I just finished reading a book called the diving bell and the butterfly, which is a stunningly brilliant book by a french author who's name I would rather no attempt to repeat. The author has a syndrome called locked in syndrome, which means he is completely paralyzed, except in his case he can blink his left eye. That is how the entire book was written, with someone siting next to him going through the alphabet over and over again to write out the book. It is an amazing triumph of the human spirit.
Because the author has locked in syndrome, he an not speak. When his family comes to visit him, all he can do is sit there and blink his eye over and over again, while they speak to him. Today in social studies, we learned that garment workers can not speak to each other, or else their pay is docked. Just imagine that. Days where you couldn't talk for hours, and in the case of the diving bell and the butterfly, not speak at all. The author did not utter a word for two years until he died, two days after the book was published.
I love to talk. If it were not for small breaks in class when I could chit chat with my class mates, then I would go stark raving mad. I don't see how anyone could keep themselves alive through years of not talking. I know it sounds drastic, but I would probably end up killing myself, and as I did I would attempt to mutter a few words. Talking makes my world go round. Sharing stories, cracking jokes, it's all so simple, but as we see it could easily be lost at any moment if I ever had a massive stroke. Or, if I was on my own, I would die.
Still no talking.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Steak Diane, Steak Tartar, and a whole lot of Rambling
A book about food. Two of my favorite things wrapped up into one semi - edible package. Yet this book is not a cookbook or a large 140 page recipe. No, this book is called Toast, and it is a memory of Nigel Slater's childhood, expressed through the food of his childhood. A story of his mother's death, his father's death, and his early life in cooking, summed up through Treacle Tart, Jammie Dodgers and Pickled Walnuts. Foods that proved the 70s was all show when it came down to it.
I eat a lot. When I am bored I eat. When I watch T.V. I eat. When I am getting over the death of my grandfather, a little bite to eat helps. Food has become one of the main things that our society is based on. Meat eaters, vegetarians, people who only eat Italian Food, people who hate Italian food. It used to just be food to fuel you until you needed more fuel. I guess someone finally figured out food can be delicious, and not just adequate.
I titled this post Steak Diane, Steak Tartar and a whole lot of Rambling because I will be doing just that;
Rambling. Rambling about food mainly. I absolutely love food. You know, I am writing an essay about the immigrants and food. There is surprisingly a lot you probably didn't know about immigrants and their food. Neighborhoods were divided into culture, and then a sort of food preference circle. A little cult of Pirogi Enthusiasts.
Back to the book, wouldn't it be awesome to have a childhood where you ate almost the best foods? That's what Nigel Slater did. He would have the best meals waiting for him when he got home. He wasn't spoiled or anything, he just had a good taste in food. Oh yeah,
Leave a comment below stating your favorite food/dish.
I eat a lot. When I am bored I eat. When I watch T.V. I eat. When I am getting over the death of my grandfather, a little bite to eat helps. Food has become one of the main things that our society is based on. Meat eaters, vegetarians, people who only eat Italian Food, people who hate Italian food. It used to just be food to fuel you until you needed more fuel. I guess someone finally figured out food can be delicious, and not just adequate.
I titled this post Steak Diane, Steak Tartar and a whole lot of Rambling because I will be doing just that;
Rambling. Rambling about food mainly. I absolutely love food. You know, I am writing an essay about the immigrants and food. There is surprisingly a lot you probably didn't know about immigrants and their food. Neighborhoods were divided into culture, and then a sort of food preference circle. A little cult of Pirogi Enthusiasts.
Back to the book, wouldn't it be awesome to have a childhood where you ate almost the best foods? That's what Nigel Slater did. He would have the best meals waiting for him when he got home. He wasn't spoiled or anything, he just had a good taste in food. Oh yeah,
Leave a comment below stating your favorite food/dish.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Who's the bull goose looney? I AM!!!
Ah the 60s. The time of free love, Death of Kennedy, and Woodstock. Mainly Woodstock. But of course, what would the 60s be without the irresistible charm of Ken Kessy's one flew over the cuckoo's nest. The book fondly portrays the 60s ideas of everyone being called "mack", The bull goose loony of the mental ward, and who could forget, more free love.
Why were people so odd back then? I'll tell you. In every class or workspace, their is an attention seeker. Someone who will go to crazy limits, just so they can be acknowledged. They will throw their hands in they air and yell, "look at me, I'm the prime minister of Ireland" while they have a bucket on their head. You know those people, the ones who want to be cool and fit in, but just end up looking really odd.
In the century that is the 1900s, the 60s was that person. The 00s had the new century, the 10s had world war 1, the 20s had the great depression, the 30s had Hitler, 40s Casablanca, 50s rock and roll, 70s had disco, 80s had the collapse of the communists, 90s had the Internet. The 60s had a horrible war that we lost, a bunch of hippies, and the assassination of our most handsome president. What a loser.
Look 60s, we know your big plan. It wont work. Just admit you are not the best and we'll like you more.
Oh wait, you can't admit it.
You died when they burned the freak bus.
Why were people so odd back then? I'll tell you. In every class or workspace, their is an attention seeker. Someone who will go to crazy limits, just so they can be acknowledged. They will throw their hands in they air and yell, "look at me, I'm the prime minister of Ireland" while they have a bucket on their head. You know those people, the ones who want to be cool and fit in, but just end up looking really odd.
In the century that is the 1900s, the 60s was that person. The 00s had the new century, the 10s had world war 1, the 20s had the great depression, the 30s had Hitler, 40s Casablanca, 50s rock and roll, 70s had disco, 80s had the collapse of the communists, 90s had the Internet. The 60s had a horrible war that we lost, a bunch of hippies, and the assassination of our most handsome president. What a loser.
Look 60s, we know your big plan. It wont work. Just admit you are not the best and we'll like you more.
Oh wait, you can't admit it.
You died when they burned the freak bus.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Bunch of crazy guys + 1 crazy mental ward = crazy adventures
What exactly defines the word crazy? some people will say crazy is when your are mentally unstable and a danger to society. Other times it's when your friend rolls across a populated street on his back, and is a danger to society. Either way, they're a danger to society. That similar characteristic brings Billy Bibbit, Dr. Harding, and the rest of the gang together at the ward in the book One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kessy
An all - American classic, set in the 60's in a mental ward. A man who is set on trial for rape, declares himself mentally unstable, and is admitted into a mental hospital and almost immediately disrupts the well oiled machined run by miss Ratched, the nurse. The man makes it his personal duty to drive the nurse and her co - workers to the brink of insanity. How ironic.
Until this man comes along, miss Ratched has everything perfectly under control. Everything is set just to her liking, and her fake smile plastered to her face keeps everyone in check. She is the monarch of the ward. She has power.
How intoxicating is power? People who run countries are soon overwhelmed by the fact they literally can run everything in their monarchy, or even democratic society. World leaders, people with any political power are easily subdued by powers looks an luxuries. So are people with any power at all. Directors, bosses, people who run mental hospitals. The fact that they run things gives them that want for power.
Soon, some of us will run things, and try and run them to their liking. That is perfectly understandable, simply do so in moderation. As the son of a Jazz bassist and a Union dance therapist, i ask you to check yourself.
An all - American classic, set in the 60's in a mental ward. A man who is set on trial for rape, declares himself mentally unstable, and is admitted into a mental hospital and almost immediately disrupts the well oiled machined run by miss Ratched, the nurse. The man makes it his personal duty to drive the nurse and her co - workers to the brink of insanity. How ironic.
Until this man comes along, miss Ratched has everything perfectly under control. Everything is set just to her liking, and her fake smile plastered to her face keeps everyone in check. She is the monarch of the ward. She has power.
How intoxicating is power? People who run countries are soon overwhelmed by the fact they literally can run everything in their monarchy, or even democratic society. World leaders, people with any political power are easily subdued by powers looks an luxuries. So are people with any power at all. Directors, bosses, people who run mental hospitals. The fact that they run things gives them that want for power.
Soon, some of us will run things, and try and run them to their liking. That is perfectly understandable, simply do so in moderation. As the son of a Jazz bassist and a Union dance therapist, i ask you to check yourself.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Miranda is a genius except she doesn't want to be all facts
Smart people were once ridiculed for being smart. For thinking about what was deemed not to be thought about, such as why he was king and not this genius free thinker who could save England. In one of Miranda's blog posts on the book Feed by M.T. Anderson, brings up what really makes people smart.
Miranda says that memorizing a bunch of facts does not necessarily make some one smart. Having tons of information stuck in your brain, which can be accessed at any time like a search engine (I.E. Google for those that don't know). She claims that this does not make a person an intellectual genius, simply someone who has a search engine in their brain and can use it whenever. So true.
This made me think about 51, and how we are graded 4 times a year. Each time we are handed our report cards, we all quiver in fear over whether or not we will get a good grade. Soon we glance at those faithful pieces of paper and either sigh with relief, or cry to our friends. Sooner or later, we all share our grades. This is the time when we are put in our place. This is when we are deemed smart, or dumb. But why?
Just because some people are better at memorizing mathematical formulas, or science regents questions, does this make them better then those who have wonderful ideas swimming in their heads and just do not do well on tests? This is exactly the truth, and everyone knows it. That in our middle school community, we are judged by our test grades, and I do not think that it is right to do so. Some do, and those are their views, not mine.
Miranda, thank you for inspiring my short, unnoticed rant on smarts. You have true intellect to think like this.
http://cottoncandymush.blogspot.com/2011/02/google-in-your-brain.html
Miranda says that memorizing a bunch of facts does not necessarily make some one smart. Having tons of information stuck in your brain, which can be accessed at any time like a search engine (I.E. Google for those that don't know). She claims that this does not make a person an intellectual genius, simply someone who has a search engine in their brain and can use it whenever. So true.
This made me think about 51, and how we are graded 4 times a year. Each time we are handed our report cards, we all quiver in fear over whether or not we will get a good grade. Soon we glance at those faithful pieces of paper and either sigh with relief, or cry to our friends. Sooner or later, we all share our grades. This is the time when we are put in our place. This is when we are deemed smart, or dumb. But why?
Just because some people are better at memorizing mathematical formulas, or science regents questions, does this make them better then those who have wonderful ideas swimming in their heads and just do not do well on tests? This is exactly the truth, and everyone knows it. That in our middle school community, we are judged by our test grades, and I do not think that it is right to do so. Some do, and those are their views, not mine.
Miranda, thank you for inspiring my short, unnoticed rant on smarts. You have true intellect to think like this.
http://cottoncandymush.blogspot.com/2011/02/google-in-your-brain.html
Friday, February 11, 2011
Dear Ms. Rear
I read the newspaper independently
therefore I have written a independent reading blog post about Egypt. Just saying.
(this isn't a blog post).
therefore I have written a independent reading blog post about Egypt. Just saying.
(this isn't a blog post).
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sick Day
At this very moment, I am sick. I am writing this write as ELA class is ending on Thursday. Just thought I'd let everyone know.
Egypt is in a state of turmoil at the moment, as everyday thousands of protesters file out into the streets of Cairo and protest outside the palace of their corrupt dictator. This man, who's name I can not hope to spell, has run a fake democracy in Egypt for over 30 years now. The Egyptian people have finally grown too restless, and want change. The U.S. is stuck in a bit of crossfire, as they totally support the protesters, but then again the dictator has been a loyal ally to the U.S. all his years.
In Egypt, a youth organization has been streaming live images over social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The video's have helped rally support for their cause, both in Egypt and abroad. What they're doing is by no means illegal, but of course they are trying to be shut down by the dictator and his supporters as they are denting his support.
What they are doing is by no means that dangerous at all, but it still takes a little courage. This kind of courage is shown by not many, and if it was, the world would be a better place in so many ways. I ask you all to try and get the kind of courage that these people have, and help the world in little ways, that might just be big after all.
Egypt is in a state of turmoil at the moment, as everyday thousands of protesters file out into the streets of Cairo and protest outside the palace of their corrupt dictator. This man, who's name I can not hope to spell, has run a fake democracy in Egypt for over 30 years now. The Egyptian people have finally grown too restless, and want change. The U.S. is stuck in a bit of crossfire, as they totally support the protesters, but then again the dictator has been a loyal ally to the U.S. all his years.
In Egypt, a youth organization has been streaming live images over social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The video's have helped rally support for their cause, both in Egypt and abroad. What they're doing is by no means illegal, but of course they are trying to be shut down by the dictator and his supporters as they are denting his support.
What they are doing is by no means that dangerous at all, but it still takes a little courage. This kind of courage is shown by not many, and if it was, the world would be a better place in so many ways. I ask you all to try and get the kind of courage that these people have, and help the world in little ways, that might just be big after all.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)