Boo- Tapan Darji

My survival plan would be to first find out the where the zombies are and how they are spreading. Then I would gather supplies like food and water. After I gather all my supplies, I would look and see where the zombies are then and which direction they are heading in. After that I would pack my supplies into my car. Then I would try to escape town. I would try to go to a place where there aren't many zombies. I would try to find a place near the coast. When I reach the coast, I would find a boat in case the zombies start coming into that area. While on the coast I would research the reason for the zombies and then I would try to find a cure. If the zombies start to get close, I would get into my boat with any non-zombies and try to find a tiny uninhabited island. While in the sea I will keep working for the cure and make sure the zombies don't find me. When I find an island I would set up camp and live there until my supplies run out.

BOO - Adrian Wyllie

Halloween. One of those more children oriented holidays. People like the scare factor associated with that holiday. I have never really been one to celebrate it. But onto my topic. The thing that scares me. I know this answer well, It has woken me multiple times in multiple nights, I find myself in a cold sweat, my skin crawling with goosebumps.
The one thing that terrifies me, the one thing that I cannot hyperbolize further, is to lose everything. To wake up one morning, and find nothing left, not even burning ruins of what I once had. I have lost too much in the past, and have too much to lose still. I stand on a rooftop. I am facing the building towering over me, and I know, I could have been there, or I could be at the ground.
I really miss the things I have lost, and sometimes it can be too much. I still have my friends and family, but I know that anything could happen that could take away even those. Things are happening, to take away those. It's just how things are.
I can do nothing, sometimes, but wait for everything to crash down around me. I will stare off, and I see the possibilities, there are too many. This is more than a fear. It is a condition. I know it well. I have accepted it. It is to happen. If not now, then later, and if not, Then soon. It all falls. That is life. That is death. I cannot say any more.

BOO- Brandon Castillo

Zombies have attacked

The first thing that I would do is try to find the origin of where the disease is spreading. For this example of what I would do, I will just say that it started in a lab in New York. If this was the case, I would get as many people, cars, gas, food, and drinks as I possibly could and caravan to the Pacific Ocean shore. I would then precede to use one of my uncle's boats or steal a large boat with gas in it and go to a small island in the Pacific. We would bring seeds and supplies in order to survive there. If there were any zombies at the island, we would kill them and since it was such a small space compared to other large continents, it would be easier to see how many zombies were left and see what else needed to be done in order for this island to be considered "safe". Since the zombies couldn't reach the island, when we're doing killing them off, it'll be just like normal on the island and we could bring as many people as we could that can come! So, if we ever get into the situation, feel welcome to join me and we will survive on a pacific island- also known as paradise.

Assignment 10: BOO - Updated

ZOMBIES HAVE ATTACKED. Detail your survival plan.

OR

Explain what scares you the most and why.

OR

Describe a moment in which you were fraught with peril. Tell it as a ghost story.

OR

In the vein of David Sedaris write an observational humorist piece related to your daily life: school, home, social, etc.  (don't be mean)

Happy Halloween!

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, November 2nd at 11:59 pm

What is it Good For? - Kevin LaZur

War is needed to stop the threat of evil. Evil doesn't compromise, and evil doesn't think about what it's doing. The only way to stop villains is to destroy them. My only question is that how can we determine if something is evil? It seems like we trust that important members of government can make this decision. The president would be that important person in our government. The issue is that these people might not be basing their decisions off of moral beliefs. The president gets to be president because he won a speaking contest against the other candidate. He had to beat other people to get to his position. He might have pride that gets in the way of thinking about war through a lens of morality.
I don't know much about politics. I also don't know a whole lot about wars that have happened in the past. There are many factors about war that I'm not taking into account. I don't have strong opinions on war, so I made observations. I have no strong opinions because I'm uninformed. I'm not driven to inform myself because I don't have strong opinions.

I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me- Olivia McCrary

Fears: the future, being a disappointment to people, making the wrong decision
Annoyances: rudeness, arrogance, yelling, school
Accomplishments: being a part of the Academy
Confusions: my plans for the future, physics
Sorrows: anxiety, school, not having time to accomplish things
Dreams: making a difference in the world, traveling, being successful at something, finding a career I love
Idiosyncrasies: being an introvert, making lists obsessively in order to organize my thoughts and ideas
Risks: taking 5 AP classes this year
Beloved possessions: my iPhone, my notebooks (full of my random lists, poems, drawings, ideas, feelings, etc.)
Problems: being socially awkward, school

My Dreams:
Though I am not sure exactly what I want to do with my life (even with all the time I've spent thinking about it), I do have an idea of what I want to accomplish. I want to make sure I find a career I love. Choosing a career or career path is a difficult, but important decision. I have been struggling for quite a while to figure out exactly what career I want to pursue. It seems that it's taking me longer than most people to decide. I also want to be successful at something whether it's my career or something different. My main "bucket list" goal is to travel the world. I don't know if this is likely to happen or not, but I really hope so. And finally, though I'm not sure how, I want to make a difference in the world.

On This Date- Olivia McCrary

On October 1, 1908, Henry Ford's Model T car was introduced. This is an incredibly significant moment in history. Before the Model T, it wasn't easy to afford a car and cars weren't readily available to the general public. Also, because of the production of this car, assembly lines were put into use. Assembly lines allowed the cars to be produced more effectively- this mass production contributed to the car's widespread distribution and popularity. Assembly lines definitely had a major impact as they are still used today. The introduction of the Model T must have changed America almost immediately. Before, very few people had cars, but once the affordable Model T was released, ordinary people began driving. I am very grateful for the invention and production of cars- I can't imagine what life would be like today without effective transportation.

What's it good for? - Gates

I don’t think there ever should be a time for war. It is definitely not morally right and just. Humans should not decide whether other humans live or die, it should not be in their power to do so. No one should be able to say that another person or country must die because of any reason. No human should have the right to kill another, for any reason, and no one should need to. Wars shouldn't be an option, and countries should not be pushed to that measure. But in a realistic world, this is not plausible; there is always going to be injustice and threats that needed to be dealt with, and it seems like the easiest solution is war. It isn't easy to negotiate injustices or threats away, but it is easy to intimidate people until those things go away, if you have the proper means.

What is it good for? Madye Moore

I'm not one of those people that is totally against war by any means, but with that being said, I'm not totally in favor of it either. I do believe that there is a time for war, and at that time I would consider war being somewhat acceptable. I would consider that time being after a terrorist attack, if there are terroristic threats, etc. I would say that it would be morally just to go to war after anything along those lines occurs. In my opinion, there are definitely times where countries have a responsibility to go to war, and those times would depend on both the country and the circumstances they are under. There are some alternatives, but none that would be as effective as going to war, in my opinion. The alternatives could include many things, but violence tends to be what everyone leans toward nowadays. 

What is it good for? - Jeb Brumley

I believe that the act of war can be considered just under some circumstances. Although violence might always seem like the wrong answer to conflicts with others, it is occasionally the only option. If a government is being extremely unfair to its citizens or threatening another nation, war is likely to happen. For example, if other countries threaten to hurt U.S. citizens, our government will likely declare war on them because they want to protect us. In this case, we are declaring war for our own safety. On the other hand, the country or group threatening us probably does not have a good reason to want to hurt us. In this case, war is not just. These people are usually, if not always, unwilling to compromise in another way. Because of this, war has to happen against them and when it does, it will be appropriate. Unfortunately, it is human nature to have disagreements and conflicts, and sometimes war is necessary to solve them.

What is it good for? - Amelia Caldwell

Personally, I dislike war and would rather us negotiate through treaties and such. However, occasionally situations occur that can not be handled with a piece of paper.
There are many countries that are being taken over by terrorist groups, and no one is going to be able to help if they do not directly go in and intervene. It is ridiculous to think otherwise. Negotiation with terrorist groups is not an option.
That being said, we as a nation must be careful with what affairs we involve ourselves in. We cannot make every injustice in the world just and still focus on improvement to our own country. War should be avoided at all costs, however there is a time when war is necessary.

What Is It Good For?-Maya Creamer

       In my opinion, war is never the best answer, and should certainly never be the first response to a conflict. However, I do believe that there are certain (very few) situations in which a nation must go to war to defend itself.
       There is constant conflict between nations around the world. Sometimes, diplomacy just doesn't solve the problem; the countries can't come to an agreement, or one country is refusing to cooperate and/or committing violence against the other that is threatening that country's safety. The latter case is the only one in which I think war is justified. If the people of one nation are being harassed or threatened by the other, the only option may be to go to war to resolve the conflict. Don't get me wrong, I'm not promoting the "if someone hits you, hit them back" mentality-sometimes, a nation has exhausted all the other alternatives, and not going to war could hurt it even more than war would.
        War should be the very last action that a country takes in any conflict. There are many alternatives to war, all of which involve clear communication between the conflicting nations-I think many wars are started because of poor communication. Countries can try to negotiate a compromise or treaty, and if all else fails, and the conflict can be worked around, "agree to disagree" (although this is rarely, if ever, effective). War should only become an option after the countries have communicated and tried everything possible to reach a resolution. Even then, a nation must think extremely carefully before declaring war.
         I hate war, because hundreds, thousands, even millions of innocent people lose their lives, often because the government, which is supposed to act in their best interest, can't resolve its conflicts. War tears countries apart; sometimes, they are damaged beyond repair, and often it takes years or even decades for a country to rebuild. However, sometimes war just can't be avoided, and may be the lesser of two evils, both of which cause irreparable damage to a country.

What is it Good For?- Isabelle Rinker

Each person has the right to live. Based on this principle, groups of people, i.e. nations, have a right to live, and a right to defend themselves when attacked. In this sense, it is morally just for a nation to go to war, such as the United States when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. However, it is never justified to use force to take from another or another country, nor is it ever justified to attack someone because you disagree with one's culture or beliefs, such as Hilter's invasion of France and Sadam Hussien's attack on Kuwait.

Many disagreements between countries can be settled between diplomacy or a third-party such as the United Nations. This can often serve as an alternative to war and in most cases, is more effective.

What is it good for? Eliza Jane Schaeffer

Is war ever just? Is the killing of masses and destruction of cities ever just? No. Does that mean it never happens? No. Because we are humans and because we are imperfect, it is inescapable. A world without wars would have to be world of total harmony: no disagreements, no scuffles, no stubborn opinions, no fervor. Not only would such a world be bland and monotonous, it would be impossible given human nature. I would much rather live in a diverse, exciting world with clashing views and coveted beliefs, even if it means there must be war. 

If war were a one-sided affair, which it is not by definition, it would be different. But when A and B decide to go to war, it would be difficult to convince both to change their minds. It is highly unlikely that C, a mutual friend of A and B with their best interests in mind, exists to intervene. 

So after all this rambling, my point is that war is good for nothing, but it's no use arguing about because with human nature, war is also inevitable. 

What is it good for- Tapan Darji

There is a time for war. War is only just when one group or person won't listen to another. Examples of this are when a government isn't leading to their citizens or when another group is attacking another group. This can include the oppressed group fighting back or an outside group attacking the attackers.
Countries should only go to war when another country is threatening or attacking them and the two sides can't negotiate a treaty to prevent fighting. Or a country can go to war to support its allies if they are being attacked for an unjust reason. If their allies are the attackers the country shouldn't enter unless it is a just cause and  the allies are losing.
The only alternative to prevent war is through compromise. Compromises are mostly effective but only if the parties are willing to compromise. If the parties aren't willing to listen and compromise then war is inevitable.

What is it good for? - Adrian Wyllie

War and terrorism. The forces that push violently against each other in a military struggle to become the dominant force in an area, or to push a point. Honestly, with modern technologies, I believe that there is an alternative to war, and to terrorism. There is a way to get heard, around the world, without the use of a firearm or destructive weapon. We all know how to make ourselves heard, here on the internet. We all know how to fight peacefully, we all know how to debate intensely.
We have the combined knowledge that could lead to a more peaceful future. When the actions turn violent, the best way to retaliate is through the words of a video, or a blog post. Actions are the strengths of the military powers of the world, but words run it.
It isn't a question of when is it right to war, it is now a question of HOW it is right to war. When we fight, we can fight with our words. when we war, why can we not do the same. Negotiations, or limited peaceful war, can be expanded with modern technologies and the internet. Ceasefires can be ordered, quite literally, from twitter.
We also have another tool at our disposal. The U.S. Military has started a shift to drones and unmanned operations, to minimise losses. But there is a way to fight in a virtual way, through games. Games have been a large part of human history, with the Olympic games in ancient greece helping to prevent wars. Now we can game from anywhere, with anyone else anywhere else in the world.
These games are not a replacement for war, but a way to fight wars. No lives need to be lost, No cities need to be captured, all the warring sides would need is a large server that could accurately simulate the war, the sides and their powers. Run the program as a deathmatch. Simple.
But humans have a violent tendency. Games will not settle this. Wars often don't. So any solution we can come up with, we can minimize casualties, but we cannot eradicate the threat.

Brandon Castillo- What is it good for?

I believe that there are reasons for war in a couple cases.

The first being justice. If there is a government that is treating their citizens badly then other countries have the right- and responsibility- to intervene and force justice upon that society. Would it be more moral to subject thousands to millions of people to unfair rules or to kill a couple leaders and change the system?

Next, if you are getting attacked by another group or have a realistic possibility of getting attacked then it is okay to call war against those people. If Mexico kept attacking Texas year after year but the federal government didn't do anything then eventually Texas would get beaten by Mexico and taken over. The right response would be to try to go into Mexico and kill the source of the problem instead of taking blow after blow.

These are the two reasons that i think war is just. I do not think that it is needed as much today as it was earlier in history as communication and technology have improved so we should be able to explain misinterpretations or disputes between countries easier than ever now. These could be more effective than fighting and wouldn't have anyone actually dying; it would have to be a worldwide effort but it could essentially happen.

What is it good for? Emily Salamanca

Assignment 9: What is it good for?

Because I am a Catholic, my views are often very influenced by my religion, which has come up with a theory known as the 'Just War Doctrine'. This doctrine discusses why war, in rare cases, is just. These cases include, as quoted from Catechism and the Catholic Church:

• the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
• all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
• there must be serious prospects of success;
• the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated (the power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition).

I particularly like the condition that there must be serious prospects of success. Many wars rage around the world with no clear winner or loser. Fights break out and people are dying for little cause. If there need be a war it must be incremental and must further our race, not destroy it.

As an American who is not immediately affected by the wars in the world, I think it is important to realize that there could be other conditions that promote or should prevent war and I certainly cannot think of all of them. For many, my list may be incredibly short, for others, incredibly long.

Assignment 9: What is it good for?

Genocide in Sudan

North Korea testing nuclear weapons

Iran creating nuclear weapons
Egypt
Syria

Terrorism

Injustices and threats surround so many lives in this world. When injustices or threats progress to dangerous and harmful levels though, it seems logical for war to come into play as a way to combat the situation. . .or is it?  The conservative Christian group known as the Mennonites believes that war (violence) is never appropriate.

Is there a time for war?

If there is a time, is it morally right and just or is is it the lesser of two evils?

If there isn't a time, why not?

Are there certain times when countries have a responsibility to go to war?

Are there any alternatives? Could they be more effective or less effective?

Due Sunday, October 26th at 11:59 pm

I Never Had to Chose my Subject - My Subject Rather Chose Me - Kevin LaZur

Fears: Death, Doodle-Bob

Annoyances: My bad work ethic, My mom, deep emotional meanings

Accomplishments: Some honors band/ all-district band stuff for trumpet

Confusions: music, the human brain 

Sorrows: reflecting on my middle-school self, The end of the movie Pay it Forward, how much I'm unable to say in this blog post, my brother being away at college, not giving Herr Bright my full attention

Dreams: sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree

Idiosyncrasies: Jew, hockey player

Risks: Driving while eating breakfast? 

Beloved Possessions Now: My computer, My Fathead of my brother's face

Beloved Possessions Then: My trumpet, My blue aeropostale hoodie 

Problems: Foresight (lack thereof)

 

One of the sorrows I have said is how little I have to say in this blog post. I say this because when I roll these "writing territories" around in my head, nothing comes up. Maybe everything I have to say at this time is too emotional to put on some insignificant blog post, and my mind is making sure I don't do this. What's way more likely is that I really don't have anything to say. I appreciate that I had to think about these things for an hour more than I usually would, but I haven't reached anything conclusive yet. So I'm not sure if there's nothing to talk about, or if I just have made the unconscious decision not to do so, but I do have more than 150 words.

I never had to choose my subject-my subject rather chose me-Silvia Todorova

Fears: losing a loved one, tornados, getting in a car wreck.

Annoyances: people who won't stop talking, dogs who constantly bark, people who walk slow

Accomplishments: good grades

Confusions: calculus and physics 

Sorrows: losing childhood friends

Dreams: living near the beach, 

working with doctors with out borders 

Idiosyncrasies: I sing all the time (even though I sound terrible) 

Risks: taking a lot of AP classes 

Beloved possessions: then- stuffed little clown, now- jewelry from my grandmother

Problems: forgetting, not doing homework, procrastination 

One of my dreams is to work with Doctors Without Borders, a non profit organization that works to ensure medical aid to those that cannot afford for example, in 3rd world countries. They work in the midst of armed conflict, epidemics and natural disasters. I really want to become a doctors because I've always loved to help people, especially children, and change people's lives. There are so many people in the world that need medical attention but don't have the resources, Doctors Without Borders is able to help them in such an amazing way that I too want to be apart of this some day.

I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me: Madye Moore

Fears: dying, losing my family, my future, making the wrong decision
Annoyances: my siblings and parents, people walking way too slow in the hallways
Accomplishments: I've met a lot of new people over the last couple years, decent grades so far
Confusions: my future and where I'm going to be 10 years from now
Sorrows: not being friends with people you used to talk to every day, losing people that you love
Dreams: Graduate college, get a good job, have a family
Idiosyncrasies: huge football fan (go Pats!), most indecisive person ever, procrastinator, not very optimistic 
Risks: the AP classes I'm taking, applying to colleges, going "outside of the box"
Beloved Possessions: Then- my bear, necklace from my Nana before she passed away, picture of me and one of my best friends (weird, i know) Now- Family, my car, Angel I got from my Nana's funeral
Problems: Being too nice, letting people take advantage of me, trying to please my parents

The subject I chose to expand upon is my dreams. At this point in time, we're all pretty overwhelmed when it comes to college and deciding where to go, but one of my dreams is to graduate college (hopefully Med School), and then move on to bigger and better things like getting a job and starting my life. Hopefully my job will be something in the medical field, what it will be is something still up in the air at the moment. After graduating college and getting a job, I'm looking forward to getting married and starting a family of my own, which definitely involves kids! But honestly, who doesn't want that? Although my future is definitely something I'm looking forward to, it's also one of my biggest fears. What if I don't end up going to Med School? What if I get stuck at a 9-5 job where all you do is sit at a desk? What if I don't end up having a family? These are the questions that I'm starting to think about way more often now that I'm getting older, and sometimes it proves to be more of a fear than something I'm looking forward to. Certainly anything can happen, and that's what I'm afraid of.  

I never had to choose my subject-my subject rather chose me - Jeb Brumley

Fears: dying, airplanes, losing family, the future
Annoyances: bad drivers, bad weather
Accomplishments: good grades, making good friends
Confusion: evil
Sorrow: bad decisions, those who are less fortunate than me
Dreams: Profesional golf
Idiosyncrasies: big sports fan
Risks: taking all AP and advanced classes
Beloved Possessions: golf clubs, family
Problems: time management/procrastination

I chose to expand on fears. I fear too many things, but one thing I worry about all the time is the future. I fear what will happen and I worry about the things I will have to do in the future, especially the near future. Although I fear how my life in the future will be, I try not to worry about it. I also fear losing family. I am very close to my parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. I spend much of my time with my family and fear what it would be like to lose any of them. Other fears I have are dying and flying on planes. I fear dying when it is least expected or dying in a violent, although I think many people also fear death. Everyone has a fear that is uncommon and random. For me, it is flying on an airplane. I am not exactly sure why I get so anxious about flying, but it is the one thing that I dread months in advance.

I Never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me- Tapan Darji

Fears: Failing, dying, messing up
Annoyances:group projects in which non of the people work
Accomplishments: passing all my AP tests so far, getting second place in a chess tournament
Confusions: identity
Sorrows: not spending my time wisely
Dreams: Become an ophthalmologist, become a pro soccer player
Idiosyncrasies: sports enthusiast
Risks: taking four AP classes
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: now- PSP, my soccer ball, books; then: bike, TV, books
Problems: organization
I am a really big sports enthusiast. I want soccer, football, basketball, and cricket all the time. I also watch tennis. I play soccer and cricket. I am always keeping track of what is happening in sports. I know a lot of random sports trivia. I pay attention to all the latest transfers and transfer rumors in soccer. I watched every game in the World Cup this year. I know the names of most players in most sports. I watch college and professional football and basketball. I kick my soccer ball around everyday for about an hour. I mostly watch sports games on TV. In fact right now I am watching the NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and Saint Louis Rams. Everyday after school I check the scores of soccer and cricket games. I read lots of sports articles. The games I play the most are Fifa and Madden.

"I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me"- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

Fears: dying, being inadequate, loneliness 

Annoyances: slow walkers, hypocrites, people who are overly idealistic

Accomplishments: being able to make people feel happy

Confusions: how anyone could enjoy someone else's pain

Sorrows: I miss Tanner, the misunderstanding/polarization in politics, where the health care system is going

Dreams: running for office, being the head of a nonprofit, being optimistic 24/7, not needing sleep

Idiosyncrasies: I cry very easily 

Risks: I'm not much of a risk-taker 

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: then my American girl dolls, now my dog

Problems: Trying too hard to be perfect, too high expectations, forgiving people too easily, I like too many things

I am going to expand on my problems, specifically the fourth one. 

I am very lucky that the worst problem I have is that I want to do too much. However, that does not make my dilemma any less frustrating. 

I want to be with my friends and have fun and be social because it helps me relax. I want to study hard and do all my homework and do well in school because I love learning and I like A's. I want to get a job so I have extra money and can contribute to the local economy. I want to spend my free time giving back to my community because nothing makes me happier than making someone else smile. I want to make a difference. I want dedicate my time to my sport, so I can do well. I want to bake cookies and brownies and cakes because it's fun. 

I want to sleep because it's necessary for my sanity. I want to babysit because I love little kids. I want to spend time with my family because they deserve some demonstration of appreciation. I feel particularly horrible about this because I hardly have time for them anymore. I want to be a journalist, I want to be a psychologist, I want to be a physical therapist, I want to do pharmaceutical research, I want to be a politician. I also want to move out west and hike the PCT and be a guide for an outdoor adventure company. 

This is problematic. 

There are so many options, and I love them all, so how can I choose? I wish I could live my life several times through and choose a different path each time. Whatever I choose, I will regret because I will have to miss out on another opportunity. Sorry this blog post wasn't the most well-written. It's hard to be eloquent when venting. 

I never had to choose my subject-my subject rather chose me- Maya Creamer

Fears- not being happy or successful, losing family/friends to illness/catastrophe/accident, being involved in an accident, contracting a serious illness
Annoyances- the stigma that smart people are uppity or conceited, being forced to be outgoing/ assertive when it's not my style, when people criticize others for their eccentricities
Accomplishments- member of The Girl Project, multiple roles in school plays, maintaining all A's, passing all my AP tests so far, sticking with the violin since 4th grade, becoming a Bat Mitzvah
Confusions- life after high school ends, who I am/who I want to be
Sorrows- missing many great experiences because of anxiety, becoming distanced from my elementary school best friends, 3rd and 8th grades (again, anxiety), bad decisions that seemed right at the time
Dreams- to become an elementary school teacher, to travel the world, to make a difference, to become a mom, to be happy
Idiosyncrasies- realistic thinker (some might say pessimist), actor, avid reader, introvert, NFTYite (youth group), an indecisive person, proud Jew
Risks- juggling 5 AP classes, choosing to go to Winburn for middle school and leave most of my friends, auditioning for plays, following my heart and quitting ballet
Beloved Possessions- Then: Books, violin, camera, family, friends; Now: iPhone, violin, cat (Katniss), bike, family, friends
Problems- anxiety, identity, motivation to do school work/practice violin

This is really rough for me to write about, but here goes.
       I think it probably all started when my little brother was born (sorry Jonah). Suddenly, my 8-year-old self realized that my parents wouldn't always be there to protect me. When third grade started, I was hit by a tidal wave of anxiety-about everything. Getting seriously injured or ill at school and losing my family and friends became very real fears; I screamed and cried on the way to school every day, because I was convinced that something terrible would happen to me or my family while I was at school. Let's just say, that was not a good year for me, but I got through it, mostly thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Schneider. 4th grade was still rough, but better, and in 5th and 6th grade, I kept my anxiety pretty much under control, even traveling to Chicago with my 6th grade class (the first time I had ever been so far away from my whole family). Unfortunately, by the end of 7th grade, the anxiety and fear were back-big time. I had my Bat Mitzvah, which turned out to be one of the most nerve-wracking, yet proud, days of my life. In 8th grade, I again dreaded going to school, plagued by the fear of what could happen to me or my family while I was there. And again, I made it through, as everyone assured me I would. Since then, I have learned to control my anxiety, and not let it run my life, but that doesn't mean it doesn't still make an appearance almost every day. Now, as I've gotten older, in addition to worrying about something awful happening to me or my family, I worry about what I'm going to do with my life, and whether or not I'll be successful. The difference is that now I realize that this is just something I'm going to have to live with, and although it's annoying, I'll make it through, just as I have so far.

I never had to choose my subject- Isabelle Rinker

Fears: bugs, haunted houses, my mother when she's angry

Annoyances: ignorance (especially concerning society's incorrect perception of the Catholic Church), "hipsters", bad hygiene, rap music

Accomplishments: maintaining good grades in the Academy, a teen leader in my youth group, a role in the school play

Confusion: physics

Sorrows: loss of loved ones

Dreams: graduating from a good college, getting married and being financially stable

Idiosyncrasies: arts-fanatic, proud Catholic, selfie-taker

Risks: applying to colleges, I would like to participate in an exchange program next summer in Paraguay

Beloved Possessions: then- my "dolly", piano, and not a really a possession, but my middle school best friend with whom I have parted ways. Now- my planner, my rosary, and the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's". 

Problems: being irritable, having bad habits, getting caught up in superficiality, being antisocial

I chose to expand upon my annoyances, because if there's one thing I'm great at, it's ranting. One thing that absolutely irks me is ignorance, which includes society's misconceptions of the Catholic Church's teachings. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my Catholic faith is very important to me, and the criticism I have gotten from friends of different Christian denominations concerns a completely false interpretation of my faith. If you want to learn about it, there are several sites online about priesthood, sacraments, vocations, Saints, the Mass, etc. The list goes on and on, and I love this part of my religion because it sets Catholicism apart from every other denomination. 

Catholiscm has been around longer than any other Christian denomination, in fact, the Catholic Church began CENTURIES before Martin Luther began Protestantism, and from that emerged the creation of hundreds of Christian denominations worldwide. But the practices of the Catholic Church have remained the same since 33 AD, in every part of the world, and in hundreds of languages.

Pope John Paul II said, "There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be."

I never had to choose my subject- my subject chose me - Adrian Wyllie

Fears: Lack of Time(Yes, it's weird), Losing friends and family
Annoyances: People who just cannot stop talking
Accomplishments: Academy student, cellist
Confusions: This section? (Basicly, revisit later)
Sorrows: small talk (Yeah, I can't really do that. Believe it)
Dreams: Finish my secret project (No, I am not going to tell you what it is)
Idiosyncrasies: Gamer, thinker
Risks: none (want)
Beloved Possessions: Books (then), Laptop (Now, and surprisingly, if I had a phone, I still would say my laptop)
Problems: misconceptions, first impressions

I choose to expand on my fears. I have always seen my fears in a very rational way, and dealt with them appropriately. but the ones I have mentioned above, those fears are so great not even everest towers over them. Of my first fear I am the most troubled by. I have always had this feeling that everything I have done, everything I will do, it has no meaning in the overall course of the world. I always feel that I cannot do anything to change my world, that I must see it, record it. Every second I spend, watching, is one second well spent, and every second spent in a futile attempt to change my world, is one second closer to the inevitable. I can count my time left on the earth. I can count the time left for the earth, and I know that even if I do something great, something else is going to happen, something that will destroy everything I have done. But if I record what people do, and tell people, there is a chance that the history of my present world can be preserved longer. I am more afraid of losing everything, but that fear is trumped. I must see everything, it;s not some force compelling me to, but the fear that someone else's great works will disappear forever.
I have, over the past life, had many other fears, like spiders, snakes, bats, and the dark, but I learned to laugh, to keep calm, and to not fall to those fears. they no longer plague me, but the two I have now, are burned into my heart. Those fears make me who I am.

I never had to choose my subject-my subject rather chose me - Amelia Caldwell

Fears: birds, losing my family, being alone, criticism
Annoyances: when people think they are the best person in the world, slow walkers, crowded hallways.
Accomplishments: BalletMet Summer Intensive 2013, getting offered a trainee position at BalletMet 2014-2015 school year, Governor's School for the Arts 2014
Confusion: what I want for my life
Sorrows: losing close friends
Dreams: become a professional dancer, make a difference in someone's life
Idiosyncrasies: Christian, I tend to think more creatively than logically
Risks: taking all advanced and AP classes and still dancing 6 days a week
Beloved Possessions: Bible, family, friends, pointe shoes
Problems: I don't like putting myself out there for fear of criticism

My accomplishments are a big part of who I am. One of my accomplishments is getting accepted to BalletMet's Summer Intensive for 2013. BalletMet was the first out-of-state summer intensive that I auditioned for and I was ecstatic when I received the letter saying I had been accepted and offered a scholarship. My time at BalletMet was amazing; I was able to work with wonderful faculty members and learn from all the wonderful dancers surrounding me. While I was there I made a very good friend, and we still talk to each other at least once a week. My next big accomplishment is that when I auditioned again for BalletMet's Summer Intensive 2014 they accepted, offered me a scholarship, and I was offered a trainee position for the 2014-2015 school year. Unfortunately, my family does not have the funds that are necessary for me to be able to accept, but being offered placement was one of the happiest moments of my life thus far. Instead of attending BalletMet this past summer, however, I attended the Governor's School for the Arts. I was so honored to be granted the wonderful opportunity of attending this program. When I first arrived I was expecting to grow as a dancer for 3 weeks; I did indeed grow as a dancer, but I grew as a person and as an artist overall. Before GSA I never thought I would collaborate with a visual artist and create a beautiful piece of art by dancing on a piece of paper with paint on my feet (and face). I learned more about myself in those 3 weeks than I have in 16 years. BalletMet, and GSA changed me for the good and I am so glad I can include these wonderful programs in my list of accomplishments.

Brandon Castillo- i never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me

Fears: Robbers, Future (college, job after)

Annoyances: Freshmen, Little brother, scratchy noise made by a utensil scrapped across a bowl

Accomplishments: Good grades, strong Christian, broke 18:00 minute 5k this summer

Confusion: Creationism

Sorrows: Every Monday

Dreams: Heaven, good future

Idosyncrasies: Sports geek, Christian

Risks: Sneaking into places, stupid stuff with my friend Cole

Beloved Possessions: Bible, Family and Friends

Problems: Oblivious to other's feelings

I choose to expand on the subject of idiosyncrasy.

First off, I am a livid sports fanatic. I love every single sport except baseball and cricket. My favorite teams are the Baltimore Ravens, Louisville Cardinals, and USA national soccer team. I considered sports one of my idiosyncrasies because they are what i live and breathe. During school, my friends and I talk about what happened over the weekend in the NFL. After school, I go to cross country practice for an hour and a half only to go home and do homework while watching whatever football or basketball game is on that night. Then on the weekends I'll wake up too early in order to go to a 5k race that will be miserable, watch college football on Saturday, then NFL football all Sunday- all for the love of sports. I consider sports a idiosyncrasy because it can be what controls my happiness... or sadness. Just last week, I lost my third straight game in FANTASY football and it ruined my Sunday and Monday. I just deleted the official NFL Fantasy Football App on my iPhone.

Next idiosyncrasy is my Christian ways. I strive- and fail- to live up to the standard of Christ everyday. It is a struggle that I will have for the rest of my life. I want to become a pastor in a church; it is my calling. I attempt to read the bible everyday and live a "Christian" lifestyle. I have a community at my church, Crossroads, where I have meant some of the greatest people I know at Henry Clay Missional Community (if anyone actually reads this and wants to join, just ask!) and genuinely enjoy my time spent at "church".

Writing Territories - Emily Salamanca

Writing Territories

Fears - My biggest fear would probably be not getting something out of the hard work I put in for something or not achieving what I want. I am so self-driven by failure and checkpoints that I sometimes feel like my life is just a series of getting to a place where I am comfortable, then feeling bad because I'm comfortable. I always try to stretch myself to get to somewhere. Not reaching that place would be scary because I will have wasted my efforts.

Annoyances - When people don't use the subjunctive mood. If I WERE...etc. It just sounds so much smoother. "I suggest he buy..." Rather than 'I suggest that he buys.' It's annoying to me. I don't know why. I also don't like tapping noises, like the clicking of a clock or a timer. I can't focus unless it is dead quiet.

Accomplishments - None, really. I haven't done anything I would consider to be accomplishing much.

Confusions - I'm confused about what I want to do with my life. I honestly hate so many things I do each day. I just want to paint and study history. I feel like school is wasting my potential.

Sorrows - The patriarchy, losing friends, upcoming tests, test anxiety...

Dreams - To become an artist.

Idiosyncrasies - I refer to my mom as 'mother' all the time. I use the subjunctive tense quite often. I say the word 'PRO-cess' rather than 'PRA-cess'. I am chewing gum 24/7. I doodle ervyday.

Risks - Going to live in England. Taking 6 AP classes.

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then - My rabbit, my family and friends, my French person, my blankey, my computer, my AP Princeton Reviews

Problems - School

Assignment 8: "I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me"

Writing territories are a range of ideas that one generates to spark their writing. In general, it is just one of the many ways one can brainstorm for different types of writing.

This week's blog is more undefined than others because it depends so much on your unique personal experiences. Below, is a list of 10 writing territories and you'll begin by answering them. Your answers do not have to be lengthy, they only need to be definitive enough so that you, the writer, could look back at it weeks from now and it could trigger what you were thinking about.

Writing Territories

Fears

Annoyances

Accomplishments

Confusions

Sorrows

Dreams

Idiosyncrasies

Risks

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then

Problems

For instance, my list looks like:

Fears: drowning, loosing family in catastrophe

Annoyances: rudeness, expecting fairness in this world

Accomplishments: still being married, being a dad my children want to be around

Confusions: inequity (different than fairness)

Sorrows: anger management, weight, (totally working on both but to be honest "weight" is harder than "anger" 'cause food is goooooooood)

Dreams: retirement, travel,

Idiosyncrasies: nerd, paper/pencil RPG (redundant?)

Risks: pilot's license (want), jumped out of an airplain (did)

Beloved Possessions: comic books (then), friendships (now- i know, cheesy)

Problems: Organization

Simple, right?

Now, once you have your list, choose one topic to expand upon in-depth (or at least 150 words). This may be as simple as an explanation of this topic (e.g. I discovered I had an anger management problem when I realized that I was taking out my frustrations on my family. . . .). It may turn into to a short-story or a beginning of a short story. It may turn into a narrative of a memory. It may turn into a social commentary. It may turn into 150 words of freewrite. It may turn into something all together different and weird and delightful. Whatever you wrote down in your list, reflect upon it and allow it to guide your entry for the week.

"There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges." -Ernest Hemingway

Due Sunday, October 19th at 11:59 pm

On This Date - Kevin LaZur

Famous poet Edgar Allen Poe died on Oct. 7, 1849. On Sept. 27, Poe had left Richmond, VA on his way to his home in New York. The next time anyone saw him was when a bystander found him delirious in the streets of Baltimore, MA on Oct 3. Poe was in a pitiful condition, and was found in shabby clothes that might not even have been his. He was never coherent enough to explain how he got into his state. He was taken to a hospital, and was taken care of by his personal physician Dr. John Joseph Moran, who was the only one to see him until his death. Moran claims that the night before his death, Poe repeated the name Reynolds.

No one knows what happened to Poe, or what the name Reynolds means. This mystery certainly isn't a good thing, but I think it's the coolest way for someone as awesome as Edgar Allen Poe to die. The man who wrote dark stories all of his life received a dark ending. His grand finale. One of Poe's rivals, Rufus Wilmot Griswald, gave Poe's obituary. He then published a biography on Poe which tore down Poe's reputation, claiming he was a drunk madman. That was all Poe was seen as by society when he died.

On this day - Gates

On October 1st, 1908 Henry Ford introduced the first Model T car, which at the time cost $825. The impact was so phenomenal that the car was named the most influential vehicle of the 20th century. Automobiles no longer have to be custom made. They take a long time to produce, only making them excessively expensive. In the first year of production 10,000 cars were sold. That may sound like a meager amount to our mass production world, but this was the start of it all. The concept of mass assemblies and interchangeable parts were taken onto a national level, and quickly onto a global platform as well. The amount of resources it saved is numerous. Not only that, it provided more jobs for people since the training needed for such production was minimal. Each worker only needed to specialize on a part of a couple of processes.  

I personally appreciate this event. I am all for efficiency. This type of production was inevitable but for it to come at an earlier time than mine has given it the time to develop into what it is today – machine aided. This significantly lowers the prices of cars even to this day; as a 16-year old who is newly licensed and looking at cars, I can certainly tell you I am grateful for him and his great company, Ford. 

On This Date-Madye Moore

On October 1, 1908 Henry Ford's "Model T" went on sale for the first time. At the time, it was pretty significant, but it has proven to be more significant over the years as cars have  become increasingly popular. With that said, this was definitely a good thing and it has drastically changed society not only in America, but all over the world. As for me, I do appreciate this event and I'm sure everyone else would agree.

On This Date-Maya Creamer

      On October 1st, 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Ford Model T car, the first mass-produced automobile, to the market. This car revolutionized travel and production. It was an innovation in transportation; the Model T was the first car marketed to the American middle class and a working family's salary, costing just $825, and allowed these working Americans to travel easier and more affordably. Before the introduction of the Model T, owning a car was an expensive luxury reserved for the upper class.
      The Ford Model T was also an innovation in mass-production; it was the first automobile produced on a moving assembly line with interchangeable parts, with each worker performing one specific job over and over again. This allowed cars to be produced much more quickly and efficiently, contributing to the low price of the Model T. Before this, cars were usually built one-by-one by hand, and the production of cars was very time-consuming and slow.
      I am very appreciative of this event, because without the introduction of the Model T, cars today probably wouldn't be nearly as widespread, and may still be far too expensive/rare for the middle class to own. Because of the introduction of the Model T, we can travel from place to place quickly and easily; I appreciate being able to get to school in 7 minutes by car instead of having to walk for 30-45 minutes, as well as not having to walk in the rain/snow/etc.

On This Date-Silvia Todorova

On October 3, 2013, a boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy sank due to engine troubled. Many of the migrants were originally from Eritrea, and Somalia, they we're trying to smuggle themselves into Europe for a chance to have a better life. The Italian Coast Guard was able to save 155 people but unfortunately over 350 people were declared to be missing. After the people on the ship realized they were having engine troubles they lit a blanket on fire to get the attention of other ships. However, the fire grew worse when it ignited some gasoline and began to spread from there before the boat sank. Many people jumped off the ship to try and save themselves. 

This is an example of the extreme risks that migrants often take in order to sneak into Europe by boat. Facing unrest in there countries many of the migrants think the Lampedusa escape route to Europe, is worth the risk. The number of deaths called for the European Union to better the patrol in the southern Mediterranean and prevent such tragedies and to try and prevent smuggling operations.

On this date- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

On October 10th, 1976, a 98 year old man from Greece named Dimitrion Yordanidis became the oldest man to complete a marathon, finishing in 7:33. This probably did not have a massive impact on the international, or even Greek, community. But that's what makes it great. This guy didn't become a celebrity. There was maybe an article about him in his local paper, nothing much more than that. But he probably died happy. It makes me happy just imagining how great it must feel to be 98 years old and run a marathon. He must be extremely tough. My grandmother can hardly walk up the stairs, and he ran 26 miles. That is amazing. I appreciate his efforts. I'm sure anyone who runs would as well. This event reminds us of that we are capable of more than what might first seem possible. It kind of plays into the idea we talked about in class of negative capability. 

On this date - Amelia Caldwell

On October 7, 1871 a huge fire blazed through Wisconsin. Throughout the day and into the next approximately 1,200 people lost their lives, 200 of which were in a single tavern in Peshtigo. Not many people are aware of the fire because it happened only one day before The Great Chicago Fire.

The fire began in an unknown location in a Wisconsin forest, but then blazed into Sugar Bush, where every last resident was killed by the fire. The 200-foot flames moved swiftly into Peshtigo where the temperature quickly rose to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which ultimately causes the trees to explode. Many people sought shelter at a nearby river, however they drowned to death. Three people sought refuge in a water tank, and were boiled to death when the fire arrived.

The fire caused an extensive amount of damage, however the event is still unknown to millions of Americans because it was overshadowed by the Chicago Fire the next day.

This event causes the cities and the state of Wisconsin to come together, but I mourn for the families who lost their loved ones in such a tragic way.

On this Date- Isabelle Rinker

On Oct. 7, 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean. There were more than 400 people aboard. On this day, these heavily armed men demanded the release of 50 Palestinians from Israeli prisons. The leader of the hijackers, members of a militant Palestinian faction, warned that the first hostages to be killed would be Americans. An Italian Foreign Ministry report said 72 Americans were listed as passengers.

From this, we can learn that terrorism is everywhere, and unfortunately, the United States is a huge target for terrorism. This is due to the fact that we are a very developed country, economically, socially, and politically. We must continue to protect our citizens from such attacks as the one on October 7th, 1985.

In This Day - Emily Salamanca

      On 5 October, 1789, the women of France stormed Bastille prison in order to free their indebted husbands. This is viewed by historians now as the first public announcement of the French revolution. The French today celebrate this as their 'Independence Day' to put it in American terms.
      For me, I really do enjoy studying French history. This date means a lot to me, personally, because I love how interconnected it is with American history, as well as the history of Europe. The French were inspired by the American Revolution, which we seem to study and celebrate at least twice each year. Likewise, the French Revolution inspired the Haitian Revolution, which liberated the slave population at the time.
      This event is also very important to the French people. Not only was it their first critical period in their revolution, but it also represents the French mentality. This was all for bread, in a sense. The peasants were poor and hungry and they had been like this for years and year. Yet, at this point, everything broke loose. The hungry women had to be at their wits' end to storm the Bastille prison. Some were looking for their poor husbands, others were supporting their friends, or their country.
      It's also a great example of lady power in history. It is so rare to find amazing events where women took the lead and were celebrated by generations to come. Although women in France got little more by the revolution than another dictator and maybe some decreases in the price of food, their impact on history is so great.
      Literally, this is one of my favorite events in history. So glad that it was during this period.

On This Date- Tapan Darji

October 04, 1957- Sputnik launched.
On Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, into space. It was launched from the Tyuratam launch base in the Kazakh Territory at 10:59 pm Moscow time.
This event was good because it was the first thing sent up into space. This event led the way towards more satellites and further explorations into space. It made strides towards more space exploration and research about our solar system and space.
The effect on the world was that it led to a space race between the Soviet Union and the United States. The United States was skeptical about the Soviet's use of Sputnik. The United States finds out that the Soviet Union is way ahead of them in the space effort.
I appreciate this event because without the successful launch or Sputnik, the U.S. might have never made great strides towards satellites in space. Without out this milestone achievement a lot of the technologies that we have today wouldn't have existed.

brandon castillo- on this date

October 8^th, 1871 marked the start of the Great Chicago Fire. The fire started in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O’Leary; a cow kicked a lantern inside the barn that started the whole fire. It would go on for two days and kill about 250 people, destroy 17,450 buildings, and cost $3 billion US dollars (in 2007, but was about $200 million in 1871 dollars). But, the city was very arid and already averaged two fires per day, so a huge fire was bound to happen some time.

At the time, this was a bad thing as it cost so much money to the city of Chicago and caused unreal devastation. But, in the long run, it would come to help the city as it was able to build a modern city on top of the ruins, exponentially increase population, and economic growth in the years following.

I appreciate the event as a turning point for Chicago but also believe that it could have turned south just as quick, they are just lucky they had great leaders at the time it occurred.

Assignment 7: On This Date

September 29th through October 11th. Those are the dates for your blog entry this week.

Pick one of the dates this week and look up historical events happened on that date. Choose the event of your liking and answer the following:

What happened? Was this good or bad?

What influence did this have on the world? A nation? A city? Your existence?

Do you appreciate this event? Do you loathe it?

Continue to editorialize as you see fit.

Due Sunday, October 12th at 11:59 pm

Create Your Own Adventure - Gates

1. If there are 4 men working on a trolley track that you're about to run into, and one man working to the right of the track, would you turn to save 4 people for the life of one or continue towards the 4 people and kill them?

2. What is your favorite brand out of ALL things?

3. iPhone or Android and why?

Prompt 2: My favorite brand out of all things in the world is Apple. I'm aware that this is a mainstream choice but I mean let's face it, they're arguably the greatest monster corporation on the face of this earth. The series of devices they have created over the past few decades have changed our society. Now some would argue that Apple hasn't actually invented anything, ever. Which is actually true to some degree, but they do make really good recipes if you know what I mean.

Create Your Own Adventure - Kevin LaZur

1. Describe your favorite birthday
2. Assemble a team of four, including yourself, to survive in the zombie apocalypse. Explain your choices, and make a plan.
3. What would I like my life to be like if my band got famous?

Prompt #1:
It was dark. Warm, wet, and dark. It had been like this for as long as I knew, and I had no idea when it would end. My situation might seem miserable, but I felt as comfortable as I would ever be.  Darkness had not yet been connected to the possibility of unknown threats, or any scary experiences. It was safe in my pitch black abode; nothing could touch me. Unfortunately, I was about to lose the security of the dark.
I felt an intense pressure like I had never felt before, and suddenly light filled my home. Hatred, fear, and confusion filled my head. All the while this dreadful light was getting brighter, and the origin of the light was getting larger. Hairy hands seize me at the top of my head, and pulled me up, up into the light, up into the scary, bright world. What am I supposed to do? I have all of these feelings, and I don't know what to do with them. So I wail. For the first time in my life I shriek incomprehensibly. During the noisy display, I notice that 2 sets of eyes have a different look than the rest of them. They look like must know exactly what it is that I can't say. I get handed to the owner of one of the sets of eyes, one who has longer hair. She holds me, and I put my head into her arms. Once I close my eyes, I consider that she was the one creating warmth in the darkness.

Create Your Own Adventure- Olivia McCrary

1) What animal do you think you are most similar to? Why?

2) What item or belonging do you value the most? Why?

3) Are you glad you decided to be a part of the Academy or do you regret this decision?

I will answer the third prompt.
For me, this is a difficult question to answer. Sometimes, I regret being in an advanced program. (I have been since the third grade). It might make me more likely to get into a good college, but sometimes I think that spending all of my time doing homework isn't worth it. There's not much I can do about it now, so I can only hope that being in the Academy will be beneficial to me in the end. Honestly, I think it probably will. Homework may not be much fun, but I think that by being in the Academy and the other advanced programs I was in previously, I have become a much better student.

Create Your Own Adventure - Jeb Brumley

1. If you could meet anyone that has ever lived, who would it be and why?
2. Does money and/or fame guarantee happiness? Why or why not?
3. If you could change one thing about Henry Clay High School, what would it be and why?

I have chosen to write about prompt number 2.
Many average people have probably often thought that they would be eternally happy if they never had to worry about having enough money to live their life. I believe that being wealthier is not the key to being happier. Although being a billionaire would sure make life a whole lot easier, it would not keep you from getting worried, angry, or sad. Similarly, being famous seems like it would make life better, but it can not keep you from feeling depressed or frustrated. For example, earlier this year actor Robin Williams, a very well loved actor and comedian, committed suicide after suffering from anxiety and depression for much of his life. This shows you that being famous did not guarantee him happiness. The belief that fame and money create happiness is far from true and while they may be able to make your life better, neither will bring you happiness

Sam Flomenhoft - Choose Your Own Adventure

1. If you could visit one country in the world right now, where would you go and why?

2. In your opinion, what new technology that could be created would be the most beneficial to the world today?

3. If you could change one aspect of today's public education, what would it be and why?

Prompt 2

The most helpful new technology that could be created today would be more effective non oil based energy. We have solar energy and wind energy today but the technology available is more expensive and not as powerful as natural gas. If we could make the technology more powerful and cheaper to make it would be more widely used and more available to the public. This way we could stop emitting harmful gases into our atmosphere that continue to contribute to global warming and hurt our environment. Over time hopefully the ecology of earth will come back and we can live in a healthy, interesting world once again. 

Create your own Adventure- Isabelle Rinker

1. What would you take to a desert island?

2. What do you think was the most important invention of the last 100 years?

3. If you could go back to any time in history what time would you go back to?

I am going to attempt answering the third prompt. If I could go back to any time in history, it would probably be the late 1950s and early 1960s. Pop culture was very classy at the time (i.e. Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"--I absolutely ADORE that woman). Female icons such has the lovely Audrey herself, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor (we just won't mention Marilyn) not only swept the scene in 50s-60s blockbusters, but became iconic and inspiring role models for young women. 

Women's fashion at the time represented the classy female role during this time period. Dresses, berets, and impeccable jewelry made this a great era for fashion.

America in this time period did indeed have its flaws, but the traditional values, iconic pop-culture, and high fashion makes this period a fantastic one, and an era I would love to live in.

Create Your Own Adventure Emmet Allen

1. Would you rather be a slug or a squirrel?
2. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
3. Why is The Lord of The Rings the greatest work of art humankind has ever produced? (note the absence of possible alternative views)

I will answer prompt number three.
Lord of The Rings is the greatest creation that has ever been produced by any sentient being. This is due to many great accomplishments of the stories, including the originality and character development in both the books and the movies.
Starting with originality, Tolkien wins objectively. Nothing can match the combination of different preexisting ideas that he has thrown together or the number of new ones he created. For example, he created a language. I don't believe there is anything left to discuss here.
Moving on to character development, a key aspect of any storytelling device. Boromir, one of the characters from earlier in the story, went through several transitions (extremely apparent in the film adaptation) that illustrate the author's (and later, director's) incredible and superhuman ability. Thats right, Tolkien and Jackson transcend human existence.
These are only two of the great parts of the Lord of The Rings, to go on through all of them would take several lifetimes and may in fact be impossible. This is why this is the best story within the bounds of human comprehension.

Create Your Own Adventure-Maya Creamer

      1. If you were given $1 million with no restrictions as to how to spend it, what would you spend it on, and why? Would you donate a portion to charity, put some/all into savings, invest it, spend it on yourself or your family, etc.?
      2. How do you want other people to remember you after you die?
      3. Suppose you could make a living doing anything in the world-what would you spend your life doing, and why?

I will answer the third prompt.
      If I could make a living doing anything in the world, I think I would choose to travel to different Spanish-speaking countries and teach English to the kids there. This would combine a lot of the things I'm passionate about/interested in-teaching, the Spanish language, traveling, and helping young kids. I think it would be extremely rewarding to work with kids, because they are so curious and eager to learn. Seeing the confidence and pride in themselves that they gain from learning something new would make me feel like I have really made a difference in their lives.
      Traveling to different Spanish-speaking countries would also allow me to have new experiences that I wouldn't be able to have in the United States. The cultures of many of these countries are radically different from our culture here in the U.S., so I think it would be really interesting to experience how they live. In the time when I'm not teaching the kids, I could explore the different countries, and meet many new people who have had very different life experiences from me. I really like learning people's stories, so I think it would be really cool to just talk to people, and ask them about their lives. I would also get a lot of practice speaking Spanish, so I would be able to increase my fluency in the language.
      Overall, I think teaching English to kids in Spanish-speaking countries would be a great experience, and a cool way to make a living.

Create your own Character- Adrian Wyllie

1. If you could do anything in the world, what would it be, and why?
2. How do you think other people think of you?
3. What do you think makes you the person you are?

Okay, choosing one of those was easier than I thought. Two of them seem pretty difficult. So I am going to go with option 1. If I were to do anything in the world, I would do what I am doing right now. That is, I would learn and work by day, and spend the night with a pen and paper in my hand. I don't really want to change how I am living right now, because even though I am not quite happy, and slightly bored, what I would want to fix that unhappiness would never really help. Any other way of living, of working, and I would not really feel the same. The way I live now, I am the happiest I think I could be for a long time, and I am also the saddest I could be.
I am sad, because I want things to change how I live, but getting those things really would make me feel bad, because there are people who are happy not having those things. So, in a way, I am happy just being a living, breathing man, and that is one thing I would not change.
But other people suffer, but there I still would not change. If I fixed all the world's problems, we would have the problem that we had no problem to fix, nothing to guide us, nothing to make us feel the need to do anything. everything we do is for a goal, and changing that goal, could be the difference from fixing something and never having to fix it again.
Wow, that question is harder than I thought. It got pretty deep pretty quickly. I honestly think that what we have is what we need, and what we need is what we have, and that has always been enough for me. Sometimes I feel like I have too much, and I give it away. this generosity is the one thing I would like to do about the world. if everyone could be generous, forgiving, and so on, there would be no poverty. but there would be no diversity. So even if I wanted to change something, I still would not.

Create Your Own Adventure- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

1. If you were a cartoon character in a comic, what clothes would you be wearing?

2. If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

3. What is a challenge that you have overcome? 

I will do number 2. 

If I could have lunch with anyone, I would have lunch with all of the Founding Fathers because I am very curious to see how they expected America to turn out. There's no way they could have foreseen the complexity of issues we deal with today, but maybe they did have something in mind. I would ask them about the following:

1. Where they see America in 200 years. It would be very interesting to hear their responses.

2. I would describe the party system, with it's catering to specific subgroups and it's primaries and the deadlock it has created. I'm sure they would be furious. I would then ask them for suggestions on possible alternatives. They were some of the brightest minds in history, and they might be able to help, especially being distanced from the problem. 

3. What their favorite book is and why they like it.

4. I would give them one of those political spectrum quizzes, just to see where they would fall. I would then give them a personality quiz to see if they were more open minded or close minded. What is conservative today was radical back then, and it would be interesting to compare their results. 

Create Your Own Adventure - Amelia Caldwell

1. Why are the arts important?
2. Are Academy classes really more challenging than non Academy classes?
3. If you could meet and talk to anyone from any time period who would it be and why?

The arts are a very important aspect of life. Without the arts there would be no music, there would be no books, there would be no painting hanging on the walls of peoples' houses, there would be no sense of creative movement. The arts allow people to truly express themselves in their own way. The arts help children develop a sense of creativity and passion. Without the arts nobody would know how to express themselves. The word earth even has "art" in it, and without art the word is just eh.

People often take the arts for granted, saying that they are not as important as the core subjects. However, from personal experience, I would say the arts are just as important. Granted, dance, for example, will not teach me derivatives. Dance does, however, teach people the importance of time management. When you have to be at the studio for 6 hours on a Saturday, you know what you have to do Friday night so the rest of the weekend can be less chaotic.

The arts are very important to society. They give people a way to express their inner thoughts, they give people entertainment, and they teach important life skills that are not taught in a classroom at school.

Create Your Own Adventure - Emily Salamanca

1. Is it fair that a good athlete with a 2.5 grade point average can usually get a larger scholarship than a student with a 4.0 or higher? Explain your position
2. Do you have a particular item of clothing that you revere above all others? Does this item have familial ties? Is it just your most stylish and comfortable piece?
3. Describe everything you must do between now and midnight tonight.

I've chosen to go with the third prompt. Today, I have so much I need to do. I have to write an EAP essay to hopefully make a leadership position and get another essay for the program reviewed with a red pen by my father. Also, I have to do some impossible physics homework that I really can't get wrong as I study for the text during the next week. Then, I must do the regular physics homework that isn't graded on-the-spot. In US History, I've got to read 2.5 chapters of the textbook, which equals to about 50 pages and watch a 45 minute long documentary. I have a playing test in orchestra on Monday and I certainly can't play the piece at the tempo expected. I need to practice. En français, je suis prête car la classe de français est très facile, mais elle m'inquiète beaucoup parce que c'est une classe d'AP et nous apprennent un petit peu chaque mois. In math, I need to start my homework, do review problems, watch 5 20 minute long videos, and basically lose my mind as I study for an upcoming quiz and test. The test, by the way, is on the same day as my physics test. In English, I have to do this, of course. In comparative gvt. I have 25 more pages of notes to take, which is a 2.5 hour long commitment. Also, I have an art lesson today for about 3 hours and I need to finish a painting so that on Saturday I can go to national portfolio day and check to see if I could make it into an art school. Also, I need to help my friends make small trinkets for Girl Scouts. My life is chaotic. I just need to hang on.

Create Your Own Adventure- Tapan Darji

1. What is your favorite sport? Explain why.
2. Are gifted and talented classes actually tougher than regular advance classes or just have more work?
3. Why do you watch sports on TV? Why don't you?
I will answer prompt number one.
My favorite sport is soccer. It is my favorite sport because I have played soccer since I was five. I enjoy the game a lot. I find it fun. The game requires you to be athletic and also very alert because the can come to you at any time. I like soccer better than other sports because in soccer there are very few breaks in the game which keeps up the intensity of the game. Also soccer is a lot tougher than most sports because it is much harder to score. Most soccer games end up with the score of 1-0, 0-0, or 2-1. These are low scores compared to other sports. This makes the game more intriguing because a team could only make one mistake and that can cost them the game.

brandon castillo- create your own adventure

1. What team do you believe will win the super bowl this year? Explain your reasoning.

2. What makes someone “mean”? Is it a certain trait or action?

3. Does the Academy live up to the hype? Is four years of being in Academy classes worth it?

I will answer the first prompt.

I believe that the Baltimore Ravens will win the super bowl in the 2014-15 season. I think this because they have a 3-1 record up to this point and their lone lost came because of bad play and a lack of execution by the offense. Baltimore’s defense has let hardly any touchdowns in and ranks in the top half of the league as of now. Also, the Raven’s offense is clicking on all cylinders even without Eugene Monroe, Ray Rice, or Dennis Pitta. We have picked up 125 or more yards in the last three games with a committee of a backup, rookie, and a veteran who hasn’t been a true star. Joe Flacco has gone three straight games without a sack (a record for him) and he just broke the franchise single game QBR record (Quarterback efficiency rating). If the playoffs started today, we would be the number five seed in the AFC and two of the last three super bowl champions were wildcards. So I ask this, why not them?