Quote of the Day

"The moment you think of giving up,
Think of a reason why you held on for so long."

-Unknown

Vocabulary # 3

accolade- an award granted as a special honor / an expression of praise or admiration 

-The student was given many accolades for his academic performance in school.  

acerbity-  a sharp bitterness 

- Her acerbity was shown through the sharpness of her eyes. 

attrition-  gradually reducing the strength of something through pressure.  

- About a third of the jobs will be lost through natural attrition. 

bromide- a person who is platitudinous and boring 

-Most try to avoid a person with a bromide personality. 

chauvinist-  A person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism 

-She accused the employer of being a male chauvinist after not being offered the job. 

chronic-  Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring 

- Chronic illness also seems to be evolving rapidly. 

expound-  Present and explain systematically and in detail  

-The newspaper expounds global issues into curious minds. 

factionalism- The splitting of a group into factions; Conflict between factions.  

-Factionalism has cause the government to spiral downwards. 

immaculate-  Free from flaws or mistakes; perfect 

-I thought my essay was immaculate, until I got it back and saw it was marked over in red. 

imprecation- A spoken curse 

-The imprecation of the apple caused snow white to go into a deep sleep.  

ineluctable-  Unable to be resisted or avoided; inescapable  

-He was forced to the ineluctable conclusion that his wife had murdered his best friend. 

mercurial- Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes 

-Because she is bipolar, her mercurial mood kept everyone on their toes. 

palliate- Make less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause. 

-The medical staff used strong narcotics to palliate the terminally ill patients pain. 

protocol- The established code of procedure or behavior in any group, organization, or situation. 

-It is a protocol for the doctor to examine you before you receive a prescription. 

resplendent- Impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous 

-The Pastors daughter was supposed to be resplendent in her virtues.

stigmatize- To set some mark of disgrace. 

-Although she was a bright girl, cheating stigmatized her reputation with the professor. 

sub rosa- Happening or done in secret 

-The confession to his priest was sub rosa, therefore; inadmissible to use in court. 

vainglory- Inordinate pride in oneself or one's achievements 

-His vainglorious touchdown chant caused him to lose many fans. 

vestige-  A trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists  

-The only remaining vestige of Jesus is the Bible. 

volition- the act of willing or choosing 

-Enter at your own volition.

Peer Feedback # 1

Question: Number Two

There are things you can change, then there are things you can only complain about. In The Crucible, the townspeople had to handle stressful situations surrounding these circumstances. Having fallen to witchcraft, the story flows through tradition elaborating on it's conflict and tragic outcome. 

Traditions are meant to be followed and if broken can lead to serious conflict as it did for the townspeople in The Crucible. Witchcraft fell into the hands of, then, innocent girls causing a severe burden for the townspeople. The story's time period lead to a break within a community where unity was its core and routine was a must. Through different perspectives, the author conveyed an emotional bond between each character and their role in the community. By outlining the sequence the way he did, the reader was able to get a better understanding of the challenges this, once traditional community, was going through.

By modifying the plot under risky circumstances, the drama and anticipation rose. The Crucible had moments where the author demonstrated tradition being broken and shifted, but was able to balance the conflict through dialogue. The character's played a huge part since dramatic irony was aliven; only the audience knew what was really going on between the lines. By having each character reveal a secret, the story had more of a reason to accuse anyone who seemed suspicious in disobeying tradition.

In the end, the author tried his best to summit a reasonable example of tradition being overtaken by disobedience. Townspeople seemed overwhelmed by their own neighbors and eventually traditions were broken and many turned on each other. Dialogue, setting and conflict challenged the stories traditional persona, but in the end that's what helped many understand the plot. The author helped the story play out and by doing so truths were revealed and the result was a sour ending.

Peer Feedback # 1

Question: Number One

This poem announces it's experience with leisure being gone. By now, most know that leisure has vanished and a newer leisure has been awakened by replacing the 'old leisure.' Examples, imagery, and diction help paint a picture describing the differences between the old leisure and the newer one.

The writer opens the poem with, "Leisure is gone-- gone where the spinning-wheels are gone, and the pack-horses, and slow wagons and pedlars who brought bargains to the door on sunny afternoons." By doing so, the writer gives the audience a time period where things used to run differently by the people who lived there. She describes the 'old' leisure as someone who's open minded to different activities though the leisure preferred shorter days on Sundays without the guilt of it ending.

By directly referring to the old leisure as a man, the writer gives her readers a face. Through imagery, you're able to imagine all it's characteristics and pretend it's an actual person. Throughout her description, a leader with great qualities is painted and presented before us. Her references help her view points by using her knowledge to convey a difference between the two leisure's, one old and one new.

As she reflects on the poem's internal structure, her diction streams out. Strong syntax and view points help the plot and protect her opinion. She presents examples of the 'old' leisure's ways with meaningful descriptions to avoid confusion. Phrases like, "not ashamed," put her thoughts onto paper and reflected a time of dedication to description and writing.

In conclusion, the writer landed all the internal topics that had been brought up. She was straight-forward with her opinions and examples which helped out. She structured a detailed poem and by contrasting the old and newer leisure's, her work showed us the differences in the two. Through examples, imagery and diction, her audience got a better understanding of the poem.

Beowulf Questions

Katelyn Porraz and  myself split up the questions half and half. The ones we didn't understand individually we later figured out together, but it pretty much took an entire day to do with minor distractions. It was done over email and texting, but mainly email. 

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (Lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)

1. Realize that this prologue introduces the Danes, not Beowulf or his people the Geats. What was unusual about the way Shield came to be ruler of the Danes? What was his funeral like? What relation is Hrothgar to Shield?

Unlike Hrothgar, Shield became king because he had the ability to take down the enemies. Hrothgar became king through wealth. When Shield died the Danes buried him and his treasures in the sea. Hrothgar happens to be Shield’s grandson

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1. Grendel, the monster, attached thirty warriors while they were asleep and ran home with their bodies for a couple of nights. This devastated the Danes and the sorrow soon spread overseas.What magnificent work did Hrothgar undertake? Who attacked it, and with what result? How long did the attacks last? What was the response of the Danes?

[The Hero Comes to Heorot] (Lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel?

When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar's problems with Grendel, he immediately rounded up a boat and his bravest men to go were there help was needed. (Denmark) 

2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do?

When the Geats first arrive in Denmark, the meet Hrothgar’s lieutenant who was patrolling along the cliffs. He questioned the Geats to figure out why they were there and warned them no one passes without permission or a password/sign. They then replied they were there to save the Danes from the monster.

3. They next meet Hrothgar's herald. Who is he? What does he tell them? What does he tell Hrothgar? What does Hrothgar respond? Are you surprised that Hrothgar knows Beowulf so well?

Hrothgar's herald interrogates the Geats about where they've come from and what they're doing. He's impressed by their mighty appearance. Hrothgar is thrilled the men are there to help which is strange because he doesn’t know them to well yet is letting them on the land.

4. What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf's father?

Beowulf tells Hrothgar that his men follow Higlac. (King of Geats) Hrothgar knew Beowulf’s father because he was a famous soldier known as a leader of men.

[Feast at Heorot] (Lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of? How does Beowulf answer him? How is this episode relevant to the poem as a whole? What does Beowulf accuse Unferth of?

Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match and will once again have to have defeat with Grendel. Beowulf retaliates by accusing Unferth of drunkenness and describes what happen in the swimming match. This is relevant because Unferth may indeed be correct; Beowulf would have met defeat again if it wasn’t for Wiglaf.

2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting?

At the feast she offers drinks to all the men present. She distributes food and drink, and also strives for goodwill and peace.

[The Fight with Grendel] (Lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1. Heroic poetry normally has a scene in which the hero arms for battle. What is different about Beowulf's preparations for his fight with Grendel?

Beowulf prepares for battle differently than any other heroic poetry scene. He doesn’t do much preparing. He is more anxious to get rid of the monster. He was prepared however to fight without a sword.

2. What happens when Grendel enters Heorot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind?

When Grendel enters Heorot, he became furious searching for the warriors until he found them and kills one Geat. While fighting the monster, Beowulf uses his bare hands. Grendel does escape, however; he somehow managed to leave behind his arm.

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel's tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf's presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.)

-Beowulf is like Sigemund because he too killed many monsters and was considered a great hereo. Unlike Beowulf, Heremod didn't protect his people that's why they are different.

2.How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf's deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now?

-Hrothgar responds by making a speech and thanking Beowulf for killing the monster that haunted him. He claims to now love Beowulf like a son and provide him with wealth and glory. Unferth stayed silent as everyone saw the proof of Beowulf's power.

3.The singer sings of Finn during the feasting (lines 1070-1158). The exact details of the Finn story are not clear, but in general, what happens? What does it suggest about the wisdom of using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes?

-It mentions someone getting slaughtered so I'm guessing that he was killed. It also states 'her land' in the poem so I'm guessing they use women as a way of sharing land or taking it over?

4.When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do?

5.Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do?

-Later, Beowulf gives the necklace to his uncle Hygelac, who wore it when he died in battle. Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to be good to her sons, friendly and respectful to their king.

6.Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake?

- They are there to guard and protect in case of danger. It's a mistake because Grendel's Mother comes for revenge and takes one of the men plus her son's arm.

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79)

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1.Why has Grendel's mother come to Heorot? Is it the same reason Grendel had?

Grendel’s mother comes to Heorot to seek revenge and take her sons claw back.

2. What is Hrothgar's response? Whom has Grendel's mother killed?

Hrothgar was thankful that the Danes grief ended and the arm hanging was proof of victory. He hoped that Beowulf can stop Grendel’s mother from destructing his town again. Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s closest friend

3.What sort of place is the mere?

The mere is was under the water. It was full of mud, water, and dark.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (Lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond?

Beowulf agrees to fight again for the Danes. He feels it is an honor and the last battle made him a bit more confident to do it.

2. What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it?

Before Beowulf enters the mere, he sinks for hours going down in the water.

3. How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him?

Beowulf prepared for battle by telling Hrothgar what his wishes are if he may die. Beowulf took his ring-marked blade.

4. What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere?

When he finally lands, Grendel’s mother grabs him, but his armor protects him. To me its not surprising that the monsters live in a dark place, however; it is surprising that it takes half a day to get down there.

5. What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth?

Beowulf strikes at Grendel’s mother with the borrowed sword, Hrunting, but the blade has no effect and breaks

6. At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel's mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape?

Beowulf escapes Grendel’s mother by having the strength and faith to defeat her and using his strength to get off the ground.

7. How does Beowulf kill Grendel's mother? What weapon does he use? What happens when she dies? What does Beowulf take with him from her home? What happens to the sword he used to kill her?

Beowulf drew a sword he seen hanging on her wall to cut right through her neck and break all her bones. After her death the light shone very bright. Beowulf beheaded Grendel and took it with him and half of what was left of the sword. (The other half was in Grendel’s mother)

8. What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return?

When Beowulf returns from the surface nobody is there. They all had suspected that Grendel’s mother had killed him.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)
1.What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar?

-Beowulf gives Hrothgar the sword of the giants, the one he used to defeat the beasts.

2.What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf? What and why does he tell us about Heremod? Why and how did Heremod die? What lesson does Hrothgar teach with the Heremod example?

-Hrothgar tells Beowolf to seek virtue since Heremod was opposite in personality and became too proud. He died because he didn't see the signs the Gods were giving him. Hrothgar's lesson teaches to keep your pride in check or else things will fail and the person will fall as a result of it.

3.What does Beowulf give to Unferth as he leaves?

[Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)

1.What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf?

-A good future since he's strong in both body and mind.

2.Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth?

-Hygd is Hygelac's wife, she isn't like Modthryth mainly because Modthyrth would have any man killed for looking at her in the face and that's not how the queen now acts.

3.Beowulf reports to Hygelac that Hrothgar may marry his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. Why does he plan to do that? What does Beowulf expect the result will be? (Remember the Finn story, lines 1070-1158.) How does Beowulf think the peace will be broken? Is this the type of report we expected from the hero Beowulf, or are we seeing a new side of him?

- He expects for the wedding to go bad since there's a possibility that someone might remember about the old feud and revive the violence. I would expect something like this coming from Beowulf since he has seen and been through a lot. The fact that he's gained knowledge about others and their ways doesn't surprise this comment coming from him.

4.How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately?

-How I remember it, it does seem pretty accurate. Maybe he exaggerated on some parts but that's only because the story is being repeated and not everything is going to be exact.

5.What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him?

-Beowulf offers his treasures to his Lord as a form of respect, but also gives other treasures away to other people. Hygelac gives the most glorious sword of the Geats to Beowulf, some land and a huge house.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1.How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists?

-It was fifty years later and sadly King Hygelac and King Heardred have died. A dragon now causes danger among Beowulf's land.

2. Why is the dragon angry? Why did the man take a cup? How did the treasure come to be there in the first place? (The speech of the lone survivor, the one who put the gold in the barrow, is in a typically Old English elegiac tone.

-The dragon's angry because someone stole its treasure though the man only took the cup because he was startled by the dragon and ran. The treasure was left there by an ancient Lord who had lost everything (companions) but the treasure itself.

3. What did the dragon destroy that evening?

-He destroyed everything in sight as he searched for the thief.

4. Why does Beowulf think his home was burnt? Why does he order a new shield? How will he fight this battle? What will happen to him?

-Beowulf thinks that the Gods were punishing him for something he had done. He orders a new shield because he has decided to go up against the dragon but fight with only a few men by his side. 

5. How did Hygelac die? (The description in lines 2354-2379 begins one of several versions of Geatish history and Hygelac's death we will get.) What did Beowulf do after Hygelac's death? What happened when he returned home? Did he accept Hygd's offer to become king?

-Hygelac died going up against a monster and after Beowulf swam through the sea wearing 30 sets of armor. Queen Hygd offered Beowulf to become king but instead he assisted and advised Heardred. 

6. What happened to Hygelac's son Heardred? (That's the story in lines 2380-2390.) How did Beowulf plan to revenge Heardred's death (lines 2391-2396)?

-Hearded was killed in battle after the Sweds came looking for the exciles, but he avenged Heardred by killing Onela. 

7. How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon?

-Fourteen of Beowulf’s bravest men accompany him to fight the dragon.

8. What happened to Hygelac's oldest brother Herebeald? Who killed him? What did this do to his father King Hrethel? (This passage, lines 2425-2509, is the second account of Geatish history and of the death of Hygelac.) What happened between the Swedes and Geats after Hrethel's death? What happened to Haethcyn? How die Beowulf revenge Hygelac's death?

-His brother, Heathcyn, accidently killed Herebeald with an arrow which was a bad scene for their father since he couldn't avenge the death. Then many wars started between the Swedes and Geats and Haethcyn was killed in combat. Beowulf fought by his side and was always in the front.  

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (Lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1. What does Beowulf tell his companions to do?

Beowulf tells his companions to stay on top of the barrow in safety, observing the fight rather than participating in it.

2. What happens the first time Beowulf and the dragon fight? What do his companions do? How is Wiglaf different? What does he tell the others? What does he then do?

The first time Beowulf fights the dragon his “brave” companions flee the scene. With the exception of Wiglaf. He reminded the men they should have all repaid Beowulf then ran off to go help kill the dragon

3. What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon?

Beowulf’s sword fails and makes him humiliated/ afraid for his life. The dragon hits Beowulf with another blast of fire. Beowulf took the final swing but both men, Beowulf and Wiglaf, killed the dragon.

4. What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried?

Beowulf asks Wiglaf to get him the treasure so he may see it. Then Beowulf thanks God for getting rid of the dragon. He asks to be burned at the coastal headland and it be known as Beowulf’s Barrow.

[Beowulf's Funeral] (Lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1. What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future?

-Wiglaf tells them that they will now lead a shameful life, it would be better if they had died.

2. What does the messenger tell the city? (This passage, lines 2900-3027, is the third account of the history of the Geats and the death of Hygelac. These are the enemies that will attack the Geats when they learn of Beowulf's death.) What happened overnight in Ravenswood after Ongentheow killed Haethcyn? What happened the next morning? What happened to Ongentheow? What does the messenger say to do with the gold? What is the final image (animal) of the messenger's speech?

-The messenger tells the city that Beowulf has been killed alongside the dragon that lied dead too. He says chaos will emerge from this and enemies will take advantage of their loss. Ongentheow's men surrounded the Geats but then morning came and Hygelac's men saved their kinsmen. Ongentheow was killed in battle and the men decide to burn all the treasures with Beowulf's body. The final image (animal) of the messanger's speech was a wolf.

3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf?

-To build a memorial mound for Beowulf since he knew what he was getting himself into but that didn't stop him from trying.

4. What happens to the dragon?

-It's body was pushed off the cliff and into the sea.

5. What happens during and after the funeral celebration?

-During the funeral, Beowulf's body collapsed into the fire. They then build a mound and buried the treasure within the mound, praising their Lord by song.

6. What did the Geats say about Beowulf in the last three lines of the poem? Are these the terms one would expect to be used to describe a military hero?

-They mention his passing and how he excelled in his rule. For describing a military hero, no since you're supposed to praise him through pride in respect. Here, they glorified Beowulf through emotion and said he was the most loving of all kings.

Get Involved!

It's a new school year and I'm pretty sure our senior class wants to get involved any way they possibly can. I suggest following this site on twitter and occasionally checking out Mrs. Dirkes's college and career website. Yeah, it's not your normal everyday routine, but as students, we need all the information we can get.

-The ERHS GUIDANCE is run by the Counseling and Guidance staff. They work together to inform their followers with things like: CSF (California Scholarship Foundation), College Boot Camp, Scholarships, etc.. They created an easy access opportunity for those who are too busy with school, sports, work, and other important factors.

-Basically, the College and Career Center is where you can get information on a variety of things like: college, financial aid, career, workshops, etc.. It's a great resource, especially if you want to keep up with the scholarships being offered and the due dates on FAFSA.

Thank you, I hope you follow the sights and take advantage of these resources!

--Michelle Arriaga

Socratic Seminar

0 Period ; 7:30 A.M. ; Tuesday, August 21, 2012

     This morning our class participated in its first Socratic Seminar. Throughout the sitting people eventually spoke out, but when they did great opinions were awakened! From "why's" and "how's" to demonstrating different view points, our class joined together to talk about what we learned from our reading the night before. I'm guessing Dr. Preston had a different idea in mind because he spiced things up and had us answer questions (between a team of two) like "Do you prefer a book or a kindle?" or "Do you prefer pepperoni or mushroom?" These questions were answered and with a reason to why we chose what we did. Eventually it lead to a chilling challenge, a competition between a classmate and myself. The challenge was to see who could last longer with our right hand placed in an ice bath. Sadly, I lost and I felt it was because of my tininess. The ice bath froze my hand like never before and I knew I wasn't going to last, so why hurt myself trying to do something I knew I couldn't do. Right after the challenge we got back into the Socratic Seminar and had a discussion on "the right to our own opinion." 

--Decision-making fatigue--

 1. Based on your personal experience, these readings and our in-class study, do you think decision fatigue is a self-fulfilling prophecy (i.e., an outcome created by an expectation of the outcome) or a physiological condition? Is technology enabling you to achieve your goals or just distracting you from them? Make sure to support your ideas with reasons/evidence (one point from each article, and at least one point from your own experience. 

--Through experience, I feel that decision fatigue is a physiological condition since the mind is what sends the message to our tired bodies saying "we are tired, give us a break." The first article caught my eye and I had to share it with my mother for two reasons: one it was my excuse for staying up late and not giving my full effort, second I was able to relate to the article and I felt like I understood it enough to share my opinions with another. How the writer shred, "They were just asking for parole at the wrong time of day," was remarkable because I never thought of it that way. I connected that idea with some personal experiences at home and understood why after a long day of being at work my parents were more likely to say yes to a request of some sort. Anyways, technology to me is like a "frenemy." I see it as this because of how its being used in my household. We mainly use it as a connection to our friends/family instead of as a resource. The distraction it creates shadows over me, falling into temptation and allowing myself to merely flow OUT of the zone.

2. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being least able and 10 being most able), how able are you to concentrate for long periods of time on tasks you don't really want to do in the first place?--I would say a 6... Obviously, I would try my best even though my mind is saying, "Don't do it Michelle!! This is not where you want to be." but the experience is what matters the most, negative or positive, it's what counts. For example, today's chilling experience. I wasn't expecting to last as long as I did with my hand inside the freezing ice bath, but miraculously I survived and that counted more than merely not trying.

3. Are you prepared for the possibility that you may be able to concentrate much more effectively than you previously believed?
-- I'm prepared to see how far Dr. Preston is going to push us all. Limits or no limits, I'm willing to give anything a try, "If at first you don't succeed, try again." There's always room for improvement no matter the situation at hand. 

4. How can you use what you've learned to increase your capacity for concentrating over an extended period of time?  
--I could try to keep up with my body's signals and not allow myself to go on "automatic shutdown." Instead of taking the easy route and procrastinating, I could try to be more straight forward with my daily routine. By not skipping meals and setting a direct time for sleep, I know i'll be able to get more out of my day the next morning. The articles gave me hints here and there on how to dodge easy ways out, and by doing so I hope to apply them when ever I possibly can.

Reflections on Week One

Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? (Access to a computer, cell phone, transportation? Family that can help or hassle? Friends that can help or hassle? Scheduling factors that can help or hassle?) 

• My daily schedule might be the only factor that has a dramatic effect on my experience in this course. Due to my home situation, I'm pretty much out of Internet reach until I get home in the evenings. Since I won't be able to go on the blog right away I know I'll miss out on opportunities to express myself. My family is supportive of me taking the course, but the amount of time I put into the blog makes my parents a little uneasy. When I do have the chance to view the blog, I'm on it without a doubt. The fact that theirs much to do scares my parents and myself because it's barely the first week and I'm already staying up late. My job in the school cafeteria might also be a concern, but hopefully with the plan we came up with my mornings run a bit smoother.

Think of an awesome (or the best ever) learning experience (or an experience where you changed) What was it you learned? [call it X] Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or ?) How did you know what was happening? 

• The best learning experience I've had so far, has probably been through the camp I attending the summer of 09'. (Two weeks prior to my freshman year) There I mixed with a crowd of new faces and personalities. I was able to build my own character and bring that person to the table. Through activities and lectures, I learned how to become a leader. In fact the camp was called 'Future Leaders Of America. I didn't realize the knowledge I was getting until much later, because at the time it seemed like pure fun and games. The activities had us become each others teachers and it gave us an opportunity to put our communication skills to the test. By us becoming the teachers and not the students, I saw how important it is to grab your audiences attention and keep it. 

What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life?

• I'm excited about the technology! I'm looking forward to seeing how much knowledge I will gain in only the first semester of this course. This is a newer way of teaching, and I want to make sure I'm on the same path as it. Spending most of my time on the internet will take some getting used to, but I'm positive that Dr. Preston will help us understand the importance and value behind all this. I'm a little worried about how fast the course might go though. I prefer taking my time and going over things twice before I can move on to the next thing, but this time around it's not about me. I have to learn to push myself and that's really where I see my appreciation for this course coming from.

Quote of the day..

"You are STRONGER than you seem, Braver than you believe, and SMARTER than you think."

-Unknown

AP Eng Lit Comp 1987 Exam

As I went through the questions, I tried to break down what I did understand and what I was confused on. I went through it quickly, since I timed myself, and found that I needed more time. Breaking down the question is what I need to work on. I missed more than I intended to and felt like I could of done better. Therefore, I need to work on expanding my vocabulary and reading material much faster. 

1. e
2. c
3. c
4. e
5. a
6. d
7. a
8. c
9. c
10. e
11. b
12. a
13. b
14. c
15. e
16. b
17. b
18. d
19. c
20. b
21. a
22. e
23. a
24. b
25. e
26. a
27. c
28. a
29. b
30. e
31. d
32. c

(33 - 46 Unknown)

   47. a
   48. b
   49. d
   50. e
   51. a
   52. c
   53. e
   54. c
   55. d
   56. a
   57. b
   58. d
   59. e
   60. a
   61. e

additional thoughts: Jane Austen & Montaigne

• what would you have written if you had more time?
• what occurred to you after you left?
• how did the interruption affect your thought process?

If I had had more time, I would have done a quick draft in my mind and set aside the minor thoughts of the plot. I usually jump straight into a plot summary and try to convert my thoughts into what the prompt is asking for but this morning made the process a bit difficult. 

Due to the minor interruption, I lost my train of thought thus having to restart the thinking process over again. (Which wasn't a good idea..)

Explain That Quote :)

**Research the following quote, translate it, and explain its relevance to this moment/course.

The quote "Dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude, incipe" translates to "He who has begun is half done: dare to be wise, begin!"

-This quote relates to the course by showing us that we're already there! The hardest part in life is figuring out where to begin, and by taking this course we've outlined our destination. Walking away is always the easiest and safest route, but why not challenge ourselves and see our decisions through?

Poetry Assignment: Video

Reciting my poem, upside down...

The Laughing Heart (Charles Bukowski)

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you

Poetry Assignment # 1

(Number One)

-The Laughing Heart By Charles Bukowski

(Number Two) 

-The irony is that throughout the commercial the author's basically saying "your life is your life," but how can we make our own decisions in life if we're being told what to choose? 

(Number Three) 

-I think it does reflect the reputation of the author because the poem reflects the freedom a person choose to have. Bukowcki's character showed someone who overcame a lot, and by speaking through his heart his words can be seen as encouraging. 

(Number Four) 

-I first read through the comments then Googled the poem written by Charles Bukowski (Source: http://milan-poetry.blogspot.com/2007/03/laughing-heart-charles-bukowski.html)

-I eventually researched Bukowski himself and found a few biography's, picking apart the information I needed for this post.

Summer Reading Notes

Here are my summer reading notes. It's my first time using Pathbrite to upload text so everything's out of order.

Essays of Michel De Montaigne

Pride and Prejudice

The Poisonwood Bible

College? Hmm, College?

Good morning fellow class mates!

I found an article that mentions "why college might not be worth it" and I thought I'd share it with all of you. It speaks of two people who decided, against their parents wishes, to not attend college and try something new. Hope you enjoy it.

:]