A blog dedicated to the most beautiful, incredible, amazing, perfect person I know....Alaina.

     If I ever had to argue with someone on whether or not there is such thing as perfection, I would win without a doubt. If I ever had to argue with someone about whether or not there is such thing as an incredible friend, I would win. If I ever had to argue with someone on whether or not the sweetest person in the world exists, I would win that there was. All I had to do was mention one name...and that name is...Alaina.
     Now, I probably sound crazy or obsessed, but the moment you meet Alaina you can't help but just fall in love with her. She is such an incredible friend. If I never need someone to turn to, I know I can turn to her. She helps me think of things in class that otherwise I would have never thought of! She's such a positive contribution to the classroom and to my life! In the morning, when i'm half-dying and not looking forward to the day ahead, Alaina makes it so much more bearable. She always puts a smile on my face. And HER smile just lights up.
      Billy, Casey and I depend on her so much. She is the rock that keeps us up. She SAVES us. American Literature without Alaina? I would feel like there was an emptiness in my soul. Whenever she is absent, the class doesnt feel complete. But alas, we know she's doing something crazy like delivering a baby, so its all okay.
     Now that Alaina is in my life, I can't imagine a life without her. Our laughs, Harry Potter Jokes, sweet comments, everything. It means so much to me. Alaina, you are a real best friend. I love you(: <3

Plow

I try to be different
I try to be me
But its never been easy
Being a teen in society
Wear this and wear that, who knows what to do
Watch everything you say
It can come back to haunt you
I don't wear the lastest fashions
I don't spend billions when I shop
I may not know everyone
I'm not on the social mountaintop
The crazy party last night?
Sounds like fun, I can see!
But losing control?
Nah, thats not my cup of tea
I like giving my opinion
It can be social suicide today
I'm sorry I let my imagination go wild
It sometimes runs away
Who decided what to look like?
How to talk and what to wear?
The sad thing is though
That deep down we all really care
We want to fit in, you as well as I
But what are we fitting in to?
Is it something concrete? Or is it just a lie?
I know who I am
You know who you are
With a little self-confidence
We can both go far
We only have one life to live
But the question is how?
Don't be a follower...
YOU be the plow.

There's Modern Slavery? What?

       Slavery is a system in which people are the property of others. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation.  In some societies it was legal for an owner to kill a slave. In others it was a crime to kill a slave.
        The number of slaves today remains as high as 12 to 27 million,  though this is probably the smallest proportion of the world's population in history. Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia,  who are under debt bondage to lenders, sometimes even for generations. Human Trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children into sex industries. It is the fastest growing criminal industry and is predicted to eventually outgrow drug trafficking.

        The slave trade in Africa was officially banned in the early 1880s, but forced labor continues to be practiced in West and Central Africa today. UNICEF estimates that 200,000 children from this region are sold into slavery each year. Many of these children are from Benin and Togo, and are sold into the domestic, agricultural, and sex industries of wealthier, neighboring countries such as Nigeria and Gabon.
   This is just one example of slavery today. Though we may not give it much attention, its happening. To be honest, before this blog, I had really given modern slavery a second thought. I knew that it was happening, but i didn't know it was this severe. There are kids being mutilated in Sudan so that they don't run away. Making carpets in India for little to no pay. People are being shackled together. Many AMERICANS think that slavery was abolished when the Emancipation Proclamation came around, but the scary truth is that the horrors of slavery still flourishes today.

What Happens in the Classroom...Stays in the Classroom?

class·room

[klas-room, -room, klahs-]

–noun

1.

a room, as in a school or college, in which classes are held.

2.

any place where one learns or gains experience.

 

     The Classroom, I spend about...7.5 or 8 hours in a classroom. Class Discussions, taking tests, quizzes, etc. To be completely honest, I don't even mind being in a classroom! I love listening to what other people have to say and I love learning. There are so many things in the world that we have yet to even think about, and the classroom helps us think about that.

     Along with classwork there comes **queue the horror music** the homework. Oh the Homework. The crazy **or sometimes invisible** amount of outside classroom work that takes over what I like to call my social life. Now, don't get me wrong, sometimes I enjoy doing homework. There's a feeling of success and pride when you finish a 15 step proof or complete a science fair paper. Homework is necessary, though many of my peers would challenge me on that. Homework is here to reinforce what we've learned and prove that we understand it...but what if we don't?

      I think that teacher should set aside maybe once or twice a weeks to spend fifteen minutes or so doing homework IN class. If a student doesn't completely grasp a concept, then goes off and does the homework, then they're just reinforcing the wrong things. If time is set aside to do homework in class and thoroughly go over homework, I think people will understand the ideas better. And plus, if you understand a concept, isn't it so much better doing the homework because you ACTUALLY know what you're doing?

     Also, I think that every once in a while, taking a break from the typical classroom surrounding will benefit the students. If you look at the definition (above) you will notice that a classroom is ANY PLACE where one learns or gains experience. Teenagers get tired and bored easily, especially of the same things all the time. If teachers maybe tried to spice up class a bit, take us to another classroom, the tech center, ANYWHERE, it will keep us interested.

     I have a bittersweet relationship with the classroom. But then again, can I really blame the classROOM on what I think is wrong or should be change...or should I blame the class itself?

 

Uh...Thanks Puritans?

Ahh the Puritans. They lived quite a lifestyle, didn’t they?  And they made sure that their lifestyle was passed down from generation to generation. Children were born at nearly twice the rate in Maryland and Virginia than in the Southern Colonies. It is often said that New England invented grandparents, for it was here that people in great numbers first grew old enough to see their children bear children. Everyone wanted to have boys. Boys, Boys, Boys.  It was believed that women who were pregnant with a male child had a rosy complexion and that women carrying a female child were pale. Names of women found in census reports of Massachusetts Bay include Patience, Silence, Fear, Prudence, Comfort, Hopestill, and Be Fruitful. I would not be able to live with a name like “Be Fruitful.”

For their wonderful children, they wanted the best education.  The puritans are said to have started the first American Public Schools. Now, going to a public school now, I have respect for that. They promoted education and believed that everyone has the right to an education.  The Puritans also formed the First American College. Guess what that was? Harvard. Now THAT’S an impact on society. Harvard is one of the most prestigious Universities and people work their whole lives just to get in.

I can’t imagine being a child growing up in Puritan society. There would be no room for fun or games. Any show of emotion, such as excitement, fear, or anger, was discouraged, and disobedience was severely punished, especially for boys.  In many cultures now, its frowned upon when boys show emotion, for it shows weakness.  Boys were allowed to go out and become carpenters or hunt and just be open in the world. Girls on the other hand, had to stay at home, cooking, cleaning, you know, the “women’s work.” Now, if you were to refer to that as women’s work, you’d get a slap right across the face.  Some “macho men” think that it’s still the “women’s work,” but hey, times have changed. Thank GOODNES.

So, the Puritans. They lived a harsh lifestyle. And a lot of their lifestyle has either withered away or developed in something not as intense. As a teenager and a student, I can’t really say I’m ENTIRELY thankful for the existence of school. But to the Puritans, Thank you. Now I at least have the OPPORTUNITY to have an education(:

The Moment I knew I was an American...

    America. The country of opportunity. The country of hopes and dreams. The country of equality. But what makes an American?

  This week, we were asked to write about when we knew we were an American. I never really gave a second thought about this. Ever since I was little, I considered myself an American. Now, let me clear some things up. I wasn't BORN in the United States. I was born in Panama, the home country of my mother. When we came to the United States with my father (who was born here) I was just a couple of months old. The United States is my home, yet to some people, I am still an Immigrant. I was born with automatic American Citizenship because my father was born here.

 I've had incidents with people who consider my mom and me of "lesser" standard, because we weren't born here. One case in particular always stands out in my mind. When I was a little girl, my mom would walk me to school every day. While we were walking, there would always be a man standing near a corner and every day he would say things to us. They weren't nice things. He would tell my mom to go back to her country and to take me with her. He would say that America doesn't want us and we're corrupting the pure blood of "American Society." My mom would always walk right past him, holding my hand, not giving the man a second glance.
 
 One day, I asked my mom what the man meant and why didn't it hurt her. She looked at me and said, "America is my country. And it is your country as well. There is no such thing as "Pure Blood" because America is about diversity. That's what makes this country beautiful. Don't let anybody tell you that you are lesser than them. We all came here for the same reason; equality."

I guess you could say that from that moment, there was no doubt I was an American. But the real question is; What IS an American? And what makes one person more American than the next?

Us vs Them? Us and Them? Us? Them?

    Individuality. Everyone posses it but not everyone is comfortable with expressing it. Society nowadays has gotten more accepting of differences, however, there will never be complete acceptance. People try too hard to fit into the "norm" but what is the "norm?" Being a teenager is no easy task. There's always the question of whether or not to do "this" or "that." The reprecussions and social damage that can precede a choice would bring any teenager into a state of complete panic. So, in an attempt to avoid harassment or dissaproving thoughts/looks, many of us just follow the crowd. Listen to what our friends listen to, wear whats "popular", talk the way we're "supposed" to talk, act the way we're "supposed to act" etc. What happens when we get too sucked into that molded persona though?

 

    On the other hand, people take it to extremes, completely boycotting pop culture all together. Now, I'm not saying this is right either. Life is all about balance. Life is about knowing when to stick with your beliefs and accept the beliefs of others. Once people start being able to live a life of balance, there will no longer be a "Us vs. Them" or an "Us and Them" it will be....Us WITH Them.