Hungry for Attention

Not everyone are hungry for attention. There are introverts that try their best to blend in with the environment and not be noticed. Then, there are the outgoing, crazy people that are thirsty for attention. In the book Black Boy, Richard is a child that is hungry for attention. He sets his curtains and house on fire, and gruesomely killed his pet cat to show that he is rebelling against the lack of attention he gets from his family. He wants to feel the love that others do in his family. However, when his mother tells him to go get the groceries and beat the bullies with a stick, Richard no longer wants the attention. But when he beats the bullies, he likes the attention that he is being recognized as an African American child who will not tolerate racism. In a way, Richard is not just an ordinary child that wants random attention by being annoying. He wants to be known and loved, not just another object on the planet. 

On Being an American Journalist

In this article, it talks about journalists of America writing about wars and such. This may not seem like a big deal (because people would usually think: Oh, they're journalists...all they do is write.), but in reality, they put a lot at risk when they write about wars. Journalists go out to the battlefield to see for themselves what to write about. They risk their lives for us to know the truth.


Well, writing is not much easier than going out to hunt for the truth. When they are reconsidering the facts and writing, a decision has to be made. "Should I tell it as is?...Maybe I can leave out some truth..." Ahh, telling the truth...That's always difficult to do. Humans are known to lie naturally (-cough cough men cough cough- :] jk), it would be no surprise that journalists twist the truth. However, Loren Jenkins decides to stand against that and do what she believes is right. Even though it is not guaranteed that ALL journalists are like Jenkins, but for the ones that do, they are greatly respected for their work.

King Still King?

"King still King?"
- I think, Yes.

Martin Luther King, the African American man that we have known (or studied) all through our educational career. Every now and then, people are reminded of him...It might be his famous "I have a dream..," or some ignorant teenagers down the street making a racist joke dissing King, reminding people of him. Born as an African American in the time where racism and segregation ruled above all, King chose to step up and show 'em who's boss. Just kidding, not really...But he did speak and fight against the mistreatment of African Americans. Because of this, he's forever remembered...But are we still as thankful as the people were during HIS time? Do we realize how big of a deal his hard work was?

In my opinion, because this is "history" (even though it was not that long ago), we are slowly losing the value of what King did. To most of us, MLK day is just another day off of school or work. We don't REALLY take a day off to think about or celebrate King's legacy. Instead, most of us take the day off for our own enjoyment. Based on this, it's sad to say, but King is no longer as "king-ly" as he was before.  

Children of the Sea

Children of the Sea.
How do you picture a nation? What do you see when you hear the word "children?" Is it love? Is it something glorious and prideful? Is it a peaceful nation that you see?

In Children of the Sea, the words, "glorious," "peaceful," and "love" does not exist. It is the story of Haiti. The lives of the citizens of Haiti are in disarray and danger is everywhere. People escape onto little boats to sail to a haven. The ones being killed were the ones that had differing political views than the government. It is a silent nation, where no one can speak. Freedom is bounded within themselves, and the hope to make a change is risky. In the story, two teenagers write letters "to each other," depicting life in Haiti. Cruelty, hate, and violence penetrate through everyone in Haiti, even children. How innocent and naive children are...but they go through far too much than a normal adult can withstand. Beaten by fear, they are left with no choice but to flee their home. However, the journey to search of a new life is not a guaranteed success. Often times, the boats sink, and all souls on board are "sacrificed." Sacrificed for what? For freedom. For a voice. For a change.

Nick and Jay

Both Nick and Jay are quite mysterious. From the book, it's mostly Nick or Jay's point of view. We learn more about the other characters than we do about Nick and Jay. It seems that Nick and Jay can trust each other. But, from the things that Jay tells Nick about his past, is it the truth? I can't help but suspect that both Nick and Jay are tying to cover up their "true" identity. Jay seems shady and sneaky. With him pretending to be what he's not (the fake books, enormous parties with random people) gives away the fact that he is not truthful and that he has a part of him that he wants to "forget."
The relationship between Nick and Jay is more so to benefit each other rather than a friendly relationship. In chapter 4 and 5, Jay tries to meet up with Daisy, and uses the help from Nick. To thank him, Jay wants to use money to "pay" Nick back. If they were really friends, doing something as simple as setting up an arrangement should not involve money to pay back the favor.

Snowflake Battle: Remembering Mr. Snowman

Do you remember,
Remember, the times,
We shared through our fears?
Praying that we'd stay,
Together, always,
And forever,
We made a promise,
Promise to be here,
But you are long gone,
Your soul melted away,
As the misty air,
Sways, it reminds me,
Of you. How frail,
Have you become since,
Last Christmas. You are,
Incomplete, you are drowning,
Mr. Snowman, and,
Dying. Oh, please snow,
Snow so I can piece,
Your cold heart together.
Ha, you are gone, gone.
Forever is never.

Music Review

"Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy..."

You know Ke$ha? The blonde artist that people often refer to as "the stoned version of Taylor Swift?" Haha yeah, her, Ke$ha. She has some interesting songs...or more like lyrics. Without a doubt, her songs are catchy and the melody is upbeat and just puts you in a good mood. But if you ever pay attention to her lyrics, it definitely takes value away from the song. Her song "Tik Tok" was a big hit in the summer of 2010. As mentioned before, the melody is catchy....but the lyrics are extremely stupid and inappropriate for young children...even teens. 

"Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack. 'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back." 

O_o So, she sings about brushing her teeth with alcohol, partying hard, getting drunk, and hooking up with men like Mick Jagger. If this is "music," then I'm highly disappointed. The lyrics are supposed to be meaningful, not random things that you scribble on paper when you're drunk. Oh, but in this case, it's different for Ke$ha...she writes her songs when she's drunk at some club or party. Yeah, that explains why the lyrics about brushing your teeth with alcohol and falling for Mick Jagger came to be. For those of you who don't know, Mick Jagger is this celebrity that has issues with drugs, who divorced and married multiple times and has 4923857847189 kids...Okay, maybe not that many, but he has a few. 
It seems to me that the alcohol really got to someone...Ke$ha. It may not seem like a big deal because it's just a song. But think about it, this song is played on the radio...Anyone of any age can listen to it. Yeah, thanks for teaching people of all ages to party hard with alcohol and hook up with dirt bags...Because that's totally what our society needs. Way to go...Not.