Final Blog Post

           I absolutely love reading. It is one of my ultimate favorite pass times. When I get home from school the first thing I do is take a good thirty minuets to just read by myself. Sometimes I just get really lost in a book so the thirty minuets can turn into four hours or more. When getting lost in a book people can be talking to me and I do not even notice their presence. This has turned awful a couple of times because I have been just sitting in the office reading and soon found that I'm home alone with no idea where anyone is, which ends with a sarcastic comment from my mom when I ask were they all went. I hate having books chosen for me, I like suggestions but I hate demands. I feel as if my freedom is being taken away because I find it an adventure to find a new good book.  Last year I thought of reading as a punishment but once I got the freedom to choose want I wanted to read I completely feeling in love. It was like the feeling when you see a new puppy that you just can not live with out.

 

        

           Blogging gives me unnecessary stress and most of the time I feel that it is pointless. I understand it is a way of "forcing" you to read and talk about what you read. My blogs sound so fake because I feeling like I have to have great grammar and diction in all them. (I really just want to type what comes out of my mouth). Every time I finish a book and really enjoyed it then I will tell everyone about the book; but if I don't like the book why put others through the misery of reading because I felt guilty for blogging bad about a book. I did like how blogging kept me on track when I would get a little lazy with the amount I read. Next year I think it would be beneficial if students only had to blog about three books and make it one when the student starts the book and one when the student finishes the book.

 

 

  Being a freshman I felt really accepted coming in the high school and made so many new friendships. This year has defiantly been my best year of school ever. I really enjoyed the freedom and responsibilities we gain as eight graders transition into freshmen. I have become very organized throughout this year which have made my study habits flow so much easier; without the constant tornado-gone-through the office look from me trying to find something. Gradually I have been more comfortable raising my hand and speaking in front of people. I learn this year sometimes you have to go into things blind and hope for the best. Which this year turned out really wonderful for me even some of the bumps. For an example cross country was a bump in the road for me because I would not get home till pretty late and then having loads of homework did not help. But cross country helped me create good time management skills and friendships that will last a long time. Being a sophomore in nine days makes me really want to challenge myself in and outside of school, to overall just get better.  

 

 

 

The Last Song- Nicholas Sparks

    I'm reading Nicholas Sparks novel The Last Song I absolutely love the novel so far but I was really surprise on how Ronnie would not even give her dad a chance or even a second glance so far. He has been trying so hard to just simply get a little out of Ronnie. Her dad Steve even has stopped planning the piano for Ronnie but she isn't even thankful for that. It makes me upset about how little she choose to care for her father when he is trying his best to try and get to know her a little better.

   I don't understand why in the novel Sparks descriptions of things can be so vague. When it I very vague I have a lot of trouble visualizing what is going on . It makes me have to stretch my imagination so much more. I wish Sparks would be a little more detailed in some parts of his writing.

    So far I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars because the book is so hard to put down. Also this book has a very relatable to a teenager's life. Also Sparks is amazing at using cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. This makes you never want to put the book down. I love this book so much so far.

Review of book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Song-Nicholas-Sparks/dp/0446570966 
    

Holiday Season Summons Memories of Good Deeds by Tara Dixon Engel

       Tara Dixon Engel wants the reader to feel compassion and the want to help others while reading this column. I know this because Engel puts a lot of stories of people helping those in need to trigger your compassionate side. An example is " There's a fellow Shiloh Church, United Church of Christ, who recently made sleeping mats out of plastic bags for us to share with our homeless guest" (Paragraph 12). This example makes people remember times when others helped them out when they needed it. Making people want to help others out and also feel gratitude to the ones who helped them.

       Engel want the readers to remember the times they received help from others and the gratitude they had toward them. She shows this in paragraph 7, "Through all the years -- almost 30-- and all the kind things people have done for me, I still remember that simple, heartfelt gesture." This shows that people will always remember the simple but heartfelt gestures. Though some may not really remember for a little. Engel uses her own examples to bring to the surface all the heartfelt gestures that have happened to the reader. I can't help but think about all the times I have been helped out while reading this column and I just want to go to each person and thank them all over again.

       The purpose of Engel's column is to inform the readers that you can help anyone out and that one simple gesture from you could change their life. I see this we she gives such a variety of examples, they are not just big companies or just churches or just a single person. She makes a variety of example to show everyone that they can make a difference. " I've had volunteers willingly hand over the coat they wore here to someone who needed it more than they did." (paragraph 14) This just informs everyone that you don't even have to have a lot to help someone else out.

        Engel uses diction and syntax to improve her point. An example is she put the word "Starving" in quotes to create a double meaning show she is physically starving but always starving reporting meaning she has really gotten much. Also she uses dashes to draw your eyes to the 30 years. " Through all the years -- almost 30-- and all the kind things people have done for me, I still remember that simple, heartfelt gesture." ( paragraph 7). This draws the readers attention to the 30 years making them realize kind gestures are hard to forget because 30 years is a long time to remember a small gesture.

          This column is relevant to society because many people think they can't help others by themselves or they think they don't have enough themselves to help anyone else. Also so many people in society have turned cold and only wanting to keep their money for themselves. Hopefully this helped remind them of when someone helped them out. I hope that then those people would change and want to help other people out. Engel did an amazing job just reminding me of all the times I have been helped out. She makes me want to go out now and just help every person I can because I want everyone to experience what I have gotten to experience.

      
      

   

Leonard Pitts

/    I read a couple more Leonard Pitts columns because I loved the way he wrote and made his point. One thing that I really loved about Pitts is the way that he starts his column with a really grabbing short paragraph. He grabs you with an event and slowly starts to incorporate his ideas and the real reason he is writing the paper. I love when he does this because you don't feel singled out and are less likely to feel like you are being attacked.

     I don't get why Leonard Pitts takes so long to get to his point in some of his columns because in some of his columns I really agree with what he has to say and I really just want him to come out and say it earlier so people who don't understand him can be enlightened earlier and enjoy Pitts' writing and understand where he is coming from so they are not so quick to judge him and his thoughts. I understand he is avoiding people's fear of being directly attacked.

  My favorite column that I read by Leonard Pitts would be 9/11 because I love the way Pitts shows the strength of our country and how even though we are very upset we will still be strong. Also its saying that we will stop at nothing to protect the way our country works. Pitts does an amazing job of explaining that their motives were unsuccessful because we will just get back up.

Here's a link to the column 9/11: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article1928716.html
 

Finding Love in a Coffee Shop by Jordan Lynde

      In the book Finding Love in a Coffee Shop  I was moved by the way the two main characters used each other to help each other grow in their relationships. The main male Will has an awful relationship with his mother, while Katie the main female has an awful relationship with her father. Katie and Will come from completely different families but find love and help each other fix their relationships with their parents which I find moving an inspirational.

      I love the way Jordan Lynde starts the book and ends the book with the same quote. This repeating of the quote ends the book phenomenally. It makes you rethink the whole book and the craft she used. Lynde leaves you confused but so pleased at the end of the book with the quote that she used.

      The quote that she used interested me so much it is, "If life has taught me one thing in the meager twenty-two years I've been alive, it was that fire is a savage beast, paying no heed to the lives that it tears apart, nor the damage it inflicts both physically and mentally on its victims..." This is as the very first and last sentence of the book. This tells the reader that the author has gone through extreme pain in her life and has experience with this first hand.
 

Ohio State University Off the Record by Roland Becerra

  This book is an informational book about the Ohio State campus. I love how these are the students' opinions that the college has not censored. This gives you great detail on the campus life from the perspective of students who attend the college. This book is really raw since it is created by students so it feels more like talking to a friend, less of an informative, nonfiction book.

   I loved the way the author put big points in speech boxes which makes it have a more friendlier feeling which I believe was the author's purpose. Making find information about the college you want to attend less intimidating which, she does amazingly because you feel like your talking to a friend or reading a journal from a student. I love the author's purposeful diction in this book because it is so conversational.

  At first I was confused by how I seemed to become more confused about weather not I wanted to go to OSU. Soon I realized it was not to scare you just to educate you and that there will be bad things at every college. It really helped put my nerves at ease. If anyone is interested in OSU I would recommended them this book.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/College-Prowler?dref=1
 (This is a link to all college prowler books)

"Dover Beach" Narrative Story

      Mrs. Bowles stomps out of the house running down the pathway to the beetle that was waiting for her.  Speeding off she calms her breathing "In and out" she breaths, "Calm your anger, Montagu is not worth it. Don't let him get to you he just wants that. Don't give him that satisfaction." Once she calms down she comes to the realization she is parked in front of her house. Stepping out she bows her head to the beetle and it speeds off. Pacing up to the front porch and scanning her hand-print into the keypad. Putting her purse and coat on the hanger off to the parlor she goes to get Montag's words out of her head. The "Family" keeps her distracted until it's time for bed. She gets into her light pastel sleep clothes, taking her sleeping pills and brushing her teeth. Then getting under the cover of her soft and brand new mattress. She lies tossing and turning with Montag's words floating in her head and wondering his motive. Stumbling up to find her seashells to help her fall asleep. Once found, she lays there listening but nothing seems to keep her mind from racing with thoughts of what happened this evening.

        Giving up Mrs. Bowles sits up and gets out of bed. Walking down to the kitchen she pours a cup of super purified water. She sits and thinks about what Montag said today and how he was angered by the way she treats her kids. Suddenly realizing that her kids come home for break this week. She decides she is going to do something more than place them in the parlor the whole break. Planning she starts to things that she could do with them." Oh I could take them for a long drive." She thought, "What a great idea that will be fun." With more peace at mind she goes back to bed and sleeps till morning waiting the arrival of her children.

  Morning rolls around and Mrs. Bowles wakes to the sound of chitter-chatter down the hall. Getting up she walks in seeing all her kids sitting around the table talking. "How weird? Why aren't they on their devices and texting each other?" She thought.
 "Hi mom!" Daniel the youngest approached her hugging her. She was stunned never affectionately hugged by her kids before. The strange feeling of warmth grew in her chest. Maybe she should have more faith in her kids and have them grow up better. "So kids, how is school going?" She questions.
   "Mom school is so wonderful! We all have a new teacher and he is teaching us how to reason and think and to make decisions on our own." Chants Lilly the only girl of them all.
  "Yeah mom! And he teaches us how to talk to each other about what we feel." Replies Daniel
 "Wow isn't that frowned upon and illegal? What is this teachers name?" Mrs. Bowles questions in shock that this is what her kids are learning.
"Mr. Faber." Says Jackson the eldest, "He's an old English professor. He isn't supposed to teach us this but he does saying that it is time he stops fearing the firemen."

"Mr. Faber says that people in this world have no faith in each other and it keeps fading. He read us part of this poem "Dover Beach" he read us the part "The Sea of Faith"."

"Wow that's the poem Mr. Montag read to us. It upset me so much those things should not be talked about." Stated Mrs. Bowles. Her children stood their utterly confused on why their mom was so resentful on these topics. Soon they realized she yet hadn't understood, so they made it their mission to teach her and help enlighten her to understand. As the week went on she slowly started to accept it she even read a few books the kids borrowed from Mr. Faber.