comments wk 13

Alex H's Goals

https://harambememelover.blogspot.com/2016/12/goals.html?showComment=1481916577901#c1385643249776986723

Lathan's Trip to the Writing Center 

https://jamaicanenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/12/trip-to-writing-center.html?showComment=1481916654664#c7122280070207770669

national geographic : flop seen in writing center

My writing center experience lasted under ten minutes. SO I have not a hope that this will span the proper two paragraphs. My writing fellow and I ordered my outline. I was completely capable of doing it myself I just wanted a second opinion. Also my scheduled writing fellow didn't show up so I got an impromtu one. He was very nice. I honestly don't think I accomplished much in those 10 minutes. I was too nervous to comprehend the actual situation. I stuttered.

goal setting with increased chance of failure

I set my goals based on what I want to achieve and what I think I am capable of achieving. I think there should be a balance between reaching out beyond what you want to what you think is tangible. For example one of my goals for this year (from my pov as an 8th grader) was to be able to join wind ensemble. This was a goal I wanted to achieve. Not that I thought I could necessarily complete just something I wanted to happen. One goal on the other hand that was based off of my possible ability was to be able to play the music in wind ensemble. Once I was in wind ensemble my goal was then to test my ability. The goal that I had set as a want became a reality. I don't set goals in areas I don't see myself having a future in however. Investing my time in an instrument I can't see myself going into is a tremendous waste of time.


I think goal setting can be a very open topic... there are many possible routes to where the goal can take you. Broader topics can lead to a broader result. Goals that are too specific may result in eventual failure. For example, by the end of next summer I would like to reach the 750 pound club in summer lifting. This is a goal based off of a want and what I think are my capacity of ability. There is goal setting with an increased chance of failure at it's finest.

comments wk 12

Lathan's Soccer

https://jamaicanenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/12/soccer.html?showComment=1481163829928#c2701798239807139934

Ryan F's Competitive Season 3 Rant 

https://shamadaclan.blogspot.com/2016/12/competitive-season-3-rant.html?showComment=1481163997798#c2639015859991344842

Spootify

I wanted to write more about Spotify because I would like to broadcast this month's favorites. Some new music dropped in the past few months or revival of older favorites. Newer songs and albums include Starboy and all of the singles that dropped before that. Revivals include albums : Trilogy (The weeknd), Self titled (5 seconds of summer), Continuum (John Mayer) , Balcony (Catfish and the Bottleman. and Loose Change and 5 (Ed Sheeran). Honorable mentions are the new Rolling Stones album, Classics like Appetite for Destruction and Coffee shop Jazz.

My recents are pretty basic like PVRIS, The 1975, Bach's Cello top 150 picks, Yo Yo ma's unaccompanied album, Starboy, Trilogy, Catfish and the Bottleman, James Hershey, Kanye West, and Drake. I've been listening to more chill music to just kick to. I haven't been listening to anything that requires brain cells because I have been traveling and I like the white noise.

fl0p

An update on my literary analysis. Sadly I don't have much of an elaborate update. I fell like this is a spiraling depression, but I think I can power through even though I want to G I V E U P on school. They say third quarter is the hardest. Anyways considering my LA I think it's going ok, I'm keeping up with the lengths and the dates.

I think as long as I can just make this work I'll be ok. My length on my draft is perfect it's just the content I'm worried about. I think the content is fine but maybe repetitive. I can probably fix everything that's failing at the moment.

comments wk 11

Alex's How to 

https://harambememelover.blogspot.com/2016/11/how-to.html?showComment=1480561056897#c8827707717878060784

Ryan's Battlefield 1 

https://shamadaclan.blogspot.com/2016/11/battlefield-1.html?showComment=1480561325896#c1830344798512746799

The Dog in Society or the Elephant in the Room

Once there was a very sad dog. It was rabid and it wasn't liked very much, but everybody knew about it. Everyone who knew about the dog decided to ignore it and wait for it to go away. The people eventually figured out that the only way to get rid of the dog was to take action. Some people who got bitten by the dog died and they never saw the sun again. 

The dog represents a problem in society. The people who were bitten show how they were affected. The people dying represents the effect that the dog has on them. The sun represents the changes in society. The people who were affected and "never saw the sun again" were too affected by the dog to ever see the changes made if there were any. 

The end. 

How to Make Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles seem simple but they are not. You can actually add a lot of different things to make the Ramen so much better. Starting with braised porkbelly. Pork belly that has been braised in oyster sauce and soy sauce for 2-4 hours. Then make a broth with part dashi stock and the pork marinade.

Top the noodles with the broth different vegetables and an egg that has been soft boiled. Then you can add Maki the original fish cake. Jullienned seaweed, spring onion and chili can round out your ramen noodles.

comments wk10

Caroline's Free Write 

https://caroline-english1.blogspot.com/2016/11/free-write.html?showComment=1479242533992

Hudson's Winter

https://huds0ngenglish.blogspot.com/2016/11/winter.html?showComment=1479242616936#c5014805208115562780

Food and Travel

I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I like the food and the gathering of everybody. I think food should be more than just something that happens three times a day and should be something that is appreciated on occasion. The destination of Thanksgiving this year isn't very desirable, but I just want to go and enjoy the weather. Food brings everybody together though. Especially at a time where there is so much abundance it's humbling to realize that I am able to have something with such abundance. Food is a tangible and measurable object of standing. 

Everyone is about measuring and quantitative answers. Being able to come together and be together and enjoy something is something immeasurable. I thoroughly enjoy Thanksgiving. Maybe this year I won't want to stay home every year. The only downside is missing people I see everyday. 

Simon's Death

I think Simon's death had a lot of importance to the book. In the moment before and when her died, the true essence of the people finally came out. Everything that had been building up had been realized. The boys had lost yet another tie to humanity by killing one of their friends. Not to mention the symbolism of the literal Lord of the Flies.



Simon's death was my least favorite just because of how drawn out it was. Dragging it on though tapered the book into the end, so that readers could see how they were falling apart. It showed how everyone was willing to play the island's game no matter how taxing it was on themselves or their final tie to humanity.

comments wk 9

Ryan F's What do You do in Your Free Time or do you Have None

https://shamadaclan.blogspot.com/2016/11/what-do-you-do-in-your-free-time-or-do.html?showComment=1478529301345#c6722279663742588767

Sydney's Create Your Own

https://sydneysenglishonework.blogspot.com/2016/11/create-your-own.html?showComment=1478529449885#c8326786393726182171

Self Titled : Mentality Versus and Complimented by Reality

I guess the prompt could be titled: "How does mentality conflict but also compliment reality". If you really put enough thought into it and came up with a good prompt then teach me how. Getting into the actual writing. Mentality is characterized by a certain mindset going into a situation. A disposition per say that can fluctuate, however with everyone being so diverse there's a different meaning to each person. A pessimistic person has the inability or lack of want to see the 'bright side', and An optimist is the flip side. Then a side category of the pessimist would be the cynic, who sees the flaws in human characteristics. All of these are very well known, baseline slots one person could fall into when being 'mindset evaluated'.  Circumstances do take a large portion of said mindset though a person's default is always noticeable. If someone is naturally an optimist a situation may change that but not the person.
One's mentality can conflict but also compliment the reality of a situation. This is quite a simple concept that lacks the need to be broken apart. A pessimistic person in a good situation can conflict, but also highlight certain parts of a whole. I think the best way to give an example would be books or movies. That one character who has the worst attitude or the best, but can highlight the darks and lights of a situation. Mentality can also be pitted against a person or situation as well as the other way around. I guess the entire concept could fall into the disposition of humans. Whether the entire species is destined to be a pessimist or an optimist.

Side Affects May (and will) vary

I am enjoying this book so far. I think the title refers to Alice finding the side affects of life rather than her disease (which was her life). For example, "Hooking up" (eh kinda) with some guy who had a puppy love for her rather than the boy she loves... was not very smart. I just want to throw them all in a lake because they're honestly failing at acknowledging others feelings. All. Of. Them. They can't just talk to each other, they just wait until it's bad and then try to let it fix itself. Which from experience is not good. 

I am learning how to not do things. This book is great- totally. Don't be Alice. Be decisive. 

wk 8 comments

Savannah's Lord of the Flies Human Nature 

https://savannahenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/lord-of-flies-human-nature.html?showComment=1477277220852#c8378640959941482836

Caroline's Lord of the Flies Reading Response

https://caroline-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/lord-of-flies-reading-response.html?showComment=1477277352342#c23930874228074015

Designed to Fail

If I were to start religiously, humans were designed to fail. In most Christian religions, Adam and Eve had to be kicked out of the garden for humanity to exist. They were perfect, but perfect is not synonymous for realistic. They had to be "un-perfect" to be "perfect". God's "perfection" (at least with Mormons) is described as striving to be perfect. Not being perfect but trying. Anyways it gives me a migraine either way. I think human nature is based of curiosity. Which is a benefit and a flaw. So in retrospect I guess you could say humans are designed to fail. Curiosity led to everything good and in the world. It's tied to everything we love an hate. As a modern example, lurking around on someone's Instagram and finding out something you didn't want to find. It was your curiosity that made you want to click on the "tagged" tab and now you find out that blah happened. There's also a flip side. (When is there not) Curiosity made air conditioning because people were annoyed with being miserably hot.

Someone doesn't have to be actively thinking "curiously". Wondering "I wonder what would happen if..." Something as small as that is an example how it works. "Curious" is often correlated with mischievous and sneaky. "They're too blah and they get into everything" Anyhow, I apologize for the repetition but it felt needed.

More on that Book

More on Side Affects May vary as the main character Alice finds out big shocker she's not going to die in the next five minutes. After all it would be a little harsh to kill off the main selling point this early on in the game. Who knows? The author may pull a John Green and kill her love interest Harvey or both of them. Huh, that really is a point worth noting,  who is going to die this time. There obviously won't be a living character; that would make the author too predictable. 

Anyways, The book is quite enjoyable. I think the plot is very interesting using the Then and Now chapter flip. The book is told in first person but flips between characters and time periods. It seems the author got a little bored with not making things confusing.

Stewing in Mediocrity and Spotify Playlists

My fall break consisted of essentially what the title says; I stewed in my own stupidity for four days instead of two. I enjoyed fall break though, I grilled, slept and did all the typical things. I never thankfully got to hear the end of my two friend's doubles piercings. If you couldn't hear it that was laced with sarcasm, and maybe an eyeroll if I'm being pretentious.

I think the highlight of my break was Spotify. Honestly, I just shut the world out and kick it with Spotify. The track of the week was/were The Heart of Life by John Mayer and Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz. I think Jim Morrison by Jon Bellion and Big Rings by Drake are honorable mentions. John Mayer is Exceptional- his voice is like good Canadian coffee. I love it so much and Canadian coffee. His voice is just so indescribable its smooth and there are just so many colors. His music is just an entire palette of colors. Bob Ross would enjoy him 12/10.

wk 7 comments

Alex H's Fall Break Post

https://harambememelover.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-break-post.html?showComment=1476666396674#c7298432715240373802

Ellen's Fall Break Post

https://nowisitinsilence.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-break-post.html?showComment=1476666497752#c2691658070818810131

My Future Self is Getting Gypped

This is ironic because I procrastinated reading about procrastination. Great. Is this going to be two paragraphs? No. I'm not feeling it tonight and that's a lame excuse, but it leads into the topic : how
procrastination can set your future self up for less.

*checks list* Already gotcha covered. I enjoyed this article because it talks about the question of putting important things off. Why would we do it if we know if would harm us? We're "passing back our future self." And that seems awfully popular. Maybe in another life we can allow our selves not to be lapped in the great race of time. *floats into abyss*

wk 6 comments

Hudson's Thanksgiving post

https://huds0ngenglish.blogspot.com/2016/10/thanksgiving.html?showComment=1475720400130#c5026136525925912906

John's Cross Country post


https://johnhenglish1block3.blogspot.com/2016/10/cross-country.html?showComment=1475720648247#c5069591928050422213

Side Affects May Vary (an analyzation of the first 5 pages)

To preface this, I just got this book today. That means I have only read the first 5-10 pages. Anyways. the first pages begin with a typical high-school scenario, The main character's boyfriend, Luke, tried to get her to skip class. @Lemonade Mouth- sound familiar? I enjoy the author's writing style- keeping the dialogue realistic and quick to tempo.
 The main character (who's name I have forgotten and will update when I find the chance) seems pretty skeptical about Luke's proposition, dodging it with biology review day. I do relate very strongly to her reluctance to ditch. (this is unfortunately short :///) Anyways it seem like a chill book and I'm looking forward to loathing the reading of it.

How to waste time : hot bowl cold food - a tragic tale

Ok, considering the title I should be writing about creative ways to procrastinate living. However, wasting time is different for everybody - considering their priorities and how someone would like to spend their time. For example, I think my mom meandering around Target looking at decor is a waste of time, but to people who enjoy janky decor, it's the next best thing. There's always that common "time waster" that everyone can agree on, like instead of going for a run- wasting your afternoon entertaining kittens. Real life example, but for the record I did run.
I think time is valuable, and according to Fretridge's law- whenever you need something to be done in a timely manner it will never pan out so. That's a sliver of Fretridge's law, but most people understand the point. Right when you're hungry, the microwave decides to blip out and you spend 30 minutes re-heating food only to come back to a hot bowl and cold spaghetti-o's. Believe anyone who has settled for cold soup and a hot bowl- it's sad. In the sense of Fretridge's law, one could say time wastes itself. Maybe one day I'll make an extension of this, but I would like some hot bowl with cold spaghetti-o's. (said no one ever)

wk 5 commens

Sydney's
https://sydneysenglishonework.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-woods.html?showComment=1474853842959#c3279948640539431475
Hudson's
http://huds0ngenglish.blogspot.com/2016/09/autumn-flash-story.html

cringe 2.0

The prompt was to respond on a short story or a free reading book...
Responding on an independent reading book would be impossible because I am still looking for one. Harrison Bergeron can be described in one word- cringe. It's one of those stories that makes the reader wonder what other things can go wrong in a piece of writing. The ending is anti climactic.
 
The reading was not really exciting- it was an average dystopia. The title leads on to think it's a normal writing. The name of the main character. The entire writing is a genius interacting with an air-head because she is the average intelligence. Something something something and Harrison is kissing on the ceiling la la la anti climactic ending. How does this extend beyond the writing? I suppose if you were to factor in the definition of equality? Why be controversial about equality when extreme-feminist blogs on tumblr already cover it? Honestly the fact that there are men and women existing as separate pieces makes it un-equal. Inequality physically began as a fetus. XY chromosomes man.   The social standard of equality is up to debate. Harrison Bergeron glances at the topic of equality, but the definition in the reading could be interpreted differently.  

To Say You Don't

“To say you don't isn’t a shocker, so stop making me repeat myself.” she started to walk down the stairs - hearing the footfalls behind her. There wasn’t anything to hear besides the quiet pairs of steps. Carefully, a hand catches the back of her collar. Turning to face each other she said for a second time, “Maybe in another life. We will find each other then.” The words that followed were gentle, “I don’t want in another life.” She paused, trying to pull put an intelligent response, but there wasn’t one. She left, holding their hands for the last time. 

Sunlight annoyingly crept though the windows, and she woke up alone. 

wk 4 comments

Jack T's http://graysonallenftw.blogspot.com/2016/09/dear-12-year-old.html

Alex H's https://harambememelover.blogspot.com/2016/09/dear-12-year-old.html?showComment=1474504934473#c3365790580186239698

Dear blank, Signed, confused

Dear blank,

(this advice could be universal. )

Worrying about things that you can't control is worthless. It's going to happen anyways, but why worry about something you can't control when you're capable of overthinking what you can control.

The How to Age Gracefully video was correct, No one knows what the hell they're doing, and considering this is to someone of a younger age, you shouldn't know what you're doing. Life should be exciting and worth living and there's nothing exciting about predictability.  "Liars go to hell and they don't get ice water" - My father

Listen to new music because it's usually worth it. Eat new food because you can. Lastly, (there's much more to say but it would be too long) Everything is fixed with time.  No matter how bad it is, it can be fixed with time.  Time heals things other people can't heal for you. 

signed, 

confused (barely 14)

The Bane of My Existence

The prompt said to write and reflect upon our literacy narratives. I have very little to reflect because it would all be negative, and since I turned fourteen I am trying to be a more positive person. In short this literacy writing was the bane of my existence. I always have really bad writers block.


I think my literacy novel will get a solid c. I am very excited to see my grade. This was a very frustrating task and it feels good to almost be done with it. I haven't said anything about the actual theme of the narrative - just the idea of it. My narrative was on food. The end.

A Safer Haven

My independent reading book is Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. Although he is known for sappy romance novels. this book tells the story of struggle then a soon newfound happiness. The book draws readers in with a pacing that keeps the book engaging. (although the rest of his books are bummers @messageinabottle) Jokingly coined, "white people almost kissing covers" ( refer to the photo) , Nicholas Sparks has defined his writing style throughout his extensive collection of books. I felt that Safe Haven was the best written (yes, even beating the notebook) All of his other books are irrelevant?? I don't know if that's the best adjective to describe them but...

I'm not a huge advocate for Nicholas Sparks as a writer. I think his books lack creativity and poise, but it's whatever. I think Safe Haven is a good beach book. It doesn't take much thinking to read (none of his books do *rolls eyes*) I think the movie is also really bomb. The Notebook.. eh not so much. This book is slightly less sappy and boring. If you enjoy an easy read this is for you.

The Things We Lost

Today is 9/11, marking the tragedy that struck America 15 years ago. We remember, mourn, and relive the past reality. I think that even those who weren't explicitly affected were affected. The entire country felt the impact that 9/11 left. The heartbreak and the struggle were obvious. Today America remembers the people who lost their lives and those who lost family and friends. Even though It happened so long ago, no one will ever forget. Our upcoming generation will be told the story that will last a lifetime. Even though officials know a lot about 9/11 there will always be a void of knowledge.

I feel that 9/11 was an awakening moment for everyone. We can't ever erase what happened. 9/11 is proof that time heals all, but can't fix. Those who have loss have been healed by time, but the damage that has been done cannot be fixed by a mere measure of time. Whatever someone has lost, time can lessen but not eradicate. Today we join as brothers and sisters of America to remember those who have not been forgotten. Time heals, but does not erase. We will all remember until the end of time.  

comments wk 1 & 2

Hudson's My Summer post
Alex's Never Go to Walmart at 11
Ellen's Pitbulls
Mary Francis's Getting Ready for TØP With Hudson

All the Bright Places plus some shed light

I have already written about All the Bright Places, but the more depressing part. I am going to shed some much needed light upon the two characters fascinated by death. The first thing that comes to mind is why reviewers find death an off setting topic. Especially when all readers can think about is how the main two characters want to blast themselves off the tallest building in their town.
  On the brighter side of All the Bright Places, there is a very complex relation ship within every character of the book. Most notedly the Finch and Violet who end with falling in love (not a big shocker). Even though the book can be interpreted as grey, by the end of the book each character has painted themselves a much needed rainbow.

actually nothing plus some negativity

Over the summer nothing happened that's note worthy. Trip to the great 'ol Mormon-Ville. In all reality i laid in bed 23/24 hours of the day and came out of my room to eat once a day. Everyone around me was afraid I would get some dreaded sickness from laying in bed.

I did- referring to the title actually nothing. I set productivity aside for a good two months and couldn't remember anything. ( The greatest joys in life come at a cost *sigh* ). Even in a different setting, Utah, I did absolutely nothing. No breath of "fresh mountain air" as the pamphlets always state. Its actually dry, gross air that made me want to stay inside even more. Oh productivity, how you bog me down. "Everyone's giving me lemons to make lemonade with and I want to squeeze them in their eyes" - Makenzie 2k16

It sucks to suck

"It sucks to suck", it's a kind of ironic statement, but it's not wrong. It's a simple yet very accurate sentence to describe what being human is like. One doesn't need a degree in psychology to grasp the concept that being good at something is favorable over being bad at it. I think anyone who is human has experienced being not so great at something. It's obvious why people are like that. It would be boring if everyone was good at everything. Nothing would be special without someone there to be terrible at something. The whole "I'm so bad I make them look good" mantra is true too. Believe me, I have plenty of experiences on both ends of the "it sucks to suck" cycle. Some people will always be better at something than I will and there will always be something I'm "better" at.
  I do have an understanding for those people who are on the business end of the "it sucks to suck cycle". There's probably something that everyones good at that they haven't found the right opportunity to put it to use. My mom learned to crochet with a bent highlighter ( and she was actually pretty good at it ) she had just never needed to crochet plastic bags on the couch while watching re-runs of sob story movies until then. Obviously it would be great if everyone was great at what they aspired to be. "It sucks to suck" is an annoying yet necessary part of life, and everyone will make it to the top of the cycle one day it just takes patience.

Why I don't like to read & other things

To some people reading is a necessity. To me it's no fun. I saw something on Tumblr that said "reading is staring at a dead piece of wood and hallucinating." One of my biggest things is when people say "you don't like reading? oh you just haven't found the write book/genre". In that sense if someone doesn't like something they obvioUSLY haven't found the right niche for them. Or my personal favorite " You don't like to read? " "no." " wait can you read?". Yes, I don't know how to read. Good job, real gold star. I don't know why not liking to read is some sort of triggering thing for some people. Some people don't even care (kudos 12/10) but I know may a human who flip themselves upside down because someone doesn't like Harry Potter.

Real talk, there's always going to be those people who are like really hyped about anything and everything. Not even in reading just like the whole fandom thing. I remember starting to like some band and a friend of mine was saying " fAKE FAN " because I didn't know their birthweights. she was offset by the general population not knowing some bizzare trivia about  a band. We all go through the " fake fan " phase. I think anyone alive has had the receiving and delivering end of the fake fan era. rip fake fan era, you were good to all of us.

All the Bright Places

  Considering the title, All the Bright Places starts off pretty depressing. Triggered? The two main characters almost vault off the top of a bell tower. What a way to kick off the story. Honestly, this book doesn't stray far from the typical teenage novel. It's very John Green-esque, at least one person has to die. One thing that was confusing was why I kept reading it because it's not thrilling or suspenseful.
  It's not action or anything, it's a pretty basic rendition of two people meeting through an extreme situation. One of the favorite situations among writers aimed at teens: death. Be prepared not to like these characters because they drop dead by the end. What a bummer.