Tried and True

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/17477297690/my-28-most-tried-and-true-writing-prompts

If I were forced to spend my life in a library, a museum, or a zoo, I would pick the library.  First of all, a library always has something to read, especially large libraries.  A zoo, while they're fun for a day or two, never really changes.  There are always the same gorillas and tigers and assorted birds and bears, but libraries are always changing as they receive new books, and while I'm a fast reader, I would probably never be able to read all of the books in a library if they were on an endless supply.  Also, libraries are generally quiet (which I like), but they also can host activities for the community.  Plus, while museums are fun and I love history, they don't update and change as quickly as libraries do, so like the zoo, they become boring once you've seen everything once or twice.  If I really had to choose to spend the rest of my life in one of these three places, I would choose the library in a heartbeat.

TU Tuesday- Commencement Speech

Information Texts:  Literary Non-fiction - Includes the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays, speeches, opinion pieces, essays about art or literature, biographies, memoirs, journalism, and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience 


http://speakingfrog.com/?p=516
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost04/EducationPays2004.pdf


      In his commencement speech for Carnegie Mellon, Bill Cosby began by asking the graduates why the considered themselves nerds, "I don't know why you want to accept yourselves as being that, because you have continued on where non-nerds stopped." I think that education is an extremely important part of society today.  Not only because there is so much to learn, but because everyday jobs are increasing the qualifications necessary to work in that particular job. "And they quit.  All the non-nerds did that-- they said I'm tired, why do I have to know this?...I think that's very, very brave, considering how many friends you lost," said Cosby on the same subject.  As an American high schooler, I see a lot of my peers (especially in the few regents classes I take) that have the potential to be in advanced classes and perform better in general, but don't because they don't feel like it.   I also must agree that sometimes, the classes you take and how hard you work, or the effort you put in,  affects the friends you have.  I have lost, or become more distant with some people because we've gone on different paths educationally.  


     After talking about his first big show as a comedian, Cosby offered excellent advice to the graduates, "I don't care what you do, when you are good then you bring you out."  I think that this is important.  I tend to second guess my abilities a lot, and it is sometimes hard for me to show these.  I think that because I am a fairly shy and quiet person, particularly around people I am not comfortable with, it makes it even harder for me to show that I am good at something.  Cosby offered some more advice when he said, "But you can't be proud and you can't carry it out unless you are sure of yourself and prepared."  I think that getting an education is the best preparation you can receive in today's society.  Education sets you up to live a better life.  According to College Board's, Education Pays, in 2003 a study comparing average full-time year-round workers with a four year college degree and average full-time year-round workers with a high school diploma showed that those with a four year degree "...earned $49,900, 62 percent more than the $30,800 earned by the...worker with only a high school diploma."  And the numbers continue to increase with the more education you get.  An education can have a huge and lasting impact on your life.  

#34 What I Spend Money On

Being a teenager that doesn't have a job, I don't really have that much money.  However, when I do acquire money, I tend to spend it on the same things.  First, since I like most types of music and am constantly finding new songs and artists that I like, I tend to buy iTunes cards.  Sometimes, if I only have about twenty-five dollars, that is the only thing I buy.  When I have more money I like to shop for clothes.  I go to my favorite stores first, especially if I saw something in the catalog or online that I really liked, if I can't find anything there (which is EXTREMELY rare) I might actually put the money away in the bank.

Love to Know Slideshow

The Gift of Time

Many people often complain there isn't enough time in the day to get everything accomplished. If you were able to add an extra hour to the day, what would you do?

http://freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:Daily_Writing_Prompts~6

If I were able to add an extra hour on to the day, I would spend more time doing things that I enjoy, without missing the much sleep.  I would definitely read more, especially during the school year, when I tend to have little time outside of school and homework.  Also, I would probably spend more time doing things that I need to, but tend to put off, like practicing my clarinet.  In addition I would sleep more on the weekends, since I would have the time to finish homework and projects.  However, even though sometimes an hour can seem like a long time, I feel like I would still want more time added on to the day to do everything that I wanted to do.  

Creative Contest III

Stress claims to bring better tomorrows.

Philosophy

Materialism: Materialism, or historical materialism,  is the idea that reality is only material and that, "There are no Gods or supernatural phenomenon. Ideas, dreams, etc. are all part of material reality".  This theory was introduced by Friedrich Engles, but Karl Marx joined in on the research portion.  Marx's theory stated that people must make anything they need, such as food, and reproduce themselves in ways that get them what they want. "For example, through practical everyday life wage- laborers reproduce themselves physically, i.e. work to earn money in order to buy food, shelter and clothing they need to survive".  I don't really agree with this theory, I think that there are definitely things that are beyond what you can physically see or feel, (or explain) and this theory doesn't explain those things.  I think that if everything is material and nothing is left to mystery, then what is the point of living, when, according to this theory, we are only here to work for what we can't live without and that's it.

http://www.marxmail.org/faq/historical_materialism.htm

TU Tuesday- Classified

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to analyze what the text says explicitly and, then, what that infers about the subject as a whole.


Gorgeous strapless gown with some detail, and side rouching. Fitted through bodice and slight flare below the hips. Not a mermaid gown. Never worn. Size 4. Asking $500. Relocating and don't want to bring it. Located in Delmar.
http://timesunion.kaango.com/ad-wedding-gown-never-worn/20561581

THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL


The Past


The past is always something I struggle with.  I've never really been good at the whole "forgive and forget" saying that some people live by.  Maybe it was the fact that nothing truly bad has-had- ever happened to me, and I just focused in on the other things that I thought were the end of the world and refused to let them go.  Like when Heather Fogs and I wore the same dress to our Junior prom.  I was so upset that it took me until out 10 year reunion to even consider the idea that I really shouldn't be upset at her.  


But this was different.  I'd never had anyone do something to me that hurt me inside so much. For a week straight after what my friends now refer to as "The Incident", I sat in my house and refused to leave or talk to anyone.  I'd cried until I couldn't cry anymore.  My friends were okay with this at first, but after day five, they were starting to get annoyed.  I'm not sure they really understood what he'd meant to me and to lose him so quickly, to lose him because he wanted someone else, a few days of recovery just wasn't going to cut it.


I was hesitant to put up the ad for my dress, the "gorgeous strapless gown with some detail, and side rouching", but after a while I couldn't stand to wake up and look at it every morning, just hanging in my closet along with my everyday clothes.  I tried moving it to the garage at one point, but it still reminded me of him; Leo.  I had decided to let go of him, but as soon as I wrote the words "never worn", I lost it.  


It was my idea really, to go.  I just could't stand to be in my house, I just felt as though I was trapped memories that just kept replaying though my mind. Especially the one I wish I'd forget, from the night of "the Incident".  No one was happy when I shared my plans two weeks ago at our monthly girl's night out.  Actually, most of them were angry with me, telling me that I hand't given myself enough time to get over him, but I knew that I had to go.  I was tired of being "Located in Delmar" and wanted to just be done and gone already.  


The next night I finally typed up my listing for the dress; "Relocating and don't want to bring it", I'd rather just leave it in the past with him.