Dear Ms.Eddy,

I am Edger Allan Poe, and I shall not now nor ever follow the norms of others. Sure my blog is viewed as simple and boring. Yet, creating visions as others once did is boring as well. My love of writing will never change in the afterlife. They say that normal is boring, but simple can also be a master piece.

Journal Response #1

Red is like the warm morning sun hitting your face. When people think of red, they think of love and happiness. As though you had made love with another person for the first time. Can you feel your heart beating? Red is like a rush that flows through your heart and soul. Red smells like a fresh rose on Valentines day. Have you ever held another person's hand and never wanted to let go? Red gives you that feeling everyday. Do you hear the laughter of people? Red is the voice of every person who feels happy. When you taste a cupcake. Red is the velvet and the first creamy taste in your mouth. You may not be able to see, but red is the suns beams, the smell of a rose, the delicious taste of a cupcake, and the person you cores your body with.           

Journal Response #2

In our society, competition is everything to people. In football games people get aggressive over competition, and they sometimes loose everything to gamboling because of it. During a NFL tailgate in San Francisco the opposing fans got aggressive over the game. Two men got badly injured during the incident. This shows how competition is harmful and unhealthy to people. Although competition can be unhealthy, there is still healthy and friendly competition in our society. In little league games, children learn that its not whether you win or loose but how you play the game. Parents teach their children that playing a sport, or just in general competition should never come between friendship. It's normal to feel disappointed when loosing, but chin up everyone has a moment to succeed. 

Journal Response #3

One thing I have learned in the class is that women are always defined by how they look. Women are over exposed in television, magazines, billboards etc to seek the attention of all. In today's society if a women walks out of her house with sweats and messy hair she is defined as unattractive. When scanning through magazines, we usually view women in their underwear advertising more of her body then the actual product. Director's and photographers know that "sex sells" but the orientation of the person is 98% of the time women. I learned that all women say that their breast's are too small, too big, too hard, too lopsided, or too pointy. While men never say that their penis are too big, too small, too hard, too lopsided, or two inches. Men always view women as "sex objects" but we're not. We are human equals like men, we can do or become whatever we want to be. If our society has come a long way to change the ways women are viewed, then why are we on magazines, or television half naked? 

Journal Response #4

If I could go back in time and be one historian, I would be Edger Allen Poe.  My reasons being, so I would understand why he fell in love with his cousin, and why would he murder himself. He was an outstanding poet with a unique personality. He was adopted young and he was misunderstood. His most famous work, the "Tale Tale Heart"  and "The Raven" is how he got recognized as an author. I would wonder about his life noticing if he had any friends, or if he was close to his family.  My main reason of why I would choose to be Edger Allen Poe, it's so I would see how much his wife supported and appreciated him. She was their along side with him until death, and even then he never let her slip through his mind. 

Journal Response #5

If I had the responsibility to decide where $1 million should be spent to improve world project(s) I would choose school education in California. In the state of California there has been budget cuts, that has not only affected schools, but teachers and students as well. Teachers are mandated to teach classes with a tremendous amount of students. In some cases the amount of students has even doubled in class size. The cuts has also forced schools to put an end to after school tutoring. This affects students who need the help they don't receive the attention in class. With the money, I would buy school supply's for all class rooms, and also give money for after school tutoring. I would also spend the money for clubs, extra classes, and different courses for all students. Education should not be taught by what your required to take, students should also have the privilege to take a German classes, or a class for future musicians. This is what I truly believe money should be focused on.

Journal Response #6

Recently there has been an issue involving bulling at the school.  The issue got the GSA club to combine with other clubs at the school, to write inspirational quotes on the floor of the school. The groups only wrote positive quotes, for every student who ever felt that they we're alone in the world. I took part of this and I was greatly satisfied when the fallowing morning the students at the school read the quotes as they were walking to class and smiled. It felt as though as we were helping them move forward. One quote I wrote that I saw one girl stare at for a great number of minute was, "We are leaders, and we don't fallow, because nobody knows where they are going." The girl look at that thought as though she was trying to decide on an important issue. After that day, I devoted myself from stopping any bulling from school, the internet, or on the streets, because we are all equals.  

Journal Response #7

One material I would introduce to a primitive culture is deodorant.  Up to the year 1888 deodorant was intro for many centuries. Many people would walk around for days, or weeks without taking a bath. The rich would occasionally bathe, but mainly wear wigs to hide their filthy hair. I would help everyone who needs the deodorant. Even now with deodorant in our modern society, people sometimes don't use it.  They walk into rooms after running smelling like sweat. To be honest, I don't want to smell their smelly pits, I prefer them using a simple method like wearing deodorant to cover their stink. There were three things the cave man needed which were, a shower, a haircut, and deodorant.

Journal Response #8

Life is like an hourglass, eventually everything hits the bottom and all you have to do is wait it out until someone comes along and turns it around. This quote describes me the most as person who needs another. When sad, confused, or rebellious I will always need a helping hand to change my perspective in life. Like an hourglass when empty, the sand doesn't fill back to the top by itself, a person always turns it. We live in a society when one needs help there always someone around. I'm a person who needs someone to move on, without a help here and their we get nowhere. My goals are sometimes my struggles, and my struggles get to me the hardest. And I, being a nobody, relates this quote to every struggle I've lived. People have pick me ups, and life changers but together they are always a turn around.

Journal Response #9

If I were to establish a holiday, it would be the ending of the plague in Italy. During the 16th century, "The Black Death" as it was named or "The Bubonic Plague" deeply infected the city of Venice. At that time, Venice was biggest port for trade, until the disease was able to kill five hundred and ninety-five people. When the plague finally came to an end the people of Venice we're greatly satisfied. We would commemorate with a great festival and fireworks. Their would be an enormous amount of food, and the colors of Italy illuminating the city's. The plague was a terrible time for all. It not only infected Italy, it also affected China, all of Europe, as well as the U.S. In those days doctors, and scientist weren't enough. Now with modern technology people can cure diseases with medicines. People should celebrate the ending of the rain of terror of the plague, to which had hurt our ancestors.

Journal Response #10

The best advice I have ever received from a friend, is "The best advice I can give you is to move forward and don't care about what anyone else thinks. Just do what you have to do for only yourself" After being heart broken, she was their and spoke these truthful words. At first I wanted to shut out everything from my mind, but how could I? This coming out of the same mouth that said, "The greatest thing you'll ever know is just to love, and be loved in returned." Of course, she got that saying from a movie, but it was the truth. I had to move on or stay forever in the misery of my own shattered heart.  Although I had only wanted to be with him, it was time I appreciated myself. I have always have been pushed around by, parents, teachers, friends, and now the person who claimed to had love me. Enough, I proclaimed and their she was side by side reminding me of the greatest advice a friend could ever receive. No longer would I to be a shell of myself, I would move forward and do what was best for me.

Journal Response #11

One question I would like to be asked by a University is, what nationally do you see yourself most as, and how do you define yourself? I view myself as an Italian, because I am a proud spirited risk taker who has a heart as strong as a bull. In various colleges, I encounter with people who are in clubs mainly for people who are either African American or Mexican. And I ask myself, where are the noble Italians who have work for centuries to put themselves forward in hard situations? Yes, I may be Mexican as well and that will never change. But other than states like New York or Chicago you don't see many Italians in costal colleges. When I roam down the streets, people only view me as a Mexican/American and never view my ethnicity as anything else. As I walk into pizzerias and see that the stereotypical man who works their is an Italian, it enrages me that its where I mainly see my people. Today I say, ABBASTANZA! I am, an Italian woman who wants to see more of it's culture in Universities as a one whole, one soul group.

Journal Response #12

I once fell in love with a boy and he was so egotistical, his grandparents noticed it from 1,253 miles away.  The morning begins the birds are chirping with the love of Spring. I throw a pillow towards the window and yell "SHUT UP!" I used to wake up in the morning awaiting for his messages, but now he was the reason why I stay in bed. My mother awaits at the entrees of my room until I get out of bed. My hair a mess, my body a wreck, and my soul empty. 7:10 I quickly get ready to leave for school. When I arrive my friends informed me that he had left me for a younger women. My spirit drops as though a car has crashed into me. To a distance I hear a laughter. It's them. At that moment I wished for a car to come crashing at me, so the misery would leave my heart. "Oh the sorrow I feel for her" I hear them say. But no, I am not one to be feel pity for.  First period, I sink into a chair whispering to myself "everything will be alright." He used to whisper that in my ear. Zoning in and out of my thoughts, I hear my teacher say "Victoria!" "Victoria, what is the answer to the question?" To my response I said, "Tu te levee at quell heure?" The only problem was I wasn't in french class, I was in mathematics.

Journal Response #13

Victoria Peña
December 3, 2011
921 Alexia Drive

To whom it may concern:

Hello, I'm so excited to met you. I'm usually very nervous in meeting new people but college is a time of new experiences. To be honest I'm very emotional, so if I ever change from sad and happy don't worry thats normal. I enjoy Johnny Depp movies on a cold rainy day, and dislike extremely warm weather. Throughout the weekdays, I always wake up early and late on the weekends. After a long day of school and work, I fall asleep at eight. At what time do you get up or fall asleep?

Since I  was five I've had this obsessive compulsive disorder, which makes me clean the room until I am fully satisfied.  I'm not very close to my family, but they will probably call to see how I am doing. During the holiday seasons, I enjoy decorating. Do you celebrate the holidays? I'm a very proud and sassy Italian/Mexican. My father is Italian and my mother is Mexican, so I cook very well. What nationality are you? What can you cook?  On Tuesday nights I adore watching Glee, I hope you don't mind. We're going to be great friends.

                                                                                                             Sincerely,
                                        


                                                                                                            Victoria Peña

Journal Response #14

"He does not posses wealth, it possess him." To me these words mean that power can consume and corrupt the weak of man. They're people who are so involved with money that greed consumes them. Money isn't everything, it can't buy a persons happiness, it can only limit you to life. People start off being nothing, then get placed into a miserable life of power. Wealth controls every aspect of the persons life and they are not able to focus on other matter, because they are so in depth with the concept of money. Money distracts a person who feels so powerful that family and friends is far from their attentiveness. The wealthiest of man trivializes the unfortunate hard and strong spirited workers. Wealthy people believe that the hardest working man has money, yet there are people who work at the fields from dawn to dust.

Journal Response #15

A contribution I would make to a college campus would be towards devoting myself to the LGBT groups. I am in the honor to be in the Gay Straight Alliance and will always support clubs who help stop bulling from happening. With clubs like LGBT it makes people feel safe about being who they are inside and out. Many people don't know where to turn when they come out, or feel self-abandon, so LGBT clubs are always welcome to people who need a supporting system. Although they're people who support LGBT their are others who are agents a group like this, many who wish to do anything to stop them. I would contribute myself  any LGBT or nonmembers who are being bullied, abused, or discriminated. We live in a society where discrimination has been a curl matter for centuries. Its time we make a change and we should   help those who deeply need it.

Journal Response #16

About five months ago I had took a risk on taking an AP course. My decision was clear, but I didn't know how much work and effort I had placed myself in. For years, the subject had been smooth sailing for me. I had only gotten A's the lowest a B, so I had walked into the course believing it would be just as easy. With a misunderstanding with my councilor, I was behind three weeks on the material than my fellow classmates. Everyone else being aware what the teacher was talking about except myself. Probably the fly that hovered over a plant across from my desk, may have understood the work more then I. Yet, for some crazy reason I stayed, knowing fully that I would stress out on the test, knowing that I could not read the teachers hand writing I stayed. Knowing that if I failed this course I wouldn't be able to graduate with my class. I TOOK A RISK! And it only helped me relies that I wasn't able to change myself over night. I still have trouble remembering certain words, I still stress over test, but I discipline myself when I get a low score. The risk was worth it though, I learned how much matters change for the better. 

Journal Response #17

An Issue that always makes me fill with enragement is, over protective parents. Parents are always controlling their children's lives even towards adulthood. Many teens,are not allowed to date or choose a college they would like to go to, without their parents consent. I have various friends who cannot do anything outside of school, because their parents believe that they will do something mischievous. They may not be vicious children, but they are under the impression that they will be. Even I am an over protective child. My parents set a time limit on what time I can go out, to when I have to return. This is why teens run away from home because parents enclose them too much. Teens are on the path of becoming adults and they want to open their minds on the world, so they can learn on their own. If a teen fails they can get back on their feet and dust themselves off without their parents assistance. We are adults, we need equality and freedom. This is why parents need to STOP the over protectiveness, for how will we ever learn the enlightenment of life if one is not able to let go.