Respect of Diversity_Entry 2_Week 16

High school.

            A period in your life where you leave childhood behind and experience the ups and downs of growing up. It’s that awkward hormonal stage where you realize life isn’t always going to be easy. To be truthful- it can be a pain in the ass. It’s also a time when you start to discover who you are as an individual, and how immature people will hate you for just being you. You realize that people will stereotype you and group you into cliques based on your appearance and your actions.

            I am that awkward kid that embarrasses her-self every other minute, and likes to do the opposite of what society approves of. I am not a genius, but I am not stupid, either. Some people consider me to be weird, and others get annoyed to the point they wouldn’t mind if I disappeared. I realize people judge me every day, from the way I look to the way I act. Some people could care less about what I do, and then there are the people that will become offended and try to morph me into what they consider to be acceptable.

            Why should I change myself to please you?

            Everyone has a different view of things. The problem with this generation is that we seem to get the words “fact” and “opinion” mixed up. We tend to think that our opinion is actually a fact, and that anyone who is willing to disagree is not worth our time. Facts are scientifically proven ideas that have evidence that supports the main concept. On the contrary, an opinion is an individual’s personal perspective of the world around them. Opinions revolve around varying cultures, traditions, religions, and the people that create and take part in these customs. Opinions are a reflection of a person’s viewpoints, beliefs, and of their personality.

            People are different from each other in many ways- from the color of their skin to their IQ level. Genetics, age, gender, and the surrounding environment influence the thoughts and personality of each human being. The social media has had a large impact on how today’s society should view people. Music, magazines, books, films, and other types of mass media seem to encourage the public to judge solely on other’s outward appearance. The media claims that if people do not dress, act, or talk a certain way, they are “abnormal” and “different”. What is so bad with being separate from the “in- crowd”? Why does everyone want to be a clone of one another?

            Everyone has an altered perspective on things.  No matter how hard one tries, that individual will never be completely satisfied with who they are. Feeling agitated, they turn to what is considered “cool” and “popular” for consolation. They feel the need to be accepted by society, and in order to achieve that, they must transform themselves into a fake, unrealistic imitation of the latest vogue. They allow the world to be their puppeteer, and in doing so, they lose their genuine identity. And high school is one of those many places where people will be mistreated for not “fitting in” with what is considered to be cool.

            People would not feel the need to do such things if civilization learned to accept uniqueness. Everyone is different. If people learned to listen to what other’s had to say, and respected the other’s personal opinion whether or not they agreed with it, the world would be more serene. You have to realize that no matter what a person says or does, it will not always change the opinion of someone else. That is just the way the world is. Variety is superb, but people seem too concerned of what other’s think of them. In doing so, they will do whatever it takes to make someone like them. Even if it means sacrificing who they are.

           We live in a free country, but it’s as if everyone constantly forgets what freedom really means. It’s being able to express yourself without being persecuted.  Even the Bill of Rights, Amendment 1 states that: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

            Society and the media tries to convince the world that in order to be “someone” you have to look a certain way, act a certain way, and have a lot of money. But it should not be like that. Life is too short to worry about what others think about you. Not everyone will love you, but not everyone will hate you. The right people will accept you for you. People are people- there is nothing that will make someone better or worse than someone else. You should get to know someone before you waste your breath on things that might not even be true about them. And if you do not like them, do not say mean things about them just to pass the time. Respect the fact that you have a different opinion and lifestyle from theirs, and move on. It’s not the end of the world.

            I am who I am. And I personally do not care if you like me or not- I do not need the world’s approval in order to be happy and successful in life. So, what’s your opinion?

The Choice to Choose and Smile_Entry 1_Week 16

Sometimes I look up at the sky and wonder about what lies ahead of me. I think about the world and the people that live in it. I think of how people fight to be independent of society and each other when, realistically, they were already born as individuals- not cloned robots. I think of how every little occurrence can later become a conspiracy or a regret or a simple memory. I think of the past and what I did and look into the future with a faint heart and a conscience that is telling me that nothing is as it should be.

My parents told me that when I first came into the world, all I did was smile. I did not cry and I did not try to fight the world. I took it all in- the doctors, the bright lights, the room, and my parents. If I had been a boy my name would have been Benjamin, but God decided to make me a girl that would one day question the reason behind her existence. Born into a Christian home with Christian values can make any child inwardly rebellious and angry at the world when it tries to shape and mold her into someone she does not want to be.

In middle school, we were assigned an art project that involved researching the meaning behind our names. My friends were christened as a “pretty flower” or “beloved” or even a “princess”. According to the dictionary, I was “son of Kenneth; prince”. Of all people, why did my name have to mean that? After that mortifying experience, I was sure that my life was some sort of sick joke.

Society claims that our name and our appearance is what defines our identity. Sex and drugs and alcohol and parties and lies and cheating and failure and money is what this generation has been slapped in the face until our lips are crusted over with blood and our eyes are painted black and blue.

Our generation has become numb to all of our senses. We are helpless and only have one concern: ourselves. We are unable to sympathize with the emotions of others. We do not know how to help or support them. We have forgotten how to be honest and instead fill our mouths with lies and spit repulsive words into each other’s face.

I want that to stop.

Rid yourself of hate and anger and the desire for revenge. Replace it with empathy so as to be able to give consolation rather than misery.

Learn to accept rather than to despise your body along with your flaws because there will never be another you.

Always respect yourself. Do not bother to poison your body with drugs and alcohol and profanity and sex. I am not here to tell you what you can and cannot do with your body- it is your property. But remember that you can never get another one.

Glorify the successes of others rather than your own victories. One day you will receive the reward that comes from hard work alone. No one has bragging rights. Remember that people will see your talents through your actions and will be deaf to your words.  

You will only get what you give. Remain considerate despite differing personal views and opinions because when will two people ever think alike? Humans are like snowflakes… each one has its own intricate design.

Have the courage to overcome your fears and to always follow what you know to be true. Never compromise.

Persevere despite life’s disappoints and know that there is always a lesson to be learned from your mistakes.

Always speak the truth. Lying only leads to doubt and anguish.

I am not trying to be different because I already am. If you feel like a misfit, if you feel like a nobody… know that you are somebody. Somebody that can change the world for the better.

Society can leave us feeling worthless and religion and family and friends can attempt to define who we are, but hope always remains to give us the choice to choose. To choose our own virtues as well as our own vices.

When you step out into the world, the real world, and get a taste of its bitterness, remember to always smile. Smile like a newborn that hasn’t a single clue of what is to come. Because honestly- you don’t. And besides, smiling never hurt anyone. 

Eating Disorders: Genetic or Environmental?_Entry 2_Week 15

“I think I've heard all of the fat jokes. It got to the point that I was scared to go to school. The kids were really mean. They actually HATED me because I was fat,” stated Laurie, one of many teens who have anonymously told their story regarding their struggle with an eating disorder on an online blog.  Many young adults, similar to Laurie, have heard at least once in their life time a negative statement about their body image. Although every individual’s response is different towards discouraging opinions, eating disorders are greatly influenced by the social media in the Western culture and are not caused solely by inheritance.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, are greatly influenced by society and are not just caused by genetics passed down from one generation to the next. It is not what a child can possibly inherit from their parents’ genetic material that is the sole contributor to a psychological disorder.  A surrounding community of people in the twenty first century who constantly practice and preach that the “number on a scale and fitting into a smaller dress size” is what makes a person genuinely “happy” can encourage anyone to do whatever it takes to become skinny (Thompson).

Having an eating disorder, however, can be caused by genetics passed down from a single parent or both of the parents to a child.

“For years, especially recently, the entertainment and marketing industries have been blamed for causing eating disorders... The general opinion is that the constant bombardment of images and commercials portraying the ‘perfect’ skinny body makes young girls feel inadequate... But new research points the finger in a completely different direction” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”).

 A majority of people, especially scientists, would like to deem genetics as the only thing that causes an eating disorder. Research has proven, however, that the surrounding environment has a huge effect on a person’s mentality and plays a huge role in adapting something such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

Generally, it is assumed that there are three factors that contribute to having an eating disorder: Biological, psychological, and environmental. Biological factors are caused by genetics from which people have the tendency to strive for attributes such as perfectionism, sensitivity, and perseverance (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”). Such attributes, however, does not directly lead to a person becoming anorexic or bulimic in order to become excessively thin. It can just as easily instigate a person to feel the need to constantly keep everything clean, organized a certain way, to have a specific routine, et cetera. Psychologically, some people “have obsessive-compulsive personality traits that make it easier to stick to strict diets and forgo food despite being hungry”, making it easier if a person has the desire to become extremely thin (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”). Environmentally, “dieting has become an obsession in North America… Many of the diets on the market right now are also unhealthy. They deprive you of the proper nutrition your body needs to survive and these diets can lead to health problems” (Thompson).

 Experts have discovered that two chromosomes, specifically known as “1 and 10”, are directly linked to eating disorders. Further studies have “determined that genetics accounts for 56 percent of a person's likelihood to develop an eating disorder” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”). This has proven that eating disorders can be heritable- and possibly the main reason for taking unhealthy actions to become excessively thin- but it is does not prove that genetics is the only cause (“Genetics and Biology”).

Additional research has revealed that serotonin levels- a brain chemical involved in depression- may have an influence in acquiring anorexia nervosa or bulimia. It can pass genetically from one family member to another, contributing to a family history of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more (“Genetics and Biology”). The brain chemical can affect the emotional state of a human and their reaction to certain situations, causing some to strive for flawlessness in order to lessen their or other’s negative view of their body. That sense of perfection, however, is influenced by the media in the Western culture which encourages thinness and associates it with things such as “success” and “worth” (“Anorexia nervosa: Causes”).

Genetics, such as low or high levels of serotonin, passed down from generation to generation can instigate “obsessive-compulsive personality”- a contributing factor in having an eating disorder- but Western culture encourages the desire to be excessively thin and claims that it is what will make “you happy” (Thompson). If genetics play a key role in having an eating disorder, “the discovery that some people may be genetically pre-disposed … means that treatment programs could be developed more specifically, and … can be used to alleviate the feeling of shame … counselors can use that information to help patients work through the negative feelings that make recovery much more difficult” (“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders”).

The question is: What causes people to perform such unhealthy eating habits, such as starvation? Eating disorders are a sign of emotional insecurity over one’s body. Feelings cannot be necessarily triggered by a few genes originated from a previous carrier. Emotions are widely manipulated by the senses, such as: sight (visuals and images) and hearing (harsh words).  In the twenty first century, society’s expectations are for everything to happen quickly, causing starvation and puking to appear as more appealing when they see how quickly one can lose weight as compared to a healthy diet and moderate exercise which can take over a year. Although chromosomes 1 and 10 and serotonin can cause an individual to have the symptoms of an eating disorder, the social media influences the emotions caused by two of the five senses that can contribute to a negative views of one’s bodies which can then cause a person to take drastic measures to achieve the ‘perfect, size- 0 body’.

According to an article titled “Media Influence”, public figures and models have gradually decreased in size whereas dieting companies and their diet-related products have rapidly increased in their annual revenues throughout the years. Thompson, author of the article, blames society and the media for encouraging the youth of today that “the only way they can be accepted and fit in, is if they are thin”. She explains that dieting and image has become an obsession in Western culture- it is displayed on magazine racks at the store, flashed across almost every commercial on a television screen, implied in shows and films, and even encouraged among our peers. Thompson states that young adults have resorted “to starving, vomiting and eating only diet foods to try and be thin” due to their environmental surrounding’s influence on their lifestyle choices.

Many young adults and even children have had to go to counseling for help when it comes to accepting their body image, but even trained specialists appear as if they do not understand their situation.

“I … had a counselor at my after-school YMCA program make an example of me. She told some other kids that she used to be as big as me. It really hurt me too. Someone who was there to watch over me and make sure I was okay wanted to hurt me in front of other children. I hated my weight” (Laurie).

Eating disorders are not something that a simple pill or a therapist can easily fix. The message that “thin is everything” needs to be put to an end, and instead people need to be constantly told that “size does not matter”. Value your body and live a healthy lifestyle that includes eating everything in moderation.

Adults are the ones who are to blame for our generation’s negative view of their own bodies. They are the ones who are constantly trying out new weight loss programs, taking every diet pill they can afford, allowing companies to advertise pictures of models who have absolutely no fat on their bodies, and so much more. “We… need to teach our children to be proud of whom they are. We need to remind them that people come in all shapes and sizes, and we need to teach them to accept everyone for who they are. Parents need to also teach their children the value of healthy eating and not send the message that being thin is important” (Thompson).

The social media in the Western Culture seems to have a negative impact on an individual’s views of their own bodies which can lead to anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Although genetics can contribute to an eating disorder, it is not the heritage of a child that is the sole contributor to a psychological disorder. It is their surrounding environment of things and people that ultimately encourage them to be as thin as possible- even if that means to do so in an unhealthy manner. People are the ones who encourage the social media to continue to display images of thin models, actors/ actresses, and help promote diet products through continued purchases. “Stop buying those fashion magazines and diet products, and stop believing all the lies being told to you by the fashion and diet industries. Instead, focus on learning to love and accept yourself” (Thompson).

Works Cited

“Genetics and Biology.” The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders. N.p., 2007. Web.      24 March 2013.

Laurie. “My Story- My Struggle.” Eating Disorders, Disordered Culture. UC Davis, n.d. Web.     24 March 2013.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Anorexia nervosa: Causes.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical        Education and Research, 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 March 2013.

“Media Influence.” Rader Programs. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 March 2013.

“The Role of Genetics in Eating Disorders.” Eating Disorders. Eating Disorders Venture, LLC,    2006. Web. 24 March 2013.

Thompson, Colleen. “Society and Eating Disorders.” Eating Disorders: Mirror, Mirror. N.p., 21   March 2013. Web. 24 March 2013.

Black Friday_Entry 1_Week 15

My friend, Rachel Bianchi, was assigned to write a 600 word essay on the topic "Black Friday". I found it both humorous and true. Enjoy!

Black Friday: Because only in America, people trample others for sales practically the same day of being thankful for what they already have. There are pros and cons of Black Friday; yet I believe there are more cons than there are pros.

Yes, thanks to Black Friday not everyone needs to be an extreme couponer like we see on television. But the amount of time people spend prepping themselves for the next World War III in their neighborhood Wal-Mart, they are losing valuable time they could be spending with their families. Some people are willing to go and leave Thanksgiving dinner to get the best deals at their local stores that are starting earlier and earlier every year. Those are the people that are in the store and can’t walk properly because they still have the “Thanksgiving dinner baby” still in their system. Three people got featured on local news for camping out in front of Best Buy three days before the day of the sale to make sure they got the item they have been waiting for. Let’s hope the deal they got was worth the wait.

When stores open the day of Thanksgiving it means employees have to miss or leave their Thanksgivings early to work. This is an inconvenience for them as well as their friends and families that want to spend time with them. Employees that have to work for Black Friday and soon to be Black Thanksgiving work long shifts. Having family in the customer services business, I know that when they don’t have enough sleep and angry customers with the stress of making everyone happy, employees aren’t always their best. Customers that are understandable are a relief to the employee working. Black Friday makes it hard for the employees to keep their calm when five unsatisfied moms are fighting over the last toy for their kid and it turns into the MMA championships. Although some employees get commission for what they sell, the aftermath of the tornado of people is unsettling. Employees have to spend hours just to get their store into good condition. I personally don’t think employees should have to suffer because a few hundred people want five percent off on the latest trend.

Throughout picking out and trying on the latest style shirt, some may not have access to the fitting rooms because Suzie and her whole family might be there watching her try on dresses for prom and it looks like the next episode of “Say yes to the dress”. So if those who don’t have access to the dressing room because Aunt Sally is blocking the door way are in a rush, most likely will just find the size that will most likely fit because they have to go to the next store before the time runs out on the sale. Good news for the shopaholics is that everything probably won’t fit so it gives them an excuse to go back and shop some more! But for the ones that absolutely hate shopping and are there for a once in a lifetime situation, just got a taste of how almost everyone that buys clothes on Cyber Monday feels.

I am the type of person that isn’t social and is only patient when I have to be. Black Friday doesn’t sound appealing to me. In my mind Black Friday equals long lines and too many people in one place. Even though I did go to the mall this year on Black Friday doesn’t mean it was the time of my life. I saw about 10 people I know in one store, which is pretty bad, considering I don’t know that many people. The lines were too long and the aisles were packed to the point where people couldn’t function. It reminded me of some kind of flash mob that was bound to happen where people would randomly break into song, kind of like “High School Musical” but multiplied by a thousand.

Black Friday would be better if it actually started on Friday instead of Thanksgiving. I also believe some people need to take a chill pill or two if going to go shopping on Black Friday, because if they didn’t get what they were on the hunt for, Cyber Monday is just around the corner for another chance at the next big thing out there. Next time you think of saving big, think of the people who sacrifice their nights to give you what you want. Maybe we should be giving them what they want instead; and remember, the day before you were just giving thanks for what you already have.

A Beast, a Monster, and a Human_Entry 2_Week 14

Frankenstein has created a being- something that lives, breathes, walks, blinks. A monster formed by the stiches of a needle and thread, and the various parts of bodies scattered near and far across a vast array of graveyards.

Can it think? It can think enough to tell itself to move its feet in order to walk, and to blink its eyelids when necessary.

Can it comprehend? It is unable to speak, but its eyes tell a thousand tales of understanding.

How can one deal with oneself, when one knows that it created a creature. Can it be called human when it did not derive from a human origin, but rather parts of said origin? No one can tell because it has never been done before until now.

Frankenstein knows full well that what he “created”, put together, gave life to- is no ordinary man. But is it man? Or is it a beast? Or can it be both, making it a monster with a mind and heart similar to that of a human?

Whatever it is, Frankenstein suspects that it killed a child. Strangled his brother to death, in order to retrieve a picture of his late mother. Murder… that can turn any human being into a monster. But what would society consider a monster that murdered a human? Perhaps a beast that wants no discourse of reason for what it did. But what if that beast can’t even understand what it did?

Can a beast, a monster, and a human be one and the same?

Dreams: 300 Word Scholarship Essay_Entry 1_Week 14

My parents told me that when I first came into the world, all I did was smile. I did not cry and I did not try to fight the world. I took it all in- the doctors, the bright lights, the room, and my parents. And to this day, I still take it all in- but I also commit myself to doing something rather than sitting on the sidelines. My education and community service volunteer hours are what help me to fulfill my dreams: to improve my community for the better.

At my high school, AACT, they encourage us to pursue community service opportunities to help improve the lives of others. I was inspired to join an organization that aids in caring for cats and dogs whose owners may have died or were abusive. My job is to spend time with the animals so they can feel comfortable around humans as well as to prepare them for adoption into a good home. Another community service opportunity presented to me was one offered at my Church. Every holiday we put on family- oriented events for the community, and one of many activities that we include is face painting to keep the children entertained. I hope to continue my service to the community after high school as well, except I plan on creating an organization that helps adolescents who suffer from depression and eating disorders.

Engaging with one’s community is a great way to meet new people and to make connections, and taking on a leadership role can help train a young person on how to work in a team as well as prepare them for the business world. Becoming involved for the greater good can help change the world for the better. I, for one, refuse to sit on the sidelines. 

The Day of the Doctor_Entry 2_Week 13

Daleks. Weeping Angels. Cyber-men. The Silence. Time Beetle. Family of Blood. The Ood. The Master.

And that is a list of only a few of many more monsters that exist throughout both space and time.

Time Lords. Old as time itself… perhaps even older. Their kind was destroyed, ruined, consumed by a terrible war of hatred and fire. Trapped in a bubble of time. The worst kind of prison. One that is inescapable and one that lasts until the end of time itself.

Then there is the Time Lord… supposedly the last of his kind, the Doctor himself, who can control time itself even if there is a fixed point in time that cannot be changed. He always finds a way to change the course of events- the history of the world, the history of people’s lives… always for the better.

Many have met him. Many have seen him. Many have heard of him. Few know his story. And only one knows his true identity, his name, his loneliness.

The one question that is on everyone’s minds; that the universe itself seeks to find the answer to- Doctor… who?

Frankenstein_Entry 1_Week 13

When someone mentions the name “Frankenstein”, people usual picture a green giant dressed in a rather unflattering purple dress suit with bolts protruding from between the sides of his neck. His forehead sticks out like a massive tumor, and he is considered to be a monster as old as time itself- or, at least, that’s what we would like to think. We see his image often around the time of Halloween… he is like a ghost that comes and goes. We see him in Scooby- Doo cartoons, in seventy- eight different movie versions depicting his story, posters and decorations, and more.

He is the monster we were told to be afraid of.

But Frankenstein is not the monster.

Frankenstein is merely the creator of said monster- whose name is NOT Frankenstein, unlike what everyone else has told me for the past seventeen years of my life.

Frankenstein is not the monster but rather the mad scientist who brought another man, a dead man, back to life. A man who was thought to be a monster, but was only a man who’s after- life was used for a wondrous experiment.  

Never Trust a Boy Who Calls You His Angle_Entry 2_Week 12

My great aunt once told me to never trust a boy who wrote you a love letter and called you his angle rather than his angel. Not only is something seriously wrong with his obvious lack of education, but the fact that he practically told you that you only can bend a certain way.

Remember to dye your hair an obnoxious red at least once in your life so people can mistake you for a stop sign and will be given the extra unnecessary amount of time to admire you.

Always remember to dance, even if it’s raining. Just tell yourself that the lightning is flashes of hope and that the thunder is the voice of triumphant.

Talking to yourself may make you appear to not be in the right state of mind, but at least you know part of you still exists.

Never give bits of your heart to a boy who is only willing to display it in his trophy case.

Cannot Wait To Graduate_Entry 1_Week 12

When you think life can’t get any worse, it does.

High school is literally a vortex of emotions and tears and tests and midterms and planning and competitions. People overreact and underreact. One person says one thing, and another person says what they said in a completely different way- twisting around their words like little shards of ripped up paper. People overthink everything but don’t actually look at what’s happening in front of them.

You have no idea how tired I am of people telling me what to do. Don’t get me wrong- I’m not against my parents doing their parental job, or my teachers instructing me on what homework needs to be completed and such. No. It’s not that. I am tired of people, specifically my age, telling me how to live. Who to care for. Who to apologize to. Who I owe what. Who I should love.

Then they go about claiming that people don’t have the right to judge.

Really now?

Ever thought of practicing what you preach?

Apparently not…

Cannot wait to graduate.

Act 5, Scene 2 (Revised): “Unbated and Envenom’d”_Entry 2_Week 11

            “…Thou art slain. No medicine in the world can do thee good… The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, unbated and envenom’d,” Laertes exclaims as he lies dying, having been wounded by the poisonous sword of which Hamlet unknowingly holds in his own hand. The sword had been dipped in poison of which no medicine could cure, and was meant to take Hamlet’s life by the hands of Laertes. The roles, however, have been switched as revenge is performed in the same intentional manner but by a completely different person.

            “The foul practice hath turn’d itself on me,” Laertes realizes after being struck down. For every action there is a reaction, for every exploit there will be a consequence, and for every meticulously thought- out scheme something will not go exactly according to plan. The King had hoped for a fool- proof plan in his endeavor to murder Hamlet, but he too realizes that “… it is too late”.  The Queen had drunk the poisoned concoction intended for Hamlet, and Laertes had been struck by the venomous tip of the sword that he himself had constructed.

Poison cannot only physically kill a person’s very existence, but it also has the power to destroy everything that the person had once stood for and had loved. The King’s ambition had blinded him as well as had convinced him that he could slay his own brother and remain without sin or fault. Hamlet’s hatred for the King had caused people to think he was a mad man and a fool in love. Ophelia’s confusion and sorrow had been the cause of her own death. And the Queen’s denial of committing incest as well as her refusal to continue to mourn her late husband’s death had led to a broken relationship with her son.

Fate cannot be changed, and destiny cannot be determined no matter how fool- proof a plan may seem. The King and Laertes had regarded every aspect and had discussed every diminutive detail, but in the end something went wrong. One factor may have been accidentally forgotten, or an element may have been misplaced. Whatever happened behind the scenes, no will know. But one thing is known to be true- everything comes back to haunt a person’s soul.

It is as Laertes said: “He is justly served. It is a poisoned temper’d by himself.” The kingdom of Denmark had made their decision to seek out revenge and to harbor hatred, and now they had to pay the price they were willing to bargain with. A price that every man must compensate for in the end.

Hamlet (Memorization Speech): Act 1, Scene 2_Entry 1_Week 11

We were required to memorize a speech that we considered to be the most important and the most relevant to what was happening within the play of Hamlet . I chose to memorize a speech where the main character, Hamlet, is contemplating suicide and is mourning the loss of his father as well as the loss of the innocent love of his mother.

1. O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt,
2. Thaw and resolve itself into a dew,
3. Or that the Everlasting had not fix’s
4. His cannon ‘gainst self- slaughter! O God! God!
5. How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable
6. Seem to me all the uses of this world!
7. Fie on’t! ah fie! ‘Tis an unweeded garden
8. That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
9. Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
10. But two months dead- nay, not so much, not two-
11. So excellent a king, that was to this
12. Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother
13. That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
14. Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth,
15. Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him
16. As if increase of appetite had grown
17. By what it fed on; and yet, within a month-
18. Let me not think on’t- Frailty, thy name is woman-
19. A little month, or ere those shoes were old
20. With which she follow’d my poor father’s body,
21. Like Niobe,  all tears- why she, even she-
22. God! A beast that wants discourse of reason
23. Would have mourn’d longer- married with my uncle,
24. My father’s brother, but no more like my father
25. Than I to Hercules. Within a month,
26. Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
27. Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
28. She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
29. With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
30. It is not, nor it cannot come to good.
31. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

She Is The Story_Entry 2_Week 10

She is the story of internal civil war

She is the good and the bad, the pretty and the ugly, and the reward and the consequence

She is like the contrast found in the colors black and white

She has alabaster skin that is a canvas for some form of distorted art

She hates reality so hides within a wonderland of her own

She enjoys complexity but appreciates simplicity

She hates romantics but sings songs about love

She would rather skip dinner and eat dessert

She loved one too many lost boys

But has yet to learn what it’s like to fall in love

She prefers to photograph the magic that can be found in the secret places of the world

She loves to read but can only sit at a desk for so long until her mind begins to wander

She is like Alice because she fell down the hole into a world where she doesn’t belong

She has just begun her lifelong adventure

Of discovering…. Her 

The Undiscovered Country: Hamlet_Entry 1_Week 10

                     “To be, or not to be, that is the question,” Hamlet thinks to himself as he tries to decide if it is better to continue on with life or to end it all together. He struggles between the good and the bad, the pretty and the ugly, and the reward and the consequence of committing suicide. He wonders if “to die” is only “to sleep, but if he happens “to sleep” he will only “dream”.

            “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time… But that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country… And makes us rather bear those ills we have, than to fly to others that we know not of.” “To be, or not to be…” Life seems to only offer mankind a “sea of troubles”, “hearth- ache”, a “thousand natural shocks”, and a mind that only suffers. The thoughts in Hamlet’s mind goes back and forth between what could happen and what will happen if he chooses to live, or if he chooses to die.

            Death, however, is just as appealing as life itself. Hamlet wonders what happens after “we have shuffled off this mortal coil”. The land of the dead is “the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns”. That, for Hamlet, is more terrifying than having to live “a weary life”.

            The unknown is a thing man- kind does not wish to discover, and often the question “to be, or not to be” can only offer a simple answer- “To be”- to know.

Mirrors: Spoken Word Poetry by Grace Hayes

https://soundcloud.com/graceorsomething/mirrors-spoken-word-poetry-by

Remember Not to Scream_Entry 2_Week 9

Horror movies.

They are made to be scary- blood and gore and violence are sure to be in it. At least one scene will involve screaming, and throughout the entire movie the sound of dramatic music will suddenly blare through the television's speakers. Many people are able to laugh at the stupidity of the victim when they call out "Hello?" into the silence of a house, or how they tend to run downstairs to the basement as if the darkness can protect them from the killer waiting at the top of the staircase with a knife in their hand.

The same thing happens when people venture into a Haunted House for the excitement and the thrills that come from being scared. Everything becomes quiet, and when you least expect something to pop out from behind that one closed door, it happens. You scream and feel your heart beating quickly against your chest, and then let out a nervous laugh as you realize that behind that distorted mask there's only another human being instead of a monster.

We all like to get scared once in a while, especially this time of year when Halloween is just around the corner. Decorations are put up and Haunted Houses are constructed and horror movies just happen to suddenly pop up in every theater around the country. We seem to celebrate it all- the horrors of violence and death, and yet when something like a school shooting happens we suddenly are in shock.

Why is that?

Because society has given us a cushion against reality. If something is too violent or scary for us on TV, we have the power to grab the remote and switch it off. Reality, however, is a different story. We can't simply remote control every situation, and unfortunately we cannot switch off the many tragedies and horrors of life itself.

So if we hate seeing other humans suffer, why do we celebrate it?

To Be or Not To Be?_Entry 1_Week 9

"To be or not to be?"

I am pretty sure that too many people ask themselves that famous line from Hamlet on a day to day basis.

"Why am I here?"

"What is my purpose in my life?"

"Who am I?"

On October 21, 2013, yet another tragedy shocked the nation to tears and disbelief. At Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nevada, a twelve year old boy took his own life, wounded a student, and shot and killed a teacher by the name of Michael Landsberry.

The very first fact that tends to catch the attention of the public eye is the horrific and sudden conclusion to Landsberry's life. He had been a former marine who had served in Afghanistan and then took up a job teaching students. The community organized and set- up a memorial in honor of Landsberry and his willingness to protect the students from the potential dangers of the gun held in the young boy's hands in exchange for his own life.

Don't get me wrong- it is a very kind and loving gesture from the community to honor those wounded and killed through memorials and FaceBook pages that tell stories of what a great man Landsberry had been and how he was there for his students who were experiencing abuse, self- harm, family issues, and much more.

But my question is this: What could drive a TWELVE year old boy- a kid, a student, a son... to the point of feeling completely and utterly hopeless. To the point of not being able to see past the troubles of the present and to be able to see the prospects of the future. To not detect the silver lining in the rain clouds.

He was only a kid. His life had only just begun.

As a society, we immediately accuse the parents. Truth is, we don't know how they raised their kid. We don't know what his home life was like. We don't know what was going on inside his head or his heart. We don't know what it was like to be in his shoes.

But what we do know from this tragedy, is that we didn't do anything for him. We didn't speak up when someone called him a name. We didn't help pick up his books when someone purposefully knocked them out of his hands.

What did YOU do?

He certainly isn't the only kid who has felt this way before, but it doesn't mean that it is nothing to worry about. No- it is not just a phase. No- it is not the usual turmoils of growing up. No- it is not a complex problem that can be solved with the snap of a finger.

We need to be there for them- for our kids, our sisters, our brothers, our friends, our family. We need to ask them- are you ok? Not the casual "How was your day?" But the more serious question of "How are you really? Do you feel loved, accepted, appreciated? We are HERE FOR YOU."

What WILL YOU do?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/sparks-school-shooting-anti-bullying-video-student-article-1.1493905

 

Seize the Limitation_Entry 2_Week 8

Break through your barriers. Overcome your obstacles. Don’t let ANYTHING stop you.

Unfortunately, in life, there is little you can do when it comes to certain situations. Sometimes you cannot get around what is stopping you from achieving your goal- it is just a fact of life. Everyone views such impossible obstacles as a negative thing… but what if it’s actually a good thing? What if the limitations you face are not so unfortunate?

At my martial arts academy, the first thing that we learn and are challenged to do is to find the strength within us so we can be capable of overcoming the many obstacles that life loves to hurl our way.

But how can one embrace what seems to only hinder them? You have to own it. Feel it out- see how you can use it to your advantage rather than letting it take advantage of YOU.

As the following video promotes:

Embrace your limitations.

http://talentsearch.ted.com/video/Phil-Hansen-The-art-of-the-impe;TEDNew-York

The Most Inquiring Kind of Beings_Entry 1_Week 8

Parents have got to be the most inquiring kind of people to ever live on this planet.

Literally.

“Where do you plan on going to college?”

“How are you going to pay for college?”

“Where, exactly, are you planning on living?”

“Do you even have a plan after you graduate?”

Just… stop.

Please.

Sometimes their questions make me feel as if my ears are bleeding nothing but their constant complaints and comments on a daily basis. They used to tell me to enjoy my childhood; now it’s as if they are forcing me to grow up and move out and get a job and meet a nice, clean- shaven guy and have a family of my own.

That’s really not okay with me.

Yes, moving out would be quite ideal due to the fact I could live with my closest friends and would not have to worry about curfew. But once I even hint at such an idea, my parents go on lock down mode and tell me to enjoy childhood.

Not only are parents the most inquiring kind of people, they are also the most contradictory kind of beings.

The Movie Theater_Entry 2_Week 7

Red tongues and red vines.

A cool breeze sung between the branches of leafless trees and the smell of buttered popcorn drifted as it pleased on the current of air. Young couples stood side by side; the boys tended to have a look of want as they studied the back of their date’s head as she studied the ground in an effort to avoid awkward eye contact. The woman with lines on her forehead and a mustard stain on her overwhelmingly bright orange t-shirt asked us what movie we would like to see and how many of us there were so she could charge us just the right amount and then some.

We walked away from the ticket booth holding little ripped treasures of printed paper that would direct us to our feature presentation.

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear as I sat down in the cushioned seat. The theater hummed quietly as the air conditioner attempted to cool our bodies. The lights silently kissed the room good bye as their warm glow was draped over with velvety darkness. 

(To be continued...)

Fall Break_Entry 1_Week 7

Two of my friends are visiting colleges over the upcoming fall break. Another friend of mine will be practicing outdoor photography. And one other friend will be researching different companies seeking out the business most suited for her capstone project: Internship. While everyone else seems to be quite committed to remaining productive over their week off from school, I can assure you that I will use my fall break wisely. Translation: sleeping in until noon and staying up until at least midnight watching episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I can most definitely promise you that I will be visiting the yogurt place that is practically down the street from my house on a daily basis. I might even pig- out on some sushi one day, and then the next lounge around the house in my checkered pajamas.

Maybe I will give some thought to re- writing my resume and working on my application to TMCC.

But in all honesty, I’m just going to chill.

Because I’m a teenager and I am living up to society’s expectations of adolescents being lazy.

Yay, me.

Our Deepest Fears_Entry 2_ Week 6

What is your deepest, darkest fear? Is it fear of rejection, of being isolated, or not being loved? Or is it the fear of being accepted but not wanting to feel as if you didn’t earn that acceptance- as if you owe it to society to work for something that they want. What do you want? What is holding YOU back from achieving what YOU want?

I ask myself those questions too often- it is like I am trying to solve a puzzle that just refuses to come together because I am missing a few valuable pieces. And then someone showed me this “poem”, and I realized where all my fear originates from.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

-Marianne Williamson

My fear is not being able to achieve something great, it is becoming something so great I would never have imagined being able to achieve it in the first place.

What is stopping you?

The Winds of Change_ Entry 1_ Week 6

People change all the time. It can happen in the blink of an eye, or can take place over the course of several years. People never remain the same- it is impossible. They just can’t.

Throughout Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the characters struggle to deal with the death of a loved one by simply ignoring the incident and moving on with their life. Hamlet, however, seems unable to do so. He claims that his mother married too quickly, his uncle was too happy in fulfilling the role of the new king, and the kingdom of Denmark seemed to swiftly replace its brief time of mourning with that of drunken parties celebrating the nuptials of his Uncle Claudius and his mother Gertrude.

The Queen had changed her dark veil of grief to a white veil of happiness in order to feel loved again. Claudius quickly took on the role of King and father to Hamlet so as to feel as if he was a powerful and significant being. Hamlet allowed his feeling of grief over his father’s death to take over every part of his being and morph him into a person whose only goal was to get revenge. The people of Denmark took up drinking so as to drink away the sorrows and bitter truths of the world around them.

What an individual chooses to allow can be the destruction or the savior of their inner immortal being. The foolish acts of men are the consequence of mindless thoughts that often lead to deadly outcomes, even if their “virtues… be they as pure as grace”. The sin may be little, but the result of that sin can be horrific. “The stamp of one defect” is all that it takes to change the course of history… at least according to Shakespeare that is all that it takes.

Pull the Rabbit Out of the Hat_Entry 2_Week 5

"What's your name?"

I looked over my shoulder as if he was directing the question to the person standing behind me. But there was no one behind me or to the side of me. It was just me. And him. In that small cubicle of time and space where nothing seems to make sense, yet everything seems to fall perfectly into place- kind of like the most confusing puzzle that you've ever made an attempt at to accomplish and when it is finally completed, you can sigh with relief and admire the beautiful artwork you so intricately put back into place.

I raked my mind for an answer as if I knew what my name was. Problem is, I don't. I mean, I do... I know the name my parents legally gave me upon my birth. But it was like my tongue was in a knot that I didn't quite know how to untangle. And even if I could un-knot such a dreadful knot, my mind was printing out blank sheets of paper as a cruel response like a broken copy machine that doesn't want to reproduce your homework for English class. I felt like a soda can that had just been drained of its intelligence and stomped on so as to crush the aluminum into a flat sheet of nothing. My brain had turned into a rubber band that had been snapped back into a cloud made of cotton candy that could melt into liquid crystal sugar on your tongue.

To put it quite simply, when someone asks me my name, I know what it is. It consists of nine letters and can be shortened into several different nicknames. I could tell him my name, but the problem is his question doesn't just consist of what he should call me. He's asking who am I as an individual. As a human being, what is my story? I could see it in his eyes. And that I cannot do in a singular word that is written on my birth certificate.

So I ripped up my problems which consisted of the birth certificate that bore my name. I metaphorically threw it away into the trash can of absurdity and reached for the magician's hat in which I could pull out a rabbit. A rabbit that could do tricks and eat a carrot or two. A rabbit that could act out who I was rather than a piece of paper that spelled out only my beginning.

The next time someone asks me what my name is, I'll only reply with the answer that they're really searching for.

Pull the rabbit out of the hat.