I believe that music has the power to bring people together.
It was August 10th, 2008, and like every Sunday, I had choir practice. I noticed a new person joining choir. As I took my seat, I stared across the room at “the new guy”. He had his hair down, covering his forehead, but it slightly swayed to the right. His eyes looked puffy, and his face gave me a feeling of mystery. Naturally I thought, “What’s this guy doing here?” as I sat amongst the scuttlebutt of my friends. Maybe he was here for a friend, or perhaps, we shared the same love for giving back to God through music: just like how everyone in the church congregation sings all the hymns together.
Later in the year, I added his MySpace. I noticed that he had a couple of songs that I enjoyed on it. We chatted for a while on there, and I admit, I grew a bit interested in him.
Around that time, I recently got dumped by my boyfriend. I tried to cope with that pain. All my friends tried to cheer me up, but nothing worked.
Another Sunday came, and I saw him again. This time, he brought his guitar. I just sat in the corner in my misery, while he was gathered with his friends in another corner. He started to play a song that sounded highly familiar: “I’m yours” by Jason Mraz. I felt calm and relaxed, as if the guitar playing soothed me like a nice peaceful day on the beach. Suddenly, I heard a voice -- an unfamiliar voice that I’ve never heard before. I looked over to where the music seemed to be coming from. I was shocked. The sight of him singing seemed so quixotic to me. I began to smile a little, and happiness soon triggered my heart. I forgot about all my problems and sadness. His voice made my heart melt like ice cream on a boiling summer day. He seemed to be my panacea.
Later that day, I went on his MySpace to tell him about his amazing voice, when I noticed he added a new song: “Say” by John Mayer. The lyrics said “say what you need to say” and I took it as a sign.
On October 8th, 2008, I did as the song said. I asked him out, and we’re still together to this day: almost two years later.
Music can bring people of different cultures and beliefs together. From crowds of people singing the anthem for the love of their country, to videos of famous artists singing to help a cause, to average day-to-day people like me and my boyfriend.
The thing that struck me was that she was deaf and she was teaching us how to listen. I find that very ironic, yet, very interesting.
What did you notice?
I noticed that when she played a certain piece note by note according to the music sheet, it sounded pretty plain. But when she improvised a little, and changed several things in the piece, it added way more emotion to the piece.
I also noticed that she was able to play different dynamics, tempo, and intervals with four mallets, and only two hands.
What did you enjoy about her performance?
I enjoyed that her presentation was very unique. I have never seen any performance like that before. It really excited me.
Questions: 1. What struck you about the location you visited? Was it what you expected, or very different?
The thing that struck me about the location I visited was that it was located at Otay Mall. Also that they've been having these farmer's markets there every Tuesday for 3 years, and I've been shopping at Otay mall for about that long. It was kind of what I expected, like, I expected it to be outdoors and people to be just selling their fruits. Though, I did not expect there to be non-food items, like jewelry and such.
2. Which items were cheaper than you expected? Which were more expensive?
I'm not sure, I haven't seen the prices compared to the grocery store's prices.
3. Do you think you will start going to a farmers market more often? Or using a community garden? Or supporting a CSA?
I don't think I will start going to a farmer's market that often, but I probably will keep it in mind more than usual.
4. How do these locations fit into our essential questions of “Why Don’t People Live More Sustainably?” and “How Can I Convince them to do So?”
These locations fit in to the questions because they relate to sustainable living. Living sustainably can include organic, home-grown fruits and vegetables.
1. What are you growing? Strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, peas, bananas, watermelons.
2. Has this inspired you to make your own garden? If she had the time.
3. How do you keep the bugs away? Since we don't use any pesticides, we are not able to keep the bugs away. :(
4. Who's taking over when you leave? The juniors.
5. Who will take care of the plants over the summer? I don't know, maybe whoever works in the house near it.
6. Are the seeds GMO? No, they are not.
Reflection
1. How did this visit change you? This visit changed me by making me think more about the Earth and how gardens like the seniors have help it.
2. What struck you about the garden? The thing that struck me about the garden was the fact that the seniors did all the gardening themselves.
3. What did you like/not like about the garden? I liked the fact that the whole garden was organic and all done by students of HTHMA, though, I did not like the fact that there were bugs everywhere and there was no way to keep them away.
4. Did this inspire you to grow your own garden? No, it hasn't, though it has made me be more aware of the Earth.
The conversation started out about me telling my parents what I learned in class about how the food we buy in stores can be harmful in many ways. Then, I proceeded to tell them what struck me the most was the story about Kevin, a two year old who ate three burgers and died from escherichia coli (e. coli). I told them that after this incident, they passed a law called "Kevin's law" that gives the U.S. Department of Agriculture the power to shut down plants that have contaminated meat. My parents responded to this by saying "We should be more careful now. Thank you for sharing that with us."
Quote: (Click the image to enlarge) Response: I chose this quote because it really caught my attention and it immediately reminded me of what my parents always tell me about school and life. They say that if I want to be successful in life or not go hungry or homeless, then I have to work hard for money and get a good job. That is why I thought this quote from the book really connected to me and my life and the way that I've been taught.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! A loud piercing sound came from the alarm clock that read "7:00 AM". Russell moaned as he lazily flipped onto his side, and reached out to hit the snooze button. The small, empty room was silenced from the obnoxious noise. Russell sat up on his bed, squinted his eyes and rubbed them. The floor creaked as he slowly made his way to the bathroom in a very mundane fashion. He stood in front of the mirror for a good half a minute. He had pallid blonde hair that spiked up about 2 inches high. His face had a bit of plump, and his cheeks looked like it had so much weight, that it looked like they were the reason his eyes drooped down so low. He then turned on the squeaky faucet and washed his face. He felt the cold, soothing water splash the surface of his rough, wrinkled skin, and reached for a face towel.
Suddenly, the telephone rang. Feeling uninterested, he walked over to it. He sighed, then picked it up.
"Hello?" he said with a deep, vibrating voice.
"Hey Rus!" the voice replied. "It's me, Tim!"
"Oh, hey man, what's up?"
"Not much, hey you down for some motorcyclin'?"
"Uhh..." Russell uttered hesitantly. "I-I-I don't know..."
"C'mon man, ever since Darla left, you ain't don' nu'in but stay in and destroy your liver. It's been a year, Rus. It's time to let go." Silence came over the phone. "Tell you what," Tim said, breaking the silence. "Me and the boys are goin' out motorin' and such. Just gon' hangout, you and us, like old times, bud. I know this nice place we can go to. You'll have yourself a good time. Sounds good?"
"Yeah, alright." Russell said in agreement.
"Now that’s what I'm talkin' bout! We gon' come over there soon, alright buddy?"
Once they hung up, Russell went to his room, then slipped on his Hell's Angels leather jacket, pants, and shoes. He went outside, walked up to his full black Yamaha, and said "Hey Ol' Beauty," he said referring to his motorcycle. "Been a while, 'ey ol' friend?" Russell sat on O'l Beauty and waited.
Soon enough, Hell's Angels arrived. In a distance, you could hear the sounds of a dozen motorcycle engines roaring. They came packed in what seemed to look like a flock of birdstraveling in a 'V' formation. They all wore full black attire, and matching leather jackets. As they approached Russell, they greeted him with a "Hey Rus! Long time no see!" and patted him on his back.
Forcing out a fake smile, in great torpor, he replied, "Yeah, good to see ya'll too."
Later, they all started their motorcycles, and rode off in unison. Tim led them to a bar. Russell looked around. "The Tennessee Bar." he said to himself. He recognized this place.
Tim nudged Russell's shoulder, "'Member this place, bud? Almost 20 years since we last been 'ere, who woulda thought this place woulda still been up this long, huh?" The gang headed in, through the two wooden doors, and ordered a couple of drinks. Russell's eyes wandered the place. It felt like he was 30 years old again. All the great memories with Tim and the gang.
Russell was so caught up in a good time, he forgot about all of his troubles. The lacuna he felt, his problems, his divorce, Darla, all those worries seemed to vanish until suddenly, he spots a girl with blonde, curly hair… just like Darla. He desperately moved his head side to side, trying to get a better look at her face. Fighting his sight through the crowd, he finally got a good clear look at her face. It was her. She wore the same black dress she had worn the first time he'd seen her. He hastily stood up out of his chair, leaning on one leg. He was hesitating to approach her. "If I do go up to her, then what? What would I say? I still love you, I want you back?" he thought. After some thinking, he decided to go up to her, but just as he stood on the other leg, he saw a tall man bring two drinks over to her and hand her one. She laughed and gave him a kiss. Right at that moment, Russell felt as if his heart was shattered into a million pieces. He took a step forward.
Tim extended his hand, and put it onto Russell's shoulder, stopping him from taking another step.
"Hey man, where you goin'?" Russell said nothing, and just kept staring straight ahead. Tim turned his attention to what Russell was looking at, saw Darla and the man, and turned his head back and looked into Russell's eyes. "Don't let it get to you, Rus. It's not worth it."
Russell said, "You're right," then turned and gesticulated to the bar waiter to come over to him. "30 shots of brandy."
"You alright?" Tim asked.
Russell puckered his lips, tilted his head, raised his eyebrows, and shrugged as he replied, "Oh yeaaaah. I'm fiiine. Juuust fine." Tim watched Russell as he hastily gulped down 30 shots of brandy as if it were smoother than water. Consuming all of this lubberwort, Russell didn't feel a thing. It was like everything was numb, and he couldn't feel anything, except emotional hurt. Everyone cheered him on. He caught the whole bar's attention... including Darla's.
Russell finished his last shot, and looked over in Darla's direction. They stared directly into each other’s brown eyes, and their eyes locked for about a good half a minute. Surprise and disbelief was written all over Darla’s face as she watched Russell. Totally wasted, Russell announced, "I have to go." and went for his motorcycle. Before Tim or anyone could stop him, he was gone. The whole gang yelled for him, but he didn't stop.
He was going somewhere, anywhere, he didn't know. Nothing could stop him. He just wanted to be alone, to get away from everything. From life, and from Darla. His mind was clouded, and he couldn't think.
Soon, he was going so fast, that it if he were to come to a sudden halt, he would lose balance and fall off. The road was empty, except for the train coming in the distance. He tried to make it past the lowering bars, the red flashing lights, and the bells, but he wasn’t fast enough. By the time he was on the railroad tracks, trying to escape the incoming train, it was too late. He was going too fast, he couldn’t stop. The train came by and hit him in the side. He ended up off the side of the railroad, and just laid there.
He woke up about 3 hours later, in a hospital bed. He couldn’t move much, and his body was wrapped in white gauze. He was in a great amount of pain all over his body. The doctor explained what happened, and that he might die in almost half an hour because of his weak liver, and all the injuries he had. Russell couldn't believe it. "Not now, not yet. Dear God, please don’t let me die just yet. Please, just let me see Darla, one last time. Let me just hold her, talk to her, and see her beautiful face, just once. That's all I ask for.Then, you can take my life."
About a few minutes later, Darla walked in, knocking on the door. She had on a black dress, bright red lipstick, and light eyeliner. Her blonde curls bounced as she walked, and her face was thin and boney. "Hey Rus." She said, in a soft, sweet, calm voice. He didn't know how to respond. He was speechless. "Look," Darla said, "I know I'm probably not the person you wanna see right now. The doctor says you only got a few minutes, and this ain't the time to leave things unsaid."
"Don't you have a man?" Russell said, mockingly.
"Now holdup, Russell. Things change, and people change. Life goes on, but you know what? One thing that can never change is my love for you." Darla paused. "Maybe that ain't gonna change anything, just had to get that out before you're gone." Russell wanted to say he loved her back, but he couldn't.
"That all?" he asked.
"Yes."Darla said, heading for the door.
She looked back, then Russell said, "Hey Darla, wait." She stopped, and struggling, with all his strength, he stood up. He took a few small steps towards Darla. He collapsed a little, and Darla held him up. They embraced each other, shedding thick tears. He didn't care about all the physical and emotional pain he felt. He just wanted to hug her, to hold her. She seemed to be his panacea.
She left, and said, "Goodbye Rus."
He said, "Goodbye." With his last breath, he said "I love you, Darla." Then collapsed onto his bed. With no more pulse.
The topic of electric car resurrections fall under the field of technology. This is a big deal because considering our economic and environmental troubles, the electric cars use less or no gasoline, and that saves money and the environment. In 2010, General motors and Nissan are attempting to create and release electric cars. One setback is that the car may fail, and disappoint many people lined up to buy these cars.
The TV on the go section in the field of entertainment is about accessing TV with your cellphones, netbooks, or any mobile device for free. This is a big deal because now, you are able to watch any show on television no matter where you are. Usually, the only place you can access television is by a TV. This year, television broadcasters have spent thousands of dollars to install transmitters that allows free broadcasts to mobile devices. The one problem of this is that not all mobile devices will be able to receive this development. Only specially equipped mobile devices.
Project description: In this assignment, we were asked to do research on a particular civilization and produce a three page essay on it. We followed a certain format.
Process: First, we were assigned an ancient civilization and pillars. I was assigned Assyrian religion. I then researched about it. We received a handout showing the format we needed to follow for our essay. The drafting and revision process began.
Reflection: I have learned so much from doing this assignment. Not only about Assyrian religion, but also how to strengthen my thesis. A good thesis consists of a concessive, according to my teacher. :)
Project Description: In this particular assignment, we were asked to choose a picture that best represented your civilization's pillar. Then, we had to paint the pillar.
Process: After much research, I found a picture of the Assyrian God, Assur. I then drew out my design, and got it approved. Then, I began to paint my pillar.
Reflection: I honestly believed I learned a few things, doing this assignment. Yet, I believe I did not use the Habit of Mind, ownership because I think I could've done much better and put for effort and detail into my painting.
Goal 1; My first goal would be to complete my homework. Steps; First step would be to write the homework in my planner and check it daily. Then, I would have to prioritize and do my homework prior to chatting.
Goal 2; My second goal would be to ask for more clarification. Steps; The first step would be to go to office hours once a week and/or ask questions.
The conversation started out about me telling my parents what I learned in class about how the food we buy in stores can be harmful in many ways. Then, I proceeded to tell them what struck me the most was the story about Kevin, a two year old who ate three burgers and died from escherichia coli (e. coli). I told them that after this incident, they passed a law called "Kevin's law" that gives the U.S. Department of Agriculture the power to shut down plants that have contaminated meat. My parents responded to this by saying "We should be more careful now. Thank you for sharing that with us."
