Monday, November 30, 2009
Christmas Songs
I absolute love Christmas. It is my favorite Holiday, and I am so glad that it's finally Christmas season. One of the best parts of the Holidays is listening to Christmas songs. They are so pleasant and are so fun. Personally, my favorite Christmas songs are usually the slower ones. I love listening to great singers sing such beautiful songs. My very favorite is "O Holy Night". I always get chills when I hear this song, not only because of the lyrics, but also because of the notes that one needs to hit while singing this song. It's incredible. Another one of my favorites is "Christmas Shoes" because it tells such a sad story. It's about a boy who wants to buy shoes for his dying mother, but doesn't have enough money. I almost tear up every time I hear it. Whether it's "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer" or "Silent Night", Christmas carols always put a smile on my face, and warmth in my heart.
Black Friday vs. Boxing Day
Being a Canadian, I had never experienced Black Friday until I came to school in Memphis. Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year in America. It is the day after Thanksgiving, and the sales are unreal. Stores open at ridiculous hours of the morning, and people camp out overnight and crash the doors when the stores open. In Canada, we have the same thing, but instead it's called Boxing Day. Boxing Day takes place on the day after Christmas. It's interesting when these two holidays take place. Black Friday takes place when Christmas season officially starts, therefore you can find great deals to buy Christmas gifts, whereas Boxing Day takes place the day after Christmas, therefore you can spend all the money that you got for Christmas. Personally I like Boxing Day better because there is nothing more exciting than getting a bunch of gift cards and money for Christmas and knowing that you can go out the very next day and get great deals. I might just have this bias because I have experiance Boxing Day for my whole life. I now get the best of both worlds because I am in America on Black Friday, and go home for Christmas. What a delight.
Road Trip
For Thanksgiving, I went to Michigan with 3 of my roommates. The drive to Michigan takes about 11 hours, not including stops. For some reason, I've always loved road trips. Most people use them to sleep, and dread the time they have to spend in the car, but personally I really like them. Rarely do I sleep on road trips, I'd rather stay awake, keep others in the car company, listen to music, find new radio stations along the way, and observe the changing scenery. When someone says they are going to be in a car for 11 hours it is usually thought of as absurd, but it didn't even seem that long to me. When I was driving, everyone else was usually asleep. I find serenity in listening to calming music while driving down an empty highway, with a bunch of peaceful passengers in the car. I definitely can tell why so many songs talk about driving in a car and feeling serene (ex. Lost Highway by Bon Jovi, At Full Speed by Jack's Mannequin, Fast Car by Tracy Chapman etc.). So Although most people can't wait for the trip to be over, I quite enjoy the quality hours in the car on a road trip.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The end is Bittersweet
Last Friday, we lost out first round of NCAA's which ended our season. It still hasn't completely hit me yet. Our team went through so many struggles and triumphs this year, and to think that it's all over is surreal. We were all hoping to make it further in the tournament this year, so it was disappointing to make it to the same place that we have the last 2 years. Since August 4, I have played soccer every single day (even 3 times a day during preseason), so that fact that I will not have soccer until January is crazy. It's such a huge part of my life, and I feel like something is missing without it. Although I am sad, it is also a good thing because I have been missing a lot of class and now I have time to catch up and get ready for finals. I guess for a month I get to see what it's like to be a normal college student.
Remember the Titans
My all time favorite sports movie is definitely "Remember the Titans". I just recently watched it, and it reminded me of how much I love it. My team watched it on our way to the NCAA tournament, and we all felt motivated after watching it. This movie is awesome because it not only deals with the competition in sports, but also the problem of race. It is an underdog story, but not the typical one you usually see. It is so powerful because at the time this movie took place, race was a huge issue. These boys became teammates, and no longer cared about race. They all felt like a family, and therefore didn't even notice that race was an issue. I think I can really relate to this after being on the Memphis woman's soccer team. Our team is honestly like a family, and I could never imagine discriminating against anyone. We are all equals and I would stand up for any one of them in any situation. This movie reiterates the unity of team, and being on a team like that, I understand how phenomenal it is.
Red Cups at Starbucks
Every year I look forward to when the cups at Starbucks turn red. This sounds very silly, but it has a lot of meaning to me. Around Christmas time, Starbucks always change all their cups to red. I feel like this is the moment that I really realize that Christmas season is on its way. Every year, I go to Starbucks at the beginning of November in anticipation that the red cups will be out. Sometimes it takes me a couple visits, but when I go there and the red cups are out, I get ecstatic. I take this as my cue to start being in "Christmas mode". I usually start listening to Christmas music, think about Christmas shopping, and start making my Christmas list. Although it sounds dumb, its kind of like a reminder to me that Christmas is coming.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sonny’s Blues
1. Sonny’s Blues is told from the point of view of his older brother. He is a major character in the story, and writes in the first person. Because the narrator is a main character in the story, you really see the emotion and feelings that the characters have. Also, we feel towards Sunny the way that the narrator does. At the beginning of the story, we are confused and we don’t get why he chose drugs. You almost find yourself questioning Sunny just as much as the narrator is. By the end of the story, when the brother goes and listens to Sunny play, the reader also feels like he or she now understand Sunny and what he went through.
2. The oldest brother is a teacher. This suggests that he wants to help children, and guide them in the right direction. I think that this is directly related to his brother, and the fact that he was not able to guide him in the right direction. He feels because he lost his brother, he needs to try and help other young boys get their lives on track.
3. The story would be completely different if Sonny told it. We would not wonder about Sunny, but would know how he was feeling. It wouldn’t really be about the realization at the end of how music related to Sonny’s life, but would be more like an autobiography describing his drug addiction. We would not be left in suspense at all about his situation. Also, the brother would not have been a major part of this story, because the point of the story is Sonny and is drug addiction.
4. The narrator writes his brother when his daughter, Gracie, dies. I believe he feels that he lost someone in his family, and doesn’t want to lose someone who could be a part of his life. He writes him to try and reconnect with him and regain their relationship, and in a way, save him.
5. The narrator’s mother asks him to take care of Sonny, and look out for him. Initially, the narrator does not do this because he loses contact with him and lets him get lost in the world of drugs. Eventually, he does keep this promise but making an effort to try and get Sonny back on his feet and to understand and beat the addiction.
6. They are very happy names. They make me think of a perfect family who calls their parents Momma and Daddy, and a son that is bright and happy, named Sonny. I think these were chosen to juxtapose the actually situation. This family is from the perfect family, and Sonny is far from a bright and happy character. It shows the reader that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
7. The last four paragraphs to me were the most inspiring part of the whole story. Throughout the whole story, the brother didn’t understand music the way Sonny did. He couldn’t see the serenity, or meaning it brought to Sonny. While he is playing, the brother witnesses the struggles Sonny has been going through his whole life. His rises, falls, and complications all come out in the playing of his music. He goes through moments of happiness, stress, insecurity, and nervousness all in one set of music. It can be called the “Sonny Blue’s” because it is a story of his life, and all the misfortunes along with it. This music has become its own because by listening to it one can relate each part to a portion of his life.
A Worn Path
1. The point of view in this story is from a narrator that partially all knowing, and partially objective. The narrator can describe Phoenix’s hallucinations, but cannot see into any other characters. Also, the narrator is not a character in the story, but is just someone telling the story.
2. The old woman could be named Phoenix because a Phoenix is a bird in mythology. A fire will occur, and the old phoenix will reduce to ashes and a new phoenix will be born after the flame. This can parallel the relationship the old lady has with her grandson and how she feels about the circle of life.
3. The meshing of Phoenix’s hallucinations with real life helps create a more vivid picture of the Phoenix, and also give the reader the opportunity to use their own imagination to see what is real and what is make believe. It also makes the reader somewhat confused, just as the grandma is, and kind of puts the reader in the characters shoes and makes you feel the same way that she does.
4. The white people in the story believe that she is crazy. They are nice to her, but think that she is out of her mind. This may show the time it was taken place because black people were not respected. They are nice to her because she is old, but do not care about her of respect her the way they would a white woman.
5. She admires that the dog is fearless. It appears to be scared of no one. This tells the reader that courage is a quality that Phoenix greatly appreciates, and wishes she had this quality.
6. I believe that his has more meaning than just a vivid picture of the lady. I believe that the idea that she is in armor can reflect the fact that she closes herself off the other people, and does not let anyone into the real her. The way she is positioned may be paralleled to the fact that she has almost given up, or has been defeated. These two images gives a reader a better understanding Phoenix and who she really is.
Word Count: 969
1. Sonny’s Blues is told from the point of view of his older brother. He is a major character in the story, and writes in the first person. Because the narrator is a main character in the story, you really see the emotion and feelings that the characters have. Also, we feel towards Sunny the way that the narrator does. At the beginning of the story, we are confused and we don’t get why he chose drugs. You almost find yourself questioning Sunny just as much as the narrator is. By the end of the story, when the brother goes and listens to Sunny play, the reader also feels like he or she now understand Sunny and what he went through.
2. The oldest brother is a teacher. This suggests that he wants to help children, and guide them in the right direction. I think that this is directly related to his brother, and the fact that he was not able to guide him in the right direction. He feels because he lost his brother, he needs to try and help other young boys get their lives on track.
3. The story would be completely different if Sonny told it. We would not wonder about Sunny, but would know how he was feeling. It wouldn’t really be about the realization at the end of how music related to Sonny’s life, but would be more like an autobiography describing his drug addiction. We would not be left in suspense at all about his situation. Also, the brother would not have been a major part of this story, because the point of the story is Sonny and is drug addiction.
4. The narrator writes his brother when his daughter, Gracie, dies. I believe he feels that he lost someone in his family, and doesn’t want to lose someone who could be a part of his life. He writes him to try and reconnect with him and regain their relationship, and in a way, save him.
5. The narrator’s mother asks him to take care of Sonny, and look out for him. Initially, the narrator does not do this because he loses contact with him and lets him get lost in the world of drugs. Eventually, he does keep this promise but making an effort to try and get Sonny back on his feet and to understand and beat the addiction.
6. They are very happy names. They make me think of a perfect family who calls their parents Momma and Daddy, and a son that is bright and happy, named Sonny. I think these were chosen to juxtapose the actually situation. This family is from the perfect family, and Sonny is far from a bright and happy character. It shows the reader that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
7. The last four paragraphs to me were the most inspiring part of the whole story. Throughout the whole story, the brother didn’t understand music the way Sonny did. He couldn’t see the serenity, or meaning it brought to Sonny. While he is playing, the brother witnesses the struggles Sonny has been going through his whole life. His rises, falls, and complications all come out in the playing of his music. He goes through moments of happiness, stress, insecurity, and nervousness all in one set of music. It can be called the “Sonny Blue’s” because it is a story of his life, and all the misfortunes along with it. This music has become its own because by listening to it one can relate each part to a portion of his life.
A Worn Path
1. The point of view in this story is from a narrator that partially all knowing, and partially objective. The narrator can describe Phoenix’s hallucinations, but cannot see into any other characters. Also, the narrator is not a character in the story, but is just someone telling the story.
2. The old woman could be named Phoenix because a Phoenix is a bird in mythology. A fire will occur, and the old phoenix will reduce to ashes and a new phoenix will be born after the flame. This can parallel the relationship the old lady has with her grandson and how she feels about the circle of life.
3. The meshing of Phoenix’s hallucinations with real life helps create a more vivid picture of the Phoenix, and also give the reader the opportunity to use their own imagination to see what is real and what is make believe. It also makes the reader somewhat confused, just as the grandma is, and kind of puts the reader in the characters shoes and makes you feel the same way that she does.
4. The white people in the story believe that she is crazy. They are nice to her, but think that she is out of her mind. This may show the time it was taken place because black people were not respected. They are nice to her because she is old, but do not care about her of respect her the way they would a white woman.
5. She admires that the dog is fearless. It appears to be scared of no one. This tells the reader that courage is a quality that Phoenix greatly appreciates, and wishes she had this quality.
6. I believe that his has more meaning than just a vivid picture of the lady. I believe that the idea that she is in armor can reflect the fact that she closes herself off the other people, and does not let anyone into the real her. The way she is positioned may be paralleled to the fact that she has almost given up, or has been defeated. These two images gives a reader a better understanding Phoenix and who she really is.
Word Count: 969
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