Physics Pain

Thanks for your pains,

You promised no less to them.

What good could they pretend?

For I, cannot be ill; cannot be good.

They have more in them than mortal knowledge,

Yet do I fear thy nature?

Thriftless ambition that would make good of bad.

And restless ecstasy would make friends of foes

Have else desired good advice, both grave and prosperous.

Yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp of dire combustion and confused events.

But within this hour at most, your spirits shine through you. 

Upon this bank and shoal of time, we'd jump the life to come.

This might be the be-all and the end-all here. Sleep no more.

For a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain

Met me in the day of success.

the witches control us...?

This is an extremely, psychotic, random theory I came up with for what Ms. Mah told us in class. Today Ms. Mah said that some people believe Shakespeare didn't write all his plays and some anonymous person (the witches or evil spirits) did. They thought that the anonymous person must have put all the tragedy, weirdness, and uniqueness into the plays. So...does that mean that the people who believe in the anonymous person believe that they casted a spell within the words...and that whenever someone reads it they are taken under the spell...and since so many people have been reading the plays for so long ....what does that say about the Great Chain of Being today...? hhmmmm

It Isn't My Fault

This monologue is Ikemefuna talking to Okonkwo:

What did I do wrong? How was I supposed to know my father killed a daughter of Umuofia? It never made sense to me. One day men just showed up at my house, talked to my father, and the next thing I knew I was being taken out of my village by strangers not knowing if I would ever see my mother or little sister ever again. It all just wasn't fair.

I was only 15 at the time and a properous young man. However, things could have been worse. I could have been killed right away but instead I got to live with your family and become a friend and role model to your son, Nwoye. Although you were strict, I respected you. I know you mean well when you demand people to do things. But I also know you just want you children to learn how to fend for themselves. 

However, I never knew if you appreciated my hard work and that can identify birds, trap rodents, and make flutes. Yet all I can say is that you were not harsh on me and I thank you for that, father. But, everyday I think about my mother and little sister and question if they are even alive. How can someone live like this? All I wish for is to go back home to Mbaino.

Fear Itself Is Enough

As I mentioned in my pre-spring break essay, Okonkwo follows the traits of an Anglo-Saxon hero. After finishing the whole novel, Things Far Apart, I still believe Okonkwo represents an Anglo-Saxon hero more than a contemporary hero. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a man who displays a lack of modesty, shows courage and strength, and is not afraid to face the consequences of death. On the other hand, a modern day hero is a person (male or female) who is a positive leader, helpful to the society, intelligent, and basically a well-rounded human being.


Throughout the entire story, Okonkwo maintains his extremely masculine persona. He is always demanding his wives to do work for him around the compound and to harvest some of the crops. Also, he is very strict on his children because he wants them to learn how to fend for themselves and to not turn out like his father. Despite Okonkwo`s fearless personality, he had only one fear in his life and that was the thought of him turning into his father, Unoka. Unoka was a failure his whole adult life. He ``was lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow`` (pg.3). However, Unoka was a benign man which Okonkwo was not.


After Okonkwo killed a boy (Ikemefuna) who lived in his compound for three years, I notice that he starts to display the traits of a classical tragic hero. A classical tragic hero is someone who has some sort of flaw but is not aware of it but which leads the hero to an uncontrollable downfall. In my opinion, the downfall that Okonkwo experiences is after he killed the boy he cannot eat or sleep for days. Coming from a man of such strength, this was not normal and something he had never felt before. A feeling of depression and guilt filled his body until the end of the story when he kills himself. The action of him killing himself is the result of the downfall from his flaw. Thus, making Okonkwo an excellent example of a classical tragic hero.


In conclusion, this man who holds one of the highest titles in his clan, comes off as brave and fearless. Yet, inside he has feelings just like any other person. These feelings never show, although they are triggered when Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. Thus, resulting in his downfall and suicidal death. However, overall Okonkwo represents an Anglo-Saxon hero and a classical tragic hero throughout the story.

I Never Knew Until He Was Gone

     There is one main conflict in the novel 3,000 Miles by Jason Schneider. Although other conflicts are present like man vs. man, man vs. self is the most recognized in this novel. The conflict includes the main character, Andre, who feels worthless in life. He decides that he needs to go on a journey to figure out what he is going to do and to get out of his small hometown. In addition, Andre and his family do not have a strong relationship. His parents often neglect him and his older brother is an unreliable pothead. Andre needed to leave. Thus, he and two other friends packed their bags and were on their way across Canada then to Seattle as their last stop. Andre felt like they must stop in Seattle because that was the hometown of his hero, Kurt Cobain, who had died not too long ago. The death of Andre's idol really stirred up his emotions within, causing him to finally go for a journey. However, he was not going on this trip to search "for some kind of answer. [He knew] the answer" but needed to "figure out a way to express it" (pg.22). Unfortunately, his idea of expression may include death or sacrifice. 


     Another conflict that occurs in the novel is man vs. woman. Andre has a girlfriend named Sylvie who has her life pretty much figured out, finish high school, attend university, and then get a stable job. Although she had "already assumed [she was] going to Laval, with McGill and Concordia the backups...[she] had to tell [her] father...about UBC"(pg.66). However, the only reason she wants to go to UBC is because in a letter from Andre to Sylvie, he said," I want to experience as much as I can before we get to Vancouver"(pg.65). Meaning, Sylvie is really in love with Andre so much that she would go to a university across the country just to be with him.

     Since Andre has started his journey, these conflicts became more vivid. His tough, endless decision whether or not to kill himself is wearing him down but he tries to enjoy himself. On the other hand, there was Sylvie who suddenly realized how much she loved him after he left which affected Andre. Because Andre started feeling the same way about her just after a week or so, he questioned his reason for the trip again. He began to think this was the right thing to do since there was someone that did care about him after all. 
     

Post-Colonialism Among Africans

Post-colonialism is (in basic terms) the aftermath of a community or group of people that have been colonized by a powerful foreign country. Although it is present everywhere in the world, it is most prominent in Africa. After the Europeans annexed and colonized some parts of Africa, post-colonialism began to develop. Since the Europeans thought the beliefs of the African people were foolish, they forced them to assimilate into the European culture and customs. Thus, resulting in a potential loss of the Africans native traditions and sabotaging their authentic way of life for generations to come. The Africans were encouraged and convinced that being 'white' would mean being intelligent, superior, and beautiful.



The photo above is taken by a very famous photographer, Annie Leibovitz. She is known for her innovative and controversial portraits of celebrities. This photo of actress, Whoopi Goldberg, shows a creative example of post-colonialism. After this photo became public, "it changed [Whoopi's] career and what people thought" says Whoopi in an interview in Annie Leibovitz' documentary Life Through A Lens. It provoked people to think about the contrast between black and white and how a black woman can be just as beautiful even if it is against the colour white. Because of the way Whoopi's face looks like in this photo, it gives off a humorous feel which portrays the thought of how far we have gone with post-colonialism and racism so much that an explicit photo like this can be publicized and considered without a huge dispute. However this photo is not a clear definition of post-colonialism, it is still a clear example of how people react and think about the controversy between black and white people. I believe Leibovitz is trying to say that it does not matter anymore what colour you are, you are still beautiful even in a tub of milk.

It's Jersday!

Why should you watch Jersey Shore?

       You should watch this amazing show because MTV proclaims it's the hottest new TV series out there. If you are not following Jersey Shore on Thursday nights, then you must be just rotting at home in your room doing nothing. Come on, anyone that is socially acceptable is tuning in to this show weekly. Think of it this way, watching Jersey Shore is like having a water fight with fifty half-naked male models in the middle of spring. The humorous and refreshing vibe it brings really awakens your inner "Snookie". This is why people who pay attention to Jersey Shore are always acquainted and in vogue. Most of all, this show gives younger viewers confidence which helps them get more friends. Then, allows them to become popular and trendy. Thus creating a perfect, successful teenage life! Lastly, to all the people who do not know what Jersey Shore is, I suggest finding out soon before I come and hunt you down.

"If I won't be remembered for how I lived, I might as well be remembered for how I died"

Since I cannot identify the protagonist yet in the story "3,000 Miles", I am going to write about a character named Andre from this story. Andre is a French Canadian who grew up in La Forest, near Quebec City. La Forest is an odd community in itself. Surrounded by "a bunch of trees", La Forest was home to the families who worked for the local mill (pg.1). The mill gave off "a lot of chemicals...and some old-timers started getting cancer...but none of it mattered. This was [their] home"(pg.3). Therefore, the people of the La Forest community were relatively close, except for Andre's family.

Andre lived in a "small, wooden house" with a "rusty Chevy Malibu in the front yard and a collection of old snow-mobiles littering in the back" accompanied by his negligent parents and stoner older brother Michel, who was about 4 years older (pg.5). Michel's best friend is Mario, who let Andre and his friends come over anytime to drink, blaze, and play/listen to metal and Satanic music, which Andre did quite often because there was nothing much else to do. Having senile parents, Mario makes his own crystal meth and sells it. When Andre needs money for something, Mario will give Andre meth to sell, leaving Andre with approximately a third of the profit. However, Andre does not do meth and "[he] stood by [his] decision not to get high" because he thought "it [was] bad enough selling [it] to survive" and "[he didn't] need the extra grief of doing it [himself] (pg.19). In addition to his family and friends, Andre has a girlfriend named Sylvie: "The two of [them] have everything in common, but most of the time [he] treats her like sh*t. She sticks by everything [his does], though, not like other girls [he] met (pg.22). I can tell Andre really cares and respects her because he said, "whenever [Richard, Serge, and I] talk about sex,...sometimes [Serge] turns away in disgust...when my stories get too graphic...I've never done any of that sh*t to Sylvie...she doesn't deserve to be degraded that way. She's a saint"(pg.22). Although, sadly, Andre is coming to a point in his life where he does not know what to do and where to go.

Personality wise, Andre is quite a confident individual, but yet perplexed about his future. After Kurt Cobain (the lead singer of the band Nirvana) committed suicide, Andre felt as if his life was going nowhere. Although, he never really thought about his future until then. Other than looking just like Kurt Cobain with the long, greasy blonde hair, leather jacket, and Kodiak boots, Andre thought of him as much more than a role model or a hero: " Kurt's life was worth... something [he couldn't] put into words, something beyond being a product or a lifestyle that was sold to [him]"(pg.20). Unfortunately, the "only way [Andre]" thought of expressing his feelings was [death] (pg.20).

Entering his twenties, Andre feels like it is time for him and his friends, Richard and Serge, to go on a journey.  Auspiciously, Richard and Serge liked Andre's "idea of going on a trip...because all [they] ever talked about [was] going someplace where [they could] at least imagine [themselves] having fun" (pg.21). Using Andre's meth dealing money, they plan to go across Canada then make their last stop in Seattle, Kurt Cobain's hometown. However, Andre is not going on this trip to search "for some kind of answer. [He knew] the answer" but needed to "figure out a way to express it" (pg.22). He has a feeling that he may decide not to return from this journey. In addition, he states, "If I won't be remembered for how I lived, I might as well be remembered for how I died" (pg.19). This quote proclaims that humans have a natural desire to be remembered in some way. In other words, Andre may feel worthless and forgotten by society if he were to just slowly fade away.

Coming from a small town in Quebec, Andre is someone who wants to feel accepted and supported in life, yet wants to go his own way. Plus, it doesn't help that his parents neglect him and his older brother could care less. Also, the person he looks up to the most, Kurt Cobain, has just died and so has Andre's perception of life. Thus his plan of going on a journey to prove something of himself becomes a reality. All he is asking for from his peers is some recognition and admiration.

Quote of the Day

"I might be bad but I'm perfectly good at it"
-Rihanna

Grandma, I Love You

Grandma, I love you
like the ocean loves the sky
the time we spend must never die
my heart so full with your comfort
nothing can come between to hurt
Grandma, I love you


Grandma, I need you
like a fish needs gills
You are so far, and it kills
to just be with you once again,
all around me, within soft rain
Grandma, I need you


Grandma, I love you,
no matter where the stars will start
your spirit always shines in my heart
Grandma, I love you

How Me and Anesthetic Met

Sometimes in life, the greatest challenges we face are with ourselves. This statement is very true in my life. For example, I remember when I was about ten years old getting my first filling at the dentist. I have always had a fear of the dentist but this time was the worst.

It was the night before my filling and all I could think about was the excruciating pain and loud drilling. I could hardly sleep, my stomache felt as if it was doing backflips. All I wanted was a miracle, something that would happen so I didn't have to go to the dentist in the morning.

I woke up the next morning surprised that I even fell asleep. My thoughts of last night still didn't change, except in less than thirty minutes I was going to be in the dentist chair.

Holding my moms hand tightly, I opened the door to the dentist office. The sour aroma of the flouride and metal filled the empty waiting room. At this point I thought," This is it, there is nothing I can do. I have to go in there. No turning back now." But no matter how much I would try to calm myself down, the more I thought of the pain and discomfort. My palms began to sweat. My feet were shaking with anxiety. Thoughts of the numbing needle made my brain explode.

Suddenly, I heard someone say," Vanessa Clarke? Follow me!" My stomache dropped quickly to the floor. When I stood up, I could hardly feel my legs. Staring back at my mom, while the nurse brought me into the other room, I felt like I would never see her again and I wanted her to be by my side the whole time.

The chair went back all the way so I could just see the ceiling and a T.V. I remember hearing Dr. Chan (my dentist) say," Get the anesthetic ready for Vanessa." in a very monotone voice. Sweat was now dripping from my forehead. I kept clenching my wet fists together. Then the dentist came over, the needle was shinning in the sunlight," Lean back Vanessa, you will just feel a slight tickle. Watch the T.V." As if that was really going to keep my mind off of her putting a needle in my mouth. I felt as if I had no control over the situation at all. The nurse, who was assisting the dentist, grabbed hold of my hands and smiled down at me. At that moment, a sense of safety filled my entire body. I sqeezed her hand as hard as I could. Then all of a sudden Dr. Chan looked at me and said," Great job Vanessa the needle is out. In fifteen minutes we will start the filling."

My mind was blown. That couldn't have been the needle because I didn't even feel it, I thought to myself. A giant wave of relief left me feeling warm and proud that it was done and I did not even cry. However, the filling was next and I still had a lump in my stomache.

After my mouth was competely numb, the dentist came back and turned on the drill. My content and dignified thoughts quickly flew out the window. She tilted my head back even more, I could hear the drilling and smell the metal from it but I could not feel anything what so ever. Fortunately, after about ten minutes of the loud drilling sound and vexation, the procedure was complete and I could go home.The whole drive home I kept thinking about how I lost sleep over that. Also about how harmless dentists really are.

Since that appointment, I haven't been as agitated about going to the dentist. And I actually like the anesthetic because then you know you will not feel any extreme pain, maybe just a tickle. Now that I look back on this story, I was the one who made myself nervous prior to the appointment. My connotation and what I had heard about getting fillings really made me stressed, until I literally had the experience for myself. From this event, I learned we (ourselves) are the biggest contributers in challenging situations in life.