Week 5: Top Links

These were my favorite links of the week found on other blogs:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURZF3M-hgJZG_1mwohfvQ81Ov7i0lMJyXyLbKsZfuRE_FkpTW9uPSlOj1xcKAON_r-knNldIKmrD_E8pcOVvn0QzJcOTy0MClrxXvqcUOg0MG-_xp3pDMeOrvtmhC6II2NM6jWwGiTVM/s400/giant-fissure-street-art-01.jpg

http://personalexcellence.co/blog/whats-on-your-bucket-list-101-things-to-do-before-you-die/

http://theburninghouse.com/

Poem of the Week

My favorite poem this past week was "To You" by Kenneth Koch. I'm not sure why it stuck out to me, but as I read and reread it, I was intrigued. It's not written about anything deep or depressing, but it is light and an easy read. It makes no sense, but in it's own unique way it tells a story of love. The words appeared random as I first began scanning it, but when taking a moment to think about the language, it does make some sense. The author compares love to many unusual things and concepts that I would not normally think of when I think of love. My favorite line was, "I think I am bicycling across an Africa of green and white fields." I like how the author used Africa to describe the great expanse of fields. It definitely makes for an interesting read.

Tricks

"He gathers me in, kisses me gently.

Don't you know? We're connected

by an invisible chain. It's very long, very

light. But also very strong. It can't rust.

Can't break. And the only thing that can

sever it is if you ever stop loving me."

These are my favorite lines so far from Ellen Hopkins' book, Tricks. I love the way the girl's boyfriend consoles her with these words from the heart. The comparison of their love to a chain is a perfect analogy. Before he said this, she had been worrying about being lost in the universe and not being able to find each other. He replied to her worry with these soothing words, implying that no matter where they go in life, they will always be able to find one another. As I read these words, I literally pictured an invisible chain connecting the two young lovers. The chain was not weighing them down or holding them back, but it was there to keep them secure and joined together as partners in their walk through life. Another thing I found amazing about these words is how strong he said the chain was, impenetrable by the world, but it can quickly become weak if she decides that she no longer wants to be attached to him. This versatility portrays their adapting love, and it also shows that nothing can break their love except for their own decision to end it.

The lines might seem cheesy or cliche to some, but they fit beautifully into the story. There is nothing better than reading a heartwarming love story, and these above lines provide just a little of that in a book filled with a plethora of drama and bad fortune.

Short List

1. Nike Quotes: 

 I have come to find that Nike has a certain way of motivating me, that no other quote or brand can quite achieve. Whether the phrases are on t-shirts, signs, or advertisements, the words always find a way to drive me to be better and work harder. Almost always, they are straightforward, getting directly to the point. As an athlete, these simple words really hit home. There is something powerful about words that have the ability to make you strive to be extraordinary. 

2. Rainbow Roses:
There is something strikingly beautiful about the fad new flowers called rainbow roses. They're the new rage as Valentine's Day approaches, and men are looking for something unique to gift their sweethearts. My mother, similar to many women, has found the unnaturally bright colored roses dazzling and has begged for a vase full of them. The genetically engineered flowers definitely live up to their name, representing every color of the rainbow on one single rose.

3. Pinterest at pinterest.com: Forget Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest is on the rise these days and is continually gaining more and more members. This amazing website combines the creativity and individualism found on blogs with the social networking aspects found on Facebook and Twitter. As recommended by a friend, I joined the website, and now I find myself unable to pull away from the computer screen. The site is full of ideas for weddings, fashion, photography, or even day-to-day problems. It somehow manages to bring out the inner Martha Stewart in just about everyone. Take one look, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Exceptional Writing

After reading through many of the class blogs, I found myself intrigued by the blog titled A Book About a Book http://rosebud-bookaboutabook-rosebud.blogspot.com/. I was immediately captured by the title of her first blog, "That empty feeling of being finished with a book but wanting more." I had never thought before to put that feeling into words, but I have experienced the same sensation when I'm done reading an intense book or book series. It almost feels like I don't know what to do with my life anymore; I just want to stay in that story and in the pages of that book forever. When the blog writer said, "My hunger for words is not just a desire to know exactly how everything turned out, not an unquenchable itch from not knowing for sure what happened, but a craving to keep living," she perfectly summed up my feelings after completing a book. This blog post was so insightful, and I found myself agreeing with every word she said. It is satisfying to see that she put into words what I have been feeling all this time.

As I read through more blogs, one stuck out to me that had a strong post about the Dead Poet's Society. They used beautiful language and words that really made me visualize what was happenning in the movie. Even if I had not seen it myself, this blog, http://flynapmorruge.blogspot.com/, would have left me with the perfect image in my head of what was taking place in the story. This blog post just goes to show that the proper wording can make or break your writing.

Is 2012 Really the End?

It's ironic that I would chose to pick up a book about the end of times when we are now entering the year that many people fear will be the end of the world. With the end of the ancient Mayan calendar coming upon us, many people believe that the world will be ending or at least will cease to exist as we now know it. I for one, am not one of those people, but I do find the possibility of the coming end times fascinating. That is why I chose to begin reading The Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. This series follows biblical prophecies of the end times, while cleverly telling a personal story. To say I was intrigued is an understatement. I began reading the first book and finished the next day. I have just finished the second book, Tribulation Force, and of course I am ready to continue reading.

While reading Tribulation Force, I noticed how well all the characters became intertwined. When I first started reading this series, there were numerous characters, all of whom lived separate lives in different places around the world. I was amazed at how the authors began to intermix the characters until all of their lives were seemingly connected at the core. They all have some sort of tie to the most powerful and also the most dangerous man in the world, Nicolae Carpathia. In the story, this corrupt man is believed to be the enemy of God, and his quick gain of power marks the beginning of the tribulation times described in the Bible. The eerily realistic events that take place in this book and follow along with biblical predictions keep me wondering and watching for signs of the end times in our current world. Although I have seen nothing to make me believe that 2012 will be the end of the world, it never hurts to be curious, on the lookout, and continually reading.

"Big Shoes to Fill"

In the opening scenes of Dead Poets Society (Peter Weir 1989), it was apparent that the boys' school had a long line of success and old traditions. The boys were all dressed uniformly in the same suits, and they walked stiffly in line as they entered the room. They held antique banners which displayed their words to live by: tradition, excellence, honor, and discipline. They all sat in straight rows with great posture as the headmaster of the school began to speak to the audience. When addressed, the older boys stood up in their dark suits and recited the school's motto. One young man stood out from the monotonous group though. He was wearing a lighter colored suit and was late to stand up and recite the motto with the group. He seemed to take less pride in his school than the other young men did. As this same standout boy left the building after the ceremony, the headmaster shook his hand firmly and informed him that he had high expectations for the young man. To quote the headmaster, he had, "big shoes to fill," with his brother having already gone through the school's program and excelled. It appeared as though he had no desire to "fill his shoes," illustrated by the boy's nonchalant manner throughout the ceremony. Although it was not his choice, the young man would seemingly always be compared to his older, successful brother.

Duo Close Reading "Nighthawks"

4 Elements
Perspective
Color
Movement
Setting

Specific Observations
Perspective- from the outside looking in, on the corner of the quiet street where life continues on the inside of the cafe
Color- Outside the cafe is painted dark and dull, no vibrant colors on the street, the inside is bright and its light shines over onto the sidewalk, vibrant colors inside pull the focus to the customers and the employee inside the bar.
Movement- there is little to no movement outside on the streets, all signs of life are inside, the people inside do not express movement either, they are still and calm
Setting- a lonely cafe, a slow night, late at night when no people wander the streets, a city corner, there is no life outside, the streets and even the interior of the cafe are crisp and clean-there's no clutter or props in the street background

The clean background, perspective of an outsider looking in from afar, lack of movement, and the increase in vibrant color radiating from the bar, draw the focus to the people inside and emphasize the tired, quiet, and dreary mood which allows the mind to ponder the unique stories of the four individual lives in the restaurant.

Poem of the Week

 

My favorite poem of the week was "Gee, You're So Beautiful That It's Starting to Rain" by Richard Brautigan. I liked it, because it was so unlike any poem I had ever read. It was spontaneous and really had nothing to do with its title. This poem stepped outside the normal stereotypes of boring, sappy, conformed love poems and brought something entirely new to the table.

I enjoyed the report card set up at the end of the poem. It made it youthful and light to read. I also loved the line, "God lives like music in the skin." To me, those words paint a vivid image of God being like music in everyday life. My love of faith and music were brought together and simplified in one simple line. After reading this poem, I now know that poetry can be youthful and relate to real life.

Are Novels Picture Books Too?

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a book unlike anything I've ever read. It mixes two of my favorite things: photography and reading. The author, Ransom Riggs, tells a unique story of peculiar children living on an island based on a collection of quirky and sometimes disturbing black and white photographs. The pictures are dispersed every few pages in the book, and they go along with what is taking place in the story at that time. The pictures are very helpful in creating a mental image of the strange characters throughout the story. At the same time though, the reader is not able to be as creative as they would normally be when imagining characters and events in the story. Whether the use of the real-life pictures in the book is beneficial to the reader or not is debatable. I, for one, like the use of the pictures in this particular story. I agree with critics that in most books, it is better for the reader to create their own image of the characters and setting, but in this book, I think the pictures add to the confusion, horror, and fantasy that readers feel while diving into the plot.

The above picture is on the cover of the book, and it is referred to many times in the story. Pictures such as this one help me as the reader imagine things that are unheard of in normal, everyday life. Jacob, the main character meets so-called "peculiar" children in the book that have abilities and differences that are foreign to our world such as levitation, invisibility, and multiple mouths. The extremely real-looking photographs like the girl levitating above give the reader a solid mental image of what these children look like.

Not only do the pictures clarify unfamiliar characters, but they also do the opposite and succeed at confusing the reader a little bit more. They leave me wondering things like: are these pictures real, where did the author get the pictures, are they edited? A confused reader is one that gets sucked into the story and continues to read the entire book to get some answers. That is exactly what I plan on doing.