My Sepcial Belongings

Imagining that I had to chose one thing to bring with me, I simply feel sad. However, in a situation that I really have to make a quick choice, here are my top 3 choices. First, I would bring memories. I would bring a big hard drive, with all the pictures and videos of my family. Second of all, I would bring my passport. Third of all, I would bring money. Though is which I do not have alot of, but I would still bring it along with me, at least it can last me for several weeks or months if I try. If (in imagination) I was in a situation where I had to leave home. I would definitely agonize over it. I would double over in sorrow. I would burst into tears. I really can not imagine leaving our house. What would I miss most about home? I would miss the fact that it is a home. Not just a house, but home. Home, where everything is right. Home, where everything is perfect. Home, where the life is, the love is, the happiness is.

Melodic Theme- Themes in Lyrics

Love story- Taylor swift.

" We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes
And the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air

See the lights
See the party, the ball gowns
I see you make your way through the crowd
And say hello, little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
But you were everything to me
I was begging you please don't go and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes
Oh oh

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said

Marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say yes

Oh, oh, oh, oh
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you "

First of all, the subject of the song is "Love," which is stated in the title. The theme of the song "Love story" by Taylor Swift is that "Never lose faith in love", "Love conquers all," and "Love that are meant to be will always find a way."

Song about War: "The Torn Intestines of Miarai Hill"

The song I chose is set during the 6.25 Korean War, when the North Koreans invaded South Korea in 1950, after WWII had ended. One of the songs about the Korean War is "The Torn Intestines of Miari Hill." The meaning of the title is that the events happening in the song is so tragic and loatheful that you feel your intestines are torn apart, like your heart. The song is about a yourng man taken as a hostage of the South and he is being dragged to the North over the Miari hill. As the young one was running away, but lost in the mist of smoke from the gunpowder. Suddenly, chains painfully snaked and tightened around his wrists. He was being dragged by the North Koreans, taken as a hostage. He limped and limped on barefeet. He kept whipping his head around in search for help. The young hostage falls asleep while thinking about his father. During the winter, when the strong wind and snow from the North blows, what pain the young hostage must be in. Nothing more is wished other than the young hostage to return. How hateful and loathful is the Miarai Hill.

The song goes like this (translation):

The hill you were crossing, the hill of farewell,
Lost in a mist of gunpowder smoke,
Couldn't see anything but a haze,
The one had chains painfully tightened around his wrists,
His head kept whipping, whipping back in panic,
Limping painfully on barefeet,
The hill, the one was dragged across,
The abysmal, loatheful hill of anathema.

Lost in thoughts of his father,
The young one falls asleep,
During the winter, the endless nights,
When the strong wind and snow vehemently, violently blows,
How dreadful the life in prison must be!
Even after decades past, even after centuries past by, please just return, nothing more is wished,
The hill that was crossed with tears and pain,
The abysmal, loatheful hill of anathema.

Duty or Friendship? pg. 261

Is duty more important or friendship? Which is worse, betraying one's duty or one's friend? Personally, I think betraying one's duty is worse. Of course, if one's duty is house chores, yes, without another word, betraying one's friend is worse. However, what if the duty is a important top secret mission duty, for example, going to an enemy's department and figuring out secrets? Or setting a time bomb in an enemy's building? In those cases, you work with a massive group of people to plan those conspiracies. Is it better to betray the duty now? No. What if the enemies suddenly get more angry and kill you? What if the people that you once worked with, are angry you betrayed your duty and betrayed them, and start revenging on you? Would that be more important, than spilling your friend's secret of how she peed her pants when she was in second grade? No. If you betrayed your friend, yes, it hurts. You feel immense gush of remorse. However, you can always apologize, you can explain, that you couldnt betray your duty. Though it does not mean she would definitely forgive you, but at least both of you guys are alive.

Under Pressure pg. 261

What qualities enable people to perform well when facing heart-pounding fear or stress? Think about your own experiences or those of someone you know, as well as in news stories or fiction you've read. Then, jot down your thoughts about people taking action when the stakes are high.

Qualities that enable people to perform well when facing heart pounding fear or stress is eagerness and determination to get things right. If you are more focused and determined to accomplish something, you usual accomplish it with a great deal of determination and endeavors. As for my experiences, it is sports. At the last few minutes of game left, I would focus more and be most determined and endeavor to win the game. However, it does not work the same way in academics for me. Also, one of my classmates is very competetive, so she must also work well under extreme pressure. She stated once that she would only work under pressure and stress. In those typical fantasy fictions I read, those angels and vampires and faeries fight their battles against dark forces better when they are in desperate situations, which they are under pressure. As back to me, I do not work better under pressure. Like I stated above, in academics, like presenting presentations, or giving speeches, I do not perform better under pressure, it is quite the opposite, I do worse. So for me, I have to manage my time well, and be relax, to perform well.

Vengeance

Vengeance means the desire for revenge.

Quickwrite: Poe was a master at writing stories of revenge. What experiences could lead someone to seek revenge? How could an obession with vengeance lead to tragedy? Include examples from stories or movies.

Experiences that lead someone to seek revenge? Misunderstandings can lead someone to seek revenge, along with injustice, unfairness, and mistreatement. Obessions with vengeance lead to tragedy because one may die from revenge, which is a tragedy, sacrificing oneself in order to revenge. There are many motives behind revenges. For example, there are murder, mistreatements (rebels), even for love, and many other kinds. An example is from the story, "The Trapper Trapped" a African traditional fable, retold byRoger Abrahams. In this story, the Goat and the Fox are enemies, and their quarrels are endless. The Goat had met a Leopard. The Leopard was seraching for medicine to cure its cub. The Goat set up a trap for Fox, which he told the Leopard that the Fox has the medicine. However, the Fox had revenged and set up the trap for the Goat, which he said the medicine requires Goat horn, and at last, the Goat was killed by the Leopard for his horn. The moral of the story is "Beware, lest you fall into the trap you set for someone else." Thought the moral is about not falling in a trap, this story is a perfect example for the quickwrite. These two animals seek revenge because they just couldnt get along and had hatred in both of their hearts. Also, this obsesssion with vengeance led to tragedy because the Goat had died, due to the desire for revenge.

The Grass is always greener on the other side: Impossible

The quickwrite says:"All of us, at some point in our lives, we have felt that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, which means we have envied other peoples' lives. We believe that having what someone else has will make us happy, until we experience the unexpected negative results of envy. Jot down your feeling about envy. Have you ever seen or felt its negative effects?"

Seriously, Quickwrite? Seriously? Are you sure? Are you a 100% sure that all of "us" had envied other peoples' lives? You are so hilarious. I, have never been jealous of other peoples' lives. Sure, I've envied that other kids got more lollipops than I did. However, I admit, I am spoiled. There is nothing for me to be jealous of. I have everything I need. A perfect family, the best warm and cozy house, my own room, a laptop, mp3, and a endless list of things i have, and had had. I have everything. I would never, ever wish I had someone else's life. If I had to chose which person's life I had to live, I would rather choose death. There would be no point in living if I lived someone else's life. I mean, well I dont have striaght A++, and I am not 180 cm, but those are what keeps me going! If everything was absolutely perfect, then what's the point of living? Those tiny, minor imperfections, are what I need to work on. I need to get the highest grades and grow very tall, and feel the wonder of living! I would never, ever, ever, in my whole entire life, wish I had someone else's life. My life, is perfect, with the minor imperfections that could become perfect with my endeavors.

I'm sorry, I am very mad at the quickwrite for asking such an impruedent and idiotic question and stating that all of "us" had been jealous and envious of others, and wishing "We" had other people's lives. (Which I never ever ever had or will wish.)

Quickwrite: Helen on 86th street

Everyone has hopes and dreams. In my opinion, though, hopes are just minor, umimportant things. Hopes have 50 and 50 percent of coming true. I count on hopes alot, I hope all the time something comes true, but usually, hopes are not as important as dreams. Dreams, no, actually, the dream I have is the most important one in my life. Hopes are nothing compared to the one and only dream I have. My dream, is to become a CEO of the world's number one electronic company, just like Steve Jobs. Going back to topics of minor hopes and wishes, the quickwrite commands to talk about when we have to accept a loss. What do we do? We do nothing. We just simly accept and learn more. Perhaps the lesson we learn, is to not get your hopes up. What do we do when we are disappointed in love or friendship? We just overcome it, as one person becomes more mature and puts themselves in the other person's shoes. I have had many hopes, getting straight A+s, growing taller, but what is the use? Remember the phemnomenom of the famous quote that keeps floating in to the ear: " No pain, No gain." Hopes are good. However, if no attempts to reach, the goal, the hope is going to get crushed. So in conclusion, hopes are useless things, the main thing to focus on, is the one and only, most important DREAM.

Tough- Thank You, M'am (pg.108) Quickwrite

These tough people have something special that others don’t have, that pushes them forward, and that is faith. Their faith in achieving, accomplishing their goal at the end keeps them going and not giving up. They turn out to be good because they never once lost their faith. Disregarding the obstacles and failures, instead of just giving up, the tough people keeps going and believing till the very end. The others go wrong, because they get discouraged by the obstacles and hardships, failures they encounter. They just stop in the middle of their attempt of reaching their goals, and give up. While the toughest people keep moving forward.

I have been discouraged a lot of times by the hardships, failures and obstacles. I had given up, but not entirely. Recently, I have found my faith again, my goal, and my destiny, and I am very determined to be the toughest person, where I don’t get knocked down by little obstacles and failures, and never give up, and keep moving forward, toward my goal. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Pg. 62 A Christmas Memory Quickwrite

Friends do give each other love, and warmth, and care, and a shoulder to cry on. Friendships form in may different ways and situations. They may form after long periods of time. They may also form in short periods of time. Sometimes, you meet a new friend, and in the matter of days, you feel like you have known each other forever. Friendships are usually formed quickly when two people have the same interest or situation. For example, I've met many friends from clubs. Also, in situations, i've met many others. For example, you are a transfer student, and then, strong friendships forms between you and the other new transfer students. I've never really had that situation where i transfer and become friends with the other new students. I was usually with the old students. However, this summer, in the G20 Oversea students summer camp, i've formed strong friendships with many people. It is because we all grew up in similar situations, so friendships are more easily formed. These friendships would last long because nowadays there are social networking websites like facebook. There are many possible answers to why some friendships last while others dont. Some friendships last because maybe the two friends are very close, like they feel like they have known each other forever. Also, if they see each other often, then the friendship might last long. Some other friendships that do not last long may be caused by long distance relationships, even though there are social networking sites. Also, the friends maybe just formed in a short time, only got to know each others' names and nothing else. However, no matter what is the obstacle, friendship is extremely important in one's life. A person needs a friend. Without friends, it is like without air and water. Everyone can not be alone in life. They need someone to hold on to, someone to be held by, a should to cry on. Like the poem "The World is not a pleasant place to be" by Nikki Giovanni.

Test: Essay: Constructed Response (#25)

On a seperate sheetof paper, retell the important events of "The Most Dangerous Game," in order in which the stry shows them. Include events that are important to the plot. Leave out details that are not important to the plot.

Rainsford, a skilled and experienced hunter, was sailing off to hunt in Rio. However, on the dark night, he hears gunshots 3 times. To get a better look, he stepped upon the rail, but his pipe was knocked from his mouth. Rainsford then lunged for his pipe, unfortunately lost his balanced and fell into the bloodwarm water. He swam toward where the gunshots were from, during his swim, he heard more pistol shots and a blood-hurdling scream. When he arrived upon the island, he found pistols on the ground, then he saw lights and ran towards it.  The first person he meets was Ivan, and the General appeared soon after. The general, named Zaroff introduces himself and Ivan as Crossaks, simple but a bit of an savage. The general then explains the most dangerous game to Rainsford and threatens him, if not join the hunt, Ivan would kill him. The only way for Rainsford to survive was to be not found by the general for 3 days. One the first night, Rainsford setted up confusing trails for the general to follow, but the general easily found him. However, the general didnt seem to discover him because he wanted to kill him on the last day. Then, Rainsford set up a Malay man catcher and injured the general's arm. The next day, when the general came back to look for him, he brought one of his best dogs. Rainsford, in response, built an Bermise tiger pit and killed the fierce dog. On the last day, the general brought the whole pack of dogs and Ivan along. Lastly, Rainsford set up another trap he learned while hunting with natives, and killed Ivan, when he meant to kill the general. Then, Rainsford escaped by running. At night, the general was alone in his bedroom, when suddenly, Rainsford took him by surprise. The most dangerous game continued, and Rainsford never slept in a better bed because, at last, he has won. He has killed General Zaroff and won the "Most Dangerous Game."

Villain

Currently, I am reading a book called "the rules of survival," in the book, there is of course, a villain. However, this villain is a very special one. It is the character's own mother. In his case, his own mother is a evil, evil villain. The main character, Matt's mother is sort of not good at self control and very unusal. Matt's mother would sometimes be dangerous, but also caring. His mother would just leave him and his sisters home alone and come home late. Sometimes she tries to care for the kids, like preparing dinner or talking to them. However, most of the times she screams, yells at the kids. Matt remembers clearly when he was small, his mother threatened him with a knife to this throat because he stole some snacks. Also, her fun means dangerous. She once dangled the youngest daughter over a cliff, grabbing only by the ankle. She is a very unusal person, and somehow seems out of her mind. However, she does seem to facinate me because she is very unpredictable. She would be caring and nice, and the next minute she would be throwing things at the wall and on the floor. She also seems to have power over her kids even though she treats them harshly and rarely cares for them. I am probably fancinated by her power of making others fear her. It is an interesting power, since in the previous history class, we learned that in machivelli's book, "The prince," which was about how a ruler should act and behave and he said that "a ruler is better to be feared than loved." "The Prince" reminded me of the mother in "the rules of survival," the true villain.

Unknown                                                Describing the feelings

- New afterschool class                         - Excitement, afraid, nervousness, annoyed, stress
- New camp                                           - Fear, excitement, anxiousness, contentment, high expectations
- Getting a present                                  - Happiness, excitement, nervous, giddy, escasy
- Highschool                                          - Nervousness, anxiety, pressure, stress, excitement
- Transfering schools                             - uneasyness, uncertainty, jitters, trepidation, tension
- Visiting a new place                            - ebullience, zealousness, enthusiastic, eager, hyper.
- A new book/ movie                             - Interest, focused, passionate, worry, anxiety.
- Fishing                                                 - Hopeful, zealous, ebullience, merry, optimistic.
- Meeting new people                             - Anxiousness, sanguine, eagerness, concerned, twitchy
- Test scores                                           - Distrubed, annoyed, agitated, optimistic, zealous.