I think it's safe to say I learned a lot this year. I learned a multitude of things having to do with the world, character, and just general education. Throughout the year, I've learned that you have to work for what you want - it won't just fall into your lap. If I don't want to fail or fall flat on my face then I have to work for that success. It sounds simple, but when put into action, it can prove to be rather grueling sometimes. That's OK too, because I also learned that if you really work hard for something, it's bound to pay off in the end. In the end, right now, that makes sense. I put in a lot more effort this quarter and I think my pay off is pretty good. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still standing pretty strong and I haven't fallen at all. With that, I'd the say the most vital, important thing I learned this year is what makes me happy. Though I don't really want to dive into that, I had some really good experiences this year that really showed me what I enjoy most in life (at this moment, at least).
If you're going to remember something for the rest of your life, it definitely has to be very important. During this class, we took sometime to read To Kill a Mockingbird. Somehow, I feel as though I will remember this book for the rest of my life. The book had interesting characters, good dialogue, and a unique plot. Overall, it was just a really great book. The themes presented in the novel are what makes it truly memorable. It was able to tackle problems in our society while still remaining entertaining. With that, I also believe the TKAM thematic essay we wrote was actually my best piece of writing. I felt pretty confident while writing it because I had known exactly what I wanted to say when, where, and why. Re-reading it, I personally felt my confidence really reflected on my writing compared to any of my other pieces. I'm really proud of that, too. I think I made my biggest improvements in writing (specifically essay writing). Usually, I have no idea what I'm saying or writing about. If I'm clueless enough, I ramble and try to tie everything together. However, now, I notice that I now have better plans when beginning to write something. Writing for me has become something creative to be proud of rather than one big hot mess. I appreciate that.
Quite honestly, I don't like to put much time into things. If there was a way to simply glide or float through life simply and calmly, I would like that. Being rushed or having a time limit is not something I'm a great fan of. Due to that, staying motivated to complete work was a real struggle for me. Though it is not something tangible, it was probably the most challenging part of this year for me. What made it even worse was the fact that because this is my last year with many of my friends, I spent a lot of time goofing around rather than doing work. The nicest thing people did for me this year was attempting to keep my on track. Rather that keeping me going with negative consequences or threats, there were positive remarks or rewards. They say you shouldn't punish an animal when they do something bad, and you should just reward them when they do something you actually want. If you punish them, they'll just learn to do when you're not around. I really appreciate the people who drove me forward because without them, I feel that exact thing would have happened.
Reading books independently was a very big part of this class. For future kids, I advise them to really branch out when it comes to book genres. Don't think you'll enjoy a memoir or an autobiography? Go for it. Hate sci-fi? Go for it. Last year, I stuck to a genre of books that I can't say I really enjoyed. After a while of reading them, it just became like a "might as well" routine. However, I'm happy to say that this year I really tried to get out there. I read two memoirs, realistic fiction, sci-fi, a classic, and more. This was really different compared to the prior year when my reading was caged inside a few different genres. I encourage future students to find the genres they actually like and really branch out because doing that made reading a lot more enjoyable for me. Before, it was a painful, dragging process. Now, I can for sure say that I don't see it as bad anymore. This year, my favorite book has been Requiem for a Dream. The book is usually put into the tragedy or fiction/realistic fiction genre. I wouldn't normally see myself reading such a depressing book, but it was truly amazing.
I don't really think I've been able to teach anyone anything this year. I don't really stand out or do anything so there's no real chance for making an impact there. There's the slimmest chance that I've shown one or two people that school doesn't always have to be about work - that you can still have some fun...but I don't really think so.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Aphorism Project
"You're not a wave, you are part of the ocean."There are a lot of people that feel alone, small, or pointless in their everyday lives. They feel as though they are not part of something bigger. I believe Morrie's main point in this quote is that those thoughts are not true. Though you are an individual, you make up a group much larger. Without you, a wave, the ocean is incomplete. I think Morrie was trying to get across that yes, we are all waves, but that's not all we should see ourselves as. If you just view yourself as one small wave, you're bound to belittle yourself.
I have to agree with this aphorism because I think everyone is part of something, no matter how small it is. For example, I don't view myself as important to the entire world, but I think I can find small roles in a few things. I play an important role in the lives of my pets, as they would not get care if it weren't for me, one of their waves. For them, their ocean is not complete without me. Another example is an older woman who lives in a house on my way home. I know the day is going to be peaceful and filled with nice weather when I see her out on her porch because she only sits outside on nice days. Although we never speak, she is an important wave in my ocean.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesdays with Morrie: Week of 4/30
The idea of death has always been rather frightening for me so naturally, I found the sixth Tuesday the most inspirational. The thing that bothers me about death is the idea that I'm going to grow old to a point near my death where I might be too old to do anything...I'll be rather useless. The other thing I find a bit worrisome is the idea that in this limited time I can only do a limited number of things, and at some point I'm going to die without having completed many of the them I would have wanted to.I may just be one of the people Morrie said who know they're going to die but just don't believe it. As soon as I read that quote, I was able to say to myself, "Yeah. That's me." It really inspired me when Morrie said, "but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently." He also went on to say, "...there's a better approach. To know you're going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time...That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living." These quotes showed me that being old and close to death does not necessarily mean you're not going to be able to complete anything anymore and if you plan accordingly, you can get everything done before you really aren't able to anymore. It made the idea of death a little more comfortable.
There was a quote in this chapter that really stuck out to me: "'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?'" The idea of asking yourself everyday if you are the person you want to be if you were to die today is rather important. If you are honest with yourself, you learn if you need to take charge and change something in your life or not. In short, it's a way to help yourself keep improving your own life. This is important because many people talk about their regrets and "I wish I'd done that"s shortly before they pass away. Trying to reach the best you everyday helps eliminate that ending-sad-note for yourself, and I like that. I don't know if I'll use this little tip/trick now in my current life, but I believe it may help me when I'm a bit older and have no idea what I'm doing. Of course, I'm just hoping I can remember it.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Tuesdays with Morrie - Week of 4/20
After the book is read and done, I think I'll have learned something from it. We're only around 60 pages in and the book has already had me have some of those moments where it's like, "Wow, I want to do that. I want that." One of those has been the idea of not wasting your life or taking it for granted. Instead of slowly wasting away in silence, Morrie has opted to make the most of his time left. This really left an impact on me because I think if there's anyone who'd totally give up after being diagnosed with ALS or any other crippling disease, it would be me. It shows you that you don't have to fade away if that happens, you can keep on living an even more powerful life.
I've always thought bucket lists were weird but here goes nothing:
- Go to New York
- Go to France and see the Eiffel Tower
- Go to Spain (preferably a million times)
- Go to Coachella (and meet a lot of hipsters???)
- Take a very long road trip to somewhere very far away with all of my favorite albums
- See all my favorite singers or bands play live before they all inevitably break up
- Own (or just touch) a pet hedgehog
- See/witness the most artistic thing ever (whatever it may be. I decide when I see it).
- Find my favorite cup of coffee
- Own all my favorite albums, books, and art.
- Be successful in finding what I want
- Live to play the song "Year 3000" during 3000 (this is very important).
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Life Is Beautiful - Week of 4/13
At first glance, Night and "Life Is Beautiful" are two very different works of literature and film. Night shows the reader the incredibly negative and terrible things about the Holocaust while "Life Is Beautiful" is a romantic comedy. However, they do have their similarities. Both of these pieces had a theme of a father-son bond, but this similarity also branches out into differences. In Night, there were moments when Elie would put his survival above his father's and only think of himself. There was that sense of 'it's one man for himself'. However, there were no instances of that between Guido and Joshua. Guido spends every moment of his time in the camp trying to protect Joshua, never putting his own life above his son's. In fact, he puts Joshua's life above his own and eventually sacrifices himself to save his son. Had Guido also had that 'one man for himself' idea, then this film would have been very different.
Night and "Life Is Beautiful" both approached the Holocaust rather differently. Again, Night was a rather dark story and had virtually no positivity in it. On the other hand, "Life Is Beautiful" has its audience laughing very often. However, I think they were both equally as powerful. Night's straightforwardness on the darkness of the Holocaust shows you just how terrible that time was...It presents you with a story of willpower and survival. "Life Is Beautiful" had just the right the combination of negative and positive. The positive moments and negative moments provide the viewer with a contrast between the two that ultimately leads to the film's power. It shows you how even in such dark times, some people were still able to see the light in the darkness
and have hope.
Night and "Life Is Beautiful" both approached the Holocaust rather differently. Again, Night was a rather dark story and had virtually no positivity in it. On the other hand, "Life Is Beautiful" has its audience laughing very often. However, I think they were both equally as powerful. Night's straightforwardness on the darkness of the Holocaust shows you just how terrible that time was...It presents you with a story of willpower and survival. "Life Is Beautiful" had just the right the combination of negative and positive. The positive moments and negative moments provide the viewer with a contrast between the two that ultimately leads to the film's power. It shows you how even in such dark times, some people were still able to see the light in the darkness
and have hope.
It doesn't take much to see that life is in fact beautiful at the beginning of the film. Guido is constantly cheerful, always running into his love interest. It's rather hard to not feel joy whenever Guido exclaims, "Buongiorno, Principessa!" However, I believe that it is the middle of the film that really brings up the question of wether or not life has sustained that same level of beauty. In the camps, conventional beauty in life is challenged. Guido and Joshua are torn from Dora and are now prisoners in terrible conditions. A life separated from family you love in a bad place that you can't leave is not a life that would be considered beautiful. Even so, it is in these times that life reaches a peak of beauty for the characters. Although he never sees her again, Guido shows Dora his unfaltering love for her despite their situation. Even more beautiful is the bond between Joshua and his father. Guido has made up an entire new situation for Joshua to live in - a game. Throughout the film, we see Guido go to great measures to keep Joshua safe and sheltered, showing just how strong the bond between the two of them is. Even though they are in this terrible place, they love each other unconditionally.
 |
| Same, Joshua. Same. |
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Night - Week of 3/30
How do Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person?
When reading this book, I think it's easy to say that Wiesel did a great job of showing how the Holocaust changed him over the years. The reader is able to juxtapose the Elie at the beginning of the book with the "new" Elie at the end. In my opinion, one of the most obvious changes in Elie was his Faith. In the beginning, Wiesel said he "would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple" (3) and compares praying to the need for breath or life. At this point, Elie is only twelve years old, borderline thirteen. He wants to study the Kabbalah, something kids of his age don't normally do. Right off the bat, the reader can see that Elie is very much a devout Jew, especially for his age.
However, this all changes later on in the book. In Birkenau, Elie hears his father praying before the selection determining who will live and who will be sent to the crematoria. Already, Elie shows signs of a faded Faith when he says, "Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?" (33) After seeing the terrors and inhumanity of Birkenau, Elie begins to reject God for letting these things happen to his people-- for choosing to be silent. This is a big jump from being a passionate Jew to teetering on the edge of no more Faith that I believe Wiesel made very powerful in his novel.
Wiesel not only changed in Faith, but in morals as well. Elie is separated from his mother and sisters immediately at Birkenau, left with only his father. At first, Elie refuses to leave his side in order to feel safe and comforted. In fact, his father becomes his will for survival at times. However, just like his Faith, the feelings waver. Through the book, the reader can see glimpses of Elie putting his survival above his father's, such as when he considers leaving his father behind: "...a though crept into my mind: If only I didn't find him! If only I were relieved of this responsibility, I could use all my strength to fight for my own survival, to take care only of myself..." (106) You can see that his morals have changed because now he is open to abandoning the only relative he thought he had left in that time to survive. Again, this is a very big jump. At first, he could not bear to be away from his father in the camps. Later on, he thinks about completely leaving him for his own benefit. The Holocaust did not necessarily make him more selfish, but it made his survival instincts rise to the surface.
When reading this book, I think it's easy to say that Wiesel did a great job of showing how the Holocaust changed him over the years. The reader is able to juxtapose the Elie at the beginning of the book with the "new" Elie at the end. In my opinion, one of the most obvious changes in Elie was his Faith. In the beginning, Wiesel said he "would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple" (3) and compares praying to the need for breath or life. At this point, Elie is only twelve years old, borderline thirteen. He wants to study the Kabbalah, something kids of his age don't normally do. Right off the bat, the reader can see that Elie is very much a devout Jew, especially for his age.
However, this all changes later on in the book. In Birkenau, Elie hears his father praying before the selection determining who will live and who will be sent to the crematoria. Already, Elie shows signs of a faded Faith when he says, "Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?" (33) After seeing the terrors and inhumanity of Birkenau, Elie begins to reject God for letting these things happen to his people-- for choosing to be silent. This is a big jump from being a passionate Jew to teetering on the edge of no more Faith that I believe Wiesel made very powerful in his novel.
Wiesel not only changed in Faith, but in morals as well. Elie is separated from his mother and sisters immediately at Birkenau, left with only his father. At first, Elie refuses to leave his side in order to feel safe and comforted. In fact, his father becomes his will for survival at times. However, just like his Faith, the feelings waver. Through the book, the reader can see glimpses of Elie putting his survival above his father's, such as when he considers leaving his father behind: "...a though crept into my mind: If only I didn't find him! If only I were relieved of this responsibility, I could use all my strength to fight for my own survival, to take care only of myself..." (106) You can see that his morals have changed because now he is open to abandoning the only relative he thought he had left in that time to survive. Again, this is a very big jump. At first, he could not bear to be away from his father in the camps. Later on, he thinks about completely leaving him for his own benefit. The Holocaust did not necessarily make him more selfish, but it made his survival instincts rise to the surface.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Night: Week of 3/23
Honestly, I've only read one other book about the Holocaust...years ago. That book was The Boy Who Dared, which, thinking back, was more about Nazis, Hitler, and WWII than the Holocaust. Quite honestly, I didn't really enjoy it. Maybe because I really had no background knowledge about the topic at the time or it simply wasn't my type of book, but it made me kind of worried that I wouldn't enjoy Night. **I don't even get why I didn't like it, I mean everyone likes The Boy Who Dared. Maybe I just have to read it again.
Naturally, I'm very glad my worry has been for nothing. Night has proven itself to be very interesting, giving a unique perspective when Elie sort of reflects on the events he writes about. In The Boy Who Dared, there were moments where the author would switch from the main character's past to his future. I'm noticing that there's an obvious difference between a second source doing something like that compared to a prime source, like Elie, doing the same thing. Elie is able to provide much more details and give more insight because, of course, he was actually there. This is one of the things making Night just a really interesting read.
When reading this book, it's strange for me to think about the fact that the things Elie is describing actually happened. The idea of babies being thrown and shot in the air or piled up in carts seems incredibly bizarre...surely such macabre couldn't have ever happened. But it did. It's very hard to deny the ghastliness of the Holocaust when you can find photos of bags filled with the corpses of the babies or the piles left out in the open. Elie's descriptions have left me with more knowledge on the Holocaust, making me wonder if ignorance is bliss in this situation. While now I know even more haunting information about the Holocaust, it's an interesting part of the world's history showing the things people can really do. I'm glad Elie has brought this to light.
Naturally, I'm very glad my worry has been for nothing. Night has proven itself to be very interesting, giving a unique perspective when Elie sort of reflects on the events he writes about. In The Boy Who Dared, there were moments where the author would switch from the main character's past to his future. I'm noticing that there's an obvious difference between a second source doing something like that compared to a prime source, like Elie, doing the same thing. Elie is able to provide much more details and give more insight because, of course, he was actually there. This is one of the things making Night just a really interesting read.
When reading this book, it's strange for me to think about the fact that the things Elie is describing actually happened. The idea of babies being thrown and shot in the air or piled up in carts seems incredibly bizarre...surely such macabre couldn't have ever happened. But it did. It's very hard to deny the ghastliness of the Holocaust when you can find photos of bags filled with the corpses of the babies or the piles left out in the open. Elie's descriptions have left me with more knowledge on the Holocaust, making me wonder if ignorance is bliss in this situation. While now I know even more haunting information about the Holocaust, it's an interesting part of the world's history showing the things people can really do. I'm glad Elie has brought this to light.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Holocaust Impressions
Through the hour, there was a lot to learn about the Holocaust. Despite everyone's shared topic of the Holocaust, there were still a lot of different article topics to hear. With that, you could hear a lot of different tones in the articles. Even though they were about the Holocaust, a terrible time, not all of the stories decided to match that mood. In fact, quite a few of them showed the power of determination or willpower more than they did negativity.
A rather negative article came from Bela. She told about a Nazi experimenter who specifically chose children as his topic of interest. The scientist believed that it would be far quicker to create the perfect Aryan race with the help of twins...so he tried his best to do just that. He would impregnate Jewish women, hoping they would have twins. If they didn't have twins then he would apparently tear the fetuses out of the mother's uterus. From there, there was a whole process of experiments and head-crushing. Julia, on the other hand, had another just as interesting article on a Holocaust survivor. Gena Turgel survived Auschwitz, two other concentration camps, and a death march before she was liberated. What's even more amazing is the fact that in Auschwitz she had been put into a gas chamber, only to survive. Gena now has a mission to let people know that discrimination against Jews, anti-semitism, still exists today.
A rather negative article came from Bela. She told about a Nazi experimenter who specifically chose children as his topic of interest. The scientist believed that it would be far quicker to create the perfect Aryan race with the help of twins...so he tried his best to do just that. He would impregnate Jewish women, hoping they would have twins. If they didn't have twins then he would apparently tear the fetuses out of the mother's uterus. From there, there was a whole process of experiments and head-crushing. Julia, on the other hand, had another just as interesting article on a Holocaust survivor. Gena Turgel survived Auschwitz, two other concentration camps, and a death march before she was liberated. What's even more amazing is the fact that in Auschwitz she had been put into a gas chamber, only to survive. Gena now has a mission to let people know that discrimination against Jews, anti-semitism, still exists today.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Berlin Memorial Reflection - 3/19
What did you learn?
Considering that I didn't know very much about these Jewish decrees going into this activity, I learned quite a bit. Of course, I learned the purpose of the laws (slowly dehumanize and demoralize them) and how each law effected the Jews in Germany. I had always had this vague idea that the laws that restricted the Jews had all been implemented all at once. However, I learned that the process of getting the Jews fully and completely restricted was actually quite a long and thought out operation. And though it is sad, the German government went about the business in a very strategic way.
Why do you think this monument was built?
I think the monument was built to give homage to the laws/things Jews had to suffer through during Germany's dark time. I imagine it was built all around the street to show that it is a part of Germany's history that cannot be ignored and should be respected. In addition to that, I believe part of it is a reminder that discrimination towards a certain group of people is serious and something like this should never be repeated.
What did you notice about the number of laws passed in certain years?
The government would pass quite a few laws one year but then only one or two per year afterwards until they splurged yet again. You could notice this pattern repeating a few times until there were finally no more Jews to make laws against. Really, this was the strategic/smart part of their terrible plan. The fluctuation in the addition of discriminating laws kept Germany on a low radar. For the Jews, I imagine if they went a few years without having that many laws added they would begin to get the mindset that what was done was over and life would soon get a new routine they could live with. The number of laws raised little to no suspicion in other countries and Germany's Jews.
Which restrictions do you think you would have the most trouble dealing with and why?
Personally, I would have the most trouble dealing with the laws that restricted the places you could go, when you could go, and what you could use as entertainment. I don't like to be cooped up inside very much (unless it's winter and I'll die if I step outside for like a minute) so I'd feel rather anxious and somehow helpless if there were laws determining how I would spend my days-- barely outside. Even if there was no curfew law, you'd still have to deal with the laws forbidding you from going to certain places or segregation in the places you could go. All in all, I'd be pretty frustrated.
Considering that I didn't know very much about these Jewish decrees going into this activity, I learned quite a bit. Of course, I learned the purpose of the laws (slowly dehumanize and demoralize them) and how each law effected the Jews in Germany. I had always had this vague idea that the laws that restricted the Jews had all been implemented all at once. However, I learned that the process of getting the Jews fully and completely restricted was actually quite a long and thought out operation. And though it is sad, the German government went about the business in a very strategic way.
Why do you think this monument was built?
I think the monument was built to give homage to the laws/things Jews had to suffer through during Germany's dark time. I imagine it was built all around the street to show that it is a part of Germany's history that cannot be ignored and should be respected. In addition to that, I believe part of it is a reminder that discrimination towards a certain group of people is serious and something like this should never be repeated.
What did you notice about the number of laws passed in certain years?
The government would pass quite a few laws one year but then only one or two per year afterwards until they splurged yet again. You could notice this pattern repeating a few times until there were finally no more Jews to make laws against. Really, this was the strategic/smart part of their terrible plan. The fluctuation in the addition of discriminating laws kept Germany on a low radar. For the Jews, I imagine if they went a few years without having that many laws added they would begin to get the mindset that what was done was over and life would soon get a new routine they could live with. The number of laws raised little to no suspicion in other countries and Germany's Jews.
Which restrictions do you think you would have the most trouble dealing with and why?
Personally, I would have the most trouble dealing with the laws that restricted the places you could go, when you could go, and what you could use as entertainment. I don't like to be cooped up inside very much (unless it's winter and I'll die if I step outside for like a minute) so I'd feel rather anxious and somehow helpless if there were laws determining how I would spend my days-- barely outside. Even if there was no curfew law, you'd still have to deal with the laws forbidding you from going to certain places or segregation in the places you could go. All in all, I'd be pretty frustrated.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
3rd Quarter Reflection
Third quarter has felt really strange, I guess is the best way to phrase it. It feels like second quarter ended like two days ago and third quarter had ended prematurely. What makes it even stranger is the fact that we're going to be on our last two months of school in the span of fourth quarter. I guess third quarter is a time to realize that middle school really doesn't last forever after eighth grade, whether that's good or bad.
Without a doubt, my biggest improvement was in the art of writing essays. Before, I don't think I was very efficient or good at doing it. However, now that we've spent a lot more time going over format, style, and the necessities of having a good essay, I feel a lot more confident writing them. With that, I also learned that revision is far more helpful and important than I previously thought. I'm not going to lie and say that I always revise. In fact, I rarely ever do. Third quarter showed me that revision shows you where you went wrong, and you end up teaching yourself how to prevent yourself from making those same mistakes again. I would like to give some kudos to revision. Kudos.
The hardest part of third quarter isn't something I can really pinpoint but it was quite possibly writing the argumentative essay on Blackfish and SeaWorld. Getting your thoughts out and into the paragraph wasn't difficult; and finding evidence to support you wasn't very hard at all either. Really, just getting the format correct was the most challenging part for me. I'd be missing whole parts of the format in some paragraphs (rebuttal, warrant, quote, etc,.) and would make my whole paragraph sound choppy when I would try to awkwardly add them in (which then took quite a lot of rewriting to sound OK again).
I've always found it hard to find books that I actually enjoy. So, I feel rather accomplished when I've been able to read quite a few books this quarter that I don't dislike at all. In other words, my accomplishment it finding more genres of books that I like. A perfect example of this is my favorite book this quarter: Requiem for a Dream. The book was rather descriptive, in-depth, and dark. However, I had always thought that I wouldn't enjoy third person books as much as I would like books in first person. Reading Requiem really proved myself wrong because it was just as amazing as it was third person omniscient. Overall, I'm just really interested in seeing what fourth quarter brings.
Without a doubt, my biggest improvement was in the art of writing essays. Before, I don't think I was very efficient or good at doing it. However, now that we've spent a lot more time going over format, style, and the necessities of having a good essay, I feel a lot more confident writing them. With that, I also learned that revision is far more helpful and important than I previously thought. I'm not going to lie and say that I always revise. In fact, I rarely ever do. Third quarter showed me that revision shows you where you went wrong, and you end up teaching yourself how to prevent yourself from making those same mistakes again. I would like to give some kudos to revision. Kudos.
The hardest part of third quarter isn't something I can really pinpoint but it was quite possibly writing the argumentative essay on Blackfish and SeaWorld. Getting your thoughts out and into the paragraph wasn't difficult; and finding evidence to support you wasn't very hard at all either. Really, just getting the format correct was the most challenging part for me. I'd be missing whole parts of the format in some paragraphs (rebuttal, warrant, quote, etc,.) and would make my whole paragraph sound choppy when I would try to awkwardly add them in (which then took quite a lot of rewriting to sound OK again).
I've always found it hard to find books that I actually enjoy. So, I feel rather accomplished when I've been able to read quite a few books this quarter that I don't dislike at all. In other words, my accomplishment it finding more genres of books that I like. A perfect example of this is my favorite book this quarter: Requiem for a Dream. The book was rather descriptive, in-depth, and dark. However, I had always thought that I wouldn't enjoy third person books as much as I would like books in first person. Reading Requiem really proved myself wrong because it was just as amazing as it was third person omniscient. Overall, I'm just really interested in seeing what fourth quarter brings.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Bio-poem: Choke - 3/9
Victor Mancini
Stuck, withdrawn, addicted, confused.
A character in Palahniuk's story.
Lover of love, attention, and making heroes.
Who notices the worst in everything, people's desires, and where it all went wrong.
Who feels there was a lot he could have changed, ignorance truly is bliss, and sometimes it's alright to take the blame.
Who learns that people are selfish, his mother was never really in her head, and addictions are hard to let go of.
Who says, "The lucky ones are just born dead."
Who used to think that love made sense and was unconditional, but now knows that love is strange and twisted, but never really goes away even if we want it to.
Major character in Choke,
A book that helps you see the world in a new perspective.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
AoW Impressions - 3/6
This week, the gallery walk was especially interesting because we didn't have that many articles that were about the exact same thing. In fact, the article topics were all rather diverse. There were some people who chose to talk about ISIS, job gaps, death with dignity, and the topic of Ebola was even brought back. Normally when we hear about ISIS during one of these gallery walks, we're hearing new countries that have been attacked or new threats made. However, this time was different. We learned about how ISIS has somewhat inspired people (specifically three girls) to leave their own homes and join the group. It's interesting to hear about people who can disregard ISIS's crimes and simply view the group as a different, "better" way of life.
Personally, I found Leanna's article to be the most interesting (with the ISIS articles very close behind). She talked about a fourteen year old girl in Chile who is suffering from cystic fibrosis. The girl made a video and posted it on the internet, requesting the president/government to let her die because she does not want to live with her disease anymore. In Chile, Death with Dignity is completely illegal due to morals, and the girl's request was denied. After watching "How to Die in Oregon", I've become very pro-Death with Dignity. The movie shows the fight to make the law legal in another state, so it makes me curious to as whether or not people in Chile could put in the same effort with protests, speeches, etc,. to make this law legal for a this girl. I guess being able to connect this current event with something else I had already heard about was what made it really interesting-- especially since that idea had already been debated here.
Personally, I found Leanna's article to be the most interesting (with the ISIS articles very close behind). She talked about a fourteen year old girl in Chile who is suffering from cystic fibrosis. The girl made a video and posted it on the internet, requesting the president/government to let her die because she does not want to live with her disease anymore. In Chile, Death with Dignity is completely illegal due to morals, and the girl's request was denied. After watching "How to Die in Oregon", I've become very pro-Death with Dignity. The movie shows the fight to make the law legal in another state, so it makes me curious to as whether or not people in Chile could put in the same effort with protests, speeches, etc,. to make this law legal for a this girl. I guess being able to connect this current event with something else I had already heard about was what made it really interesting-- especially since that idea had already been debated here.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Article of the Week: Week of 2/23
Los Angeles Times - Virtual reality isn't just for video games
VR, virtual reality, is technology that allows its user to be set in a new computer generated environment. Although VR isn't completely developed with its rather slow and clunky systems, the hopes for it are high. Virtual reality systems can be expected to make a huge impact on the way we see or make movies, train our workers, invest, and communicate with others. Although uncertain when exactly such systems will be successfully up and running, developers have supplied some companies and people with beta systems to give the public an idea of what they can expect.
The author's purpose in writing this article is to inform the reader about the developments and expectations for virtual reality technology. The purpose is easily identified when the author goes into detail about virtual reality in instances such as, "In another demonstration, a fight scene between two robots played out in 360-degree video, inviting users to look left, right and behind them to follow the action," "VR's greatest potential could turn out to be in movies — but it could also turn out to be best suited for video games after all, or for military simulation training," and "VR could be used in combat simulation for the military, or in natural disaster drills for police, firefighters and paramedics." The author gives the reader examples of what virtual reality systems can currently do, but then also gives examples of what these systems could do sometime in the future. This shows the author informing the reader on the current state of VR and the developments the creators hope to make.
The topic of virtual reality developments is rather important because it really does open a whole new set of possibilities. Just a few advancements include, “combat simulation for the military, or in natural disaster drills for police, firefighters and paramedics.” With these new systems, people would no longer be spending tons of money to recreate situations to train their employees—we’d be saving money. Even if you ignore the money-benefit from VR, it still gives us the benefit of just making our lives easier. Virtual reality would allow people to view something in depth (like a car or house) before they decide to manufacture or invest in it. Not only that, it would act as a more advanced phone, allowing people to have conversations that include avatars whilst being miles away from each other. In a sense, it’s important because it’s so convenient.
Immersive: To absorb deeply; engross
Positive connotation because it suggests a great interest or fascination.
VR, virtual reality, is technology that allows its user to be set in a new computer generated environment. Although VR isn't completely developed with its rather slow and clunky systems, the hopes for it are high. Virtual reality systems can be expected to make a huge impact on the way we see or make movies, train our workers, invest, and communicate with others. Although uncertain when exactly such systems will be successfully up and running, developers have supplied some companies and people with beta systems to give the public an idea of what they can expect.
The author's purpose in writing this article is to inform the reader about the developments and expectations for virtual reality technology. The purpose is easily identified when the author goes into detail about virtual reality in instances such as, "In another demonstration, a fight scene between two robots played out in 360-degree video, inviting users to look left, right and behind them to follow the action," "VR's greatest potential could turn out to be in movies — but it could also turn out to be best suited for video games after all, or for military simulation training," and "VR could be used in combat simulation for the military, or in natural disaster drills for police, firefighters and paramedics." The author gives the reader examples of what virtual reality systems can currently do, but then also gives examples of what these systems could do sometime in the future. This shows the author informing the reader on the current state of VR and the developments the creators hope to make.
The topic of virtual reality developments is rather important because it really does open a whole new set of possibilities. Just a few advancements include, “combat simulation for the military, or in natural disaster drills for police, firefighters and paramedics.” With these new systems, people would no longer be spending tons of money to recreate situations to train their employees—we’d be saving money. Even if you ignore the money-benefit from VR, it still gives us the benefit of just making our lives easier. Virtual reality would allow people to view something in depth (like a car or house) before they decide to manufacture or invest in it. Not only that, it would act as a more advanced phone, allowing people to have conversations that include avatars whilst being miles away from each other. In a sense, it’s important because it’s so convenient.
Immersive: To absorb deeply; engross
Positive connotation because it suggests a great interest or fascination.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
AoW Impressions for 2/20
I think it's safe to say that I learned more about events going on in today's world than I did the first time we tried this out. Whether it's because we've become more efficient at doing this or because more things have happened in the world, it was a pretty interesting class period. A lot of the articles were about the sort of feud between ISIS and Egypt. Egypt bombed Libya's ISIS and killed 40-50 people. In return, ISIS beheaded 21 Egyptian Christians and has threatened even more countries. However, 63 countries have agreed to fight ISIS if necessary. On the downside, people from a known 90 countries are traveling to ISIS locations to join their ranks.
One of the articles I found particularly interesting was the one from Jenna. Her article talked about a Russian father who sent his son away to live with a relative in hopes of ridding him of his homosexuality. The relative attempted to actually have him exorcised by a witch -- which didn't work. Afterwards, the father had the son admitted into a rehab facility where he was drugged to the point where he could no longer remember the names of his friends. Thankfully, the boy was rescued (in a kidnapping manner but whatever) and is safe. This is an important article or topic for the world to hear because it shows what people will do towards those they discriminate against. In the case of this Russian boy, it's important to note that he was lucky. In a country where gays are being hunted and killed or tortured, he really was lucky to have been rescued instead of facing the same fate.
One of the articles I found particularly interesting was the one from Jenna. Her article talked about a Russian father who sent his son away to live with a relative in hopes of ridding him of his homosexuality. The relative attempted to actually have him exorcised by a witch -- which didn't work. Afterwards, the father had the son admitted into a rehab facility where he was drugged to the point where he could no longer remember the names of his friends. Thankfully, the boy was rescued (in a kidnapping manner but whatever) and is safe. This is an important article or topic for the world to hear because it shows what people will do towards those they discriminate against. In the case of this Russian boy, it's important to note that he was lucky. In a country where gays are being hunted and killed or tortured, he really was lucky to have been rescued instead of facing the same fate.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Nausea: Week of 2/16
Do you like what you are reading? Why or why not?
Pages: 0-70
Nausea has left me confused. Not in the way that I don't understand the story--I get that. Normally when I read books, it doesn't take long for me to decide on whether or not I'll like it. That hasn't really happened with Nausea. I started off really liking it. I liked the idea, the style, the descriptions. Then there was that one part that seemed to really make it go down hill, a part that was much more boring than the previous pages by a landslide (all in my opinion). Since then, it feels like the story hasn't fully recovered. While it's bounced back, it hasn't reached the same interesting state that it was in at the beginning. It's disappointing and leaves me not being able to say if I really like it or not.
The thing I like most about this book is the wording or style of writing: lots of description. Description is a very important part of the book as the main character is describing everything and everyone around him. With this, you hear his opinions and thoughts as he analyzes these people, objects, and feelings. This produces some interesting observations--some interesting quotes. The observations made aren't always positive (I don't think this book even knows what positive is) but some of them are very relevant and leave you feeling very "wow".
The book has reminded me of a movie I watched sometime ago: "It's Such a Beautiful Day". The movie was about a man named Bill living a very monotonous life until he finally began to lose his grip on reality and his memory. It seemed like a really happy movie from the title and then it just kind of hits you with Bill. Both this book and this movie deal with the same topic of existentialism. It's great--it's interesting. The observations are being analyzed with the idea of existence on mind, making them extra depressing but also extra interesting. In Nausea, a lot of the focus is on time and what you do in that time (so far).
Take this nice Nausea quote with you:
"There are moments when you have the impression that you can do what you want, go forward or backward, that is has no importance; and then other times when you might say that the links have been tightened and, in that case, it's not a question of missing your turn because you could never start again."
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Book Talk for Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets
Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
Young Adult
Transcript:Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets is probably the best young adult book I've ever read. This book tells the story of James, a high schooler suffering from severe anxiety and depression. A lot of this stems from the fact that his parents are both physically and emotionally abusive towards their son. While it is YA, you could also maybe consider it to also be a mystery novel. James is trying to figure out why his sister, the only one he could really talk to, was kicked out of the house. Meanwhile, he's also trying to help himself cope with his own problems.
The mood of the book fluctuated between sad and happy a lot through the book-- it never stayed as just one. This made the book really cool because while it could make you laugh it could also make you cry. This book is abut relatively negative things so it was nice how the whole book wasn't just completely depressing
This was probably my favorite book because there are so many enjoyable things about it. The mystery around James' sister is compelling and reading about him trying to help himself is equally as interesting. He narrates with a lot of humor and his unique takes on everyday things like trees. Though, my absolute favorite thing about this book has to be Dr. Bird. Dr. Bird is an imaginary pigeon in James' head that acts as his therapist because he can't afford a real one. I thought that was pretty creative and added a happy tone to the book because she often speaks with bird puns. Overall, this is a really great book and I really recommend it.
TKAM: Week of 1/12
How would you prove or disprove that one version of To Kill A Mockingbird is more affective in delivering its message than the other? Be sure to provide specific pieces of evidence to support your opinion. Overall, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was a pretty good movie. However, in terms of how well it did in delivering the original message of the book, I thought it was pretty bad. This can be blamed a a few reasons, one of which being the fact that the movie was obviously not directly from Scout's perspective. The book is narrated by Scout-- we hear everything from her. Everything in the book has been interpreted by a child but we don't see that in the movie. The movie shows us exactly what's going on around the characters, meaning nothing is really interpreted and told to us the same way Scout did. In other words, we're given the plain old facts in the movie (which isn't bad). I thought this took a lot away from the message of the book projected onto the movie. A lot of the book's message was showing you how these events in a child's life were affecting the way she thought and grew up during the narration/thoughts.
Another major fault that prevented the message from coming across is the fact that they cut out a lot of things. The many scenes left out did not affect one single message as there are a variety of messages in the book that the movie did not cover. Take the absence of Mrs. Dubose for example. In the book, Mrs. Dubose serves to support the message of courage and even a bit of not judging people. In the movie, she's racist for what was probably less than a minute before she never appeared again. Without her, the message of bravery is not emphasized as much and we even miss a little development in Jem's character. Was this a great loss? Incredibly so.
As I mentioned before, there were many scenes left out that impacted different messages. The message of stereotyping (both gender and race) was emphasized way less in the movie when these scenes/characters were completely cut out (so sorry, Aunt Alexandra. You will be mildly missed). Just with that To Kill a Mockingbird in its book version becomes far more efficient in delivering the wide variety of messages, all equally important. While the movie may have failed at delivering the message, I have to appreciate the fact that it finally put a face on Arthur Radley. The book may have described him but there's nothing like watching the movie and having your interpretation of the character completely crushed.
Nothing like it.
Requiem for a Dream: Week of 1/26
Pages: 100-202
I am definitely not enjoying what I'm reading.
In the best way possible.
Requiem for a Dream has proven itself to be truly dark, twisted, and just really depressing. But, what more could you expect from a book centered around hopeless dreams and drug addictions? It makes you feel so bad it's good.
Probably my favorite thing about this book is the characters. The characters are really really enjoyable. I've said it before and I can't say it enough: they're realistic. They contain the same things you'd see in people around you. Not to mention they're very interesting. Sara in particular has peaked my interest throughout the book. Sara is the quintessential example of what it means to not be needed. Her husband died years ago and her only son has moved away. Not only that, but he seems to hate her. He doesn't need her. With no one to care for or quite frankly spend any time with, Sara must find other means of happiness.
Sara is able to occupy herself with the comfort of food and television. Eventually, we discover that she sees the fridge as a sort of entity. It mocks her; tortures her. But nonetheless, it speaks to her. The television is a substitute for her happiness. She realizes that she's not happy. If she can't experience happiness in her own life then why not watch the TV? The television provides her with hours upon hours of shows and movies with happy endings. She feels happy for their happy. It comes to a point where she seems to desperately want to have the same fictional happiness in her real life. She tries to connect every happy thing to someone or something she knows. It kind of really makes you feel bad for her. She's truly unneeded so she has to find happiness in a TV screen.
When Sara is first being introduced, there is a great focus on just how much she relies on food and television to keep her occupied. The reader can use her old actions and feelings (old meaning when she was relying on certain comforts) to juxtapose her actions and feelings when she gets a call saying she may be on an actual TV show. The change in her character makes her that much more interesting, especially since the change happens very fast. As soon as the call giving her the great news ends there is a quote that sort of sums up her change of character very well:
Just from reading the quote you can tell the possible future ahead of her has made her feel alive. Now she finally has someone to take care of and really work for: herself. And while that may seem inspirational-- the idea that you don't need someone in your life to feel happy-- it ultimately leads her to a terrible state. A drug addiction that has spiraled out of control and needs other drugs to calm. Paranoia, a terribly low weight, and other effects of a drug addiction. As you read further on, Sara's character becomes darker and darker. It's terrible, really. But, it's also really well written and her character has a lot of depth. It feels almost impossible for her to not be the character you fear for the most.
Comments: Bela | Gianna | Leanna
I am definitely not enjoying what I'm reading.
In the best way possible.
Requiem for a Dream has proven itself to be truly dark, twisted, and just really depressing. But, what more could you expect from a book centered around hopeless dreams and drug addictions? It makes you feel so bad it's good.
Probably my favorite thing about this book is the characters. The characters are really really enjoyable. I've said it before and I can't say it enough: they're realistic. They contain the same things you'd see in people around you. Not to mention they're very interesting. Sara in particular has peaked my interest throughout the book. Sara is the quintessential example of what it means to not be needed. Her husband died years ago and her only son has moved away. Not only that, but he seems to hate her. He doesn't need her. With no one to care for or quite frankly spend any time with, Sara must find other means of happiness.
Sara is able to occupy herself with the comfort of food and television. Eventually, we discover that she sees the fridge as a sort of entity. It mocks her; tortures her. But nonetheless, it speaks to her. The television is a substitute for her happiness. She realizes that she's not happy. If she can't experience happiness in her own life then why not watch the TV? The television provides her with hours upon hours of shows and movies with happy endings. She feels happy for their happy. It comes to a point where she seems to desperately want to have the same fictional happiness in her real life. She tries to connect every happy thing to someone or something she knows. It kind of really makes you feel bad for her. She's truly unneeded so she has to find happiness in a TV screen.When Sara is first being introduced, there is a great focus on just how much she relies on food and television to keep her occupied. The reader can use her old actions and feelings (old meaning when she was relying on certain comforts) to juxtapose her actions and feelings when she gets a call saying she may be on an actual TV show. The change in her character makes her that much more interesting, especially since the change happens very fast. As soon as the call giving her the great news ends there is a quote that sort of sums up her change of character very well:
"...an event of such prodigious proportions and importance that it infused her with a new will to live and materialized a dream that brightened her days and soothed her lonely nights."
Just from reading the quote you can tell the possible future ahead of her has made her feel alive. Now she finally has someone to take care of and really work for: herself. And while that may seem inspirational-- the idea that you don't need someone in your life to feel happy-- it ultimately leads her to a terrible state. A drug addiction that has spiraled out of control and needs other drugs to calm. Paranoia, a terribly low weight, and other effects of a drug addiction. As you read further on, Sara's character becomes darker and darker. It's terrible, really. But, it's also really well written and her character has a lot of depth. It feels almost impossible for her to not be the character you fear for the most.
Comments: Bela | Gianna | Leanna
Requiem for a Dream: Week of 1/19
Are the characters realistic? Do they seem like they could be real people?
Pages read: 0-100
I've been enjoying Requiem for a Dream quite a lot for a multitude of reasons. The plot is interesting, dark, and maybe even a little twisted. A nice addition to the story is the fact the characters are very realistic, making the negative events in their lives a little more horrible because you can see how easy it happens to someone.
Requiem doesn't really have a main character. Throughout the book, different sections focus on the four main characters: Marion, Sara, Tyrone, and Harry. Basically, each character gets the spotlight at some point. The thing that makes the characters really enjoyable is how realistic they are. Though, as I've said before, it does make it a bit more dark. The four characters all share one thing in common: they have a dream they're willing to do anything for. Marion wants to be a successful artist. Sara wants to lose weight and be on television. Tyrone wants to get out of the bad neighborhood and live somewhere peaceful. Harry wants a nice business going and to stay with Marion. These are all very realistic hopes and dreams people can have, but it gets much more complicated for the characters.
Just like in real life, there are obstacles the characters much overcome to achieve their dream. Marion, Harry, and Tyrone all have to overcome their drug tendencies and the bad neighborhood before they can really get anywhere. And just like in real life, the obstacles are much harder to overcome than anyone can really imagine. To get out of their bad neighborhood, the trio needs money. Money that they get from selling the purest heroin in town. When they sell, they can't help but try it. Throughout the book, you notice how Harry often says he only needs to sell one more pound before he and Marion can get away. However, he says this plenty of times and the last pound never truly appears.
Sara holds a dream that many people have: her weight loss. If she were to lose some weight, then she could look good on TV in the red dress she's only ever been thin enough to wear once. If she could wear that dress, people would like her. She'd be thin and pretty. Most of all, the dress is a homage to her late husband. Sara has one problem that prevents her from losing weight. To her dismay, she's rather addicted to eating. If she doesn't eat, she can feel the refrigerator taunting her. To counter this, she takes diet pills. Though she has overcome her need to eat with pills that suppress her hunger she must now overcome her new drug addiction. Little does she know that her diet pills are actually dexedrine tablets (a stimulant drug). Although it hasn't been explicitly stated that she now has a drug addiction, there are a few signs. She a pops a pill when she feels like it. If she doesn't, she feels nervous and paranoid they'll suddenly stop working. Her son, Harry, is familiar with the drug. He and his friends take them for a quick high, so he worries for her.
Overall, the characters' dreams and obstacles make them realistic. The dreams they have very good intentions but they desire them so much they're willing to do anything to get them. In effect, they end up digging themselves deeper into a pit that they can't get out of...Something that isn't uncommon today.
Comments: Sara | Lacey | Mitchell
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Choose Your Own Adventure: Week of 1/5
Originally, I was going to pick a theme song for my life before I opted not to. I'd like to think that my life has been eventful enough that it could not be described in just three minutes. And if it hasn't, then I guess we live rather long lives for a reason. I'm not ready to sum it all up just yet.
The last time I did something for the first time was a very long time ago, I'm sure. I mean like an experience that truly was a first experience. Whatever that real first experience was, it seems I haven't tried anything new since that time. However, the last time I did something new was take the high school entrance exam but that can be summed up in just one word: ok. So it's not exactly a thrilling topic.
I guess the last time I did something for the first time was back in November...November 16, if I remember correctly. That time was the first time I asked to go to a concert and was actually able to go. I've gone to my fair share of music festivals and concerts over the years but none of them I've asked to go to. Most of the time it's just a decision that we're going to this concert or this festival-- just no questions asked. One of my favorite bands announced their tour in September and I was just so excited I couldn't not go.
Eventually, I finally worked up the courage to ask if I could go to the concert. In return, I was given the all expected "We'll see," response. Fast forward to November 16, I didn't think I was going. My parents hadn't said anything about it so I just kind of figured that that was that. That day, conveniently my dad decided he wanted to spend the day in Chicago. This was one of those days where it was so bitterly cold so I went out wearing my winter boots, a hoodie, and a winter jackets. Winter safety first, kids. Around five, we ended up outside the House of Blues (only one of the best places on Earth) where my parents told my sister and I, "Ok you guys go walk somewhere across the street 'coz we going in for a drink."
What.
My sister and I just followed them, bewildered at whether or not they were serious. They led us to a line leading into the House. I knew what this line was and I suddenly remembered where the concert was taking place: the House of Blues. To say I was really excited would be an understatement. When I remembered that I was wearing a hoodie and winter boots, saying I was upset with myself would also be an understatement. In the end, we went inside and my sister and I went as far up in the crowd as we could. There we saw Somekindawonderful, Bad Suns, and one of my favorite bands / the headliner, New Politics. It was just a super great experience and I would definitely do it over and over again. I got closer to the stage than I ever thought I'd get (thREE PEOPLE AWAY) so yeah, it was really great. In fact, the singer of New Politics decided to crowd surf. Did I get to touch him? Yep. Was the show great? Do you even need to ask?
New Politics
The last time I did something for the first time was a very long time ago, I'm sure. I mean like an experience that truly was a first experience. Whatever that real first experience was, it seems I haven't tried anything new since that time. However, the last time I did something new was take the high school entrance exam but that can be summed up in just one word: ok. So it's not exactly a thrilling topic.
I guess the last time I did something for the first time was back in November...November 16, if I remember correctly. That time was the first time I asked to go to a concert and was actually able to go. I've gone to my fair share of music festivals and concerts over the years but none of them I've asked to go to. Most of the time it's just a decision that we're going to this concert or this festival-- just no questions asked. One of my favorite bands announced their tour in September and I was just so excited I couldn't not go.
Eventually, I finally worked up the courage to ask if I could go to the concert. In return, I was given the all expected "We'll see," response. Fast forward to November 16, I didn't think I was going. My parents hadn't said anything about it so I just kind of figured that that was that. That day, conveniently my dad decided he wanted to spend the day in Chicago. This was one of those days where it was so bitterly cold so I went out wearing my winter boots, a hoodie, and a winter jackets. Winter safety first, kids. Around five, we ended up outside the House of Blues (only one of the best places on Earth) where my parents told my sister and I, "Ok you guys go walk somewhere across the street 'coz we going in for a drink."
What.
My sister and I just followed them, bewildered at whether or not they were serious. They led us to a line leading into the House. I knew what this line was and I suddenly remembered where the concert was taking place: the House of Blues. To say I was really excited would be an understatement. When I remembered that I was wearing a hoodie and winter boots, saying I was upset with myself would also be an understatement. In the end, we went inside and my sister and I went as far up in the crowd as we could. There we saw Somekindawonderful, Bad Suns, and one of my favorite bands / the headliner, New Politics. It was just a super great experience and I would definitely do it over and over again. I got closer to the stage than I ever thought I'd get (thREE PEOPLE AWAY) so yeah, it was really great. In fact, the singer of New Politics decided to crowd surf. Did I get to touch him? Yep. Was the show great? Do you even need to ask?
New Politics
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