A theme I find running wild this winter is "growing up." Its not a common used term, but I can see it every day. In this chapter of my book Jack tells of his early sporting experiences. With a rediculous father figure such as Dwight (there must be a reason they use that name in the office), coming away with new cleats wasn't something that was going to happen. This is that one thing in Jacks life that happens to every boy. At least once, your parents make you do something or wear something against your will. Mostly this happens quite freaquently. In this case, Jack has joined the basketball team. Dwight is forcing Jack to wear the same shoes he wheres to school. "I outgrew two pairs of shoes in 7th grade alone" (140). The shoes don't fit and they aren't meant for polished wood floor. Jack ends up clomping around the court, sliding and falling when he tries to stop, essentially looking like a fool. I can remember family pictures and visiting relatives and being forced to wear rediculous outfits. All in the name of saving money and looking cute. Jack just deals with it. This shows he is maturing. I think we're all maturing. With the new year coming can we say it isn't all too soon? As Ms. Freohlich says, "What are you thinking!? You're young adults now!" (Froehlich often during class).
Jack suffers another life event that I also am finding quite prominant now. Secretly Jack crushes on a friend named Norma. She is frequent in Jacks daily life and often hangs around with Bobby. Bobby is in college, as is Norma. They're schooling together. Jack never makes the connection of the two. They hang out alone all the time, they plan over the future after college etc. Finally on the ride home from one of Jack's basketball games, he realizes exactly what has been in front of him all this time he'd been crushing on Norma. "She called him Bobo, her pet name for him" (150). The evidence shines on one clear conclusion. They're in love! They're together! Jack loses it. Showing his maturity by "punching her, slapping her, calling her names!" (150). Jacks fit lasts and he kicks her out of the house. "Then I let her back in. There was no choice. Whenever I heard Ray Charles sing I can't stop loving you, I just had to stop and get sad for a while. A lot of us now are experiencing similar circumstances. Many of us end up like Jack, we just need to feel bad for a while.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
That Boys Life
For our ethics unit this week I decided to go back to a chapter I read last weekend. We always talk about adults and how they go against ethics of society and such, but we never talk about children. Uncool is the name of the chapter in my book. Jack is 11 years old, but he acts like hes much older. Not in the good sense either. Jack is rebelious and terrible. At first he seems quite innocent. "I kept after him until he finally showed me the album," (50). This shows his child-like innocence due to the fact the he either doesn't understand the touchyness of the subject or he just doesn't care. Another example of Jacks childish ethics is expressed in his friendships. Taylor's mother was widowed and sometimes pulls him near and hugs him. Silver and Jack acted as very bad friends. "We saw the potential of this scene and we preplayed it often... we could bring taylor to tears just by saying 'Terrence, Terrence!'" (55). They tortured each other even as friends. This is probably creditted to their immaturity. With time boys learn and grow up.
Jack was also a very terrible child in an older ages' sense. As an 11 year old Jack was a theif and a vandel. "we palmed anything that wasn't under glass... standing on seats until the last second to send them crashing into cars... just to stare at guns in the windows of pawnshops," (56). These are acts often played out by older boys. Jack and his friends are obviously subject to very little parenting and have gone wild. On another occasion the boys throw eggs at a thunderbird down below the apartment (A thunderbird is a car). The man in the car circles the block. They keep throwing eggs until the man explodes in such fiery the boys jump back with the effect. "The silence made me uncomfortable and in my discomfort I grinned at Silver, but Silver did not grin back," (70). The boys have second thoughts. Though they are far above their time for vandelism they are also maturing as well. Learning their own ethics from themselves.
Jack was also a very terrible child in an older ages' sense. As an 11 year old Jack was a theif and a vandel. "we palmed anything that wasn't under glass... standing on seats until the last second to send them crashing into cars... just to stare at guns in the windows of pawnshops," (56). These are acts often played out by older boys. Jack and his friends are obviously subject to very little parenting and have gone wild. On another occasion the boys throw eggs at a thunderbird down below the apartment (A thunderbird is a car). The man in the car circles the block. They keep throwing eggs until the man explodes in such fiery the boys jump back with the effect. "The silence made me uncomfortable and in my discomfort I grinned at Silver, but Silver did not grin back," (70). The boys have second thoughts. Though they are far above their time for vandelism they are also maturing as well. Learning their own ethics from themselves.
Monday, December 8, 2008
These questions raised and answered
On the Water Front shows us corruption on the docks and how people cope and feel about it. The mobsters believe anything that isn't dire devotion to the mob is treason. Many of the workers at the dock are in with the mob but not a part of it. When the Priet asks if anyone knows who killed Joey, no one answers. They don't like it, but telling would be squealing, and no one squeals on the mob. Terry shows an opinion more biased to the contrare. He is down due to the fact that he baited poor Jonny to the roof. He shows signs of inner struggle with his opinions on right and wrong. Perhaps its not right to bait someone to death, not right to the point that one should risk his own life to stop it? We are still early in the film but I predict he does just that. The mob will be taken down.
Tattle tails vs flag throwers. When we think of tattle tails we think of boys, but when we think of honest flag throwers we think of men. The ones who tattle are easily named for they are often disliked. Those who stand up against something wrong are, to the contrary, often idolized. However, these labels are a complete point of view. Which labels one gets is decided by the majority. The situation decides the majority. If a boy knows theres a fight on the play ground and he goes to alert a teacher, then he will end up as a tattle tail. That is, unless other boys who felt the same way make up the majority of the onlookers. Martin luther King was hated for standing up for the negros. The majority of the people were against him for a long time. However, he gained followers, and became nationally loved because the majority had switched to liking him. No matter the situation, you will find that this is the case. The majority decides who becomes what.
Tattle tails vs flag throwers. When we think of tattle tails we think of boys, but when we think of honest flag throwers we think of men. The ones who tattle are easily named for they are often disliked. Those who stand up against something wrong are, to the contrary, often idolized. However, these labels are a complete point of view. Which labels one gets is decided by the majority. The situation decides the majority. If a boy knows theres a fight on the play ground and he goes to alert a teacher, then he will end up as a tattle tail. That is, unless other boys who felt the same way make up the majority of the onlookers. Martin luther King was hated for standing up for the negros. The majority of the people were against him for a long time. However, he gained followers, and became nationally loved because the majority had switched to liking him. No matter the situation, you will find that this is the case. The majority decides who becomes what.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Question Numbero Two
As we read/discuss All My Sons, consider how many of the characters make choices on how to act depending on whether it benefits their family or society. In your blog post this week, discuss how characters in the play decide what is more important (needs of family or needs of society). Please cite examples from the play to support your answer (1 paragraph). In your second paragraph, discuss your personal opinions on the matter. When is it appropriate to put the needs of your family before society (and vice versa)?
The first few pages gave me the impression that this play was utterly pointless. However, it proved to be quite twisted by the pistol shot that ended it. Joe Keller is protrayed as "A man of stolid mind and build" (1). He seems like a guy whose got everything figured out, but when I thought about his habits, he seemed like that was just an image. His distaste for the news section seems sensible to me because I too don't like reading the news. Its all bad news... But I read the want/for sale ads on cars every day over a bowl of Lucky Charms so I can relate. But as the story moves we find Kelly to be the other side of this normal person. He runs a production plants that sold cylinder heads to the army (Go V12 monsters! Anyone but me know what heads are?). A batch came out crack (if you're curious I can tell you why this is bad), and he decided to send them to the military anyway. Why? "You wanted money," (76). "I'm in business; you got a process, the process don't work you're out of business; you don't know how to operate, your stuff is no good; they close you up, they tear up your contracts, what the hell's it to them? ... I never thought they'd install them. I swear to God. I thought they'd stop 'em before anybody took off," (69). Keller was pinned completely. He tries to blame it on money. Which is a good arguement. Money is everything in material world we live in. But for lives? "Chris I did it for you, it was a chance and I took if for you. I'm sixty one years old, when would I have another chance to make something for you? Sixty one years old and you don't get another chance do ya?" (70). Now he brings Chris in. The guts start to hurt at this part. Keller was cuaght between what he wanted and what was right. This is where I Wouldn't have done what he did.
When Keller put them on shipment I wouldn't have. He boxed those heads and sent them out because of what he wanted. What one wants is not more important then another man's entire life. One has no right to take another's life for any reason of his own unless the other cooperates, like a fight to the death (Yes, patronize me for my rediculousness). There are times when you can stand out against society. When others are benefitted from the standout then it is appropriate. If there are others who would follow you in a stand out the you should start one. But in the case of personal gain, there is no right to buck the trend. In the case of the 35W bridge. The gusset plates used were too small, endangering many people, but no one came out in fear of the money it would cost and the reputation that would be destroyed. Well it collapsed so it didn't really matter in the end, and thats what it amounts to. Keller didn't win in the end, the bridge builders didn't, the Challenger builders didn't. Those who have aren't known.
The first few pages gave me the impression that this play was utterly pointless. However, it proved to be quite twisted by the pistol shot that ended it. Joe Keller is protrayed as "A man of stolid mind and build" (1). He seems like a guy whose got everything figured out, but when I thought about his habits, he seemed like that was just an image. His distaste for the news section seems sensible to me because I too don't like reading the news. Its all bad news... But I read the want/for sale ads on cars every day over a bowl of Lucky Charms so I can relate. But as the story moves we find Kelly to be the other side of this normal person. He runs a production plants that sold cylinder heads to the army (Go V12 monsters! Anyone but me know what heads are?). A batch came out crack (if you're curious I can tell you why this is bad), and he decided to send them to the military anyway. Why? "You wanted money," (76). "I'm in business; you got a process, the process don't work you're out of business; you don't know how to operate, your stuff is no good; they close you up, they tear up your contracts, what the hell's it to them? ... I never thought they'd install them. I swear to God. I thought they'd stop 'em before anybody took off," (69). Keller was pinned completely. He tries to blame it on money. Which is a good arguement. Money is everything in material world we live in. But for lives? "Chris I did it for you, it was a chance and I took if for you. I'm sixty one years old, when would I have another chance to make something for you? Sixty one years old and you don't get another chance do ya?" (70). Now he brings Chris in. The guts start to hurt at this part. Keller was cuaght between what he wanted and what was right. This is where I Wouldn't have done what he did.
When Keller put them on shipment I wouldn't have. He boxed those heads and sent them out because of what he wanted. What one wants is not more important then another man's entire life. One has no right to take another's life for any reason of his own unless the other cooperates, like a fight to the death (Yes, patronize me for my rediculousness). There are times when you can stand out against society. When others are benefitted from the standout then it is appropriate. If there are others who would follow you in a stand out the you should start one. But in the case of personal gain, there is no right to buck the trend. In the case of the 35W bridge. The gusset plates used were too small, endangering many people, but no one came out in fear of the money it would cost and the reputation that would be destroyed. Well it collapsed so it didn't really matter in the end, and thats what it amounts to. Keller didn't win in the end, the bridge builders didn't, the Challenger builders didn't. Those who have aren't known.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Characters intro and commence
A read another good section in This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff again this week. This section was the last of the intro of the book. Toby, now Jack, and his mother are settling into their new Utah apartment. Jack's mom gets a job as a secretary. Then Roy is introduced. No reason is given as to why Roy follows the two around all the time. He is around the mothers age and obviously loves her so I guess theirs you reason. He is described and turns out to be a good person who, is classically, a little rough around the edge, "He always seemed deep in thought, staring at the road through mirrored sunglasses. He had a tattoo and had been to war and kept a kind of silence about it that was full of heroic implication" (30). Roy seems like a powerful character. He has many little things about him that make him unique and interesting to read about. For instance, "He could fix the Jeep if he had to, though he preferred to drive halfway across Utah to a mechanic he'd heard about from some loudmouth in a bar." This seems like something I will do when I get my own car. Though I want to be able to fix it when I need to as well. Roy is a character I feel like I can relate to and he eases the tension of the family's situation by being an overprotective boyfriend. "He followed her home every day, idling down the street, pulling into a driveway here and there to let her get ahead." Once again seems like something I'd do once I have my car.
The main character Jack, whose point of view the story is told, goes through some childhood events that I can see in my own life. He attends church classes. He's catholic so confession is common. Being young Jack has never had a confession. He fails his first attempt and is convinced to go later. Sister James, his leading nun, gives him cookies and tries to help him. She tells him about her own sins. Next thing Jack does is go into the confession room and confess to the same sins. I found the irony quite humorous. Jack lies to the priest in confession. It amazes me how even in a true story the hilarious and ironic tails of childhood are there. They happen all the time. The next thing I noticed about Jack was a realization he made. I don't remember any age being given but I know he's early teens. While Sister James gives him Oreo's to sooth his tense soul, "But now, forced to look at Sister James across the narrow space of this gleaming table-I saw her differently. I saw an anxious woman of my mother's age who wanted to help me without knowing what kind of help I needed. Her good will worked strongly on me. I would have surrendered to her if I only knew how" (33). I can remember these same revalations from my childhood too. Adults are actual people!
The main character Jack, whose point of view the story is told, goes through some childhood events that I can see in my own life. He attends church classes. He's catholic so confession is common. Being young Jack has never had a confession. He fails his first attempt and is convinced to go later. Sister James, his leading nun, gives him cookies and tries to help him. She tells him about her own sins. Next thing Jack does is go into the confession room and confess to the same sins. I found the irony quite humorous. Jack lies to the priest in confession. It amazes me how even in a true story the hilarious and ironic tails of childhood are there. They happen all the time. The next thing I noticed about Jack was a realization he made. I don't remember any age being given but I know he's early teens. While Sister James gives him Oreo's to sooth his tense soul, "But now, forced to look at Sister James across the narrow space of this gleaming table-I saw her differently. I saw an anxious woman of my mother's age who wanted to help me without knowing what kind of help I needed. Her good will worked strongly on me. I would have surrendered to her if I only knew how" (33). I can remember these same revalations from my childhood too. Adults are actual people!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
This Boy's Life, by Tobias Wolff
So, I'm reading This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff; a memoir. The first thing that grabbed me in this book and is exactly that, the attention grabber, was indeed, the attention grabber... My point moreover is that it started with a very good attention grabber. Starting with a boiling radiator, often caused by too much water, too little coolant, and a blocked aircanal (just for anyone who wants to know why a radiator boils..., oh and it could be a bubble too), Toby and his mom are stuck on the side of a hot mountain highway. Then a semi-truck goes flying by, horn blaring, carreening down the mountain. "He's lost his brake!" (1). The sickened feeling of knowing what comes next sank into my stomach as mother and son peered over the edge of the now gaurdrail free mountain curve. The truck was billowing smoke from its upside-down engine bay, the whole top of the trailor and tractor crushed by its own falling weight. Obviously this has no connection with the book, but it says a lot about Wolff's style. It is casual, almost too casual for me, so this is the perfect way to start the book because it grabs the readers guts and yanks them into the book and still managers to bring you into the story.
The plot thus far is relatively simple and cliche. Father and mother got an angry divorce and now the child and mother are going cross country to start anew. I myself find this to be an overexamined predicament in way too many books so already I can feel myself dragging. However this story is about a boy, not a boy and his mom. We are introduced to some early issues. Cliche as it is the mother pathetically fails at finding the uranium ore that the two have come cross country for and can't find a job. This applies ample amounts of stress to the nerves in the left side of my head. Despite this Wolff spends little time on it and proves this book is worth reading with focusing on him. Toby hates his name. He wanted to be called Jack. "Odds were good that I'd never have to share a classroom with a girl named Jack" (8). Even in just this one small part of him we see into Toby's personality. He ends up calling his father to talk it over. The father of course wants him to keep the name he rightfully gave him at birth. He didn't last long. Jack it was. His mother who had disapproved was now more excited about it to spite her hated ex-husband. Toby we see here is an almost classic hot-headed young boy, probably almost in his teens if not already there (age is not told yet). He even went to catechism classes to acheive his new name. One other thing readers can deduce about Tobias Wolff is that he is a rather random person. This is noted in his writing. In one page he jumped from being named Jack, to Archery Club, and on the the lady next door's cats. I found this mildly entertaining for he also tells it all in a mildly humorous light. That I don't mind however it is an abused writing style. So far I'd give the book a 5 out of 10. Its not boring, but I wouldn't read it unless I had to.
The plot thus far is relatively simple and cliche. Father and mother got an angry divorce and now the child and mother are going cross country to start anew. I myself find this to be an overexamined predicament in way too many books so already I can feel myself dragging. However this story is about a boy, not a boy and his mom. We are introduced to some early issues. Cliche as it is the mother pathetically fails at finding the uranium ore that the two have come cross country for and can't find a job. This applies ample amounts of stress to the nerves in the left side of my head. Despite this Wolff spends little time on it and proves this book is worth reading with focusing on him. Toby hates his name. He wanted to be called Jack. "Odds were good that I'd never have to share a classroom with a girl named Jack" (8). Even in just this one small part of him we see into Toby's personality. He ends up calling his father to talk it over. The father of course wants him to keep the name he rightfully gave him at birth. He didn't last long. Jack it was. His mother who had disapproved was now more excited about it to spite her hated ex-husband. Toby we see here is an almost classic hot-headed young boy, probably almost in his teens if not already there (age is not told yet). He even went to catechism classes to acheive his new name. One other thing readers can deduce about Tobias Wolff is that he is a rather random person. This is noted in his writing. In one page he jumped from being named Jack, to Archery Club, and on the the lady next door's cats. I found this mildly entertaining for he also tells it all in a mildly humorous light. That I don't mind however it is an abused writing style. So far I'd give the book a 5 out of 10. Its not boring, but I wouldn't read it unless I had to.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Coming Right Up
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/president/33421749.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU
Seeing that its a week before we chose our respective president I find it necessary to talk about politics at least one more time before the fateful ballots are cast. I read this article from the Star Tribune newspaper about one of the forces that could decide the election. This force is the cross-party balloteer. They disreguard party lines on their ballots voting neither all for one or all for the other. "I just don't follow party lines. I'm just voting for the best person for the job," said Larry Sherman. When I vote this will be my title as well. I do not like following party lines, and as this election is proving, more and more people are deciding the same. We want the best man in there. Republican and Democrat are good labels for those who think one way and those who think another, but to me, its just stupid to vote for someone because of that label. We learned in government last year about how most people really have no idea what they're voting for. Single sided voters too skew the votes too. The people who vote in these ways are rash, and are ruining America. We're putting people in office who don't work towards everything we want, which is an unrealistic hope I know, but they could be doing better. I myself am completely undecided for the first time since I learned about Obama and McCain. Obama is going to make us go socailist but McCain has some economic policies that I don't believe in either. Its going to be a toss-up. No matter who becomes president I believe will be the most hated president ever. Neither one is focussing on the right stuff. America I just fine how it is, except for the economic issues we face. I think we should pull out of this war, which would save us a lot of economic pressure. We could then focus on switching over to more energy efficient ways of life to cut off our imports on oil. Then we need some economic regulations that prevent stupid breakdowns like bad morgages and loans from biting us in the butt like this. I could go on and on but I find these to be the most important issues.
Seeing that its a week before we chose our respective president I find it necessary to talk about politics at least one more time before the fateful ballots are cast. I read this article from the Star Tribune newspaper about one of the forces that could decide the election. This force is the cross-party balloteer. They disreguard party lines on their ballots voting neither all for one or all for the other. "I just don't follow party lines. I'm just voting for the best person for the job," said Larry Sherman. When I vote this will be my title as well. I do not like following party lines, and as this election is proving, more and more people are deciding the same. We want the best man in there. Republican and Democrat are good labels for those who think one way and those who think another, but to me, its just stupid to vote for someone because of that label. We learned in government last year about how most people really have no idea what they're voting for. Single sided voters too skew the votes too. The people who vote in these ways are rash, and are ruining America. We're putting people in office who don't work towards everything we want, which is an unrealistic hope I know, but they could be doing better. I myself am completely undecided for the first time since I learned about Obama and McCain. Obama is going to make us go socailist but McCain has some economic policies that I don't believe in either. Its going to be a toss-up. No matter who becomes president I believe will be the most hated president ever. Neither one is focussing on the right stuff. America I just fine how it is, except for the economic issues we face. I think we should pull out of this war, which would save us a lot of economic pressure. We could then focus on switching over to more energy efficient ways of life to cut off our imports on oil. Then we need some economic regulations that prevent stupid breakdowns like bad morgages and loans from biting us in the butt like this. I could go on and on but I find these to be the most important issues.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Dark Knight
http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie-critic-reviews/the-dark-knight/
Being one of the few people who have never seen The Dark Knight I thought I might as well use a review on it for my outside reading this week. According to then many people who have seen the movie action and greatness come standard. Even people I wouldn't think to like this kind of movie really loved it. A dark evil movie about the Batman who runs around catching badguys in a terrible and failing city doesn't seem to appeal to all those who loved it. Never the less the reviews showed many thumbs up. I read this review that included critics from Variety.com and more importantly AMG itself on the movie to see what the pros thought. The critics reiderated the same things as my fellow students had. A great cast with a great amount of action packed into a very controversial plot. It all spells fun when you add it up right and the movie does. Deaths of characters who will remain unnamed play the heart and to cap even death, the hero is really not a hero? Thats the big question presented by this movie. Some found it a sour taste to end the movie with Batman as the enemy though for anyone who watched the cartoon, and I am one of them, this comes as no surprise. Of course being a shadowy guy with a cape who flies around the city at night blowing things up and chasing other badguys can't really be a good guy in and of himself can he? At least not until he has proven himself which is left to the next movie. Beyond all the great review some still found the film a bit confusing with its technologically advanced concoction of effects and stunts. However if you pay attention most obviously left the theater in an overall good mood. This is a movie I think I should see. The pros as well as my pro friends all say its good. Advice is to be followed. Party anyone?
Being one of the few people who have never seen The Dark Knight I thought I might as well use a review on it for my outside reading this week. According to then many people who have seen the movie action and greatness come standard. Even people I wouldn't think to like this kind of movie really loved it. A dark evil movie about the Batman who runs around catching badguys in a terrible and failing city doesn't seem to appeal to all those who loved it. Never the less the reviews showed many thumbs up. I read this review that included critics from Variety.com and more importantly AMG itself on the movie to see what the pros thought. The critics reiderated the same things as my fellow students had. A great cast with a great amount of action packed into a very controversial plot. It all spells fun when you add it up right and the movie does. Deaths of characters who will remain unnamed play the heart and to cap even death, the hero is really not a hero? Thats the big question presented by this movie. Some found it a sour taste to end the movie with Batman as the enemy though for anyone who watched the cartoon, and I am one of them, this comes as no surprise. Of course being a shadowy guy with a cape who flies around the city at night blowing things up and chasing other badguys can't really be a good guy in and of himself can he? At least not until he has proven himself which is left to the next movie. Beyond all the great review some still found the film a bit confusing with its technologically advanced concoction of effects and stunts. However if you pay attention most obviously left the theater in an overall good mood. This is a movie I think I should see. The pros as well as my pro friends all say its good. Advice is to be followed. Party anyone?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Meditation
http://www.how-to-meditate.org/breathing-meditations.htm/
Hearing the word Buddhism instantly puts one word into my head; meditation. In researching Buddhism I found that I am what I would call an "antibuddhist." Not in the way that I don't like Buddhists, though I do disagree with the whole kill your mental self part, because I am the opposite. I try to get my happyness from acheiving things and quenching thirst and hungry and being pleased for as long as I can, then going to reacheive that feeling again later. This obviously leads my extreme stress levels and huge let downs when things swing the other way. So I decided to look into Buddhism a little bit and read up on how to meditate. I found these simple instructions fastinating. Anyone with any stress really should try this, it works rediculously well, though it takes great dicsipline. You find a nice quiet spot, and breath. Focus on that breathing, just keep focusing, until your mind calms. Its a wonderful feeling (and this is only the first phase!). When done on a daily basis, the distracting and stressful thoughts subside and your mind tends to be much more open and spacious all the time. Thinking more clearly and calmly leads to better decision making and faster mind. Putting this to the test is something I intend to do.
Hearing the word Buddhism instantly puts one word into my head; meditation. In researching Buddhism I found that I am what I would call an "antibuddhist." Not in the way that I don't like Buddhists, though I do disagree with the whole kill your mental self part, because I am the opposite. I try to get my happyness from acheiving things and quenching thirst and hungry and being pleased for as long as I can, then going to reacheive that feeling again later. This obviously leads my extreme stress levels and huge let downs when things swing the other way. So I decided to look into Buddhism a little bit and read up on how to meditate. I found these simple instructions fastinating. Anyone with any stress really should try this, it works rediculously well, though it takes great dicsipline. You find a nice quiet spot, and breath. Focus on that breathing, just keep focusing, until your mind calms. Its a wonderful feeling (and this is only the first phase!). When done on a daily basis, the distracting and stressful thoughts subside and your mind tends to be much more open and spacious all the time. Thinking more clearly and calmly leads to better decision making and faster mind. Putting this to the test is something I intend to do.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The economic split
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/congress/30072414.html?elr=KArksUUUU
I read an article on the recent 700 Billion Bailout plan that got refused by Congress. Its a relatively basic article. Nothing fancy but the info is interesting. President Bush wanted the bill passed as did the democratic leaders in Congress but it still didn't pass. This fits the pattern I talked about in a comment to Narah. There is a pattern I see in failing economies of today. The people in charge don't know really what to do in the case of a disaster, thus when the great thing befalls our economy they panic and send out a bunch of legislation that only worsens the wound. In our case these bailout bills are being thrown out on the table the leaders thinking that they'll make everything better, such as the huge 700 Billioin bailout and the automakers loan bill to help them make more efficient cars. Thankfully we also have people who do know what they're doing. Congress vetoed the 700 billion bailout bill. A few potent arguements were made against the bill. The one I stand behind is, Where are we going to get 700 billion$?! I don't want to pay huge taxes for the rest of my life because the current leaders can't screw their heads on straight. My paychecks take a big enough hit as it is. The other arguement I found was just the fact that the idea wasn't presented very well at all. Very few were convinced. Democrats and Republicans alike vetoed the bill. The Parties uniting? This goes to show that the bill was rushed and no one knows what they're doing. Its good we have a new president on the way, its America's only chance to make a real change or not.
I read an article on the recent 700 Billion Bailout plan that got refused by Congress. Its a relatively basic article. Nothing fancy but the info is interesting. President Bush wanted the bill passed as did the democratic leaders in Congress but it still didn't pass. This fits the pattern I talked about in a comment to Narah. There is a pattern I see in failing economies of today. The people in charge don't know really what to do in the case of a disaster, thus when the great thing befalls our economy they panic and send out a bunch of legislation that only worsens the wound. In our case these bailout bills are being thrown out on the table the leaders thinking that they'll make everything better, such as the huge 700 Billioin bailout and the automakers loan bill to help them make more efficient cars. Thankfully we also have people who do know what they're doing. Congress vetoed the 700 billion bailout bill. A few potent arguements were made against the bill. The one I stand behind is, Where are we going to get 700 billion$?! I don't want to pay huge taxes for the rest of my life because the current leaders can't screw their heads on straight. My paychecks take a big enough hit as it is. The other arguement I found was just the fact that the idea wasn't presented very well at all. Very few were convinced. Democrats and Republicans alike vetoed the bill. The Parties uniting? This goes to show that the bill was rushed and no one knows what they're doing. Its good we have a new president on the way, its America's only chance to make a real change or not.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Odysseus; hero of modern times.
To me Odysseus is a hero today just as much as he would be back in the day as well. He lies quite frequently, but this can easily be pardoned with the fact that secrecy is the perfect shadow a hero can hide in. Odysseus needs to be unknown to most of the people he comes across in his journey home and plot to kill the suitors. Athena changes the godlike Odysseus to look like an old begger, a very nice cover. Odysseus then crafts a short tale of his life to tell anyone who asks of his past and gain pity from them as well. From being a slave in Egypt to seeing Odysseus in Crete Odysseus story is nothing but a big fat lie, but it acheives his task none the less. If Odysseus hadn't been able to lie, he would not have been able to come back to Ithica to surprise the suitors. Heros now more then ever need to lie about themselves and change themselves to stay hidden and secret. Otherwise the world would squash them in the open and the hero would be useless.
Some heros have no negative characteristics. Most do have them. Odysseus' negative traits are ones that can be overlooked. People love colorful hero's and Odysseus is just that. Some people may say hes self centered and weak for having relations with other women while his wife stays true back at home. These traits can be trumped with his covered curiosity. Odysseus wants to hear the Sirens sing. Such temptation from the voices lures many to their deaths. Odysseus still wants to hear them sing, so he has his crew tie him and and stick wax in their ears so no one can or will want to do anything stupid. Using a smart plan Odysseus gets to do what he wants. If done the right way a person can do most anything.
Some heros have no negative characteristics. Most do have them. Odysseus' negative traits are ones that can be overlooked. People love colorful hero's and Odysseus is just that. Some people may say hes self centered and weak for having relations with other women while his wife stays true back at home. These traits can be trumped with his covered curiosity. Odysseus wants to hear the Sirens sing. Such temptation from the voices lures many to their deaths. Odysseus still wants to hear them sing, so he has his crew tie him and and stick wax in their ears so no one can or will want to do anything stupid. Using a smart plan Odysseus gets to do what he wants. If done the right way a person can do most anything.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Life in the fast lane.
For my outside reading this week I decided to read a poem. Finding it hard to let my mind wonder free at all poetry seemed like a good chioce. I searched a few different poetry cites mostly looking at "Poem of the Month." I finally came across a poem I really liked. I also found it significant to our new and busy lives. It's call "Barking" by Jim Harrison. The poem talks about how night and day life was and how fast it went by. How he was "On a short chain" (11) but "Now there's no chain at all" (12). This is significant to me today because I can see my life going into high gear and the days are already sliding by at break neck speed. I think they are for a lot of us. The poem talks about how life went into this mode and got away from the one living it. I recently turned 16. Unlike most kids I wasn't very happy about it. I didn't want to watch my childhood go, I didn't feel like I had lived enough of it, like it had slipped by. Now that the bindings of childhood are gone, I am becoming an individual. There are no chains on me now. They've began releasing from all of us. We're growing and up and becoming independant. I take the main theme of this poem is to live your life because it goes by fast. I'm living my own life that way as we speak. I think you, dear reader, should read this poem and see how it strikes you. Maybe you'll see it like I do and it'll help you live a happier life. Maybe not. I love poems about life, and this is a good example of that.
Harrison, Jim. "Barking". Poetry. Poetry Foundation. 18 Sept 2008. http://www.poetrymagazine.org/magazine/0908/poem_182141.html
Harrison, Jim. "Barking". Poetry. Poetry Foundation. 18 Sept 2008. http://www.poetrymagazine.org/magazine/0908/poem_182141.html
Monday, September 15, 2008
?
What are these false positive blocker things? Apparently I can't post this. We'll see if thats True.
The Year is Here! (I Rhymed!)
This is EE 10... Wow. I'm finally in highschool. Well I guess we're amping it up with these blogs for ELA outside reading. We have to read in for class, do papers for class, and read outside class. A tall task. This webpage is my blog in which I shall be posting my comments on my outside reading. I wonder what it is this week...? Well I guess you'll have to go to my blog to find out. Or are you already here... I can't say... I've never had a blog like this until now. How ironic that it is for school purposes. I think I used ironic properly... if not... Oh I hope I used it properly... Either way... Well I suppose I better go learn how to use this.
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