Blog Conclusion :(

My blog over the course of this year has given me a little vault in which to store all of my own ideas, feelings and opinions. It was the last ting I would do on a Friday night. That simple and yet bright end to my long week at school. My blog is a part of me, I must have invested hours of time into it, and that makes me happy. My blog has been something to make me laugh and reflect on my peers. I am proud of it, I know I did my very best on it that I ever could have possibly done. I never missed a single blog, not one!
I have learnt a variety or things while working on this blog over the year. I have learnt how to proficiently evaluate myself on what I could have done better or worked more on, and what I did a good job on. I’ve learned to recognize others ideas and understand peoples ways of thinking outside of my own little world. I’ve figured out how to tell what kind of a person I am and some of what other people are like, and act outside of our little English class. I now know how to understand how to voice things that I haven’t been sure of in books, plays, or poems.
I can reflect on how my knowledge has grown, how I have grown. I look back on my blogs from earlier this year and compare them up to the ones closer to the end of the year. It amazes me how much I have changed in my style and how my outlook on things differ. There are those unique traits, however small they might be, that are spiritual to me, that have stayed with me throughout the year, and that by the looks of it probably always will.
I have a quote here, it’s long but it has meaning to me:
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” –Charles R. Swindoll
I believe this quote is true to all people. Life is about how you see things, Is the glass half empty, or half full? Are you an optimistic person or do you need to cheer up a little? I think that everyone’s glass is half full. and always will be, it will always be just a matter of maybe changing your viewpoint. I have had fun throughout this year in English and I have made friends that I know I’ll keep.

Here’s My English extra credit project, It’s a poem. I spent a while on it. I hope you like it.

A year to remember

A year to remember,
As I know I’ll look back and think deeply,
I’ll think of it years from now,
when I’m old and gray.
I’ll sit on my chair on the porch,

And remember our class,
Keenan with his crew stories,
Luke with his intelligent looking glasses,
Michael our favorite (and only) TA,
I know I’ll sit back far away.

I’ll log on to my only blog,
I’ll think and I’ll think,
And recall what make me write those things,
And I’ll smile,

This has been a year to remember,
Now from mid June past September,
I’ll forget and let it all blow away,
Only to remember when I’m old and gray.

Essay Writing

I believe that i am now a good essay writer, or better than i was anyways. I've learned so much in the area of writing and literacy that it isn't something i'm afraid to do anymore. Some of the challenges were getting used to a certain format and learning how to convey my ideas effectively through text. The rewards have been me feeling much better about it and having a reasonable grade in the class.

Some of my short comings may be for one, embedding quotations. This has been a struggle for me. I'm not entirely sure how to do it correctly or how to lead into my quotes that well. Another thing that might cause me to get a "B" is my hook, I've thought long and hard about it, and i've done my best at making one that makes sense, but i'm just not sure about how well it will blend with my overall essay idea.

Summer reading list.

Durring summer there are plenty of books i'd like to read. One of these is a book by Robbie Burns called 'The Naked Trader'. This book is about stock-brocking and how the public stock market works and revolves. I am interested in this book for one, because I plan on becoming a business-man or something of the sort, and i would like to reach my full potential when doing things involving money. The second reason is because it will teach me how to inflate my retirement, which I'm sure is going to be a core concern for my generation.

The second book I would like to read is a novel by William Shakespeare called 'Macbeth'. This book seems oddly fascinating to me. don't know too much about it but i would definitely like to read another book by Shakespeare and i just happen to have thi one sitting around at my house.

My Astrological Sign

I was born on december 2nd. This makes my astrological (or Zodiac) sign the 'Sagittarius' . I am supposed to be honest, Intelligent, optimistic, loving, and logical.

I try to be honest as much as I can so that trait matches somewhat. Although i wouldn't say i am intelligent, i do use common sense AND logic... and it just so happens that my common sense has made me able to skip a grade and then get strait A's after that, so i suppose these two match well. I'm usually not terribly optimistic, i get paranoid quickly and once i start to panic for whatever reason there aren't very many things that will calm me down. The optimistic trait doesn't really fit with me in my opinion. Oh, yes, and don't let me forget.... loving... I show my affection for different people in different ways, just as i love different people in their own particular way. You'd have to ask around for an outside opinion, but mine is that the more you love me.... the more I love you (In most cases).... ***>

Now on the not-so-good half of the page, I'm supposed to be careless and irresponsible. I can be careless at times. As Romeo and Juliet were when they got married. But what can I say. I'm a teenager... and so were they. As for irresponsible, i guess so. But then again, can't we all every once and a while.

In the play, as Mrs. Gilman said, The characters believe in the predetermination of fate by means of the stars. Stars are mentioned over and over as a symbol of this, " Give me my Romeo, and when i shall die,/ Take him and cut him out in little stars,..." (3.2.23-24) This refers to stars as well as majority foreshadows the outcome of the play.

To finish this up, you are who you are, and you get there because of what you do. I don't think that stars are the cause of our fortunes, happiness or faults. But it's still interesting to know what was written about us before we were born.

Romeo and Juliete.

Something that I found where Romeo and Juliet was referred to in modern culture Is a song by Dire Straits called Romeo and Juliet. The Killers also did a version of this song Although it was a remake I think it has more emotion and conveys the true meaning of the words that they sing better.

Here are the lyrics, I'll write my reaction to it afterwards and post a link to The Killers music video of it.

A love struck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made
He finds the street light, steps out of the shade
'n' says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"

Juliet says, "Hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing, 'Hey la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that'
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start,
And I bet, then you exploded in my heart,
And I forget, I forget, the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame,
Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same,
And I dreamed your dream for you, and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?

You can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say, "Oh Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

I can't do the talks, like they talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song, like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything, but I'll do anything for you
I can't do anything 'cept be in love with you

And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
And all I do is keep the beat, 'n the band company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a rhyme
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you, anytime

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

And a love struck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade,
Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made
He finds a convenient street light, steps out of the shade
'n' says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"

The song says how when people meet they always say they are meant for each other, and they are one anthers dream-partner. But in fact after a while it could turn out to be fake, all the promises are broken, And the relationship will fall apart. Also after the couple falls apart the people will feel bad and miss each other. The main message from this is to be true and not to jump into things so surely.

It relates to the play because the young couple jumps into things with such enthusiasm that something is bound to go wrong. They liked the way each other looked but got married barely after learning the others name.

Here's a like to the video by The Killers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87cLyBR1JTo

... and the one by Dire Straits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tim4VzHUUyQ

EC blog: English reflection....

After moving 9000 miles from my home in scotland, I went into middle-school thinking it was the easiest thing in the world. after finishing up the year and then staying behind to retake 8th grade... and then jumping up to ninth I decided to take honors english. I enjoy the class discussions and micro-analyzing peoples ever word. I love most of the books we read and if I don't love them I'll find someway of enjoying them. I learnt more in a month of taking this class that I did in a year at my last school. I've recommended this class to a fair amount of younger friends ( mostly 8th graders). I tell them that it isn't as hard as it seem if you just let yourself free and have fun.

All of the topic's we've gone over, through, or in-between since the beginning of the year have been a good learning experience. I never knew half of the words we now use commonly in our class and I most times one of the three new things I try to learn every day comes from my Honors English class. Also i can't wait to read Romeo and Juliet!

Thank you Mrs. Gilman

Skits... In Class

Here are some skits I would like to have done in class:

1- The scene in the begining, the first time that Pip goes to Miss Havishams house and she says that her heart is broken. Pips thouhgts are child like and interesting, i think it would be great to act it out.

2- When Jaggers first meets Pip and Joe in the bar and tell him of the great property he is going to come into, and asks joe if he wants anything out of it. This settig would be good because it is a prime foreshaddow for the plot of the book. It makes a firs impression of Jaggers and develops Joe's character as kind and loyal to Pip.

3- Another thing I would like to act out in class is where Drummle and Pip come across eachother while thay are waiting in the same place. They get into a quarrel and it all comes down to preciouse Estella. I think this would be a good addition to the other scenes to act out because it shows Drummle for who he really is and How torn Pip's heart is because of Estella.

More things that elude me.

Some thing in last weeks reading that i did not understand is when Pip is purchasing a partnership for Herbert with Wemmick in chapter 37: " "Well, you know Mr. Pip, I must tell you one thing. this is devilish good of you." " Say you'll help me to be good then," said I. "Ecod," replied Wemmick, shaking his head, " Thats not my trade." " Nor is this your trading-place," said I" ( 297)

I don't understand what they mean by 'trade' in this segment, and later in the book when the partnership is spoken of, It always nags at me in the back of my brain. I can't wrap my mind around it. What are they talking about and what does trade have to do with the partnership?

Anything will probably help, thanks and hope you didn't have the same problem.

I Don't Understand... Poor Molly

" "Master ," she again murmured. "Please!"

"Molly," said Mr. Jaggers, not looking at her, but obstinately looking at the opposite side of the room. "let them see both your wrists. Show them. Come!"

He took his hand from hers, and turned that wrist up on the table. She brought her other hand from behind her, and held the two out side by side. The last wrist was much disfigured-- deeply scarred across and across." (214)

I read this passage in the book and I wondered why in the world Molly's wrists would be gnarled up like that. It raises the questions of self harm or domestic abuse... I really didn't understand why Dickens put this in the story and ever since I read it I've been dying to find out what happened to Molly. She seems so quiet and sound, but something is going on behind that.

Any idea's anyone?

hold on Pip!

To me this picture symbolizes how as Pip goes on with his life in london after leaving home his connection with his childhood, and his old home in the marshes is unraveling and with seemingly eventually be severed. It is only barely remembered as he attempts to make a gentleman out of the blacksmith he grew up as. It also shows how even though he is leading a different life in the town that there is still a last remaining strand of the boy he was and all of the things that lead him to the point he is at.

The first stage

Pip is referring to his first day at miss Havishams house and how all that he did and saw there changed him as an individual. The day at miss Havishams house changed him. He then saw the difference between the rich and the common, but more importantly it made it mean something to him. He didn't wan to to be common and was nervous about how Estella would think of Joe as a commoner. He was bewitched by Estella, she was so unpleasant and yet so pretty to him, and he was haunted by Miss Havisham ""What do I touch?" "Your heart." " Broken!"" she has suffered her whole life and he is afraid of her. Pip becomes a more thoughtful person after this day. He lies to the adults when they ask him what they did because he didn't want them to not let him go again because of Estella. He becomes more self conscious, trying to match up to the rich people so that he might get Estella to like him who he already seems to think will end up with him.

When i was little i got lost in an airport. I was flying as a minor. A supervisor found me and saw the 'unaccompanied minor tag' around my neck and asked where i was going. I was totally lost, it turns out i wasn't even in the right terminal. The man who found me talked with me for the thirty minutes in took to get to the right terminal, he was french and his accent was thick but i could understand the jest of what he was saying. He talked to me about things like "I think i'm doing a good thing here"...

" And because I'm doing this thing for you, I need you to promise me something" he said to me. "Okay" i whispered.

"Make sure you always do the right thing. Every day. Every choice you make. Make sure it's the right one. The one right from your heart, like in France. We love everyone. Thats all i ask."

I agreed and he got me on the right plane with three minutes to spare. When i was on the plane I looked out the window, the man was helping this elderly lady with her luggage. It was life changing for me to see someone with a truly good-heart who would do things for no personal gain and only to the benefit of others. To this day i try to think back to what the French man said as often as possible. I do my best to do the right thing and make the right choice as much as it is apparent, and like the french i attempt to make it 'from the heart'.

The Importance of Being Earnest...

Alright so I'm writing my paragraph on the white lies that add up throughout the play and help contribute to our view of victorian society.

I'm going to set this out as a list in the hope that it will be easier to follow.

Topic sentence:

In the play 'The Importance of being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde he uses white lies to satirize, mock and make fun of victorian society and the upper-class in particular.

My concrete details are:

1: Algernon pretends to be confused when all of the cucumber sandwiches are gone after he ate them. (p.18)

2: " Jack: I am a liberal unionist. Lady Bracknell: Oh, they count as Tories. They dine with us." (p.25)

3: Lady Bracknell proceeds to call Cecily attractive only after she becomes aware of the 130 Pound fortune attached to her.

My commentary for the CD's are:

1: This shows that Algernon is a hypocrite, and that he is dishonest and disrespectful of his family because he ate the sandwiches him self. Which contributes to the satirization of victorian society.

2: This shows that Lady Bracknell will change her rules and regulations to suit her own wishes.

It's also funny because it implies that she wouldn't dine with anyone who isn't a 'Torie" ( The nickname given to members of the Conservative party in Britain)

3: It implies morbidly the ridiculous attitude that marriage was second to money in the Victorian Era. It shows how greed governs the lives of the upper class and that marriage was a business rather than a quest. This supports my thesis because it satirizes the upper-class by using white lies.

Thanks. Don't forget to comment!

The victorian research that i did in class was very helpful in understanding the play. I wouldn't have understood the subtext or underlying meaning as well if i hadn't looked up some of my victorian areas of interest such as education. I learned that education was made compulsory during the victorian age, and that it was mainly taken seriously by the upper-class as they would commonly be home educated. This is what makes Cecily so funny. She constantly complains that she doesn't like her german lessons when she should be grateful for them: "I don't like german. It isn't at all a becoming language." p. 37

Also throughout the book marriage is portrayed more as a market rather than a quest for love.

Lady Bracknel Wont let her daughter marry Jack because he doesn't have enough social status.

The younger characters in the book are seeking true-love where the older, family leaders are only seeking to up their standing in society. I did research on marriage in the victorian age and found that this was truly the case. Marriage was allot less love-oriented in the victorian age and the play that it is in modern society.

Berkano's New years resolution

One of my 2010 new years resolution is to spend more time with my family. I only ever see my brother at the bus stop in the morning and a few times during weekends because we don't have very many common interests. My step brother and sister see even less of me, they go to elementary school so i don't see them in the morning like my other brother. Sometimes i'll go 2 whole weeks without saying one word to them, Once i get home from school i have to do homework, and by the time I'm done it's usually their bedtime. Lastly, my mother, she sees plenty more of me than anyone else in our family. but we never really spend any quality bonding time together. during the week she's busy with the other children, and on the weekends I'm always with friends.

I will achieve my goal by setting aside at least half an hour a day during the week for each of my family members where we can spend time together and do things that are fun. And by giving more ideas for fun family outings that we can all go on. If i have to rearrange my schedule I'm willing to do that. Just so long as i get to know them better and see them more i'll be content (so long as i don't have to play dress-up or doll-house too much with my little sister). I think if i do these things I will have no difficulty achieving this goal.

Happy new year everyone, and good luck with all of your 2010 resolutions.