This is officially my last blog post for the school year in Etymology. I have read many books and when tallied up I have a total of about 1093!
This Semester has definitely changed my attitude for reading for better and for worse. I started out this semester not having read a book out of a classroom since probably middle school. However, at the once this class started I definitely knew that I had to blow the dust off of some of the books at home and actually begin reading them. My favorite book I read this semester was my first book read which was "The Road." I enjoyed it because of the futuristic plot combined with a twisted sense of humanity. I usually saved my reading until the end of my day when I was laying in bed because I found it to be the most relaxing environment. I enjoyed this a lot at first, but as the semester went on it seemed more to be a burden for me than an enjoyment. It wasn't the books that got worse, but the blogging about them seemed to overpower my reading, for instead of enjoying the books, I began reading them knowing I would have to summarize them later in a blog post. Sure blogging is a simple task, but its the repetitive weekdays of blogging that caused the annoyance. Although the blogging did not destroy my like for reading as a whole because I did open up my reading genres much larger and definitely began enjoying non fiction literature because I felt that I was actually learning something. Overall, the semester did greatly help me though, and I enjoyed this class.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens By: Sean Covey: Pages 58-102
SUMMARY:
In this section the book explains about the personal bank account. It's not referring to an actual bank account, but to how one feels about themselves. One who has a low PBA caves into peer pressure easily, feels inferior, alwyas cares what those around them think about them, suffers with temptations, and is arrogant. While those who have high PBA stand up for themselves, see life positively, are goal driven, and are happy for the success of others. The first step it says to increase one's PBA is make promises to yourself. Friends sometimes will let you down when it comes to fulfilling a promise they have made, and one's self also breaks promises to them self. Eventually, one begins to distrust them self. The solution is to keep the promises to yourself, and that way you will accomplish more of your goals. Another step is to do small acts of kindness. This action will help focus one's attention outwards instead of inwards. Another requirement is to be honest. Honesty really is key, for if one is dishonest, lies will just continue and continue to build up until one is in "debt."
The next section discusses the habit number 1 of being proactive. It begins with describing the differenece between being proactive and reactive. People that are proactive enjoy their lives and live on through their troubles,while those that are reactive are responsive to every little detail and become upset very easily. People who are proactive have a positive attitude and don't let other reactive people ruin their life. One's proactive or reactive lifestyle can easily be heard in the way they talk. Their language tells all, for reactive people will give excuses and over react towards situations, while proactive people are always looking for the best solutuion. The main way proactive people live successfully is by having a can do attitude, while at the same time having the ability to see the world from other than their point of view.
RESPONSE:
This section was loaded with lots of very helpful information. I was enlightened greatly with the section about proactive people. I can definitely work on my proactiveness because I saw some character traits of mine that lie in bothe the reactive and proactive lifestyles. I also can think of prime examples for each group based off of my friends. I hope that this reading will truly alter the way I see life now. I definitely have been given a new perspective ob how I live my life, and I'm going to attempt to try and live a more proactive lifestyle.
In this section the book explains about the personal bank account. It's not referring to an actual bank account, but to how one feels about themselves. One who has a low PBA caves into peer pressure easily, feels inferior, alwyas cares what those around them think about them, suffers with temptations, and is arrogant. While those who have high PBA stand up for themselves, see life positively, are goal driven, and are happy for the success of others. The first step it says to increase one's PBA is make promises to yourself. Friends sometimes will let you down when it comes to fulfilling a promise they have made, and one's self also breaks promises to them self. Eventually, one begins to distrust them self. The solution is to keep the promises to yourself, and that way you will accomplish more of your goals. Another step is to do small acts of kindness. This action will help focus one's attention outwards instead of inwards. Another requirement is to be honest. Honesty really is key, for if one is dishonest, lies will just continue and continue to build up until one is in "debt."
The next section discusses the habit number 1 of being proactive. It begins with describing the differenece between being proactive and reactive. People that are proactive enjoy their lives and live on through their troubles,while those that are reactive are responsive to every little detail and become upset very easily. People who are proactive have a positive attitude and don't let other reactive people ruin their life. One's proactive or reactive lifestyle can easily be heard in the way they talk. Their language tells all, for reactive people will give excuses and over react towards situations, while proactive people are always looking for the best solutuion. The main way proactive people live successfully is by having a can do attitude, while at the same time having the ability to see the world from other than their point of view.
RESPONSE:
This section was loaded with lots of very helpful information. I was enlightened greatly with the section about proactive people. I can definitely work on my proactiveness because I saw some character traits of mine that lie in bothe the reactive and proactive lifestyles. I also can think of prime examples for each group based off of my friends. I hope that this reading will truly alter the way I see life now. I definitely have been given a new perspective ob how I live my life, and I'm going to attempt to try and live a more proactive lifestyle.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Reading: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens By: Sean Covey : Pages 1-57
SUMMARY:
Sean Covey's the book &7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens lays down an outline and provides short stories for examples on how teens should live their lives in order to become successful like-able people. Chapter one begins with Getting in the Habit. Starting off, Getting in the Habit explains that goals are key in living life. Goals provide the focus that drives us day to day and without them we would have nothing to continue going. However, the book goes on to explain that one must stick to their goals though because 90% of the time a person will make a goal and follow it for about a week but then drop their interests in it. The book then provides a list in order to help organize goo habits. The list goes as the following, be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand, then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw.
The next section talks about Paradigms and Principles. Paradigms is a fancy word for perceptions. We all have perceptions on life and what we can and cannot do; however, this section begins by explaining that we cannot limit ourselves to what we can and cannot do but instead to perceive the things we think we cannot do, for why do things that we know we can do? It then continues to discuss real life stories of people that experienced situations that brought out different perceptions about themselves. Also, it then begins to discuss the problems of being to friend centered, and how that can disrupt the life of a person; similarly, the same results can occur if one becomes "stuff-centered." The section explains that being to centered on one thing can cause problems and one's life and that a mixture of everything is the best solution. The solution if one is too centered is principles. Principles establish a guideline for a way of life and define how a person will live from day to day. They help set up a structural plan for success.
RESPONSE:
I think this book is very good! It's like having someone there telling you the correct way to live a life that will lead you in the right direction. When I read this book I picture it sort of like when in a cartoon a little angel is telling a person what to do while standing on their shoulder. This book is easy to read and is great with its incorporation of pictures, quotes, and real life story examples. I truly think that this book will help change my life for the better and I'm excited to see where this takes me.
Sean Covey's the book &7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens lays down an outline and provides short stories for examples on how teens should live their lives in order to become successful like-able people. Chapter one begins with Getting in the Habit. Starting off, Getting in the Habit explains that goals are key in living life. Goals provide the focus that drives us day to day and without them we would have nothing to continue going. However, the book goes on to explain that one must stick to their goals though because 90% of the time a person will make a goal and follow it for about a week but then drop their interests in it. The book then provides a list in order to help organize goo habits. The list goes as the following, be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand, then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw.
The next section talks about Paradigms and Principles. Paradigms is a fancy word for perceptions. We all have perceptions on life and what we can and cannot do; however, this section begins by explaining that we cannot limit ourselves to what we can and cannot do but instead to perceive the things we think we cannot do, for why do things that we know we can do? It then continues to discuss real life stories of people that experienced situations that brought out different perceptions about themselves. Also, it then begins to discuss the problems of being to friend centered, and how that can disrupt the life of a person; similarly, the same results can occur if one becomes "stuff-centered." The section explains that being to centered on one thing can cause problems and one's life and that a mixture of everything is the best solution. The solution if one is too centered is principles. Principles establish a guideline for a way of life and define how a person will live from day to day. They help set up a structural plan for success.
RESPONSE:
I think this book is very good! It's like having someone there telling you the correct way to live a life that will lead you in the right direction. When I read this book I picture it sort of like when in a cartoon a little angel is telling a person what to do while standing on their shoulder. This book is easy to read and is great with its incorporation of pictures, quotes, and real life story examples. I truly think that this book will help change my life for the better and I'm excited to see where this takes me.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Poem List for Anthology Project
Theme: African American Opression
1)The Song of Smoke: by W.E.B. Dubois
2)Caged Bird: by Maya Angelou
3)I Look at the World: by Langston Hughes
4)Booker T. and W.E.B.: by Dudley Randall
5)The Zebra Goes Wild Where the Sidewalk Ends: by Henry Dumas
6)Malcolm X, February 1965: by E. Ethelbert Miller
Video: The Zebra Goes Wild Where the Sidewalk Ends
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Action List: 5-3-2011
I just read the New York Times article on the capture of Osama Bin Laden and it was very informative. I find it sort of weird that the process of finding Bin Laden has been going on for so long, and they found him by writing down the license plate of a car with a passenger in it that was known as an Bin Laden courier. Most people are rejoicing over the death of the head Al Qaeda. This is a great accomplishment for the Obama and military administration; however, since learning of all these secretive operations going on to catch Bin Laden, it makes me wonder what other things is the government hiding form the American public.
Action List: 5-3-2011
Recently I have been reading a book by Dean Koonts called Watchers. The book is a fictional story from different character's points of view. The book centers around the results of experiments that took place in a laboratory. One of the characters, Tony, comes into direct contact with one of the experimented dogs that appears to have superior intellect. Another character, Nora, struggles with her self identity and confidence as s television repair man stalks her. Lastly, Clem tells his story from his point of view which involves multiple killings, for he is a hit man for an unnamed company. This book is a great read so far because it is fast paced and entertaining.
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