddle?! Sick people don't like to cuddle. Anyways, so I was pretty heart broken hearing that Sabrina was moving, but then again, I had already prepared myself for hearing the news that she was leaving. Hope for the best, expect the worst. When I came back to the table, Ally was sitting there, just sulking. I asked her what her news was and that's when I was in shock. Ally told me that she was moving, too. I didn't see that one coming. That was really bad. For a second or two I was in shock. Tiff came and sat next to me, and asked me what was going on. That's when I told her that both Ally and Sabrina were moving.Tiffany sort of just stared at me for a while. I think it sort of hit us both at the same moment because withing second were both sobbing next to each other.
Worst day ever. Officially.
That's pretty much what ruined the rest of the year. Now though, that it's a new year, maybe things will get better. I mean, we'll still miss Ally and Sabrina insanely, but now we've been grieving a while so I think it'll be be a better year. Anyways, I just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year may all you reach all your aspirations and succeed in making this year, far better than the last.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Day 12: Victoria!
So Victoria came over and I was so happy because she's leaving to go to Saddlebrook (prestigious tennis boarding school) on the 2nd. I thought I'd better spend as much time with her before because I wasn't gonna see her for two whole weeks! I know two weeks may not seem like a lot, but when you have no one to talk to on the phone with for hours, it feels like 4 eternities. It's actually gonna be really lonely for me...I'm happy that she gets to go and also I totally resent her for being able to go everywhere all the time. So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm really gonna miss Victoria. Why isn't there ever enough time to spend together?!
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