iDK, MY BFF JiLL?!

TAKE A STAND.

2009-01-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

At times, standing up for yourself is difficult, but other times actions can be very simple. When I was a seventh grader, two boys always managed to tag-team against me and Roxanne. Needless to say, aggravation and absolute annoyance made the tension begin to build... Like an ornament being shattered, suddenly and surprisingly I went ballistic. I defended myself and my friend saying,
"You have no right to treat us this way; we have done nothing to y'all!" Getting that feeling off my chest felt wonderful, and I was proud of myself for finally saying how I felt. Although my blow up was shocking, my evident anger helped them to realize their wrongdoings. I learned an important lesson for sure: Never be afraid to defend what you believe.

S0PH0M0RE. . .

2008-12-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

I miss junior high, where the building was more welcoming.. the assignments were much easier.. cliques ceased to exist.. students were granted more freedoms.. LIFE WAS JUST EASIER.

The fact, it seems, is when you enter high school, your future hovers above your head throughout the entire course. All I hear about is "Well, once you graduate. . . " I'm tired of hearing about it! I cannot face our impending graduation:S.

I guess high school is not really what I hate; its growing up and venturing out on my own. Thinking about leaving Batesville and all the small-town comforts simply terrifies me. I take pride in living such a sheltered life. Sometimes, I just wish that I could roll back the clock a few years so that I could enjoy being a kid to the fullest extent.

The first semester of this year has gone by so quickly! Just another reminder of how old I am getting.. Blehh..

It was fate. Maybe.

2008-12-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

While I do think that fate plays a role, albeit a small role, I think that freewill plays a much larger part in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. The conspirators seem to have this misguided idea that Caesar is going to die because it is his ultimate fate. I have to disagree though. . .

By their own freewill, they make the decision to carry out the murder themselves. Each of the conspirators, especially Brutus and Cassius, were blinded by their OWN ambition. The choice could have easily been made to not assassinate Caesar, and yet, each agreed that it was the best thing to do.

What I do not understand about their reasoning is the fact that fate is something that will happen no matter what; the gods have predestined it. Something else, such as a natural disaster or even Caesar's own illness, could have fulfilled his destiny. Caesar's demise was not the gods' will but rather each conspirators' will.

JULiUS CAESAR

2008-12-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Corruption.. Scandal.. Fraud.. Leadership..? Sadly, these all seem to go hand-in-hand, especially in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. I personally did not notice this very much from Caesar himself, but rather from his friends and supposed allies.

Cassius, a sneaky instigator, organizes a plot to murder Caesar and uses Brutus to act as a sort of relay-er (Let's put this simply: Nobody trusted Cassius.) After the conspirators assassinate the ruler, Brutus "graciously" steps in to replace him. At this point, the fact is clearly seen that Brutus killed one of his best friends solely because he wanted to be emperor.

It seems that this kind of power struggle is occurring within our very country today. Paying senators to vote a certain way, rigging faulty ballots, covering up high-ranking officials mistakes.. the list could continue on and on.

Escaping the fact that corruption and power are one in the same would be impossible during any time in history.

WiN-WiN?

2008-11-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

I think that Sean Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, comes up with some pretty mediocre illustrations. While sections in the book have helped me live a better lifestyle, a few have managed merely to make me laugh.

For example, win-win situations? I can only think of a few rare cases when this happens. No matter how hard he tries to explain that most situations can make all parties benefit, it was still Greek to me (hah!) Call me pessimistic, call me argumentative, but win-win situations just do not make sense to me.

I was so puzzled by this obscurity, I decided to bring it up in a conversation with other classmates reading the novel.. My friend tried to come up with an instance for me.

"Its like when we go to the ice cream shop. You can get chocolate, and I can get strawberry. We both win."

But I even have to debate this one! What if "Bob" wanted chocolate a week later, but the employee just dished out the last scoop? If I had not gotten that one dish, "Bob" would have gotten what he wanted, but he just did not show up soon enough. I win, "Bob" loses. Simple enough, right?

While you are not always aware of it, someone ultimately loses. I think that a balance of the two is just a necessary evil that Sean Covey needs to face.

"It is like the blueprint to your life."

2008-11-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

In the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, the author Sean Covey encourages readers to create a mission statement. Although Covey says that the statement is my own secret document, I intend to share my motto, my new "blueprint" on life.

I. I will give my best in all I do; for me, my family, my friends, and my God.

II. I will live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment in the process.

III. I will be a shield, offering protection, comfort, and defense for all people.

IV. I will feel how I feel and not try to disguise it.

V. I will stand up for my beliefs.

VI. I will act goofy whenever I feel like, thank you.

VII. I will earn the right to be trusted.

VIII. I will love unconditionally.

IX. I will sacrifice.

X. I will remember lessons learned.

XI. I will always keep in mind that possessions amount to nothing.

XII. I will carry myself with pride.

XIII. I myself will define who I am.

♥

Support:)

2008-09-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

If you had asked me a couple weeks ago if I would encourage someone to read science fiction novels, my answer would have been, "When pigs fly!" I thought that all sci-fi books were just a bunch of nonsense: some geek who was bored and decided to write a book about absolutely nothing, activating the formation of a cult (i.e. Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc., etc.) I was sadly stereotypical, and I regret not giving this genre a chance sooner. By reading H.G. Wells' Time Machine, I have realized that the sci-fi genre is not as one-dimensional as I believed it to be. In fact, I would say this genre is four-dimensional, just as the Time Traveller explained space to be. . .

Think of these as my four reasons for reading science fiction novels. . .

DIMENSION ONE: The impossibility of the story occurring.

This one is a no-brainer. A science-fiction novel is a science-fiction novel because it cannot happen. We are not able to build a time machine, as we are not able to give spider-like characteristics to a man, as we are not able to wear a ring that makes us invisible to the human-eye. The fact that the story is impossible, though, opens the door for comparing the plot line to situations that are actually feasible.

DIMENSION TWO: Setting.

The scenery and the time frame are essential to the development of a science fiction novel. The aspect also appeals to many people; it allows for you to be transported through time and space to a completely different universe and think about situations that you wouldn't normally consider. (For example, when I read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, it is a completely different world, and yet I was able to compare it to how the government must be authoritative presently in order to prevent utter chaos.)

DIMENSION THREE: Use of comparisons.

I think that a huge part of a science-fiction book is the use of hidden meanings. Of course, no author in this genre would just come right out and say what they believe. They have to demonstrate an idea to you indirectly. They want you to infer on the content and draw your own conclusions (although science fiction authors can be biased and try to get you to share their opinions.) Of course, sometimes it is hard to see the hidden meaning at first, but once you find them, you gain an immense understanding on the concept. For example, one idea I have noticed consistently throughout this genre would have to be the concept of communism. By reading about similar situations, I better understand it.

DIMENSION FOUR: Characters.

Characters are important in nearly every genre, but in science fiction they serve a special purpose. They are the best tools a writer can have for displaying the hidden concepts. In the Time Machine, I believe that the Eloi and the Morlocks are a disguised comparison (I'll let you decide for yourself, though!) The characters in this type of story are usually very well developed and are capable of really captivating you.

After taking some time to consider the genre of science fiction, I would definitely encourage avid readers to give it a chance. It has the ability to fly you light years through outerspace on a star ship, to take you to a world where the word "mother" is derogatory, and, most importantly, to draw you in and make you think. You know how I said, "When pigs fly!"? Well, I am sure there is a science fiction book out there where it's possible:).

My SuperVillian

2008-09-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

A descriptive paragraph

about the main character

in my Sci-Fi World.

Formerly of Rock of Love, Lacey was just her alias; in actual reality (ahem- not "reality TV") she is the amazing Flamer! Her red tresses are burning up. Just so you know, her hair is not straight. Instead, her locks are a curly tangle, constricting and scorching any hero who attempts to save the day. On Rock of Love, Lacey accidentally revealed one of her powers: evil mind- manipulating abilities! She can drive you absolutely insane, all while remaining composed and calm. It worked on Dallas, and it will work on a hero, too! And finally, Lacey has superhuman strength. Typically, she prefers not to use it, though. She can be quite lazy, like most people in her town. But never fear! The Flamer never fails at ruining the day!

Note:

The different colors for the sentences represents the different purposes of each sentence.

Green shows that it is a topic sentence or a concluding sentence.

Yellow shows that it is a detail.

Red explains that detail.

Dear Mister President. . .

2008-09-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

This is an excerpt from my draft. . .

Letters to the Next President. . .

Can you guess who I chose to write to?

"I really commend your choice as Sarah Palin for your running mate. She seems to be a wonderful person- and mother, as well. Palin supported her daughter despite the huge controversy it aroused, not to mention the fact that she chose to have her son, knowing that it might be a difficult and demanding job to raise him. Also, with Hilary Clinton out of the race, I think voters interested in getting women into the White House were confused on who they would check on their ballots. Sarah Palin boldly stepped up to fill the void, and I truly think that she got the hype up for your campaign. You go girl!"

“i’M S0RRY, i DON’T BELiEVE i KNOW JiLL..”

2008-09-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well, to be quite honest, I don't know a Jill either. I chose the title "iDK, MY BFF JiLL?!"for this blog after I thought of a certain Cingular commercial released in early 2007 that started a "txt-tlk" revolution.

The title suits me perfectly; my personality (along with my writing style) is pretty quirky and - at times - a little off the wall. I state my opinions frankly, and I would like for you to do the same here. When I start posting, feel free to comment as much as you like.

TTYL. WFU!

Translation: Talk to you later. Watch for updates!:)