Hopes, Fears, Favorite Color, yada yada yada...[11]

Yeah, so Kyle wanted me to do this blog. So now, I'm doing it. Here we go!

In the future, I hope to do what I am happiest doing and be the best, or close to it. I really love music and would love a career involving music, what ever that may be. This summer, I'm going to LSU Chamber Winds camp for a week to get my name out there and hopefully get some scholarship offers. That is my biggest goal to reach by the end of the summer.
Fears. My all-time biggest fear is death. When I think about it, my stomach turns and my heart starts to race. I hate thinking that I will die before I get to do everything in life that I would like to do. I also hate thinking about what will happen after I die and all the people I will possibly leave behind. I don't like not knowing what is ahead of me. Death is such a permanent thing, and I absolutely despise it.
My favorite color is one giant rainbow. I love all colors..dont really have a favorite. My most liked ones at the moment are yellow, turquoise, and black. They're tight. :] I am really hungry.. ttyl bloggers!

The Golden Compass[12]

The Golden Compass, directed by , has caused quite a stir amoung Christians and the rumor that this novel-turned-movie is attacking belief in God. Known as one of Britian's most outspoken Atheists, Philip Pullman is author of the Golden Compass series. Although Pullman has been quoted in past interviews as "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief", in that same interview he also says, "I'm not in the business of offending people. I find the books upholding certain values that I think are important. Such as that this life is immensely valuable. And that this world is an extraordinarily beautiful place, and we should do what we can to increase the amount of wisdom in the world'."
There are only a few ties to Christianity that I see in The Golden Compass film. The first example being Dust. The explanation of Dust in the movie is the free will and creative spirit a child has in their younger years. In the movie, children are captured by the Magisterium (church?) and cut away from their daemons and they are forced to "settle". The way this ties in with Christianity is that Pullman portrays the church as being somewhat forceful, taking the free thinking and will of people. Pullman is hinting that Christians are somewhat forceful and eager to push their religions on others.


Works Cited
McClintock, Pamela and McNary, Dave. "Will 'Compass' find audiences?" Variety, December 6, 2007. May 20, 2008.

Bowling for Columbine(10)

Michael Moore, famous director of many controversial documentaries, made a film on gun violence in the United States and what is really to blame for the Columbine massacre on April 20, 1999. This documentary is especially controversial because of the many issues brought up and Moore's persistance to find the truth behind the mayhem.
One issue that was a major part of the film was why the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, Columbine killers, were taken and what was really to blame. As the film continues, society starts to blame the media. Violence in video games and harsh lyrics of a heavy metal icon, Marylin Manson were attacked first. Moore went straight to the source as usual and conducted an interview with Manson to get everything straight. Moore and Manson got into a deep conversation about that day and Manson brought something to the viewers attention that should have made society think twice about blaming Manson over our own leader-President Bush. The same man who "was shooting bombs overseas..and whos a bigger influence? The president or Marilyn Manson?" It is fact that the day of Columbine, the US launched more bombs on Kosovo than any other war in American history.(Missles Slam into Kosovo) Moore asked Manson what would he have told the two shooters if he knew they were about to do such a violent act. Manson stated, "I wouldn't have said a single word. I would have listened and thats what no one else did."(Bowling for Columbine:Manson Interview)





Works Cited

Sadler, Brent. "Missles Slam into Kosovo."
CNN.com. 20 April 1999. 10 May 2008.

"Bowling for Columbine: Manson Interview."
youtube.com. 28 June 2007. 10 May 2008.

Changes[9]

As I come to the end of my junior year, I start to think back on these past three years of high school and just remember. Most of my friends being seniors, its typical for them to start making plans to move out and get on with their lives. As graduation quickly approaches, students and teachers both start adjusting to the fact that a group of kids will be leaving the safe environment of school and being introduced to the real world. Its sad for the students in the lower classes, such as myself, because you have to see some of your best friends leave. Its hard for me to adjust because these people have been there for so long its not easy to just give them up. Of course I wish the best for each of them, I just would like to be selfish and make them stay right where they are. The times have been fun, and the memories will live on. But everyone wishes for "one more time".

Keeping Art Programs in Schools[8]

Whether it be a creative writing student entering their essay into a contest, an art student painting a mural on the school's cafeteria walls, or a high school band practicing their music for their Friday night performance in the stands, the art of creative expression is being practiced. Art is the gift of higher order thinking and being an individualist. Art, for some, is a gateway to escape the everyday monotany of their lives if only for a little while. With such positive effects, why would the subject of taking these programs out of schools even cross people's minds? If anything, these programs should be promoted and better supported.
Expressive art is the result of an indidual transforming their emotions into a form that can be experienced through one's senses. It opens the minds of younger kids to the idea of them defining who they are and not letting society do it for them. Artists view their talents as a treasure in which they get more satisfaction out of than their realities. In most cases, artists are unrequitted with their lives and art gives them an outlet. "He is a more delicate fellow than we are..he takes to all artistic endeavor, which is at once a criticism of life and an attempt to escape from life(H.L.Mencken Baltimore Sun 1924) A practicing artist is one who thinks "outside the box" and has creative ways of thinking. Most commonly found are artists that are more aware of the world around them and have developed an understanding of society that most others do not have.
Not only are artists advanced socially and culturally, they are also found to be some of the world's most successful people. Young artists, as compared with their peers, are more likely to be recognized for academic excellence, be elected to class office, participate in a math or science fair, wins awards for writing essays or poetry. Art programs in schools make a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of children and has been prvoen to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
The idea of possibly taking these programs out of schools is the result of people not understanding how much they can effect students and their future success by doing so. Artistry has such a positive influence on children and young adults when supported properly. It gives them an outlet to express themselves and opportunities to define who they truly are. Throught art, kids become motivated to take a road less traveled by; becoming their own person. Without these special programs in schools, how would they be shown the way to get to that road? Will we make their lives a one-way street filled with monotany and normalcy? Or let them explore the world around and let them decide for themselves which road they want to take.

Rhetorical Analysis-"Down in a Hole"

Released and recorded in 1992, Alice in Chain's "Down in a Hole", breaks through the surface of grunge-style rock with haunting lyrics and a depressing tone. Most people think of Layne Staley[lead singer AIC;1967-2002] and his heroin addiction as being the main subject of this song. Especially since this song was written towards the end of his life. What most fail to also realize is that guitarist Jerry Cantrell wrote this about the love of his life, Courtney Clarke. The lyrics can be taken either way, its just how the audience chooses to take it. References to being "in a hole" or a "tomb" are mentioned several times throughout the song. Think of the forbidden love between the famous "Romeo and Juliet". There are few lines that may create thoughts of the play, such as: "holding red flowers in her tomb" when Romeo goes to see Juliet in her tomb.."see my home now decorated like a grave" his new home will be Juliets tomb, once he kills himself."You dont understand who they thought i was supposed to be, look at me now i'm a man who wont let himself be".. Romeo was never supposed to be with Juliet, but he is obsessively in love with her and cannot prevent the way he feels. The lyrics repeat themselves multiple times to put significance on his strong love for her[Clarke]. The same words are used in the fourth and sixth stanzas as in the second. Words and emotions are added as the song continues to express the sadness Cantrell is feeling knowing he wants something he will never have.. "I'd like to fly but my wings have been so denied". So take it as you will, either the song being about Staley's fatal heroin addiction or the song being Cantrell's broken-hearted cry to his lost love, Alice in Chain's "Down in a Hole" is nothing less than a cry for help.

Rhetorical Analysis of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy"

Suicide, self-loathing, depression. All common issue of today's younger generation. Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" brings this to the surface. Many see that these problems are becoming more and more known among the youth of today. Jeremy Wade Delle, a sophmore at Richardson High School, shot himself in front of his English II class as on Tuesday, January 8,1991, and somewhat began this era of school shootings and suicides. He rarely went to class and that day his teacher, Mrs. Faye Barnett, asked him to go get an attendence slip from the front office. When returning to class, Jeremy pulled out a .357-caliber Magnum of his pocket and shot himself in front of the entire class. Many articles and news reports were done soon after the incident and many people were curious to find out the real story. One of these readers was the lead singer of the popular rock band Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder). Vedder was moved by the story and felt the need to make people, especially teens, how big a deal suicide and depression is.


In the song "Jeremy", the overall tone forces the listeners analyze what they just heard and possibly realize the severity of teen suicide. The students and fellow classmates of Jeremy Wade Delle all felt guilty that they didn't try and help him before he made such a big decision to take his own life. Danny Glick, the vice president of Richardson High's peer counseling group said, "Everybody I talked to said the same thing:They wish they could've said or done something before he took his life."(Dallas Morning News. www.sshep.com)Guilt is well represented in the song's lyrics to express how the actual students felt, "we unleased a lion..", "try to erase this..from the blackboard". Pearl Jam's ultimate goal was not to promote suicidal thoughts in teens, it is the complete opposite. In the uncut version of the "Jeremy" music video, there are images that flash on and off the screen. One of these images reads out "64 degrees and cloudy". Normal day right? Nothing too out of the ordinary. After the graphic scene in which "Jeremy" puts the gun in his mouth and commits sucicide, that same image of "64 degrees and cloudy" flashes onto the screen once again. This is expressing that suicide solves no problems, and that nothing changed for the better. His suicide effected many people, but showing those same perfect weather conditions before and after the suicide in the music video also tells people that it isn't going to solve anything.

Can You Tell If Someone Is Really Intelligent?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and just knew everything that was coming out of their mouth complete bullsh**? Sorry to have to use that word, but c'mon..everyone has met up with that one person who thinks they have everything figured out. Right? To me, someone who is truly intelligent is not one who brags and rambles on about ridiculous topics that no one wants to hear about. Intelligence is a wisdom and knowledge about things around you. They use their "power" for good and not useless issues. Intelligence,in my opinion, is something that anyone can have; things that someone may be more aware of more than others. This is something you can find in science books, novels, and even gossip magazines. Intelligence is simply something you are very aware and knowledgeable of.

rhetorical analysis of v's speech to London

Would you believe it if you read in the newspaper that a terrorist crime was committed in the United States for the benefit of the American people? Would you turn the other cheek and pretend as if nothing is happening around you? Knowing that your government wasnt the best, but you could go on pretending not to see it? Or would you be the one who opened your eyes to what was ACTUALLY going on around you? V[played by Hugo Weaving in the movie 'V for Vendetta'] saw this. He saw it happening right in front of the citizens of London. But did they listen? Would they finally see the reason behind V's "madness"?
In my opinion, the speech that was given to the people by V was attempting to tell them that they were being taken as fools and the government knew exactly what they were doing. It came down to V having to destroy the central criminal court[the Old Bailey]to get the peoples' attention. V was fighting a losing battle at the time. Trying to destroy the whole totalitarianist government. He first tells the people that he knows the government is ultimatly to blame. But, he also says that every person that allowed this to continue on was also to blame.
This speech was mostly a mixture of an evaluative and forensic argument. V even mentioned that "words offer means to meaning...and the enunciation of truth". That quote brings out the more forensic side of V's argument. But there is also a means to an end argument coming through to me in the speech when V tries to give reason behind the attacks. He explains that it has come to the point where this attack had to be done in order to solve the issue of London's government and regain the attention of the people. He is ultimately trying to open the eyes and minds of the people. For the evaluative side of this speech, he tells them "I know why you did it. I know you were afraid." He is telling him he truly understands why no one except himself really stepped up and tried to solve the issue. He understands that as humans, we normally are afraid to step up to fight for something when you think you're alone.
When it all comes down to it, the speech given by V was an eye opener not only for the people of London, it also opened my eyes and made me ask myself this question: would I stand up for something that was right, even if I was alone?Even if it meant going to great lengths to achieve justice? Would you?

knowledge, truth, & belief.

knowledge and truth go hand in hand to the human race. knowledge to us is based off of what we believe to be true. but can we be sure what we know is actually true? we base our truths off things we have heard and 'proven' that were then passed down by the people who lived before us. Truth is what you believe. if you believe that God is real, the average believer would want to seek and gain knowledge of Him and about his teachings[truths]. Thats one perspective. another perspective would be one of an atheist. atheists wouldn't want to seek knowledge and truths about a god if they dont BELIEVE in one. so lets break this down...the relationship between KNOWLEDGE, TRUTH, AND BELIEF is simply this: it is what you make it;your perspective on life.your truths are yours, no one elses. your knowledge has been achieved from those truths. and all is based on what you believe.

headnoise.

me.1

you have officially opened a can of worms that you will NEVER regret. :] you need to know a few things before you read any more of this. i am insane, i should be wearing a straight jacket in a roomwith pillows for walls. i am unlike any person out there. unique? i love making people laugh and laughing all the time. ask any one of my friends and theyll tell you. my life pretty much revolves around music. creating it. listening to it. analyzing it. music was my first love. one other thing about me is i will do anything for my friends. i would take a bullet for any one of them, and i know they would do the same. my niggas...they are my life and i love you all.

on a more serious note..this is where i came from and what ive been through. at the time of my birth, i was put up for adoption. luckily, i was only in foster care until i was four months old, at which time, i was adopted. can you guess who? yeah, my parents. lol my birth mother was heavy into drugs and alcohol, and my father...well, no one really knows. people ask if that has affected my life, the whole being adopted thing. :] and i can honestly say, no. yes, of course, i think about it occasionally, but its not a big deal. the way i see it is, the people who love and care for you are family. that love is thicker than blood and genes. that is my definition of family. that should be enough about me. oh wait? is this one of this cliche' blogs about my dreams and aspirations? well then. here it goes: when i get out of high school, i want to immediately attend college at LSU, majoring in Music Performance. i plan on getting married and all that wonderful crap. ahahaha oxy moron! i AM an english genius !! [que evil laugh] that does it for me. peace and chicken grease.