To Whom it May Concern, (a psychological-related letter of sorts)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield, 

It has come to my attention that your son, Holden, is displaying some mental inconsistencies. It is very obvious to me and my multiple associates that your son is very depressed. Your son also lacks the ability to concentrate, and shows lack of interest in almost everything. It also is clear to me that he is mildly manic and psychotic as well. It worries me so much that I very much recommend a psychiatrist and a therapist. In my expert opinion, he should come home and rest for a year or more, rather than going to another boarding school or mental hospital. 


Sincerely,

Dr. Winston A. Who

Abstract Expressionism, Perhaps?

So, in English we had to choose an abstract artist we enjoy, and answer some questions about him or her.

Personally, I enjoy Jackson Pollock's work. It's simple, yet beautiful. (In its own way.)

1.) Jackson Pollock had a volatile personality, according to biographies about him. His paintings look like explosions of different emotions, represented by colors. Usually angry colors, like red and orange and dark yellow and black.

2.) Jackson Pollock used the splatter method to create some of his works. This can be a very violent method, especially when you're angry and throwing paint as hard as you can. (Believe me, I know.) Most of his works look angry.

3.) I thought, at first, that his work was stupid and that anyone could do it. I still kind of think that, but I also think that they are beautiful... I their own special ways. (I still prefer abstract sculptures)

4.) It's a mixture of both positive and negative. My response, I mean. The negative- "It's too simple and anyone can do it."

The positive- "These are actually pretty cool, and I am inspired to get back into art." These were the literal thoughts running through my head as I searched through his paintings.

5.) I think abstract expressionism flourished after WWII because people needed an outlet for their anger that wouldn't get them in trouble. Also, from the Renaissance on, art was about trying to recreate a visual image. Obviously, abstract expressionism doesn't.

Now, for some art examples:

Not all of these are by Jackson Pollock.

(Pollock)

The last two are my favorites. I actually own the second to last. (a reproduction, at least.)

Goldilocks... In poem form.

"The 'Potato' Poem" by Angela Wybrow
It's too easy for me because it is talking about potatoes and it is for children. It also basically explains everything it is talking about. Way too easy for me, even though I stink at deciphering poetry.

"A Lover's Complaint" by William Shakespeare
Okay. This poem is SO long. I cannot understand anything Shakespeare is talking about. Actually, I'm pretty certain that if you gave me a day to decipher it and understand it, I could. But as it is right now, I only have a short time and I really stink at poetry. But this poem is beautiful, albeit difficult.


And now, for the poem that is just right:

"I Tried So Hard" by Whitney Barton
I like this poem, I really do. Its one of the few 'longer' ones that I actually understand! And understanding it makes me like it better.

I tried so hard. 
I tried my best.
I gave you my all, 
and now there's nothing left.

You stole my heart,
then tore it in two.
Now I'm falling apart,
and don't know what to do.

Divided by decisions,
burned by the fire.
Confused by your words.
Tempted by desire.

I'm living in the present.
My mind is on the past.
Not knowing what I'll lose.
Not knowing what will last.

Blinded by fear.
Drowning in doubt.
Struggling to be free.
Looking for a way out.

Shakespeare, Scary? Nah.

Okay, so we're supposed to be reading Shakespeare and whatnot. It's really cool, but the language is kind of hard to understand.
So our English teacher had us look up some sites to better help us understand his way of writing, since some students find it intimidating and/or scary. (Whilst I, on the other hand, think no such thing.)


Site #1
I think this first one I stumbled upon is pretty good. I actually think it may be the best. It's full of... Well, it looks like translations, but that's wrong. It just explains some of the words he uses and the way he uses them. It also explains wordplay and many other things.

Site #2
This site is also pretty good as well, I think. It explains how Shakespeare used words like thee, thou, art, ay, etc. It also explains the usage of all the other words we see daily, but that are used differently.

Site #3
This one is not as good as the other two I found, but it explains how to read his plays.

Site #4
This site is not as good as the first two, either, but it gives some pretty good strategies at how to understand Shakespeare's language. It also says something about all the words Shakespeare made up, which from my understanding is over 1,500.

Site #5
This whole website is dedicated to understanding Shakespeare, not just the linked page. It includes some of his sonnets and plays, as well as understanding them better.


Another thing, I commented this onto Sara Snoeyenbos's blog: 

I want to read this book now. You made it look pretty interesting!

That's Dystopian-Tastic...

Delirium

       In my English I class, we are reading books about dystopian societies. We could chose from five books, so I chose Delirium. I'll be honest with why I chose it... I chose it because it looked the least stupid out of the books. And I was already reading two of them when we got to choose... So, yeah. I actually like it more than I thought I would... It's very interesting. I like its plot and its conflict, and its characters actually have some depth, unlike some other dystopian society books I've read. It has basically zero romance in it for being a book about amor delira nervosa, which is basically love. The people in the United States are not allowed to love though, and when they are eighteen, they undergo a surgery that prevents them from loving (or feeling anything else, really).

                                   This is the book cover. It fits.  
Here's the official Delirium website    
And here's where you can buy the book online

       This book really fits the dystopian criteria... There is somewhat of a hierarchial society. There is a very strict conformity. Very, very strict. There sure as hell is a disgust with the world outside. There is constant surveilance of the citizens.. (That sucks). And, hey, guess what? The protagonist questions society!

Censorship? Just Peachy!

So... Censorship. In my completely hosest opinion, it sucks ass. And you know what? I'm not going to censor that, or anything else. Do you know why?

Because censorship bites!

No matter, I am not here to talk about how it bites, and I am also not here to spout profanity (although, I may have to to emphasize some points)... I am here to talk about some idiots censoring the "n-word" in Huckleberry Finn. You know what? It's obsurd.
It's a book a man wrote a long, long time ago. Like, over 120 years ago! When the word was "appropriate for everyday use" or wahatever. You know what? I say get over it! It is a word. Used in a book.
Apparently, they replace the "n-word" with "slave." Uh, okay.

They (meaning the people who censored it in the first place) are thinking "Oh, little childeren read this book! No profanity!" First off, little kids don't read this book. It's older ones, who should be mature enough the read that damn word. Seriously. Young kids shouldn't be reading huge books anyways.

You want to censor The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Well, it's not a profound book. How about Fifty Shades of Gray? Or Fifty Shades Darker? They do not censor words in those books out because it's mature adults that read explicit books like that.

So anyway.. Some more thoughts on this article:.

Eleventh graders Melvin Efesoa, Joseph Jaurdio and Ryan Farrell are confronting the controversial word and their feelings about it.


"I feel that that word is in there for a reason. Twain put the word in there to get our attention. And every time we read it, it does exactly that. It gets our attention," Farrell told Pitts.


"If you replace that with the word slave, of course people would be less bothered, but I think Twain wants people to be a little bit bothered," Jaurdio said.


"Melvin, you smiled," Pitts remarked, while interviewing the students.


"I smiled because like I just kind of think that constant use (of) the N-word, and to me, it feels unnecessary," Efesoa said.


"Why? What is it about this word?" Pitts asked.


"It reflects on African-American history back then. And like I said, it's a history that nobody wants to relive," Efesoa said.


"Do you think the discomfort starts and stops with the N-word? Or the discomfort extends to a conversation about race?" Pitts asked NewSouth Books' Randall Williams.


"In this specific instance, it is the word itself that is the problem. People are not comin' up sayin', 'Well, we can't teach this book because it's got discussion about slavery.' What they're sayin' is 'We can't teach the book because it's got all these repetitive instances of the offensive N-word in there, and therefore, we're not gonna use it,'" he replied.

Those boys sure are right.
How would you like your favorite book, or another well-loved book in America to be reprinted just to get rid of "Offensive language?" Or worse, If it looked like this:
I sat down on the porch looking out over the yard. I saw my friend, running from a dog. What an Idiot! (idiot)
I laughed as he made his way to me. "Shut up,(shut up) dude," he yelled.
Or, even this: jkfjaf sdasdfasf and adsad  me, sfsfsfsfdf.
Okay, maybe that's a lttle outrageuos. But you get the point.

Censorship? More like Censorshit.

That's SatireTastic. Woop-dee-do. (song!)

So, my English class is supposed to make a satire-song thingy. This is going to be fun. Soooo....

The is going to loosly be based on "No Handlebars" by the Flobots. And by "loosly" based, I mean it's going to have the same format and kind of same tone.. You'll see. It's going to be a parody. Also, I think in the future I'll do one of these about swallowing my gum.

Mine's about Driving. From permits to licenses to crashes. Yup.

Here we go:

No Headlights On

These people drive their cars with no headlights on

no headlights on

no headlights on

 

I don't know 'bout you but..

I can't drive a car with no headlights on

no headlights on

no headlights on

 

~Verse one~

Look at me, look at me

Hands on 10 and 2 like its good to go and

DRIVE

And I'm a decent driver,

Even when the road's all squiggly

I can show y'all how to turn right

I can show y'all how to do a U-turn

I can take apart the engine block

And I can put it (almost) back together

I can hook-up a chain real good

I can tell you all 'bout Mr. Earnhardt

I know the Owner's Manual back 'n forth

And "The Rules of the Road" too

Me and my friend saw some jaywalkers

Me and my friend called the cops on 'em

And guess how long they took?

I can drive however I want, cuz, look:

 

I can keep my speed with no cruise control

No cruise control

No cruise control

 

I can see yo' face on the radio

On the radio

Hey, that's just how I roll

 

~Verse Two~

Look at me, look at me

Just called to say I'm on a

DRIVE

In such a small town

Everybody seems to stink at this..

I need to make some money so I can pay for gas

I can take you with me if ya want

 

 

Look at me, look at me

Driving and I won't

STOP

It feels so good to be alive

and oh... Cops.

My foot is sinking

Down to the floor

Pedal to the medal, lock up the doors

My gas is waning

The lights burnt out

The cops just caught me

 

They wouldn't have noticed if

 

I had driven with my headlights on

my headlights on

My headlights on

 

If I hadn't driven with my taillights out

My tail lights out

My tail lights out.

 

 

So... Yeah. I don't know where it came from. It kinda stinks. But yeah. I like it.. :)