Blogging around #2

              The Closet-

  Justin V, I completely agree with you. I believe that organization is the key to success. I find myself procrastinating when I do work and try to leave it all until the end. I procrastinate the work does not help and then pretty soon the work become too overwhelming like your closet. I learned to separate the work you do in a time period so it does not become to over whelming. Organization is the key to success and it is important to have a form because this can help you have more time to enjoy things you like.

Imedia-

 Shayne, I totally agree with you. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was horrible thing. It murdered millions of innocent people, but I believe it was necessary to end the war. Although all life is scared it was an inevitable choice to drop it on japan in order to protect the lives of Americans and the American soldiers.  Does pictures were very moving, and really demonstrates the horror of war. All war is unnecessary, but if someone is threatening your family and friends, I believe you need to stand up and protect the ones who are close to you.

Metacognition: My Dirty Closet

                Every day at 6:50 I am searching for my clothes in a rush. My closet it is filled with random clothes from summer tank tops to winter jackets, and numerous dirty clothes I shove to hide from my parents.  My closet looks like a hurricane had hit it. Every day it takes me a minimum of 20 minutes to find decent clothes to wear to school.  For this entry, I wanted to organize my closet in order to make the mornings go a little quicker and smoother.  I wanted to organize my socks, pants, shirt, boxers, jeans, jacket, etc., and organize it by a certain category to make it efficient.  I wanted to organize the clothes by season and pants, shirts, and socks by sub categories.

Whenever I look at my closet I tell myself I would clean it later. There was so much junk in the small amount of space I did not know where to start.  Seeing the mess everyday for months, made me accustomed to the mess and I did not feel the urge to clean it. Before I started to clean my closet I felt lazy and tried to put it off longer. I did not want to clean the piles of clothes, dirty clothes, and the thousands of mysterious items that were hidden in this closet. While folding clothes, tossing the dirty clothes in the laundry, and categorizing the items, all I thought about was trying to get the job done. I did not think about the long term goal of finishing, but the short term goal of folding the next shirt. After me organizing my closet, I felt a sense of relief and a sense of peace. I did not have to think about cleaning my closet anymore and it would make my mornings more productive. Finally cleaning my hideous closet almost gave a sense of joy, because I had finished completing a task I had prolonged for a long time.                 

Doing this project made my mind feel at rest. I did not have to think about cleaning my closet anymore. Cleaning my closet has always subconsciously been on my mind. Although I have accommodated to seeing the mess and not cleaning my room, it has always been in my head constantly irritating me like having a pebble in your shoe. Seeing my closet the first thing every day was not the best way to start off every day. Cleaning my room gave me a sense of relief and I felt like the pebble in my shoe was finally gone.

What I learned from this activity was that my mind works by structured steps. I do not think about the long term goals, but about the short term goals. I am a person who lives day by day and not think about the future. While doing this activity I did not think about the end product, but thought about how to fold the shirt better or wear to put the socks. Thinking about short term goals have pros and cons. I learned that I need to think more about the long term goals and future. By thinking this way would help me become a successful person. Also I learned that overcoming a large obstacle is not that hard and is very reliving. Not thinking about the long term goals results in me to procrastinate. Procrastination is my biggest enemy, overcoming this would help me be successful. 

Best of Week: Human connection and the epicureans

One quote that had always stuck with me was a quote by John Lennon that went, “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life.” 

This week in class, when we started to discuss about Hellenism, more specifically the epicureans, this quote magically popped into my head. Discussing about the epicureans made me wonder what it means to be truly happy and pleasurable. The epicureans believed that the greatest good is being happy and pleasurable and the greatest evil is pain. They also believed the way to attain pleasure was to live modestly and to gain knowledge of the workings of the world and the limits of one's desires. Trying to ponder about what makes me pleasurable and happy, the desire to attain pleasure to live modestly and gain knowledge of the working of the world reminded me of Edward Curtis and how photography made him staggeringly happy. My mind became a giant roller coaster ride, one thought leading to another.

            While pondering about Edward Curtis happiness, I realized the importance of human connection and how everyone is somehow connected to one another. Like the shadow catcher bracelet, all these philosophers are somehow connected. Socrates helped developed the ideas of Plato’s and many others.  Although every brain is wired different, we are somehow still very similar. Through Socrates, indirectly or directly, these other philosophers were able to grow their ideas and have their own view of the world.  

             You can see the views of these philosophies from ideas such as transcendentalism to religion. David Thoreau and Emerson ideas are very similar to Hellenism. Transcendentalism expresses the importance the nature of reality and expressing the importance of beauty. Even religion like Buddhism is very similar to the ideas of the epicureans. Buddhist believes life is suffering and that the greatest evil in the world is suffering. In order to endure the pain, desire must be curbed and serenity will help endure. Although Epicurus and Buddha where thousands of miles away from each other they have very similar ideas.

            There are no two humans alike, and every person is wired differently. Although we are very different we are very similar at the same time. By learning about Hellenism and the epicureans it showed me the greater importance of the human connection. An idea from thousands of years ago has the ability to influence anything to this day. 

Best of Week: Beauty in Starlings

All my life, I thought birds were a very insignificant part of our lives, and a small part of our ecosystem. By learning about the starlings in class, I discovered that beauty is everywhere we just have to look carefully.  Beauty is everywhere, but because we are surrounded by it we don’t truly appreciate it. When the starlings are creating this magnificent art by their motion of flight they do not think they are creating beauty. They are simply following the other birds, but they are able to create this beautiful complex motion without hitting other birds.  Watching this art being formed by the starlings made me think about the beauty of our Milky Way galaxy.  We are encased in this enormous, beautiful galaxy and we are never able to see like the starlings.

The art that the starlings create shows you how anything can create beauty, even birds. We are just sounded   by it like the starlings that we do not notice it. I have always believed only humans can create art and beauty. From the starlings, it demonstrates anything can create art, and there are all forms of art. I have taken a new perspective of the definition of beauty and art.

From the examples with the starlings, I learned to be more aware of my surroundings in order to really appreciate every beautiful thing in life. When you are creating something, you do not know you are creating something unique and beautiful. It is important to be aware of the environment, and really understand beauty can come from anything, even birds. 

Metacognition: Creativity in Classroom

                While writing the creativity in classroom essay, I approached it in many different directions to complete the job.  My thinking is really abstract. When I write and think about the prompt I do not like to make a detailed out line. If I make an outline this out line is very broad. When I have a detailed out line, I feel like my knowledge and the ability to expand my thinking is very limited.  I usually go with the flow and write down anything that pops in to my head. Although this might be much disorganized I make many drafts for the final material. It surprised me to see that my thinking was this abstract and not very structured. I feel like I am a very structured and organize thinker usually taking small steps to finish the material, but I learned thinking in a structured way limits my potential.

                I like how my thinking is very broad in the spectrum and I am not very limited. Not having a detailed structure helps me think out of the box and makes my thinking more open to opinions and ideas. I would define my thinking as a maze.  There are many detours and details that I add to make my thinking, in this case the paper, more detailed and more powerful, but the end goal is to get to the finish line. The end goal of the essay is argue my thesis, and in many cases, I believe I do it pretty well. Not having a very structured thinking doesn't limit me, and makes me more open for ideas. It will help me think more abstract and build a stronger argument on a paper.

                Although not having a detailed structure to my thinking may work for me, I believe having somewhat of the structure will benefit me in the long run. It will help me achieve a different level of thinking. The structure can change the content.  Having a small guide line I follow for my thinking will give me the chance to think more abstractly. A detailed structure to thinking might not work for me, but a small guide line might help me understand and gain more knowledge. An intelligent thinker is a divergent and convergent in thinking. Having a small structure can help me achieve this and make me a better thinker as well as a better writer. 

Blogging Around

Jameson B.

 Best of Week: Using Rhythm in Writing Sentences

I really liked your blog. In this blog, Jameson talks about the importance of rhythm in writing. Without rhythm and a beat, writing would seem like big, long, drawn out sentences that have no flow. Jameson talks about how many people forgot the importance of the sense of beat and emotion in writing. Writing is a way to get your message and emotion across. Without having a beat or a flow in writing it is hard to get that message across clearly. Rhythm in writing, as well in music, makes it interesting and helps communicate better to the listener or reader. Your blog really help me understand the importance of rhythm.

Annika S

Connection: Alan Alda and My Father.

The blog was very interesting. In this blog Annika talks about the similarities between her father and Alda. When I was reading the article Feynman was what stuck out. It is really cool how you felt the author had a larger impression on you. It is also cool how you mad the connection to your father. I like how you think your father and Alda have the same humor and philosophy pertaining to their career you connects Alda and your father in almost a humorous way. It is a very interesting read. The evidence and quote you had supported your statement. It helped me understand the mind of Alan Alda better. 

Jameson B.

 Best of Week: Using Rhythm in Writing Sentences

I really liked your blog. In this blog, Jameson talks about the importance of rhythm in writing. Without rhythm and a beat, writing would seem like big, long, drawn out sentences that have no flow. Jameson talks about how many people forgot the importance of the sense of beat and emotion in writing. Writing is a way to get your message and emotion across. Without having a beat or a flow in writing it is hard to get that message across clearly. Rhythm in writing, as well in music, makes it interesting and helps communicate better to the listener or reader.

Annika S

Connection: Alan Alda and My Father.

In this blog Annika talks about the similarities between her father and Alda. When I was reading the article Feynman was what stuck out. It is really cool how you felt the author had a larger impression on you. It is also cool how you mad the connection to your father. I like how you think your father and Alda have the same humor and philosophy pertaining to their carreer. You connect Alda and your father in almost a humorous way. It is a very interesting read. 

Best of Week: The Truth

            If you walk around Glenbrook South High School on one of the passing periods and look at the ground, you will notice that every male is wearing Jordan sneakers with high socks and every female is wearing Tom’s shoes or Ugg boots. Do they actually like Ugg boots or are they wearing it because society tells them to and they are afraid to be different? Consumerism has taken control of our individuality making it hard to define our truth and be ourselves.

Truth is a word our society has lost a firm grasp of.  The idea of being honest to ourselves and expressing our uniqueness has really diminished. As a result of social media and the highly competitive nature of society it is very hard for people to be truthful. Many people are not expressing their own individuality and often creating an illusion of his or herself. The growth of social media and consumerism gives people an illusionary view on life and principles while the highly completive nature of society makes people dishonest.

            As a result of social media and consumerism, we have lost hold of our own individuality. People today are creating an ideal illusion of the person who they want to be and not expressing their own uniqueness. Social media like the internet have increased the process making it harder for people to get a hold of the “truth”. Magazines and websites of beauty products portray beauty and idealism in a single mathematical way with a certain ratio of body, face, rack, and ass that no real human can acquire. A golden ratio of what makes someone beautiful. Especially teens try to portray and become these ideal people. They do not act their own uniqueness, but by how society wants them to be. They create an illusionary view that all people have to look and have the golden ratio in order to be beautiful. People try to create an illusionary persona of the person they want to be.

            Not only does social media and consumerism make it hard for people to grasp the truth, but also the competiveness of society makes it difficult. Do people actually like joining Key Club and Interact to get the satisfaction of helping others or are they doing it because society tells them to help people? I believe, most people do it their own selfishness and do it in order to add on a college resume. I am sure if you ask someone to join Interact in order to help feed the needy they would most likely not join the club. If you tell someone else to join Interact because they will be able to write on your college resume they are more likely to come. The competitive nature of society makes a lot of people dishonest. People should want to help the people who are struggling for the benefit of putting a smile on a strangers face instead of doing it for the college application.  

            The growth of technology and the more competitive the world is becoming is resulting in a more difficult journey to find truth in ourselves. Many people are creating delusions and ideal personas of themselves to satisfy what society wants. They are also taking action not out of sincerity but for own selfishness. If people find the truth and are honest to his or herself, more people will stop living for themselves and start living for others. You only truly live if you live for others. 

Connection: Gatsby and Farnsworth

Writing my college essays, I am forced to think about my achievements in life and my upbringing. The college admission process forces me to think critically on my life and examine myself as a human being. As I reminisce and ponder these questions I am a lot like the character Gatsby from the novel by F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, and like the visionary Philo T. Farnsworth. Gatsby and Farnsworth both failed because they were too prideful, and did not have a clear grasp of reality.

            Both Farnsworth and Gatsby were way to prideful, as a result, it lead them to their downfall. Gatsby demonstrate pride through his wealth and power. Gatsby throws enormous parties at his mansion to demonstrate the wealth and to show the power he has. One scene, Gatsby throws his expensive clothing to impress Daisy to show his pride. As a result of his pride, he created a grand illusion of himself and lost hold of reality. Farnsworth, like Gatsby, was too prideful because of this; he did not accept any help from other people. When Sarnoff asked Farnsworth to join his company he decline because of his pride. If he had joined the RCA he would have died a happier man. He would have had sufficient funds to pursue his dream and get credit for his work. Farnsworth and Gatsby got too caught up on his pride he lost his grasp on reality.

            Farnsworth and Gatsby lost hold of reality. They both believed in the romanticized and fantasy life. Gatsby got caught up on his false illusion of himself and Daisy which lead him to his downfall. Gatsby thought of Daisy as this idealistic, perfect person. He thought he felt short of Daisy’s expectations because of this he created an enormous illusion of him. Because Gatsby’s persona was so big, Daisy felt she had felt short of his expectation. Farnsworth believed in the romantic notion that he would get full credit for his work and that life is fair. Farnsworth believed in this romantic notion of life and invention, as a result, he never searched for help and remained stubborn. Gatsby and Farnsworth delusional ideals caused them their downfall.

            I feel like I am a lot like Gatsby and Farnsworth. Like both people, I am very stubborn and not open to many ideas. I am stubborn because I have a lot of pride in myself. Any activity that I do, I believe I am the best at it. I do not take other people’s ideas for consideration and I rarely ask for help. I try to solve problems by myself. I also have a romanticized illusion of life and myself. What I have learned from my seventeen years of life is that I rarely show people my true identity. I create an ideal illusion of myself like Gatsby. I believe life is fair and that I can achieve anything. By studying the character Gatsby, and Farnsworth, I learned that I need to put hard work to achieve my goals and seek for help if I am struggling.

            

Captured Thought: What is Happiness?

This past week, as I look back at my old essays from junior year, I stumbled upon a word that I have used many times, happiness. The essay I wrote was about the American Dream and how people pursue the American Dream and their happiness. Throughout the essay I must have used the word nearly fifty times. As I read the essay, I can see my opinions on happiness have changed since last year. I have thought a lot about the word happiness and what it means to me. The Declaration of Independence states our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but what does it mean to pursue happiness?  What makes me strangely happy?  Throughout the week, these questions were constantly throbbing in my head.

How did our founding fathers know to put the words “pursuit of happiness” into the document? Last year, I believed that pursuing did not always guarantee your happiness. Everyone has the right to pursue their happiness, but that does not guarantee your success in reaching it.  People have a god given right to seek out things that make them happy.  If people do not achieve their destination it results in their downfall and depression.  What I realized now is that it is not the destination to your happiness but the journey. You have to stop and look around and take in all the beauties the world has to offer.  If they only pursuing that single dream they will miss out.

All my life I have searched for a single goal that would me incredibly happy. An ultimate dream that would be a life changer and something I can pursue.  I believed that pursuing that dream would be the only way of finding true happiness.  As I learned from this year, people are only happy when they are creating something.Many professions like doctors, engineers, and teachers are able to create making there jobs more enjoyable. They are able to create smiles, materials, and expand the knowledge of students.  All my life I believed in order to be happy I need to pursue a singular grand goal that would create an ultimate happiness. Now I realized when I create I will truly happy. Only focusing on a singular dream will distract me from experiencing life.

I learned that it is the little things in life that makes me happy. When the Declaration of Independence talks about pursuing happiness it is not a singular goal or dream that we have to pursue in order to achieve happiness but being able to have to freedom to experience all the little things in life. The little things  like eating a creamy irresistible twinkie or just loafing.Although the definition of happiness varies from people to people, if people stop and admire the tiny things in life, they will certainly be happier than before.