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.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Reading: Watchers by Dean Koontz 128-170
SUMMARY:
On page 128, the story has moved back to Tony and the dog. They are sitting back at Tony's house, and Tony is about to give the dog a bath. Tony gathers up the tub and all the cleaning necessities and comes out to the back yard. He leaves the dog outside and goes in to grab a beer, and when he comes back out he is amazed to see that the hose is now in the tub and filling it up with water. Tony looks at the dog and tries to make sense of what just happened. He tells the dog to go and turn the faucet as he did before but he does not move. The dog then sees a butterfly and chases is around, but ends up running face first into a tree. Tony is confused as to how this dog can seem to have human characteristics but can instantly turn back into a dog. He gives the Dog a bath and decides to call the dog Einstein. Einstein and Tony go back into the living room, and Tony begins watching TV. As he is doing so he sees Einstein at the book shelf and hears him barking. When he comes to Einstein the dog looks up at the books and acts as if he wants them. Tony grabs one of the books off the shelves, a Dickens novel, and places it infront of Einstein. Einstein sniffs it up and down as if learning the plot and then places the book back. Then Einstein continues picking out books on the shelf, and Tony continues grabbing them and letting Einstein sniff them. Tony is building with suspense because he feels that the dog is trying to tell him something, and that he is on the urge of a great connection; however, the dog becomes frustrated with Tony as he cannot understand what the dog is attempting to do.
Meanwhile, Clem had received a thrid job to kill another Doctor. He wonders why he has killed only doctors but still accepts the job. Clem had more diffuculty getting into this thrid house because the doctor had taken safety measures to protect his house from intrusion, but Clem is a professional so he uses a glass cutter to open the back door from the inside. Once in the house he looks around for anything that could make sense of a connection between the killings he had committed earlier that night. He finds nothing though and goes into the doctors bedroom. Clem puts the gun to the doctor's head and forces him out of bed into the bathroom. Clem binds the doctor up an places him in the bathtub. Then Clem tells the doctor to explain to him if he knows the other two doctor's he had killed, and that he had the choice to die instantly or to be dragged out on death for up to 6 hours. The doctor explains that the three of them had worked together in Banodyne Labratories in Orange County. Clem asked what they had done there and the doctor proceeding in telling him all about the experiments and the dogs.
RESPONSE:
Wow, a lot has happened in this section. The dog story is by far my favorite like I have said before because it's just so intriguing. But now at the end my curiosity is burning since a connection has finally been made between the characters Clem and Tony. The dogs from the experiments, which are not explained yet, must be the dog that Tony is now in possession of. Now I just want to know what the experiments were and how this dog and the mystery creature in the forest will tie all together in this web of chaos.
On page 128, the story has moved back to Tony and the dog. They are sitting back at Tony's house, and Tony is about to give the dog a bath. Tony gathers up the tub and all the cleaning necessities and comes out to the back yard. He leaves the dog outside and goes in to grab a beer, and when he comes back out he is amazed to see that the hose is now in the tub and filling it up with water. Tony looks at the dog and tries to make sense of what just happened. He tells the dog to go and turn the faucet as he did before but he does not move. The dog then sees a butterfly and chases is around, but ends up running face first into a tree. Tony is confused as to how this dog can seem to have human characteristics but can instantly turn back into a dog. He gives the Dog a bath and decides to call the dog Einstein. Einstein and Tony go back into the living room, and Tony begins watching TV. As he is doing so he sees Einstein at the book shelf and hears him barking. When he comes to Einstein the dog looks up at the books and acts as if he wants them. Tony grabs one of the books off the shelves, a Dickens novel, and places it infront of Einstein. Einstein sniffs it up and down as if learning the plot and then places the book back. Then Einstein continues picking out books on the shelf, and Tony continues grabbing them and letting Einstein sniff them. Tony is building with suspense because he feels that the dog is trying to tell him something, and that he is on the urge of a great connection; however, the dog becomes frustrated with Tony as he cannot understand what the dog is attempting to do.
Meanwhile, Clem had received a thrid job to kill another Doctor. He wonders why he has killed only doctors but still accepts the job. Clem had more diffuculty getting into this thrid house because the doctor had taken safety measures to protect his house from intrusion, but Clem is a professional so he uses a glass cutter to open the back door from the inside. Once in the house he looks around for anything that could make sense of a connection between the killings he had committed earlier that night. He finds nothing though and goes into the doctors bedroom. Clem puts the gun to the doctor's head and forces him out of bed into the bathroom. Clem binds the doctor up an places him in the bathtub. Then Clem tells the doctor to explain to him if he knows the other two doctor's he had killed, and that he had the choice to die instantly or to be dragged out on death for up to 6 hours. The doctor explains that the three of them had worked together in Banodyne Labratories in Orange County. Clem asked what they had done there and the doctor proceeding in telling him all about the experiments and the dogs.
RESPONSE:
Wow, a lot has happened in this section. The dog story is by far my favorite like I have said before because it's just so intriguing. But now at the end my curiosity is burning since a connection has finally been made between the characters Clem and Tony. The dogs from the experiments, which are not explained yet, must be the dog that Tony is now in possession of. Now I just want to know what the experiments were and how this dog and the mystery creature in the forest will tie all together in this web of chaos.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Reading: Watchers by Dean Koontz 64-127
SUMMARY:
Once in the car Tony begins wondering how this dog managed to save his life with the insight of a non animal being. He is flabbergasted at the dog's intelligence and wearily tells the dog that if he is hungry that there is snacks in the glove compartment. Then he heres some ruffling and when Tony turns back around he sees the dog with a peanut butter granola bar in his mouth. Tony is amazed at the feat, but is then skeptical and tells him self over and over again that someone could have trained the dog to do that before he found him. Then the dog begins barking back at the road giving Tony the sense that what ever was chasing them in the woods is not over yet. He speeds up an continues driving and eventually the dog calms down. At first, Tony was not going to keep this dog, but after he became so intrigued with curiosity at its special abilities, he had to keep it. He knew the dog needed a name, but he wasn't ready to name him just yet.
Nora is now laying in bed reading a book when the phone rings. She is reluctant to answer it but finally does. When she answers the person on the other line says that they have never heard of him. Nora is confused and asks what he means, and the man on the other line says the police department has never heard of an officer as Nora's husband. Nora now knows that the man on the phone is Streck and is stricken with terror. She feels that she should slam the phone down and hang up on him showing that she is not afraid but she can't gather the strength to show him off. Then Streck continues by telling Nora that she is very pretty; however, Nora was always told growing up that she was ugly and shouldn't even waste her time pursuing a man. Nora is disgusted by Streck as he continues making sexual comments, but she is also confused in her mind as to how someone can find her attractive when she sees nothing attractive about herself in the mirror. Nora locks all the doors and grabs a knife from the kitchen and places it under her pillow incase Streck attempts to come into her house at night.
Clem in the meantime has gathered the new information for his next job. He grabs a quick meal and some cofee as he is still on his killing high and then proceeds to drive to the house he is doing the hit at. The target is an older doctor, but his wife is with him and he has a 16 year old son. The wife must be killed because she will be sleeping in the same room, but killing the kid is optional. Clem in his twisted mind though knows that he will kill the kid because he finds the best pleasure in harming children. Clem enters though a back door and goes up into the kids room. He puts the pistol next to the kids head and as soon as he awakens he kills him then he shuts the boys eyelids and kisses him on the forehead. Clem then goes down the hallway into the Master bedroom. The doctor and his wife are sleeping. Clem wakes them up and shoots the doctor in the face. The wife screams at the sight and tries to run, but Clem stops her and ties her up. Then he grousemly takes out a hammer, and then the next scene in the book is him walking out of the house crazy and excited from his duties.
RESPONSE:
This book is good because it is fast paced and exciting. I enjoy the mystery with the dog because I have a dog that is pretty smart but it would be awesome to have a dog like that. Nora's story is kind of creepy, but Clems story disturbs me because the rush he gets after killing victims in my mind is disgusting. I don't like when I read his parts, but it does keep the book going in a speedy way. I think that Clem and Nora will cross paths in this book pretty soon because I could see Clem going for Streck or something. I still can't quite figure out where TOny and the dog fit into this story yet so I'll have to wait and see.
Once in the car Tony begins wondering how this dog managed to save his life with the insight of a non animal being. He is flabbergasted at the dog's intelligence and wearily tells the dog that if he is hungry that there is snacks in the glove compartment. Then he heres some ruffling and when Tony turns back around he sees the dog with a peanut butter granola bar in his mouth. Tony is amazed at the feat, but is then skeptical and tells him self over and over again that someone could have trained the dog to do that before he found him. Then the dog begins barking back at the road giving Tony the sense that what ever was chasing them in the woods is not over yet. He speeds up an continues driving and eventually the dog calms down. At first, Tony was not going to keep this dog, but after he became so intrigued with curiosity at its special abilities, he had to keep it. He knew the dog needed a name, but he wasn't ready to name him just yet.
Nora is now laying in bed reading a book when the phone rings. She is reluctant to answer it but finally does. When she answers the person on the other line says that they have never heard of him. Nora is confused and asks what he means, and the man on the other line says the police department has never heard of an officer as Nora's husband. Nora now knows that the man on the phone is Streck and is stricken with terror. She feels that she should slam the phone down and hang up on him showing that she is not afraid but she can't gather the strength to show him off. Then Streck continues by telling Nora that she is very pretty; however, Nora was always told growing up that she was ugly and shouldn't even waste her time pursuing a man. Nora is disgusted by Streck as he continues making sexual comments, but she is also confused in her mind as to how someone can find her attractive when she sees nothing attractive about herself in the mirror. Nora locks all the doors and grabs a knife from the kitchen and places it under her pillow incase Streck attempts to come into her house at night.
Clem in the meantime has gathered the new information for his next job. He grabs a quick meal and some cofee as he is still on his killing high and then proceeds to drive to the house he is doing the hit at. The target is an older doctor, but his wife is with him and he has a 16 year old son. The wife must be killed because she will be sleeping in the same room, but killing the kid is optional. Clem in his twisted mind though knows that he will kill the kid because he finds the best pleasure in harming children. Clem enters though a back door and goes up into the kids room. He puts the pistol next to the kids head and as soon as he awakens he kills him then he shuts the boys eyelids and kisses him on the forehead. Clem then goes down the hallway into the Master bedroom. The doctor and his wife are sleeping. Clem wakes them up and shoots the doctor in the face. The wife screams at the sight and tries to run, but Clem stops her and ties her up. Then he grousemly takes out a hammer, and then the next scene in the book is him walking out of the house crazy and excited from his duties.
RESPONSE:
This book is good because it is fast paced and exciting. I enjoy the mystery with the dog because I have a dog that is pretty smart but it would be awesome to have a dog like that. Nora's story is kind of creepy, but Clems story disturbs me because the rush he gets after killing victims in my mind is disgusting. I don't like when I read his parts, but it does keep the book going in a speedy way. I think that Clem and Nora will cross paths in this book pretty soon because I could see Clem going for Streck or something. I still can't quite figure out where TOny and the dog fit into this story yet so I'll have to wait and see.
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