March 18,2011 Class Blog Post Assignment :)

My Favorite Quotes!

" Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

-Author unknown.

This is one of my favorite quotes. I quote it often, and use it in my daily life. It's true a person has to learn how to deal with what comes their way in life. It's an optimistic way of looking at things. You never know what is going to happen in life. Things will come and go your way. We just have to be prepared for what could happen and learn to dance in the rain for what does happen.

 Also when I think of this quote it leads to another quote that I love.

"Come what may, and love it."

- Joseph B. Wirthlin, Oct 2008 General Conference

This quote is an amazing quote! Something we really can live by. "Come what may, and love it" it is so true!  The words  in this quote say it all. Everything happens for a reason so whatever comes  your way  remember to let it and love it. You never know you may learn and benefit from it.

I think these quotes can  relate to each other and have similar meanings towards life. They are telling us to just live your life, smile, have fun, be yourself, and laugh! Whatever life throws, you can handle.

How can I encourage my friends to show pride in being an American? Essay :)

                How can I encourage my friends to show pride in being an American?  American's are really blessed because we have the opportunity to be ourselves. We have had a great foundation for freedom laid for us by our forefathers.  They thoughtfully crafted for us the Declaration Of Independence and The Constitution Of The United States. These two documents provide us a guide to maintain and safe guard  our freedoms. There are many examples of rights in America that other people in different countries don't get to experience. Many men and women dedicated their lives so that we can live, think and speak our hearts.  There were many men who gave their lives so that we could recite the pledge of allegiance at school. We possess the right to worship how we desire. The people of the United States have the choice of what religion to practice.  In America we believe that all human life is of value, we have the right to bear and keep all of our offspring regardless of gender. 

            There were many men who gave their lives so that we could recite the pledge of allegiance at school. Every day we get up and say the pledge at school. Do you stop and think what you're saying? Most teens don't. I would encourage my friends to think about the pledge and what it stands for."The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."   ( http://www.usflag.org/colors.html) If everyone could stop and think about what the flag stands for as they place their hand on their heart and recite the pledge or sing the national anthem while gazing at the flag. Americans would be more likely to be thankful for their freedom.

            The people of the United States have the choice of what religion to practice. In the constitution it states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The United States is very fortunate we have the choice to join a church or not to join at all. We are allowed to believe what we want to believe. We are not forced to believe anything. Teens should see this as an opportunity. They aren't being forced to be part of any religion unless they want to be part of it.

            In America we believe that all human life is of value, we have the right to bear and keep all of our offspring regardless of gender.  On any given day in the US, 10,657 babies are born. If my friends could realize that even though they are here today if they were born in China there is a good chance they would be in an orphanage or not be alive, especially the girls. American families have the option of an abortion, raising their child, or an adoption.  Not one is required just because the baby is a girl.

            If America still was in the time where we had slaves, where people believed blacks didn't matter, or where poor people weren't thought of as people. What a horrific world that would be. Blacks would not have the rights they have today they wouldn't get the opportunity to live a regular life. Poor people would be living rotten lives they wouldn't be treated equal at all. Little baby girls would be killed just because of their gender.

            How can I encourage my friends to be proud that they are American. American's are really blessed because we have the opportunity to be ourselves. We have had a great foundation for freedom laid for us by our forefathers.  They thoughtfully crafted for us the Declaration Of Independence  and The Constitution Of The United States. These two documents provide us a guide to our maintain and safe guard  our freedoms. There are many examples of rights  in America that other people in different countries don't get to experience. Many men and women dedicated their lives so that we can live, think and speak our hearts.  There were many men who gave their lives so that we could recite the pledge of allegiance at school. We possess the right to worship how we desire. The people of the United States have the choice of what religion to practice.  In America we believe that all human life is of value, we have the right to bear and keep all of our offspring regardless of gender.  We have the opportunity to live a wonderful life. We have so many blessings that come with our freedom. We are spoiled compared to other countries. The flag, the pledge, the national anthem, The Constitution, The Declaration Of Independence, the men who died,  a strong government and an elected President. These are just a few of the reasons we live free lives today.  We should vote, obey the law, stand up and place our hands on our heart when we see the flag, and support our troops.  These are all ways to be a good example of a freedom loving patriotic American.  I am thankful for my freedom and the life I live as an American.

           

The Taxi By: Amy Lowell.. Poem Essay :)

The Taxi

                The Taxi by Amy Lowell is a fairly straight forward poem. The poet is describing her feelings as a taxi takes her away from her loved one, at night. The evidence is her love affair, the poet is showing the unfairness that forces her and the lover to part. It is pretty clear that as she is carried away in the taxi into the harsh world, she is protesting against her separation from her loved one.

                "When I go away from you, the world beats dead, like a slackened drum."(Lines 1-3) My interpretation of this section in the poem is her feelings of her loved one departing from her.  As they leave each other "the world beats dead." (line 2) She feels lost and incomplete without her other half.  If you compare this to a drum it is like her love has no more rhythm as to a drum that has no beat. "Like a slackened drum" (Line 3) when I read this line I pictured a drum that its seams were no longer tightly stretched, and its sound was dying.  When she leaves her loved one it's like the sagging of the drum she begins to fall apart, and her beat dies.

                "I call out for you against the jutted stars , and shout into the ridges of the wind."  (4-5) The stars and the wind  are metaphors for her anger and her resentments. She cries into the stars of the night for hope to feel whole and be with the one she loves again. When she says "shout into the ridges of the wind" (Line 5) I interpret from these lines that she is upset and she is shouting but the winds are roaring and blocking her cries. Her cries to the stars shout into the howls of the wind. I think in these lines she is feeling angry like know one is listening.

                "Streets coming fast, one after the other, wedge you away from me, and the lamps of the city prick my eyes, so that I can no longer see your face." ( Lines 6-10) "Streets coming fast, one after the other, wedge you away from me."  She is in the taxi and it is moving farther and farther away and she is realizing they will soon be far apart. "The lamps of the city prick my eyes, so that I can no longer see your face." ( Lines 9-10) I think that she could be thinking two different thoughts in this line. One, that maybe she is happy that she can longer see her loved ones face so is it easier to move forward.  Or two, that she is upset about not being able to see it for one last time and that she is longing for the sight of it.

                "Why should I leave you, to wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night?" ( Lines 11-12) This line is suggesting that how can she leave this loved one, and face the world. In her eyes the world is a harsh place and she cannot face it alone. I believe it also suggests that she doesn't know how to face the world beyond her relationship.

                The Taxi by Amy Lowell is a fairly straight forward poem. The poet is describing her feelings as a taxi takes her away from her loved one, at night. The evidence is her love affair, the poet is showing the unfairness that forces her and the lover to part. It is pretty clear that as she is carried away in the taxi into the harsh world, she is protesting against her separation from her loved one. The poem emphasizes  a theme such as "jutting" stars, "ridges" of wind, streets coming "fast", "pricking" lamps as though the world outside of her relationship is too harsh and hard, and she fears and resents it.  She is struggling with the fact that they are apart from each other and that she will soon have to face the world alone.

               

The Taxi By: Amy Lowell

When I go away from you

The world beats dead

Like a slackened drum.

I call out for you against the jutted stars  

And shout into the ridges of the wind.  

Streets coming fast,

One after the other,

Wedge you away from me,

And the lamps of the city prick my eyes

So that I can no longer see your face.

Why should I leave you,

To wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night?

If Everyone Cared Essay :)

If Everyone Cared!

            " As we lie beneath the stars, we realize how small we are, if they could love like you and me imagine what the world could be." In the song If Everyone Cared by Nickelback it gives a few good examples of what our world could be like if we changed the bad to the good. Here is a few lines that fit the meaning to a better world. If everyone cared and nobody cried. If everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone shared and swallowed their pride.

            If everyone cared and nobody cried. Think about our world today; do we intentionally do things to hurt others? Do we cause pointless drama? Instead of helping we tend to take the route that makes us cool and gives us popularity.  We don't do what the right thing is. We're high school students and especially us girls we hurt each other all the time. We forget about people's feelings. If everyone cared, if everyone tried to be nice, if everyone was equal in each other's eyes think of what a better world it would be. Our tears could be tears of joy not hurtful tears.

            If everyone loved and nobody lied. Everybody loves the feeling of knowing that someone loves them. We like the warm fuzzies, and the happy thought that you love them and even better they love you back. In the song it says "If everyone could love like you and me imagine what the world could be." I really like this phrase I believe it is true. Love can change anyone sometimes for better or worse. For example what if we were friends with everyone.  If their gender, race, stereo-type, social rank, looks, or how they acted didn't matter. If we didn't judge, if we didn't choose friends based on the cool notes drama would be minimized, people would be happy, and there would be lots more smiling faces. It's pretty sad that all the points to this song are what ifs but it is true that's our world today. Oh what a world it really could be if we loved instead of lied.

            If everyone shared and swallowed their pride. Nobody can deny it we all have pride. Pride is usually used in not a good sense. We learn when we are little kids to share but does it travel with us to our teens, adults years, and elderly years? Mom always says share your toys with your siblings, and your friends. Do you share your toys today? Our toys may not be material toys but more of literal toys. Such as a smile, a hello, a how are you, an act of kindness, lending a hand, or simply just being there for one another.

            Put it in to a sense today. If everyone was always hurt and crying what a gray depressing life this could be. If we always lied who could you ever trust? Could you tell your friends that secret? If everyone was prideful and never shared with each other how crude this world would be.

            " As we lie beneath the stars, we realize how small we are, if they could love like you and me imagine what the world could be." In the song If Everyone Cared by Nickelback it gives a few good examples of what our world could be like if we changed the bad to the good. Here is a few lines that fit the meaning to a better world. If everyone cared and nobody cried. If everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone shared and swallowed their pride. If we all jumped in and helped each other out. If we laughed instead of hurt each other. If we cried over happy things.  If we learned to love, to share, to be honest, to swallow our pride, to care for one another all of our pointless drama that seems so important may be solved. If only we could make the what ifs true statements.

If Everyone Cared By: Nickelback Lyrics :)

"If Everyone Cared"
From underneath the trees, we watch the sky
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

[Chorus:]
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died

And I'm singing

Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
(I'm alive)

[Chorus x2]

And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be

If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
When nobody died...

[Chorus]

We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
We'd see the day when nobody died