Assignment 22- Tyree

This is literally the hardest question i have ever been asked in my life so im going to have to give the answer that everyone hates to hear but i honestly would not rather be any fictional character. not because i have the perfect life or parents or any of that, not even close. its just that i cant imagine living as any character period because im too worried about getting caught up on all my missing work for this class. i have been rushing through all of my blog posts but if i had to give a quick answer it'd be Naruto Uzumaki, the goat himself. I also hope these posts never get leaked to my normal friends outside of the academy because the stuff i say in some of these my friends would never guess i acted or said things like this. and i apologize about all the mistakes im making but as stated previously im sort of in a rush and depressed because we just lost to the tarheels last night. but i will let you in on some of my fortune telling. South Carolina vs North Carolina in the championship. South carolina upsets UNC and wins it all. MARK MY WORDS.

Assignment 21- Tyree

At this moment somewhere in the universe, there is a kid, a kid just like me. ignoring most punctuation capitalization and grammar errors because blog posts were due the day before while i was having technical difficulties with getting onto blogger.com trying to post my blogs the day before they were due. i was going to go and talk to mr. logsdon about how my computer was not working but i thought this man has a beautiful wife and beautiful daughters who i am sure with the help of their wise parents will grow up and be successful. i will not bug this man because at the end of the day it is totally my responsibility and no matter how far i go in school, i will have done better than my parents so they cant say much. i am however trying to go farther than my brother who is now attending graduate school at USF.

Assignment 20-Tyree

Hi, my name is Tyree and today I will be teaching everyone how to type the alphabet.

1. Type the letter A
2. Type the letter B
3. Type the letter C
4. Type the letter D 
5. Type the letter E
6. Type the letter F
7. Type the letter G
8. Type the letter H
9. Type the letter I
10. Type the letter J
11. Type the letter K
12. Type the letter L
13. Type the letter M
14. Type the letter N
15. Type the letter O
16. Type the letter P
17. Type the letter Q
18. Type the letter R
19. Type the letter S
20. Type the letter T
21. Type the letter U
22. Type the letter W
23. Type the letter X
24. Type the letter V
25. Type the letter Y
26. Type the letter Z

that is how you type the alphabet effortlessly 

Assignement 17-Tyree

The director I chose to watch was Eli Roth and I've previously seen the movies "knock knock," and the "hostel" series. These two movies are horror/thriller but have a comical aspect to them. Knock knock and hostel, as well as many other of Eli Roth's films contain mild nudity. Hostel is about a group of friends that were invited to a hostel while on a trip, it involves comedy, thrills, and horror. Knock knock is about a married man who's wife and two kids had left on a trip over the weekend. They had led him onto having an affair; I won't spoil the rest of the story though. Overall I like him as a director because he can make a horror movie and add comedy without taking away from the story and it makes for a good combo, even though the are complete opposites. If you haven't seen these movies or a movie by Eli Roth I'd recommend him although I wouldn't consider him a prestigious writer.

Assignment 19- Tyree

The most useful advice I have ever gotten has to be when my dad told me to never give up. Every thing I do i try my hardest to do and if my dad had never told me to never give up i wouldn't have accomplished half of the things that i have accomplished. He has taught me that something as little as three words can have an impact to a persons entire life. I will always take the advice my dad gives me into consideration because he has been there for me since i was a little kid. If my dad had not given me those three words, i would not even be in school right now. I love my pops and he has had an extreme impact on my life, these three words have been the biggest three words anyone has ever told me and i promise to never forget that. My first second and third words were even never give up.

Assignment 22 Nick Walters

If i could be any fictional character, id be aladdin from the kids movie aladdin. To start off, the dude is a finesse god. He always finesses the shops and the guards so he can get a free apple or a free loaf of bread. Hes also best friends with a pretty dank monkey named abu. Abu is a straight G, hes always by aladdins side, and id love to be aladdin so i could have a monkey as cool as abu. Aladdin also gets to marry this super hot princess, which is kinda dope. He also gets 3 free wishes from a genie, and honestly i cant think of anything cooler than that. Except maybe owning a magic flying carpet, which aladdin does own. That dudes stunting with his finesse skills, his monkey, his hot princess wife, his genie and his flying carpet.

Assignment 21 Nick Walters

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, there is another highschool student who is doing blog posts for their english class all the night before they are due. I assume this person is much like me, chilling on his bed eating some pizza and drinking some gatorade while chugging out their assigned blog posts. They probably have their laptop layed out over their thighs and are listening to some jams to make the experience a little more enjoyable. I bet that this person enjoys blog posts though, because they give them a chance to express themselves and talk about some things that theyd otherwise never get to talk about, like me right now.

Nick Falk Assignment 22

Out of all the fictional characters in our forms of entertainment we interact with everyday, the person I would want to be out of all of them would be Billy Cranston. Billy Cranston is the obvious choice because he has a lot going for him in his life that the audience can see. Billy is Angel Grove High School’s valedictorian, starter for their football team, and well respected for his intelligence and his sociable and approachable characteristics. Even though he isn’t the leader of the group of teenagers with attitude and special powers, he isn’t like any of his companions who didn’t have the ability to stay for three seasons like Billy. He is loyal to his team.  Also, Billy is a very skilled inventor, as well. He has bailed out his team in crucial situations with his creative inventions. Billy has the ability to go anywhere and do anything in his life due to the success he has brought upon himself throughout his life.

Assignment 20 Nick Walters

I am a man of many talents, but id have to say that one of my best and most useful talents is how to retain your faith in your favorite sports team when they are struggling, specifically the new york knicks. I have been a knicks fan for quite a few years and while they have had some good moments and things to be proud of (2nd seed in 2013, development of porzingis, Carmelo dropping 62, carmelos mvp-caliber season in 2013) there have been 10 times as many bad moments (2nd worst in the league a couple years back, no draft picks thanks to the carmelo trade and the andrea barnani trade, james dolan being a friggin idiot, a carousell of head coaches, no front office stability, signing joakim noah to this awful deal, trying to trade carmelo). You may ask how i stay positive through all of this? Well, there is a bright side to everything. Just this year, the knicks had the 3rd seed in thr east back in december. However, they now possess the fourth worst record in the league. This means that they obviously werent ready for the playoffs, and now get another season to rebuild. It also means that derrick rose and his glass knees will leave in free agency, and we get to draft a top tier pointguard in the draft, ans this draft class is stocked full of them. So when youre down about your favorite sports team sucking some serious balls, just remember that theres a positive side.

Assignment 21 Nick Falk

Somewhere on this Earth, more than likely in America, Rick Astley is living comfortably in his nice home he has worked hard for all his life. In 1987, Rick Astley made a promise that he has been working to keep these thirty years. He has done this without people noticing or the public eye giving him credit for what he has done. This promise he made has made his life significantly more difficult, by choice, and not by force. Somewhere in the universe, Rick Astley has not or will ever give you up or let you down. He is not running you around and then deserting you. He is currently not making you cry, as well as, fulfilling his promise by never saying goodbye. At this current moment, Rick Astley is not telling you a lie nor is he hurting you. With the magnitude of these promises, our gratitude of Rick Astley should be much larger than what it currently is.

Assignment 22- Sheridan Wagner

This question bothers me a little because there are no character I would ever consider wanting to be. There are no fictional characters I have ever encountered that have matched my moral and personality traits, and for this reason I would never want to be a specific fictional character. It's difficult to explain, but if I was one day magically transported into the world of fiction, I would want to be the same person I am right now so that I could contribute something different to that mystical, fictional world.

I hope you don't mind if I take this prompt in a different direction, because there are definitely some fictional characters I have grown emotionally attached to and would love to meet within their fictional worlds. Stay with me here, because the character that I have grown most fond of, considering every fictional story I have ever encountered, is a cross roads demon in the show Supernatural named Crowley. My mom actually introduced me to this show some years age. She had been in the hospital after have surgery on a blood clot and had watched this show on TV there. Knowing I loved mythology and lore in general, she told me about it and we have watching it together ever since. I have particularly grown close to the show because of its indefinite lines between a so called "good" and a so call "evil." The demon Crowley first appeared on the show as a reluctant ally of the two main protagonists who hunt monsters (including demons). From there his role transformed from King of the Crossroads to King of Hell; from ally, to bad guy, to ally, to main antagonist, to ally, to protagonist, to "friend." I just enjoy development of the character over the nine seasons he has been on the show. Also he is clever, funny, British, sarcastic, and, even though some might consider him a "bad guy," he's not really a bad guy. So if I happened to end up in a fictional life, I would want to meet this character.

Assignment 22- Joonyoung Park

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Pumbaa from The Lion King because he lives a very carefree life. Pumbaa can be seen as a very naive and innocent character. He can also be seen as a very childish character at times, which I can relate with as I am childish at times. One of the reasons that I'd like to be Pumbaa is because of his motto that he lives by, Hakuna Matata. This means "no worries." I'd like to be like Pumbaa and live a life without any worries and have fun just like he does.

Assignment 21- Sheridan Wagner

Right now, at this very moment, somewhere in this universe a star is dying. Galaxies away, a star somewhere has arrived at the end of its life cycle. Its supply of hydrogen has depleted and the core can no longer be supported against the stars gravity. If it is an "ordinary" star, in will begin to form into a Red Giant, its atmosphere will expand, and nearby planets will be engulfed in flames. The core of the star, meanwhile, continues collapsing. All of this will last about 100 million years until the "ordinary" star expands even further and becomes a Red Supergiant. Eventually, the star will burn away all of its mass and leave behind a cooling core, which becomes a White Dwarf.

Or maybe the star that is currently dying happens to be a "massive" star. If this is the case, the death will be far more dramatic. This star will keep burning and collapsing until its high density core resists any further collapsing. From here, matter will begin to explode from the core producing a Supernova.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Amanda Byerman

If I could choose to be any fictional character, I would want to be Hermione Granger (basic, I know). Hermione has inspired me since I was about 10 years old, and has encouraged me to enjoy my passions and to pursue opportunities which I wouldn't have had the courage to before. Sure, I may admire Hermione, you may ask, but why would I want to be her? For one, her unparalleled intelligence and her courage to show it. I could love to be able to be so fearless in simply being myself, even with suffering the incredible process it took for her to get there. I would also love to be her for the incredible experiences she is able to have at Hogwarts- to live in a world so filled with adventure and literal magic. I am incredibly jealous of the friendship and love she experiences as a part of her tight-knit friend group with Ron and Harry, along with the rest of the Hogwarts crew.

Assignment 22- Saurav Khadka

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Mike Tyson's tiger from The Hangover. That tiger has it so very easy. That is what every living being dreams of. Unlike other tigers, it doesn't have to hunt for food or worry about dying from other wild animals or starvation. It is well fed and taken care of by the very wealthy Mike Tyson. On top of that, it has an amazing home and living space designed just for it. This all combined with the fact that, on top of all that, it gets to travel and go on amazing adventures with Mike Tyson and his wealth. If ever faced with danger, it has teeth and intimidation that is unmatched. This is helpful is resolving any disputes it may have. Last but not least, I would be a tiger. Enough said.

Assignment 21: Right Now - Amanda Byerman

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe,

Someone is eating breakfast.

Perhaps they live in Asia, where typical breakfast consists of savory delicacies - roasted pork and rice or a steamed bun.

In Korea kimchi is served with every meal, breakfast not an exception.

Or on “The Continent”... perhaps in France, where a rich croissant is being followed by a lovely cafe au lait. In the Netherlands, with toast with Nutella, hardboiled eggs, and colorful sprinkles. Or Turkey, with strong, black Turkish coffee, olives, and cheese.

Or in the United Kingdom, where breakfast is no better than the rest of their meals. Perhaps beans, blood sausage, and cold toast, with a lovely cup of hot tea.

In drought-ridden, impoverished parts of Africa, led by military juntas and where mothers walk miles in search of clean water hunger persists. Meals (when they exist) are sparse. “Breakfast” may be only an idea.

Or perhaps they are at Waffle House, eating a calorie and fat-laden breakfast of potatoes, bacon, eggs, an eponymous waffle.

Assignment 21- Saurav Khadka

At this moment, somewhere in the universe, someone is unhappy. Someone sits alone in their room and sobs silently. No noise is made as they sob. No one is there to notice as they sob. Nothing is there to comfort them as they sob. They are suffering. They are going through the unimaginable. They wish they had someone to rely on. Had a shoulder to lean on. But they don't. The people they thought they could rely on, proved them wrong. It is a sudden, revealing moment that will change their perception of people forever. All of sudden, there is a knock on the door. Quickly brushing off the tears from their face, they try to make themselves presentable as they walk to the door. A smiling face and a warm embrace greets them. It was that one of those people that had seemingly abandoned them. They stay there and become the comforting friend that was desired all this time. The sobs turn into words that turn into actions that make all that wasn't good before so. At this moment now, somewhere in the universe, that certain someone realizes maybe its not so bad after all...

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Jake Tucker

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Jack fro the Titanic. This is because when he was at his lowest point, half frozen in the North Atlantic, his lover put him out of his misery. Jack was living life to its fullest just as I have been, and then the boat he was on hit a massive chunk of ice and he ended up dying. I would love to just drift to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean because my heart is full of coldness and sorrow after the guy with a terrible beard hit a game winning shot to end any chance of happiness coming this March in my life. This really only pertains to basketball, and the rest of my life is actually pretty good. So maybe just have the basketball fan inside of me pull a Jack Dawson and slowly sink to the middle of a nearly frozen ocean, and never be seen again. Only till next November though.

Assignment 20- Saurav Khadka

How to make yourself sad?

This is quite an easy task, and one, for the time being I am an expert at. First of all, make sure it is a Sunday night as the Cats play the Tar Heels. Secondly, watch as one mistake after another coupled with bad refereeing seemingly puts the game out of our hands. Suddenly, get your hopes up again as Malik Monk and DeAaron Fox spring back to life, and the seemingly impossible seems very very possible. Watch as all of a sudden Malik sinks that game tying three with mere seconds left. Be excited. Get your hopes up. Smile and cheer as pure joy fills you from head to toe. The turn back to face the television and watch as the devil himself, Luke Maye, drills an open jumper to put UNC up with less than a second remaining. Sit in silence and watch all the hope, excitement, and happiness that you had just moments ago leave you. However, realize that you have the faintest of hope still remaining, as there is still 0.3 seconds remaining. Now (this is a very important step) watch as the ball sails over everyones head, UNC inbounds, the final buzzer goes off, and that faintest of hope you had, is crushed.

Burn in hell Luke Maye.

Assignment 21: Lena Ilagan

Right now, somewhere in this universe, there is another Lena.  Though not in the dimension we call home, she is still within the confines of the great expanse of space which we call the Universe.  This Lena could be doing anything, anywhere.  What does this Lena think like? What does she look like? Does she even look like me?

What if all of my dreams at night are actually just me experiencing that other Lena's reality?  If that is the case, that other Lena is living one hell of a life.  That Lena can fly and breathe underwater.  That Lena can wake up one day and just have perfectly sculpted abs and glutes.  That Lena is capable of so many things this Lena isn't.  Yet, the Lena in the dreams I dream at night doesn't have it all.  Though she is capable of superhuman abilities and is confident in her body, she also has to deal with all kinds of strange and absurd bs.  That Lena once accidentally became a queen of a small country and then destroyed it.  That Lena's parents got divorced all of a sudden.  That Lena got abducted one day and was forced to work in a circus.  That Lena by no means has a perfect life, but what if, when she dreams, she lives in my reality?  There are so many questions the world has yet to answer, and until then, we inferior humans must lie here awaiting a response to our worries, with nothing but death to save us.

Assignment 22 Shalom saldana

If I was any fictional character I would be Kenny from southpark. Kenny is a third grave boy who has  a couple of friends that he always goes on adventures with. Kenny is a quiet boy but when he speaks it's always something funny. Kenny is always dying but manages to come back to life the next day. I would want to be Kenny because he always seems to be having fun and I didn't have much fun as a child. I would also like to be able to survive death. His adventure also aren't like anything any other third grader experiences. He has traveled to different countries, different dimensions, and is always finding his way out of trouble. Kenny has even met aliens .He also lives in Colorado and I am a fan of all the snow. He is a middle child so I can somewhat relate to some of the things Kenny goes through.

Assignment 21 Shalom Saldana

Somewhere in the universe right now someone or something died. Someone and something was also born. People of all ages and backgrounds are due for various reasons every minute. Whether it be disease, hunger or reckless driving their loved ones mourn over their loss. More people are born every minute. A new breathing life form is brought into this world to be raised to be a positive member of society. People aren't the only things dying and being born. All across the universe there are a countless number of stars and galaxies being born bringing new visible light into our infinite universe. There are also stars and galaxies dying every second. Sometimes those stars explode and other times they turn into black holes eventually swallowing up the rest of their solar system. Our universe is full of life and death. It's a basic cycle of organic material.

Assignment 21: Right Now

As of right now, March 26, 2017, the Kentucky Wildcats are going home from the NCAA tournament early. I for one am very upset about this as it was due to the horrendous first half officiating that North Carolina was able to maintain their five point lead. I am just saying two points off of the missed foul on Fox at the end of the half would've sent the game into overtime. With momentum Kentucky probably could have won. Then instead of the sorrow of defeat I could be with other Kentucky fans burning everything on State street. However, I now get to wait till Big Blue Madness in late October to enjoy the Kentucky basketball team once again, and he ever more eager for another National Championship.

Assignment 20: How to...-Jake Tucker

      One of the hardest things to do is cope with your team losing in the NCAA tournament, and especially when you feel as though they were unfairly judged along the way. As I type this, I too am experiencing these emotions. This being the result of my beloved Kentucky Wildcats losing 75-73 to a team that can count neither to 75 nor 73. Luckily, I have a system for getting over such heartbreak.

   

    Step one is to scream and yell in an angry manner for about a minute after the game, this helps to ease the immediate aftermath of losing on a "buzzer-beater." Step two is to console yourself by saying the officiating crew called a terrible game, even though they did their "best." Step three is to stay off the Internet as mean people from the Louisville area will be waiting for you there. Step four is to realize sports really don't matter as much as they do in the moment, and that you should move on.

Assignment 20 Shalom Saldana

Something pretty easy to do is learning how to get a job. First you look for places that are hiring. Next you put in multiple job applications just in cause you don't get a response from the other employers. Fill out the application to the best of your ability and if you don't know something ask a friend or an adult. Next you wait until you get a response either a call or an email. Once you have been contacted you will most likely have an interview. When at the interview most employers are looking for someone who's not a complete dimwit, not rude, and is out going. If you can work well with others then you will most likely be hired. Finally once you have the job all you have to worry about is not getting fired. Just do what  you are told. Don't show up late and don't get caught breaking the rules. Make friends at your new job.

23 zachary langdon Mindful Comprehension

Knowledge is joy. It is happiness, it is wonder, it is meaning. An expanded comprehension of the universe's processes, at least for me, is the best of realization, nay, of reality. It is the acknowledgement that millions of microscopic electrical switches, under my palms at across the country, through miles of wire and specific electromagnetic frequencies,  are processing, projecting, and saving my symbol tapping on my wireless black and silver flap (and stopping my from doing so by asking me to please sign in again). That billions of years of microsecond long reactions has led, singularly and unavoidably, to this moment and all in it. Of the sheer complexity, reactivity, fragility, and inevitability of our existence.

It is often accompanied by repetitive electronic music.
Enjoy, or not. It's not your choice.
Mindful Comprehension
Mord Fustang tracks are most representative of this feeling. they are cyclic, like processes of the universe. Their fast pace fits best with the excitement of perceiving.
deadmua5 and Digitalism are there mainly for variation.
OVERWERK better encapsulates the sheer quantity of epic the universe contains. they are powerful and momentous.
I would include Justice, but they fail to capture the awe required, requiring them to be kept isolated for best appreciation.

Assignment 22 - Will Blitch

If I could be any fictional character it would be James Bond. I would be James Bond for many reasons. The first of these reasons is the fact that James Bond is super badass. His craftiness allows him to do basically anything he wants, he can kill people in tons of different ways and escape from tons of situations. He is also super slick, he has un matched charisma, especially the older iterations of Bond. For example the way he acts under pressure in gold finger is awesome. Another upside of being James Bond is the fact that he is great with women. He also always has really good cover music in his movies, for example in one of his latest movies he got Adele to make skyfall  which is a really good song. There was also the Live and Let Die song which had the Paul McCartney in it. 

Assignment 21 - Will Blitch

At this moment some where in the universe there is probably some planets or stars exploding. Thats pretty crazy because planets and stars are really big and when one of the explodes its most likely a really big explosion. Its crazy to think that one day the sun is gonna get super huge and destroy the Earth. Then the sun will die, which will be pretty cool to watch. Its unlikely that there will be humans on Earth when that happens because thats millions of years away and it is unlikely that we will live that long, especially the way things are going right now. By that time the globe will be really really warm. All the polar bears will be dead and so will we. Maybe we will all live on a spaceship somewhere else in the galaxy and it will be like Star Wars or Star Trek, depending on which way you swing. 

assignment 20 - Will Blitch

The only thing that I’m really good at that sets me aside from other people is climbing. Since I started climbing 2 years ago I have really come to love the sport. The most essential climbing skill is determination. In order to succeed you have to be able to push yourself. Its not a sport that ever gets easy, there will always be a route or a boulder that you won’t be able to complete. This is one of things that makes climbing such a fun sport. The fact that there is a limitless amount of challenges out there means that there is always something to push towards. Aside from determination climbing requires a general level of fitness, the movement requires strength and balance that engages all parts of the body. Most of the skills you need will develop over time, especially your skin capacity. Which is basically how long you can climb until your fingertips are worn through. 

Assignment 22 - Grace Bond

Of all fictional characters, I would want to be Marley from Marley & Me. That dog is literally such a mess and its family STILL loves him so much. If I was Marley I could do the craziest stuff and still get fed a bunch of food and get loved as if I had not done anything wrong. This dog ate an expensive necklace, TORE the house apart pretty much completely, took a shit in the ocean, and so much more, but they still kept the thing. Being Marely would not only mean infinite freedom, but also infinite love. Once the couple has 3 children, Marley has like 3 more toys except they’re way more fun. His life has got to be the best ever since they have a huge yard too by the end of the movie. Overall, it just seems like being a dog would be great in general, especially if you’re Marley. I also just watched that movie last night so it’s in my brain.

Assignment 21 - Grace Bond

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe…

• ·         Someone is waking up from a nap
• ·         Someone is dying
• ·         Someone is living
• ·         Someone is in between
• ·         Someone is praying
• ·         A black hole is consuming something humans will never, ever, know existed
• ·         Another student is writing a blog post for this very class
• ·         Someone is having a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives
• ·         Someone is having a day they will try to forget for the rest of their lives
• ·         Someone is getting married
• ·         Someone is getting divorced
• ·         Someone is giving the sex talk
• ·         Someone is receiving the sex talk
• ·         Someone who has already had the sex talk is in another room oblivious to the situation
• ·         Someone just walked in on their parents
• ·         Someone is writing a blog post and is now only thinking about funny sex-related things to list
• ·         Someone is doing drugs for the first time
• ·         Someone is doing them for the last
• ·         Someone is crying with joy
• ·         Someone is crying with sorrow
• ·         Someone is crying and has no idea why

Assignment 24 - TD

Damn, this year went by incredibly fast. Rather than succeeding, I did what I had to do. I did well on my ACT to get a 35 but I still need to wait on the results of the state run ACT and hopefully I got a 36. If I do not I would say I failed because I did not meet my goal even if my current score right now is good. I simply do not wish to stagnate and settle for anything. I have made too many mistakes and suffered too many failures to even list them so I won't even bother. For the summer I plan to study Neuroscience at Columbia University in NY. Currently I am waiting on the scholarship information for another program, but if I get it I will also be doing a surgical research program in Boston. I wish I could do more stuff but I got really lucky finding two good programs that overlap already. Actually it's quite funny you asked what I wanted for senior year Mr. Logsdon. I feel like you will read this sentence a hundred times but I simply want to get into my top college. I don't really "plan" on how to reach my goals I just do what I have to do so that is what I will continue on.

Assignment 20 - Grace Bond

How to write a blog post for AP Language and Composition

1.       Wait until a day before all of the make up blog posts are due.

2.       Read or skim the prompt – not too much, just enough so you can slightly grasp what the post should be like.

3.       Sit in bed because this doesn’t seem important enough to do at a desk or some other designated area.

4.       Use the voice designation on your phone to speak the post so you do not have to go through the struggles of typing.

5.       Plug words into www.wordcounter.net and adjust until you’re at 151 words. No less, no more.

6.       Email to yourself.

7.       Pick up your laptop from next to your bed from watching Netflix the night before.

8.       Copy and paste email into blog post.

9.       Post to blogger.com

10.   Watch some random people +1 your post and wonder why.

Assignment 23 - TD

Inspirational Playlist

Rise and Shine by J. Cole - I put this song in the beginning because of its long introduction with Jay-Z. He talks about a regular person eating Apple Jacks but also planning for greatness. It then goes off into a gospel influenced trumpet and choir rift. The beat is very uplifting, creating emotions that well up from the inside and start to pour out. The lyrics themselves also talk about greatness with J. Cole telling us to open up the blinds and "rise shine" because it is only the morning, the start of something truly great.

Congratulations by Post Malone - "Congratulations" is a congratulatory song to oneself. It recognizes the hard times and struggles one undertook to make it to the top. After the lit track that is Rise and Shine, Congratulations is more mellow allowing you to soak in what is around you. Soak in the fact that you made it.

Forever by Drake - I chose this song because after being set up by Rise and Shine and taking it easy with Congratulations this song cranks it up 10 notches . From the very get-go "Last name Ever, first name Greatest," there is no doubt that we are at the top of the roller coaster. Not only did you finally succeed but you are the greatest to ever do it is the message of "Forever".

Not Afraid by Eminem - "Not Afraid" is a song about stumbling and falling and catching oneself. It was made by Eminem after overcoming his drug addiction. Even if one has success they can still struggle and this song speaks through that, overcoming the struggles that come with great success that was talked about in the previous songs.

Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z - After finally making it to the top and finding one's place there, "Empire State of Mind" is a reflective song. It looks back on the experiences that made you what you are and talks about what it truly means to "make it".

https://open.spotify.com/user/twc2400/playlist/3rySyk9v94KwcFTRwNKmEB?context=spotify%3Auser%3Atwc2400%3Aplaylist%3A3rySyk9v94KwcFTRwNKmEB

Assignment 20: How to... PROCRASTINATE! - Amanda Byerman

One of the things I am most proficient at in this world is procrastination. I have a knack for waiting juuust long enough to get work done, but to of course not waste any of that time that could have been spent, say, napping or reading. You, too, could be so successful in these 5 simple steps:

1) Consider what you need to do. Maybe write it down in a planner, maybe schedule out time to do it. Make sure to invest a lot of time and energy into making this plan and think about how important it is to stick to. The best time to make these plans is in the first part of the school day, when you are feeling most energetic and like there is infinite time left in the day.

2) Get home, think about all the other things for you to do. Consider how cold it is, climb into your bed, and consider that you have the REST OF THE DAY to do your work. And that's what, 9 hours? You'll totally get it done.

3) Wake up. It's 6 pm. Your mom's angry and it's time for dinner. You look at your planner. How much more could you possibly have to do? It'll get done. Go downstairs, eat dinner with your family. Maybe get some english or physics done.

4) Look a the clock. It's 11 pm. You're really tired. You've got most of it done.

5) Wake up the next morning. Rush around getting ready. Rushing about has proven to increase circulation and productivity in the mornings. Grab a pic of your math textbook.

6) Finish your math homework at lunch (pre-calc is 4th period). Resist the temptation to do it during English, Spanish, or Physics. You can do it.

I promise, it'll get done (eventually).

Assignment 22 Ben Schaeffer

This prompt was thoroughly thought provoking. Choosing any fictional character is like choosing from a bucket of thousands of assorted candies. After a while of thinking, I think Donkey from Shrek is a clear winner. Carefree, impulsive, and loving are the three traits that Donkey radiates. Not only does he get to embark on wonderful adventures, but also he gets to spend time with his best friend, Shrek. Donkey proves that ignorance truly is bliss and that it is better to live in the moment. Although he is somewhat annoying, his actions help remind me to not always take life too seriously. Donkey also finds true love with the female dragon from the tower. He seems to be fulfilled in life, desiring nothing more. With Shrek, he goes on unlikely journeys and gets to see all sorts of new places. Donkey embodies an ideal life for me. It should be noted that if I could be any character, I'd be Poseidon, but I didn't classify mythology as falling within the prompt.

Assignment 23 - Caitlin Southworth

A playlist to jam along with in the car:

Uptown girl- billy joel: This is a classic song and is perfect for singing along with. It also is upbeat and puts you in a good mood.

Apple bottom jeans- kevin turk: I don’t think this one needs an explanation.

Satisfied- Sia and queen latifah: I don’t really listen to any Hamilton songs except for this one because it’s perfect to crank up the volume and jam along and is a great mix of pop and rap.

Colors- halsey: A lot of Halsey songs could work, but I just like this one better. It’s easy to sing along with and I like the music in it, which is basically any of her songs.

Send my love- Adele: First of all, Adele is amazing and belongs on pretty much any playlist. This one is a good upbeat one that gets you moving about a bit.

Hello- Adele: This one's a better sing along one than the first Adele song and is perfect to play with two people in the car.

Love- Lana del rey: This is a bit slower than the other songs, but it's pretty easy to sing along with in a kind of right pitch. It provides a nice switch from upbeat and fast songs.

Young and beautiful- lana del rey: This is a nice slower song, but is absolutely beautiful, and everytime its on I think of the Great Gatsby, which was a pretty good movie.

Girls like girls- hayley kiyoko: This has a more happy upbeat sound to it which is nice to get yourself happy and in a good mood.

Young blood- bea miller: Since it’s not by such a popular singer, I think it provides a nice variety to what you usually hear on the radio and is great to sing along with.

Single ladies- beyonce: I don’t really think this needs an explanation either

Just some other good songs to add:

Uptown funk- bruno mars

Hell no- ingrid michaelson

Irresistible- fall out boy and demi lovato

What kind of man- Florence and the machine

Downtown- macklemore

Delilah- florence and the machine

New Americana- Halsey

Hiding- Florence and the Machine

https://play.spotify.com/user/caitlinsouthworth/playlist/2mE5xFg2VFG3HPIjIl7LhV

Assignment 22 - Caitlin Southworth

If I could be a fictional character I would be the prisoner from The allegory of the cave that gets shown the light. Now, this may seem strange at first, but it’s only a matter of perspective. Yes, being chained up, unable to move in a dark, shadowy cave seems less than preferable, but that’s the only life those prisoners knew, just like our life is the only one we know. We don’t know if there are people manipulating our lives and what we see and know, just as the prisoners didn’t know. They were fine with their life because that was all there was. But the prisoner that gets shown the light learns of a wider world. He becomes knowledgeable and more open minded. This is why I would want to be him. Many people dream of becoming enlightened or understanding of many things- the prisoner does just that. He learns of a wider world than the one he knew and was content with. He becomes more open minded to the possibilities in the world- which is a wonderful thing to have.

Assignment 21 Ben Schaeffer

Somewhere in the universe... the possibilities are infinite. In the time it took to write those words, a baby was born, forever changing the life of his/her parents. Somewhere in the universe a person is farming to feed his family. Somewhere in the universe people are confined in a war zone, knowing that it is unsafe to leave the comfort of their own living space. Somewhere in the universe a family is on vacation. The rover moves over Mars, a loved one passes. Many different perspectives can be taken. Having a deeper understanding of an individual role on this planet and realizing how minimal one is can ultimately provide comfort. There is also a feeling of mystery, as the unexpected and unknown could be occurring. In the middle of the Pacific, a megaladon shark could be feeding on fish. An alien could be flying in an advanced space craft in an entirely different solar system. On a more personal level, my dog is outside running around while I write this. I often find myself wondering what other people are doing. Playing out different possibilities can make your head hurt. That is why it is important to focus on yourself.

Assignment 22: Ellie Phillips

The fictional characters I know about typically live in a dystopian society or have normal comical lives. The Hunger Games and other popular books have a cool heroin but only because their world is so messed up. I would never want to be like Katniss because I would never want to live in her world where death is a sport and oppression is the norm. Of course the world we actually live in isn’t perfect but compared to the books I’ve read I would rather just be me instead of the heroin in some dark dystopian. As for tv the shows I like the most are the Office and Parks and Rec type, which focus on normal people in a comical way. I kind of consider that my life already. Its average just like in the shows but enjoyable to live and sometimes funny. Really there isn't a perfect character because they need flaws to stay entertaining. I guess I don’t think being any fictional character is worth it.

Assignment 21: Ellie Phillips

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, a life ends. Whoever just died might have been young or old. Whoever just died might have had a family or nobody. Whoever just died might have been rich or poor. Whoever just died was many things. However, considering the stock market is still open, cars are still moving down the street, and the world is still spinning, at this very moment somewhere in the universe did their death have an impact? We hear on the news frequently the death of living legends, but after their death and a respectful time of mourning are they still legends just minus the living? Think of how many influential people have existed since, well, humans have existed. At the time that people live, a small number will be special and do something, good or bad, that affects the world, and even those special few are not all likely to be remembered. Sure George Washington and Hitler are well known, but there are so many others, whether famous or infamous, just fade away. And what about the majority of people who are just average? Certainly they affect a small range of people like their loved ones, but not nearly a city, a nation, or a world. At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, a life ends, but society continues because at that same very time another life begins. And whatever happens in the middle probably won’t matter to the world, but it will matter to a few. And a few is good enough.

Assignment 24: The Future

You're done!  - well almost
Your Junior year (nearly) OVER.
Tell us about it.
Successes? Failures? Lessons Learned? Risks taken? Mistakes made? What will you do in the Summer?  What do you want for your Senior year? How do you plan to reach your goals?

Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, April 9th at 11:59 pm

May 14th is the last day to make up blogs 23-26

Assignment 20- Sheridan Wagner

How to Sing Like You Mean It

I been singing for my entire life and would consider myself as having a large amount of expertise on the subject. Now I've been partaking in lessons and my church choir long enough to pick more than a few things. You may be thinking "Huh, church choir? Well hunky dory," but this isn't your typical church choir. C.V. Stanford Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C, G, and F, Malcolm Archer's Incarnation Mass, Allegri's Miserere; look them up, I've sung them all, have them pretty much memorized, and would consider myself well trained in singing classical pieces such as these.

Posture: One of the most fundamental things that impacts your sound is how you stand. Natural you should be standing up straight, but their is much more to producing a strong, resonant sound than this. Your knees should be relaxed and flexible, definitely not locked. Your hips should be rolled forward so that your spine is aligned and your back is flat. My voice teacher will sometimes have me sing lying on my back. Leg straight (not locked), back flat against the floor, head and neck both relaxed; this is how your posture should be standing up. Your sternum should be tall as if you were trying reach it towards the ceiling. Your neck should also be aligned with the rest of your back. All of this is to be down while keeping your neck, head, jaw, and throat relaxed. This will allow you to take bigger breaths and use your air more efficiently so you will produce a better sound.

Breathing: Singers would be nothing with out breath support. First and foremost, breathe from your diaphragm. When you take a deep breath your shoulders shouldn't move at all. You should feel the breath below your ribs. It's almost as if your breathing into your stomach area. Posture play a major role in this because if your hunched over or constricting your diaphragm you are not going to be able to take a proper breath. Also when your breathing in you should feel as though you are breathing through both your mouth and your nose at the same time. Also you should breathe in  your vowel, which pretty much means go ahead and make your mouth the same shape as the word you are about to sing and breathe like that. All of this creates proper air usage.

Actually Singing: This is more complicated than the sections above because it really depends on what is right for that circumstance. No matter what you're singing, however, it is important to always keep your tongue relaxed and against the front of your teeth. This way you avoid constricting your airway and sound is able to come out right. Now when you're singing classical music in a choir setting, your vowels should always be bright and tall. If everyone in the choir does this the sound becomes easier to blend and tune. In order to do this you must raise your soft pallet and feel as though your voice is coming out of your forehead. Each vowel is slightly different, however. For me, I try to make my "eh" vowels brighter by making "cheekier" and positioned more in the mask of my face. Vowels such as "oh" I make more open and aim my sound for the bridge of my nose. Of course every voice is different. People with smaller bodies tend to have a brighter voice, while me, since I'm taller and have larger lungs, I have a much darker tone so in choir I always have to try especially hard to brighten my vowels. Despite this, every singer must always much such that their pitch doesn't sag and go flat, every voice naturally wants to do this so always stay on top of the pitch.

So there was my long, overly detailed description of how to sing.

Assignment 23 Lena Ilagan

https://open.spotify.com/user/ilagajo/playlist/7fxW6KJBNujC49XRnOAvgX

From electropop, to vikings, to red berry-flavored fish treats, the world is in consensus that the Swedish do everything right.  Though many artist davids see it as a corrupt, green goliath, Spotify proves everyone should just do whatever the Swedes do.  With that being said, my ultimate, hodge-podge playlist I share with you is one of my favorites.  It encompasses the entirety of my musical tastes, which I must say, is quite broad.

I built this two-hour behemoth in the midst of finals week, where I derived the name: "fml kms" from. It doesn't mean "f my life kill myself," rather, "finals may likely kill my sanity." I organized the playlist specifically for when I was stressed out, which I will detail below.

First, there's the French 60s pop, starting with "Belles belles belles" and ending with "La plus belles pour aller danser". When I start this playlist out, I'm usually really stressed and unhappy, so the catchy Ye Ye tunes bring me to a a sunny, French beach in the sixties, where I can forget about my issues and swim in the Mediterranean ocean while drinking champagne on my six figure yacht.

Next, after being in an ignorant bliss for a little while, I need to whatever frustration is left out.  I bring in the edgy stuff, and ease into the angry mood with a bit of Leslie Clio, and peak with a selection from Lily Allen.  I then start to slow down a bit from the edginess with some Rhianna, and transition onto the next mood.

I personally can only be edgy for a solid 6 minutes, so I have to go onto some nice, wonky electropop.  I have a couple selections from Miike Snow, like "Genghis Khan," to pay homage to the Swedish creators, but for the most part, this section is a time where I can zone out to a synth and bass, and fully concentrate on my work. I end the 40 minute period with some lighthearted Borns, "Electric Love," a nice transition to the next region.

After that, I refocus into the real world with some light guitar and piano music.  This is my concentration period.  With most songs in the section, like "dyrð i dauðaþögn," I have no idea what the meaning is, but it brings me back down from the sugary, electronic high.  The nice, earthy tones help me concentrate and really work, all while bringing in a nice, light mood.  By the end with Kodaline's "All I Want," I'm in a happy, industrious mood.

If that didn't do the trick, I have a bit of potpourri to do some last minute cheering up. Once the light, airy melodies from the last section finish, I transition to this last period.  I have some more light ones, like "Another Day of Sun," which make me happy and light, and others like "Green Light," which make me hopeful.

At the end of all of this, I am refreshed and ready.  I can now venture out, and conquer the world.

21 zachary langdon

Somewhere, right now, a child is worried they won’t get to watch their tv show tonight. Another is worried they’ll never be adopted. A student is worrying about a test they really should’ve studied more for. Another is worrying their house might be bombed. A host is worrying about a gala he must attend. Another is worrying he’ll be imprisoned for investigating his government. Somewhere, right now, a dictatorship is stoking fear to justify removing human rights. A democracy is doing the same. Somewhere, right now, flowers are blooming. Others are withering. Somewhere, right now, parents are worrying their child won’t make the lacrosse team. Other are worried they won’t make parole. Somewhere, right now, a database is being hacked. So is a head. Somewhere, right now, a man gazes in wonder at the expanse of the universe. Another gazes in horror at the execution of his family. Somewhere, right now, people are flying, fish swimming, packages traveling, plants growing, clocks ticking, discoveries made, faith and lives lost. 
And right now, you’re here.

Assignment 23: the perfect playlist

A Blast From the Past

"High Fidelity" (2000) was a film that was remarkably ahead of its time. The film tells the story of Rob Gordon, a washed-up music junkie (played by the fantastic John Cusack) who spends his days creating perfect 5 song playlists. There's his playlist for his worst break up ever, his playlist of the top 5 soul tracks released between 1955 and 1965, and his playlist for his ex-girlfriend's dad's funeral.

Today, thanks to Spotify,  Limewire, iTunes, the "genius" Itunes feature, and Pandora, creating a "perfect" playlist has never been easier.

On the other hand, Rob probably would be appalled by the slapdash way some of us throw together any group of songs above a certain tempo before we head to the gym, or take all those below a certain tempo and thoughtlessly label it “chillaxxx.” As Rob forewarned, “The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do’s and don’ts. You’re using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.”

So for this blog assignment, create a "perfect" playlist for something. It could be your perfect playlist to listen to at the gym (boring!), perfect playlist for a rainy day, perfect playlist for anything. . . be as creative as you can. Once you have chosen a topic, select 5-10 tracks for this playlist, noting the song and artist, and write a few sentences explaining why you chose this song, what this song adds to your playlist, why you put it where you did, and how it works with the other songs you selected to create a cohesive perfect playlist.

Then create that list in Spotify (if possible) and share the link.

In all honesty this is my way to crowd source interesting music so don't be a dolt and make a joke list please.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 26th at 11:59 pm

May 14th is the last day to make up blogs 23-26

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Assignment 22- TD

If I could choose to be any fictional character, of course I would decide to be Ben 10. The watch on his arm, the Omnitrix, allows him to transform into hundreds of different aliens. From XLR8, who runs at super sonic speeds to Way Big who is 100 meters tall to Alien X who can bend the very fabric of space-time to its will. This would also mean that I could transform into the alien Brainstorm who is highly intelligent. The most intelligent life form in the known universe in fact. With Brainstorm's intellectual capabilities, everything school related plaguing my life (standardized testing) would be a breeze. Not only could I easily get 100% on every single test for the rest of my life, but I could dominate every single sport in the world from track and field to cricket. Obviously though I would stand out in my appearance due to physically changing into the different aliens in order to utilize their abilities, but with the intellectual capabilities of Brainstorm I could easily figure out a cloaking mechanism and blend into society.

Assignment 22 Lena Ilagan

In all honesty, only a fraction of fictional characters are truly happy.  Though many of the ones we see on screen and in books seem happy, they are only so in that small timeframe.  Just because something has happy ending or any happy part does not guarantee the characters within that universe will remain happy.  Even Harry Potter, who technically had a happy ending at the end of the seventh book, could have had a tragic and dismal demise.  He could've gotten addicted to heroin and overdosed, or become embroiled in tax fraud.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? More like Harry Potter and the Opioid Addiction.  

I just recently got into a rather emotionally abusive show, Black Mirror, and it has got me thinking. Not a single minute of the ten hours preceding last night's episode of that dystopian show were happy; all characters ended up stuck in some sort of emotionally compromising situation.  It was not until 11:00 last night that I witnessed the first happy ending of the show's history.  The episode was called "San Junipero," and honestly, it was the sweetest thing. The plot, setting, and characters change each episode, and this one, like the others, was unique.  Spoiler alert, but it's about two lesbian old ladies who meet in a virtual reality community and fall in love.  The entire time, I was expecting some sort of twist.  Maybe one old lady died before she could be uploaded to the virtual reality "cloud," or maybe the two would be separated and be doomed to a life without each other.  But there was nothing.  They were just, happy.  Happy in love, forever, in a beautiful resort town.  But honestly, it was boring.  Maybe that's why there are no happy characters in today's media; happiness is boring.

The character choices I have in my pool are rather limited, but, I will say that if I were to become a character in any world, I would be one of those two lesbians. Despite their boring eternity, they are the only characters who are guaranteed some degree of happiness. Happiness would be something I will forever cherish, and living with someone i love in a beautiful beach town, though boring, would be a happy eternity.

assignment 22 Daryn Smith

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Luna Lovegood. Among obvious reasons is the fact that she lives in the world of Harry Potter and is a witch. Being able to do magic would be pretty dope and Harry Potter is perhaps my favorite thing. She is also an amazing person. She is not afraid to be herself even though she is extremely different from everyone else, a trait that often serves her and those around her well. She was never anything but kind to all those around her and always thought the best of everyone. When people stole and hid all of her belongings, she believed it was all for fun. This is not something I relate to, but I aspire to be more peaceful and positive towards others as Luna always is. Her oddness never fails to entertain me and I think it would be interesting to see what goes on in her head. She always has the most interesting adventures, even in her sleep as she sleep walks. She is known by the Grey Lady for her kindness which would be a wonderful thing to be known for. All in all, she is a very interesting and sweet person with a fun life.

blog 22- Safal Dumre

Out of all the movies I have watched, my favorite character is no doubt Batman. The appeal of being a superhero captivated me at a young age. The most appealing thing about his character is that he is a human. He doesn’t have any superpower that makes him who he is, he is a human like the rest of us. There is a possibility that I could become Batman, and that’s the best part about him. He is also a billionaire, and having that much money is nothing to complain about. That type of money would be quite handy to be in possession of. The other cool thing about batman is that he has a set of moral principles that he lives by and doesn’t break. He is completely against murder and even when he has the ability to kill his worst enemy, he exhibits restraint. He doesn’t violate his moral code,  and that is something that I respect.

Blog 21- Safal Dumre

Somewhere in the universe right now, a baby is being born. Their parents crying tears of joy from the sight of this small being now dependent on them. The sound of their child crying leads them to do the same. Somewhere in the universe right now, a child Is taking his first steps while their parents record it on their iPhone planning to post it to Facebook for all their friends to see. Somewhere in the universe there is an animal being hunted. It runs to avoid its death but the effort is futile and leads to death. Somewhere in the universe a man is on one knee waiting for the response that will changing his life for the better. Somewhere in the universe there is a man walking his bride walking down the aisle, with tears coming down his eyes. Somewhere in the universe there is a man on his death bed, wondering where his life went, and how he ended up there.

Assignment 21- Joonyoung Park

At this moment, somewhere in the universe, I am writing this blog post. I am currently sitting in the Panera at Richmond Rd with the Asian Nation. Also happening right now is the Hawks v Pacers game that I'm not really interested in watching. However I am waiting until 3:30 for the Warriors v Knicks game. On a more global level, somewhere in this world, a baby is being born and someone is also breathing their last breath. Also, families in this world are living a life of luxury and pleasure while families in poor countries are hoping for a next meal.

Assignment 22- Nicole Loy

I love the show Friends. It is my absolute, all-time favorite. No matter how many times I re watch the episodes, I still laugh at all of the jokes. Often, my family has compared me to Monica. This is due to our similar OCD tendencies and sense of humor. But honestly I don’t mind being compared to her. Monica has a successful career as a chef and lives in a beautiful, large apartment in New York. She has a fantastic group of friends and even ends up marrying one of them. She is in great shape and is generally a happy person and terrific friend. I would love to be her. My plan is to also have a successful career in New York and have a fun friend group with which I hang out with all the time. A large apartment wouldn’t be too bad either. Monica lives a life that I would enjoy having, and that is why I would choose to be her out of all the fictional characters.