romeeo and juuliet

In romeo and juliet, I think shakespear was trying to excite his audience and make a play that would make you laugh, cry, scared, shocked, amazed. And I think he accomplished that.

Dialectic journal #2

1.)

"Im a sweaty fat kid standing on the edge of the subway platform staring at the tracks. I'm seventeen years old,weigh 296 pounds, and I'm six-foot-one. I have a crew cut, yes a crew cut, sallow skin, and the kind of mouth that puckers when i breathe. I'm wearing a shirt that reads Miami beach spring break 1997, and huge bland tan pants---the only kind of pants I own. Eight pairs, all tan. It's sunday afternoon and I'm standing just over the yellow line trying to decide whether people would laugh if I jumped."

This is Troy. He is obviously suffering from low self esteem. This is how you get to know Troy because you understand his thoughts. This is an important part in the book because it is the introduction and it is already letting you know he's got issues. I think what will happen next is that he will not jump, because its just the beginning!

2.) 

"I'm ready to give him full credit and be on my way, mosey along to contemplate some new nonfunny form of suicide (FAT KID GETS HIT BY A BUS?) , but the blond ferret stands up and extends a grimy hand. Curt MacCrae, he says. That's just when I just about piss my pants."

Troy has met his gardian angel, because he sort of just saved his life. When troy was looking at the tracks he began to laugh, and Curt caught his attention by asking if he was laughing at him. He just realized that he's met the coolest guy ever because he is a legend. I think what will happen next is that they'll find something in common.

3.)

Dialectic Journal

"I'd always been such a good girl they wouldnt make the jump to 'bad' too quickly, especially if i stayed cool. I wasnt worried about getting busted at school or on the street.I'd only just begun my walk with the monster." ( pg 7) hopkins

This is Kristina expressing her thoughts on what she was thinking. you can tell she isnt feeling worried or guilty, she's just planning out her so called adventure like a teen should. I think this is important because it shows how her brain worked before the crystal meth got done with her. I think what will happen next is that she will lay low on the drug, but continue to do it.

"Not Sarah, my best friend since fourth grade, or any of my old crowd, all of whom live by the code of the D.A.R.E. pledge. I really didn't need to worry of course. All i had to do was leave things up to Bree, the godess of persuasion." (pg 7) hopkins

Here, Kristina is talking about how she doesnt know how to handle keeping quiet about her drug and where to be getting more. In Reno it was easy to find connects as a new person, but back home, she didnt have the same chance, or does she? Bree is her double persona. Bree is the monster she becomes when she is high, and she doesnt have to worry because Bree is the type of chick who takes life by the balls...What will happen next? I think she'll get exposed and her friends will notice a change in her.

"But one guy wasn't quite enough. I also ran into Chase Wagner that day. His outside wasn't as attractive , but inside he as fine. Of course, i didn't know that yet. I found out soon enough that both chase and Brendan knew the score, and both were interested in me. Brendan only wanted sex; Chase offered love. Either way, i had my path to the monster." (pg 10) hopkins

Kristina is like any other girl, interested in guys. I chose this quote because it shows she's still normal, she's not crazy, just determined. you can see that her path is on the wrong direction, because she has two choices of guys, Chase is obviously the better choice, but she doesnt seem to mind to go through loveless sex to get her drug. Why? does she want both? is this the life of a reckless teen? teen, yes, reckless no. Its common sense on what she did what she did, this is important because it shows how naive she's being. I think she will continue to spiral downward.

"Things are growing clearer. 'is there a problem,Mrs. Rosselli? I just want to catch up with old friends.' The longest pause of all. Your not their friend, Kristina. You're nothing but trouble they dont need." (pg 29) hopkins

Kristina is currently on the phone with Robyns mom, the sister of Trent, her old gay bestfriend, and she is the cheerleader who taught her how to smoke glass. It is pretty obvious that people have discovered the issue Kristina had and how much she struggled with a bad reputation. The mother of the bad influence is now telling Kristina she is a bad one. This is important because it shows the transition from nothing into everything, I think Kristina will get mad and start to tell her off.

"I apologize if I've ever done anything to offend you, or to hurt Robyn or Trent. I dont believe I have , but if you think so, please let me make it up to you.' oh yeah, I'm back in the game, and damn does it feel great."(pg 31) hopkins

Bree is back. This is what she does, she lies until she gets what she wants. (which is pretty normal for a girl!) lol. She is finishing up the conversation with Robyn's mom, and to my suprise she did not yell, she just lied. Which is less complicated? This is important because it is the first time she comes back as bree in the book. I think Bree is going to be comming around a lot more often. And mess with her head.

"I think almost everyone will agree. Get out of school or off work, put on clean clothes,and look for a way to escape reality-whether that's with alcohol,weed,or my all-time favorite:speed. I only used to use them when I was buzzed up real high, didn't mind slowing down a little. Being good all the time isn't just hard. It's dam boring.There's more to life than babies and books, and I'm overdue to go out and find a little fun"(pg 38) hopkins

There is an explination for the whole issue. Kristina is unhappy with herself, and she changes through drugs and finds herself in a fantasy world where she is having fun, and escaping from reality. I think she will find herself in a very mixed up road and shes going to wind up forgetting who she is.

"The mental bonds however, seem as strong as ever, and the piece of me that recognizes that knows I might be making a very big mistake."(pg 46) hopkins

Kristina is hungover from all the speed she had been doing, when she went to go visit her friend Robyn and they relapsed. She is talking about how being able to endure saying no to meth is not just physically hard, but more mentally. It's important because she knows shes doing wrong but why does she keep doing it? I think she will breakdown soon.

"He looks up at me with spectacular green eyes and, around my very sore nipple, smiles a toothless baby smile.That tender scene might make me change my mind, and truthfully. I have thought twice. But I don't want to think again." (Hopkins, pg 48)

Kristina is being very like stuck in denial because she's looking at her baby and cracking, because even though she loves her baby more than anything, she wants to feel how she used to feel. I think she'll realize she cannot get anything from drugs, like family moments.

"If it gets too late, promise me you'll stop and spend the nights, Mom insists. Here's some money.

Suddenly it strikes me that I haven't even thought about the money end of the transaction to come. Lucky me. A hundred will just about cover it." ( Hopkins, pg 49)

Kristina is wondering if what she's about to do is right. She lied to her mom about going to a college fair, and is borrowing the car. She is actually going with Robyn to go get high. She is observing how the coincedences around her are lucky in helping her get what she wants. Just like we were discussing with the alchemist, exept Kristina thinks it is luck. I think she is going to feel guilty for what she is about to do.

"He stops crying, looks up at me with big dark eyes, as if to say, You let me fall. How could you let me fall? That's not what a mother should do. And it hits me. Maybe Mom was right, after all." (hopkins pg 607)

Kristina had taken her baby trying to prove she can take care of it by herself. But she can't because she went to go get high in the other room and the baby fell down and bit his lip. This is an important part of the story because she is regreting what she did, i think her baby is what can fight her addiction. I think she will give her baby back to her mom.

By the river piedra i sat down and wept, and gabby thought.

I started my new book "By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept", its about a controlled young woman, and a spiritual man, who were once little sweethearts, they grew up together and faced every struggle when they were ten when they were growing up and they felt like they had this strong connection, the young woman went out to study her career that she didnt really know about, the young man went to go follow his spirituality and when the young man invites her to one of his ceremonies she's like all flustered. anyway, it turns out he loves her and she loves him, but shes scared. she finds out the young man is a very special kind of priest, he can perform miracles, and he was all wrapped up in this wierd kind of catholic religion, about two genders into one god, anywho this book is really religious. It's about understanding the right religion for you. all in all it just shows you how to take in your spirituality. Im like the character because i hold myself back a lot...and i like this book because it shows me how to break free.

running from the clock!!

yeah...it sucks to have a watch rule your life, but it helps organize it and even though it seems like it restrics you and holds you back at times it keeps you in check....until your eighteen anyway.It's really hard for me to tell myself what to do because of a certain time, i am used to doing whatever whenever, but i see that has to change. It gets me no where. When i sit down and think about what I have done i think i learned a lot but accomplished so little....i guess you need peace of mind before you make the giant leap towards proficient...at times i get lost in my ipod and read what there is to do and do it. If i keep my mentality as mature and do what you "gotta do", i do it! Im trying to improve on getting my school work done, not for other people but for myself.
Honors classes are really simple when you think about it. They give you all this freedom to think outside of the box and help you express yourself through homework! especially english class....I think this is the easiest class for me but only because it is my favorite because i enjoy everything. It's important for us to acknowledge the fact that we have a privelage [sp?] and we are lucky to do this kind of free-time-dont-forget-though kind of stuff.

To Ellen Hopkins #2

Im so freaking amazed you sent me a comment....
it made my year!
im reading glass right now.
:]
these books really do mesmoreize me...and im so glad to know that you have this positive outlet of being an author after everything which is amazing because once again tells me not to give up and not to burry myself in total guilt either.

tp ellen hopkins

dear ellen 

ive read your book crank, and im currently reading your book  sequel to it glass...i think its really amazing you stood behind your family at a time when it seemed so hard i have seen and gone through similar struggles, i think its really beautiful the way you describe every thought your daughters head might have thought, and it is an inspiration to see someone writing about there experience because we all see it but no one ever acknowledges it and to see someone overcomming that obstacle in life is a real push in encouragement to succeed. your book helps me realize certain issues i cannot see in the begining when we have a problem we tend to look at it from inside the box from only one point of view but your book helps me think about other people and how they might feel about any situation, it makes me take a step back from where im complaining and look at the big picture. i think its really amazing to know theyre are people going through some hard stuff but want everyone to know not to loose hope and to not stop trying. i will be reading all of your books in the future and im glad i discovered this one. i had heard about your books in the past but never stumbled upon them until i found one and got hooked on it. 

santiago's mind?

the alchemist"
main characters perspective: Well, i think that my vision was a miracle but a very strange sparatic one. even though it came in a quick scene it still happened and im flad it did because i really helped out and saced the oasis. it was thanks to the omens. the sould of the world has many elements and it was in favor of my spirits because i was in touch with my own observations just like any alchemist reads the surroundings.
Quote:"the secret is here in the present. if you pay attention to the present you can improve upon it. and if you improve on it later is will also be better. forget about the future and live each day according to the teachings. confident that god loves his childfen each day in itself brings with it and eternity"

Letter to Fatima from Santiago:
Dear Fatima, i really like you and i wish to marry you and spend the rest of my life with younot caring about anything else. i know you feel that our lives will be live everyone elses, i will travel you will stay, we will be married i will back dead, or alive but you shouldnt make those pessemistic assumptions, what the point of living life if you already know how its going to end? i think you have a personal legend as well just like everyone else and if you dig down you might be able to find it. i want to help.

my new semesturrrurur....

well my new semester is looking off to a bright start, then again so was last semester, its just up to me to continue my journey~~!!!...
im reading the series of crank, and these lists of new books i havent really gotten around to but im hoping to find one is called religion is a drug.
which is basiclly explaining that well in my words, people aka christians or catholics go to church every sunday to give grace. right? wrong. some are very contradicting!( what a shocker?!) -_-.
not ALL but SOME, very religious people go to church and pray out of fear. which indicates guilt. people who were raised into religious families brainwashed to believe the more perfect you are the more god will accept. (doesnt he love "all of his children"?????) 0.o. well think about it, some big ass like ranch dude is at church every sunday with his wife, and familiaaa yet every weekend you see the same dude cheating on his wife and junk. i mean if his faith is that strong to go every sunday its just as contradicting for him to have morals such as dishonesty, and what does that teach the little ones? personally, i dont know if theyre is a god..or a soul of the world, all i know is that theyre are plenty of issues to take care of here on earth. being grateful, living life, taking risks, understanding your emotions, blah blah, so here i am on earth screwing up my life because im a "teen" making stupid decisions, so thats normal right? why should i have to give in to the contradiction myself? what does that teach me? yes im a liberal person, so i would love to do anything "darng" if you would...jerk..lol but im not going to go pretend to myself that im an innocent perfect little girl, maybe to certain people, because it would kill them to see my pessemistic attitude, and i choose to hide certain things from certain people. and "god" is not one of them if he is certainly all seeing then he would have done something a long time ago, i guess? but anyway. im not going to go cloud my mind even more than it already is with some mumbo jumbo to get my spirits up. i have self esteem and friends for that. =]

?

people always reflect in the most absurd moments,but thats the way it works best.sudden flashes of understanding and intensitylike that feeling you get when you just finished riding the best rollercoaster of your life. or that magical day you decide time is on your side skip school and go somewhere freeeeeeyupthings happen in life and apparantley im supposed to jot down my ideas right here.basically im just trying to live life without much thought because it might just stick me down to the floor and leave me curled up in a ball crying for help.life can get you into messy messes but it makes it all worth while with that thing called love.

Dostoevsky vs. Poe vs. Hopkins vs. Shakespear

Dostoevsky: Old, bitter, hopeless and lost, pessemistic, and plotting.
Poe: Thoughful, depressed, intellectual, demented, lost in a strange dark place.
Shakespear: Comedic, loving, ironic (in a sad kind of way), centuries old! but still relative.
Hopkins: Modern, teenager, struggling with a double side, addicted, trying to escape.

All these books have a great meaning to me. I didn't notice the relations until this morning when i finished reading crank, it made me reflect on my life. Crank is about a girl naed Kristinawho is trapped inside of her almost evil side that comes out whenever she does crystal meth. It shows how right after the awful (or great for her) first experience immediatly changed her. As if she instintly knew she was a different person. When she turned her back on her morals and decided to run free. (Which is basically what everyone is trying to acomplish, with the drugs possibly) It made me think back to a time when i lost or defined my innocence, and how immediatly my way of thinking went from hopeful little kid to angry teen Usually people think something terrible some awful suffering, twists and turns your mind into a swirl of thoughts. I guess people question god.
Bringing me to my next point.Philosophers always question god morals beliefs all the good stuff. well im ust trying to say philosophers are really intellectual people man. we all have a little philosopher in us if you think about it.
When someone goes through serious suffering they begin to think. it made me reflect not to be so pessemistic with adults because they were just like me till they hit the wall just as i am doing at the moment.
I chose these books out of few interests and keywords to understand my friends, there issues, why they suddenly seem so distant and far away. reading poe and dostoevsky made me realize we are all in the same fishbowl here, but i realized it even more when i read crank. seeing how it can happen to even a straight a student. the shame something so enlightening and so double sidedly evil can bring.
i hate thinking abpout how i will be in the future with all the negative choices i am currently making. it pains me to see youngs throw their future away while all the while i am not realizing to see my own. we always say oh i will be better oh im going to do this to do that. yet we always refall we always die out fade out thinking there is no tomorrow to just live it up. but what is the right way to live?
"NEVER PUT ANY HOPE IN TOMORROW, TAKE TODAY AND SIEZE THE DAY"

edgar allen poe

i really like really his stuff because it has a lot of gory things to read about like when the cat claws his eye out and i love how he isnt afraid of writing the worst or the saddest stories i like when the wine taster dude is having an affair with the fat guys wife and he goes crazy and puts them in the wall but his concious ruins him because the cat makes him go nuts . i like how that relates to life i mean if you have a fat wife you should be glad you have what you have and not thinking you can just live your life as a youngster and it shows how people who are just trying to be happy get caught up in problems like as if people do not want them to succeed which is basiclly what we always think. people are trying to SABOTAGE us hahah and i think we should just pay attention to these type of books because they can show us how self destructed we can make ourselves.

the big book of heavy metal

im reading this book on the history of every type of metal its actually and encyclepedia its a good book especially with the intentions of making other people understand a genre that seems to scare old ladies into churches. it may not have opinions i always want to hear but it has really good information about the fashion the history the music the followers, blah blah the works. i really like the book because it made me discover the old bands i used to be into and the ones that kind of faded away like sweet and yes. plus it helped me discover old bands i never heard of i encountered many chick bands and it inspired me in a lot of ways plus ive been listening to them alot more. i found the book while i was cleaning my room it was actually my brothers when he was like thirteen or fourteen which is pretty funny with the whole idea about history repeating itself.

OUR GRAND OPENING

WE WILL BE HAVING A GRAND OPENING AT THE LINCOLN HEIGHTS COMMUNITY ART GALLERY ON SATURDAY JAN. 31ST IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE ARE ON THE CORNER OF WORKMAN AND BROADWAY
WE WILL BE HAVING:

• LIVE ART
• FREE THINGS FOR KIDS??
• FOOD FOR SALE
• MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FUTURE CLASSES AND EVENTS

thank youuu :D

reeeeeeeeeed

well im reading edgar allen poe and it is honestly very hard for me to just sit down and read. usually ill be doing nothing and somebody has a really good book title so i look at it and start reading it. recently i saw a book called this i believe and its basiclly just a bunch of people's essays bunched together in a book about positive thinking. i stopped doing my work and class and read that the whole period. my book is really cool but i get inpatient with reading. and i like his poems a lot "]