Capstone Chaos

      It is about that time of year when our Capstone projects have been finished and have been handed in to get that grade that could make or break our semester. Some people had a very calm and stress free time while working on their project but others like myself had many complications. The process of writing a story is no joke and i will now appreciate the works of literature much more than I did before.
       At first I came up with the idea to follow the cliche "chick flick" love story and base my story of Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. I wrote about a beautiful young white girl who was of the upper class and had everything you could imagine, but she was in love with a handsome young black man who was of the lower class and worked very hard to help his family make ends meet. Like the notebook it was a constant struggle for the young girl to get her parents to accept her wishes. My story was based in the 1950's the time of the powerful civil rights movement.
      After I had started to write that story i realized it was going to be very difficult and i changed it up. I decided to write about a young girl who lived with her parents and traveled to Georgia every summer with them. Everything was going great until one day the mother suddenly collapsed while they were out to eat and it turns out she had cancer. This was a devastating experience because the father had grown up with his wife, someone he had learned to love with every fiber of his body.
       I had finally finished that story but i wasn't happy with the result. I then decided to ditch the love story concept and write a story from the guidelines from my favorite show The Following. I wrote about Joe Carroll's theories of being a serial killer and his obsession with women. I believed this turned out to be a very good example of my work, but it wasn't up to par of the directions that were given to us. I needed to add a climax and solution to the many obstacles that would soon arouse.
         Finally i came up with my final product. I used some of the same wording and ideas from my previous story but there were also many changes. I wrote from the point of view from a serial killer and his constant struggle with not only the people around him but with his own mental issues. The ending is one no one would ever expect. I won't give away too much, but I hope you enjoy hearing about the rest of my story during my presentation! 

Presentation Self-Evaluation

   Well this may have been one of the most nerve wracking but interesting things I have ever done in English Class. When I heard that we were going to be graded on the number of times we mention words like um and other fillers or even have too long of a pause in between thoughts I didn't think that it would be difficult to overcome, but I was actually very wrong. I talk too people all day long, but I never take into consideration how bad of habits I have and it was very obvious in this exercise.
    
    I feel that I did prepare myself with the topic that I talked about, but I feel I didn't prepare myself enough with how long or exact words I was saying. I had to look down at the paper a few times and I feel that took away from my presentation. I also felt that I could have improved my body language very drastically. I stood in one spot for the entire presentation and if I were part of the audience that would of lost my attention. Standing in one position allowed for myself to seem scared, and fearful of doing something wrong. I've learned that the more nervous you are, the worse your execution will be. Whether I was nervous or not I needed to be more confident in myself and the message I was portraying.

      Adding on to my nervousness, it also effected my voice and diction. After watching myself speak I also feel as though I spoke too fast . In order for my message to be sold and have an impact on the audience, I needed to emphasize my words more and show more interest in what I am speaking out. The more interest I show the more interest my audience will show as well.

    I talked about yoga pants in my presentation, therefore I needed to add in the different styles and patterns that are found on these pants. I had it written on my paper but due to my eagerness to just be done with the task, the overall details slipped my mind. This could of caused many problems. Without these specific descriptions, there was a gap that the audience may have had trouble filling and being able to picture what I was trying to portray.

Promposals

Now you may be thinking that prom isn’t that important and shouldn’t draw such great attention, but it has evolved into one of the most important nights of someone’s high school career. The better the "Promposal" the more “popular” you will become.

Now you may be thinking what is a "Promposal"? A "Promposal is the way someone asks someone else to spend the night with on the expensive, elegant night of prom. This establishes that this special someone is your date and can’t be taken by anyone else.

       In earlier years the way you asked someone to prom was simple, all you said was “hey would like to go to prom with me? And then they would answer yes or no. But now that would be looked at as lame, or heartless. As years have passed the “Promposal” phenomenon has been correlated with many extravagant ideas. Some involve huge teddy bears and balloons; others include candy and big signs. This process not only allows for an abundance of creativity but also the willingness to be confident in asking the person and hoping they will accept. The biggest controversy about this new revolution is why or how it became such a popular demand all across schools in the United States.

     There could be many solutions to this issue. A huge part could come from the “chick flick” genre that has become popular among this same group of people. Nicholas Sparks and other romantic authors have created an image that guys need to sweep a girl off her feet and make her feel as if she is the most perfect girl in the world. In correlation to “promposals” now a guy feels that with any situation involving gaining interest from a girl they need to be over the top and cheesy in order to gain her approval. Another solution could also be that the level of creativity of teenagers has risen and their drive to become the most popular or known kid in school has also increased drastically. High school is all about fitting in and staying friends with the “coolest” people, so why not “wow” the school with the best “promposal” around?

 After the duty is done and the pair is ready to spend their time together on this one spectacular night, it almost becomes as if it is a story. Each “promposal” is like a chapter and as more and more pairs are confirmed it becomes a long, intricate book. The best “promposals” are talked about for years and years in which allows for each future generation to see what is in store at this specific time of year for all high schoolers. The longer this phenomenon occurs, the more stories we will have and the more interesting prom will become.

How would you want to be asked to prom?

       

Why We Expect the "Prince Charming" Effect

     Being a teenager, realize a lot of things.  At school your teacher may be a great person but they never explain the lesson well enough, or you get to chuckle with your best friend about what the new kid is wearing, or even realize who is good at sports and who thinks they are “good” at sports. One most prominent idea that has prospered though among young adults is relationships and what is expected of them.

   No matter If you are scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media site there is always different posts about a girl wanting a unexpected visit from their lover, and not only to come see her, but to also bring a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Most recently we also see a girl complaining that her boyfriend better get her the newest Pandora bracelet or Michael Kors bag. We also see girls complaining that their boyfriend is talking to another girl, and they become jealous wanting nothing more than to make the other girl disappear from the face of the earth.  But when it comes to the feelings and emotions of the guy in the relationship, in most cases, he has become accustom to beckoning to every order of his partner and will do anything to make her happy, even if it means sacrificing something else in his life. This may seem cruel and inappropriate but it has become a norm in teenage relationships and will continue for many generations.  

   The biggest culprit for this particular way of thinking is the prince charming effect. From the time that we are little we fill our minds with movies of Disney princesses and other stories that allow for a lovely lady to be swept of her feet by a handsome, strong man and in results they live happily ever after without any complications impeding on her life any longer. We see this when Prince Charming takes Cinderella away from her duties of being the maid of the house, and she then was flourished with extravagant clothes and a beautiful carriage to escort her around. Or in romantic novel the Notebook, when Ally once thought she was trapped in a relationship with a man of her caliber, but realizes she loves Noah, the lower class boy and he fights for her love no matter what, showering her with love notes for a year and constantly reminding her of her beauty, and in the end they rekindle their relationship and die in each other’s arms. These are just two examples in which were made in a few decades of each other, and throughout each story the same theme is being reiterated, in which is that a girl deserves everything and should be given and shown whatever it takes for her to realize her value and true beauty.  

        Now not every relationship may be like this, but I guarantee the majority of relationships are.  This just shows how story can allow for such a controversial topic to become a norm in historical and modern society. Yes, girls may complain a lot and may seem full of themselves, but in my opinion we can only blame the authors, writers and directors of these powerful stories. These types of prince charming stories have been passed down from generation to generation  and have influenced the mind of young women greatly and have served as an example as to how all men should treat their lady. All in all, I do feel bad for the men involved in these relationships but this way of life will not change unless the plot line of our most popular types of stories are changed into something in which shows that men and women have established equality in a relationship.  

Quotes

     I was having trouble thinking of a topic for this week's blog post and then all of a sudden it dawned on me, Quotes! I was looking around my house and I couldn't believe how many signs we have each with a different quote on them. I live in a old Victorian house therefore the signs are as an  antique, keeping with the old fashioned style.


      The quotes on the signs vary in length. Some of them are "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars" or "Don't be too busy making a living that you forget to make a life" or "Don't believe in miracles depend on them". They each have a different meaning and give you a little sense of inspiration before you leave for school, work, or any outing that could be stressful.

     Although I do like the quotes I mentioned, my all time favorite quote that is found in my house is "life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away". I saw this quote for the first time a couple of years ago and it has stuck with me. We are always told that life is too short, and honestly that is the truth. Life shouldn't just be about existing. It should be about having great moments and being able to remember them for the rest of your life. It could be your first time riding a bike without training wheels, losing your first tooth, or the way a boy asks you to prom, or the feeling you get after winning the championship game, or even just the girls nights you have with tons of junk food and sappy love movies with the people who are always by your side. These are just a few examples that could make life just a little more exciting.

      Yes, there is a time and place for everything. Sometimes you just need to be serious and follow the routine of going to work or school and getting done the necessary tasks but do not let life be all about a strict schedule. Let loose for a while and you could be surprised at what amazing things could happen.

 Now that I have told you about my favorite quote, what's yours?

Reading While Exercising

    After reading this title you may be a little confused, and wonder how it is possible. But it is indeed possible, and one of the greatest "multitasking" situations you can put yourself into.

   Being an athlete isn't always easy.. you have to worry about staying in shape, impressing the coaches, performing well on and off the field and most importantly being someone who can contribute and be successful in every way possible. When it comes to being the best you can be, it not only means putting the work in during the practice or game but also on your own time, when the coach isn't there to watch your every move. This may be hard or easy for some, depending on the person you are and how dedicated you make yourself. Another factor that plays a part in this process is weather. It may be beautiful one day therefore you can take that long run, or play in that pick up basketball game down the street. Other days it may not be as nice out though and working out needs to be done with other solutions. Luckily for me I have an exercise bike down my basement and when those clouds don't look too promising or it decides to snow 8 inches, i can put on some sneakers and ride the bike as long as my legs and heart desire.

    Now you still may be wondering how does this still have anything to do with literature, language or any other aspect of English.. Well the truth is when i ride the exercise bike, i also read a book. When i first heard that my dad multitasks with a book and the bike, i thought he was crazy. Then i decided to try it myself and i couldn't be happier I did. When i read that book, my mind is in another world. I get so wrapped in to the characters lives and the setting that i forget what else I'm doing. My adrenaline is pumping and i continue to go through page by page of usually a sappy love story, but one that i wish i could make a reality. I am currently reading the Glass Castle, in which is a novel about a family who travels like gypsies around the United States trying to stay away from the federal agents and surpass the consequences of past due bills and unpaid taxes. They are barely making ends meet and with 4 kids and 2 adults,  constantly scrounging up any food or money they can find to survive. Although I am only one of many that is reading this book, and I'm sure many would think I'm crazy,  I still can't help but feel sympathy for the characters wishing i could do something about it.

       This shows that stories really do have an impact on people's lives, especially mine. Reading is one of my favorite things to do and now that I can do while also doing another thing I love, makes it even 10x greater. Every book I read, I get more and more into it and have to force myself to put it down, in which also allows my work out to go longer and my body to feel more in shape!  I hope everyone else in life can find something, or two that they enjoy as much as I do reading and exercising and do it as much as they desire. I mean who wouldn't want to be wrapped up in a romantic, family, whirlwind love story and burn some unnecessary calories while your at it?

To Be Or Not to Be

      To be or not to be…This is a line from the famous story “Hamlet” by the one and only Shakespeare. For most people this brings joy and most of all, their inner nerd comes out, but for me I couldn’t be more miserable. I think about that famous line and its literal meaning in which is to live or not to live and when Shakespeare comes to mind, I would choose not to live. I understand that Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers to ever walk this earth, and his writing is filled with scholarly motives and themes, but to me it couldn’t be more difficult or boring to read. We are in the 21^st century, I am not worried about men who wore skirts, and rode horses and had obnoxiously long hair, or about women who constantly wore dresses and crowns and married there uncles or brother in laws, like students would be during this point in time.

        This also brings about the aspect of poetry. Every one of Shakespeare's writings is in poetic form, and it just makes the story drag on. First you have to worry about the iambic pentameter and syllables and then come grammar, spelling, and best of all, big words that only higher level thinkers would be able to define. Yes, I am in AP English and I should be enlightened by this “brilliance” of writing, but I don’t find it anymore relevant than the fly buzzing around the room.

         What I like to read is the more modern books like the one we started recently called “The Stranger”. It is about a boy who has lost his mother and is kind of alone in the world. He has a very passive and somber tone about him, in which is also like many characters in Shakespeare work, including Hamlet himself, but the recent story of the boy Meursault is far more interesting and worthwhile. It is told in plain, modern English in a style that everyone could relate to. The author of the book Albert Camus establishes the novel with a narrator, who was made like a realistic every day person that says what is on his mind, and it is things that me and everyone else reading can understand and have comparable feelings with. No this book isn’t as “nerdy” as Shakespearean work but it is still has great scholarly merit and shouldn’t be taken for granted when it comes to reading in a higher level English class..” Other books like this including To Kill a Mockingbird and Angela’s Ashes (When reading these types of books I am more likely to think “to be” instead of “not to be), should be looked at more closely rather than historical poems of stories about times that haven’t been apart of society in hundreds of years.