Catching Fire #2

This is going to be my final reading log post for the rest of the year so perfect timing; I finished the book! I was able to read page 144 to page 271, the end of the book. This book keeps bringing in the surprises. I don't think I was ever able to relax and read a few pages without there being suspenseful action going on. The new district 13; Peeta haven been taken captive; I don't think I can handle all this. I didn't enjoy the book as much as the first one but I most defiantly will read the final of the trilogy because I need to know what happens to Peeta. I'm excited!

Catching Fire #1

I started Catching Fire, the second book to the Hunger Games sequel and I can't tell whether I'll like it or not from the gist of the first few chapters. I read page 1 to page 143, the first 14 chapters. I had no idea what Suzanne Collins would write about in this book because the games ended with both Peeta and Katniss alive and well so the new hunger games with the previous victors gave me a jolt of surprise. I don't know if I'll like it as much as the first one because this time, the capitol will make sure no more than one will come out alive and I want both Peeta and Katniss alive! I guess I'll continue and decide later.

Hunger Games #3

I finally finished the Hunger Games! I read from page 212 to page 374 for a total of 162 pages. The book I feel like was a perfect mix of action and romance. I have to say, I love Peeta and Primrose together and the intensity of the competition just adds the cherry on top. The end of the competition was my favorite part of the book; I would have never seen the berries coming. Compared to all of the vampire wizard books that are coming out after Twilight and Harry Potter, this series is original and enjoyable.  I've already started the next book, Catching Fire because I'm just so excited to see what happens next.

Hunger Games #2

I got the chance to read pages 30 to 212 in "The Hunger Games," chapter 16. The tributes have all been picked in the previous chapters and now after all their few minutes of fame, are in the battlegrounds, fighting to the finish. I just love Katniss and Peeta together and I'm connecting the similarities of the book to the movie as I read. I'm excited after Katniss makes a new friend in the ring. She seems so lonely while everyone else is traveling in packs. Rue seems like a nice kid, a smart kid. I know how the book ends because of the movie but I'm still excited to finish. I have to say though, the book is way better than the movie.

Notes 2 & 3

The Notebook (2004)

In the blockbuster classic, "The Notebook," director Nick Cassavetes captures the colorful fall scenery everyone thinks when the word autumn is involved. Opening with the orange leaves of the shedding trees glowing in front of the sunlight, the main characters Allie and Noah, seem to be in a calm, relaxed state. The still water and gracefully floating, migrating birds represent the formal, awkward conversations between the characters in the beginning of the clip. Just like how the migrating birds will return to their homes after winter, Allie is for the first time in years returning to meet Noah creating an awkward atmosphere in this scene. As the scene progresses, roaring thunders interrupt the young couple just before the rain pours down in buckets. This transition between calm and hectic parallels the change in their attitude towards each other. They become more passionate and frenzied. The peaceful setting of the fall leaves in this alteration of both scene and relationship characterize the beauty of love which foreshadows what is yet to come.  

Fall, leaves, fall
By: Emily Jane Bronte

In "Fall, leaves, fall" by Emily Bronte, the urgency for the next season winter is depicted by the speaker's want for the leaves to fall and the flowers to die away. Even though the speaker seems to be waiting for the adventures involved with  winter, the joys of fall are not ignored as "every leaf speaks bliss[fully]."  Fall is the only season where leaves are "fluttering from the autumn tree[s]," bringing color to our usually dull, bland canvas of life. Fall is the transitional season where it goes from hot to cold, light to dark. It introduces winter and the speaker just cannot wait until he will be able to "smile when wreaths of snow" appear. The demanding tone stating, "fall, leaves, fall,"  represents the need for a new season that will allow people to start afresh, clear the palate. Fall introduces a new season, a new time for change, something the speaker desires.

Caddy For Life: John Feinstein #3; Hunger Games

Finally, I have finished the book. I read from page 226 to page 300. I didn't find the end as sad as I thought it would be. The book continued on about how Bruce had continue on with his life, even with ALS. He continued to be the loving husband, dedicated caddy, and caring father. The book ended and I was still curious on Bruce Edwards life today so I ended up on the internet in front of my computer one day. I was sad to note that Edwards had died in 2004 but I still to this day look up to him. I now know the true Edwards, a free-minded soul.
I started the highly anticipated "Hunger Games" series this week too. I read the first 30 pages of the book and am excited. I watched the movie on the premiere weekend and loved the plot. It has not gotten into much detail yet but I am excited for the drawing of the names!

Exercise #3

Reviews:
1. A Bridge to the Stars
2. 21
3. A Kiss in Time

Elements/Requirements:
1. Introduction: Short biography of author. History behind the novel.
2. Summary: Introduction of main characters. Setting of the novel. What is the problem that the novel will focus on? Expostion.
3. Reflection: What do I think of the book? Why?

Caddy For Life: John Feinstein #2

The book only gets better. I started on page 111 and got all the way to page 226, the end of chapter 14. There are only 50 or some more pages to go and I'm sad to see that I am almost done with it. The new section I started reading this week had a lot to do with what I had read last week, a lot of information on the earlier ages of his life. There were stories on his childhood and also interesting stories on how he become a professional golf caddy for the PGA tour. I remember reading about when he had first meet Tom Watson and I still can't believe how laid back their first time meeting was. The differences of golf then and what golf is now is drastic and I can't even imagine all the stuff he talks about. For example, when Edwards was looking for a job as a teenager, he would show up at the golf course the day of the tournament and find himself a person he would caddy just for that day. Now-a-days, I know that just showing up for a tournament won't land you a caddying gig; almost all caddys are full time employees. Towards the end, there was some stories on when Edwards was first diagnosed with ALS. The book went from happy to sad in less than five pages. I can't wait to finish the book even though I know it'll get a little sad. I'm going to have to get out my tissue box!

Note #1

 Leaves Fell by Juhan Liiv
    By employing calm, dreamy images of the falling leaves, Juhan Liiv creates a majestic setting in the poem, "Leaves Fell," while the world in contrast, impotently embraces the return of autumn. As if the universe is mourning the last days of summer, the depressed "ash-gray" waves and "tin gray" skies are saying their farewells to their favorite season and are hesitantly welcoming the intruding season, autumn. The world does not know what will come with autumn and so chaos breaks out.  To reassure that nothing bad will happen in the months to come the hectic waves and dreary skies are left to witness "autumn and autumn befriend each other." The mysterious season autumn, causes "leaves [to blow] in the water," and "winds [to bring in] cooler air," emphasizing the uncertainties of change that anyone can feel. 

Exercise 2

Weaknesses:
(1) "Who can't even CONCENTRATE TO WRITE this because her little sister will NOT shut up," announces the narrator illustrating the harsh reality to her life.
(5)  The " cruddy time on a crudddy street on the side of a cruddy hill in the cruddiest part of a crudded-out town in a cruddy state, country, world, solar system, universe."
 (5) He "kept his butt cocked to one side, his feet up on the shut rails so that the bull couldn't grind his leg, brad him up, so that if it  thrashed he could get over the to in hurry."

Best post:
More Cowbell, Please

 

Exercise 1

Lynda Barry's dissonant and grating tone in her novel "Cruddy," foreshadows a dark story yet to come for the young, immature protagonist, Roberta Rohbeson. As she spends her time "writing the cruddy book of her cruddy life," Roberta displays childish acts that can only belong to a juvenile, self-centered child. Living in "the cruddiest part of a crudded-out town," the stressed out child spurts random phases of anger. Bold colloquial language is also evident and suggests an atonal tone the author feels towards writing. Barry's low diction, which includes a repetition of the word "cruddy," along with Roberta's bipolar attitude verifies the hardships Roberta is going through as a hormonal adolescent in the midst of punishment. 

Caddy For Life: John Feinstein

I am working on those reading goals for this quarter and am so far on a roll! I have read the 18 page introduction of the book, "Caddy for Life" by John Feinstein, and have started the book. So far, I have gotten from the first page of the book all the way to chapter 8, page 111. "Caddy for Life" by John Feinstein is a biography dedicated to and written on the story of Bruce Edwards, an all-time golf star, Tom Watson's committed caddy. The biography shows how strong Edwards is, before and even after he is diagnosed with the neuro-degenerative disorder, ALS. I really enjoyed the introduction and am happy I didn't skip out on it; it informed me that Feinstein is a friend of Edwards so I feel like this book will not be a boring book of facts, but an actual story with emotions. I'm excited I picked it up because, of course, I'm a golf fan!

Anthology

I haven't quite decided on what to do for the project, but I was thinking on maybe doing something on the uncertainties of life. I've been looking around and find a lot of songs about the "what ifs" in life. For example, I could write about a song, "What If" by Jason Derulo, or even a poem, "Whatif" by Shel Silverstein. The possibilities are endless but I think I might have a hard time finding different genres on the topic, so I have a back-up plan.

The other thing I was thinking on writing on is the season fall. I was born in the fall and can say it is my favorite time of the year, when it's not too hot or too cold. I would be able to find lots of text to analyze, for example, "Leaves Fell" by Juhan Liiv.

If worse comes to worse I was also thinking on writing on the universe (aka. the stars and the planets).

Reading Log: Reading Goals

Along with the required 100 pages due each week,  I would like to:
a) read at least 10 non-school related books
b) read 1,500 pages in total.
c) read to my dog
d) read outside when the weather is nice

The End of "Something Blue"

I finished the last 200 pages of Something Blue which means that I have now completed the series. The twist at the end of the book surprised me! My prediction about the wedding was right, it was Darcy that got married in the end. I also didn't find out where the title come from until the last five pages too. I'm excited that I've finished and sad that there isn't a sequel.
As I reflect on both Darcy and Rachel, I can't help but notice  the similarities between them and me. I think of myself f a person like Rachel and my friend, I can't help but notice, reminds me of Darcy. They're both outgoing, talkative, and just so darn funny. Rachel, like myself, is a more keep it to yourself person. My friend and I are complete opposites but we always have a blast when we hang out. Rachel and Darcy's friendship was destroyed at the end of  "Something Borrowed" but was finally restored with a single phone call after the birth of Darcy's twins in England. I'm glad to see the two are civil again after such a harsh departure; the book couldn't have ended in any better way. I'd definitively recommend this series to anyone out there looking for a read on friendship. It taught me an importance life long lesson on friendships.

yummy cakes: a work of art

Blue!

I'm back to Pride and Prejudice! It's been a while since I had last read the book so I refreshed my memory by reading sparknotes. I wasn't able to finish my 100 pages so I'll write about the other book that I've recently started, the sequel to "Something Borrowed," "Something Blue." I'm halfway through and it's getting pretty intense. I no doubt about it like Rachel much more than Darcy, but I can't help but feel sorry for Darcy at the same time. She's trying too hard to create a relationship that isn't there with Marcus. I hope she realizes this and leaves him before it gets too late.
This book before this sequel was called "Something Borrowed," and I was able to know where that come from more or less than 50 pages in the book, but nothing that I have read so far has had anything to do with the title, "Something Blue." I have a feeling that it's going to have to do with  Darcy's upcoming wedding  and am wondering how Emily Griffin will create another love-line interest for Darcy in just the last 200 pages because it is obviously not going to be with Marcus, her current love interest. The book has me thinking on my feet like any other mystery novel and I just can't wait until I finish. I'll update back soon.

Collecting

Argumentative Claims:

The radical range of color schemes, discombobulating object scale, unusual item combination, and drastic angling of geometric shapes combine to form a divine harmony in the middle of a flustering discord. Vivir Sonar Leer

A threatening soundtrack in the trailer to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close creates the Jumanji atmosphere of helpless terror. Reading, Reflecting, and More Reading

Personal Response/Evaluation:

 You expect the scene to end with a dramatic sword slash. It all changes pace Jack cheats pulling a gun but a single glass shatter over the head by a drunken ends it all. The intense tone and organized chaos ends as quickly as it starts. 

We know it is impossible, but his photos look so authentic that we cannot help but think that it could be reality.

Something Borrowed

I'll eventually get back to "Pride and Prejudice" but the chick-flicks have gotten me entranced. I started earlier this week and just finished "Something Borrowed" after school today. The story starts off with two best friends that run into a problem. It seems as if it was solved, but that was only contemporary. The novel grazes over the topic of friendship and love. I"m not going to say anymore; if your interested, I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, fun read. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, "Something Blue" and watching the movie too. I'll update my blog with another post comparing and contrasting the book from the movie.

1000 Awesome Things

     How many times a day do you say the word "awesome?" You could have that friend that labels everything as being awesome but for most people in this world this word is not a frequent flier in your vocabulary.  There are somethings in this world that occur too frequently to be labeled as being awesome but for Neil Pasricha, the creator of the website, "1000 Awesome Things," nothing "amazing" that could have happened to you will go by without being recognized. He has been posting every weekday since June of 2008, one awesome thing that happens everyday and as of February 23, 2012 he has already posted 960 awesome things that have happened and has only 40 more posts to go until he reaches the goal of 1000 posts. Reading through all the posts, you can't help but agree with him.
     Clean-cut and organized into specific topics, the first glance just screams "I mean business!"  The short, straight-forward posts also suggest the formality of the website as a whole but that's not the end. Even though the persona of the site at first glance is formal and direct, the words say otherwise. Pasricha's choice of diction and overall use of comedy brightens the mood of the readers and suggests another side of his bright personality. His comical description of ordinary occurrences hypnotize readers into  appreciating these "awesome" happenings that usually pass by unnoticed. I agree with all his posts which includes today's daily post ; I love it when I can "fix electronics by smacking them." 

Short List #3

For this week's short list:
Oh My That's AwesomeI don't know what it is but I have been finding a lot of websites that are about "awesome" things people find online. This website curator uploads objects they see and think will interest other people and posts them on this blog. The unusual objects that are displayed on this screen remind me of Barney on "How I Met Your Mother." He is always saying how things are "awesome" and "legendary." The objects on this site are things that Barney would think are awesome too. 
The Longest Way Home
While I flip through the pages of his blog I am intrigued with just the title page. The title of the blog, "A Global Quest in Search of a Place Called Home," and the picture of the man just starting to climb through the mountains ahead keeps me wanting to read more. I hope you check this blog out with me.
NYC
Who doesn't want to visit the coolest place on Earth? New York City is known internationally and even symbolizes the United States for some people. Destination360 gives everyone a sneak peek of New York City's own Times Square. The virtual tour of Times Square attracted me to this Destination360 website and the brief summaries/history below the virtual tour just made it even more interesting. 

Podcast Response: Music Lessons

      Music lessons are the pains that every kid has to go through when they are little. Whether this includes the classical instruments, the piano and violin, or the more festive instruments, like the saxophone and trumpet, all parents seem to be under the same trance when it comes to musical opportunities. Maybe it's all the talk going around saying that music will "help develop and mature the young brains of tomorrow," or maybe it's because they think it's something the kids will appreciate them for later on in life, but through music lessons, lots of other life-long skills are learned. In "This American Life's" episode, "Music Lessons," Ira Glass explores the lives of Durrell Daniels and Sarah Vowell to show how music lessons can truly, positively impact a life.
       Durrell Daniels has a passion for music. He loved it so much that being a professional classical musician just was not enough so he become a 7th grade music teacher. Daniels was once "surrounded [...] with 13-year-olds who massacred the living guts out of" music every day so he did what he thought would keep him sane, he quit and toured Asia, Brazil, and Canada. After he had kids of his own he had to support, he went back to teaching music in elementary school and got a whole another experience. Even though he has kids that are at the moment not musically advanced yet and "are not shy about blowing that horn no matter how bad they sound," he has found a joy in teaching, something he had missed the first time around. "Teaching music is like any teaching, except that when you fail, it is loud," but when they start to play and "they just soar," it's all worth it. Durrell Daniels did not find pleasure in teaching the first time around but was finally able to discover the true rewards of teaching, the feeling of accomplishment after time passed.

       Not only do music lessons benefit the teacher, it also benefits the pupils. Sarah Vowell appreciates the advantages that marching band gave her in her high school, "band geeks" days. As her friends sit in the stands and cheer her on during football friends, she explains how it cheers her up on days she feels down. She was able to learn more about the school during her band camp days too. Not only does she get a sneak peek of high school, she also learned to be independent. All the different instruments she practiced, the baritone and the trumpet, took time to perfect and during those times, she learned to be independent, to do things by herself.  Marching band was able to give Sarah life-long benefits, and continues to this day to be something that she will always remember.
       Durrell Daniels and Sarah Vowell represent the teacher and the pupil, the two key components involved in music lessons. Both of their stories show how music lessons are a pleasure for everyone involved, a journey worth taking in those young, adolescent years. 

                                                                                                                                                                                          

This American Life: Music Lessons

I will be writing about the different segments in This American Life's Music Lessons episode for my third Spartan Reader post. I'm thinking on focusing on specifically two segments of this podcast: the prologue and act two.  The prologue is about a professional musician that loves music but still finds the frustrations of being a music teacher stressful. I could compare and contrast Durrell's feelings on this topic at the beginning of the clip to the end. In the first minute all he could talk about was the annoying middle schoolers he teaches but towards the end, he finishes off by stating how rewarding the job can be. The second act is about Sarah Vowell, a devoted musician that explains the effects music has had on her life. For this section, I could relate to the end of Durrell's prologue clip and also tie in how the things she has learned in her music class has effected her life right now. I could go through all the SCASi doorways for this one.

Marie Antoinette

 
This is a picture of Marie Antoinette with three of her children.

I'm sure that everyone has heard of Marie Antoinette, or at least her husband, Louis the XVI; the King and Queen of France during the French Revolution. Just to let everyone know, my favorite part about French class is when the teacher occasionally talks about the French monarchy. It has just been a topic that has interested me from the beginning. This summer I finally got the opportunity to visit the oh so famous Palace of Versailles in France and was so excited. The tour guide there carefully explained the significance of  every room and the important historical events that occurred in this godly sized home. I was telling my friend about my Europe adventures when she noted that she had a book about Marie Antoinette; I was ecstatic. My friend let me borrow, "The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette" and I just couldn't put it down. Carolly Erickson, the author and also an historian uses her knowledge on the former Queen to write her own twist of history. I understand that the book is a fiction novel and not an biography but the descriptive passages just make it seem all so real. The unrealistic life she had to live, the hardships she had to endure as her country was rebelling. One wouldn't think that being a princess or Queen can be hard work, but the daily schedule she followed, the lack of privacy just makes myself think, "thank goodness I'm not a queen." I don't really cry when reading, I don't really cry ever but as the novel came to the end and as both Marie and her husband proudly walked to their deaths, I shed a few tears. To me, even with the limited information I have on this topic,  King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were and will always be the "Restorer of French Liberty and True Friend of His People," something they always believed to be true.

Staying At Daisy's

I got to read another book this weekend and decided to pick up a British chick-flick, "Staying At Daisy's." Though over 400 pages, I was able to finish the book in two days and enjoyed my break from all the other poetry and Shakespeare we have been working on in class. Like every other chick-flick novel, this book had a similar plot. The husband cheated on the wife but before the wife could divorce him he ended up dying in a car accident and creating uncomfortable situations for everyone in his life. The wife can't date anyone else who is as high-standard as her deceased husband because she feels that he'll betray her like her late husband did. All in all, the book was a fun read with an unoriginal plot but was different than any of the other chick-flick novels I have read due to the fact that the author is British. The occasional word or two that did not have any place in our dictionary, would have to be looked up. The slight cultural change between these sibling countries really did make this book a joy to read. I'm definitively going to be reading more British novels in my upcoming book; it was a joy to read.

Pinterest: My Life's Pinboard

There are blog spots and forums on the internet where you can posts your thoughts about the things happening around you but Pinterest takes blogging a step further than tumblr and facebook. It's a virtual pin-board where people from around the world come together and pin up their favorite foods, pictures, and almost anything else you could possibly think of. Pinterest is a mix between facebook and tumblr; the social aspect is like facebook and the personal aspect is like tumblr. At the end of each day, what else would you rather do than  browse the daily popular posts to feel connected with the rest of the world.

The personal and intimate setting of the site creates a sense of homeliness and comforts viewers as soon as they set their eyes on the homepage. From images of the new hottest shoes, favorite houses, and even the occasional picture of the cute fur-ball sitting at home, everything seems to fit as a whole. It's hard to image how these opposing pictures compliment each other but the simplicity of each picture all just remind one of an average day. Short and commanding phrases perch underneath each planned shot. You can tell that each artist spent a fair amount of time with each picture trying to tell a story. If you ever have time to contribute to the world's bulletin board I'll tell you right now how addicting it gets. If you don't want to contribute, I'm sure you can find some how to tips on one of the hundreds of pages pinterest has.

Short List #2

1000 Awesome Things
This was on my short list for week #1 and I think this is what I'm going to write about for this week's Spartan Reader post. I was browsing through the articles on www.ted.com when I happened to come across this website. Neil Pasricha, the creator of the site has been posting every weekday since June of 2008, one awesome thing that happens everyday. As of February 6, 2012 he has already posted 946 awesome things in his life and has only 54 more posts to go until he reaches the goal of 1000 posts. The list is hilarious. 

Pinterest
My friend told me about this website one day last week and I already feel like it's going to be the next new tumblr. People from around the world add posts to their virtual pin boards and not only do they posts the things they love, they can also comment on the other posts that fascinate them. You just feel connected with the rest of the world when your on pinterest and who knows, it might be the new facebook.

Viamichelin
Everyone probably already has a dream Europe vacation planned out but if you don't, this is the place for you. From hotels and restaurants to famous attractions this website could help anyone plan their fantasy vacation. You don't have to look up every destination because the tools on this website do it  for you. They tell you how many stars the place has and even lists average costs, anything you would need to know to plan a vacation. I planned my future Europe tour trip with the help from viamichelin and the descriptions of all the locations really made it a fun experience.

Sub #1 Comments

I've come to the conclusion that if I had to pick one website, I would pick The Burning House. By the title, I'm sure you could guess what the website is about.These people submit a picture of the items they would carry with them, along with a list, their name, and where they're from. Most of these people claim that they would take their cameras, phones, some old vintage clothes or sunglasses, or their laptops. Personally, if I posted on this website, my dog, phone, and blanket and probably a few good books would be in the picture.  When someone asks another person what they would bring, the normal answer is "my phone, computer, camera, clothes, etc." But if you put some thought into this, your answer may be different. I'd bring what is most important to me, like I said earlier, my dog. He'd be the first thing I'd try to save(:

If your house was burning to the ground, what would you bring?

The author to this blog post has a lot of observations on The Burning House website but not a lot of analytical inferences. Descriptions of the posts and even the personal ties at the end would have been a great intro to the Spartan Reader. If they added a few more sentences on what they thought the objects listed inferred about the bloggers, I think their Spartan Reader post would have been stronger.

Just Like the Movie

             
     Everyone told me to read Pride and Prejudice. I wan't sure if I would like it so I did what anyone else would do, I watched the movie. As of now, I have always liked the book better than the movie. If I hear that a movie is coming out, I make sure I don't read the book anytime soon. The movies just made the books so boring. I had already watched the beginning scenes in Mr. Hill's AP Lit class but once he stopped the film after the scene at the ball, I knew I would be finishing the movie later that night. Now that I am reading the book, I can't help but compare the book to the movie. I don't think I have ever watched a movie that is so similar to the actual book. Even though I have only gotten through the first 150 pages, I just have this feeling that I'll like the book as much as I liked the movie. Maybe I will even post something about comparing the movie and the film after I finish reading.
     My favorite scene so far in the book, ironically, is the scene of the ball. This time it's not the first ball that they are together at, it's the second ball. Elizabeth wasn't beautiful enough to "tempt" Mr. Darcy at the first ball  but it seems that something had changed Mr. Darcy's mind about Elizabeth the second time around. The usually stubborn, cold man that only dances with the women in his close knit of acquaintances finally gives Elizabeth a chance with a dance. I found it cute and I cannot wait until I get further along in the book. The small bits of extra descriptions in the book have made the book enjoyable but when I finish, I know I am going to end up watching the movie again.

The Spartan Reader

Do you ever wonder how many times you drink orange juice every year or how about how many times you meet a guy with the name of Joe? Nicolas Felton, the curator of feltron.com has been recording the small happenings of his life since 2005. At the end of each year he spends gathering data, he analyzes the information he has and then publishes his finding in a most upscale  and unusual way.  Most people would write about their personal lives on blog posts or in journals but it's different for Felton, he's the one with the bright neon shirt on in a mob of a black out. He records and displays every year of his life in graphs and charts.

Felton shows the world where he goes, who he meets, and what he does in a year's time all in a minimal number of pictures which all seem to explode with statistics. The monochromatic pages are simple but yet still chaotic, bursting with numbers, places, and names. Bland, organized and filled with blunt straight lines, the perfectly symmetrical website suggests the possibilities of an obsessive author who hypnotizes the world with the story of his life. The intriguing but still yet mind numbing display of data singles out Nicolas Felton's blog and most definitely attracts the number of visits to the website. It's just one other way our modernized society members have been able to display the twenty-first century at its highest peak. Feltron.com is definitely something everyone should check out, even if you're not a math nerd.

Week 5: Top Links

 I linked a few of my favorite Spartan Reader ideas...


Find of the Day by sounds of silence.
It's Nice That by let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters.
Best Trips 2012 by  unknown.

cute :)

Finished!

I finally finished "The Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother" the other day. It was a great ending, something I didn't expect from a memoir. I don't usually read memoirs because well, I don't really like reading about other people's lives, but this book was different. It was actually enjoyable and I think I can even put it on my Top 10 Reading Books list. After reading about Sophia, Lulu, Amy and Jed, I couldn't help myself from searching them on Google. I have watched videos on Sophia's graduation speech, book interviews, and even older piano and violin performances. And more exciting yet, I found Sophia's blog! I plan on following her from now on.
Anyway, I also started a new book this week, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. The movie was good and while reading through blogs last Friday, I read that someone thought the book was also a good read so I bumped it to the top of my To Read list right after school that day. I'm going to start something new this time and try to read this on my Nook. I finished the first 50 pages or so and am already starting to get a good feel on this book. After the memoir, I feel a good romantic novel would be nice. I'll update more on this book later.

Ideas for the Spartan Reader ...

 
http://1000awesomethings.com/
I was browsing through the articles on www.ted.com when I happened to come across this website. Neil Pasricha, the creator of the site has been posting every weekday since June of 2008, one awesome thing that happens everyday. As of January 25, 2012 he has already posted 935 awesome things in his life and has only 65 more posts to go until he reaches the goal of 1000 posts. The list is hilarious.














http://feltron.com/
Mr. Hill was telling our AP Lit class about this website the other day and I thought it would be something I would enjoy writing about. Feltron has recorded his life, and unlike others who write in journals or blogs, he shows the world what he does, where he goes, who he meets, whatever you can possibly think of, in data graphs. The monochromatic pages are simple but yet still chaotic, bursting with numbers and other statistics. It's something everyone should check out.



http://www.thelongestwayhome.com/
This blog is about a guy who packs up and sells everything he owns and travels around the world to find his real home. I am still wondering my way through the pages of his blog but am intrigued with just the title page. The title of the blog, "A Global Quest in Search of a Place Called Home," and the picture of the man just starting to climb through the mountains ahead keeps me wanting to read more. I hope you check this blog out with me.

Friday Blog Review!

Though I have read a handful of blogs today, my favorite so far has been "Unfettered." You should check it out sometime (there will be a link to it on the bottom). She starts one of her posts with one word, "Bunnies," and I knew I was going to like what I read next. It grabbed my attention right away and I give a thumbs up to her on that. Compared to the other blogs,this one just seems the most "inviting" to me, starting from the catchy titles to the warm colored background. 
"Wicked Lovely" however, has my favorite post on the "Dead Poets Society." Her use of description is incredible as it also supports her claim, something I have a hard time doing. All the blogs I have read today have been interesting and I am looking forward for Friday Blog Review this semester.

http://jovialpursuit.blogspot.com/
http://sinclair-wickedlovely.blogspot.com/

Currently: - Page 203

     As I continue on with Amy Chua's, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, I can't help but notice the change between the relationships of Chua and her family. Sophia, the "model child," finally ends up yelling at her mom after a fight over a small rice mess. The relationship between this mother and daughter was always better than the relationship with the other daughter, Lulu. She was the one that listened and followed every single word that came out of her mother's mouth by racing home after-school to get the extra hour of piano practice in or even by doing all the extra credit work her teachers would give out. This mother and daughter has had a steady relationship until this rice spill accident that caused an argument and ruined the streak:
    "Do you know what a good daughter I am? Everyone else I know parties all the time, and they drink and do drugs. And do you know what I do? Every day I run straight home from school [..] to practice more piano! You're always talking about gratitude, but you should be grateful to me."
     As the book progresses, I feel that Chua's steady relationships are starting to go downhill, and the ones that have already been going down that slope, are only rolling down faster. Chua had always had trouble with her younger daughter Lulu, the "rebellious child," but every other page in the book seems to be describing the fights the two strong-willed people were never giving into. The arguments are also on the same topic, control. As the two fight, nothing good seems to conclude. For example, Lulu cuts off all her hair after her mom refused to take her to the hair salon unless she practiced her violin. The Chinese mother believes her methods for discipline will eventually work on Lulu as it had worked on Sophia, but after each fight, she too also seems to be losing hope. Both the relationships with her daughters seem to be deteriorating because of the lock she holds to their lives. I am excited to read the last 30 pages to find out how her relationships stand by the end of the book.

Dead Poets Society: A First Impression

     The contrast between the tearful and yet innocent younger boys and the two-faced older boys in the opening scenes of Peter Weir’s film, Dead Poets Society, suggests that age and influence will impact the children on their quest to adulthood at their school, Welton Academy. As the blurry, pixel visible mural zooms out to develop into a clear, sharp image of a holy scene, the younger siblings giggle and laugh as their father snaps a few pictures that can be saved and revisited later on in life. The older boys in the background teasing each other with poles look just like and parallel the younger boys in front of the mural. Even though the attitude of the groups of the young and the more experienced boys seem to be identical, the screeching  bagpipes that signal the start of the opening ceremony also signal for what is like a  new mask. Serious masks cover the young adults as words begin to slip out of the headmaster's lips while the younger children talk quietly amongst themselves. When the ceremony ends and the boys are saying their last farewells to their families, the younger boys cry and wish for the return of their parents while the older boys stay and wait for their final instructions of the year. As the boys age and try to find "the light of knowledge" at Welton Academy, they also find the light for the long journey of adulthood waiting for them. 

Duo Close Reading: Nighthawks

                                                        "Night Hawks" by Edward Hopper

Elements of paintings:
1. Color
2. Characters
3. Space
4. Lighting
5. Brush Strokes

Specific Observations:
1. Bright main subject
2. Empty/abandoned streets
3.Contrasted building
4.Warm colors for inside
5. Cool colors for outside
6. Simple/bland
7. Formal attire
8. Stillness
9. Bored facial expressions
10. Shawdows
11. Gradual darkening: right to left
12. Silent awkwardness

Claim: The contrast between the empty, deserted streets and the warm, inviting cafe underscores the idea of needed human interaction.

Currently

                    

      "... some of the things my daughters [...] were never allowed to do: attend a sleepover, have a playdate, be in a school play, complain about not being in a school play, watch TV or play computer games, choose their own extracurricular activities, get any grade less than an A, not be the #1 student in every subject except gym and drama, play any instrument other than the piano or violin, and not play the piano or violin."

     I never would have thought that anyone could publish a book that described my mother  better than what Amy Chua did in the book, the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Chua's daughters, Sophia and Lulu, are some of the most accomplished people I have ever read about, and they're only as old as I am. Sophia got to play at Carnegie Hall by the age of 13, Lulu got to learn from the world renowned violinist Naoka Tanaka, and they both got the opportunity to perform around the world as the potent sister duo.  As a child, my mother was like any other stereotypical Asian mom, she pushed us kids to the furthest of our abilities. She told us that to be able to live up to the potential America could offer us, we would have to be the best of the best. Even though she isn't as harsh as Chua, my sisters and I have had our own experiences with fights and tears, whether it was being dragged to piano lessons every week or sitting down for another Korean language lesson. I never really understood why my mom wanted us to be the first at everything, but I now think I understand. Like Chua says, "everything is for their future." My mom is "the tiger, the living symbol of strength and power, [the one that] inspires fear and respect," and I thank her for that. 

My Childhood Photo Album

     I don’t really remember all the events that occurred during my childhood, but I do have pictures that show me what I was like as a child. And like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Whenever I look back through my album with my sisters, we have this game we play where we each choose a favorite picture. Recently, I choose a picture of my mom reading to me. As a child, I never was read the classic children stories; I was read the books my parents had gotten from Korea. Because of their recent move to America, my parents were not yet able to read in English, so I was read the traditional Korean stories. I remember my favorite story; a story of a girl who had dropped a golden ball into the sea and her journey to retrieve if from the monsters on the sea bottom. My mom and dad, no matter how busy they were, always saved some time off their day to read to my sisters and me.

     I continued to read every day all throughout my elementary school days. The stickers on my Accelerated Reader sheet overflowing by the end of each year but at the end of my fifth grade year, my parents told me that we were going to move to Fort Wayne and my somewhat every day, regular schedule changed forever. I had always lived in a small town, so I was scared to move to what seemed like such a big city to a little girl. I don’t know if it was the transition to middle school, the move to Fort Wayne, or even if it something that naturally occurred as I got more engulfed with technology that got me less involved with books. I barely read out of school in middle school as well as the first two years of my high school career. I regret not reading as much as I should and try to catch up on my reading nowadays. With all the books offered to me from the school and also from the local library, my goal for etymology this semester is to read at least two books a month. No matter how busy my schedule is, I’m going to read every day, just like how my mom and dad read to me when I was little.