I know, I know. The reason I am posting this essay about the Sugar Trade is because I am behind on my essays, and we wrote about it in Geography. But an essay is an essay, right?
About a year after Christopher Columbus discovered America, sugar was introduced to Europe, which was basically an undiscovered substance to them. Europe, and the rest of the world, would soon explode with the need for sugar. There are many reasons that people desired sugar, including slavery, plantations, and money, but I think the one of the main reason that sugar became such a need for many people all over the world, was the addiction to this sweet substance. We don’t even know it, but we eat sugar every day, and some people think that they could not live without it. As soon as people were introduced to it, the worldwide addiction began.
The average person consumes about three times their body weight in sugar every year. We absolutely love it, as you can see if you read Documents 3-5. Most of us cannot imagine a world without it, but for a very long time, people didn’t know it existed. But once they did discover it, it soon became clear that the passionate need for sugar would soon become a problem. The ground and climate were not ideal for growing cane sugar, and it got very hard to transport. But, when the Europeans found out that the Caribbean was a perfect place to grow it, the plantations and slavery for sugar also took off.
One of the main reasons of the things that we do today, are to make a profit. Our society is founded and formed around currency and pricing. It was the same back in the day, too. While the price of owning a plantation for sugar was expensive, it was more than beneficial. The average sugar plantation of five hundred acres required at least three hundred slaves, a hundred and fifty head of cattle, twenty-five horses, and fifty head of sheep, and that’s not including all of the houses and needs for the slavers and yourself. It was an expensive process, but the need for sugar overcame the price. The cost for slaves was expensive, but they sold for even more. The average slave cost around about 14-16 pounds, but they sold in the British Caribbean for 32-41. People could make a profit with just buying and selling the slaves for their plantation! Not only was it beneficial to make money from slaves, but they also worked at the plantation to help with the sugar, so if you think about it, you couldn’t really lose money owning slaves for your sugar plantations.
As seen from above, there are many reasons that the sugar trade took off, but I would like to restate, in my prospective, the main reason. I think that the need for sugar outweighs everything else. We, as modern Americans cannot live without it; can you imagine what it would have been like when it was discovered? We thrive on the stuff, and they did too. Once the people had sugar, they would soon need it for a lot of things they ate daily. With this need, it was easy for the sugar plantations to sell, which made a profit, which made owning a plantation very popular. So, when you trace everything back to the source, you will find that the main reason is that we are addicted to sugar.
To conclude, there are many reasons that the sugar trade took off. Slavery, plantation ownership, land and climate, and trade philosophy, but I think that the main reason was consumer demand. Sugar really is an addictive substance, and once discovered, people would continue to want it. The need for sugar brought plantations, slaves, and relocation to better places, so when you think of the reasons all this started, you come to one conclusion: Sugar was needed by everyone.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
To Kill a Mockingbird essay.
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ I, personally, think that this quote from Miss Maudie in the book To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most important lines in the book. People often distrust what they don’t understand. A reason why this quote is important is because it basically sums up the whole theme of the book. As we see Scout (Our Narrator) grow up and become more mature, she states incidences in her life that she does not quite understand because of her age, but she is an excellent observer. She states situations such as The Tom Robbinson Trial, and extreme acts of racism. Even the Radley Place would fall under this topic. But if you read this book, you will find that through Scouts adolescent view, you can make sense of what she doesn’t. You can find incidences where people do kill mockingbirds, and you can’t forget it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.
First, let’s start with the Tom Robbinson trial. Scout goes through this situation in an innocent manor, and she doesn’t quite understand what’s happening, but you can read through the lines a bit and find out the story. Tom Robbinson, a black man, was accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter, had been arrested. Over the course of To Kill a Mockingbird, we start to see the trial unfold. Atticus, Scout’s Father, is his lawyer. We see Atticus threatened and insulted, just for helping a black person. We know Tom Robbinson is innocent, but he is convicted guilty. This situation reflects the theme because people didn’t understand him. To them, he was just black garbage, who deserved to die just because of his skin color. People hate what they don’t understand, which in this case, would be Tom Robbinson. He would be considered a mockingbird. He has done nothing to anyone, but yet, they kill him for not fitting the mold that casted the ideal society at the time.
I would like to focus on Atticus for this paragraph, because he would also be considered a mockingbird. We don’t read the book from his point of view, but we can understand some things that happened. I don’t think that Atticus was treated fairly at all, and I am not just saying that because he is my favorite character. Atticus Fitch has a different state of mind than most people in this book. He understands everyone is equal, while everyone else doesn’t. He almost gets killed in Chapter 15, just for trying to protect Tom. People don’t understand why he thinks so differently, so their conclusion is to be against Atticus. While we didn’t get to see some things that happened to him, he would diffidently be considered a mockingbird.
Another subject, which would seem like a childhood story than an actual event, would be the Radley place. Scout, Jem, and Dill grow up right next to the house, and they always thought it was a scary story, a Malevolent Phantom, if you will. They interact with this character they call Boo, who is rumored to remain inside the house at all times. They never get to see him early on, but they know he is there. People, including the kids, don’t understand Boo, also known as Arthur Radley. And while at the end of the book he saves their lives (which was one of my favorite parts in the book), he is often judged for what he is. Another example of people not trusting something they don’t understand. So, in a way, he would also be considered a mockingbird.
To conclude, I think that the main topic in this book is People often distrust what they don’t understand; I think that around the time this story takes place, is where this topic is most exampled. The thing is; people don’t like what they don’t understand. They hate it. So we see much injustice in this book, just because of the way that something is. People mistreat things that don’t deserve to be mistreated. They are like mockingbirds. And we must always remember: It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.
First, let’s start with the Tom Robbinson trial. Scout goes through this situation in an innocent manor, and she doesn’t quite understand what’s happening, but you can read through the lines a bit and find out the story. Tom Robbinson, a black man, was accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter, had been arrested. Over the course of To Kill a Mockingbird, we start to see the trial unfold. Atticus, Scout’s Father, is his lawyer. We see Atticus threatened and insulted, just for helping a black person. We know Tom Robbinson is innocent, but he is convicted guilty. This situation reflects the theme because people didn’t understand him. To them, he was just black garbage, who deserved to die just because of his skin color. People hate what they don’t understand, which in this case, would be Tom Robbinson. He would be considered a mockingbird. He has done nothing to anyone, but yet, they kill him for not fitting the mold that casted the ideal society at the time.
I would like to focus on Atticus for this paragraph, because he would also be considered a mockingbird. We don’t read the book from his point of view, but we can understand some things that happened. I don’t think that Atticus was treated fairly at all, and I am not just saying that because he is my favorite character. Atticus Fitch has a different state of mind than most people in this book. He understands everyone is equal, while everyone else doesn’t. He almost gets killed in Chapter 15, just for trying to protect Tom. People don’t understand why he thinks so differently, so their conclusion is to be against Atticus. While we didn’t get to see some things that happened to him, he would diffidently be considered a mockingbird.
Another subject, which would seem like a childhood story than an actual event, would be the Radley place. Scout, Jem, and Dill grow up right next to the house, and they always thought it was a scary story, a Malevolent Phantom, if you will. They interact with this character they call Boo, who is rumored to remain inside the house at all times. They never get to see him early on, but they know he is there. People, including the kids, don’t understand Boo, also known as Arthur Radley. And while at the end of the book he saves their lives (which was one of my favorite parts in the book), he is often judged for what he is. Another example of people not trusting something they don’t understand. So, in a way, he would also be considered a mockingbird.
To conclude, I think that the main topic in this book is People often distrust what they don’t understand; I think that around the time this story takes place, is where this topic is most exampled. The thing is; people don’t like what they don’t understand. They hate it. So we see much injustice in this book, just because of the way that something is. People mistreat things that don’t deserve to be mistreated. They are like mockingbirds. And we must always remember: It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Choices
This whole world and everything we know, are based on choices. We all make important, life changing decisions and opportunities, and if we don't look around and pay attention, we might miss them. You always hear people telling you how to make your decisions, and odds are they know what's best, considering they know from experience, but you have to learn to make important choices by yourself. Of course, there are the little ones that don't make that much of a difference, but there are also the ones that can set the course for your life. Because of these choices, I am choosing to write about this topic.
Because of the normal human flaws, we don't always make the best decisions. But sometimes, It doesn't make that big of a shift in your life. Choices like deciding what toothpaste we should by, choosing to take the bus over driving, or downloading a new song from iTunes are decisions that would not make that big of a difference. Life is full of these choices, while some of them might seem useless, they help us with decision making.
Now, you know there aren't just little choices in life. There are always the ones that a huge chunk of our lives may be a result of that single choice. Some examples are: Marriage, career choice, and following the law. We will choose right and we will choose wrong in the times there are these choices. But some of these choices, which can sometimes be crystal clear, can be about as certain as the next song on your iPod when on shuffle. We don't have a definite answer to almost any of our choices.
Sometimes, we think something is not a major choice, but it could prove to be the most important one in our life. I heard a quote someone said, "There are many important choices in life, but some can be missed in the blink of an eye. In 20 seconds your whole world could be changed by a certain decision you have made." I think that it's strange to think that a decision that is happening in front of you, with no warning signs or signals, has the power to change your life. Also, a collection of these small choices can equal something big. Like if you choose to not buy toothpaste, not to shower once a day, skip shaving once or twice, could all add up to a person's perspective about you. In that certain example, I'm sure that someone would say something like, "You are absolutely discussing." *Personal hygiene is important.*
Well, I fit in all the comma rules I needed to in this cute little essay, so I'll start to close. Life is full of choices, and we need to pay attention or we could miss something important. There are choices that don't really matter, choices that matter a lot, and little decisions that end up mattering. We cannot control the outcome of unknown decisions, but they will always turn out the way they are supposed to.
Because of the normal human flaws, we don't always make the best decisions. But sometimes, It doesn't make that big of a shift in your life. Choices like deciding what toothpaste we should by, choosing to take the bus over driving, or downloading a new song from iTunes are decisions that would not make that big of a difference. Life is full of these choices, while some of them might seem useless, they help us with decision making.
Now, you know there aren't just little choices in life. There are always the ones that a huge chunk of our lives may be a result of that single choice. Some examples are: Marriage, career choice, and following the law. We will choose right and we will choose wrong in the times there are these choices. But some of these choices, which can sometimes be crystal clear, can be about as certain as the next song on your iPod when on shuffle. We don't have a definite answer to almost any of our choices.
Sometimes, we think something is not a major choice, but it could prove to be the most important one in our life. I heard a quote someone said, "There are many important choices in life, but some can be missed in the blink of an eye. In 20 seconds your whole world could be changed by a certain decision you have made." I think that it's strange to think that a decision that is happening in front of you, with no warning signs or signals, has the power to change your life. Also, a collection of these small choices can equal something big. Like if you choose to not buy toothpaste, not to shower once a day, skip shaving once or twice, could all add up to a person's perspective about you. In that certain example, I'm sure that someone would say something like, "You are absolutely discussing." *Personal hygiene is important.*
Well, I fit in all the comma rules I needed to in this cute little essay, so I'll start to close. Life is full of choices, and we need to pay attention or we could miss something important. There are choices that don't really matter, choices that matter a lot, and little decisions that end up mattering. We cannot control the outcome of unknown decisions, but they will always turn out the way they are supposed to.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
School Responsibility
Fun title, right? They the words that every person feels at one point in their life, and it is the student code that we are told to live by. We are all need to act mature in our life, regardless of age. Don't get me wrong, I think that responsibility is one of the main things we need to learn in life, and I know of its major importance. I would rather do what I think is right and do what I think needs to be done, than someone telling me how to do things; which I hate. I am a huge believer in personal responsibility and I think that the entire school system should be formed around just that. But the way teachers pound you with assignments and expect them to be done exactly to their standards. The way that the word responsibility has its perfect definition, and any variations will not be tolerated. I cannot handle this school system anymore, and I know that I have already talked about this once, but let's continue, shall we?
I know that you have already heard me gripe and complain about this, and the last thing that I want you to know me by is my nonconformist ways, but my brain is shutting down. I am FAR to stressed as it is, considering all that I am currently doing, and I love everything that I'm doing outside of school, But when you add the fact that you need to be a perfect student. The way that they think that the only thing you should be doing is schoolwork, and you might even agree! Since when should school be the main source for everything? Did I miss the memo that told everyone to stop living life? Since when was I told I couldn't have a voice, or express myself through other means than an art project or science fair? You are supposed to live your own life, to learn from your OWN mistakes. I feel like people have all gone crazy or got brainwashed or something, except for me. But somehow I'm the crazy one, and I may be, but if you agree with everything that the school does, then I don't know what is going on. But I am asking you to join my insanity for a moment, at least until the end of this essay.
If you read my "The School System" article, then this would all be familiar, but I believe that there is this mold that has been formed of a perfect student and we are all told to fit it, and if we don't, it ruins our lives. According to the school system, there is one way to learn things, but there are millions! But they force us to learn one way and one way only. They'll hand you far too many assignments, and what do they hope to accomplish? Sure, some, or even most of the kids doing the same assignment may learn something, which is great, but what about the kids who don't? Of course, I do think that assignments can be helpful in moderation, but everyone has a different way of learning things. But it seems like the school doesn't care about them. You either fit the mold or you fail the class.
Now, it's late, and you probably stopped reading my rambling on about useless subjects that I cannot change, so I'll finish up. I don't think that the way the school teaches responsibility is the only way to learn it, but it seems they force you to. But who knows? I could be totally wrong. Until next week, Goodbye.
I know that you have already heard me gripe and complain about this, and the last thing that I want you to know me by is my nonconformist ways, but my brain is shutting down. I am FAR to stressed as it is, considering all that I am currently doing, and I love everything that I'm doing outside of school, But when you add the fact that you need to be a perfect student. The way that they think that the only thing you should be doing is schoolwork, and you might even agree! Since when should school be the main source for everything? Did I miss the memo that told everyone to stop living life? Since when was I told I couldn't have a voice, or express myself through other means than an art project or science fair? You are supposed to live your own life, to learn from your OWN mistakes. I feel like people have all gone crazy or got brainwashed or something, except for me. But somehow I'm the crazy one, and I may be, but if you agree with everything that the school does, then I don't know what is going on. But I am asking you to join my insanity for a moment, at least until the end of this essay.
If you read my "The School System" article, then this would all be familiar, but I believe that there is this mold that has been formed of a perfect student and we are all told to fit it, and if we don't, it ruins our lives. According to the school system, there is one way to learn things, but there are millions! But they force us to learn one way and one way only. They'll hand you far too many assignments, and what do they hope to accomplish? Sure, some, or even most of the kids doing the same assignment may learn something, which is great, but what about the kids who don't? Of course, I do think that assignments can be helpful in moderation, but everyone has a different way of learning things. But it seems like the school doesn't care about them. You either fit the mold or you fail the class.
Now, it's late, and you probably stopped reading my rambling on about useless subjects that I cannot change, so I'll finish up. I don't think that the way the school teaches responsibility is the only way to learn it, but it seems they force you to. But who knows? I could be totally wrong. Until next week, Goodbye.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Social Networking
Weird topic? Yes. I have been sitting in front of my computer for 10 minutes trying to decide what to write about. But I was checking my Facebook at the same time, so why not write about social networking? You have probably heard from someone, that is probably a lot older and lived life without the need to update whats on their mind every day to 642 friends that don't really care, that there is no need for social networking. I would disagree with that statement, but I also would have to somewhat understand their point of view. Let us start with the disagree portion of this 500 words or more essay.
I do not think anyone needs to have a Facebook or MySpace or Twitter or whatever the heck you have. Now, don't be all "But you have a Facebook, don't you Jack?" Yes, and I'll get to that later. Life should be lived as life, not staring at little pixles of light on a computer screen. And honestly? I couldn't really care less how your weekend was, I have no intrest to know that you and your dog love spending time together, and I don't want to hear your problems that have absolutly nothing to do with me. I heard a couple quotes the other day about Facebook, and I amused me. They are- "Facebook is like a jail, you listen to peoples problems, you all have a profile picture, and you get poked by people you don't really know." And- "It's called Facebook, not StalkingBook."
Because I keep bagging on social networks, I'll admit they can be useful. For example, Facebook can be used for keeping track of your close friends, helps you organize dates, and it's also a little fun. The reason people don't like social networks is because they are overused way too much. There are always those people that post every three hours, there are always those people who will add you when you don't really know them, and there will be those people who stalk someone for months at a time by what they've liked and their photos.
Now is the paragraph about what every teenager hates, but for some reason, starts it all. Drama. If anything, social networks are melting pot for all of the drama that has been going on and multiplies it by 6. Yes, 6. Because you are not talking to the person directly. It's like talking to someone behind their back, but to their computer screen, which spreads the gossip to the person. It is the perfect breeding ground for cyber-bullying, because you can upload embarrassing photos and write a mean status. It brings together everything bad happening between people, but it also brings friends together.
To conclude, I think that social networks are bad and useless in many many ways, but they are also good in some too. There are many times that I have almost deleated my Facebook just because I have gotten so sick of it, but I cannot bring myself to it. It's like a big party. You don't really know many people there, there is always drama and problems, but Hey, it's a party. It is a place for friends, but some people take it to the next level.
I do not think anyone needs to have a Facebook or MySpace or Twitter or whatever the heck you have. Now, don't be all "But you have a Facebook, don't you Jack?" Yes, and I'll get to that later. Life should be lived as life, not staring at little pixles of light on a computer screen. And honestly? I couldn't really care less how your weekend was, I have no intrest to know that you and your dog love spending time together, and I don't want to hear your problems that have absolutly nothing to do with me. I heard a couple quotes the other day about Facebook, and I amused me. They are- "Facebook is like a jail, you listen to peoples problems, you all have a profile picture, and you get poked by people you don't really know." And- "It's called Facebook, not StalkingBook."
Because I keep bagging on social networks, I'll admit they can be useful. For example, Facebook can be used for keeping track of your close friends, helps you organize dates, and it's also a little fun. The reason people don't like social networks is because they are overused way too much. There are always those people that post every three hours, there are always those people who will add you when you don't really know them, and there will be those people who stalk someone for months at a time by what they've liked and their photos.
Now is the paragraph about what every teenager hates, but for some reason, starts it all. Drama. If anything, social networks are melting pot for all of the drama that has been going on and multiplies it by 6. Yes, 6. Because you are not talking to the person directly. It's like talking to someone behind their back, but to their computer screen, which spreads the gossip to the person. It is the perfect breeding ground for cyber-bullying, because you can upload embarrassing photos and write a mean status. It brings together everything bad happening between people, but it also brings friends together.
To conclude, I think that social networks are bad and useless in many many ways, but they are also good in some too. There are many times that I have almost deleated my Facebook just because I have gotten so sick of it, but I cannot bring myself to it. It's like a big party. You don't really know many people there, there is always drama and problems, but Hey, it's a party. It is a place for friends, but some people take it to the next level.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Dating
Lately, I have been seeing more and more of a continuous problem. Some of the youth today have stopped going on dates. There is no more calling someone up asking if they want to go to a movie and dinner, there is only hanging out at a friends house. You would think that this would not strike someone as a big deal, but for some reason I can't get around the fact that they are taking something great and taking it for granted. That just barely sounded super lame, but why pass an opportunity to spend time with the opposite gender?
OK, call me a little bit of a hopeless romantic, but I was excited to go on dates once I realized girls didn't have cooties. I have been excited to turn 16 so I can drive a date to a drive in movie or something like that. But then It's right around the corner and people are stopping! I've been hanging out with girls since I was 5. I want to be able to actually go on dates.
Now, with every problem, there's a solution. I plan on resurrecting the idea of dating. Even if dating stops completely. How will you do that Jack? That seems nearly impossible. My life is formed around impossible. I will take girls on dates every weekend, if necessary. It's a chore really, going out with girls every weekend, but I'm sure I can handle it.
Right now you are probably thinking, "He just wants to hang out with a bunch of girls." Considering I am 15 years old, that couldn't be more true. But I'm not just saying it for my benefit. You should learn to be as little awkward with the opposite gender as possible. You can't turn out like a 40 year old man with no idea how to talk to girls, and you'd be surprised how many people cannot. Some of my best friends are girls. There should be no barrier for friendship because of gender. Many times, at a junior high, you will hear a lot of drama about someone liking someone because they spend a lot of time together. But I don't know how or by whom but this rule has formed over many years. It's the "Guys and Girls can't be friends" rule. Now, I've never been one for rules, and this is no excuse. I think that this is a complete lie.
To conclude, I do think that dating should be THE main way to spend time with the opposite gender. I think that it helps get over the unreasonable awkwardness and confusion. There is this barrier that has been set up and it needs to be broken down. Now, if you find yourself kissing everyone in the opposite gender, then it may be time so slow down. I am not encouraging moving too fast, or even moving fast at all, because that could eventually become problematic. But I think that there should be no reason why people shouldn't go on dates and get to know each other.
OK, call me a little bit of a hopeless romantic, but I was excited to go on dates once I realized girls didn't have cooties. I have been excited to turn 16 so I can drive a date to a drive in movie or something like that. But then It's right around the corner and people are stopping! I've been hanging out with girls since I was 5. I want to be able to actually go on dates.
Now, with every problem, there's a solution. I plan on resurrecting the idea of dating. Even if dating stops completely. How will you do that Jack? That seems nearly impossible. My life is formed around impossible. I will take girls on dates every weekend, if necessary. It's a chore really, going out with girls every weekend, but I'm sure I can handle it.
Right now you are probably thinking, "He just wants to hang out with a bunch of girls." Considering I am 15 years old, that couldn't be more true. But I'm not just saying it for my benefit. You should learn to be as little awkward with the opposite gender as possible. You can't turn out like a 40 year old man with no idea how to talk to girls, and you'd be surprised how many people cannot. Some of my best friends are girls. There should be no barrier for friendship because of gender. Many times, at a junior high, you will hear a lot of drama about someone liking someone because they spend a lot of time together. But I don't know how or by whom but this rule has formed over many years. It's the "Guys and Girls can't be friends" rule. Now, I've never been one for rules, and this is no excuse. I think that this is a complete lie.
To conclude, I do think that dating should be THE main way to spend time with the opposite gender. I think that it helps get over the unreasonable awkwardness and confusion. There is this barrier that has been set up and it needs to be broken down. Now, if you find yourself kissing everyone in the opposite gender, then it may be time so slow down. I am not encouraging moving too fast, or even moving fast at all, because that could eventually become problematic. But I think that there should be no reason why people shouldn't go on dates and get to know each other.
Seasons
Yeah, I haven't posted for two weeks, but if your life was as busy as mine, you'd understand. Anyway, this week, I am choosing to write about the general topic of seasons. Yes, we all have favorites. I personally, love Summer. I don't have to waste 7 hours of my day in school. I can wake up every day at 2pm and not feel like I missed anything. I stay up past midnight every night with friends. And every day is like a Friday night.
Now, with every positive, there is a negative. I absolutely HATE cold. Which is really ironic, because I live in Utah. Sure, I love snowboarding, hot chocolate, curling next to a fire, or cuddling with a girl because your "cold". And don't get me wrong, I love those things. But it's the lack of color, the freezing temperature, and the depressing look of the sky that makes me not like winter- and let's not forget, I'm in school most of winter.
We can't leave the other seasons out either. That's unfair. Now we will talk a little bit about spring. I also have positive feelings about spring too. I love the new flowers, the way the air seems fresh, although we both know it isn't as fresh as we think. I like the way the sun finally looks like it has got over it's depression. But I still hate cold, and cold mixed with cold newly-melted snow is not what I would prefer to mix. There is always that little bit of snow left that you just want gone. It usually is by roads and it looks dirty and sad. I don't like thinking that summer is really close, when it snows the next day. Overall, the cons out way the pros.
We can't have only three seasons, now can we? What I like about fall is the sweatshirts, the pumpkins, the massive amount of turkey that my dad makes, and, and the way the leaves change color. I love color, so you would think that I am all for fall, right? Not exactly. You see, in Fall, It always snows earlier than you want it to. Everybody hates raking up leaves. You have to winterize your yard, and if you have a pool like me, It really sucks. The threat of winter is just around the corner, and there isn't really time to enjoy it. The whole season just seems skipped, and I don't like it.
Back to Summer. Yes, everything about summer is great. No school, no worries, no panicking. I enjoy the sunburns, the two months of school education that I'm losing while I play Call of Duty and hang out with the opposite gender. Now would be the time where I say something I don't like about summer, but there isn't one. I love everything about it. So yes, there are reasons I love all seasons, but there are also some reasons that I prefer it would be summer every day.
Now, with every positive, there is a negative. I absolutely HATE cold. Which is really ironic, because I live in Utah. Sure, I love snowboarding, hot chocolate, curling next to a fire, or cuddling with a girl because your "cold". And don't get me wrong, I love those things. But it's the lack of color, the freezing temperature, and the depressing look of the sky that makes me not like winter- and let's not forget, I'm in school most of winter.
We can't leave the other seasons out either. That's unfair. Now we will talk a little bit about spring. I also have positive feelings about spring too. I love the new flowers, the way the air seems fresh, although we both know it isn't as fresh as we think. I like the way the sun finally looks like it has got over it's depression. But I still hate cold, and cold mixed with cold newly-melted snow is not what I would prefer to mix. There is always that little bit of snow left that you just want gone. It usually is by roads and it looks dirty and sad. I don't like thinking that summer is really close, when it snows the next day. Overall, the cons out way the pros.
We can't have only three seasons, now can we? What I like about fall is the sweatshirts, the pumpkins, the massive amount of turkey that my dad makes, and, and the way the leaves change color. I love color, so you would think that I am all for fall, right? Not exactly. You see, in Fall, It always snows earlier than you want it to. Everybody hates raking up leaves. You have to winterize your yard, and if you have a pool like me, It really sucks. The threat of winter is just around the corner, and there isn't really time to enjoy it. The whole season just seems skipped, and I don't like it.
Back to Summer. Yes, everything about summer is great. No school, no worries, no panicking. I enjoy the sunburns, the two months of school education that I'm losing while I play Call of Duty and hang out with the opposite gender. Now would be the time where I say something I don't like about summer, but there isn't one. I love everything about it. So yes, there are reasons I love all seasons, but there are also some reasons that I prefer it would be summer every day.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The School System.
You see, the thing is, I'm a student. You can read as many articles and you can take as many tests and studies as your heart desires, but I live through the school system almost every day of my life. I am told to do homework, and I am told to follow directions, I am told exactly what I'm supposed to do in life and exactly how to do it. I am told to follow the system perfectly. But the thing is, I absolutely hate it. When did everyone become so uniform? When did everyone stop being original? I sometimes just look around and all I see is a perfect system. But the thing is, humans aren't perfect. We are supposed to be different. We are supposed to have opinions. We are supposed to be different, but the one thing I strongly dislike in school is the perfect shaped mold of a student that you are supposed to be. Call me a propagandist. Call me a rebel. But I believe that every student is different, and from experience, and I know that they don't teach you to be your own person in school.
First of all, I would like to talk about the everyday classroom. You're supposed to get to class exactly on time, you get the same assignments as 34 other students in that same class, and you are told to do it and turn it in within the exact standards that are set. We all have a set schedule. Every day we wake up at the same time, we all get to school the same way, we are told to do the same things in class. Now, because of my occasional lack of concentration, and my somewhat lack of interest on schoolwork (which I am not proud of), I notice this more and more every year. I am sick of following the standards that I have been following for the past nine years. I'm not saying that I want to drop out of school, or stop doing all my assignments, but I need a new way to do things, before I lose my mind.
Now, a special portion about SEOPs. Sure, they can be useful in some ways. They help me change my class schedule, and they get me a break from class occasionally. But one of the things that bugs me most, is the path that they show and the way they tell you to follow it. As we get older, we are always asked what we want to be when we grow up. Sure, it started off as somewhat of a game. Answers were similar to "Princess", "Vet", or in my case, "Astronaut". They soon became more serious. I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't know exactly what I'm going to be, and exactly how to get there. And I'm in 9th grade. Being preoccupied with your future takes away the joy of the present. Now is the time to make mistakes, and learn from them. It's the time to enjoy life as we know it, and we can't do that with the limitations that we are born to live by.
For the sake of time, I'll start to close. After reading this, I highly doubt you agree with me. You probably think of me as another "Against the System" teenager. But I believe that school is one of the most important thing for kids, and I never said that it should be terminated. But I do believe it needs to be fixed. Students are classified as just that. Students. There is no individuality in that word, and we aren't treated with any. The word is treated with an idea of a single structure. A mold we all are supposed to live by. But the thing is, none of us are the same. We all have ideas and thoughts, and we are taken for granted just because of our age. Young people are thought of as naive. But we all are different, and we need to stop being treated as the same.
First of all, I would like to talk about the everyday classroom. You're supposed to get to class exactly on time, you get the same assignments as 34 other students in that same class, and you are told to do it and turn it in within the exact standards that are set. We all have a set schedule. Every day we wake up at the same time, we all get to school the same way, we are told to do the same things in class. Now, because of my occasional lack of concentration, and my somewhat lack of interest on schoolwork (which I am not proud of), I notice this more and more every year. I am sick of following the standards that I have been following for the past nine years. I'm not saying that I want to drop out of school, or stop doing all my assignments, but I need a new way to do things, before I lose my mind.
Now, a special portion about SEOPs. Sure, they can be useful in some ways. They help me change my class schedule, and they get me a break from class occasionally. But one of the things that bugs me most, is the path that they show and the way they tell you to follow it. As we get older, we are always asked what we want to be when we grow up. Sure, it started off as somewhat of a game. Answers were similar to "Princess", "Vet", or in my case, "Astronaut". They soon became more serious. I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't know exactly what I'm going to be, and exactly how to get there. And I'm in 9th grade. Being preoccupied with your future takes away the joy of the present. Now is the time to make mistakes, and learn from them. It's the time to enjoy life as we know it, and we can't do that with the limitations that we are born to live by.
For the sake of time, I'll start to close. After reading this, I highly doubt you agree with me. You probably think of me as another "Against the System" teenager. But I believe that school is one of the most important thing for kids, and I never said that it should be terminated. But I do believe it needs to be fixed. Students are classified as just that. Students. There is no individuality in that word, and we aren't treated with any. The word is treated with an idea of a single structure. A mold we all are supposed to live by. But the thing is, none of us are the same. We all have ideas and thoughts, and we are taken for granted just because of our age. Young people are thought of as naive. But we all are different, and we need to stop being treated as the same.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Chosen book review.
I know, I know. I said that I would start posting short stories, but I need you to be patient. I've been super busy, and it is the end of the term, so I barley have enough time to get dressed in the morning. This week, I read the books The Chosen and I finished October Sky. It was a lot of reading, but I did it. A little lesson for the future, when you need to read two books for two different classes, don't procrastinate. So I wrote a summary for The Chosen, and I felt obliged to share it to you.
I thought this book was very interesting in many ways. The Chosen starts out in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York in the early summer of 1944 to fall, 1950 (the ending of World War 2). Reuven, our Jewish narrator, meets his unlikely friend at a softball game, where Reuven takes a line drive to the face after he pitches to Danny Saunders, and ends up in the hospital. There, he meets Tony Savo (a former boxer who had his eye removed), and Billy Merrit, who was blinded after a car accident. Danny comes to say he is sorry, and the two become friends and teach each other all sorts of lessons. For a time, Danny’s father, does not allow them to be friends, but then he after permits the friendship. The two finish high school together. Reuven finds out that Danny has been accepted to graduate programs in psychology, but his father Reb Saunders expects him to take over the ownership of his Hasidic community. Reuven finds out that Danny’s father does not talk to him directly (speaks to him through Reuven), and has raised his son in silence. Later Reb confronts Danny and tells him he did it to help him have a compassionate soul. Reuven and Danny graduate from Hirsch College; Danny goes on to Columbia University for graduate school, and the two say their goodbyes.
One of the main themes that I picked up in this story is the use of eyes and eyeglasses, which symbolizes the perception of the world and of oneself. After injuring his eye, Reuven gets a better thankfulness for his sight. At the beginning of their friendship, Danny works with Reuven to get him to have a better outlook on life and a better willingness to open his eyes to the world. This book also uses foreshadowing frequently throughout the book.
The characters in this book include Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders (our Jewish
friends), David Malter; an orthodox Jew, and Reuven’s father and mentor to Reuven and Danny. Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, who is a patriarch of the Hasidic dynasty, and who has raised his son in silence. Levi Saunders; Danny’s younger brother. Mr. Galanter, the gym instructor at Reuven’s school. There are many other characters worth mentioning, but I’ll leave it at that.
friends), David Malter; an orthodox Jew, and Reuven’s father and mentor to Reuven and Danny. Reb Saunders, Danny’s father, who is a patriarch of the Hasidic dynasty, and who has raised his son in silence. Levi Saunders; Danny’s younger brother. Mr. Galanter, the gym instructor at Reuven’s school. There are many other characters worth mentioning, but I’ll leave it at that.
This book was pretty interesting, I found it a little hard to get into and had some very confusing Jewish terms that I had to look up, but I am still glad I read it. I would recommend it to anyone who can appreciate a good piece of literature and isn’t afraid to read a book they normally wouldn’t.
Well, that's my review. I hoped you liked it. Yes, I know this book review is on goodreads, but why can't I use it for this also? Well, until next week, goodbye.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Movies
Yeah, I know, bad topic for this week considering my last entry was called "Music", But stay with me. Next week I plan on starting short stories, so chill. Anyway, back to the topic. I do like to consider myself as very cinamatically educated. I do love movies. I love being able to experience something out of the ordinary, even for a couple hours. I think that watching movies is a good way to spend time with friends and they're just plain fun. Yeah, some people may just think that you are just sitting around wasting your time, but I have to disagree. I think it is a great way to spend time with friends, educate yourself, and come on, its the perfect dating atmosphere.
Favorite movie time. I have spend a while pondering this, and I have never come to a complete answer, because I love different movies for different reasons. But I'll do my best. One of my all time favorite movies is Inception. I felt like society finally needed a movie that you actually needed to think in, and Inceptioin is that and then some. But I also have favorite movies for different genres. For comedy; I would have to choose Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs or Megamind, or Hot Rod. C'mon, you can't not love those movies. For Horror; I would choose Insidious. Mainly because it scared the crap out of me. I usually am not that scared of movies, but I was absolutely terrified of this one. And I love scary movies (As I said from my Halloween entry). I also loved The Kings Speech and 127 Hours, but I'm not sure what genre they are. I could go on and on, but I'm sure you're bored by now.
If you read my "Music" post, then you can recall me saying that picking a favorite is like picking a favorite child, which goes the same for movies. I love almost all genres- from Romantic Comedies to your latest vampire film. It is very hard for me to watch a movie and walk out thinking I hadn't seen it, because there isn't such a thing as a bad movie. There are times when I may dislike a movie with a deep fiery passion, but the thing is, it's still for your entertainment, even it makes you want to shove bamboo under your fingernails.
To conclude until next week, I would very much encourage to go to as many movies as humanly possible. I think it is a great way to have fun and a great way to spend time with friends/family/date. I would like you to be open to all movies, not just the new or best rated. I would also like to recommend the movie The Kings Speech. Just a little side thought there. Anyway, like I said, I do think I will start writing short stories for this blog. So until next week, I bid you farewell.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Music
Lately, I have been really busy in homework, schoolwork, SBO work, getting ready for basketball season, the upcoming school play, and many other things. I sometimes just want to stop doing it all and sit around all day drowning myself in mountain dew and playing Call of Duty (which I sometimes result to). But I have found somewhat of a solution. One of my only saving graces is music. I absolutely love it. And not just a certain kind, that's like picking a favorite child. No, I love almost all kinds of music from rock to classical. I do believe that music improves your life drastically.
One thing that may have striked you as weird in the last paragraph is my love for classical music. You would think that I'm not the kind of guy who would be into that kind of thing, but it's one of my favorite genres. I listen to it during homework, working out, and sometimes before sports. It helps me calm down and not to panic. Strange? Maybe a little. But it will always be some of my favorite music.
Now, there is one exception to my love of music. I really do not like Country. Every time I hear Brad Paisley or Kieth Urban it makes me want to throw my iPod out the window and punch a baby. You are now probably thinking "Then take it off your iPod, stupid". I have but one answer. It's too much work. My sister and I share the same music library, and she has stained all the playlists with this "Music". It would take me hours to fix all of them, so I just choose not to. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I hate every song that shares this same genre. There are a few exceptions, so don't think of me as a full Country hater.
If you have any questions, which I highly doubt because I bet the only person that would maybe read this is my English teacher, but if you do, I hope to answer them in this paragraph. Yes, I do love world, blues, rap, and electronic music also. No, I don't think Justin Bieber would actually count as music, so I left that out. I could rant for ages on that matter, but I'll save that for another day. And yes, I do listen to some Adele and Taylor Swift also. I call it "Music Sexism" when people don't listen to a certain kind of music just because of the gender of the singer.
So, to wrap things up a little, I would like to restate my love for music. I love almost every kind of music, and I listen to it whenever possible, even when it isn't allowed. I could go on about how I think that music should be allowed in the everyday school system, but that could be saved for another blog entry. I do wish that everyone could share the same love for music as myself, and I'm sure many do, and I strongly believe that music can change lives.
One thing that may have striked you as weird in the last paragraph is my love for classical music. You would think that I'm not the kind of guy who would be into that kind of thing, but it's one of my favorite genres. I listen to it during homework, working out, and sometimes before sports. It helps me calm down and not to panic. Strange? Maybe a little. But it will always be some of my favorite music.
Now, there is one exception to my love of music. I really do not like Country. Every time I hear Brad Paisley or Kieth Urban it makes me want to throw my iPod out the window and punch a baby. You are now probably thinking "Then take it off your iPod, stupid". I have but one answer. It's too much work. My sister and I share the same music library, and she has stained all the playlists with this "Music". It would take me hours to fix all of them, so I just choose not to. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I hate every song that shares this same genre. There are a few exceptions, so don't think of me as a full Country hater.
If you have any questions, which I highly doubt because I bet the only person that would maybe read this is my English teacher, but if you do, I hope to answer them in this paragraph. Yes, I do love world, blues, rap, and electronic music also. No, I don't think Justin Bieber would actually count as music, so I left that out. I could rant for ages on that matter, but I'll save that for another day. And yes, I do listen to some Adele and Taylor Swift also. I call it "Music Sexism" when people don't listen to a certain kind of music just because of the gender of the singer.
So, to wrap things up a little, I would like to restate my love for music. I love almost every kind of music, and I listen to it whenever possible, even when it isn't allowed. I could go on about how I think that music should be allowed in the everyday school system, but that could be saved for another blog entry. I do wish that everyone could share the same love for music as myself, and I'm sure many do, and I strongly believe that music can change lives.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Halloween
Halloween is probably a bad topic for this weekend, considering that there is still a whole month until then, but I feel like I should write about it now. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, not just because of the scary aspects, but because I love to party, and thats what you do on Halloween. I love watching scary movies with girls and pretending like i'm not scared at haunted houses, and its around Fall, which is my favorite season. The entire month you can watch scary movies and not need an excuse. It's just plain fun, and I major in fun.
Every year, there is always something that kicks off my Halloween fascination, like, for example, Frightmares. Although Frightmares is not scary in the least bit, it still is very fun to me. I like walking around and having dead workers get uncomfortably close to your face. I like going into haunted houses where the scariness is ranked by the amount of spiders. I like reading the cheesy gravestones and dramatically walking through the smoke machines. I don't really know why, but I love going to Frightmares.
Another one of my favorite things to do around Halloween is to watch scary movies. I have always loved movies. I call it being "Cinematically educated." And I love being scared, so by default I love scary movies. But the thing is, you can't watch a scary movie with the same gender. Its not as fun. You need a reason to not scream like a little girl, and an excuse to be a human teddybear. It's just plain and simple fun.
What I also find very amusing is the halloween decorations. I love the gravestones, the fog that is probably bad for your health, the skeletons with the crazy eyes, the knife covered in fake blood, and the costumes. I love the pumpkin carving, the massive amounts of candy, the monsters, the orange and black lights, and just about everything else. Something about it just puts me in the Halloween mood. Its not Halloween without some cheesy decorations.
Now, you can't have a Halloween with just movies and decorations, you also need haunted houses. And I'm not saying the normal and standard haunted houses. My friends and I search for the best. Last year, we went to Black Island Farms, which has a killer haunted house. No pun intended. It was by far the scariest haunted house I've ever seen, and it was absolutely fun. I strongly believe that you can't have Halloween without some haunted houses.
The last thing that needs to be mentioned here is dressing up in costumes. It's awesome. I've been everything, from Darth Vadar to Spongebob. One year my mom made we wear a giant box. (Jack in the box...get it). That was not my favorite. Probably my favorite costume that I've worn was my "Grandpa's Apprentice" costume. I have done a little electrical work for my grandpa, and he was having a family Halloween party, so I set my shirt on fire, blew it out, covered myself in black, charcoal looking paint, stuck my hair strait up, and carried around electrical wire. I thought it was pretty cleaver.
To conclude, I absolutely love Halloween. It is just enjoyable, and I love participating in it. And It's not just one day to celebrate, it's an entire month. I love staying up late and being scared. I love the fake spider webs and the plastic skeletons. I love the fake blood and the monsters. And most of all, I love to party.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Yesterday, I decided that I should start running, because lately my life has mostly been school and Call Of Duty, and don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure my Knifing thumb and my Sprinting finger could lift a truck, so it hasn't been completely anti-productive. I was sitting on my couch, and I began to rethink my workout habits. Push-ups, Sit-ups, Pull-ups, and other normal things, but I started to begin worrying about my legs. Which is one of the main things that I should be working out, because basketball season starts in October.
So, I've made a plan to run every other day, starting yesterday. I woke up, and began running. My goal was to run from my house, to Tasty's, to Ben Franklin, and then back home, which under my estimation would be about 7 miles, give or take some. Screw starting small, I'm starting big. And I planned to sprint most of it, so it could prove to be a challenge. But I live for challenge.
So I started running, and I felt great for the first couple miles. I would even wave at people, which I usually don't do. Anyway, when I reached Tasty's, that's when the soreness and tightness started to kick in. I could push past it for the next few miles, but then it got more severe. Maybe playing Call of Duty isn't so bad. After all, I sprint all the time in that game, and shoot people at the same time, which teaches multitasking.
Anyway, back to my run. I felt pretty good, and decided to keep running my normal pace, which was almost a sprint. I got to Ben Franklin, and I got a second wind. I kept thinking to myself "About halfway." When I reached Mutton Hollow for the second time, I was debating if I should slow down. I didn't.
I got to my turn, and I decided to sprint as fast as I could to my house. Easy enough right? I saw my house, and a huge sigh of relief came over me. I continued sprinting, but then I felt a little weird. Then I registered what was about to happen. I tried to run, but there was no use. I threw up on my neighbor Mr. Foster's sidewalk. Poor guy. I got home, and I sat down on my porch. It then struck me that I forgot to stretch, as I was flooded with pain. Great idea Jack, Great idea.
I went inside and I reflected on my run. I actually felt that it was a very successful morning, I burned off like a weeks worth of calories and I won't be surprised if I have a five foot vertical by tomorrow morning. But I also started thinking that I should start managing my workouts. Maybe running until I puke isn't always the best thing to do. I'm sure my breakfast, Mr. Foster, and sidewalks everywhere will be appreciative.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
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