Comments Q2 Week 3

Kaya- LOTF Human Nature

Ryan- Lord Of The Flies Thoughts

LOTF Reading Response

The author's use of symbolism in nearly every paragraph is something that I don't see often, and I enjoy thinking and reading between the lines. From Jack's authority shown in the form of the choir boys cloaks to the several inferences about pigs, Golding's symbolism is nothing to think lowly of.

I think that by speaking of Simon's seizures, Golding is foreshadowing his death. I also think that Piggy's roundness is adding more to the story than just his nickname.

Human nature

I believe that humans are naturally ill-behaved. We are obviously flawed, quick to deceive and slow to forgive. While one could say we have an appreciation for beauty and nature, that is a trait that has recently developed in the broad stretch of the history of the world. That said, I believe that humans were gifted with the ability to change themselves and others indefinitely.

My reasoning behind this is the fact that most children will grow up disrespectful, dishonest, and brutal. Having many younger cousins, I have been witness to temper tantrums thrown for absolutely no reason, have seen the sheer anger and hate in a young boy's eyes when he was denied something. But, after all of that, you have to ask yourself whether something is genuinely and sincerely wrong, or if it is merely a societal convention to see it as evil or twisted.

Q2 Week 2

Ryan- The Accountant 

Alex- Free Post

Quarter 2 Comments Week 1

Ellen- Reading Response

Jordan- Should We Abandon Louisiana? In some ways, we already have.

The Hammer of Thor

In the past week, I've been reading Rick Riordan's latest book, The Hammer of Thor. This book has made me think of the times that I read his older works, and it made me reflect on how my perception has changed over the years. The older I become, the more I see that his books are geared to a younger audience.
One of the hardest things to overcome is realizing that it's time to move onto more challenging novels, and stop reading below your reading level for purely nostalgic purposes. It is something that I am just beginning to accomplish. I want to branch out with my reading and read classics such as Shakespeare, Vonnegut, and Poe.

Harvest Fest Free Post

This weekend, I went to a fair in New Roads called the Harvest Festival. This has been around for about six years, and each year I've attended it. It began as a small gathering outside the Poydras Center called the fall fest. My old school was one of the biggest groups of volunteers there. The mayor stopped by and decided that next autumn he would make it huge. Each year the harvest fest has had food, music, and rides. It has been relatively constant over these past six years. This year was honestly disappointing. The city had definitely gone in a direction favoring music and food, rather than rides.
I've spoken to several in attendance, and they agree with me on this matter. The whole setup was different. With the rides in an area in close proximity to the concerts, it is much harder to be separate from adults. You can argue however you'd like, but being away from adults allows kids to be themselves. I will still be attending future harvest fests, I just hope town hall hears some of this feedback.

Procrastination: Is Your Future Self Getting a Bad Deal?

          I have a disability called CPD. Chronic Procrastination Disorder. I am constantly putting off school work in order to do the things that I would like to do. Only recently have I even attempted to break free from these chains, and I am discovering that my quality of life increases when I complete tasks well before they are due.

          One of the points that Dr. Pychyl raised in his essay "Procrastination: Is Your Future Self Getting a Bad Deal?" is that procrastination shows a level of disregard for the well-being of your future self. Now, you may read that and think, "Surely everyone has a self-preservation instinct." You would be correct, but that isn't what the author is arguing. The author is arguing about the things you can tell about yourself due to whether or not you procrastinate. Not only does it affect your long-term health and happiness, it affects short-term things as well. As soon as I decide to put off my homework, I can feel a weight upon my shoulders, a guilt of unfinished tasks. I know from personal experience that procrastination gets exponentially more stressful the longer it goes on, and eventually you break dow. You're tired, you're emotionally unstable, and you're generally unhappy with the goings-on of the world around you. 

          I cannot stress how important it is to get your work done, be it making an unpleasant phone call, doing ridiculous amounts of history homework, or even cleaning your room. All of these tasks have their own individual effect on your mental psyche, and they stack to become a formidable amount of stress. 

Comments 7

Kaya Rende- Turkey

Alex Harlan- Reading Response

A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings

In this blog, I'll be writing a response to A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings. This story highlights humanity's vanity and cruelty in a subtle way. For a brief period, the "mortals" are fascinated with the "angel". The fascination morphs into something twisted and evil as they begin to torment the angel to get a rise out of him. They even go so far as to brand him, but when they see his reaction to that they become scared of him and leave him alone.

People with disabilities and illnesses come from far and wide to try to be cured, but eventually, they quit trying after they see no results. The angle continues to ignore the people, and when a circus comes around with a "spider-woman" they flock to a supernatural being that acknowledges them. Even something as mighty as an angel will be forgotten if he's as unresponsive as a statue at a church. People crave recognition, and they weren't getting it from the angel.