Reading Response 7: College Article

          I found this article to be hilarious. First of all, I want to study Physics, math, and engineering. Three main things he said not to study. So that part was a little ironic to me. Also, I liked how he broke up the hours spent in class: 2 hours learning stuff you'll need later in life and 1,998 hours you won't learn anything you'll use. I also like how he says you're supposed to pick a major you want to forget the most stuff about. I've never really thought about it like that, but you do tend to forget things you don't repeatedly use, therefore if you take a lot of classes in one field, you would forget a lot of it due to the fact you probably won't use a majority of the information for extended periods of time.

I found myself laughing almost the whole time I was reading this in the car with my dad. He kept looking at me like I was crazy. I felt kind of like these babies.

          I also found it interesting that he said psychology was a major you should choose. I'm currently taking AP psychology and it's kicking my back. It's all memorization and if you don't remember one tiny detail you fail, basically. I have better grades in physics and calculus than I do in Psychology, so I'm going to assume my brain works differently than his does. It was funny to me also that he remembered the scientists names in the super market because I find myself thinking about random people and facts all of the time. I made a connection with him on that one. This article was overall hilarious.

Reading Response 6: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

          At the beginning of this book, it's a little hard to follow. It is basically an insight to the main character, Annabel's, life. She is a gorgeous blonde hair, blue eyed girl who is also a model. She had done a commercial awhile back and she saw it on television multiple times. The director had told her to act like a girl that had everything, and from how she describes herself, you can tell she is the complete opposite. When Annabel is watching her commercial she describes it as it progresses. “Make your new year the best one yet,” she said, and I felt my breath catch, anticipating the next line, the last line, the one that only this time was finally true. “It’s time to go back to school.” This shows how much Annabel doesn't want to go back to school. We later find out part of the reason why.
          Annabel had met a girl by the name of Sophie a few years back in the neighborhood pool. Sophie was mean to Annabel at first, but when Annabel took the stuff Sophie had left at the pool to her house, Sophie began being nice to her. They became friends instantly and grew to have a wonderful friendship. Then one summer Sophie and Annabell got in a huge fight and stopped being friends. When the next school year rolled around, Annabel was worried about seeing Sophie for the first time. When she did see Sophie, she called Annabel a vulgar name and then walked away without looking back. Annabel was devastated.
          I'm curious to find out what the fight was about. I'm hoping I'll find out soon!

Academic Article Topic Proposal: Media and how it effects children

I have decided to do my analysis essay on the effect of child celebrities "going bad" and how the media presents this information. If you think back to the recent news on celebrities, you've heard about Miley Cyrus twerking in a  concert, but have you heard about Dakota Fanning's charity work or about how Carrie Underwood donated one million dollars to the Red Cross from earning on her tour. You didn't hear about topics like that on the news or radio. Today's media chooses what they think will make them more money and they broadcast that. Unfortunately today, negative news sells better, but that's because the media has always shown the negative stories, not the positive ones. Think about the news. You hear all sorts of stories about murders that have happened, shootings, stabbings, robberies, and failure. Do you ever hear about the people making it in life and earning what they receive? No. The media has a huge effect on what children read and see. Young children need a powerful role model and when all they see is negative stars on the news and television, that's what they have to look up to and reenact. Then you see on the news how today's generation are so terribly behaved. I wonder why...

Reading Response 5: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

          Caitlin and Rogerson's relationship becomes even more physical. Rogerson introduces Caitlin to drugs and a couple in their mid-twenties, Dave and Corinna. Caitlin and Corinna become best friends and begin to smoke pot a lot together. Caitlin begins skipping school to smoke with Corinna and Rogerson has to help her even more with her homework to keep her from failing.

          Caitlin saw her sister, Cass, on the tv show her boyfriend worked at and when she showed her mom, her mom gained a new addiction. Every time the show was on, her mother would watch it hoping to even get a little glance of Cass. This gave Caitlin even more to work with when it came to Rogerson and lying to her parents.

          Rogerson's beatings become more and more frequent along with harder every time. He begins doing it places that are harder for Caitlin to hide, like her face and arms. Then on Christmas Eve Caitlin gives in to him and has sex with him. She later says when she is having sex with him is the only time she feels safe.

          One day, Caitlin had taken a picture of Rogerson for her photography class and when Matthew, a boy in her class, analyzes the photo he tells Caitlin he looks like "you know him a little better than he'd like you to." As Caitlin agrees with this analysis, Rogerson drives up and sees her talking with Matthew and immediately gets furious. When she gets in his car he hits her hard across the face with a fist. When she tries to object to this, he slaps her across the face. He tells her "The violence isn't my fault. You caused this." Rogerson tells Caitlin this stuff and she believes it. Even though she shouldn't believe it because no one deserves what she is putting up with, she does. “She was just a shell of her former self, functioning and talking but hardly alive.” This quote describes how Caitlin is so caught up in pleasing Rogerson that she forgot about making herself happy.

          “Now I felt like I was drifting, sucked down by an undertow, and too far out to swim back to the shore.” Caitlin thinks this about herself. She is too far gone in her relationship with Rogerson to get herself out, no matter how bad she wants to. On New Years Eve, Caitlin's parents threw a party like they had every year. When Rina made Caitlin late by making her stay at her lake house, Rogerson was furious. Caitlin ended up walking away from Rina's house to go home and when she gets there Rogerson is parked outside of her house. She gets in his car and he begins abusing her until she is pushed from the car. Rogerson gets out and continues beating her until her mother rushes out and pushes him away. One of the neighbors calls the cops and the police arrest him. “I was worn out, broken: He had taken almost everything. But he'd been all I'd had, all this time. And when the police led him away, I pulled out of the hands of all these loved ones, sobbing, screaming, everything hurting, to try and make him stay.” Caitlin loved Rogerson, even though he had abused her. She didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

          Caitlin was then sent to a facility to get over her addiction to marijuana. There, Cass came to see her along with her friends and family. Caitlin hated it there, but she knew she had to be there to get help. “After everything that happened, how could I miss him? But I did, I did... I wondered if he ever thought of me, and hated the pang I felt when I told myself he didn't.” Caitlin still thought about Rogerson even after months of being in the facility away from him.

          Caitlin works on bettering herself and with help and support of her friends and family was released at the end of the book.

"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing throbbing moment."

This quote isn't from the book, but it is a quote by Sarah Dessen, the author and I think it relates directly to this book. Caitlin didn't choose to love Rogerson, it just happened.

Article 1 Response: "Is Google Making Us Stupid??"

          Reading this article was extremely hard for me to do. It was boring and I have no interest in learning about my brain changing. As I was reading, I had to stop and take mental breaks because I was literally getting a headache from reading it. I'm so thankful Mr. Hall came in to talk to us in the middle of me reading this article because if he hadn't I probably would've given up on it and not finished it. 
          The main topic of this article is how our brains are changing as the web becomes more popular. The internet is very convenient and makes research a lot easier. I think we are basically getting lazier. The article gives some quotes from outsiders about reading as they get older and use the internet more and I think those quotes were spot on. “I now have almost totally lost the ability to read and absorb a longish article on the web or in print,” says Bruce Friedman. I agree completely and can relate to this quote. Friedman blogs daily and he can no longer even read an article. I would agree that the web is limiting our 
attention span as we get older.

          This is how I felt while reading this article.

Reading Response 4: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

          Rogerson’s dad had beat him hard, just for being a few minutes late. It was only a day or two later when Rogerson hit Caitlin for the first time. This came as a shock to her. Anytime Caitlin was late or did something that made Rogerson mad, he would hit her. The beatings became more frequent and Caitlin began pushing everyone out of her life. Her mother had turned to decorating the house to occupy her time, so it wasn't hard for Caitlin to lie to her mother. 

“Lying to my parents had become easy. I just answered their minimal questions at the dinner table, and used cheerleading as an excuse when I was really going to meet Rogerson.” -Caitlin

This quote from Caitlin describes her situation perfectly. With her mother being so caught up in decorating their house and her dad busy with work, cheerleading was the perfect excuse to go see Rogerson. Caitlin was allowing Rogerson to take up more and more of her time.

As Caitlin begins losing sleep because of Rogerson, she begins sleeping in class instead. Rogerson appears to know everything. When Caitlin asked him how he knew so much, he simply replied, “I watch a lot of Jeopardy." He helps her with her homework to keep her from failing and Caitlin begins worrying more and more about what she says to Rogerson. One day he asked her how her day was. “I wanted to tell him how horrible my day was, how I had to work with Mike Evans for a project and how upset Rina was when I said I couldn’t hangout, but I just couldn’t. I was too afraid I’d say the wrong thing and set him off, so I answered with the simple “It was okay.”’ This quote shows Caitlin's thought process behind talking to Rogerson. She's terrified to talk to him, even just about simple things like how her day was. The beatings continue...

Reading response 3: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

        Rogerson never had to say one word to Caitlin before she trusted him enough to climb into his car and leave the party with him. Rogerson is the type of person everyone feels drawn to. He was dark, with deep compelling eyes. He was intriguing and mysterious; he was everything Caitlin wanted in a boy. Even before leaving with him, Caitlin knew he was trouble.

        Continuing their first meeting, Caitlin made out with Rogerson in his car by her driveway. I have a feeling this is the start of an amazing relationship. Rogerson is very exciting and is very kind to Caitlin. She finds him easy to talk to and a great listener. 

“I took his wildness from him and tried to fold it into myself, filling up the empty spaces all those second place finishes left behind.” 

        As their relationship continued, Caitlin began to slip out of reality. She let her grades plummet and slowly began to stop trying at cheerleading practice. Then she saw it. Caitlin saw something she hadn't even thought of. Caitlin met his parents, but it was a little differently than she thought it would be. Rogerson's dad hit him; he wasn't just joking around with him, either. This was real. Rogerson's dad abused him and he had never said anything to Caitlin about it before...

I want to know if he's hiding anything else from her... I guess we will find out.

My Inspiration...

 

Carrie Underwood inspires me.

1. She is a country singer and I LOVE country music.
2. She is a christian and lives a different life than those that aren't. I envy her for that.
3. She has never gotten into big trouble. She didn't let her fame go to her head.

My real dad's whole family plays the piano and when I was four, I "wanted to play like daddy." My mom got me signed up and I've been playing ever since. My family inspired me to play piano and now I've taken that inspiration and done something with it. I currently teach piano to beginners and I make money to do something I love. It doesn't get much better than that.

Cheering wasn't always my favorite sport in the world. I used to play every sport possible besides cheerleading. When I got to high school, I decided to make cheerleading my main sport. That's when I fell in love. Cheering has changed me in a great way. Competitive cheerleaders inspire me. They work so hard and look so amazing. I wish I had gotten into cheer earlier in life and had had the chance to work extra to be that good at something. I'm still working and I plan to do cheer in college. I'm a base, though and being a girl base is hard because of all the boys. 

My biggest inspiration are the people that fight for our country and freedom. I especially inspire women that are, excuse the term, "man-enough" to get through the training it takes to join the military. When I grow up, I want to be in the AirForce, and seeing all of these women succeed gives me so much hope for my future in the military.

Reading Response 2: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

In the next section of Dreamland, Caitlin decides to tryout fr cheerleading with her best friend, Rina. When she made the cheerleading squad, her mom was so proud and excited. Her mom was more excited than Caitlin was herself. She hated cheerleading. The only reason she continued it was because it made her mom happier, having something to do with all of her free time. After games they always had parties to celebrate. At one game, Caitlin fell off the top of the pyramid and got a concussion, but her parents still allowed her to go to the after party. On her way there, they stopped at a car wash so another cheerleader could better clean her boyfriend's puke out of her backseat. The girl driving's name is Kelly and she asked Caitlin to go switch a dollar for four quarters.
          As Caitlin walked over to get the quarters, there was a black BMW convertible parked at the end of the lot. As she turned around with the quarters she saw Rogerson Biscoe for the first time. When Rogerson noticed her staring at him, he introduced himself to her. They talked a little bit and then Kelly yelled for Caitlin to come back because they were going to miss the whole party. Kelly, Rina, and Caitlin discussed Rogerson for a little bit and then they drove by him to get a better look.
          After they left the car wash, they went to the party where Caitlin met up with the guy she was currently talking to, Mike. They all sat there and when Mike gave Caitlin his letterman jacket, meaning he wanted her to be his girlfriend, she rejected his notion when Rogerson mouthed, "Come on," from across the room. Caitlin left Mike standing there and went with Rogerson.

What will happen next? I'm curious...

I Believe In...

Why Believe in Love

I used to believe in an ever-lasting bond; a mutual feeling that connected two people with such intensity, one could barely imagine. I used to believe everyone had another half; a half that completed their very existence. I used to believe there was someone out there made just for me. Someone He had placed in the world knowing we would someday cross paths.

In America, the amount of couples getting married and divorced completely devours those that actually work out. I’ve watched so many people “fall in love” and fall right back out of it. Was this strange falling out their fault? Of course not.

From the time we can watch movies and comprehend what’s going on around us, we’re taught about this thing people call, “love.” From fairy-tale endings to our grandparents’ old pictures, we’re told this thing exists and that it is what everyone should strive for; perfection.

Although I’m only a senior in high school and a mere seventeen years old, I feel like I’ve had quite the experience with this wise tale. Through countless relationships and more “broken hearts” than I thought possible, I have come to the conclusion that love does not exist.

One year ago, I fell in love. He was perfect. We told each other everything and trusted each other with our lives. I just knew we were destined to be together forever. His family was amazing, he was amazing, and we were amazing. What more could a girl ask for, right?

What more could a girl ask for than a guy who lied, told her she wasn’t good enough, made her change, and made her hate herself? What more could a girl ask for than a guy who was embarrassed to introduce her to his friends? A guy who couldn’t remember her favorite movie, quotes, or childhood memories? A guy who stole two years from her and a guy who left her for dead, but claimed he loved her the whole time?

When two months passed and he returned, I was the girl that took him back. When he promised he was different and regretted his mistakes, I believed him. I allowed him to steal back my heart and not think twice about it.

When he tore me down to nothing and left me wondering why I was alive and when he told me he was sorry the next day, but repeated this the day after, I believed him, trusted him, loved him; but I felt trapped under this “love.” When I realized this wasn’t right, he let me go willingly. A figment of my imagination I let control my life until it came dangerously close to its final journey.

All along my friends were there for me, though. Holding me while I cried, telling me he didn’t mean the things he said, and staying with me when I had to hide our friendship from him.

I believe in friendships that can last a lifetime and I believe in arguments being worked out. I believe in enjoying one’s company more than others and that two people can learn to tolerate, and grow to even appreciate, the littlest flaw in each other.

I may not believe in love, but don’t think I am completely heartless and oblivious to the couples out there that have lasted for what seems like forever.

I believe in mutual companionship.

Reading Response 1: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

After Cass ran away, Caitlin's best friend practically forced her to tryout for the cheer leading squad with her. They both made it and Caitlin's mom was so relieved she had something besides worrying about Cass to fill her time with.

 

This book does a great job at grabbing your attention right from the start. Caitlin is the main character and the book starts with her life being torn apart. Caitlin's mother is so involved in her sister, Casssandra's, life that she didn't have time for anything else. Caitlin had always looked up to Cass and when her sister ran away with the love of her life on Caitlin's sixteenth birthday, Caitlin's world fell apart. Cass left behind her huge college dreams and plans causing her mother to sink into a deep depression and her father to go crazy trying to find her.
The first few chapters go back and forth between the past and present life of Cass and Caitlin and their relationship. They tell about her sister's hobbies and everything she was involved in in high school. Caitlin and Cass were very different. Cass was involved in every activity she could possibly manage. When she left, their mother had nothing to do anymore because she had spent all of her time keeping up with her schedule.
The first few chapters also introduce a huge part of their family. Their neighbors, Boo and Stewart, have always been close to the family. Boo and Stewart live a very different lifestyle than Caitlin's family, but that works for them. The two families are very close and share a lot of memories together.

Clandestine Katie

I came from

two parents that loved me,

a heartbroken mother,

when my dad strayed away,

a single mother working two jobs

just to take care of me.

My dad a military man,

Operation Desert Storm and then Kosovo

stealing what little I saw of my dad growing up.

My mom reunited to a man I grew to love,

he loved me like his own,

and filled the empty space my father had left in my heart.

Springfield born and raised,

In church as a little girl.

I was there for my mom

and it was her I tried to impress by acting my best.

My father came and went as he pleased in and out of my life.

He had a problem,

he couldn’t be alone.

He’s been engaged and married

more times than I can count on my fingers.

Each time he found a new woman

he forgot me a little more.

As a little girl,

thinking my dad didn’t care about me,

I was affected emotionally.

Turning to piano wasn’t always enough to camouflage my pain.

And when he missed my first dance recital

I realized I couldn’t count on him for anything.

I made some bad decisions,

acted just like him,

when all I wanted was the opposite.

I’ve had too many boyfriends

and trusted too easily.

I let too many people walk all over me

and I was tired of it.

Then I met him.

I met my first love and I fell head over heels in love with him.

I fell for him, but I, too, fell in love with love.

The dates we shared,

the memories made,

meeting his parents,

cheering for him at games.

He the star basketball player,

me the varsity cheerleader.

Match made in heaven? Or hell?

We were obsessed, unhealthy,

Went to far and snapped.

He pushed me over the edge

and I shattered to the floor like broken glass.

I couldn’t go on. I escaped.

My friends helped me get past the horrible things he said,

the verbal vertigo,

I just needed to hear my voice.

I made more mistakes.

Figured out who my true friends were

and who would always be there for me.

My dad got remarried to a woman who wanted me around.

She helped my dad and I build a relationship.

I got my life under control,

and I am learning from my past.

I have a lot of people in my life now

that genuinely care about me

and I the same about them.

I’m growing in a way I didn’t think was possible,

and yet so easy once I set my mind to it.

I began going to church.

Not for my mother. For me.

Who I am was God’s gift to me,

and who I become is my gift to him.

I’m going to make him proud.