CHARACTER STUDY (I)

Miranda always tend to wait last minute to finish things so when it came to pack for her glorious adventure, she started to pack at a frantically calm pace. The number one thing(s) she knew she could never go without are her cameras. It was a habit to bring them everywhere because to her every moment was a moment worth capturing. On rare occasions, she pack her video camera too. But the main essentials are her Diana Mini F+ Alice in Wonderland film camera and Samsung digital camera. Another one of her annoying tendencies is to over pack. She must pack for every condition that may happen, because it’s never bad to be too prepared for any situation. Her most essential piece of clothing is her North Face light blue wind-breaker, it’s perfect for cold and hot weather. As for everything else, she am very precise about packing all her electronic chargers, sun panels, wires, and gadgets. It’s not that she can’t live without a social life and media but she can’t live without always being charged. To conserve as much space as possible, she rolls up her clothes and everything as tight as possible to fit in as much things as possible. Preparing for a trip like this isn’t only physically challenging but mentally challenging. She has to prepare herself for a new culture and different time zones. But, since she is an expert in packing, finishing only took an hour and that is why she waits last minute to pack.

Netvibes Dashboard

So I made a NetVibe and I’m usually very open minded to these type of things but I’m just not very into this new idea. I’m really into creating and personalizing desktops but I felt very overwhelmed with the desktop and quite frankly don’t know what to put on the desktop. But that could just be my ignorance to the program and if I was taught how to use the NetVibe program correctly, I would enjoy it.

Melody Monday #6

You might just be wondering why I'm posting on a tuesday when it's melody monday. Well to be honest I passed out while finishing my daily duties and didn't have time to quite post what I wanted to. So this post is going to be a fairly brief one. I attended an All Time Low concert on Sunday and revived the inner pop/punk rock child in me. It was beyond amazing and I literally was inches away from Jack Barakat and Alex Gaskarth. This spontaneous attending of a concert has gotten me back into my old pop/punk rock vibe of music and let me to introduce the band Itch! Here's a link to their official website http://www.itch-band.net/. They have a unique mix of genre in the song below so check them out! 

WHAT A CHARACTER

The first character that comes to mind when I thought about this prompt is Holden Caulfield. What struck me about his character is the way that he can be a walking contradiction. He literally “hates” the world, but can’t accept the fact that the world he “hates” is what he lives in and won’t change for a while. Holden calls almost everything phony and fake but he carries himself as a phony even though he doesn’t see it. As readers and bystanders of his story, we can come to the conclusion that Holden is a pessimistic, angst-filled teenager. What defined Holden as a memorable character are the types of dialogue he says and thinks. His “stream of consciousness” allowed the readers to really have a connection and understanding of Holden’s character. The author also gave Holden a grungy type of diction, especially with the use of profanity, to enhance Holden’s character. Indirect and direct characterization also helps readers understand the gist of what Holden is all about. Even though Holden seems to live a life without remorse, readers understand deep down inside that Holden is the complete opposite of his actions.

Declaration of Learning Independence

After years and years of routine, it's a pleasant change of course when I get to determine how I learn and what I learn. Dr. Preston's class is one of a kind in many ways and really allows students to drill on their creative and left brain (if I remember correctly) part of their thinking. Now it may seem a little harsh to say that school has been oppression to the mind until Dr. Preston's class, but that's how I felt that school was to me when I started to develop my own way of thinking. There actually is a place that I read about where they let the students go outside and play until they have a want to be learning. School should be a place where students WANT to learn, not feel like it’s an obligation.

Now my big question that I must incorporate into this course is does life happen by fate or by chance? Was it by fate or chance that this course will lead me into better and greater forth comings in life? Was it by fate or chance that Romeo and Juliet “killed” each other? Is it by fate or chance that accounts for all the misfortunate events that happen in my life? Honestly… I don’t know. But I would hope that through this year I gain a few steps closer to knowing. This question is a reoccurring theme in my life because of well just the things that happen in my life seem to pertain to the question. I constantly ask myself why is this happening to me? Why, why why?! And this is where I feel that Dr. Preston’s core principals to this course play in. We are in this course to take our learning into our own hands. We are also all in this boat together to help each other out, collaborative learning. So I’ll end with this, learning is more than just a way to excel the mind in academics, but a way to let your inner soul take form in beautiful ways.

MELODY MONDAY #5

It's time again for the next Melody Monday. I've been under the influence of being stressed for the past couple days and haven't had the time to have a serious music session. While trying to de-stress myself for this mentally straining week, I've come across the artist Smallpools. At first I thought it was Passion Pit but since I was on 8tracks I didn't notice who it was until I clicked on the tab to check out the song. This band is based out of the heart and soul (as most would say) of California, which is Los Angeles. They also just happened to recently form at the beginning of this year. Oddly enough, out of the four band members, none of them are actually from California! Anyways, I present to you Dreaming by Smallpools!

Dreaming by Smallpools

Vocabulary #5

Obsequious: (Adj) Characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning.

My dog buddy is a very obsequious companion; even when I leave for a few moments he whimpers like I’m leaving for days.

Beatitude: (Noun) Supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.

Lately I’ve been missing my source of beatitude, it’s made me into the person I wish I wasn’t.

Bête noir: (Noun) A person or thing especial disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear.

There is this girl who is a bête noir to my group of friends because of all the devastating things she’s done to our friendship.

Bode: (Verb) To be an omen of; portend

Austin bode news of terrible misfortunate among the Willis family and their winery.

Dank: (Adj) Unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly

The dank t-shirt Joan wore had permeated a deathly smell among the room.

Ecumenical: (Adj) general; universal

A rule of thumb is usually an ecumenical phrase used as a guideline.

Fervid: (Adj) Heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm

The war zone has brought out some fervid spirit in the Righetti students of this year.

Fetid: (Adj) Having an offensive odor; stinking

Johnny was blanketed with a fetid smell that I had to step out of the room.

Gargantuan: (Adj) Gigantic; enormous; colossal

Amin is one of my new friends this year and he could be best described as gargantuan.

Heyday: (Noun) the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success

Most adults hit their heyday in their late twenties or early thirties.

Incubus: (Noun plural) An imaginary demon or evil spirit suppose to descend upon sleeping persons, especially one fabled to have sexual intercourse with women during their sleep. Something that weighs upon or oppresses one like a nightmare

My everyday thoughts haunt me like an incubus, only creating more stress for myself.

Infrastructure: (Noun) The basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization.

An infrastructure that is well built will withstand many years or wear and tear among people.

Inveigle: (Verb) to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements

I once knew of a boy who inveigled me into falling in love with him… it was the cruelest trick ever.

Kudos: (Noun) Honor; glory; acclaim

My AVID teacher loves to give kudos out to every kid who tries hard in his class.

Lagniappe: (Noun) A small gift given with a purchase to a customer, by way of compliment or for good measure; bonus.

Many beauty products come with a lagniappe that accompanies the main product.

Prolix: (Adj) Extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy

Sometimes people with hauteur personalities tend to give prolix speeches.

Protégé: (Noun) a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare.

Great leaders have protégés to continue on their legacy of awesomeness.

Prototype: (Noun) The original or model on which something is based or formed.

To create something spectacular, one must go through many prototypes and enduring times to succeed.

Sycophant: (Noun) a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

I know of a girl who acts like a sycophant and drives everyone she knows, away.

Tautology: (noun plural) Needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness as in “widow woman”

Some teachers like to present information in a way of tautology; some students may get annoyed this way.

Truckle: (verb) to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely(usually followed by to)

In an argument, I’m usually the one to truckle because I do not like arguing.