LIFE AFTER THIS BLOG POST

I just submitted my second 'Future Me' letter to myself, that will be arriving exactly a year from now. If anything it was more of a thank you letter to myself. That I hope that I continued on being resilient. I wrote about how i'm doing in college (hopefully) if not, that I am doing something worthwhile.

I dug up my old 'Future Me' Letter and reread it. Wise words that I wrote to myself, seeing that I was only 15 at the time. I experienced some pretty heavy stuff, but it was all worth it. I am very open & am comfortable sharing this letter. All though it may not seem like much, I am revealing quite a bit.

FOX IN SOCKS READING

This was so hard. Ughh. My first post had no sound so I had to upload another one on YouTube which pissed me off. But here it is. I actually beat my time from the first video!

Thoughts from Tumblr #7

It has been quite a while since I have posted one of these & I will ATTEMPT to post daily Thoughts from Tumblr. No promises because why make them if I cannot keep them, right?

I love the concept of this. At any moment we can stop, linger over what we are doing with our lives & actually change. We don't have to do something we don't want to. We can travel anywhere in the world, give someone a compliment, do a good deed for our community..the possibilities are endless. I certainly like to believe that everyone is capable of fulfilling their potential. All one has to do is just act.

Instead of over thinking every little detail, one should just be. Be honest, kind, and open to the world. If every soul was like this, together the world can accomplish great things.

HACKSCHOOLING MAKES ME HAPPY

I did not think that I would be learning something about school during my Thanksgiving break. I was just scrolling through twitter passing time & I came across this inspiring video in a tweet. What caught my attention was that a celebrity tweeted it & it just so happens that it was a TEDxTalk. ALSO it had mentioned hackschooling & happiness in the title, coincidence? I think not.

I will not spoil anything else for you. Just click play & be inspired by this 13 year old boy who believes that hackschooling makes him the happiest kid out there. Xx

FINALLY DONE APPLYING TO COLLEGES (sorta)

My entire life has led up to this moment. All the constant stress, nagging, & work load has prepared me for college. I'm glad I got to submit my UC applications to UCLA, UCRiverside, UCSD, & UCSC on Wednesday! I was so sick & tired of these college applications, but now they are submitted. There is no turning back for me. I was (luckily) able to submit my CSU applications to Fullerton, LA, Sonoma, & Long Beach State back in October.

The only reason why I waited so long to submit was because I had difficulty writing my personal statements, just like I do with whatever I write. My writing never seems good enough & I just feel like it can get better. I just don't know how to make it better. But I just had to stop over thinking it & just submit.

Now I just have to submit to Cal Lutheran & I will be all set!

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

1. The place I've chosen as hell is ordinary, completely boring and empty. But I do believe the mind can exist in hell in a beautiful place. The mind creates their own version of hell & I feel that the mind can fear a beautiful place. That it is not attainable & that they are not deserving of it, this beautiful place is haunting them. I feel like the mind is capable of finding peace in a hellish environment. They have to want peace so bad that they are willing to battle their most feared external/internal demons to achieve it.
2. Hell is never-ending. Hell drags on & on until you think its over & picks right back up again. You do not get the chance to breathe, there is a constant weight over your shoulders that makes living unbearable. With hell, one can only handle so much so they find distractions to cope from the hell that they are in.
3. Sartre creates an atmosphere that is familiar to an individual. He describes everyday activities that we unconsciously do & presents them in a way that we never thought twice about through his dialogue between Garcin & Valet. Lights can be blinding, often bright lights can deceive you from a destined path, create a misleading place of desire. The lights can represent the future, but since the future is so bright, you become lost on your way to capturing this light. Garcin asks questions that seem absurd to Valet, but actually start to unravel why things are this way. Everyday you become succumbed to the comfort of hell that you just get used to it, to the point that you don't know anything else besides hell. Hell is like a roller coaster that you can never get off of. You experience all these twists & turns & right when you think the bad part is over, you are spun backwards. You never even saw it coming.

BRAIN WITH 8 LEGS

I am in a group with Erica, Izamar & Nakesha. We have decided to read (Great Expectations by Charles Dickens) an average of 40 pages a night to finish by the end of Thanksgiving break. We have decided to create a new blog titled "Greater Expectations" to present our findings, questions, etc. We all decided it would be best if we contributed to every aspect of this assignment instead of having our own individual part.

VOCABULARY #9

aficionado: (noun) an ardent devotee, enthusiast, fan

-The Supernatural aficionados have dedicated entire blogs for their favorite show. 

browbeat: (verb used w/ object) to intimidate by overbearing looks or words, bully

-Never let a browbeat oppress you from being who you are & doing what you love. 

commensurate: (adj) having the same measure; of equal extent or duration 

- The test tubes have to have the same commensurate of chemicals in order for the experiment to run smoothly. 

diaphanous: (adj) very sheer & light & almost translucent or completely transparent

-The cancer had run its course, & you were now able to see every vain beneath her diaphanous skin. 

emolument: (noun) profit, salary, or fees from office or employment; compensation for services

-The emolument will be paid in full once we receive the stipend in the mail. 

foray: (noun) a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder; a quick sudden attack 

-Our school was not prepared for this sudden foray of pranks by the opposing school. 

genre: (noun) a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique or the like 

-No matter what someone will always have a criticism of  this genre of literature because of the controversial topics present. 

homily: (noun) a sermon, usually on a biblical topic & usually of a non-doctrinal nature; an inspirational saying or cliche

-Graduation tends to be full of homilies of how that graduation class was the best & how they are the future. 

immure: (verb used w/ object) to enclose w/in walls, to shut in, seclude, confine, to imprison; obsolete, fortify 

-Depression, if you choose to let it, can take over & begin to immure within every ounce of your being. 

insouciant: (adj) free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant

-No matter what I do, I cannot  shake this feeling of regret & be insouciant from the problem. 

matrix: (noun) something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates, takes form, or develops 

-Matrices help form the infrastructure for the architectural blue prints of the building. 

obsequies: (noun, plural) a funeral site or ceremony

-I have attended too many dismal obsequies in my lifetime. 

panache: (noun) grand or flamboyant manner; verve, style, flair

-Damon has that charisma that just entices people to be around him; that panache that no one can replicate. 

persona: (noun) a person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor or celebrity; personal image, public role 

-Elena's persona was constantly changing & no one could seem to keep up with her multiple attitudes. 

philippic: (noun) any orations delivered by Demosthenes, the Athenian orator, in the 4th century b.c., against Philip, king of Macedon; any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation 

-Do not blame me for your faults & use that philippic language towards me, all I've done was help you through these trying times. 

prurient: (adj) having inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.; having a restless desire or longing 

-The difference between someone who surfs & someone that is a surfer is that surfers have a prurient longing to be in the water & in the sun. Surfers cannot go a day without surfing. 

sacrosanct: (adj) extremely sacred or inviolable; not to be entered or trespassed upon; above or beyond criticism, change or interference

-Ancient burial grounds are infamous for being sacrosanct & anyone who does trespassed is punished. 

systemic: (adj) of or pertaining to a system 

-Fangirls belong to a systemic fandom where they obsess over their idol & practically dedicate their lives to them. 

tendentious: (adj) having or showing a definite tendency, bias or purpose 

-Most are tendentiously inclined to stick with what they know & avoid any change or difference that they know nothing of. 

vicissitude: (noun) a change or variation occurring in the course of something 

-These past events had rekindled more vicissitude in my life than ever before. 

WE HANG TOGETHER

• Inter-organizational relationships can be competitive, interdependent or a combination of the two
• Organizations are interdependent in terms of their performance & organizational cultures
• In the late 80's & 90's this shifted to corporate strategy & association b/c of global marketing, converging tastes, ever-shortening lives of technology & product cycles & large capital investment demands
• Strategic alliance: various collaborative relationships & endeavors
• When executives & managers are forced to create strategies for partnership & cooperation they must  do it in a way that fits their organization & human resources
• Corporate leaders, academics & pundits often mistakenly characterize business endurance as competition rather than dependence
• Darwin's model of evolution illustrates the natural tendencies of organisms to create relationships, networks & communities
• The "fittest" are not necessarily self-sufficient but diverse, most adaptable & interdependent
• Human factors such as trust & communication play a significant role in the successful implementation of interdependent effort
• They will also naturally sabotage any initiative that does not fit their value systems
• Collaboration unless required or sanctioned by an authority figure is considered cheating
• To achieve ideal independence, something must be sacrificed & what is lost is the sense of teamwork, belonging to something that is greater than oneself
• A collaborator must be able to justify his investment in a strategic relationship by promoting the benefits of creating a strategic relationship or create fear for the ramifications of acting w/o it
• Acting out of self-interest can conflict w/ what is good for the alliance; which is influenced by societal, cultural & organizational influences
• By allowing & encouraging relationships to take place among companies, departments, individuals & other members of online, market, & geographical communities, companies can achieve multiple goals in marketing, PR & good will of altruism
• Effective interdependence facilitates not only business success, but the preservation of an environment in which for-profit & non-profit ventures thrive

SONNET ANALYSIS #1

• Italian roots from Sonneto
• meaning little song/sound
• divided into two parts: Petarc & Petrarcan
• initial section octet & 2nd sextet
• sonnets are 14 lines
• Shakespearean couplet, Petrarcan

A POETIC INQUIRY

I chose to use my 2nd Big Question because I find it to have more relevance to me right now. 

"Why is our society good at "pretending"? We pretend to be happy or pretend to be something we're not. Nowadays pretending seems what we do best. Society seems to be faking it to make it. Why must we pretend? Why must we pretend to be something other than ourselves? Why aren't our standards good enough for society, that we have to stoop to their unattainable idea of perfection? For in the end, we only lose ourselves to what we pretend to be. Is pretending truly worth it?" 

Sonnet 138

When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her through I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But wherefore says she not is unjust?
And wherefore say not that I am old?
O! love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.

http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/sonnet/138

11:11 on 11/11

I would just like to point out that since 2001 there has been twelve dates and times that have been the same numerical order once a year for twelve years. Last year being the last time this will happen for another 100 years or so.

01:01:01 on 01/01/01

02:02:02 on 02/02/02

03:03:03 on 03/03/03

04:04:04 on 04/04/04

05:05:05 on 05/05/05

06:06:06 on 06/06/06

07:07:07 on 07/07/07

08:08:08 on 08/08/08

09:09:09 on 09/09/09

10:10:10 on 10/10/10

11:11:11 on 11/11/11

12:12:12 on 12/12/12

How cool/strange is that?? Just let this all sink in.

Hamlet Essay

Hamlet's character is compulsively smart and cunning. He does not seem so articulate during your first prognosis of his character. The way he was able to get Polonius to do his bidding without him knowing is brilliant! He puts all of his actions, thoughts and beliefs out into the world which is a locutionary force. Hamlet's acting and speech has made most question his sanity. It  is a given that one would assume that Hamlet is suicidal, quite despaired and frankly all over the place. But in fact he is quite the opposite, his character is quite developed as an individual. He may not seem able to collect his thoughts and actions well, but he is able to put everything together for his personal satisfaction. His scheming against each character is well thought out and works in his favor.

With each soliloquy has its own distinct characteristic depending on whom Hamlet is around. Each character has had ambiguous opinions of Hamlet's well-being, but none have yet figured out that they are all a player in his game. When he is around other characters he puts on this facade so that they believe what he wants them to believe. Hamlet can portray a composed and rational person when around those he trusts or someone who has completely lost his marbles for those who are out to get him. He plays the role of being mad quite successfully. Rather when he is alone he is not composed and lets his vulnerable side show. The debate in his head on whether or not he should act to correct an injustice or give up is perlocutionary. Though he may be just a character of many in this play, Hamlet portrays real human qualities.

As an individual one experiences their own internal/external struggles, thoughts and events. It does not matter what walk of life we are from, just that we are human. I for one can be too much of a human. Everything I do, think, or experience seems to be magnified on a much larger scale. I self-overhear more than I am supposed to. I probably spend more time over thinking and saying that I will act upon something rather than actually experiencing it. But I am quite aware that it is there, hanging right over head daunting on me. More than likely I will act upon it sooner later or forget about it completely. I feel as if no matter what I accomplish that it is not good enough and further fuels my need to be better/do better for myself. Other times I lack the confidence, will power, strength, or however one may put it, to actually change. I should not have to live this way and yet I do, some days are fine and others are not. Everyday I face a new challenge, big and small and I attempt to do all that I can to make it more gratifying than the last.

Hamlet is much more capably human than all the other characters. Polonius, Ophelia, the Queen, Claudius are outrageous, for their characters are not typically human. These other characters are morbidly self-serving and conniving that they do not act for others. There are people whom their characters relate to, but are not humanly sincere.  Their characters magnify Hamlet's persona so one is able to understand his innermost thoughts and why he acts the way he does. While all  the other characters are just bits and pieces of a whole human.

Thoughts from Tumblr #6

I keep thinking about college. Basically everything around me involves college. Getting good grades for college. Personal statements for college. Letters of recommendations for college. Applying for scholarships for college. AND ABOVE ALL..paying for college. What are we really paying for? (Besides the traditional room & board, books, etc.) I feel like I have finally found out why college is so damn expensive. We are basically paying the college for existing on their school grounds.

Thoughts from Tumblr #5

I really wonder why this is? I doubt myself all the time & just end up not saying anything at all because i'm afraid to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. I over-analyze everything and make something worse than it actually is. Why is that the others just talk before they speak & don't stop to think, "maybe I shouldn't say that." They present themselves with this air of confidence even if they are wrong. Could they be doing something right? Or maybe I am doing something wrong?

Encouraging Open Source Learning

This past weekend I was catching up with an old friend & we began discussing school. I mentioned Hamlet & my friend cringed. She preceded to tell me she hated studying the play & my response was that I loved it. She then questioned my sanity & this is when I told her about Open Source Learning. She told me that reading Hamlet made her want to drop out of her AP class ( she goes to OA). 

I gave her the link to Dr. Preston's AP blog & told her to explore. I said if you need help with Hamlet read through our blogs & any other confusion to ask me. I explained to her that analyzing the play shouldn't be a hassle & that she should get with a group of friends to act it out just like our period 5 class had. I told her through our blogs we are able to collaborate & create new ideas & that she should make one for her class too. With the Internet we can learn just about anything & communicate with just about anyone around the world. It all just depends on how we use these resources. I really hope she precedes with creating a blog & expands her learning boundaries with in her school because every student should not be limited within these dim rooms we call classrooms. 

Thoughts from Tumblr #2,3,4

This first one feels so relevant to what we are learning in Hamlet right now that I felt like I should post this. Not only does this relate to the play, but it applies to life. We as a society are afraid to take risks, fear begins to run our lives & can even drive someone to the breaking point.

People are so consumed with their own lives. They are more worried about themselves, rather than anybody else. Which is true among a majority of society.  No matter what we will not be able to please everybody, even if we are completely ourselves. When we start comparing ourselves to others, that is when the real trouble begins. Most are just focused on themselves even if that means others unfortunately get brought down in the process.

And finally this last one hits really close to home. I use to be so afraid and hesitant to speak my mind that I would refrain from saying anything at all. I absolutely HATE (& I do not like using the word hate often) disappointing everyone including myself and to cause drama. But then I realize that things will never change if I do not act now. I woke up. Now I do not take any crap from anyone & take control to fix a wrong.

 I just be.

Tools that change the way we think

The use of internet has helped to broaden my learning. With internet, media &/or technology you are able to learn & do so many more things then before. In a way these things have taken over the world & our individual lives. I feel like most people put their lives. I feel like most people put their time & energy mainly concentrating on technology. Sometimes it is hard for me to focus b/c of the many notifications (distractions) I get. Those who did not have technology were able to survive w/o it & I believe were more efficient. Although they didn't have access to the tools we offer now. Now I basically have access to the world.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I hope everyone had a fun & safe Halloween! Today did not go as planned for me, but it was a good day nonetheless.

Here is a picture of my Sugar Skull Pumpkin that I did yesterday! Last minute I know...BUT I always find last minute ideas that work out in the end :)

Filter Bubbles

a) I learned that Google is custom-tailored for the individual at use. That I am not seeing the bigger picture, that I am only viewing what Google wants me to see based on the fact that they think that this is what I should see through these Filter Bubbles.
b) This makes me think that I am missing out on so many important events or discoveries happening around the world. that Google doesn't want me to see something and that is not right with me.
c) Does what I see on the internet, because of the filter Bubbles, actually matter? How do I prevent this from happening? Why does the internet have so much access to our preferences and whereabouts?
d) To improve the effectiveness of my searches I will refer to more than one search engine and go beyond the first page of results.

THOUGHTS ON HAMLET (IN PROGRESS)

When our class had first began to discuss/read Hamlet I was not very excited to say the least. I thought it was going to be very tedious and boring. Little did I know that it was the exact opposite. As I continue on reading Hamlet the passages are easier for me to understand. I read the deeper meaning in between the lines. If it wasn't for this class I would have never known that Hamlet was a brilliant mastermind and just thought he was a complete lunatic! Since the ghost had shown up at midnight I feel as if he will make more of an appearance as the play continues and hopefully other substantial characters will interact with the ghost as well. With the ghost making another debut I feel as if something important is about to occur to stir things up. I believe that there will be more tragic deaths as we continue onward in this play. The play within the play was just the tip of the iceberg, I can only anticipate more drama and plot twists.

Thoughts from Tumblr #1

Tumblr has always inspired me with some sort of message or just provokes a response out of me. So, I feel like these inspirations or provocations should be shared. From here on out I will post a daily message or image from Tumblr. Enjoy xx

This just speaks to me on so many levels. I have trouble with being okay with who I am as an individual and am often hard on myself. I saw this and just thought it's okay if I am not happy with something in my life because I can change it. I can start fresh and move forward.

Late Night/Early Morning Thoughts

When i'm half asleep I always tend to think more clearly, if that makes any sense. During the day I have so many things on my mind and distractions at hand that it is hard to focus. But as of right now (when I should be sleeping) I am half asleep. Therefore I feel like I have a better attention span to think things through. I am able to cut to the chase and not over-analyze my work or topic. Maybe that's why I tend to my work late at night/early morning? When it's quiet and I have less distractions...but I feel like this isn't healthy. This whole thing is just plain weird to me.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT ACT III

When I was first assigned to read this I only skimmed over and barely understood a word that I was reading in Act III. Then a second time I read it over and as a group we had deciphered what nonsense each character was saying. I was able to ask questions to clarify any misconceptions I had had beforehand. It really did help reviewing as a group because I was more open to what everyone's opinion was about the passage rather than just my own that I would soon forget because I rushed through. Finally reading it a third time through, the nonsense that I had previously read now made perfect sense. I was able to decipher Hamlet's dialogue and schemes to a better extent. Not to mention while memorizing Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' speech I was able to gain a better insight into Hamlet's thoughts. By reciting the speech over and over to myself I discovered the bigger picture behind the speech, thus the main theme of the play.

Literary Analysis #2

The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

1. The setting primarily takes place in New York City during the 1920's. The exposition displays a young man Anthony Patch, a young graduate student from Harvard. Anthony is full of promise, he is handsome, intelligent and part of the social elite. Though he is greedy, he has to have the best of the best and keeps putting off a career that will help him excel in life. Anthony awaits the fortune that his grandfather will behind so that he can continue to party. Soon enough he meets Gloria whom is charmingly beautiful and hopelessly reckless. Their love for one another begins rocky and continues to stay on this path. The young couple cannot make up their mind and continue to move from place to place in search of something that won't ever satisfy their greed. As they wait to see if Anthony will win in court for his grandfather's fortune, their own savings rapidly diminishes, which is when the climax occurs and their lives spiral out of control. Anthony consumes alcohol to forget his financial troubles and eventually the alcohol consumes his life and is never sober. Glory is obsessed with her own beauty and the thought of growing old and not being pretty consumes her life. The two are not ready to let go of the New York nightlife and all the glitz and glamour that it has to offer which eventually causes more strain on their relationship and reputation. The resolution finally occurs when the court decides to turn the case over to Anthony and he inherits his grandfather's fortune, but before this occurs Anthony finally turns himself over to sin and goes insane.

2. The theme of the story would be the addiction of sin. Anthony and Gloria are driven by greed, lust, envy and pride. Once they both had a taste of what Roaring Twenties had to offer they were pulled under by the temptations of sin. Anthony and Gloria had lost sight of reality and as a result became completely lost in sin. One by one the couple had lost their morals and values, as they were replaced by a sin. Anthony was under the influence of greed and envy. He envied the life and success of his friends, but instead of working for it he expected everything to just come to him. He believed that he was the best of the best and deserved the whole world. He was to proud to accept any favors from anyone and "handled" everything on his own. Gloria's lust to be maintain her beauty drove her insane. She was fixated on becoming a movie star, so that her looks were eternal and praised by many. Gloria knew she was growing older and thought she had lost her beauty so she was determined to have the latest fashion to remain beautiful. The power of sin throughout this novel had made a remarkable impact on the entirety of the novel. If one is weak and desperate enough one can be consumed by sin and their lives will be full with nothing but despair.

3. Bitterness: was present throughout the novel in Anthony because he was so distraught with the fact that he had little control over what was happening in life that he took it out on everyone around him.
"You'll have to get out," he said at length, speaking with tortuous intensity. "Haven't you I enough to worry me now without you coming here? My God! You'll have to get out! 

Despair: was present throughout the novel, mainly within the lives of Anthony and Gloria. The two had been brought up completely spoiled and expected everything to be handed down to them without effort, as if the whole world was against them. When they did not get their way they fell to despair.
For the first time in weeks tears started from Gloria's eyes and the look she ave him had a quality of real pain.

Haughty: Anthony became too proud to ask for any help from his friends and that he believed that he didn't  need to work because he was Anthony Patch. Gloria was obsessively vain and became distraught with the fact one day she will stop being pretty and she will never get attention from others.
"Oh, my pretty face," she whispered, passionately grieving. "Oh, my pretty face! Oh I don't want to live without my pretty face! Oh, what's happened?"

4. Characterization pg 25; In person Richard Caramel is short and fair--he is to be bald at thirty-five. He has yellowish eyes--one of them startling clear, the other opaque as a muddy pool--and a bulging brow like a funny-paper baby.

Theme pg 24 here we discover early on in the novel that Anthony's first sin, envy becomes known, thus creating a platform for envy to drive him to the point where he feels that his friends are too good for him and that he can make it on his own resulting in him losing all of his friends; This is the man whom Anthony considers his best friend. This is the only man of all his acquaintances whom he admires and, to a big extent than he likes to admit to himself, envies.

Imagery pg 33; Crispness folded down upon New York a month later, bringing November and the three big football games and a great fluttering of furs along Fifth Avenue.

Dialogue pg 354; "What time will you be back?" asked Anthony. "We won't come back," she answered, "we'll meet you down there at four."

Tone indignant pg 349; "I'll kill him," cried Anthony, pitching and straining from side to side. "Let me kill----"

Setting pg 124; "April 20th.--Spent the day with Anthony. Maybe i'll marry him some time. I kind of like his ideas--he stimulates all the originality in me. Blockhead came around about ten in his new car and took me out to Riverside Drive."

Point of View third person pg 133; Herself almost completely without physical fear, she was unable to understand, and so she made the most out of what she felt to be his fear's redeeming feature, which was that he thought he was a coward under a shock and a coward under a strain.

Thoughts on Open Source Learning

Not many people know that I am taking an extra English class. By that I mean I TA for Dr. Preston's expository class 0 period. Of course I do work that a TA does like organize files, run errands & input grades. Exciting stuff right? Well it's more than just that. I get to take a class without having to do any class work & still learn more.

I sit back everyday & watch Dr. Preston teach. I watch the class teach other, they collaborate & share opinions. Which is what Open Source Learning is all about. I am able to cover twice as much information, even if the classes are two different subjects. I absorb every piece of information that is important. I feel prepared for when I go to my 5th period class & just know I am already prepared for what i'm about to learn. Or even giving input to the 0 period class, as well as my own to further improve our learning experience as a whole.

I am so lucky to be a part of this class & to be able to contribute to the development of Open Source Learning. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this program!

DEAR OPHELIA

Dear O,

I understand your dilemma, for every girl your age has been through this conundrum. You are young, in your heyday and in love. You seem to be unsure of how you will go about your affection towards your prince. Don't be inclined to be bellicose when arguing your beloved family. For in truth, they do want what is best for you, even though it seems that they are ruining your world. Your father and brother are insistent that the Prince's intentions are nothing but a debauchery, am I right? Remember that your father and brother are men. They understand how the male mind works and know that this "love" will not last and  is just ephemeral. O you already seem so unsure of your actions, is this not a sign that you should stay away from the Prince? Please take my word to heart, I am not a saboteur, just a friend helping a friend. Leave this predicament behind you and move forward.

Sincerely M.xx

Vocabulary #8

abase: (verb) to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble, degrade; archaic
abdicate: (verb) (used w/o object) to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in formal manner; (used w/ object) to give up or renounce(authorities, duties, an office, etc.), especially in a voluntary, public or formal manner
abomination: (noun) anything greatly disliked or abhorred; intense aversion or loathing, detestation, vile, shameful
brusque: (adj.) abrupt in manner, blunt, rough
saboteur: (noun) a person who commits or practices sabotage
debauchery: (noun) excessive indugence in sensual pleasures, intemperance; archaic
proliferate: (verb) to increase or growby multiplication of parts, as in budding or cell division; spread rapidly, excessively
anachronism: (noun) error in chronology in which a person, object, event, etc. is assigned a date or period other than the correct one
nomenclature: (noun) a set or system of names or terms comprising of a set or system
expurgate: (verb) to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness
bellicose: (adj.) inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent
gauche: (adj.) lacking social grace, sensitivity or acuteness; awkward
rapacious: (adj.) given to seizing for plunder or satisfaction of greed; ravenous, avaricious
paradox: (noun) a self-contradictory and false proposition
conundrum: (noun) a riddle, the answer to which ivolves a pun or play on words
anomaly: (noun) an incongruity or inconsistency
ephemeral: (noun) short-lived, transitory
rancorous: (adj.) full of showing rancor; bitter, acrimonious
churlish: (adj.) rude. peasant-like, grumpy, vulgar, morose
precipitous: (adj.) extremely or impassably steep; abrupt. perpendicular

LITERARY FICTION & EMPATHY

As the article stated literary fiction does allow one to use their imagination and better interpret emotions. One is able to decode body language and interpret emotions with the help of literary fiction. While reading you pick up meaning between the lines and gain a better grasp on empathy. Literary fiction does indeed demonstrate different effects other types of reading such as popular fiction.

While reading Hamlet, one is able to decode the double meaning behind each word spoken. One is able to feel the emotion behind his struggles. Hamlet provides clear imagery so that one can interpret body language. During Hamlet's soliloquy, the confusion, anger, and depression is evident. It is quite simpler to interpret empathy with this literary fiction because with popular fiction they focus more on the plot and not so much on how things were spoken.

GREEN EGGS AND HAMLET

• a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?
• When Hamlet first comes to mind I think of the soliloquy "To be, or not to be--that is the question". I think of the LONG speech that Hamlet recites and that I will soon have to recite to my fellow classmates.
• b) What do you know about Shakespeare?
• Shakespeare wrote some of the most influential and famous plays known to the world. He wrote Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, the list goes on. 
• c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?
• I believe that most students involuntary frown at his name because every piece of work that we have to analyze is tedious. They fear the challenge of translating his work into modern text. It is not so much that we can't, it is just that students are lazy.
• d) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
• To make studying this play an amazing experience we will have to make this play intriguing. If we are able to excite student's and make it relate to modern times, they will never forget it. So many are afraid of Shakespeare's work that they shy away from it. Many will say that this play is "boring" or "pointless" but there is a reason why Shakespeare's work is famous. These plays are influential and reveal a deeper insight of the world around us. Whether we want to accept it or not, everyone can relate to his work on some level.

IF I JUST HAD MORE TIME

I believe (hope) that I did exceptionally well on this midterm. If not I can only better myself in preparation for our final exam. I was able to grasp the general concept of the Canterbury Tales, it was just a matter of writing as fast as I was able to think. I'm pretty sure my thoughts and ideas were scattered throughout the essay and I didn't utilize enough vocabulary words to gain extra points. If I were given enough time I would have written an outline for my essay. As for the vocabulary, I believe I wrote just under 30 words? That is ridiculous to me. I knew just about every word, I felt prepared to tackle this midterm head on. Then I looked down at my blank piece of paper and my mind went blank. But once I thought of a word everything came pouring out. I had to give up thinking of more words to write down because I was short for time. I had more time I would written more vocabulary and written more words down.

Vocabulary #7 *REVISED*

Since I was absent on the AVID trip for 3 days Erica and Izamar posted Vocabulary #7 on their blogs and incorporated the words into our tale. I posted these definitions for my own benefit.

OUR TALE

(Miranda's POV)

A year ago I would never have pictured my life the way it is now. I am no longer the girl everyone expected me to be. I no longer abide by the rules of the mob.

It was not easy growing up under the watchful eye of the mob. It was a mean business and I wanted no take in it. My parents did everything in their power to contain my wild spirit. They kept me under lock and key, I was no longer allowed to attend public school.  I disobeyed and as punishment I was caged. But once I had tasted freedom, I wanted it bad.

With out consent my family thought it would do our family some good and have an arranged marriage between myself and a rival mob family. My parents insisted it would bring peace and have me settle down, but I knew it was just good for business.

Tonight was the night I was to officially meet Don Jon, my fiancee. Even his name made me cringe. I just arrived at the bar early to scope out the place. Tonight I was anything but confident. But I needed to keep my composure cool and relaxed. This whole arrangement was unpleasant and I just wanted to get the hell out of here. I just needed the right time..

I took in the scene in front of me, letting the atmosphere sink in. The air was buzzing with chatter and the crowd was in high spirits. I could feel that tonight was going to be different, my instinct was never wrong.

Just then a man brushed past me and took a seat next to me at the bar. They just seemed like a couple of normal guys out on the town celebrating. I took no more interest until they spoke with excitement about their road trip.

"Woodstock is suppose to be the festival of the year! There will be some sick ass partying taking place at the festival Dan," the guy next to me spoke with intense enthusiasm.
"Dude, all I am going for is the music and chill vibes. And of course for the ladies," guy number two laughed breathlessly.

This was it. I knew tonight would not be a total loss. This is what I had been waiting for. I had to leave sin city once and for all. It had to be fast or else I would be trapped.

"Excuse me, hi. I couldn't help but over hear your conversation. But Woodstock you say? I have always wanted to attend the festival," I spoke enthusiastically, flashing a charming smile their way. They seemed to be in awe and just stared at me. Instantly, I knew I had them in the palm of my hand.

The two men introduced themselves, quickly gaining composure. The man to my right was Quatro Quatro, interesting name I know, and his companion was Dan Smith. I bought them drinks and soon enough persuaded hem to take me along for the ride.

"Oh, and by the way. My name is Ivy."

THE COMPARISON'S TALE

While researching and presenting the Miller's tale we were able to discover that Chaucer did not take the upper class seriously. Chaucer made the upper class seem like a joke. Overall his writing style is very comical, entertaining, and not very serious. Chaucer criticized and mocked the characters of the upper class more than the under class men. Chaucer displayed the higher class,the carpenter, to be seen as a joke, whereas the Miller was confident and cool.

The Cook's tale had a similar style to that of the Miller's tale. The Cook's tale was also very comical and mocking  in comparison to the Miller. The cook loved his job, but he was too lazy to accomplish anything and would rather be doing something else. Which is very ironic because he claimed to love his profession, but never took it seriously. Chaucer was able to portray that even those who have it all, have their own faults and downfalls through a comical point of view.

CHARACTER STUDY (III)

Our journey begins in L.A. with Dan Smith and Quatro Quatro after a celebration. They decide to make a pit stop in Las Vegas where they meet my character Ivy. Ivy is controlled by her family and she gradually starts to question her family's authority and rebel. She is meant to be married into another mob family (did I mention her family is Las Vegas' notorious mob?) and is about to meet her soon to be fiancee at a bar. Ivy paid no attention to Dan Smith and Quatro Quatro until they mention their road trip to Woodstock. This journey calls to her and so she strikes up a conversation with them. Soon enough they head out to their second stop in Texas.

The second stop is in a small conservative Texas town. This is where we introduce our next character Eeeee Eeeeeee. The town is out to get him and he is about to be persecuted.  Dan smith and Quatro Quatro improvise a a plan to get Eeeee Eeeeeee out of Texas completely, so he tags along for the ride.

As for the third and final stop until Woodstock, our characters land in Kentucky where we meet Izamar's character. How her character will tie in is still unknown and in the process of being incorporated into this story.

Finally reaching Woodstock we meet Vanessa's character Alex. He is a native of New York and recently homeless. He is struggling with a drug addiction and is transient. He decides to stay awhile at the Woodstock festival and camp out to figure out the next move. Then the remaining characters join in on the fun...

If I missed any parts here is Erica's part of the character study.

CHARACTER STUDY (II)

My character Ivy, formerly Miranda, will be introduced at our first stop in Las Vegas on our way to the Woodstock Festival in New York. Our group has decided that this character will be the only female character. There will be some surprising twists and turns with the participation of Ivy throughout this journey with the East/West characters, as well as our own characters that we each had developed.

*We each have written copies of our story line from today's class discussion.

Explanation for Changing My Character Study

If anyone is wondering what happened to my original Character Study (I) post, I changed my character to fit the story. Yes I was analyzing myself, but I thought why not be someone else for a change? So it is a new  (and not sure if it is improved?) concept. I felt as if it was too raw and personal to share that side of me just yet. In time I will be open to sharing. And to Erica and Lissette thank you for your kind comments on my original post xx

CANTERBURY TALES (I)

Here are some of my notes on the Canterbury Tales! From last week and today's in class notes.

setting: Tabard Inn, located in the suburb of London; Canterbury 55 miles southeast of London

"amor vincit omnia: love conquers all" this quote seemed very ironic because it was engraved on an ostentatious brooch of a nun of all people

sanguine: adj. cheerful, confident

avouches: verb. asserts positively, affirms

prevarication: n. evasion of truth

"if evensong and matins will agree: if what you said last night holds true this morning" this quote in particular struck me the most because if the characters were to lie about what they told each other they would be "it" ? I understand this to a certain point, but not completely in depth.

The character I would like to know the story of is the Wife of Bath. She had five husbands and I am intrigued to know more about her past and how she came about having five husbands. Whether or not she had them at once or at different times? It is ironic that she would have five husbands because it does not seem common for that time and more fitting to present time.

CHARACTER STUDY(I) *REVISED*

Miranda had that aura everyone wanted to be around. She was loud, energetic and enticed everyone with her charming ways. Every act she made was spontaneous, even her parents could not contain her free spirit. To avoid conflict she followed by her parents every rule, even though it went against what she believed in. Up until she had enough, she had to escape her family business. She had to leave Las Vegas once and for all. She had to leave behind the Mob.

This journey wouldn't be easy, dangerous in fact. Miranda was playing with serious fire.  Months in advance she's been stealing money and making preparations to leave Sin City in hopes of a different future. Her hair was now a different color, wardrobe completely changed, as well as her name. Her name was now Ivy, Miranda no longer existed. But after all these years she learned a thing or two about covering up her tracks.  It would be like trying to catch smoke.

Netvibes

So far I am still playing with Netvibes and figuring out how to make it my browser launch page. I am really enjoying having a constant stream of information on my dashboard to always stay updated. I could really use some insight on how to work this dashboard more efficiently. I am usually technology savvy, but this is a whole other subject. I just need to get familiarized with it.

Vocabulary #6

#4
obsequious- (adjective) servilely compliant, obedient, dutiful, ex: groveling

My teacher prefer that students are obsequious to instructions, to get work completed and not cause trouble for themselves.


beatitude- (noun) supreme blessedness, exalted happiness, ex: peace, bliss

When hiking I concentrate on the climb, blocking everything else out and once I reach my destination my beatitude takes full effect, I feel bliss like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.


bete noire- (noun) a person or thing that one particularly dreads ex: antagonist, opponent

Time was down to the last 10 seconds, it was now or never to win the game and defeat our bete noire rivals.


bode- (verb[used with object]) to be an omen of; archaic, to announce 

beforehand, ex: predict, indicate
The previous graduating class bode to our class that senior year is going to be the most crucial year of high school for colleges.

dank- (adjective) unpleasantly moist or humid, ex: damp, slimy, humid

While visiting Florida, Connor experienced a humid, dank heat that he wasn't used to before, he was used to the climate being dry like in Nevada.

ecumenical- (adjective) universal, general, ex: comprehensive, cosmic
Social media is an ecumenical concept used to communicate, that is known throughout the world.

fervid- (adjective) heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm; burning, glowing, intensely hot
I was never one to confidently speak up during a debate, until I took a risk and spoke with fervid knowledge on this topic I knew inside and out.

fetid- (adjective) having an offensive odor, stinking, ex: repulsive, repugnant, noxious
Jeremy arrived at his hotel room expecting it to be immaculate as the website described it to be, but instead it was run down and had a repulsing, fetid odor.

gargantuan- (adjective) gigantic, enormous, colossal, ex: immense, monumental
Paul grew up in the rural country of Montana and was not used to all of the gargantuan skyscrapers of New York urban life.

heyday- (noun) the stage or period of highest rigor, strength, success, prime; archaic, high spirits
I always find it fascinating when my grandmother discussed the heyday her life and how she wished she could relive it for it was the best time of her life.

incubus- (noun) imaginary demon or evil spirit; nightmare, something that weighs 
upon or oppresses like a nightmare
Negative thoughts infiltrate your thoughts and dreams like an incubus, until it completely transforms your life into something oppressive.

infrastructure- (noun) basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization
Cornell notes provide me an infrastructure to new topics and ideas to help me comprehend what I am learning in class.

inveigle- (verb) to entice, to lure or ensnare with flattery or artful talk, ex: persuade, beguile
It is bad enough that one would try to cheat the outcome of game, but I draw the line when someone attempts to inveigle another into forfeit the game for money!

kudos- (noun) honor, glory, acclaim; ex: distinction, prestige
I never received much kudos from others growing up so I made sure I recognized everyone elses  accomplishments.

lagniappe- (noun) gratuity or tip; unexpected or indirect benefit
I received free ink as a lagniappe with purchase, when I bought my printer at Best Buy.

prolix- (adjective) extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy, ex: redundant, rambling
Hannah shied away from any form of confrontation with others and when she did she usually rambled on about a prolix excuse about why she was sorry.

protege- (noun) a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his/her career or welfare, ex: apprentice, discovery
The best way to discover hidden talent is by searching YouTube and their you will find a new protege.

prototype- (noun) the original model on which something is based or formed, ex: precursor, antecedent
Inventors do not often succeed right off the bat, they reconstruct until their prototype is perfect.

sycophant- (noun) self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite, ex: minion, puppet, slave
Isaiah does not appreciate being used by those sycophant "friends" that only need him for their own hidden agenda.

tautology- (noun) needless repetition of an idea, ex: "widow woman"
Marie was always nagging at her younger brothers to wash their hands and pick up their toys, it was always an endless tautology.

truckle- (verb [used without subject]) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely (usually followed by to) ex: flatter, cajole
Tamara had had a crush on Joey since she was a little girl and would always truckle to anything he would say or want to do.

WHAT A CHARACTER

The Perks of Being A Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky

Charlie Kelmeckis is just a freshman in high school, trying to find himself, trying to fit in, but he is just more than this quiet kid. Somewhere along the way he became lost as one usually does some point in their life. Charlie is struggling to be okay, by okay I mean normal. Not just any normal, normal as in who he really is. He fights a struggle of whether or not he is doing or saying the right thing.

On some deeper level I have made a connection with Charlie than I have ever did before with a character. I felt his pain, I related to his thoughts and experiences. In some ways I have a piece of Charlie inside of me and I always will.

In the novel, I identified the use use of pathos constantly. I felt joy, anger, and sadness. Every type of emotion could be felt through the story. I felt involved as if I was physically involved within the story, like I was experiencing everything with Charlie, not just emotionally. There was also usages of flashbacks and foreshadowing that gave hints from the past that affected Charlie's action towards the end of the novel. What I thought was unique about this novel was the way the author had written it. The story is written through a series of letters that Charlie wrote to an anonymous friend. He told his personal experiences, thoughts and sent them out hoping to just have someone listen. This style made the story even more personal and intimate to relate to.

99 Songs to Make Your Homework Awesome

I can never find the right playlist to listen to when doing my homework. So one day I was using StumbleUpon to browse new sites and I discovered this playlist. If you're like me and like to listen to chill, indie-vibe music here is a 99 song playlist to listen to while doing homework or even while searching the web. This playlist does not disappoint! Enjoy xx

Vocabulary #5

obsequious- (adjective) servilely compliant, obedient, dutiful, ex: groveling

• All of Hitler's followers were beguiled by his words, they obsequiously followed his rule never doubting his actions. 

beatitude- (noun) supreme blessedness, exalted happiness, ex: peace, bliss

• Anna had gotten accepted into the school of her dreams, her beatitude could not be any better, it had reached a pinnacle.

bete noire- (noun) a person or thing that one particularly dreads ex: antagonist, opponent

• Josh had always been overshadowed, he did not want to become a bête noire to his brother but it he had to show what he was worth. 

bode- (verb[used with object]) to be an omen of; archaic, to announce 

beforehand, ex: predict, indicate

• The incoming storm bode the unfortunate events that were about to occur. 

dank- (adjective) unpleasantly moist or humid, ex: damp, slimy, humid

• This abandoned house was terribly dank, the air was thick and humid, completely hard to breath.

ecumenical- (adjective) universal, general, ex: comprehensive, cosmic

• World peace is a ecumenical idea that we hope touches every corner of the world.

fervid- (adjective) heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm; burning, glowing, intensely hot

• Ava talked about surfing with fervid passion, her entire face lit up when she talked about this sport she loves.

fetid- (adjective) having an offensive odor, stinking, ex: repulsive, repugnant, noxious

• The coroner arrived at the scene of the crime and the fetid odor from the decomposing body hit him immediately, repulsing him.

gargantuan- (adjective) gigantic, enormous, colossal, ex: immense, monumental

• Allan found it hard to understand how gargantuan creatures such as dinosaurs had come to existence millions of years ago.

heyday- (noun) the stage or period of highest rigor, strength, success, prime; archaic, high spirits

• Jacob remembered the heyday of his football career in high school, he was the star player and was offered a full ride scholarship, that all changed when he received an injury that ended this dream.

incubus- (noun) imaginary demon or evil spirit; nightmare, something that weighs 
upon or oppresses like a nightmare

• Depression becomes an incubus in the mind, completely taking over your life, suppressing a person from socializing and everyday routine, you lose all motivation.

infrastructure- (noun) basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization

• Our model skyscraper broke within seconds of completion, the infrastructure was not strong enough to keep it standing for a long period of time.

inveigle- (verb) to entice, to lure or ensnare with flattery or artful talk, ex: persuade, beguile

• Tony became cocky and attempted to inveigle every girl at the party to kiss him, each one giving him a slap in the face.

kudos- (noun) honor, glory, acclaim; ex: distinction, prestige

• Although he had never had real playing time out on the field, Max went from the underdog to the star of the game, he won the game in the last few seconds and earned kudos from everyone on the team.

lagniappe- (noun) gratuity or tip; unexpected or indirect benefit

• Our hostess was very generous and attentive to our table throughout dinner, so we made sure to leave a good lagniappe for her.

prolix- (adjective) extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy, ex: redundant, rambling

• Mr. Nesper does not accept any prolix excuse to why we were late to his class, just a short "Sir there is no good excuse sir" sandwich.

protege- (noun) a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his/her career or welfare, ex: apprentice, discovery

• Justin Bieber had been posting YouTube videos of himself singing and drumming since he was twelve and Scooter Braun believed that he would become a great musician one day and made him his protege.

prototype- (noun) the original model on which something is based or formed, ex: precursor, antecedent

• Not one great idea has been made perfect on the first try, it all starts out as an prototype and many models later becomes a working idea.

sycophant- (noun) self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite, ex: minion, puppet, slave

• There has always been that one sycophant that agreed with everything a teacher said and followed every direct order.

tautology- (noun) needless repetition of an idea, ex: "widow woman"

• The teacher had a tautology of lecturing about one topic and repeating it all over again, never moving to the next subject,

truckle- (verb [used without subject]) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely (usually followed by to) ex: flatter, cajole

• Matt became reckless, always got in trouble and he never truckled to any type of authority.