Crossing the Finish Line

Okay, yes, this post has nothing to do with running and the analogy is a little stretched, I admit, but I like using random titles instead of just "Reflection" or "Final Blog." You can deal.

I feel very accomplished this semester, reading-wise. I broke the 4000 page barrier with 4311 pages read this whole semester (since I'm still reading Weeping Underwater Looks a lot Like Laughter and I don't have it with me to count the pages, this is just a ballpark figure). I probably could have read more, although my mother had to ban me from reading for fun. Yes, it's embarrassing that the only thing she could think to take away from me as punishment was literature. Nerd Alert. I am a nerd reader; a very independent, enthusiastic, can't-put-the-book-down-'til-I-finish bookworm. I wouldn't say I've progressed in my reading since the beginning of my Etymology class, however I have challenged myself to read more challenging literature in my days with Hill. Again, this makes me feel very accomplished.

My reading places basically consisted of wherever, and whenever, I had a couple of spare minutes. I read in math class, in etymology, in AP lit, sometimes I even read at lunch, thus furthering my nerd status. However, mostly I read right before I go to sleep. I hate just lying there, trying to fall asleep. Reading gives me something to do while I wait for my heart rate to slow and my brain to fall into hibernation. As soon as my eyes start drooping, I might close the book, begrudgingly.

I find in my sister a good listener when it comes to book commentary, especially because she's almost as book-wormy (book-wormy?) as I am and we read basically the same things. I love reading books, and I even have a quota I want to reach by the end of the summer. I'll let you know how I'm doing, periodically. Hopefully. Don't quote me on that.

As for poetry, I dreaded poetry at the beginning of the semester and I still have a little apprehension when it comes to facing it, but I feel I'm able to analyze them a little better and thanks to my AP Lit class, I really do understand them. Writing about them, on the other hand, is a different story...

Anyway, I really enjoyed our Etymology semester and I'm sad it's ending :( Hopefully, I keep up my blog.

SCARY

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"Uniqe" Does Not Exist Within a Suburb

I've been searching for an interesting, not even necessarily good, book to read, one that I can get through. Yesterday, I found myself roaming the aisles of Barnes & Noble, spending a good hour searching the shelves, reading the backs of countless books, wishing one would jump out at me and "catch my fancy," so to speak. Amidst my great quest, I generated quite a lot of odd looks, patrician-looking adults, the elderly, and quite a few teenagers questioning my appearance with their eyes. Now, I understand that the Fort is very conservative and that they don't like people who necessarily stand out and attract attention. I also understand that if a person shows up with multiple facial piercings, tattoos and/or less clothing than is expected and required, then yes, this outlandish being is going to get some criticizing looks. However, that is not how I was dressed yesterday. The reason for the scrutiny of my person: red lipstick. Oh, no! I'm a teenage girl wearing noticeable makeup. I must have some sort of problem with myself. WRONG. So what if I found red lipstick at my house, put it on and forgot about it. It's a free country, and last I checked, red lipstick is not that uncommon. My point is, it's very discouraging to someone who doesn't want to end up just like everyone else living in such a close-minded environment. If I lived in, say, New York for example, I could wear candy striped leg warmers, purple tights, neon shorts, a sweater with a carousel horse on it and earmuffs as an ensemble, and no one would look at me twice (Not that I would ever consider such an outfit...unless it was Halloween...maybe). Just, show some open-mindedness. Is it really that hard?

Not to Be Confused With Anthropologie

My anthology project centers on the poet Lisel Mueller. I've chosen to feature her poems The End of Science Fiction, When I Am Asked, Things, Love Like Salt, Romantics and Beginning with 1914, as well as some other poems by her.

The New Modern Family

So basically our generation is being defined by our "over-usage" of electronics. The abundance of gizmos and gadgets (a-plenty) is taking over our lives. Nowadays, we're even using computers in the classroom every day!! C'est incroyable! (I don't really speak french). However, the majority of electronic usage occurs in our own home. I admit, my family is very technology oriented. My mom just got a MacBook Pro for Christmas (lucky), my dad's company supplies his technology, my sister got a free laptop from her college for being super smart and my little sister and I both have our own personal computers. Not to mention the two desktops, the three iPads, and several iPods and countless gaming and television devices. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it. The plus side to this is that I wouldn't consider us obsessed with our electronics. We may use them frequently, but we still make time to socialize in the outside world and even within our own home. We have family meetings (some, like last night's, that only include the words "Bedtime"), we sit down and eat dinner together without our gadgets, we actually talk. So in the article "Quality Time, Redefined," I agree with some of their points. Yes, my family includes electronic devices in our family time, but that's the thing. We still have family time! Plus, we're not all on different devices. We watch movies together ALL THE TIME! Sometimes, I do my homework while sitting in front of the TV. The world goes on and I still get to chill with the "fam." I like this family time redefined. It, ironically, brings us closer.