Perfect Playlist - Kate Sommer

I've always enjoyed summer. My birthday and my best friend's birthday is the summer. Summer means vacation and hanging out with my best friends. And to me, summer means music. So my playlist is songs for this summer.

1. Act My Age by One Direction - Whatever some of you may say, One Direction is one of my favorite bands, so get over it. This song signifies my birthday at the very beginning of the summer (June 4th). Even though I'll be getting older and soon be going off to college I can always count on my friends to be huge goofballs with me. To put it simply - I won't act my age.

2. Geronimo by Sheppard - Summer is the time where we can do anything we want. Take the plunge and do the things you've always wanted to do. Especially now because this is technically our last summer as high school students.

3. Die Young Live Forever by We The Kings - I chose this song because it's one of many songs that my best friend and I can jam to. It's also a very representative song of summer and of being young. Which is why it represents my best friend's birthday towards the end of summer.

4. Disconnected (Live) by 5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer is another one of my favorite bands and at the end of the summer my best friend and I are going to see them live. We got the tickets almost exactly a year before the concert so this is a big thing for us. So I put one of their live recordings to signify this event.

5. American Dream by MKTO - I chose this song because it's a fun song for the summer and also because I love the message behind it. It's saying that there's no "normal" anymore, that you should never abandon your dreams just because they're not "conventional", and I think that's an important thing to keep in mind as we start to apply to colleges and decide what we want to major in.

Spotify Playlist

Right Now — Gabriel Molina

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, people all over the place are playing music. Music seems to be a connection across all cultures and languages and locations. A universal language, if you will. There’s evidence for this in the numerous instruments there are around the world. I just saw an interesting one from China the other day at the cultural fair in the auditorium. I forgot what it was called..

I also think it’s interesting that people who would never call themselves musicians and people who play professionally every day of their lives are all affected by or involved in music somehow and in some way in their lives. When was the last time you talked to someone who just doesn't listen to music? Or who doesn't even have a preference? For me it’s never happened.

So strangely enough, every time I pick up my guitar and play, there are countless other people around the world playing with me. If only I could meet them all. We could definitely jam.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life — Gabriel Molina

Usually I have to think about my answers to these blogs for a while, but as soon as I read this one I knew my answer. In the movie Braveheart, the main character is William Wallace. Technically he was a real person, but because the movie is regarded as mainly fictional, I think he can slide as my answer for this blog.

I would choose to be William Wallace not because I want his life or what he had or his circumstances or any of that. I would choose to be him because of his character. In the movie, Wallace fights for a cause that he truly and deeply believes in, and he stops at nothing to advance towards it. And what really strikes me about this is the cause is not about himself. At first the fight is for the woman he loves, and after that is taken from him, he realizes the larger cause to fight for: the freedom of his country. He dies in this cause, but valiantly. Never choosing to submit to the enemy of his country.

I would choose to be William Wallace because he was willing to die to set others free.

The Perfect Playlist — Gabriel Molina

I decided to make a perfect playlist of worship music. I know probably very few of you listen to worship music on a regular basis, but it constitutes probably 90% of what comes through my headphones. So here ya go:

1. We Will Not Be Shaken — Bethel Music
2. Mighty Warrior — Elevation Worship
3. Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) — Hillsong Live
4. Nothing But The Blood — Jesus Culture
5. Relentless (Acoustic) — Hillsong United

I chose We Will Not Be Shaken as my first song because it starts somewhat slow (yet not boring), and eases into higher energy stuff. It just makes a great start to a playlist. Coincidentally, it also is the first song in the album it comes from.

Mighty Warrior is a much higher energy song that follows the first song very well. There are more electric instruments and higher tempo drum stuff that just makes you get up on your feet. Also the lyrics of course are fantastic. They just proclaim truth about God. All these songs really do that. Makes it cohesive.

Broken Vessels I chose next because it transitions to more ominous and a little bit slower more reflective music. More background ambient noise and beautifully delicate lead guitar lines fill a lot of the song. It makes you stop to listen close to all the intricate details of the music. And then the lyrics are beautiful. It’s also a very modernized spin-off of a well-known worship song everybody knows, Amazing Grace.

Nothing But The Blood is a classic worship song most people know as well. The version Jesus Culture does is recorded live. I felt that the playlist needed a “live” feeling song in it somewhere, so this song fills the need.

Finally is Relentless acoustic. This song helps the playlist end on a pretty high energy note. I chose the acoustic version because there’s just something about the natural sound that comes from unplugged instruments. Though it is high energy, it feels pure and light and fun to listen to. Also if you’re an acoustic guitarist like me, you just love acoustic versions of songs.

So that’s my playlist. Maybe give it a listen. I’ve chosen only the best.

The Perfect Playlist - Julia Wilson

I have a running Spotify playlist that I created a long time ago called "The Feels". This playlist is for when you are just not digging life or when you need to get any negative emotion possible out of your system. Here are my top 5 songs from the "The Feels":

1. All I Want - Kodaline
This song is good for the initial wave of sad emotions that come when something bad happens to you.  Although it is most applicable to getting dumped, the calm simple melody and themes of loss can bring you to tears for just about any bad situation.

2. Youth - Daughter
This is probably the most dismal song on the playlist. It is perfect for when you're feeling lonely and utterly depressed about life. Daughter's haunting voice and the drums in this song sorta make you feel numb. When you're ready to tune everything out and just indulge in your sadness, this is the song for you.

3. White Blank Page - Mumford and Sons
This song is perfect for when you need to get some anger out. The lyrics mixed with an abrasive crescendo make you want to throw a vase at the wall as you scream-cry.

4. If I Were A Boy - Beyonce
This song connects more with girls than it does with boys. It's simply about all the bad things that typical boys do to girls and how much it sucks. This is a great song for when you're upset and need to vent it out via girl power.

5. By The Grace Of God - Katy Perry
Katy Perry isn't known for serious, sad songs but this is one of the best. It's written about her traumatic breakup with Russell Brand and how she got through it. It is full of raw emotion and you can practically hear her tears. It's a great song to listen to when you're ready to move forward, because it focuses on grief and how it's possible to overcome.



 https://open.spotify.com/user/1225912035/playlist/6iJeC1clSAlPdEMiPJ6g2E

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Julia Wilson

When I first read this my immediate thought was that I would be Beyonce Knowles, but then I remembered that she is, in fact, a real person. If I could be any fictional character I would 100% be Peter Pan. (We are gonna put gender aside because Peter Pan is a dude and I am obviously not a dude. Although, being a guy for a day would be awesome which makes this argument all the better.) Peter Pan lives the absolute life. First of all he never grows up which I find incredible because I fear getting older and the inevitability of death and all that stuff. To be able to stay young for as long as I stayed in a magic land past the stars is a pretty good deal. He's also able to fly which is just simply cool. I'm a thrill seeker and being able to fly suits that quite well. Also, I don't think you have to get a license to fly which saves you a stressful trip (or if you're me, 2 stressful trips) to the DMV to take a driver's test. Peter Pan spends his days flying, hanging out with his friends, snatching pretty girls from their bedrooms, and overall just having a really great time. The only stressor in his life is Captain Hook, but he really isn't the sharpest sword on the ship (hahahahahahahaha....). That is why I would be Peter Pan.

Perfect Playlist- Zachary Whitehouse

The perfect playlist is not an easy task. My perfect playlist would be for when your crush is turning you down or when its raining outside and you just need to think about your life. Sitting at a desk in your room looking out the window just watching the world play its course. This music is for when you have a rough day at school and are sitting in your shower soaking in your thoughts. Song number 1 would be Margins Room by Drake.  Drakecan rreally get you in the "feels" and this song is about rough tikes with your girl or guy. This song really makes you think about all the decisions you've made and if you could've done better. Song number 2 is Mirrors by Lil Wayne. This song is about looking in the mirror and just taking a deep look at yourself. When you just cant figure out what it is, just listen to this song and it'll have you rethinking your self. Song number 3 is Set Fire To The Rain by Adele. A major change of paceaand style to this song but it still has the same kessage. This one however is more about letting go and starting over. What is in the past is in the past. Keep your head up and keep moving. Song number 4 is I Know I'm Not The Only One by Sam Smith. A slow paced that song that has to deal with relationships. Its deep and just really makes you think. Everything you'd want In playlist for a rough week. The last sing is more Adele. Chasing Pavements by Adele. The goal is to make you think if you reallyneed to keep going on with what your after. Or if you just need to cut it off where it is and move on. All these songs have the same goal of making you just lose your self in some thought. Always good for a rough week or day. Or just wwhen you need to think about life.

Fictional Character... -Zachary Whitehouse

Out of all the characters I could be, I'd have to choose to be Captain America. He has the looks, gets the girls, has super powers, a cool shield, and he's a part of the freaking avengers for crying out loud. Captain America had everything a man wants. First off the looks. He can get any girl he wants, though it is unfair because they aren't exactly his natural looks, hes a super human. Secondly, he has super powers. Who oj this planet would not want super powers?! I dare you to find me one. I wouldn't say he has the best powers, no. But he does have powers along with everything else he has. And again, he has a cool shield. The shield is amazing. This is like the coolest shield among all other shields. It has its own super powers. And lastly, he is in the avengers. This is like the best collection of super heroes possible. If only spiderman was in it... But that's another blog. But no, Captain America saves the world and gets to work alongside Iron Man for crying out loud. So yeah, I'd definitely want to be Captain America. His name is, Captain. America.

Right Now- Zachary Whitehouse

Right now at this very moment some one is playing a guitar. Strumming in their room tryingto perfect that new ssong they learned. They've been practicing for hours and right now karks hour number 3 and they are just now getting it right. Right now a family is olaying a game of monopoly and the eldest son is talking trash because he knows no one can beat him yet he inevitably falls to the youngest sister. Right now someone I'd working on a cure for cancer. Putting in countless of hours hoping to save countless lives. He's sitting in a lab bent over at his desk going over his notes and research thousands of times until he can figure out that perfect concoction. Right now someone tried something new. They did something for the first time and they are absolutely loving it. At this very second a man is proposing to the love of his life and is saying "yes." The candles are lit and he's down on one knee asking that terrifying question.

The Perfect Playlist-Noah Welch

In general I don’t listen to a lot of music. I do not have an I-Device, Pandora or Spotify account. I play the cello, so in general I spend most of my musical quota playing music.  The songs on my “playlist” are songs (in no particular order) that I listen to when I need motivation to do something.  The reason these songs provide motivation to me is because of the instrumentals or the lyrics.

Song Number One It’s My Life- Bon Jovi

The main theme with all of these songs is that they have a catchy tune. I love the way this song sounds.  I also like the theme of the song in that people have to make their own way in life and because we will all die someday we might as well make the best of it.

Song Number Two- You May Be Right- Billy Joel

This is a fun song that I always love listening to. I love most of Billy Joel’s songs and this is one of my favorites. It reminds me to embrace diversity and to look for the positive qualities in everyone.

Song Number Three- Thunderstruck AC-DC

To be honest the only reason this song is here is because I love the instrumentals. This song is worth listening to at least once, not for the singing, but for the guitar solo.

Song Number Four- Crazy Train- Kiss

Ok, I know it is a stereotypical rock and Kiss song but I enjoy the guitar solos and I like the message of the song. This song is also how I feel about high school (Mr. Logsdon’s class is the exception of course). It is also nice to hear that other people have dealt with the same problems as I have.

Song Number Five- Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

This song is with the others because it is the main one that I listen to when I’m tired. When I've stayed up too late and need energy to keep going, this song helps provide it. It is one of my favorite orchestral pieces and is probably my favorite song of all time. If you like classical music, and have not heard this piece, I can promise you that you will not be disappointed. In my opinion this is one of the great composer Vivaldi’s best works. 

Fictional Character Fictional Life - Caleb Combs

Money management is a skill that every person should possess and be able to pass on to their children.  Learning how to manage money is essential to success in life, as it will shape your future.  Everyone should at least possess the basic techniques for managing their money.  One big one is to set aside a separate bank account that is designated as an "emergency fund."  In the event of emergency, it is important to have a supply of money to provide for the family.  Another useful technique is to put money in a "sinking fund" when hoping to make a large purchase.  Avoid taking out mortgage on your home, or taking loans from the bank.  This is an ineffective way to manage your money.  Finally, avoid spending money on recreational items excessively.  The spending of money on things such as fast food would be better spent elsewhere.  The life of Walter White would certainly be a great one, with millions of dollars and nothing to lose.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Amelia Rogers

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth spends her days doing pretty much whatever she wants because it’s England in the early 1800s and the only thing expected of her is that she find a husband. She gets to sleep in, read books all day, hang out with her sisters, wear pretty dresses, and go to fancy balls. Sounds good to me! Yet, Elizabeth rises above these societal expectations, which I admire. She is very intelligent and improves her mind through aforementioned extensive reading. She isn’t obsessed with finding a husband, and she especially isn’t interested in marrying for money or connections. Instead, she only wants to marry for true love. Elizabeth is confident and witty, and she has a kind spirit. I would want to be her even if that was all to her story. But the best part about being Elizabeth Bennet is that her intelligence, wit, and charm capture the attentions of the handsome Mr. Darcy. After a beautiful romance in which Mr. Darcy proves to be a man of humility, kindness, and generosity, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are married. Then, Elizabeth gets to live on his enormous estate because Mr. Darcy conveniently happens to be the wealthiest man in England. And as all my favorite stories go, they live happily ever after. Basically, Elizabeth Bennet wins at life and I would love to be her. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Caroline Totty

If I were to be one fictional character, as cliche as it is, I would be Hermione Granger. I would chose to be her because I mean who doesn't want to be a witch, but not only is she any ordinary witch, she is extremely brilliant and one of the best witches of her time regardless of being a Mudblood. Hogwarts is the most amazing place from the food to the classes to just all the adventures they get themselves into. If I lived at Hogwarts it would be a dream come true. Hermione lives what seems to be a perfect life. She has a great home, great friends, knows how to balance her school life and social life and is way ahead of most of her peers when it comes to being a witch. Magic would be the biggest bless to have. Being able to do even the simplest tasks with the flick of a wand would be my dream come true, and Hermione is just a good character that fulfills those dreams.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Emily Chavez

If I could be any fictional character, I would without hesitation choose Olivia Pope from the TV show Scandal. Olivia is a professional fixer- she gets people, specifically politicians and other of high power in DC, out of sticky situations. Her job combines the most perfect amounts of public and media relations, law, and politics. She also always has something new happening and there's always something to be fixed. Olivia has a team of "fixers" just like her who help her get things done. Olivia's life is exciting- not perfect, but exciting. Her lifestyle may not be admired by many others because there is a lot of danger involved, but I think that's what makes her life so fun. 

fictional Life- Will mathews

 Ok first of all this is hard, there are so many to choose from, but I guess I would go with Legolas from lord of the rings. First of all he’s a badass, excuse my language, and he lives in middle earth. Middle earth would be the coolest place to live you could just do fun things in nature, also Legolas is immortal as an elf unless he dies in battle, so you pretty much have an eternity to explore and travel to all kind of distant lands. So back to the badassery, since I know you have read the books and seen the movie, there is no denying that legolas has got some skills he can pretty much destroy any orc or type of creature that try to attack him, also making it very unlikely that he would die in battle. So if I was legolas I could run around middle earth jumping from trees, shooting things with my bow and doing all kind of other cool things.

right now- Will Mathews

Right here, right now on earth there is a boy playing lacrosse, his name is Sam, he has been practicing all year and is finally receiving his chance to play. He is playing attack and his team is on defense so he is just standing excitingly waiting for the ball to come his way. He needs the defense to make a stop here because the game is tied and there is only 45 seconds left, the opposing team seems to be stalling so they can go into overtime, when out of nowhere a player makes a bad pass and it is intercepted by the defense, a look of horror comes over the face of the passer as a loud cheer erupts from the audience. The defender rushes down the field as Sam runs back to get into position, there are only 11 seconds left when the defender launches the ball to the attackman opposite of Sam, the attackman charges his defender down and beats him as if the wind was surging him forward. But looming ever so closer is the defender guarding Sam, until, slam, he runs right into the attackman who with a last breath throws the ball to Sam, who is now alone with the goalie, 2 seconds left on the clock, he fakes high and goes low, and all he can hear is an explosion from his team and the fans

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Isabel Jenkins

If I could be any fictional character, I would pick Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. As others have stated, the whole Hogwarts/wizard/magical destiny thing sounds so much more exciting than my life - but that's not the main reason I would like to be Luna. She's such a nonconformist, and I love that. She's quirky and dreamy and kind of looney, but isn't afraid to show it. She dresses and acts just the way she wants, and doesn't allow herself to be swayed by the crowd or fall prey to peer pressure. Naturally, this caused her to be ridiculed by some of her fellow classmates, who called her names and stole her things. But she remained unfazed by this, continuing to be nonjudgemental and accepting of everyone around her. Despite everything that happened to her, she kept a serene disposition and a positive outlook on life. I find that so admirable. Although she may be pretty eccentric, I think many of us (myself included!) should be jealous of her innocent mindset. We could use more Lunas in this world. On a side note, I am literally posting this 4 minutes late... Blast.

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 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.

If you want link it to a spotify playlist and share a link.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 12th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to turn in make up assignments 21-23)

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Fictional Character, Fictional Life-Leah Noble

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Jennifer Jareau (aka J.J.) from Criminal Minds. She spends her days, along with her trustworthy and close-knit team at the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, chasing after serial killers called un-subs (unknown subjects) which is an adventure filled and often dangerous task. J.J.'s life hasn't been completely easy-going, but she effectively uses her low points and hardships to help shape her future; she learns from the hard times and the mistakes she has made. Also, as a criminal profiler, she constantly gets to use psychology to get into the minds of un-subs and use the information about them to catch them before they kill again. It is amazing and cool to see how noticing even minute details about someone, especially their behavior, can tell you so much about who they are. Besides all this, she's got epic gun skills and has a great family as well. But really though, who doesn't want to be able to take down a serial killer and save a family in danger?

Fictional Character, fictional life - Kate Sommer

If I could be any fictional character I would choose to be Amy Pond from Doctor Who. First of all, who wouldn't want to be able to travel through time and space. You could go anywhere you wanted, including alien planets. You could see any kind of civilization or culture you wanted. Also, Amy has a best friend who would give their life to protect her and a husband who literally waited 2000 years to be with her to protect her (It's complicated). The Doctor is her best friend in the universe and he literally fought entire squadrons of aliens to keep her and her baby safe. Her husband Rory would protect her at any costs and was absolutely and totally in love with her. Even though Amy had a sad exit from the show (she and her husband disappeared back in time due to an alien and the Doctor was physically incapable to go back to that year) she was able to live out the rest of her life with the love of her life and that's how I'd like my life to end. (With the person I love, not being attacked by an alien)

RIght Now - Kate Sommer

Right now, somewhere in the universe the person that will eventually change your life is living their own life. Whether this person is your future husband/wife or just a future friend they're living their own separate life. It always seems strange to me that there are people out in this world who will become the most important people in your life, and you haven't even met them yet. It is very likely that I haven't met the guy that I will one day marry. This is my 3rd year at this school and I don't even know all the Academy juniors so there are still tons of people, just in this school, who have the ability to make an impression in my life. Not only that but I still have 4 years of college (at least) to go to, in which I'll meet people from all over the country. My mom didn't meet her husband or best friend until she got to college. I have my best friend for life but who knows, i could make another best friend. I could meet a guy that completely flips my world around in college or even after. The world is unpredictable and with billions of people on this planet you never know who will impact you the most.

Fictional character, fictional life-Mckenna Elliott

If I could be any fictional character, I would choose to be Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. She is beautiful, charming, and a fool! She lives a lavish lifestyle and probably has never worked a day in her life. 

Daisy not only gets the successful husband, but also the extremely rich sugar daddy who wants to shower her with affection, but moreso material things. In a universe where you could be whichever fictional character you choose, why wouldn't you want to have everything you could ever dream of being handed to you without an exertion of effort on your part? She lived in a time where it was OKAY to be a gold digger, so why not take advantage of that when it's socially acceptable? You'd get to have the most laid back lifestyle in history, and nothing to worry about because you're a beautiful little FOOL. 

The only downside to being Daisy Buchanan would be the fact that she has everything, yet still lacks character. Other than that, she would be my life goals in a parallel universe where women still depended on men for everything. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Anne Russell

If I could be any fictional character, I would pick to be Mia Thermopolis from the Princess Diaries. I love adventures, and her life seems like one big adventure to me. She starts as a somewhat socially awkward teenage girl who isn't much to look at, which all of us can relate to at times, but when she discovers that she comes from royalty, her life is turned upside down. I find that in the second movie especially, she is a very inspiring figure. She stands up against old, out-dated traditions and fights for the rights of orphans. She is brave, impulsive, and very caring. Plus, who wouldn't want to be queen of Genovia? She also has a rockin grandmother, an attractive boyfriend, and a fat cat, all of which are notable perks. I would constantly explore the castle, walk around the gardens, and get to know the people that I was ruling. Sounds like a dream life to me.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Anthony Tamasi

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Percy Jackson. First of all, it would be cool to be able to control and manipulate water. It just opens the doors to so many things. You can breathe underwater. You can mess the plumbing of someone you do not like. But besides that, Percy also has a good relationship with his mother and tries to help her whenever possible. Some people are not that close to their mom, but I like this quality, and want to be able to help my mom with whatever she needs. But it extends past his mother, to his friends and other people he cares for. Percy is just a guy who likes to help out, and I aspire to be that kind of selfless person. He is also very adventurous (sometimes forced to be, but that is beside the matter). I would love to be a more adventurous person, even if it is just by traveling more.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Emily Cashman

If I could be any fictional character, I think I would probably be Hermione Granger. First of all, being a witch would be pretty great. I mean who doesn't want to be able to make things fly or brew potions or transform birds into goblets? Sounds pretty good to me. Secondly, she's incredibly smart and driven, two things that are very important characteristics to me. She was the top of her class, but was still able to have fun at Hogwarts with Ron and Harry, her best friends. She's also extremely pretty (technically that's Emma Watson but I wouldn't mind being her either), but isn't full of herself. Basically she's just all around a really great person who strived to be successful and the best that she could be, which is really just all you can do in life. So, if I could be any fictional character then I would want to be Hermione Granger because she just exemplifies a lot of what I hope to be in the future.

Right Now - Julia Wilson

Right now someone is getting their heart broken. In this instant they are watching someone who was everything to them only minutes ago disappear before their eyes. They feel numb at first. They will spend the night in bed crying their eyes out in disbelief, hoping it's all some really bad dream. They think this is the worst it gets, that it can only get better from here. They're wrong. The worst parts are going to be the mornings, when they wake up from a sleep of forgetfulness only to have reality hit them all over again so hard that it physically hurts. Memories will sting. They will gradually feel worse and worse, with daily reminders of the person that they've lost accumulating until it hurts so much that they collapse to the floor completely hopeless. This is rock bottom. They think they will never be happy again, but again they are wrong.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Anne Russell

Fictional Character, Fictional Life-Noah Welch

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Sir Gawain from King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. I am enchanted with the tales of King Arthur. I love the idea of becoming a Knight, confidant in my prowess, saving those who cannot defend themselves. I love the idea of Knights becoming paragons of virtue who strive to be perfect, selfless individuals. I would want to be Sir Gawain because of his transformation from arrogance to selflessness. Gawain’s story speaks to me because it is clear through the tales that he is not perfect; he can become angry and act rashly but when he does he tries to obtain forgiveness for his sins. He is also human, in that he fears death unlike our perception of other knights. Knights like Galahad and Percival have always seemed more foreign to me because they do not seem to fear death. Gawain however breaks his oath to the Green Knight to preserve his own skin. Gawain’s death also serves as a salutary reminder not to let our passions prevent us from allowing mercy and forgiveness to exist. Because of his flaws, Gawain is the knight that we all strive to be. In our hearts everyone wants to fight for justice, but our own pride and arrogance can interfere with our ability to obtain the truth. Gawain stands for my hope to acknowledge my own weakness and be able to persevere through strength and dignity. This is why I would want to be Sir Gawain, I seek to embrace and acknowledge my flaws in order to become a better person; a role model in the world around me.

Right Now- Emily Chavez

Right now, in this moment, someone is achieving a goal. For some, this may be getting accepted into their dream college. For others, it could be staying sober for 30 days straight. From sticking to a diet to overcoming their fear of flying, peolle are achieving goals. Right now, someone is taking a step. They are achieving something that at one point they thought might be unattainable. Right now, something terrible is happening, and whatever that is I'm not sure. But something wonderful is happening too. We so often jump to the possibility of sadness than to considering happiness. Right now, and I am writing this, someone is extatic. They are on cloud 9, on top of the world. Every day goals are made and every days goals are met. Right now, someone is achieving greatness in their own definition.

Right Now - Isabel Jenkins

At this moment, somewhere in the universe, someone is dreaming. Their mind is conjuring up images; incongruent elements that combine to create a new world. Perhaps it is a pleasant dream, strolling along the ocean shore or spending time with a loved one. Perhaps it has a common theme: flying, falling, running, testing. It could be the manifestation of this person's deepest fears and strongest desires, a dream that could be used for psychoanalysis or personal reflection. Or it could just be of them brushing their teeth. Their dream could be in color, or it could be in black in white. If it were a blind someone, there would not be visual dreams, but dreams utilizing other senses. This person probably won't realize they're dreaming until morning - that is, if they remember the dream at all. It's a shame how many people have, in this moment, just forgotten their dreams! Dreams are the window into our soul; they are the poetry of our subconscious. If you can remember, spend a moment (as you have many moments left) to write dreams down, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Out of all of the books, all of the movies, and all of the television shows you have watched, consider your favorite characters. Then, answer the following:

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 15th at 11:59 pm

Right Now- Caroline Totty

Right now, in this very moment there is a boy somewhere trying to kill himself.  He is constantly pressured by his family and friends to be the best he can be, but their best is unattainable for him. He feels alone. He feels like an outsider who will never be good enough, or maybe he is good enough and that's why he feels alone. He is the head jock of the school and everyone loves him, but he feels as if he has no true friends. He doesn't know what a real relationship is like. He's tired of all the pressure put on him to win every single game for his team. Or maybe it's a brainiac with only a few close friends, and all he dreams about is being the popular jock with everyone wrapped around his finger. He's tired of feeling like a nobody. As these late night thoughts swallow this boy, wherever he might be, he comes to a conclusion. He feels like world would not suffer without him. He feels as if it would even be a better place without him. He writes a note to his parents telling them it's not their fault and that he loves them. It takes courage for him to swallow those pills or to kick the chair out from underneath him, but right now, in this very moment, a kid is struggling with that decision, whether they should swallow those pills or kick the chair. As I lay in bed typing this blog, there is a person somewhere trying to kill themselves.

Right Now - Caleb Combs

Right now, somewhere in the universe, someone is starving.  Many people in third world countries are living their lives in poverty, in the most harsh of conditions.  The amount of food we waste everyday is unacceptable considering what some people go through.  Over winter break, I had the opportunity to go on a cruise in the Bahamas.  While I had an extremely good time on this trip, I look back and realize the amount of food that is wasted  by the 2000 plus people on the ship.  When food is all you can eat, people overload their plates and end up throwing away mountains of food.  We need to make a conscious effort appreciate the food that we eat, and also try to help those in poverty.  Generosity can be the end of poverty, and everyone should find it in their hearts to help.

hooray for hollywood- Caleb Combs

I recently had the opportunity to watch the film American Sniper, and really enjoyed it.  This film envelopes you in the life of Chris Kyle, who is to date the deadliest sniper in United States history.  This movie was expertly directed in a way that allows the viewer to experience the emotional turmoil that comes with taking the life of another human being.  Bradley Cooper gives a nearly flawless performance.  The movie was interesting throughout, with a perfect combination of action, drama, romance, and comedy.  There was a sense of dry humor throughout that was often short lived.  The movie does a great job of showing Kyle's progression from a Texas cowboy to a hardened war veteran.   The ending of this movie as nearly everyone knows results in the tragic death of Chris Kyle, as his noble efforts to help war veterans are ruined.  This is the first movie I have come out of in which I was absolutely speechless, as this film hurdles boundaries that have never been touched in the past.  Overall, as fantastic film that I recommend to anyone with a level of maturity and love for action drama.

Right Now-Leah Noble

Right now, somewhere in the world, your favorite celebrity or friend from elementary school who you haven't seen in years is doing something. This may seem obvious, but at any given time you really only know what we ourselves are doing. We live OUR lives; we know what WE are doing right now, but we have no idea what other people are doing. I find it difficult to comprehend the idea that there are other people, especially ones I don't see very often (if ever), doing things and living their lives at this instant. What are they doing at this very moment? Who are they with? Where are they? Maybe it is just me, but this runs through my mind often. I sometimes wonder, for example, what an actor from one of my favorite TV shows is doing right now. I don't really know anything about their personal life, but they must be somewhere in the world doing something while I sit in my room doing homework. I guess for now I can only imagine what others doing at any given moment.