Anthology #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbNeIn3vVKM

In this beautiful National Georgraphic video, the most rich in life and biodiverse portions of the ocean are explored, coral reefs. Not only from a scientific standpoint are these structures marvelous, but from a perspective standpoint of the human eye. These reefs seem to highlight the innocence and beauty of oceans as a whole, stressing the vulnerability that still exists in such vast inhabited waters. The colors of the coral reefs are composed from all kinds of different hues and tints, which are emphasized by the glimmering light from the surface.  It is almost as if the reefs can be compared to giant cathedrals, where the stained glass windows cast beautiful arrays of light upon the masses inside. Also, the reefs act as major habitats to animals, furthering the idea that oceans act as the mighty shelter that houses all creatures of the sea. As mysterious and dangerous as the ocean may seem to most, at the same time it treats its abundance of life to spectacular sights and habitats such as this. The reefs give schools of fish places to congregate and gives the average fish a fair chance at a home. It can be easily inferred that the ocean can easily act as the grand care-giver of this planet.

The Ocean’s Power

The dark ocean waves,
clashing amongst each other,
above the ocean floor
that dose not have a bother

Not a worry in its nonexistent mind,
not a care, but only to its swimming friends,
but when a disaster strikes
the creatures will fear there world is at end

But not for any to fear,
the ocean has a special power,
a power that humans can not comprehend,
so unique it causes them to cower

The ocean releases its power to heal all,
to heal, from the dark waves to the ocean floor,
the process may take from days to centuries,
but when all is done, it is left for all to adore.
This poem speaks portrays the ocean as an all-mighty power that reigns over all of the sea creatures, a power that almost acts as a heal-all. The narrator describes that "when disaster strikes the creatures will fear their world is at end," but the ocean is not worried during this time. The ocean does not fret because it "has a special power" that is unable to be seen by man or beast. The narrator describes this power as a good power, one that will heal all wounds and forbid all troubles. However, this power is described to take "from days to centuries" to be fulfilled, but when it is finishes then everything will be beautiful. This way, the ocean seems to acting as if it is the god for all of the life living within it, continuously watching over its children.

I SPILLED MY THOUGHTS AND THEN MY SOUL

I spilled my thoughts and then my soul
On the
Atlantic Ocean
Today
The Atlantic Ocean
Washed my thoughts
Away first
Then Afterwards
The Atlantic Ocean washed my thoughts
Away
In this poem, the short and detached form creates a sense of sporadic and quick thoughts. The narrator says that he "spilled my thoughts and then my soul" into the Ocean, but then continues to say that the Ocean "washed my thoughts away." However, that same line of "The Atlantic Ocean washed my thoughts away" is repeated twice, almost as if the narrator blindly repeats it because he has no train of thought after the ocean had washed it away. Also, the style of writing plays a large role in the presenting the message of the poem. The poem consists of many 1 to 3 word lines, which stress the idea of the narrator's thoughts being very jumbled up and detached. This message is received because in a normal poem the lines would be very smooth and flowing, not almost randomly placed on separate lines. Both of these tools that the writer uses in this poem are effective in creating a sense of the ocean being a giant vacuum that will suck up and wash away anything left astray.

Reading log #5

Lebron James had nothing less than a completely stunning high school career. He became the most famous high school athlete, perhaps of all time. He was even referred to as "The Chosen One." The magazine cover in my previous post said that when Lebron was a junior, he could've been an NBA lottery pick. So at the end of his senior year...would he be the number one overall pick? The answer was yes. Everyone was wondering "which team would acquire the 'Chosen One'?" That was soon to be determined by the NBA draft lottery. The NBA draft lottery determines the order of the first few picks in the NBA draft between the worst teams the previous season. The worse you finished, the greater odds you had at drawing the number one pick. With a bit of luck, the number one overall pick was aquired by the Cleveland Caveliers...Lebron got to stay in Ohio. Instantly, Lebron signed huge deals with Nike and other athletic sponsors. His endorsements with Nike easily equaled 90 million dollars total. His future was sure to be a bright one.

Note #2

Ocean is as one with the world

As I Stare out into the Sea,
I can feel the soft oceans breeze
the warmth from the sun
the grass dances with the whistling wind
the ocean is filled with thoughts
and mysteries,
I feel the cool water
the ocean is alive filled with lost souls
washing emotions up onto the shore
My feet sink in the softness of the sand
The ocean is made up of dreams
and achievements,
My mind lies in the heart of the ocean
The rocks are bones
Out in the open the waves settle and
wait for their attack,
I feel as one with the ocean
as the ocean feels like one
with the world.

Izabelle Sheridan

Through extensive use of vivid imagery and personification, Sheridan effectively communicates the thought of the ocean being simply another being and part of the vast world in which we live in. Sheridan personifies the ocean as being something that is alive and has a soul since it is "alive filled with lost souls," and "washing emotions." The ocean is incredibly vast itself, but the author puts the size into perspective of the planet when comparing it to human beings such as myself. From this thought, Sheridan is able to draw comparisons between people and the ocean as well. Figuratively, the ocean contains "rocks" and "bones," while also containing a heart in our minds all dwell. Such inferences can be drawn when one looks beneathe the literal concept of the ocean. With oceans comes literally a "soft ocean breeze" and "warmth from the sun," but Sheridan sees it as a normal human being that is longing to find its appropriate fit into the world around it.

Reading log #4

Overall, Lebron's high school experience was one that would be valued forever. He developed the closest bond with his teammates, and his coach, Keith Dambrot, who now coaches the Zips of the University of Akron. Lebron was quoted in the book saying "I enjoyed the experience so much. I loved playing in big games and putting on a show for the crowd." Well, putting on a show is exactly what he did. Lebron would fill up the gym for all of the home games, and little kids would show up with "King James" signs and yelling his name. Lebron was well aware of the dangers with being such a sought-after recruit. He had to constantly remind himself not to accept any favors from recruitors or coaches, or the NBA for that matter. Lebron was put in a tough spot because he was the most famous high school basketball player in the nation and he had to follow the rules that everyone else had to. One of his most upsetting memories was losing to Cincinnati's St. Bernard Roger Bacon High School in the state championship.

Note #1

“Any fool can get into an ocean . . .”

1925–1965 Jack Spicer

Any fool can get into an ocean

But it takes a Goddess

To get out of one.

What’s true of oceans is true, of course,

Of labyrinths and poems. When you start swimming

Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor’s seaweed

You need to be a good swimmer or a born Goddess

To get back out of them

Look at the sea otters bobbing wildly

Out in the middle of the poem

They look so eager and peaceful playing out there where the

water hardly moves

You might get out through all the waves and rocks

Into the middle of the poem to touch them

But when you’ve tried the blessed water long

Enough to want to start backward

That’s when the fun starts

Unless you’re a poet or an otter or something supernatural

You’ll drown, dear. You’ll drown

Any Greek can get you into a labyrinth

But it takes a hero to get out of one

What’s true of labyrinths is true of course

Of love and memory. When you start remembering.

 

 

This poem directly compares the vast ocean to a flowing poem, in which a person of little knowledge and experience would fall a victim to the great traps and unfamiliar habitat that the ocean presents. Immediately, Spicer directly compares the ocean to a confusing labarynth and a poem rich in literary elements, saying that poems riptide-like rhythms and "the metaphor's seaweed" are extremely hard to navigate through. Such a comparison establishes a feeling that oceans and poems alike can both drag you around in different directions (literally and figuratively) and can cause you to get stuck when faced with unfamiliar obstacles, whether it be a forest of seaweed or a confusing metaphor. Further on in the poem, Spicer then completely replaces the word "ocean" with "poem" in order to impound into the reader's mind that oceans and poems are practically the same things. Spicer also states that one must be a "Goddess" in order to escape the clutches of the ocean, almost as if the ocean is a trap that consumes all  foolish mortals that falls within its clutches. Spicer then ties this idea into poetry by saying that when out in the middle of the "poem" you must be a poet to get back. This means that in order to escape, or fully understand the poem, you must be or think like a poet. Any man foolish man can wander out to sea or start reading a poem, but you must know how to swim or know how to interpret poetry in order to get back. Similarly, Spicer begins to close by saying that "Any Greek can get you into a labyrinth, but it takes a hero to get out of one." Spicer not only tries to communicate the similarity of the ocean to poems and labyrinths, he tries to bellow out that a person must truly be able to understand and grasp the concept of what he is doing in order to get the whole experience. Anyone can get themselves into a situation as such, but it requires much more experience and preparation to be able to complete such feats.

Anthology topic

I am going to be focusing on the topic of the ocean for my anthology. The ocean is a vast and treacherous place, but can also offer a sense of peace and beuaty.

Some examples would be:
-Poems about the ocean and human interaction with the ocean as well
-Photos or photo collections of ocean habitats
-Videos pertaining to certain aspects of the ocean

Reading Goals

-Read at least two books on my own this quarter
-Read at least every night
-Read books with meaningful messages that i can apply to my daily living habits
-Read to my dog once a week since he loves me so much

Reading Log #3

Organized sports and AAU basketball were the two most important things that helped Lebron live a somewhat stable life. When he was little, Lebron played pee-wee football in Akron and enjoyed playing and making new friends. Eventually, later in high school, Lebron became an all-state wide receiver and could have gone pro in football, if he so chose. Organized sports taught Lebron a very valuable lesson. He learned and valued discipline. He was always disciplined in sports and he incorporated discipline into everyday life. AAU basketball, a huge, nationwide basketball program sucked Lebron in at an early age. AAU basketball is fun to play, mainly because you could play with whoever you want, play however you want, and its taken seriously too; not only by players, but college coaches as well. While playing AAU basketball, Lebron was flooded with college coaches that desperately wanted "the chosen one." Lebron met Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, and Willie McGee in AAU ball, all players he'd go on to play with at St. Vincent St. Marys High School

Reading log # 2

Lebron James lived on Hickory Street; a small under-achieved street in Akron, Ohio. It was definitely a tough place to raise a small child as a single parent. "Most of the residents earned minimum wage, maybe a little better, and because they were frequently under-educated for the jobs available in the area they were often among the first to be unemployed when the economy as bad." But somehow, with the generous help of others, Gloria managed to persevere and raise Lebron into the excellent man he is today. Gloria had lebron when she was a teenager, and had no choice but to keep moving and relocating, asking anyone generous enough for help. Even though they were living a tough life, Gloria did the best she could to keep Lebron as happy and healty as possible. Eddie Jackson, a friend of Glorias at the time, (they later started dating when Lebron was 8 months old) and her mother, Freda James were the two most helpful people to Gloria during this time. Eddie fell in love with Lebron. He acted as his father figure.

The Rise of a Star: Lebron James

The book begins talking about Lebron's most important high school game he ever played. It was December 12, 2002 and it was a cold night and a crowd of over 11,000 was in attendance. St. Vincent St. Marys (Lebrons team) was playing Oak Hill (Home of Carmelo Anthony) Nike logos flooded the gym, tv cameras everywhere, and of course, avid lebron supporters. The game was so important...Dick Vitale was in attendance! The next morning, Lebron was featured on ESPN's Sportscenter with 31 points, 13 boards, and 6 assists. They beat the number 1 ranked Oak hill by 20. 65-45. Dick Vitale described lebron: "Hes' the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Lebron's mother, Gloria was the most important person in Lebron's life. Gloria was a single parent and always struggled to raise Lebron since he was a little kid. Still, to this day, Gloria attends most of Lebron's games and Lebron says that he can always hear her in the crowd. In high school, she used to get thrown out of some games because she couldn't contain her passion behind her son.

Exercise #3- book reviews

Reviews read:
-The Might Have Been
-Columbine
-The Grapes of Wrath

-Introduction that outlines the general topic, the book's demographic, and the quality of the work overall
-A brief summary of the plot of the story
-A highlight of specific and strong themes throughout the book, that promote the book's overall effect
-Recommendation of purchasing the book or not and justification as to why or why not

Exercise Dos: Hunting as if I were a scavenger

Roberta's story, during the rest of her cruddy time grounded, uses personal language to depict the growth and maturity of a teenage girl. 
Rule #6
He "kept his butt cocked to one side, his feet up on the shut rails so that the bull couldn't grind his leg, brad him up, so that if it  thrashed he could get over the to in hurry."
Rule #2

The " cruddy time on a crudddy street on the side of a cruddy hill in the cruddiest part of a crudded-out town in a cruddy state, country, world, solar system, universe."
Rule #2

....and the winner is....
Books for dummies (like "him").. boom

blogger standouts yet again (applause)... and not so much

Vivir Sonar Leer -- "The radical range of color schemes, discombobulating object scale, unusual item combination, and drastic angling of geometric shapes combine to form a divine harmony in the middle of a flustering discord. " http://vivirsonarleer.blogspot.com/

More Cowbell, Please: The dreams scribed across the wall also assist the imaginations of the people who come across the wall to think of their own hopes, wishes, and dreams. Ultimately, this project strikes curiosity in hopes that all who see will create their own dreams and not settle until they are accomplished. 

needs work...

"His popularity has grown everywhere, because of him, people in China have tuned in to watch him play.  His humbling story and attitude make him likable to fans everywhere."

"Lunch Bag Art is a tumblr that is very unique and worth looking at."

Spartan Reader Post Numero 4

Have you ever seen Spiderman hanging his outfits on a clothesline? How about Batman hopping out of the Bat Mobile so he can ride his mo-ped to work? Superman cleaning toilets? To answer the question for you, you probably have not ever seen that. In this photo collection on walltowatch.com there are ordinary people performing regular human tasks, but these people are dressed in well-known superhero outfits. To many, it does not really matter who is "behind the mask" in this case, but seeing our fictional world-saving heroes cleaning toilets is a little peculiar.

In this photo collection, the poeple appear to be rather emotionless, as if these tasks are nothing new to them. This creates a great sense of irony since poeple have never seen a "superhero" perform such lowly jobs. The people are just performing their daily rituals in urban and suburban areas to show a contrast between the reality of the real world as opposed to a comic book. This is almost as if we are diving behind the scenes in the lives of these superheroes since no comic will include a graphic of Wonder Woman bringing home the groceries.

newest short list homie

i apologize for all of the following links being from the same website, but walltowatch.com is just THAT good

http://www.walltowatch.com/view/5315 this link leads to a photo gallery of common people dressed in super hero outfits doing normal daily tasks, showing how super heros could be just like you and me

http://www.walltowatch.com/view/2346 this link is a photo gallery of a hotel made of ice. yes, all ICE. this gallery just shows how tedious such a process would be.

http://www.walltowatch.com/view/655 if you look at this link you will see a gallery of beautiful landscapes. However, these landscapes are made out of all food. very interesting

Notes On Camp- This American Life

This podcast episode by "This American Life" drags listeners into the innocent world of childhood summer camps and the great experiences that come along with every attendance. This episode specifically takes place at a pair of camps in Michigan, Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods. Lake of the Woods is a girls summer camp, wheras Greenwoods is a boys summer camp. And as with every child they always think that their group, or camp in this case, is always the best. This program captivates the different emotions, practices, and events that are all a part of summer camp. Also, it sets out to try and grasp the idea of how people who don't go to summer camp just don't understand the fun and amazement involved. The speaker tries to explain such feats by saying how children "feel as if they are part of a team" while in summer camp, as if they always have to be collaborating and working together in order to accomplish tasks and "survive" in the camp world. Since it is so hard to explain, a guest on the episonde had to simply put it as "two weeks of summer camp will change your life."

The very first segment is titled "Mr. Popular" and delivers the story of Dave, a camp counselor who had been participating in the camp since the age of 11. Dave appears to be a celebrity amongst the kids as he is introduced and would most likely acheive a "Lifetime Acheivement" award from the camp if there was such an honor. Dave had loved going to the camp so much as a child that he could not keep himself away from it as he grew up. He simply HAD to become a counselor in his eyes. Dave descibes his experiences with camp and the campers as "the best experiences of his life," experiences that many people "just don't understand."

The next section, and easily my favorite, is about unique camp horror stories. Every camp has their own mystifying and obscene ghost tales of ghouls and legends. In this specific camp, one of these infamous spoken word stories describe as a legend of a giant "Turtle Man," a former bully of a camp counselor, that creeps out of the water to claim its next unsuspecting victim of the camp. Also, more commonly known ghost stories are present in all summer camps, such as the story of "Bloody Mary." We get to hear the camp children lock themselves in the dark bathroom to try and see "Bloody Mary" in the mirror, demonstrating how gullable some of these children may be when living together for weeks in such an isolated land. But this isolation is what makes camp so much fun for most of these kids. It feels as if they are secluded in their own piece of make believe reality that allows them to do nothing but live off of each others ideas and thoughts.

Podcast Response "Notes on Camp"

This podcast dives into the youthful world of childhood summer camps and the great experiences that come along with every attendance. This program captivates the different emotions, practices, and events that are all a part of summer camp. Also, it sets out to try and grasp the idea of how people who don't go to summer camp just don't understand the fun and amazement involved. The speaker tries to explain such feats by saying how children "feel as if they are part of a team" while in summer camp, as if they always have to be collaborating and working together in order to accomplish tasks and "survive" in the camp world.

In one of the segments, "This American Life" tries its hardest to explain the excitement and rush involved with the telling and receiving of new and old camp ghost stories. Every camp seems to have its own tradational tale, one as being described as a legend of a giant "Turtle Man" that creeps out of the water to claim its next victim. Also, more commonly known ghost stories are present in all summer camps, such as the story of "Bloody Mary." We get to hear the camp children lock themselves in the dark bathroom to try and see "Bloody Mary" in the mirror, demonstrating how gullable some of these children may be when living together for weeks in such an isolated land.

Spartan Reader Post #2 y'all

While surfing the internet a few days ago I fell upon a website called http://www.walltowatch.com/, a website that is pure heaven for a mind that longs to be intrigued. Included in this website are numerous photo collections and videos that present the most fascninating and surrealistic ideas to the brain, as if it existed for nothing but a pure rush of excitement. The specific photo collection that came to peak the most interest in my mind; however, was a photo collection of book sculptures. Odd? Indeed, but mindblowing.
http://www.walltowatch.com/view/4605



Every scultpure from the collection is carved out of many books either stacked on top of eachother or placed side by side to one another. The landscapes and architechure expressed in each photo creates a smooth sense of serinety and relaxation, almost mystifying to a certain extent. Books with rather plain and boring appearances are used in such excercises, but are then turned into such beautiful masterpieces. It's like the artist had intentions of showing how he can turn such dull and plain objects into something that is absolutely magnificent, almost as if there is a beautiful potential in all boring aspects of life.

Short list numero dos

These photos are quite impressing in the sense that none of them are photoshopped. These are definitely worth seeing if you are in for mind blowing photography.
http://10steps.sg/inspirations/photography/70-strange-photos-that-are-not-photoshopped/
This set of photos leaves the viewer able to only say one word, "wow." These photos are all rows and stacks of books that have been placed together and carved out in order to show landscapes/ designs. These photos illustrate the definition of hard work.
http://www.walltowatch.com/view/4605

This collection of reality-distorting photos are simply incredible yet very clever. Upon taking photos the rest of the photo is drawn in with pencil but distorts some of the reality that already exists inside the frame.
http://www.walltowatch.com/view/881

Spartan Reader Post #1

Most people are familiar with the dazzling photos and stories of National Geographic, but whoever is deprived of this organization is truly not living life to the fullest. Whether it is delivering fascinating stories or flaunting a vibrant display of incredible photos, National Geographic always seems to peak even the slightest interest in everybody who is a witness. What I found while stumbling around on their website was a photo gallery that just dropped my jaw.

This photo gallery (http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photos/ocean-soul/#/shallow-water-corals-ocean-soul-skerry_43468_600x450.jpg) is a collection of breathetaking photographs of the aquatic world around us. All expressing vibrant colors and astonishingly smooth shapes of plants, animals, and coral reefs. All of these beautiful colors create such a welcoming and happy sense of life within oneself. The photos all seem very majestic as well, seeming to be placed in infinite space with limitless capacity to expand and grow. It kind of creates a sense of being surrounded by neon lights that are shining brightly in the ocean around such creatures.

Reading Log #3 Never Die Easy

This is the last reading log for this book before i finish it. Walter starts off by discussing the value that his family has to him and how he always tried to shield them from the media. He would incorporate the importance of his family in many speeches and public addresses he had in order to show how much he loved his family. However, the rest of the book goes rather downhill from there. The end of the book describes how Walter came down with his illness and the emotions involved in his passing. He gave a press conference to the public about his disease and how his time would potentially come to an end. In the hospital, Walters room was flooded with letters from fans and supporters from all around. Payton describes one letter he recieved from a small boy who had the same illness that he did. The kid explained how much of an inspiration Walter was to him and that "if [Walter] could fight through it, then he could too." Walter said he reread the letter numerous times, and cried even harder with each time he read it. That was the moment where Walter could truly grasp how much of a positive impact he had on people. Unfortunately, Walter Payton passed away but his legacy will never be forgotten.

Never Die Easy Reading Log #2

Well, I did not know that this didn't post earlier so i here it is. In this second 100 page section of Never Die Easy, Walter faces his life that follows his NFL career. He initially speaks about his retirement and how emotionally heavy the experience was. Paytons body could not longer withstand the punishment that an NFL runningback faces, but he could not leave the game entirely. Payton wanted to stay in the game as an owner of an NFL franchise. After tenacious pursual of the job, Payton became an owner of a piece of the St. Louis franchise. In the next chapter, Walter discusses his founding of his charity, The Walter Payton Foundation. He described how he would use so much money to simply give back to children in need around the country. What really touched me the most about this section of reading is that Walter Payton always put others in front of himself. He spent so much of his own money in order to start a charity foundation to help others, a very humble move by such a powerful role model.

Blogger Stand-Out (Applause)

While reading through many of our classroom blogs I stumbled upon a blog that occupies a style as magnificant as its name "The Dirty Platypus" (http://thedirtyplatypus.blogspot.com/). This blog got my attention with its broad vocabulary and blunt honesty. It incorporates words such as "strenuous", "slumber," and "administered." Also, on the post about reading history it was very honest when it came to describing the past and emotions. It discussed how he never liked to read, but upon reading The Hunger Games he always thought "oh, just one more chapter."

Dead Poets Society

In the opening scenes of Peter Weir's Dead Poets Society, a uniform style of dress and old-fashioned ceremonial experiences creates a sort of dull and "trapped" feeling. A school ceremony is in ocurrance at the beginning of the movie, where all of the students, staff, and parents sit and witness the headmaster speak of the prestige of their school. There seems to be a strong sense of order and control, since the students all speak in a synchronized manner under the headmaster, while all being dressed in the same style of outfits. You can tell by the countencances of the students that they feel miserable and trapped on the inside as the headmaster has a scheming look to his face. Later on, as the students say goodbye to their parents, a loud church bell overcasts all that is going on. This creates a rather ominous feeling or maybe even creates a feel of foreshadowing, since the bell tolls as the parents depart from their children.

Reading Response- Never Die Easy

I just had started reading Walter Payton's Never Die Easy again, because I only had read a small amount of it 4 years ago. So far, I love this book and I hold Walter Payton to the highest respect after reading about his life. This book is an autobiography about Payton's life, but my favorite feature is that it offers written accounts of his close family members and friends as well. The beginning of the book begins with many of these accounts because the first chapter focuses on the moment Payton passed away. This part of the book is very tear-jerking because Payton was argueably one of the greatest role models in all of sports history. His family and friends constantly refer to him as "The Greatest Bear of Them All" throughout this point (since he played for the Chicago Bears). A message that Payton got across to others at this point in his life was "Live every day, every moment, to its fullest and be as gracious as you can be." His wife, Connie Payton said that that quote "Was Walter, to the very end." The first chapter of this story has had the biggest impact on my so far out of this book, stressing the importance of values and graciousness throughout your life. Walter Payton used to preach to children: "Begin with the end in mind," admonishing them to think through the consequences of their actions.
As Payton describes his upbringing, he delivers more powerful messages to the reader. He explains how his father always told him "If you start something, you shouldn't quit. If you're going to play, you might as well play to be your best." Walter also reveals how he spent most all of his youthful years just helping out his family and working. Walter was able to excel in high school and found his way playing football at Jackson State University. Along the way, he shares many life lessons he had learned while growing up through the process. FInally, Walter had made a name for himself and was drafted to the Chicago Bears in the NFL. Payton continued to follow his fathers guidelines and never gave up during his early years, when the Bears were so bad that he had no good players around him. Finally, his persistence paid off as he was able to win the Super Bowl in '85, and he also broke the NFL's all-time rushing record.
What i find the most powerful about this book is that all of his football accomplishments and stories (what most people only know him for), only take up one half of the book. The second half of the book is all about his life after the NFL and how he gave back to charities and family. That to me shows that Walter Payton does not care about the glory or fame, but the substance in relationships with others and the abilities to give back to those in need. I cannot wait to read more.

Duo Excercise- Brooklyn, New York home

Elements & Observations
-Use of Space-- Crammed, Overlapping, Full
-Objects-- Bizzare, Varied, Death
-The Couple-- Mysterious, Eerie Clothing, Old Fashioned
-Design-- Unorganized, Very Abstract, Fragile

In this couple's apartment in Brooklyn, New York, their unique use of space, bizzare furnishings, and abstract design expresses a sense of limitless creativity and an inability to let possessions go. The whole apartment is coated with unusual finds, paintings, and antique materials that leave very little room for leisure and create the feeling of the apartment being rather fragile. A disturbing factor being that many of the strange objects resemble death or dead animals, which leaves viewers with a feeling of unsettlement. Also, the couple's old fashioned outfits and mysterious looks bring forth a rather eerie feeling to the apartment as well. The crammed design and furnishings of this apartment may peak the interest of many people, but for me it makes me feel as if I stepped foot into an Edgar Allen Poe horror story.

Literacy Narrative

Sadly, reading has never really been a large part of my life. I dont necessarily read novels on my own outside of school assignments or activities. However, I have tried to pick up two books before to read (Never Die Easy and Through My Eyes) but I could not find the time to finish them. Today, I do read every single night, but I save that time for reading only the Bible. The Bible is really the only book I ever read, not only because it is essential for all christians, but also because it leaves me with time to analyze and reflect over the words and phrases afterwards. I also find it pleaureable to read because i know if I can incorporate those principles into my life, I will become a better person. If I was to read different books, I would really want to finish thetwo books that i had only started in the past. Never Die Easy and Through My Eyes were written by Walter Payton and Tim Tebow, both great rolemodels in the athletic world. The reason that I would like to finish these books is because they both share a great message and how each of the two athletes came to be who they were and the events they faced that helped shape their lives. Any reading that I do, I always want to receive a message from it. I don't necessarily like reading just to hear a good story, because I would rather just watch a movie if that was the case. However, I can't really receive a life changing message from a movie on my TV screen; this is when I choose to read instead.