Monday, May 2, 2011
Osama Free-Write
My feeling on the death of Osama Bin Laden is indifference, however I do believe that this won't change a whole lot in the middle east, or how we currently stand overseas. Osama Bin Laden was (or we think he was) a huge figure for terrorism in the middle east, but, I don't know how much his death will affect Al-Qaeda or any other terroristic organization, in theory this could end the war on terror gradually, but the other terroristic groups in the middle east more than likely have other leaders that can easily fill Osama's shoes. It wouldn't make much sense to assume that this would affect our position in Pakistan or Afghanistan or any other middle eastern country with terroristic organiztions, Al-Qaeda is the most well known but that doesn't mean it's the most powerful, or influential in those countries. Like in class today, Max was saying something about how there's a 'runner-up' for Osama, and if he was in hiding all these years, who knows how much he was doing or how much influence he had on the terrorist's actions. Al-Qaeda could already have a more powerful leader and we have no idea who that person is. to be continued....
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Slaughterhouse-5 PreWriting
Please list 10 ways you can improve your essay scores
1. Re-read the book for quotes 6. Make more drafts
2 Brainstorm Ideas 7. Run Spell check, revise often
3. Do a lot of prewriting 8. Develop a deeper thesis
4. Focus 9. Use a good PIE structure
5. Read example essays 10. Participate in discussion
Please write any 15 thoughts about the book Slaughterhouse-5. For each thought, please refer to a specific part of the book that generated this thought (for instance, “It was funny” receives no credit; “It was funny when he described the Tralfamadorians” receives full credit).
1. I enjoyed the vulgar language, it added to the maturity of the book... or lack thereof.
2. There was no defined pattern, e.g. The time travel jumped around a lot, it wasn't linear.
3. The nonlinear perspective on time was interesting in it's self.
4. I found it funny how Vonnegut expected so much out of the 1970's
5. I thought that "so it goes," seemed like a good 'defense mechanism,' for death.
6. Billy's utter lack of emotion was quite surprising and a level on which I can easily relate to him.
7. Having 3 plots, though confusing at times, seemed to prove effective in the development of this story
8. Absolutely everything about the Tralfamadorians was completely enthralling.
9. I enjoyed the first chapter, in which the Author writes about himself... writing the book.
10. Something I didn't enjoy about the book was when solutions were found to problems that hadn't happened yet, or a climax was revealed so early in the book so that no suspense was created.
11. I disagree with it being an advertised 'anti-war' book because combat is barely even spoken of.
12. The perspective on time travel was interesting and a definite possibility, I believe.
13. The book's definition of the 'Present,' is whatever Vonnegut was writing about at any given time.
14. I found Vonnegut's use of vulgar language and references to sex quite satirical. Especially in today's context...
15. I think there's still potential for this book, a sequel? Just more.
State 5 possible themes for the book Slaughterhouse-5.
1. Death isn't scary
2. War affects everyone
3. Nothing you do will change what will happen
4. Focus on what's good in life
5. Time Travel isn't as glamorous as we may think.
Write a conversation between yourself and Billy Pilgrim in which he tries to teach you a lesson based on his own experiences. You must explain IN DEPTH at least 3 specific events and details from the book in order to receive full credit. This conversation should go on as long as it takes to demonstrate YOUR UNDERSTANDING of Billy’s experiences.
EXAMPLE:
Billy: Hello, Mr. Cheng
Mr. Cheng: Hi Billy
Billy: Have you heard about Tralfamadore?
Mr. Cheng: No, what’s that?
Billy: It’s a planet where they... etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Billy: Hello, August.
Me: Greetings, Billy.
Billy: Have you heard about Tralfamadore?
Me: No I can't say that I have, what on Earth is a Tralfamadore?
Billy: Not what on Earth, what off of Earth. Tralfamadore is a planet billions and billions of lightyears away, the inhabitants are small creatures which see 4 dimensions. They know what's going to happen, they see time like you or I see a mountain range.
Me: Amazing.
Billy: I have to take a nap now, farewell!
Me: Likewise.
1. Re-read the book for quotes 6. Make more drafts
2 Brainstorm Ideas 7. Run Spell check, revise often
3. Do a lot of prewriting 8. Develop a deeper thesis
4. Focus 9. Use a good PIE structure
5. Read example essays 10. Participate in discussion
Please write any 15 thoughts about the book Slaughterhouse-5. For each thought, please refer to a specific part of the book that generated this thought (for instance, “It was funny” receives no credit; “It was funny when he described the Tralfamadorians” receives full credit).
1. I enjoyed the vulgar language, it added to the maturity of the book... or lack thereof.
2. There was no defined pattern, e.g. The time travel jumped around a lot, it wasn't linear.
3. The nonlinear perspective on time was interesting in it's self.
4. I found it funny how Vonnegut expected so much out of the 1970's
5. I thought that "so it goes," seemed like a good 'defense mechanism,' for death.
6. Billy's utter lack of emotion was quite surprising and a level on which I can easily relate to him.
7. Having 3 plots, though confusing at times, seemed to prove effective in the development of this story
8. Absolutely everything about the Tralfamadorians was completely enthralling.
9. I enjoyed the first chapter, in which the Author writes about himself... writing the book.
10. Something I didn't enjoy about the book was when solutions were found to problems that hadn't happened yet, or a climax was revealed so early in the book so that no suspense was created.
11. I disagree with it being an advertised 'anti-war' book because combat is barely even spoken of.
12. The perspective on time travel was interesting and a definite possibility, I believe.
13. The book's definition of the 'Present,' is whatever Vonnegut was writing about at any given time.
14. I found Vonnegut's use of vulgar language and references to sex quite satirical. Especially in today's context...
15. I think there's still potential for this book, a sequel? Just more.
State 5 possible themes for the book Slaughterhouse-5.
1. Death isn't scary
2. War affects everyone
3. Nothing you do will change what will happen
4. Focus on what's good in life
5. Time Travel isn't as glamorous as we may think.
Write a conversation between yourself and Billy Pilgrim in which he tries to teach you a lesson based on his own experiences. You must explain IN DEPTH at least 3 specific events and details from the book in order to receive full credit. This conversation should go on as long as it takes to demonstrate YOUR UNDERSTANDING of Billy’s experiences.
EXAMPLE:
Billy: Hello, Mr. Cheng
Mr. Cheng: Hi Billy
Billy: Have you heard about Tralfamadore?
Mr. Cheng: No, what’s that?
Billy: It’s a planet where they... etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Billy: Hello, August.
Me: Greetings, Billy.
Billy: Have you heard about Tralfamadore?
Me: No I can't say that I have, what on Earth is a Tralfamadore?
Billy: Not what on Earth, what off of Earth. Tralfamadore is a planet billions and billions of lightyears away, the inhabitants are small creatures which see 4 dimensions. They know what's going to happen, they see time like you or I see a mountain range.
Me: Amazing.
Billy: I have to take a nap now, farewell!
Me: Likewise.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Siddhartha Blogging Assignment(absent)
Siddhartha literally translates to "he who achieves his goal." I believe this is very fitting for him and fits easily into life experiences I've had, but for the opposite reason. Towards the beginning of the book is when Siddhartha's frustration and situation can be as easily compared to my life. "[Siddhartha] had begun to feel that the love of his father and mother, and also the love of his friend Govinda, would not always make him happy, give him peace, satisfy and suffice him. He had begun to suspect that his worthy father and his other teachers, the wise Brahmins, had already passed on to him the bulk and best of their wisdom [but] his soul was not at peace."(3). This quote can easily be tied into my life currently because I feel that I've just begun to be appreciated by my parents as a person, no longer a child, but I'm still not sure what I want to do for the rest of my life and it's slowly eating away at me.
Finding your goal in life is important before you do any planning towards that goal. Siddhartha's goal becomes clear when he sits with the Buddha for a second time after nightfall, he proclaims "I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self...No other teachings will attract me, since this man's teachings have not done so."(29). This somewhat connects to my life because I found a definite possibility when I shadowed at Perpich Center for Arts Education, it made my life goal become more clear, if there hadn't been one there before, after touring at Perpich (My Buddha) I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of me life.
However, actually following through and achieving said goal is an entirely different story. For Siddhartha it wasn't as simple as taking 1 step in the right direction and he's there, there were multiple paths to take, multiple mistakes to be made, luckily he chose all the right paths. The first 'lesson' Siddhartha learns is one from Kamala. "[Siddhartha learns] that one cannot have pleasure without giving it...She taught him that lovers should not separate from each other after making love without admiring each other, without being conquered as well as conquering, so that no feeling of satiation or desolation arises nor the horrid feeling of misusing or having been misused."(54). Now this quote can't be directly connected to my life, but the principle of it can. Essentially what the quote is saying is that someone shouldn't be appreciated and then deserted and left alone, the person should be surrounded with attention and care from, for lack of a better term, the first party. This applies to my life, not directly, but with purpose. My dream of becoming a studio producer is something that I must pay attention to lest it dwindle and die, I don't want to lose my dream or my grip on it, therefore by attending Perpich or making a point to attempt to attend Perpich is my way of "admiring"(not abandoning) my "lover."(dream).
Finding your goal in life is important before you do any planning towards that goal. Siddhartha's goal becomes clear when he sits with the Buddha for a second time after nightfall, he proclaims "I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self...No other teachings will attract me, since this man's teachings have not done so."(29). This somewhat connects to my life because I found a definite possibility when I shadowed at Perpich Center for Arts Education, it made my life goal become more clear, if there hadn't been one there before, after touring at Perpich (My Buddha) I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of me life.
However, actually following through and achieving said goal is an entirely different story. For Siddhartha it wasn't as simple as taking 1 step in the right direction and he's there, there were multiple paths to take, multiple mistakes to be made, luckily he chose all the right paths. The first 'lesson' Siddhartha learns is one from Kamala. "[Siddhartha learns] that one cannot have pleasure without giving it...She taught him that lovers should not separate from each other after making love without admiring each other, without being conquered as well as conquering, so that no feeling of satiation or desolation arises nor the horrid feeling of misusing or having been misused."(54). Now this quote can't be directly connected to my life, but the principle of it can. Essentially what the quote is saying is that someone shouldn't be appreciated and then deserted and left alone, the person should be surrounded with attention and care from, for lack of a better term, the first party. This applies to my life, not directly, but with purpose. My dream of becoming a studio producer is something that I must pay attention to lest it dwindle and die, I don't want to lose my dream or my grip on it, therefore by attending Perpich or making a point to attempt to attend Perpich is my way of "admiring"(not abandoning) my "lover."(dream).
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