The Value of Life

I would to focus on understanding key vocabulary, questioning and annotating the text, and structuring the text. I want to acquire the ability to use vocabulary in right form and text. I also want to be able to analyze the text enough to have amazing questions and theories. And lastly I want to learn different structures of texts, why they are used and how to use them.

Freedom of Choice

Having freedom is always a positive thing. Sure sometimes having too much freedom can lead to irresponsible actions, but for the most part I love having the freedom to do anything, the freedom to choose. I am good at handling my own freedom, but I know many people who shouldn't have the freedom. Some people make really bad choices, which can sometimes be okay in the long run because you learn from mistakes, but there is also that case of immaturity. By this I mean the people who choose to kill themselves off with drug and alcohol abuse. They had to much freedom and they chose a terrible path. Having any type of freedom can be dangerous, because there is no one there to stop you from doing wrong, but there is also no one there to stop you from doing right. Which is why freedom of choice is both good and bad.

Declaration of Learning Independence

I will learn to think, predict, evaluate and analyze situations by taking this class. I will learn to utilize technology to help me pursue my goals and not set me back. I will be able to share things with not only my class, but with people all over the world. I am taking advantage of my education, and I am loving it so far.

Netvibes

Netvibes makes it easier to see all of my blogs, tweet and facebook posts, but with everything going on it's almost distracting. I like the idea, but I don't know that I will like using it. It almost gives me a feeling of anxiety seeing such a lively dashboard. The setup is a little confusing and overwhelming, and I will definitely need time to adjust to the crazy dashboard I have created.

No Child Left Untableted

I believe that using technology in school classrooms has both positive and negative outcomes, but I think if teachers are trained from the beginning then there can only be positive outcomes. Most teachers are having to learn a whole new way of teaching half way through a school year, but if we as a country start to evolve our ways of teaching at an earlier stage, then we won't have these problems. Start training our teachers now to use the new forms of technology offered. I don't see any negative outcomes to using technology to teach. Sure the old fashioned white board and two hundred pound textbooks are nice, but eventually those things will be outdated. As technology grows, so should our way of using it.

Nonfiction Analysis "A Million Little Pieces" By James Frey

Topics and Events

1. My book is about the struggle to overcome drug and alcohol addictions. It's about falling in love in strange places, going through rehabilitation and staying strong for yourself and others. James gets checked into rehab after finally scaring his parents into realizing that he needs help. He is forced to get multiple root canals, without any anesthesia because he may have a negative to reaction to the excessive use of drugs. He uses tennis balls to help him cope with the pain. He would use them by digging his nails into them and squeezing as hard as he could. Despite the strict rules about talking and communicating with other females, he falls in love with a woman drug abuser. He eventually recovers and is released from the rehabilitation center, James never relapses. 
2. I believe my author chose to write about this part of his life to share what a struggle it is to keep from relapsing. To show off his strength and prove that it is possible to overcome addictions if you want to, and if you have help.
3. I chose this book for multiple reasons. One reason was because I had been recommended to read it by different friends who had already read it and enjoyed it. I also chose this book because after reading the first couple of pages I was hooked to it. James Frey starts his book off with a little bit of a mystery by saying "I have a hole in my cheek, my nose is broken and my eyes are swollen nearly shut." I immediately felt almost obligated to find out what was going on. My prediction of him having been in some sort of accident was wrong. He was addicted to drugs and that was such a plot twist I had to continue reading this mans story. 
4. I found this book very realistic. I have some family member who have tried to overcome drug addiction and I have witnessed some of the same struggles Frey went through. 

People

1. I find it interesting that the author always found everyone so ugly and almost not worthy of speaking to. He was always very negative when dealing with anyone, except the woman he ends up falling in love with. He makes her out to be very beautiful and perfect, but I think she was perfect and beautiful for him, not for anyone else. I think he liked her because he was kept in the clinic for so long and he was just searching for something to love. I think this action says a lot about the author. He wasn't happy and didn't feel loved, and once he felt he had it, he was able to recover from his use of drugs and alcohol. 
2. Lilly is a fragile, petite woman whose mother sold her into prostitution and that's how she becomes addicted to drugs. Lilly and James end up falling in love and when Lilly is about to relapse James is there to help her. Lilly is James's inspiration to get better, to recover and I find that very enchanting on Lilly's part. She was just sincere with James. Lilly is very unloved until James, they save each other.                                                                                                                                                               Another character I found interesting is Leonard. I did a little research on Leonard and I didn't even     know he was a mafia boss. The book never mentions that, and if I were the author, I would mention   that. He doesn't really fit the gangster image to me though, he would wear flashy clothes and was         always trying to brighten the mood at the clinic. Leonard was one of the other people who kept James from leaving the clinic. Leonard is father figure to James. Leonard eventually dies from AIDS and he   never relapsed. 
3. These characters are both interesting to write about because they both play a huge part in Frey's life. They both give him reasons to stay at the clinic to get better. 

Style

1. James uses a lot symbolism. He talks about not being able to look himself in his eyes because eyes tell a lot of things about a person. After a couple of weeks, he is finally able to look himself in the eyes and this is a big deal for James. 
2. James focuses more on dialogue which gives the book a more realistic point of view. You get to here his thoughts and the conversations he had. This style of writing, is one of my favorites styles. 
3. James uses pathos, appeal to emotion, very often. He uses it to get you emotionally attached to himself and it has you wanting him to recover, it gets you cheering for him to do better. 
4. I think the authors attitude was negative, he wrote the book as if it were occurring as you read it. He made you feel like it was happening to him as you read it. Like he was currently struggling, but by the end the tone gets more positive and you feel almost relieved that he doesn't relapse. It's as if you are fighting the addiction with Frey.

          

Vocabulary Fall #1

Expository:
Setting forth of meaning or intent; Intending to explain.


Composition:
The nature of something's ingredients. The way a whole mixture is made up.

assuage:

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

decadence:
moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.

hackneyed:
(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite
coalition:
an alliance for combined action, esp. a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.


transcend:be or go beyond the range or limits of (something abstract, typically a conceptual field or division).

meritorious:
Deserving reward or praise

lurid:
Colorful


petulant:
(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

Vocab #4

accede:

assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty.

 brandish:

wave or flourish (something, esp. a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement

 comprise:

an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.

 deft:

neatly skillful and quick in one's movements.

 destitute:

without the basic necessities of life.

 explicit:

stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.

"the speaker's intentions were not made explicit"

 extirpate:

root out and destroy completely.

"the use of every legal measure to extirpate this horrible evil from the land"

 inopportune:

occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time.

"a storm blew up at an inopportune moment"

 ironic:
using or characterized by irony

"The fact that she made a pie on national pie day, is very ironic."

 musty:

having a stale, moldy, or damp smell.

 officious:

assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, esp. with regard to petty or trivial matters.

 ominous:

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious.

 pinnacle:

a high, pointed piece of rock.

 premeditated:

think out or plan (an action, esp. a crime) beforehand.

 rampant:

(esp. of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading unchecked

 solace:

comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.

 stately:

having a dignified, unhurried, and grand manner; majestic in manner and appearance

 supple:

bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible.

 suppress:

forcibly put an end to.

 venal:

showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery.

Will Study For Food

I found this scholarship offering $500, all you have to do is fill in the required information(name, email, phone number, etc.) and share your link with friends. Every time a person clicks on the link you are being entered into the scholarship contest again. It's a simple scholarship and revolves around the internet which is exactly what our class is all about. I would use the 500 dollars for my books. 500 dollars doesn't seem like much, but it can make a huge difference! If you'd like to help me with my linking up so I can be entered into the contest multiple times, here is my link; http://www.collegemapper.com/scholarship?refer=1f33ab912399de3201278206d2a42049

Vocab #3

accomplice:
a person who helps another commit a crime. 

annihilate: 
destroy

arbitrary:
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. brazen:
 
 catalyst:a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself 

exodus:
 a mass departure of people, esp. emigrants.

facilitate:
 make (an action or process) easy or easier.

incorrigible:  (of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed.

latent:
 (of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden; concealed.

 militant:   
combative and aggressive in support of a political or social cause, and typically favoring extreme, violent, or confrontational methods.

"a militant nationalist"

morose:
 sullen and ill-tempered.

 opaque:
 not able to be seen through; not transparent.

 paramount:
 more important than anything else; supreme.

 prattle:
  talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.

"she began to prattle on about her visit to the dentist"

 rebut:
 claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false.

 reprimand:
 a rebuke, esp. an official one.

 servitude:
 the state of being a slave or completely subject to someone more powerful.

 slapdash:
 done too hurriedly and carelessly.

 stagnant:
 (of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence.

succumb: 
 fail to resist (pressure, temptation, or some other negative force).