Reading Reflection #7

Book: They Fight Like Children, They Die Like Soldiers

Author: Romeo Dollaire

Pages Read: 1-17

Dear Fellow Readers, I know I'm probably being really annoying by reading a new book every few weeks without actually finishing the one I was reading before, but I don't really want to waste my time with books I don't like...and sometimes they're really hard to keep track of....meaning, I lose them all. A couple of years ago I saw this book in Costco and read a bit about it because the title kind of took my attention. It sounded really interesting but I probably already had my cart loaded with a bunch of stuff I didn't need, like what happens with most Costco trips, (for example, a stack of mile long Christmas wrap which was probably more appealing) so I didn't want to ask for another item. So, straying a way from the book for a minute, for the past couple of weeks in Just Cause, we have been doing a campaign called "Children Not Soldiers" which would help raise money for an organization called "War Child" that helps with rehabilitation of child soldiers and communities. I've been participating in this and selling buttons in support...but I honestly don't know much about it at all. When I saw this book it sort of made sense to me to read it because...well...I think its important to know whats going on in our world and this is an issue that I feel very strongly about. I'm sorry if this reflection is a bit of a rant, but the book isn't really a book...it's almost a reflection of events too in a way. I've only read the introduction so its a lot of facts and other information...but it really gets you thinking and kind of makes your blood boil and stomach flutter, if that makes sense. At one point, they put you in the shoes of a child soldier and say "imagine yourself on a hill..." and at another point they try and get you to picture yourself as the adult soldier facing, shooting at, and killing a child soldier. Both seem like an awful position to be in...but its reality. Is one better than the other? I don't know...One thing I found really interesting about this example was when the author asked the reader if, being in the position of a grown soldier fighting against kids, do we treat them as soldiers of as children?

"Do you treat this person aiming his weapon at you as a soldier or a child? If you do nothing, dozens will be slaughtered and you put your own life at risk. If you fire to frighten or disarm, you begin a doomed and bloody shootout. Fire back to kill, as you would at an adult, and you will save a village, but at what cost?"

The reason I really liked why the author chose to add this statement was because it clearly lays out all the options. Right at the beginning of the book, we are able to gain perspective on the grown soldier killing a kid...or a soldier. Another comment I have about what I have read so far was about my reaction to the comparison of children to a "weapon of choice". It shows that in countries overseas, children are expendable. They aren't people, they're objects and machinery. This made me reflect on how our society generally looks at child soldiers...they exist, they're far away, but it almost seems as though we don't think of them as people either. They're soldiers and nothing else. Also, the author spoke about how girls and boys are taken from their family and forced into this war like behaviour and the girls are even abused. I can't imagine being taken away from the life I know to participate in such bloody acts, live an unfamiliar and abusive life, and literally have my childhood crushed. This reading reflection was not as formal as my others have been...but thats also because this isn't really a book, it's an eye opening account of real life events. It just gets my mind thinking while reading it and all I want to do is find a way to help...Honestly, I could probably go on and on about this subject, so I'll leave it for now. However, you'll most likely see a lot more personal additions on the subject matter of child soldiers and other injustices or humanitarian work in the world. 

Black Out Poetry

My Final Piece...

Black Out Poetry Continued...

Poem #1: Is It...Serious?

Black Out Poetry Continued...

Poem #1: A Battle of Rights

Black Out Poetry Continued...

Poem #3: Peace, For Some...

Personal Edition Numero Trece

Musique Musts #1

          It finally just hit me that I can add music related stuff on my blog...so, that's rather exciting I would say. For anyone who wants to hear some great music, I would definitely recommend reading these posts! To start with, I'm going to ramble on about some of my favourite bands, artists, songs, etc. Enjoy!

1. The Beatles

http://theearlybeatles.blogspot.ca/

It just had to be my first choice...need I say more?

http://www.thebeatles.com/

2. Mumford & Sons

http://www.mumfordandsons.com/

            These guys have to be one of my favourite bands. Their first CD, Sigh No More, is one of the only CD's I can listen to fully, enjoying each song. Their new album, Babel, is just as great. Listening to them, you can hear the passion in their voices and playing so much that its almost chilling to listen to. When these guys come to Canada, I will most definitely be going. No questions asked. Some of my favourite songs my them include White Blank Page, Winter Winds, Dust Bowl Dance, Holland Road, Hopeless Wanderer, Broken Crown, Babel, Below My Feet, and their cover of Simon and Garfunkle's song The Boxer is actually amazing. 

http://www.mumfordandsons.com/

3. Of Monsters and Men

http://goo.gl/ThxsA

          An amazing band from Iceland! Some of my favourite songs include Dirty Paws, Little Talks, Mountain Sound, Your Bones and King and Lionheart.  

http://www.ofmonstersandmen.is/

4. The Wooden Sky

http://goo.gl/jQKt2

          Not many people know about this band...but for any Winnipeggers reading, assuming most people around the world are wanting to read my blog, they're coming to the West End Cultural Centre on November 28th 2012. Some of my favourite songs by them include This Bird Has Flown, Child of the Valley, The Wooden Sky, and When We Were Young. 

http://thewoodenskymusic.com/

5. The Cat Empire

http://goo.gl/722ux

           A lot of the songs by this group makes you feel like you're in some tropical country listening to music on the beach. Songs to listen to include Rhyme and Reason, Lullaby, Protons Neutrons Electrons, and The Lost Song. 

http://www.thecatempire.com/

6. The Black Keys

http://goo.gl/FB4mh

            You gotta love The Black Keys. Some great songs include Tighten Up, Howlin' For You, Little Black Submarines, and Sinister Kid. 

http://www.theblackkeys.com/

7. City and Colour

http://goo.gl/9d2A4

         City and Colour, (Dallas Green- How clever!) is from Canada and is amazing! Most of their songs are soothing and just make your mother forced you into guitar lessons when you were younger. Check out the songs Confessions, Fragile Bird, Sleeping Sickness, Hello I'm in Delaware, and Sensible Heart. 

http://cityandcolour.ca/

8. Gregory Alan Isakov

http://goo.gl/b7lrv

This guys music actually makes your jaw drop. It's almost a singer that you don't want to tell people about, and just want to keep all to yourself. The music just connects to you and honestly, I can't really explain why. You will do yourself a favour if you listen to That Moon Song, Big Black Car, Evelyn, and Dandelion Wine. 

http://gregoryalanisakov.com/

9. The Fray

http://goo.gl/m0DAp

Who doesn't love the fray? Their music is absolutely beautiful and sang very passionately. Listen to the songs Over My Hear, Be Still, You Found Me, Where The Story Ends, Never Say Never, Syndicate, and How to Save a Life.

http://www.thefray.com/ca

10. Brandi Carlile

http://goo.gl/5REbe

         This singer has such an amazing and unique voice. I really love the songs The Story and Hiding My Heart Away. She also does a great cover of Hallelujah.

Weekly Reflection #6

Question #1

          I find this question very difficult to answer for a few reasons. The first is because...I have no idea what I want to do after high school. I know I for sure I want to go to university at some point, I'm just not entirely sure what I want to pursue as a career. I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions. I should pursue the arts, but I'm really good in science. I should study business, but I would rather do humanitarian work. After high school I was also thinking of helping out overseas in some sort of program, like with Hope Development. The second reason I find this question rather diffucult to answer is becuase I honestly don't know if my blog is the best representation of myself. I don't mean that its unprofessional or that it shows a bad side of me, I just mean I don't think the little things I blog about or reflect on are really of great importance to a lot of the things I plan on doing after high school. Are my posts about my opinion on Lord of the Flies or my personal edition on me ranting about changes in my life really that significant? I don't know, maybe they are. For my entire life I've always worked incredibly hard in school so that my marks will help me get where I want to be after high school, so its just hard for me to think about something else that shows a side of me, other than the numbers I present, that reflect what kind of person I am. As of now, the best way I can think of using my blog to help acheive my goals after high school is to post things that relate to what things I want to do after high school to show my interests. I hope the blog will act as a resume for me that shows my personality, and not just my accomplishments.

Question #2

Comment #1
http://taylorperistyblog.blogspot.ca/2012/10/life-big-question-1.html#comment-form

Comment #2

http://www.samscreativethoughts.blogspot.ca/2012/10/ismy-attempt-at-drawing-pac-man-it.html#comment-form

Comment #3

http://jcreativewriting.blogspot.ca/2012/10/this-is-picture-of-my-aunt-and-uncle.html#comment-form

Question #3

            The first comment I left was on Tay's blog on a post about life's big question about truth. I left this comment because the post intrigued me a lot because not many people are able to actually sit down and write about such a big question for personal reasons. The second post I made was on Sam's blog. He made a visual of a pacman game and although it wasn't the best, I found it really interesting. He talked about how bad it was, which made me curious as to why he would post this. The third comment I made was on Jordan's blog one of her six word memoirs. This memoir stood out to me a lot and made me question whether there are good people in the world, and that we have to keep reassuring ourselves that we are in fact good people. Characteristics of a good comment include being helpful and insightful. You don't want to completely discourage the person from posting what interests them, so positive constructive comments help a lot! Like the comments we left today, it's great to start a conversation over a post that really gets the blogger thinking and reflecting on what they wrote. New perspectives are very important. This being said, a bad comment is something that is in fact unhelpful and pointless. For example, telling someone that they could flat out do better would be a bad comment. Its not constructive, its just criticism. Instead, they could say that a challenge would be good and how they could meet that challenge. Some benefits of commenting on other peoples blogs is that you get to, hopefully, contribute to their writing in the future and you can also acquire ideas of your own for your blog. You also get to start a conversation with someone you don't talk to much based on similar interests, so in a way, friendships are made. Some benefits of receiving comments on my blog is...well...they're awesome. It makes a blogger feel great when they get a comment because it shows that people took the time to look at their work and appreciate what they've posted, which means a lot! I know that for me, comments are almost like a challenge: they get you to think differently and reconsider the content of your post. 

           

Greit's iPhone

(Reading from left to right)

1. iBible: Greit uses this app to stay in touch with her Protestant religion while she stays with the Catholic family. The bible will distract her from their religion. 

2. Candlelight Saviour: This app will allow Greit to see in the darkness of the cellar where she sleeps. She does not want to waste candles, so this app will come in handy.

3. Clean Sweep: Greit will use this app for cleaning and house keeping suggestions and hints. Since she is supposed to do a lot of the housework, this will act sort of like a handbook to her telling her the proper way to clean the house. 

4. FamCam: Greit can only see her family one a week and she is very lonely at her new residence so she will use this app to stay in touch with her family back at home. 

5. Count To Ten: Greit has a bit of a quick temper and does not always think before she acts. This app will help her count to ten and calm herself down before she acts impulsively. 

6. iOCD: Greit is sort of OCD so this app is an anonymous chatroom for people suffering with OCD. Greit can talk to other people with OCD and they can help her and let her know she is not alone. This app also provides support on how to deal with this problem in a healthy way. 

7. Art Attack: Greit is working for a painter by cleaning his studio. However, she does not know a lot about art and there is tonnes of artwork around the house. Now, using this app, she can snap a picture of any piece of art and it will detect the history behind it (artist, time period, meaning, etc) so Greit is able to learn more about the artwork she is surrounded by. 

8. Stone Map: With this map, Greit can find her way around the new area she lives in. Whenever her employers ask her to go run an errand, she will know exactly where to go on the cobblestone streets using this app. 

9. Creeper: This is a self defence app for Greit that will teach her how to handle situations where she finds herself confronted with a creepy man who just doesn't get the point that she is not interested. This app will help with giving her instructions on what to say, and even helping her learn self defence moves if the situation escalates. 

10. iSleep Sound: Greit will use this app to play soft, soothing sounds at night so she will be able to sleep soundly. At her new house, she is having a lot of trouble sleeping through the night because the environment is so different.

Greit's iPhone Case

         Since I am not that far into the book, I don't know a lot about Greit's personality and interests, or at least not enough to know how to create an accurate visual representation. However, one thing I do know about her is that she was pulled out of the life she knew and was comfortable with and is now put into a new lifestyle that she is so unfamiliar with. The colour on the left side of the case represents her old life. Everything is interwoven and bright to her. The black side on the right represents the life she now has to live, which she knows nothing about. Everything is new to her, scary and she has trouble finding herself. 

Personal Edition Numero Doce

                                                 http://goo.gl/s3DoI

          This picture really stood out to me for a few reasons. The first is because I find myself doing this all the time. Even though you know the little warning box will appear on your computer, telling you you removed the usb unsafely and damage may be done, we still pull it out anyways. The second reason is because it shows that people take small risks in life without even realizing it and I think that is important. Although rules systems can be generally good to follow, sometimes it is okay to ignore those and just do what you feel like. Don't stress about the little things in life that don't really matter, these minutes add up too fast and so do the minutes left in life.  

Personal Edition Numero Once

                                               http://goo.gl/8XLmr

      Okay, so everyone has a bit of OCD in them. It's true and you know it. I found this image, well, hilarious actually because it shows that sometimes its okay to see humour in your faults. We can recognize a problem that we can't really control and can ease the tension or stress that it causes by making a joke to lighten the feeling. Another reason I really liked this image is because the last statement "AS THEY SHOULD BE" let me picture a scene of some really nerdy person, who has everything structured and laid out that is work related, saying this in a matter of fact tone. Sort of like that annoying person you have in every class or workplace who thinks they know everything...Honestly, I love it when funny messages like these are able to bring out an actual scene in your imagination. 

Personal Edition Numero Diez

     
      I feel like I'm missing out. 

      I have always acted older than I am, ever since I was little. I never got a lot of the humour other kids did, or teenagers for that matter, and I always just sort of kept to myself. In high school I have always felt out of place. That's kind of a classic response from kids my age...but thats just how I feel. I find gossip annoying, I couldn't care less who's dating who, and I hate the idea of certain hierarchy by grades for the school. However...I find myself mimicking the motions that I do care. I've always just been school focused, rather than spending time with friends and going out I will memorize a textbook, literally. Now that its my senior year I want to try being a regular teenager. I'm worried that I'll look back on my high school experience one day and think that I missed out...but I'm also scared that I won't. 

Writing Reflection #2

         All I have to say about this writing form and assignment is that I absolutely loved it. However, since this reflection must be about 200 words, here comes my rambling. I thought this project was so easy but not in a bad kindergarten boring kind of way. It was easy because I was so inspired to write these memoirs and since it incorporated art and visuals into it, that made it even easier for me since art is one of my biggest passions. I have always wanted to find a way to making a meaningful statement, and the fact that I was able to do that in six words really surprised me. On my blog I put up ten memoirs with images added and I also have over thirty written out on paper...so I think its safe to say I was a big fan of this assignment. What I liked best about this project was not the words and the visuals on their own, but I enjoyed finding a way to bring them together. With my "Six Word Memoir" already written, was able to use my creativity to find the best way to do the writing justice. In one case, I even found an image first that inspired me so I came up with a memoir that suited the picture the best. I found this assignment actually very fun because all the memoirs could be so different, it didn't have to be constant, and we had the oppourtunity to literally say or confess anything we want. The fact that the six words may not make sense to everyone completely, except the writer, brings mystery to it. When the memoirs were posted on flickr without a description underneath I was so curious as to what the stories behind the images and messages were. One thing I learned about myself throughout this process is that I can, when given the oppourtunity, really go in any direction I want to if I work at it. Some of my memoirs were sad and meaningful, others were funny (at least, they gave me a good laugh) and others were just powerful statements that I think more people, not just only myself, can relate to and make connections to with their own experience. Another thing I found really interesting about reading other peoples memoirs was that, their six words had an impact on me. Even if I didn't know their reasoning for writing it, from what was given I could make a connection to my own life. Since this project was really enjoyable and inspiring, I want to teach it to my dad's Grade 4 and 5 elementary school class. They are in a neighbourhood that is not as well off, and sometimes I go in on inservice days to do art with them or help with writing assignments. I would really like to do this with them sometime soon because even a simple statement or confession can be so powerful. This assignment gave me a huge confidence boost and I hope it will give them one too. The memoirs do not need big fancy words or a masterpiece of high quality art attached, just a message and a  meaningful representation. 

Reading Reflection #4

Book: Girl With A Pearl Earring

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Pages Read: 3-21

          Dear Fellow Readers, I've started another book and have put Lord of the Flies away for now. My literary English class may be reading it later on this year and I by no means want to read it twice. My friends mom recommended this book to me and the art class at our school watched it and thought it was really good so I hope I'll enjoy it! I'm not really far into the book yet but I already have lots of comments, questions, predictions and surprisingly a lot of connections...so I'm hoping that's a good sign.
        One literary device that the author has used that I absolutely love is comparisons and words she uses to describe actions and characters. For example, she compares new characters voices to polished brass and dark wood, and that you "could hear rich carpets in their voices, books and pearls and fur" (3). I really liked how from this description I could picture very refined people with a bit of mystery to them. Also, she added that one of the little girls voice sounded as if it had cobwebs in it which gave a very chilling vibe in that scene. The author also compares two of the characters eyes to the sea and to a flickering candle. The visual and auditory imagery that Tracy Chevalier creates through her words is really impressive and I am eager to read the other comparisons and descriptions she uses. Another part of the book that catches my interest is when the author uses subtle and short flashbacks of the characters. I like this because it still feels like the book is moving forward, and not constantly flipping form time to time, and we as the readers are still getting little hints of their life in the past. Also, the fact that we don't get a lot of information of these characters backgrounds makes it kind of mysterious. I also find the character names really interesting because they are all old and sound so pretty, like Greit, Catharina, Tanneke, Cornelia, Maria, Lisbeth, and Aleydis.
        Since I'm starting a new book, I have many predictions and questions. In the novel, there is a teenager who is leaving her home to work for an artist and his wife by organizing his studio, as well as other household tasks. When they were looking to see if the girl was a suitable choice for a helper, the man noticed that the vegetables she had prepared for the soup she was making were all laid out properly into sections, a specific order. I got the impression that this girl had some sort of OCD problem and I think this will either negatively or positively influence her future job. She is asked to clean his studio, without really touching anything so I think her compulsions will get the better of her and she may get in trouble for this. Also, the man seems to be paying a lot of attention to the young girl and the wife seems to notice over it and I get the impression that she is either jealous or worried. I think later on in the book the girl and the older man may develop some kind of relationship...One question I have is what religion the main characters (the girls) family practices. It seems like religion is a big part of their lives so I would like to know what exactly it is. I do know that back in the 1600's in Europe, many people were Catholic...however in this book, there are not many Catholics and they are sort of excluded from the town and keep to themselves, so I want to find out what the opposing religion is.
         One comparison the author used that I really related to in the book was when she said that one of the characters spoke as if he held cinnamon in his mouth. I have been a participant in the cinnamon challenge and I assure you, it is not very pleasant. My mouth felt like it was on fire and if you're able to talk, your voice sounds really raspy. Knowing this, when the character spoke his words I could kind of hear them in my head, raspy and almost forced. Another connection I made so far was the fact that this girl (who's religion has not yet been stated) is hired to work for Catholics and everything seems new to her, even the area of town she has to work in now, even though it is only a ten minute walk from her house. It reminded me of my Irish aunties, one Protestant and the other Catholic, who lived a block over from each other all their lives but never knew each other till they met in Canada (what a coincidence) simply because their religions were different. In the book the girl, Greit, talks about a painting she had seen of a certain view in the country and she comments on how she does not see it the same way as the painter views it. As an artist, or at least sort of an artist, I really connected with this comment because I know that if you had a bunch of artists in a room and were to ask them to paint a specific scene, everyones would be different because we, as people, gather our own opinions, visions, and views from what we see. I really liked how the author was able to show that in one small sentence of the book.
      Overall, I am so far really liking this book. Probably the main reason for this is because the descriptions are so unique and they really paint a clear picture in my mind. I also really love the old European setting because I find it beautiful to read about what all the old scenery, people, and homes looked like back then.