Essay Reflection

My sophomore year, I have been experiencing a different kind of writing for my English class. I am having the experience of writing the opposite of how I write during my freshman year. Last year, my writing was based on what someone else said or someone else's idea. For example, I wrote essays that had to resemble sone other author's writing. This year, I started to write my own ideas the way I wanted. The way I write now is a more relaxed way, and with less pressure. When I write, I think about the things I like or things that concern me, and that makes my writing be more creative.

When I began writing , I thought it would be easy to just wrote responses to someone elses post, which is much different than using someone else's idea to write. It is actually easy. It does not take much thinking and it is mostly based on my own opinion. Having a blog makes it easier for me to write better than I normally do because knowing that so many people can look at my blog posts, I feel the need to write clear, in a way not only I can understand what I am trying to say. My blogs, by being able to be seen almost by anyone, give me the ideas to write a out things that might also interest other readers: Facebook Addiction.

It has almost been for about a year and a half since I made my facebook account. I have to admit it, that thing is like a drug!I never thought i would get so into it.

Facebook is a common topic a lot of kids my agetalk about, so I thought that by writing about it and what my experiences with if have been would get people's attention, and that it would get them to respond to my idea.

A reason why u find that having a Blogger is useful for my writing is bacause I can relate to someone else's thoughts and write responses to them. Sometimes I go on reader and I start reading blogs otter students made, and some of them do not interest me at all, but there are sone that really catch my eyes and I find really interesting. Those that interest me end up being the ones I make my responses to. The responses I make are usually to ideas that I like or ideas that I agree with. For example, I read a blog post by lean Liang called, "Books and Words" and he wrote about an idea that if I would have written about it, I would have said the same things he said: Books and Words

The title 'Books and Words" made me wonder what it was about, and when i started reading the first few sentences i felt really connected to what was being said by Leon. This blog, written by Leon Liang is a reflection of what i think.

Leon's idea of not liking to read books and only reading them when he has to, is something I can relate to me; I do not like to read and only read when I have to. We share ideas like that, not with him only, but with many other writers. Whatever I find related to my thoughts, I respond to it. That helps my writing by expressing my ideas by supporting someone else's thoughts.

I think of writing as something different now. I think that writing is much easier than I thought. By writing blogs weekly, I get more practice on writing and each time I get better at it. I do nod know what my mistakes are exactly when I write, so I cannot really say I learn from them. But what I can say is that my writing improves with time. The flow of my writing is each time easier to understand. I notice how the voice of my writing is each time strong and sometimes the critical thinking is more clear and good. Writing blog posts helps my writing become more clear.

Since I began blogging and I gog my reader account, I have been reading more (blog posts, not books). When I am bored, I go on google reader sometimes and I start reading other people's blogs. I read them because I want to, and not necessarily because I will respond to them. Having a blogger also helps me be a more independent reader. Even though I dislike reading, I read a lot of blog posts weekly and I do not get tired of it. During the last few months, I have probably read more independently than I read in my last year's English class dependently. I read blog posts almost every single day of the week of every week. (Ever since I made my blogger account). Having a blogger has changed the amount of time I spend reading, and it has also increased it.

The kind of writing I use when I blog is my kind; I write freely without feeling the need to write correctly like I would when I write an essay or anything for another class. For example, for my writing class, there are a log of rules when writing. From having correct grammar, to writing in a specific way; writing in a format. There are too many rules in the world of writing for all of them to be applied to a single piece if writing which is exactly what I do when I write blog posts. I write, still using some of the rules, but I write the way I want to when I blog. The writing in my blog would be considered as a mess in any other of my classes, specially in my writing class. Writing with no rules is better than writing with the rules and all that's needed. An example of me writing when I blog is the following post: Where to?

Another place I'd like to visit would be Rome, Italy. The main reason why I like places such as Rome, is because I love architecture and I think that Rome is a gorgeous place to go and see the variety of old and classical architecture from hundreds of years ago.

I would not write like this if it had to be academic writing.
Overall, I write different when I blog. It is easier for me to express my ideas here than on academic writing. Ever since I made my blog, I have been reading more than I usually do. I also relate to other people's eideas and I reflect in them. Blogging is a good experience that changes the way I write. I notice how my writing improves with time hen I blog.

Night Essay: Elie vs. Society.

Society has always had problems throughout history, and human inequality has been one of the biggest problems. In the book, "Night" by Elie Weisel, a Jewish comunnity is taken by nazis to concentration camps where they literally work to death. Elie, a Jewish teenager manages to survive due to his hope, patience and effort for living. Things like this wouldn't have happened though, if the nazis hadn't seen the Jewish as different from any other human group. The main conflict of the story is between Elie and his community, and the Nazis.

Nazis keep the Jews in the dark about what is happening to them. Elie lives in a peaceful ghetto among many other Jewish people and German officers who watch them. The nazis often do unexpected things that affect the Jewish communities' people. One day, the Jewish were informed something: "The guetto was to be completely wiped out. We were to leave street by street, starting the following day,"(11). The Nazis come to Elie's community and take them all to the concentration camp without them knowing. They have little time to do it, and if they make mistakes, it can cost them their lives. Due to acts like this by the Nazis, Elie and his community feel threatened. The Jewish never know what will happen to them next.

The Nazis feel no compassion for the Jews. All throughout the story, it is shown how the Nazis mistreat the Jews and disrespect them. The feeling of superiority and power is the reason the Nazis make the lives of the Jews miserable. Elie and his group marched from the concentration camp they were being evacuated from to another one and one of the SS soldiers leading them, yelled, " 'Faster, you filthy sons of bitches!' "(81). This is how the Nazis treat the Jews; in a very disrespectful way not caring about what they say. The SS soldiers want them to run as fast as they can just to purposely make them tired, so that if anyone stops, they can shoot them and kill them. Both, the nazis and the Jewish have different points of view on this occasion; to the Nazis, this is how they show their superiority and power and to the Jewish people, this is a competition for survival. As the hate on the Jews continues, society becomes more corrupt.

The Nazis try to encourage prisoners to let the weak ones down and to try to survive for themselves. Elie sacrifices his ration of food to let his father eat more than him so he can be able to survive. The only thing Elie wants is to keep his father alive to always have someone next to him, however, the Nazi head of the block said to Elie when he noticed Elie helping out his father survive, " 'Listen to me boy. Don't forget that you're in a concentration camp. Here every man has to fight for himself and not think of anyone else. Even of his father', "(105). The head of the block is telling Elie to let his father down and to look for himself. This strikes Elie's mind just like it does to the minds of many other Jews. Elie's care for his father won't let him down, but the Nazis divide the Jewish friends and family members from one another either psychologically by messing with their minds or physically by force. At the end, all the weak ones die and the strong ones continue their misery.

The major conflict is that the German Nazis destroy Elie's life just like they do to thousands of other Jews. They take their most important values; their freedom, their hope and their own people. Nazis aren't conpassive with the Jews and they wash their minds telling them to forget about everyone else. When te Nazis mistreat the Jews, chug their minds, and isolate them from society, they cause at least as much damage as their weapons and their gas chambers do.

Where to?

I want to travel. Before I die, I want to have traveled to many, many different places all around the world, if I don't, I'll die disappointed.
There are some many places where I want to go. If I had the chance to pick a place to go tomorrow and stay there for a few days, I'd go to Barcelona, Spain. There are a lot of reasons why I want to go there, but the main one is because I've seen so many pictures and videos of it, and I just think it is beautiful; the architecture of te buildings, the people, and the environment. I'd go to Barcelona mañana if I could!
Another place I'd like to visit would be Rome, Italy. The main reason why I like places such as Rome, is because I love architecture and I think that Rome is a gorgeous place to go and see the variety of old and classical architecture from hundreds of years ago. I love art, and I think that art is a way of expressing happiness. I enjoy art, an I am really good at it. I want to build giant pieces of art. Oh, and I'd go to Spain to practice my drawing skills. But in Italy, I'd see great examples of what I like to see. Another place is Greece. Greece is full of wonderful places and lots of art, which is awesome and one of the reasons I want to go there.
I would like to go to South Africa too. I want to go to Africa because it is such an interesting continent. The country of South Africa interests me because of sone of the things that have happened there. I like about its history. South Africa is my Favorite African country.
I'd like to travel South of the American continent. I want to go to some countries in Central Amarica and South America, in Central America, I'd like to visit Costa Rica because of its beautiful nature; its forests are amazing and all its greenlands are great. In South Africa, I'd like to go to Peru, Brazil and Argentina. I want to visit Peru so I can go to Cuzco, where the Incas once lived. I just think that Brazil and Argentina are really cool countries and that I'd go there anytime.
These are just a few of the places I'd like to visit, but if I get to go to these, I'll be happy.
Traveling will be one of the things I'll love to do when I'm older. I want to go all around the world.

Nights of Terror...

I read Ianna's response to the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Right now, I am almost done with it. The book itself is great, it is a really well written piece. The reson why I like this book is because I like history. I do not like what happened in the book, but knowing about what happened helps me understand the world better.

This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. So far Elie has lost himself and his religion. Watching all the cruelties of the Gastapo and SS have forced a soulless body to become the boy once known as Elie to become prisoner A-7713.

I also think that this book is amazing. Also one of the best books I've read. Personally, I love knowing about real events and learning about them, especially those that made differences in the world. Usually when I am reading fantasy or fiction I don't really get into the reading, but when I read something that really happened I really get connected with that reading. But it also depends on what it is. I usually like knowing about historical events such as World War I and II, some other wars, and colonization. I just like knowing how the world has become what it is now.
When I read stuff like this, it kind of inspires me to use another source and learn more about it. So a few days ago, after I finished reading some chapters, I came home and I started watching a movie called, "Defiance" which is about how German Nazis take Jews to Concentration camps but some scape and those that scape fight for their freedom. I really liked this movie, even though it was also sad but not as much as Night. So by reading Night, I feel inspired to know more. After that movie, I played another movie which isn't about Jews and Nazis, but about Americans in Africa. This movie is called "Black Hawk Down" and it is also really good. It's also about war.
Back to the point, this book is great because it does not only teach us a little history, but it brings us back to it. While I read, I feel like I am part of the story and that I am just an invisible character everyone does not notice. I feel pulled in to the story.
there is another movie I have seen and that I relate to this book, and that I will probably watch again tomorrow or sometime this weekend; The Pianist. The Puanist is also a movie about German Nazis taking Jews and killing them, torturing them and killing their faith. Like in Night, it brings us back to the events and shows us the feelings and what people went through. It is sad.
This book is really good and I encourage people to read it.

Ohh and btw Ianna, nice background! ;D

This crazy weather.

Lately, the weather has been like crazy. By now, it should be cold, but it's hot, still. This summer that just ended was also weird because for a long time it was cold when it was supposed to be hot. Now that it's supposed to be cold, it's hot. I don't like this. There are many reasons why I don't like how hot it gets now; it is too hot, it makes us not want to do any exercise and it annoys people. Hot weather just gets some people feeling weird and uncomfortable.
Just a few weeks ago, the weather was so hot that I could bot even walk. It got me mad, and this sounds crazy but it's true; hot weather really annoys me. During those days, it was a little difficult for me to concentrate in some classes. It gets me nervous and makes me distracted.
When we are in P.E. And it's really hot, almost no one does anything. All we want to do is sit down and relax, but in the shade and we hope for the wind to blow. It also makes us thirsty fast and we have to keep drinking water or anything to keep our thrist satisfied.
I just can't wait until the real cold comes and for the rain to get us wet. There are many reasons why the cold weather is better than hot weather. When it's cold, it's easier to do exercise (not when it freezing cold though.) and we get to wear jackets and warm stuff, and we can drink hot chocolate next to a fire. I prefer being cold than being hot, when I'm hot, it annoys me and when I'm cold... It's not that bad.
Global warming is the cause of this crazy weather. I hope the cold weather comes soon! I wish global warming would stop.

Response to John Hamilton's "Quick write-video games".

After reading John Hamilton's post, I thought that he had a good point. I agree with his point, and one remarkable quote I found was the following:

so overall i do feel like video games has an effect on this world. but it truly all depends on ho you look at that game , who is playing that  game and why was that game made for. The most important part about playing video games is to play them not let them play you.

I am not a gamer, I don't spend hours and hours playing videogames. I do play videogames but they are not an addiction to me. I usually play videogames twice or three tines a week, just for a few hours. I know people who would spend hours playing and playing without stopping; people like my brother. I agree that videogames are a great influence for young kids and also for the older ones. Videogames can be good or bad, and that is what influences kids.
Like John mentioned, violent videogames such as war games or games about killing or stealing are a bad influence for kids. The reason why is because kids have minds that don't think mature. Kids do anything they want, they repeat or do wjaever someone else does. Wen they see something in a videogames, they're likely to go try it out in real life, and it can be things such as hitting someone, or stealing because they saw it in the videogame. On the other hand, videogames can also be good. Nof all videogames are bad; videogames about racing or sports are examples of good games. Games that rather than giving a bad influence, help the kids be more active and think better.
In general, videogames make a big impact in society. Videogames have taken over the kids' minds and time. For example, the number of kids playing outside at a park was much larger 20 years ago than it is now. Kids now a days, they spend most of their time inside of their house playing videogames. It is a huge distraction.
It is not only a distraction, but it is slowly becoming one of the big causes of kids becoming overweight. Now that every kid has a videogame, they spend more time sitting down, and less time outside exercising. A lot of kids excercise as much as they play videogames but over time, videogame might take over and more kids will play in rather than out.
Videogames male a big difference in society and the biggest contributors in specific are the young kids. At young ages, kids don't know the concequences of playing videogames for so long, they just love to sit down and play.
I wonder if one day videogames will become real...