It was a snowy February evening when I walked out of Stoughton High School, chilled by both the frigid temperatures and what I had just witnessed. The drama club had just put on a remarkable performance of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, perhaps one of the most well-noted murder mysteries of all time. The twists and turns throughout the plot kept me on my feet for the entire duration of the show, but the ending left me truly breathless. Justice Wargrave, a particularly mysterious character who was thought to be dead, reappeared at the end, admitting that it was he who had murdered everyone. He would now finish the story off by hanging the only remaining character.
It sounds a bit extreme, but after seeing this play, I became tremendously paranoid. I went to bed that night under the impression that there was a murderer in my closet. (I had this fear for many years, but seeing the play reassured the potential of a situation like this occurring.) My covers being my only security, I did not move that night. If he couldn't see me move, maybe he wouldn't know I was there. . .
The weeks that followed were rough to say the least. Night after night, I still imagined this murderer, watching me through the cracks of my closet door. I would awaken, half surprised that I was still alive.
As time passed, my imagination became increasingly wild -- what had once been my bedroom closet was now my basement, around the corner, or in any unlit room. Just as in the play, the murderer was able to navigate about the house in such a timely matter that he could be virtually anywhere.
Currently (perhaps even as I'm writing this very post), my "murderer" is still nearby. Seven months later, he still haunts me; however, my fear has grown significantly weaker. It's almost as though I've come to accept the fact that yes, there is a killer in my closet. The trick to overcoming a phobia is to not worry about it. After all, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Genre: Neglection
Each genre of writing -- whether it be an editorial or a memoir, a profound essay or a song, has something to offer. Different forms of writing touch base on different levels of emotion/communication. The genre I picked was neglection.
SONG LYRICS
Cats in the Cradle -- Harry Chapin
A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."
My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
The song talks about how neglection as a child can lead to neglecting others when you're older. The father didn't spend enough time with his kid when he was younger, so when he grew up, he didn't want to spend time with his father either.
POEM
Neglect -- Ed Blair
The sick one lay on the cot
Where the walls were brown and bare,
And the longed for friend came not,
No flowers were carried there;
And the fever burned his brow,
And the lips could scarcely part,
But the saddest of all was how
Neglect had stung the heart.
"I have no friends," said he,
"Though once I had a score,
No one now cares for me,
For none knock at the door."
And the feverish face turned white,
And soon the lips were clay;
For who could live with the light
Of friendship shut away?
Who loved him? Were there none
Who cared for him that day,
That from the throngs not one
Should come with him to stay?
Yes--many loved him well,
And many meant to go
With some sweet word to tell,
To ease that heart of woe.
Next day from the busy throng
A hundred came to see,
For they learned as they passed along
That his spirit now was free;
And they brought from the gardens fair
The beautiful lilies white,
And they banked them 'round him there,
As they laid him away that night.
Oh, carry the message today,
Wait not for tomorrow's sun;
It may drive despair away,
And comfort the dying one.
For better one flower today
For the one on the lonely cot,
Than tomorrow a rich boquet
When the dear one liveth not.
This poem carries the message that you shouldn't neglect your friends and loved ones; you should spend time with them while you still have it. It is neglection that drains the most energy out of people.
ARTICLE
How to be Disorganized & Unproductive, #6: Neglect Yourself -- TSH
http://simplemom.net/dont-neglect-yourself/
Althought there are many articles similar to this one, the message never seems to get old. First and foremost, don't neglect yourself! One should take care of themselves by staying healthy and having solid relationships with the people in their lives.
SONG LYRICS
Cats in the Cradle -- Harry Chapin
A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."
My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
The song talks about how neglection as a child can lead to neglecting others when you're older. The father didn't spend enough time with his kid when he was younger, so when he grew up, he didn't want to spend time with his father either.
POEM
Neglect -- Ed Blair
The sick one lay on the cot
Where the walls were brown and bare,
And the longed for friend came not,
No flowers were carried there;
And the fever burned his brow,
And the lips could scarcely part,
But the saddest of all was how
Neglect had stung the heart.
"I have no friends," said he,
"Though once I had a score,
No one now cares for me,
For none knock at the door."
And the feverish face turned white,
And soon the lips were clay;
For who could live with the light
Of friendship shut away?
Who loved him? Were there none
Who cared for him that day,
That from the throngs not one
Should come with him to stay?
Yes--many loved him well,
And many meant to go
With some sweet word to tell,
To ease that heart of woe.
Next day from the busy throng
A hundred came to see,
For they learned as they passed along
That his spirit now was free;
And they brought from the gardens fair
The beautiful lilies white,
And they banked them 'round him there,
As they laid him away that night.
Oh, carry the message today,
Wait not for tomorrow's sun;
It may drive despair away,
And comfort the dying one.
For better one flower today
For the one on the lonely cot,
Than tomorrow a rich boquet
When the dear one liveth not.
This poem carries the message that you shouldn't neglect your friends and loved ones; you should spend time with them while you still have it. It is neglection that drains the most energy out of people.
ARTICLE
How to be Disorganized & Unproductive, #6: Neglect Yourself -- TSH
http://simplemom.net/dont-neglect-yourself/
Althought there are many articles similar to this one, the message never seems to get old. First and foremost, don't neglect yourself! One should take care of themselves by staying healthy and having solid relationships with the people in their lives.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Writing To Me Is. . .
There are countless analogies, metaphors, and similies that I could use to compare writing to. For me, writing is like dancing. Ironically, both writing and dancing are passions of mine.
To perform well, one has to practice over and over, making small -- or sometimes drastic -- adjustments to the choreography. You need to watch yourself in the mirror and pay attention to your own technique, much like revising your own work. To dance is to show emotion, tell a story, create a vision for yourself and your audience. This also holds true to writing. We write to convey our deepest thoughts and feelings and to share them with others. The page is our stage; the pen our eager feet.
Sometimes, we stumble and fall. Sometimes we forget the choreography. Sometimes we move out of formation. Of course the best thing to do in any of these situations would be to smile and move on. The important part is to finish strong. You can be successful with dancing -- and writing -- if you get past the rough spots and improve with each performance.
To perform well, one has to practice over and over, making small -- or sometimes drastic -- adjustments to the choreography. You need to watch yourself in the mirror and pay attention to your own technique, much like revising your own work. To dance is to show emotion, tell a story, create a vision for yourself and your audience. This also holds true to writing. We write to convey our deepest thoughts and feelings and to share them with others. The page is our stage; the pen our eager feet.
Sometimes, we stumble and fall. Sometimes we forget the choreography. Sometimes we move out of formation. Of course the best thing to do in any of these situations would be to smile and move on. The important part is to finish strong. You can be successful with dancing -- and writing -- if you get past the rough spots and improve with each performance.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Truth & Beauty: A Friendship
Note: It's been some time since I finished the book, so I'm having some difficulty remembering it.
In Truth & Beauty, Ann Patchett described the unbreakable camaraderie between her and her best friend, Lucy Grealy -- from start to the bitter end. Reading a first-hand account of their bond gave me new perspective on friendship; I found it remarkable how friends can become true soulmates (without being in an actual relationship). I was able to relate extremely well to this book because the relationship between Ann and Lucy is very similar to friendships I've had in the past.
It was strange to see how Ann and Lucy's relationship changed throughout the book. Their paths first crossed when they went to school together at Sarah Lawrence College. Lucy was diagnosed with cancer as a young girl. The chemotherapy that was used to treat her ended up removing part of her jaw. Even after scores of reconstructive surgeries, part of her jaw was still missing. Essentially, it was her disfigured face that made her so famous in her town. It wasn't until they attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop that Ann and Lucy became close friends. Their companionship thrived on both their love for their writing and their love for eachother.
When I first began the book, I was under the impression that Ann was trying to make the reader feel sympathetic toward her, making her seem like the hardworking, practical one of the pair. Lucy was the outgoing one, always in the limelight, where Ann was more of a secondary character. Patchett seemed all too bitter to be the one in the shadows. While I continued with the book, I came to realize that while this was true for the most part, it wasn't a bad thing. Ann and Lucy truly completed eachother, which is what made their friendship really work. I guess that's what made them soulmates.
Years after, Lucy passed away when a heroin addiction overtook her life. It's quite apparent that losing someone who had been a head figure in your life wouldn't be an easy experience. Even though she is gone, Lucy's friendship with Ann still carries on. She's given Ann enough inspiration to last for the rest of her life. Soulmates don't die.
In Truth & Beauty, Ann Patchett described the unbreakable camaraderie between her and her best friend, Lucy Grealy -- from start to the bitter end. Reading a first-hand account of their bond gave me new perspective on friendship; I found it remarkable how friends can become true soulmates (without being in an actual relationship). I was able to relate extremely well to this book because the relationship between Ann and Lucy is very similar to friendships I've had in the past.
It was strange to see how Ann and Lucy's relationship changed throughout the book. Their paths first crossed when they went to school together at Sarah Lawrence College. Lucy was diagnosed with cancer as a young girl. The chemotherapy that was used to treat her ended up removing part of her jaw. Even after scores of reconstructive surgeries, part of her jaw was still missing. Essentially, it was her disfigured face that made her so famous in her town. It wasn't until they attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop that Ann and Lucy became close friends. Their companionship thrived on both their love for their writing and their love for eachother.
When I first began the book, I was under the impression that Ann was trying to make the reader feel sympathetic toward her, making her seem like the hardworking, practical one of the pair. Lucy was the outgoing one, always in the limelight, where Ann was more of a secondary character. Patchett seemed all too bitter to be the one in the shadows. While I continued with the book, I came to realize that while this was true for the most part, it wasn't a bad thing. Ann and Lucy truly completed eachother, which is what made their friendship really work. I guess that's what made them soulmates.
Years after, Lucy passed away when a heroin addiction overtook her life. It's quite apparent that losing someone who had been a head figure in your life wouldn't be an easy experience. Even though she is gone, Lucy's friendship with Ann still carries on. She's given Ann enough inspiration to last for the rest of her life. Soulmates don't die.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Prevailing Opinion of a Sexual Character Discussed
If I could use any one word to describe how I felt after reading this essay, it would be grateful. Well, I suppose confused would be another appropriate adjective. Actually, there are any number of words I could use to describe how I felt. Bored, surprisingly, was not one of them.
I have been dreading reading this essay since the day I printed it off. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I had a large enough attention span to successfully read through all twenty-some pages, especially after I had realized that the passage wasn't written in a language that I fully understood. What I mean by this is that the way Wollstonecraft writes is much different than the way today's authors write. Her vocabulary is quite advanced and the way she strings her words together is in a completely different style. In my opinion, it probably wouldn't have taken her 22 pages to get her point across. The piece was wordy and repetitive, but maybe that's how people wrote back then. I had to reread some of the paragraphs multiple times in order to fully understand the point she was trying to get across. On top of that, I had to look up countless words. The passage was an absolute beast to read, to say the least.
While the piece was so long-winded, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I was surprised at how poorly women during that era were treated. It makes me truly thankful to know how far women have come in the past few hundred years. Whilst reading it, I was overcome with feelings of genuine girl power. Mary was so convincing and strong with her points. If I were from her day in age, I'm not sure I would have the courage to be so assertive about women's suffrage (although I know for a fact I wouldn't be content with my position in society as a woman). Even though I would be lying if I said sexism isn't an issue in the present day, I can say with confidence that if Wollstonecraft could see what life is like for women today, she would be so very proud. Had a man from that day read the essay, he might have rolled his eyes in disgust. If a woman had read it, however, it may have opened her eyes up to the essential standard that was missing in her life: equality. It was determined women like Mary who carved the path for women's rights. Without them, we would still be living in a one-sided society where boys rule and girls..well, you get the picture. . .
You go girl.
I have been dreading reading this essay since the day I printed it off. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I had a large enough attention span to successfully read through all twenty-some pages, especially after I had realized that the passage wasn't written in a language that I fully understood. What I mean by this is that the way Wollstonecraft writes is much different than the way today's authors write. Her vocabulary is quite advanced and the way she strings her words together is in a completely different style. In my opinion, it probably wouldn't have taken her 22 pages to get her point across. The piece was wordy and repetitive, but maybe that's how people wrote back then. I had to reread some of the paragraphs multiple times in order to fully understand the point she was trying to get across. On top of that, I had to look up countless words. The passage was an absolute beast to read, to say the least.
While the piece was so long-winded, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I was surprised at how poorly women during that era were treated. It makes me truly thankful to know how far women have come in the past few hundred years. Whilst reading it, I was overcome with feelings of genuine girl power. Mary was so convincing and strong with her points. If I were from her day in age, I'm not sure I would have the courage to be so assertive about women's suffrage (although I know for a fact I wouldn't be content with my position in society as a woman). Even though I would be lying if I said sexism isn't an issue in the present day, I can say with confidence that if Wollstonecraft could see what life is like for women today, she would be so very proud. Had a man from that day read the essay, he might have rolled his eyes in disgust. If a woman had read it, however, it may have opened her eyes up to the essential standard that was missing in her life: equality. It was determined women like Mary who carved the path for women's rights. Without them, we would still be living in a one-sided society where boys rule and girls..well, you get the picture. . .
You go girl.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
I was more than excited to read this article, mainly because anything about the internet is something I can easily relate to. The internet is a part of my every day life -- I use it for school, social networking, shopping, recieving emails. . .just about everything. While it is such a useful and convenient resource, I am fully aware I spend far too much time online. (Facebook has become my safehaven.) I was surprised to read however, that the internet could be changing the way we think. Maybe there truly can be too much of a good thing.
Since about 7th grade, the internet has become a necessary resource in my life. Research projects that had once meant class periods in the library now meant periods in the computer lab. Instead of having to search shelf-by-shelf for information, the internet did the work for us. In a matter of seconds, hundreds of links were presented to us; all the facts we needed were just a few clicks away. While this was so much easier than having to do the work by hand, I realized that it wasn't as beneficial to me as a student. Researching online provided me with more precise answers, but I was missing all of the information in between.
Mr. Fischer always askes his students if they're learning the material in his class or really learning it. When it comes down to it, most of the students (myself included) aren't actually learning anything, just temporarily sticking it in their minds until after they've taken the test. Both cramming and the "hunt-and-peck" method have become common ways of quickly filling up your short-term memory with information. Nowadays, it's not out of the ordinary to learn information piece-by-piece instead of looking at the big picture. Contemplating has turned into calculating and pondering into processing.
Before reading this article, I hadn't made the connection that maybe the internet could be what's caused me to be so distracted in recent years. Since middle school, I've noticed a lot of changes in my homework/test-taking/researching habits. It takes me so much additional time to do my homework/tests. My mind goes off on tangents; I constantly get bored with what I'm doing. Could this be because of too much time on the World Wide Web? Has the internet trained my mind to function in this staccato matter? Ironically, as interesting as I found the article, I couldn't read more than 1-2 pages without getting distracted. My mind was in other places.
I wish people weren't so dependent on the internet. If it were up to me, I would get rid of it altogether. (Yes, it's made things more convenient for us, but on the whole, it's hurt us more than it's helped us.) That would never happen of course, because we as a society rely too much on it. Hypothetically, I wonder if my scatterbrain could ever mend itself from the evident effects of the World Wide Web. I'll have to Google it. . .
Since about 7th grade, the internet has become a necessary resource in my life. Research projects that had once meant class periods in the library now meant periods in the computer lab. Instead of having to search shelf-by-shelf for information, the internet did the work for us. In a matter of seconds, hundreds of links were presented to us; all the facts we needed were just a few clicks away. While this was so much easier than having to do the work by hand, I realized that it wasn't as beneficial to me as a student. Researching online provided me with more precise answers, but I was missing all of the information in between.
Mr. Fischer always askes his students if they're learning the material in his class or really learning it. When it comes down to it, most of the students (myself included) aren't actually learning anything, just temporarily sticking it in their minds until after they've taken the test. Both cramming and the "hunt-and-peck" method have become common ways of quickly filling up your short-term memory with information. Nowadays, it's not out of the ordinary to learn information piece-by-piece instead of looking at the big picture. Contemplating has turned into calculating and pondering into processing.
Before reading this article, I hadn't made the connection that maybe the internet could be what's caused me to be so distracted in recent years. Since middle school, I've noticed a lot of changes in my homework/test-taking/researching habits. It takes me so much additional time to do my homework/tests. My mind goes off on tangents; I constantly get bored with what I'm doing. Could this be because of too much time on the World Wide Web? Has the internet trained my mind to function in this staccato matter? Ironically, as interesting as I found the article, I couldn't read more than 1-2 pages without getting distracted. My mind was in other places.
I wish people weren't so dependent on the internet. If it were up to me, I would get rid of it altogether. (Yes, it's made things more convenient for us, but on the whole, it's hurt us more than it's helped us.) That would never happen of course, because we as a society rely too much on it. Hypothetically, I wonder if my scatterbrain could ever mend itself from the evident effects of the World Wide Web. I'll have to Google it. . .
Friday, July 16, 2010
Skunk Dreams
After printing out "Skunk Dreams" by Louise Erdrich and reading the title, I was left quite confused. I read the first paragraph and I still had no idea where the next six pages were going to lead me -- or how they were going to relate to smelly little rodents and their dreams in any way.
Automatically, I thought to myself, What would skunks dream about? Perhaps they dreamt of scampering around, spraying their putrid stench on everything in sight..Or perhaps their dreams were more like that of humans. (What would a skunk nightmare be like?) I couldn't begin to imagine what laid in the depths of their seemingly small minds. It wasn't until I had reached the end of the article that I realized the message that Erdrich was trying to convey (see things from other perspectives) and the relevance of the title.
While I enjoyed the passage, at times it seemed too detailed. It was stocked with unnecessary details/specifics that almost acted as fillers. At some points, however, descriptions were perfectly executed; it astounded me how detailed the author remembered her dream of Corbin Park. Most of the time, I don't even remember my dreams; when I do, they are so vague that I have a hard time making sense of them the following morning.
However, I do like to think about dreams and what they mean. What is reality and what isn't? Is anything reality? The dream-life concept makes me wonder. Why do we dream?
Why do we live?
The best explanation I can come up with for having dreams is to prepare ourselves. Sleep is simply eight hours of our day that we can let our mind rest..and wander. Dreams let us see the outcomes of potential situations; they let us test our boundaries. They might warn us of things in our near future; they might help us make decisions. Dreams let us "try before we buy." In a way, they give us a "test drive" for the real world.
The passage closed with Erdrich talking about how humans should think about life from a skunk's perspective -- or any other being for that matter. It's good to see things from another point of view in order to enlighten your own outlook on life. As Erdrich said, "The obstacles we overcome define us." Maybe we need to look at things from a different standpoint in order to overcome the obstacles we face.
Automatically, I thought to myself, What would skunks dream about? Perhaps they dreamt of scampering around, spraying their putrid stench on everything in sight..Or perhaps their dreams were more like that of humans. (What would a skunk nightmare be like?) I couldn't begin to imagine what laid in the depths of their seemingly small minds. It wasn't until I had reached the end of the article that I realized the message that Erdrich was trying to convey (see things from other perspectives) and the relevance of the title.
While I enjoyed the passage, at times it seemed too detailed. It was stocked with unnecessary details/specifics that almost acted as fillers. At some points, however, descriptions were perfectly executed; it astounded me how detailed the author remembered her dream of Corbin Park. Most of the time, I don't even remember my dreams; when I do, they are so vague that I have a hard time making sense of them the following morning.
However, I do like to think about dreams and what they mean. What is reality and what isn't? Is anything reality? The dream-life concept makes me wonder. Why do we dream?
Why do we live?
The best explanation I can come up with for having dreams is to prepare ourselves. Sleep is simply eight hours of our day that we can let our mind rest..and wander. Dreams let us see the outcomes of potential situations; they let us test our boundaries. They might warn us of things in our near future; they might help us make decisions. Dreams let us "try before we buy." In a way, they give us a "test drive" for the real world.
The passage closed with Erdrich talking about how humans should think about life from a skunk's perspective -- or any other being for that matter. It's good to see things from another point of view in order to enlighten your own outlook on life. As Erdrich said, "The obstacles we overcome define us." Maybe we need to look at things from a different standpoint in order to overcome the obstacles we face.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)