Top Lit. Circle Picks

My top two choices are 1) The Book Thief and then 2) Thirteen Reasons Why

The Book Thief is my top choice because I have heard many great things about it, and have been meaning to read it for a while now, so this seems like a perfect opportunity. I've also read Markus Zusak's other book, The Messenger, which I enjoyed, so I think I will enjoy this one as well. The story is set in the Holocaust, and I like reading books set in this time. I find books with a historical aspect really interesting. The fact that this book is quite long is also appealing to me, I like a book that I can really get in to.


Thirteen Reasons Why is my second choice because I think the idea of the story would make it a really compelling read that would probably deal with a lot of relevant themes in teen life, which I also enjoy reading about. It seems like there would be an element of mystery in this book too, which always makes them fun to read.

Coming to this decision was pretty easy for me, because a lot of the titles were easy to stroke off the first time, since I am not a fan of science fiction or magic. Some of the books were not too appealing to me either because of people I know that have not recommended them.

Celebrities- Bad Examples or Role Models?

I recently read this article on the "downward spiral" of Demi Moore. She was having difficulty with an eating disorder, struggling with addiction, and is breaking up with her much younger husband Ashton Kutcher. I think that she is one of the celebrities (amongst many) that are not setting good examples for today's society. Since the lives of celebrities tend to be all over the news and in magazines, I think they really have to be careful about the way they portray themselves to the media.

There are many celebrities that could be considered "bad examples" because of the choices they make, but I think there are also many celebrities that can be looked up to. There certainly are celebrities that use their fame for good causes and are part of organizations to help good causes or people less fortunate than themselves.

I think one prime example of a celebrity that is doing a great job of being a role model and setting good examples through her fame is Angelina Jolie. She contacted the United Nations in 2001 for information on  "international trouble spots" and went on missions to Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Cambodia and Pakistan, all in the year 2001. Since then she has been to more than 30 countries to help on missions, especially for "forgotten emergencies" that the media's attention has shifted away from but still need help.

Jolie was also not afraid to visit countries that were in heavy conflict. For example she visited Darfur, Chad, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, all in times of war. I think this takes a very selfless person to be able to go to another country risking your safety for the well being of others. She has also adopted three out of six of her children from countries in need.

So, what I'm trying to say here is that some celebrities attract attention from the media for all the wrong reasons, while others use the media for positive purposes. What Angelina Jolie is doing through her humanitarian action is really remarkable.

TED Talk- The Three A's of Awesome

We recently watched this TED talk in class, and I found it to be quite motivational and inspiring. To summarize the talk, Neil Pasricha speaks of the "Three A's of Awesome." They are attitude, awareness, and authenticity. On the topic of attitude, his message was to have a positive outlook on life even after something tragic has happened. On awareness, his main point was to see the world in the same way that a three year old sees the world, where we appreciate and are curious about every new thing that happens to us. In Pasricha's last point about authenticity, he said that it is important to remain true to ourselves, and who we are on the inside.

Throughout the talk, one of the main themes that kept coming up was to be able to appreciate and be thankful for all the little things in life that we sometimes take for granted. Some of the examples he used were putting on clothes fresh from the dryer, or popping bubble wrap, or hitting all of the green lights on the way home from work.

Neil Pasricha's book on the simple things that make life great

I found this talk to be so inspiring because even after his wife left him out of the blue, and his best friend committed suicide, he was able to come up with a way of coping with the grief. He did this by starting his blog on all of the little awesome things in his life that make it that much better. By focusing on the positive things in his life, he could move on from the grief that would otherwise hold him down. It really paid off for him, not only by helping himself cope, but he was also awarded one of the best blog awards!

This talk was really enjoyable to listen to, and I think he made great points especially about appreciating all of the little things in life that make it so much better. Often times we forget about them, and it was refreshing to hear about what other people find so enjoyable.

Something About Me

Something about me is that I have always wanted to travel. I would love to be able to see the world, and all of the great wonders that it has. I would love to visit Greece, because I have some family background from there. Not to mention that the scenery looks absolutely breathtaking! The cliffs on the coastline overlooking the ocean, and the white and blue buildings are what I find so scenic.

I would especially love to visit the island of Santorini 

Another reason I'd love to travel is to be able to experience as many different cultures around the world as I can, because I think it's a great thing to be appreciative of other people's views on the world. For example, a while ago I learned about a festival that happens in parts of India (and elsewhere) called Holi. It is a few days where everyone- even people you don't know in the streets- chase each other around and throw paint and coloured powder at each other. What I think is so great about this is that it's just about people having fun, and it closes the gap between the rich and the poor since everyone is throwing paint! There is a good article here that explains the festival.

This woman is enjoying the festival!

Another travel destination that is on my list of places to hopefully visit one day is Portugal. My parents have been there many years ago, and it sounds like a beautiful place to go! In particular, the hiking is supposed to be fabulous, and very scenic. I love being outdoors, and hiking through the Portuguese landscape would just be an experience of a lifetime.

Hikers in Portugal

Legalize Gay Marriage Everywhere!

The issue of same sex marriage is just ridiculous, and should be legal everywhere. Gay people should have the exact same rights as everyone else, and should not be discriminated against or told what they can and cannot do. A relationship bound by marriage between two people of the same gender should not be such a cause for uproar for anyone else. What people choose to do with their relationships and love life is a personal matter, and the government is in no place to interfere with that. Way back in 1968, Pierre Trudeau said "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." Even though that was more than forty years ago, what he said is still true today, and what relationships people choose to have should be no concern for anyone but them. Legalize gay marriage everywhere!

Words

• dollop
• smidgeon
• dapper
• just swimmingly
• peachy
• taboo
• serendipity
• enough is as good as a feast
• paprika 
• piñata
• alabaster
• djembe
• gazebo
• finesse
• deduce

My Comments

comment on lowering voting age
comment on suicides of LGBTQ teens
comment on Christopher McCandless as a role model
comment on body modifications
comment on the show "Toddlers & Tiaras"
comment on the Invisible Children Organization
comment on a saying
comment on influence of media and Barbies
comment on transgendered beauty queen
comment on a travel destination
comment on voting decision
comment on traveling
comment on school uniforms
comment on bucket lists
comment on manatees, a vulnerable species
comment on RIM guest speaker
comment on texting and manners

A Collection of Literary Devices

From the song "We are Young" by Fun. ft. Janelle Monae:
- "my friends are in the bathroom, getting higher than the Empire State" -simile
- "we can burn brighter than the sun" -hyperbole

From a poem by Vladimir Nabokov:

- "Most of the dandelions had changed from suns, to moons" -metaphor

From the song "Get Lost" by Patrick Wolf:

- "This town is skipping like a record" -simile

From the song "Shake it Out" by Florence + The Machine:

- "Regrets collect like old friends, here to relive your darkest moments" -simile

From the song "The Gambler" by Fun.:

- "All the kids have bloomed from babies into flowers in our eyes" -metaphor

- "Even if the sun stopped waking up over the fields..." -personification

From the song "Blue Lips" by Regina Spektor:

- "The pictures in his mind arose, and began to breathe" -personification

From the song "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane:

- "I knew the pathway like the back of my hand" -simile

From the song "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae:

- "Summer came like cinnamon, so sweet" -simile

From a Leon's commercial:

- "I'm complex, like if sudoku and algebra had a baby" -simile

From the song "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men

- "...it's the house telling you to close your eyes" -personification