Faith

Faith is a very deep topic that by some is resented, while in other cases is welcomed. In the past week or so, I have questioned the definition of faith. In some cases it is believing without seeing, believing the unimaginable, or far fetched. Faith can be what binds people together because believing in something of someone can be hard. I have heard the quote that belief is passive, but faith, faith is active. It is in theory a verb. One does not just have faith, one actions on faith, making it an action verb. In the words of Martin Luther, "one is saved by faith alone", but along with faith, one needs the deeds. Anyone could say they have faith, but are they willing to stand by it?
My mom once told me a story that there were two men on a cliff. One man had a wire going across the cliff to the other side with a barrel on top so that it could roll across the ravine. The man that owned the contraption asked his friend, "do you have faith that this contraption can work and that a person would be able to roll across?" The man looked at his friend and replied, "of course I do!" The owner then responded by saying..."then get in the barrel." The other man refused.
Acting on faith. It is easy to say that you believe or have faith in something, but to act on it and stand by it is difficult. In life, faith is important. In a way it is your last string of hope because you are believing without seeing. We have faith that air is real because we breathe it everyday. For religion it is more difficult to follow because it is more complex and bashed.
Overall, faith is a topic that most people do not like to talk about, but is something that they stand on as well. No matter what you believe, faith is vital. Faith is personal and is located deep in the heart of the person.

Family

Family according to Merriam Webster Dictionary is a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head. This definition is very vague and to me is not the true meaning. A family is so much more than a group of people living under one roof. But to be fair, I do not think that there is a perfect definition for the word because a family can be put into the category of just about anything. They are your support, the people that know you the best, the people that love you, and the people that are there for you.
In my immediate family I have my mom, dad, brother, and two dogs. My mom is a preschool teacher, my dad is an accountant, and my brother is a freshman at U of I. My two dogs are Echo and Fetlar. It has been different with my brother off to college, but when he comes home it is always fun.
On my mom's side I have three uncles and one aunt. For the most part they all live around here, but my aunt (who I am named after) lives in Arizona. I have six cousins and they live all around the country. All together they live in New York (soon to be Hawaii), Minnesota, and Springfield.
On my dad's side I have one aunt and she lives in Houston, Texas. My grandparents live in Springfield.
Overall, my family is very important to me. I love catching up with them and seeing them on the holiday. With all the years that we have spent together, there are bonds in a family that make it special. In today's society, I think that the importance of a family has been disgraced and disregarded as insignificant. In my opinion I think it is quite the opposite. The family influences so much about our lives and helps to shape who we are. No matter where you are or where you go, your family is something that you can count on. Family...irreplaceable.

Spring Break 2010!!

For me, Spring Break is the last hill to get over before the best break of all...summer. After Spring Break, you just have to toughen up and get through the last couple weeks of school. It is a good feeling, but also a bad because you also realize that finals are approaching. It is sometimes funny because Spring Break this year felt like a little taste of summer and then next thing you know, it is time to go back to school. It is like school is teasing you with a week off of school and then you get to go back. This Spring Break was different just because I had my license this year. To start off, on Thursday we had soccer practice and we had to run a 5 and 8 (five laps around the soccer field in eight minutes). For the first time ever, I actually made it. This was pretty sweet and a nice way to start my break. Then we had Friday off and I got to sleep in!! That day I basically relaxed and read. On Saturday we had a soccer game against Southeast and we won 8-0. It was non-eventful. Also on Saturday, my grandparents came over for dinner for Easter. That was fun because I don't get to see them very often and my brother was home. Being with the family is important, especially on holidays. On Sunday, I got to go see the movie The Last Song. I do not usually cry during movies, but this time I did. It was super good!! Then on Tuesday, we played Rochester. That was an intense game and after eighty minutes we tied them 1-1. On Wednesday we played the Riverton. We won 8-0 and after the game Kaylyn and I wrote in the game summary a story. It said, "Once upon a time...the Riverton hawks flew into our nest with 43 attacking. Even with the big numbers they could not defeat the almighty Cardinals". We consisted to have Thursday off, which was also very nice and enjoyable. On Friday, I got to go to a friend's house that I had not seen in forever and catch up with them. That was probably one of my favorite things I got to do over Spring Break. On Saturday we played Williamsville and that was a hard fought game and also very hot. We ended up winning that game as well, 4-1. On that night, I got to have a girls night with my friends and we went to DQ and watched a movie.
Overall, Spring Break was awesome. I had a lot of fun and can not believe that it is over. Spring Break 2010 was unbelievable.

My Job Shadowing Experience at SHG

On March 30, 2010, the whole Junior class participated in a job shadowing day. It was an opportunity to see the line of duty you were interested in action. An experience that we could all push in our back pockets and take it out when we are trying to decide the job of our future. It was helpful to see what an average day was like. For my choice of occupation, I chose to job shadow a AP US History teacher and for the location, I chose SHG.

The teachers name was Mr. Lavin and he is a well-known teacher at SHG that is known for his wealth of knowledge in history. It was fun to watch as the class asked questions and he would either shoot back an answer, or honestly say that he did not know, but he usually gave an educated guess on the matter. Personally, I know what the teachers are like at Plains and know their style of teaching. It was interesting to see other teachers teach and what their techniques were. That is something that I won't forget. I learned things about the styles of teaching, that if I decide to teach, I can combine what I liked about the teachers and make my own unique style of teaching. While I was there, I also got to view other teachers to get a broader view. I also sat in on Mr. Bloom's AP English class. They were discussing my all-time favorite movie, Pride and Prejudice. They were reading the book for homework and then in class, they were discussing in detail the thought process of the book and what they observed or thought was interesting. In order for the students to better understand the book, Mr. Bloom would put the situation into a current day matter. He took a ball room setting with the polite manners, to what happens at prom. Techniques like relating the material so that the students can better understand, are techniques that I won't forget. Mr. Bloom was extremely nice and offered information on what type of things he teaches and how he does it. The other teacher that I visited was Mrs. Fox. She was also a English teacher and her class was discussing the book The Great Gatsby. Her teaching style was different by the fact that she used an overhead projector and wrote out questions for the class to discuss. Mr. Bloom, walked through with his students the main points and asked their opinoin on the topic. Two different styles, but both seemed to be effective.

Overall, I got to see multiple different teachers, all of which were very kind and informative. Mr. Lavin was the main teacher that I observed and I am very glad I had the opportunity to watch him teach. Also while there I got to see what it was like at a different school. There were some vast differences between SHG and Plains. I learned a lot of things by just watching what was going on around me. It was like being in a different pair of shoes. I enjoyed being there after I got over the shock of not being at Plains with my friends. It was a bit of a culture shock at first, but after the first hour or so, I got to the point where I felt pretty comfortable. I am very glad that I had this experience.

My Dream Car...

Probably the most amazing car on the face of the Earth is the 2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible. This vehicle has just about everything. The brand Infiniti is one of my favorite brands. It is either between the Infiniti and Ford. To be completely honest, the reason as to why I like these cars is because of the way the cars look. I like fancy and elegant cars and specifically the colors silver, white, blue, or red. Those are my favorite colors for a car.
On Infiniti USA online I built my own car. It was Pacific Sky Blue, and labeled the 2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible Sport 6MT. I installed a navigation system and a spare tire package into the car as well. Overall, the car costs $49,815. Though it is a bit expensive, I think that this car is well worth it. It would be especially great in the summer time.
I then persisted to build another Infinite car titled the 2010 Infiniti EX35 AWD. I had this car to be the color Liquid Platinum and have all the options installed that are available. Overall, the car costs $37,380.
Both of these cars would definitely be my dream cars. The first one would mostly be for pleasure and for warm days that I would spend driving around town. The second one is a type of SUV that would be nice for the winter time when it snows and gets very cold.
The car that I currently drive is the 2000 Chevy Impala. I love driving this car. It is the color gold, which is not bad. I partly like it because it was my grandma's car. It has leather seating, heated seats, and a sun roof. I think it is a very nice car for a sixteen year old to have and I am very happy that I get to drive it. I think that if I were to currently drive a really nice car at my age, I would be scared I would hurt it somehow.

American Literature Site Overview

Emily Dickinson is a poet. No doubt about it. She is famous for her ability to convey her feelings by using pen and paper. Though they were discovered after her death, Emily Dickinson is probably very happy with how her works have been treated. Through this project, I have been able to get a glimpse of the life of a poet. Dickinson mostly wrote morbid and sad poems, they are beautifully written.
In doing this project, so far it has been a good experience. Working together with classmates to get a project done is not too bad. I enjoy working with others and the people I am with are good partners to have. When creating this project and fulfulling the requirements, we will have put together a series of information on Emily Dickinson and have done it all in our own work. It is going to be a long process, but one that will hopefully be fruitful. Learning about the past and maybe the theories behind the writings of Emily Dickinson should be fun. I hope to learn how to analyze poems better.
With this project, there are a lot of little things that need to be created and produced so that the bigger thing, being that of the website, can be created. That is going to be the hard part. How to portray our thoughts in a way that others can understand easily. Hopefully our project will go smoothly so that we do just that. So far, it has. We have gotten a pretty good start, and have some ideas that I think we can put together to make our website a good one. Communication is gonig to be key to getting this done, but I think we can do it. I think our next step is confirming how we are going to present our information, who is going to do what, and when things are going to be due. Another hard part is going to be getting pictures without copywriting.
Overall, I think that it has gone well and that it will as long as we stay on track.

Personification and Imagery describing a being (animal)

Personification: A figure of speech in which an object or an animal is given human thoughts, feelings, or attitudes.
Imagery: The use of vivid language to represent objects, actions, or ideas
Buddy the Dog:
It was a nice summer day, the sun was hot, the breeze was cool. It was a perfect day to be outside and enjoy the nature. "Boy would it be fantastic if I could go outside..." I love feeling the wind in my face, the green grass at my feet, and the fresh scents in the air. I woner where my master is. I feel like I have been inside forever. As I have been in the house I have realized just how crazy these humans can be. The kids are constantly moving, do they know how hard it is to keep track of them? I work all day and all night to keep them safe, and all I want in return is to be feed, played with, and let out. Especially on a day like today, boy wouldn't that be great. I mean how long can one be away from home? Home is where the heart is right...?? Where ever they are I wonder if they are enjoying the nice weather. I wonder if humans realize that they use the same phrases for dogs over and over and over again. Like for example, when they get home they will ask, "Buddy do you want to go out"? OF COURSE I want to go out!! I have only been inside for eternity!! I mean think about it. They arrive home late at night and the first thing they ask then is, "Buddy you want to eat"? Noooo, let me think, no I am more of a fan of skipping a meal.
A dog can only do so much in a house with out being...what term do they use...oh yeah, disobiendent, oh no or my personal favorite, a "bad dog". How about they try to be at home for long hours with nothing to do but sleep. Sleeping doesn't make you get any younger. I wonder where my frisbee is, that's it. I will chew on my frisbee while I wait. Frisbee...outside. Wow. That's just great. My frisbee gets to bask in the warmth, while I sit and watch it. How pathetic is this. Why couldn't they just let me roam outside? As I am laying here, I contemplate the hours I spend at home. They are gone for most of the day, while I, Buddy the dog, stay here all day. The least they could do is take me with them. Waiting, waiting.
Why would you look at that, the neighbors are outside...with their poodle Diasy. This is just ironic. Is that a toy in the master's hand? Yes, I do believe it is. Oh look, the master is throwing it for Diasy, how sweet. Back and forth, back and forth. What is this like...oh yea, television. That's what the humans watch.
Honk. Honk.
Is that them?!?!
"Buddy, you want to go out...?"
"Finally"

2010 Winter Olympics...Best Moments

Throughout any Olympics, there are many memorable moments for multiple different countries. It is a time in history where no matter what, each country is represented by their country's best in that specific area. That is why it is so fun to watch the Olympics. One has all the best athletes, in one spot, all going against each other. Identifying the best moment is hard just because of how many there were. I many how does one designate the "best moment".
One moment that is an emotion moment, but also one of the best in a different way. That story is the story of the Canadian skater Joannie Rochett. Rochett took the ice in the 2010 Olympics two days after a sudden passing of her mother. As one can imagine, she was under not only the pressure of her country, but also the emotional weight that comes with losing a loved one. Taking the ice in a rare motivated form, Joannie Rochett performed an almost perfect program. Unbelievable. After doing so, she turned the cheering, enthusiastic crowd with tears streaming down her cheeks. The burdens of the past seeming to go right down her cheeks with the tears. The best moment in the Olympics...maybe not, maybe so, but without a question, the most touching, emotional, and inspiring for all who witnessed it or heard about it.
Aside from the competitions, some would say that the Opening Ceremony was the best part of the Olympics. Each year the hosting country puts on a display of unique styles and attractions for all their viewers.
Another great moment during the Olympics was the success of the USA hockey team. Their triumph against Canada the first time was an awesome win as they seemingly skated the ice with barely any difficulty.
The 2010 Olympics are super fun to watch. I get excited each year when they are about to begin as I get to see the world's best athletes all compete and represent their country's.

Preparing for the ACT

Preparing for the ACT is a hard thing to do just because of how much the test can vary. There are four parts to the ACT and each one has different things that it challenges. They are (in order), English, Math, Reading, and Science. In preparing for it, it really depends on the person. Each person has a different education level or the quality of education that they have/had were different. I like to read, so the reading portion of the test is one of the easiest things for me. Math on the other hand, is not my strongest subject. It is one that usually takes the longest and is hard for me to finish on time.
That brings me to another point. Finishing on time is very key in getting a good grade on the ACT. One of my main goals on each part of the test is just to make sure that I finish, I write an answer. Not writing an answer, is just like giving up and missing out on a point that you could have guessed right. There are multiple strategies to the test and like I said before, it varies from person to person. For reading, some people read the passage first and then the questions, while others read the questions first. One thing one can do to prepare for the ACT is practice math problems or read "boring" passages as fast as you can while comprehending. Doing things like that can help train your mind for the time crunch of the ACT. I know for me that doing practice ACT problems in Pre-Calc really helped my score. The practice that we do in our classes, I appreciate.
Another thing that one can do to prepare is to make sure and eat a good meal before you take the test. A nutritional meal helps you stay focused longer and considering how long the test is, the more focused you are the better.

Analyzing Emily Dickinson's "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass"

The first thing that is tempting to do when first reading Emily Dickinson's poem is to try and figure out what creature or person she is talking about. I found that when doing that, that makes the whole poem much more complicated than it has to be. When disecting this poem, the easiest thing to do is go stanza by stanza and try to paraphrase what Dickinson is saying. One thing that I admire about what Emily Dickinson wrote is that when one reads it, it is like the reader is actually there. One gets vivid pictures as they read it, even though they might not what the the "thing" is yet. "His notice sudden is" this is meaning that you will suddenly come upon this thing or might not notice, but the thing will just come out of no where. "The Grass divides as with a Comb--" This is my favorite part of the entire passage, just because I feel like Dickinson is painting me a picture of what this is looking like. I can see the grass folding or parting in a straight line. "A spotted shaft is seen-- And then it closes at your feet and opens further on" This thing looks like a shaft and is weaving its way through the grass, opening as it goes by and closing back up when it is gone. "he likes a Boggy Acre A Floor too cool for Corn--I more than once at Noon Have passed, I thought, a Whip lash Unbraiding in the Sun" Whatever the creature is, it likes a floor that is cool in temperature.
Throughout this poem, one can begin to see a picture of a creature and that creature is a snake. One can probably guess that toward the beginning of the passage, but as they read through, it is clarified what the "thing" is. Through the power of words, Emily Dickinson takes us on a journey of a snake and that leaves the reader in awe.

PPHS Teacher Roman Mythology

Roman Mythology is something that is an interesting topic and something that is also fun to learn about. Each god or goddess has their certain characteristics, whether that may be war, wisdom, a specific power, beauty, ect. . . As for the teachers at Pleasant Plains High School, there are a couple teachers that I think meet a couple of the standards for either a god or goddess.
Deity: Jupiter
Orgin: Greek (Zues)
god of : Sky, lightning, and thunder
Teacher: Mr. Ward
Now, there are certain facts behind my reasoning, when comparing our principal Mr. Ward and Zeus. In my mind, Zeus is the protector and his temple is the official place where meetings were held. Mr. Ward conducts all the business and concerns of the school and his office is the place where meetings of importance are held. He watches over the high school, much like Zeus overlooks the earth from above. Zeus is also called the "Ruler of the Gods". Mr. Ward, is in a way the supervisor and leader of the teachers at Pleasant Plains High School. Though they all work together to make the high school better, Mr. Ward, is usually the one behind all the planning in charge of making things happen.
Deity: Minerva
Orgin: Greek (Athena)
goddess of: Wisdom, Learning, the Arts, Sciences, Medicine
Teacher: Mrs. Lee
I thought that our science teacher Mrs. Lee would definitely compare to Athena the goddess of sciences and medicine. Mrs. Lee teaches the classes of Anatomy, Biology, and AP Biology. So not only does she teach the science (biology), but she also teaches the medicine (anatomy). In her years of teaching experience, she also has the wisdom of all the knowledge of teaching for so long.
Another teacher that could qualify for Athena, would be Mrs. Williams. She is in charge of math and also has the wisdom for teaching for so long. One never questions Mrs. Williams because odds are, she is going to be right.

The Decision Making Process

Decision: the act or process of deciding, a determination arrived at after consideration. A report of a conclusion (Merriam Webster). No matter big or small, a decision is a decision. It can affect who you are now and who you will become later. Now not all decisions are approached the same way. If you are deciding what dessert you want to eat, you will probably approach your decision a little differently than a person who is deciding what college to go to. Though both are decisions, they are on two totally different levels. Now, I hope that in making the college decision, you do not make it as quickly as the person who is choosing a dessert. In making a proper decision, it takes time and great thought. It is thinking before acting. Like the definition said, "a determination arrived at after consideration". It takes meditating, considering, asking questions, and also looking into all possible options. Making decisions is a privelege and responsibility. As we get older, we get to make more and more decisions about our lives. How we choose something is important.
There are different steps one can take in making a decision and can vary on the person making it. Some like to think all to themselves, while others like to go a research until they have searched every website. Here are some things to take into consideration when making a decision.
Think about it. Ask questions, see if anybody that you know has gone through the same thing or might have an insight that could prove to be helpful. Pray about it. Maybe list out pros and cons, how will it affect your life. Similar to the previous one, look at all options of the situations. Research. Meditate.
These are all options and are things that I do when I make my decisions. I am not very good at making decisions. Having a process or at least a plan of attack when looking at an issue is something that helps and comforts, knowing that I am ahead of the game.

The Power of Multi-Tasking

Oh multi-tasking, with it, it can complicate things and distract us, without it, we could loose valuable time. I think that the word--multi-tasking--is directly related to teenagers, though not jsut teenagers. As a teen, we do this ALL the time. We can even do it with out thinking about it. Like right now for example...I am listening to music while I write my blog. It is the matter of putting two tasks together and doing them at the same time.
A common one is doing other things while doing your homework. I listen to music, talk, watch T.V., and text. In my mind, I have to multi-task, I have to get things done, and in most cases, the quickest way possible. Period. End of story. Sometimes I have to do two subjects at one time. I study and clean my room, all sorts of things, just so that I can move on to the next item on my list. Students multi-task all the time during school, like when the teacher is lecturing/giving notes, we take notes. We are listening, writing, AND retaining all at the same time. I think that our minds just get in the habit of doing multiple things at once and can, therefore, take on more things.
Now, for the question on how good of a multi-tasker I am...well, that varies. It depends on the situation. Somethings I can do at the same time, while others are extremely difficult. I do not like worrying about taking notes and listening because I am so worried about getting all the words from the PowerPoint, that I am not really paying attention to what the teacher is saying. I like to be able to focus on the teacher and listen to the examples he/she gives us. Notes help, but writing fast, and listening to someone talk is doable, but somewhat hard. Overall, it really does depend heavily on the situation that I am in, but multi-tasking is very important.

The Beloved Valentine's Day

The lover's day. This holiday is most popular with the girls and also for jewelry, roses, and chocolate. Its a sweet day and meant to show emotion and passion toward the opposite gender. Mainly this is a day dedicated to the girls, meant to express appreciation and...love. For girls, we look forward to it and cherish it, while guys on the other hand...take it in stride and try to make the night a night to remember.
February 14:
There are many legends about Valentines Day, but any way one looks at it, it is romantic. Most legends have to deal with St. Valentine. Though none are confirmed real, these legends are fun to read and fantasize about. Each one has its uniqueness and can pertain to any reader who reads them.
One story reads that Emperor Claudis II decided that for his army, men that were single and did not have to worry about the lives of their loved ones, fought better than the ones who were married/with kids. He then declared that there were to be no more marriages allowed. St. Valentine on the other hand, had a different say in the matter. He made the decision to keep on marrying young couples in love, which was seen as a great act.
That is one legend about the history of Valentine's Day.
Another one states that St. Valentine was in jail. While in jail, he met this beautiful young women that he began to love. This women was the jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death, he penned a letter to her and signed the letter "From your Valentine".
Out of these two stories, I like the last one the best because of the dedication that St. Valentine had to the women. I can only imagine what the women thought when she read his letter. Something tells me that she cried that day. In both stories, St. Valentine is the signature of love and creates a great romantic story to think about come Valentine's Day.

Food...

Who does not like food? I would have to say that eating is one of my favorite things to do. Most of the time, it does not matter what type of food it is. It could be Mexican, Italian, American, Chinese, it is all the same to me. One thing that I very much dislike is onions!!
When ever it is your birthday, my family has a tradition. The tradition is that whosever birthday it is gets to decide what is going to be for dinner. One of my most favorite meals is steak, mashed potatoes, and salad.
Usually my dad cooks the steak. My birthday is in the summer, so grilling out is easy and one can still outside and enjoy the summer breeze, while smelling the delicious juicy steak. My dad and I sit on the swing underneath the deck, and listen to the sizzling of the steak. He makes the best steaks!! They are juice and their texture is perfect. They are not too tough, but not "still alive" or raw. Whenever I eat steak, I take one bit plain, then the next bites I use A1 sause. The first bite is to fully appreciate the steak, everything after that is just unexplainable. So not only do I have a fabulous steak, I have the A1 sauce which adds to the taste and flavor.
My mom does the mashed potatoes and salad. Now one might think that anyone could make mashed potatoes and salad, but whoever says that is not telling the full truth. One has got to be skilled in putting just the right amount of butter, salt, and pepper. Also, it has to have the right consistence. One can not just have lumpy or running potatoes!! The softness of the potatoes and the chewy meat combined...makes it like heaven. The salad is a nice side touch to the other portions of the meal. The salad also adds color and vegetables. Plus, my mom puts stuff like ham, boiled eggs, and cheese on to it with Western dressing. Or she puts fresh, sweet strawberries, cheese, and adds strawberry vinegrate dressing. Either way you go, it is going to be delicious.
Just merely looking at this platter does not go far enough. One has got to taste it. With the brown, pale, and greens all put together, it not only tastes good, but looks good as well!!

Analyizing and Understanding Walt Whitman's "Chanting the Square Deific"

Walt Whitman's poem "Chanting the Square Deific" is an intricate poem that elaborates on four different types of gods. Each stanza in his poem is describing a different god. Each god has a connection of some sort, whether closely related or not. Instead of relating to the Trinity, Whitman is referring to the Square Deific. Each corner of the square is a different god. The god in the first corner is the Judgmental God. "Unpersuadable, relentless, executing righteous judgements..."This is how Whitman describes Him. He portrays God as a god of mean and relentless, and with no mercy. He can be named Jehovah, Old Brahm, Father Time, and Saturnius. These are different types of gods from different religions.
In the second corner, or second stanza, Whitman describes a god that is gentle and forgiving God. "For I am affection, I am the cheer-bringing God, with hope and all-enclosing charity..."This is a God that most people like to think about, but do not. This God is comforting and caring. He is very contrast to the first God in stanza one. "All the world have I given up for my dear brothers’ and sisters’ sake, for the soul’s sake..."Now he is talking about a God that sacrifices himself for His brothers' and sisters'. When picturing this God, it is a peaceful God that some or most people can relate to. In his poem, Whitman compares this God to Lord Christ, Hermes, and Hercules. He compares Lord Christ and Hercules, by the fact that they were both born by a god and by a human being (Zeus and a human, and Mary and the Holy Spirit). Hermes was a messenger god, while Lord Christ was a messenger of the Holy Bible.
In the third corner, or third stanza, he describes Satan. "Comrade of criminals, brother of slaves, Crafty, despised, a drudge, ignorant..." Now this is a completely different god than we have seen in the other stanzas. This is not a god that anybody would like to come across. Here he projects evil.
In the fourth corner, or fourth stanza, is the Holy Spirit. Whitman describes the Holy Spirit as, "Beyond the light, lighter than light, Beyond the flames of hell, joyous, leaping easily above hell, Beyond Paradise, perfumed solely with mine own perfume..." This is a peaceful picture. Whitman combines the Holy Spirit into God, Saviour, and Satan. He also labels the Holy Spirit as "...the general soul..."
Overall, Whitman elaborates on the four different gods of the Square Deific. Each god has his own traits and characteristics.

Groundhog's Day

Groundhog day is a unique holiday that comes once every year on February 2. What makes this holiday a little more different than the others is by the fact that it is all based on the animal the groundhog. How many holidays do you know of that are based on an animal? Most of the time, holidays are about a significant historical event that happened.

One of my favorite things to do on Groundhog's day is watch the movie Groundhog Day, featuring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It is a comedy movie that my parents showed us a couple years ago. It is a fun thing to watch on the holiday. The is a classic movie that I think all people should see at least once in their life. The movie is about a news reporter named Phil that got assigned to broadcast Groundhogs Day. Phil has an extremely negative attitude and is very rude to everybody. Next thing he knows, he is redoing Groundhog's day again, and again, and again until he finally realizes how he was acting. It is funny to watch him go through the same day multiple times. I wish that every Groundhog's Day I could watch this movie.

This year it is said that the groundhog saw his shadow, therefore, we will supposedly have six more weeks of winter. Thankfully, God does not always listen to the groundhog and decides against it, which I hope He does this year. As much as I like winter, which I actually do not mind it, I am starting to want the warm weather. My question is, how can one tell if the groundhog saw his/her shadow or not? I do not know, but to me, I wish there were some way we could celebrate this special holiday. I mean, I do not think that I have ever celebrated it!! I think it is the only holiday that literally never gets celebrated and just gets thrown to the side.

Whitman's Language of the Self

The very beginning of the passage states that Whitman was inspired by the fact of a person's true self. Not a self that is unsure or unstable, but a self that is genuine and real. "To express a self. To display a 'Personality' 'uncompromisingly' with a limpid style, a transparent form that ardently renders an identity in all its plenitude and immediacy (Bauerlein). I love this sentence. And to think it is the first sentence!!
It is interesting. Mark Bauerlein points out that Whitman had multiple personalities. He could be "Alternating randomly between pride and humility, knowledge and ignorance, guilt and complacency..." (Bauerlein). Then later in Whitman's "Me Myself" he admits to his multiple masks that he has. It is interesting because one begins to wonder, am I wearing a mask? Am I really who I am around everybody, or am I different with different people? This is a penetrating question that beckons attention, though most do not give it thought.
This essay is motivating and insightful. Whenever something is said or mentioned that is important, I ask the question to myself. I mean do we ever realize what we do everyday, listen to, and talk to make a difference or impact on us? "With truth conceived of as a correspondence between private motive, desire, and experience, and public forms of expression, inherited styles pervert the self, force it to conform to a preordained syntax and decorum that distorts the ego and thereby alienates it from its own manifestations" (Bauerlein). This is a statement that makes us realize the importance of what we do and how what we do can effect us. Now this might not be the intended meaning of this part of the passage, but everybody can get something different out of different things.
This essay has broadened my view on this and made me think about who I am and how things effect me. It might seem small, but they are essential to life and are also life skills that everybody needs or should have.

Reporting at the Battlefield

Some people get the rare opportunity to see what it is like on a battlefield. A reporter is the exact type of person that not only gets to see it and experience it, but to write about and share their feelings about it to the public. If reporters did not report what they saw, then we the people would have no way of knowing. We would be very clueless to what was going on and wouldn't appreciate what our soldiers did as much as we do. Now some people are cut out for the job and ready for what they might see, while others just aren't. In order to be a reporter, one has to have a way with words as to be able to paint a descriptive picture of the scenes that were happening.
If I were a reporter, lived with the soldiers, saw what they saw, lived what they lived, and what not, I think that I would be scared, intimidated, and would definitely respect the soldiers more than now. Soldiers are heroes. They might be everyday, regular people, but they are making sacrifices for our country and in doing so earn the title of a hero. I would write about different things, but I know one of the things that I would write about is maybe a biography of one person and what their daily life was like before they went to serve and while they were serving. I would tell of the sacrifices they made and tell the readers the truth. I would not stretch the truth to make the soldiers better because I don't think I would need to. Their jobs and duties speak for themselves. I would write from the heart and interview the soldiers to get their input on what their days held. I would make sure and diary the whole event so that I would not forget the details later.
Overall, I think it would be a hard and stressful job to have. You would have to be strong and able to realize that at any moment you could be captured or killed. But by taking that risk, you are also excepting the fact that you will be experiencing the inevitable, something that most of the population never experiences. That is a story. That is something to report about. Experiences. Sacrifice. Heroes.

Being Persuasive

In my book, being persuasive is a skill. Some people are really good at it, while other people are not. If it is something that I feel strongly about, I have no problem arguing it, but if it is a fickle thing, then I do not really care to argue. Sometimes though, I get defensive and argue just for the sake of arguing. Whenever that happens, I will usually say something that I do not mean and probably should not have said in the first place.

There have been multiple instances where I needed to be persuasive. Some of those times I was triumphantly successful and other times they have been epic failures. There are certain people that I tend to argue the most with. They would mostly be my parents.

One example that I was persuasive was in getting to drive the Chevy Impala. When my brother was in High School, he had to drive the 1994 Ford Sable. It is big, green, and old. Not like I wouldn't drive it, its just that the Impala is definitely the better car. When I was learning to drive, the Impala was one of the main cars that I used. This helped because I would tell them that I was more used to driving that car than the Sable. I argued my point that the newer car would be better and safer than the older car. In the end I now get to drive the 2000 Chevy Impala.
Another case was when I wanted to go to Florida with Josie. In the summer eighth grade Josie and I got the opportunity to go to her aunt's house in Florida. To do so, we would have to get on a plane, land in Atlanta, Georgia's airport (one of the largest in the country), and come back by ourselves. At first, I did not think that my parents would let me go, but I persuaded them that we would be completely safe. We would use the "buddy system" and not goof around when it came to getting to our terminal on time for the plane's take off. This was a hard to persuade my parents, but in the end I came up with a good reasons as to why it would be a good idea to let me go. I am really glad that I got to go!!

Who Am I??

You...that's a pretty deep topic. I mean how often do we actually think about who we are? We go around school and jobs being us...or do we? That's a question that can be up for debate and be a tough question to answer. For each person it is different, no one person is the same. In a way that makes it all the more difficult. One can not go to a friend and ask "Who am I?", but only you and God know that. Your friends might know your likes and dislikes, but do they always know your deepest desires? Then again, whose decision is it on who you are? It is definitely not theirs and not your parents, though they will try and lead you in a certain direction. So, the question is, how do you find out who you really and truly are? One can find out through others, but in my opinoin, most of the time it is through something different and sometimes an eye opening experience.

Finding your TRUE self is different than just finding the surfacy stuff that everyone sees. A way that I have seen the best, or otherwise the worst in myself, is when something bad happens. Now I'm not saying that you should wait for something bad to happen, but think back to a trial that happened in your life and what you might have discovered. For me its been trials like losing my grandma, breaking my leg, and others. For you it might be different. In learning who I really am, I've learned that I will never fully know. I might know some things, but I will never know everything because I am not perfect and with each struggle I will find something new about myself that I did not see before.

I've learned knew things because it is God's way of refining me. He isn't doing it to make us hurt, but to make us better. He wants the best for us and shows us who we are through all sorts of situations in our life.

So, one might ask, "So who are you?" and my reply would be two things. It would be the obvious-the likes and dislikes and common standard things about me, but it would also be something else. My answer would also be "I don't know", but I do know that I am God's child and he is refining me so I will always be learning about my TRUE self, whether I want to find out or not. But in the end I know I will be thankful for the journey. I mean who likes a story with no hardships and redeeming triumphs?

So...who are you?

Mother Nature At Her Best

Nature is a powerful element in life. It can determine a lot of things about our schedule that we sometimes do not even realize. I do not think I could possibley count the number of times I woke up in the morning and turned on the WeatherChannel. The weather or nature can effect what we do and when we do it. There are countless times when nature has stepped in and changed peoples plans.
One time that nature has tested me was last year during a soccer game. This was not just any soccer game, this was the Sectional Championship game that determined whether or not we got the opportunity to go to the State Finals. This was HUGE!! Toward the end of the first half there was lightning and thunder. In a soccer game, if there is lighting we have to stop the game for at least a half an hour. So that is exactly what we did, we waited. And waited...and waited. For two hours we waited for the game to start again. Finally after all that waiting, we got to go out and finish the big game that we had started. By this time with the five or ten minutes in between lightning strikes we were into the second half. The score was 2-1 we were winning. By the time it started it was absolutely pouring!!!! I have never seen that much rain come down at a time!! You could barely see the ball being kicked around the field!! It was an intense game. Both teams were excited to play because of the long wait and what was on the line. Pretty soon, the field was a pool. We would kick the ball and in would go no where. The weather was definitely a test for both teams. It was so bad, that with 15:16 left on the clock they had to call the game and reschedule it for the next day. It was outrageous!! All the fans that had come were all disappointed that they would not be able to see the end of the game!! To even try and describe the feeling that we all felt is impossible. Even now, my stomach does flips and turns just thinking about it. All of this just because of the weather!!
That was one time were nature tested me and it was a pretty big test!! Thankful we ended up winning the next day, were Sectional Champions, and got to go to the State Finals. :)

The Christmas Holidays

Christmas break is a break that I always look forward to, especially once finals start. When finals start, it does not seem like the break will ever get here. But here I am typing this blog after a Christmas break that went by all too fast. How in the world did this happen?!? Upon reflecting on my fabulous Christmas break and other past ones, I realized that each one is different and special in its own way. This break I had more homework than I ever had before, I had my license this year, my friends got together more, and my perspective on Christmas was different than before. One thing that did not change, was how fast it went by!!
This year I had a lot of AP US History homework. In all we had a huge packet and a five page essay that is due this coming week. That changed my two weeks, but also taught me about time management.
I had my license!! This is an exciting change that I thoroughly enjoy. I got to go places that otherwise my parents would have had to of taken me.
Not only did I have my licenses, but my friends did too!! This makes it even better. This past week, me and my friends got to go out to eat and then go ice skating. Considering that none of us are pro ice skaters it made the experience a lot more fun. This was one of the highlights of my break. It was funny to see people fall and even fall myself. It was an awesome time.
My perspective on Christmas has altered throughout the years to the point where I am not as excited about presents as I have been in the past. Although it is interesting that I still can not sleep the night before Christmas!! I don't know why that is!! But the way Christmas goes now is definitely different than a couple years ago. I learned that we got a greater gift than the ones under the tree. We got the gift of forgiveness and so much more.