What Blogging Means To Me .

To start of, I have to admit that I am not use to having a blog and sharing it out to people I may not know, and to the world. We are required to post up two blog posts every week before Friday, before (11:59:59 pm) the clock hits 12:00 am. Though, I struggle when coming up with topic ideas to write about or whose blog posts to response back to. Plus having to post up two blogs per week, but as each week and each blog posts passed by, I got use to blogging two posts per week now, and became better (but not the best) of what topics to write about, and whose blog entry to do a response to. As I went back to my blog and see what I have posted up, I noticed that half of my blog entries are response posts from my classmates’ blog post, and also I saw that the other half are my choice of writing a free topic.

Out of all the blogs I have written and posted up, my current favorite is a response to being addicted to Facebook. This blog entry, about being addicted to Facebook relates to who I really am. Because in this blog entry, I talked about how Facebook has changed me, but also became a distraction for me. I expressed in my blog :

“To start off, Facebook is a powerful tool for keeping in touch with people you know, or with people you lost contacts with for a long long time. And with Facebook, you can just type in their names and click search. Then this way you can keep in touch with them. Also with Facebook you can interact with your closest friends or friends that live very far away ! Not even friends, but you can also keep in contact with your family members that are far away too... When ever I start on my homework, Facebook distracts me from finishing it the time I expect myself to. And as a result, I have to stay up until like 10:00. 11:00 or even 12:00 to finish my homework. “

This particular blog post really shows that I am someone that gets distracted by Facebook easily. As I have mentioned in my blog post, Facebook is a distraction that slows me on when finishing or doing my homework.  For instance, when writing blogs we are using the computer ! Here is why: Blogging on the Internet has became a distraction  for me because, every time when I am writing my blog. I would get writer’s block then the next thing I would do is to do something else, to get some new ideas. This happens, because we have to use the Internet to do our blogs, and when I get bored or run out of idea on adding stuff into the blog, I tend to find something else to do, to find new ideas to add in. And what i do is go on Facebook. As a result of going onto facebook, I later forget that I still have to finish my blog and because of that  my blogs are published near 11:00-11:50 pm. Plus, because of that they are not in the best quality, since they were rushed to be finished.

After talking about my current favorite blog post, now lets talk about my least favorite. My least favorite would of course be my first blog post that I posted up on my blog. It was based on our summer homework, the one about how we had bullied others, what we witnessed when other bullied, or how we were part of an alliance of bullying some one else. I dislike it, it has way too many repeated words, and ideas. Here is what it partly looks like:

“After reading 'Just Kidding And Ganging Up' from Odd Girls Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons reminded me a time when I was part of an alliance that made someone feel bad. So this is what happened, back in Elementary School,  where everyone did not think before they speak, when nobody took anything seriously, and when most of the time we joked around. “

Looking back to this blog post to find some quotes, the truth is that I don’t even want to look at it. I did not like this blog post because, it was a chunk of a long story! I did not break them into paragraphs as I should have. But it was our first post, we were not required to. I say this blog post is way too descriptive and there are way too many details on just the “character” of the story. I should of focused more on other ideas instead of just describing only the “character” in my little story.

The writings I do on my blog is different from the more structured academic assignments I write, because of two reasons. First reason is that writing on your blog means posting up your writing to the whole world. Which everyone can see, the people you may know or the people you may not. But when writing a more academic assignments, only your teacher will read it to grade it. Or you might share it out to your classmates, friends, or people you know. Its different when blogging, you never know who is reading it. Second reason is that posting up blogs let you write freely to express your self, since people who you don’t know will know who wrote it. Keeps it an anonymous writing, letting you have more privacy when expressing yourself. Not to mention that in your academic writings, you have to keep it to a limit, it has to be appropriate for school. Not only that it has to fit the requirements on the rubric.

In conclusion, based on the work I have put on my blog in the first quarter I have now set goals for my second quarter. My writing or blog posting goals for the second quarter are having and writing better or coming up with more creative topics to write on my blog. This is important because not only we are writing for a grade in Mr.Sutherland’s class to earn an A, we are also letting other people read our posts. Besides that, I also want to chance my working methods. In addition, I should not procrastinate, and having to do my blog on the last minute. This means that not to post up blog posts on the last ,day, hour,minute, second. My goal is to post my blog entries before the day it is due, so people can get ideas from it and write it on their blogs. My last goal is to not write so much though we need at least 350 words on each blog posts. What I mean is “less is more” so less repeated words or ideas in the post and more creative ideas in it instead. What I should do to accomplish my goal is to re-read my post before posting it up, and take out the stuff I don’t need in there. Overall, posting up blogs is creative, and fun.

The Main Conflict In Of Mice And Men .

           In the novella, Of Mice And Men, by John Steinbeck tells about two characters, Lennie and George. Both were traveling together to find a job during the Great Depression. Lennie, and George were trying to find a job to chase their dreams of being rich. George wants to have his own house and live happily without having to worry about the need of money. While Lennie wants to have lots of rabbits to tend. The central conflict in Of Mice And Men is character versus character, because it demonstrates Lennie’s disability that caused a plethora of problems for characters in the story.  

To begin, George has to watch out for Lennie. George loses his job easily because of the troubles Lennie had caused. For instance, when George and Lennie were working at the ranch in Weed, because Lennie wanted to feel that girl’s dress, he would not let go and was accused for raping that girl. So, as a result they have to run away, and lost their jobs.  As George explains to Slim,another ranch worker,

“ Dumb bastard like he is, he wants to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk.” (41)

Lennie has mental disability issue, even though he seems big and strong, his inner knowledge is like a little kid’s. When Lennie wanted to feel that girl’s red dress, he wanted to pet it like a mouse. But that girl did not know that, and so she screamed, Lennie and George had to run away, and hide. So they will not get in deep trouble. Though, Lennie and George did not get in serious troubles, Lennie caused troubles for George. Lennie made both of them have to leave to hide, and so both of them lost their jobs.In conclusion they have to find a new job.

       In addition, Lennie’s  mental disability issue caused a myriad of problems for George. This includes Curley’s wife and Lennie were talking out in the barn. Curley’s wife took Lennie’s hand and put it on her head, she wanted him to feel her soft hair. By telling Lennie to take a stroke from her roots down to the tips of her hair. But as a result of touching her hair,

“ ‘Look out now, you will muss it.’ And then she cried angrily, ‘You stop it now, you will mess it all up.’ She jerked her head sideways, and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on. ‘Let go,’  she cried. ‘You let go!’ ... Lennie’s other hand closed over her mouth and nose.”(91)

Lennie just wanted to touch her hair more and more, like how he always want to pet a puppy, a mice, or a rabbit a lot. Same concept goes with touching Curley’s wife’s hair. Lennie’s mental disability did not allow him to know what to do in situations like this, when he panics he doe not know how to react to them, so instead he holds onto it more, and makes it worse. As a result of touching Curley’s wife’s hair, Lennie got scared and panic that he wanted Curley’s wife to stop screaming, so he covered her mouth and nose. Making it hard for her to breathe, and because of that she died. Lennie’s mental disability has killed Curley’s wife.

         Lastly, Lennie does what George tells him to, because Lennie has metal issues. And so that Lennie often doe not know what to do, and seeks for George’s words for help. And this causes problems for other characters in the story, because Lennie does what ever George tells him to. For example, Lennie and Curley got in a fight, because Curley thought that Lennie was laughing at him. But really, Lennie was smiling of the memory at the ranch.  Here is what happened at the fight,

“ George yelled again, ‘I said get him.’ Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it. The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand. George ran down the room. ‘Leggo of him, Lennie. Let go.’” (63)

Lennie can be abusive because of two things: how strong he is, and his mental disability. These two things caused him to be abusive, like what happened when pet a mice too hard. They died off, because he does not know that he is petting too hard. It is all because he has mental issues. He is strong, but also has issues. If Lennie does thing what George says, then George can tell Lennie to kill someone and he would do it, so because that Lennie is not as bright as an average this leads to other conflicts for other characters in the story. And in this instance, George told Lennie to get Curley, and because of that Curley is seriously hurt.

In conclusion, the novella Of Mice And Men explains to the reader that one of the character, Lennie how his mental disability caused conflicts to other characters in the story. This novella is written by John Steinbeck and in the story, he explains what  Lennie and George had been through in the Great Depression, and how they have to travel around for new job. Because every job they get, Lennie makes both of them lose the job, because of the troubles he makes as a result of his mental disability.

   

Continued, Response To : I Wish It Was Christmas Time .

Continued , Response post to Karisa's entry on : I Wish It Was Christmas Time .

Aha, I wish it was Christmas right now too. I love that 'Christmas Feeling' you get only at Christmas [:

 I love the freezing weather it's way better than the hot though, I love summer too.  I also love having extra quilts on my bed during the cold weathers, it is warm, cozy and comfortable. Christmas to me is full of fun, and joy. & Karisa said that she likes Christmas too, and she hopes for it to be Christmas right now.

"I really wish that it was Christmas time. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year because I just really like the atmosphere of everything. The weather may not be what some people perfer, but I actually like the chilly temperature during winter time. "

     Christmas is the time of the year where you spend your time with your family. When you & your family go crazy shopping together for stuff that are on sales or  at a cheaper price. Christmas is a time for family gatherings or union, when you both give out gifts to  other people, and receive gifts from people, such as love ones. And also just being with everyone you care about. Christmas is when the weather gets pretty cold, so  that means that it is the time when you and your family go out  ice skating, and or sliding. Or maybe even snow ball fights with each other. Christmas is a time to relax and have fun with each other.  

At family gathering, it is a great time to catch up and share stories of the past year. At family dinner I love making Christmas shaped  cookies such as Christmas trees,  and with some sprinkles of  the Christmas colors on top of the cookies. And I also enjoy making cupcakes to share out with my family during family dinners. There is honestly nothing better than relaxing with family members.

But then, there is a down side to Christmas ; it has become totally a commercial holiday.  Where, they say like there are sales off, or like 30 % off, something like that. But even though it has become a commercial holiday, I still participate in the shopping events.  (: 

Response To : I Wish It Was Christmas Time .

Note : the quote doesn't really go with the post . 
This is a  response post to Karisa's blog post about how she wants it to be Christmas right time, because of all the joy and fun you get from Christmas. And I agree with her, I wish it was Christmas right now, but also Halloween. && here is something that Karisa said,  

" I really wish that it was Christmas time. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year because I just really like the atmosphere of everything. The weather may not be what some people perfer, but I actually like the chilly temperature during winter time. " 

      To start off, lets talk about Halloween first. Halloween is such an ancient celebration, there's so much mystery and magic surrounding it's origins Though there are like only 23 more days, or something, but I wish it was Halloween RIGHT now !
      Halloween is fun, you get to dress up in costumes, it's a day out of the year to show your imagination off. Being able to dress up for Halloween is kind of like getting to play dress up again and being able to pretend what your life could have been like. & You get to be what ever you can think of, or something you want to be. Also, and to be someone else for a day, someone that you are not. 
      Also, when you go Trick or Treating in your costumes,  you knock on someone's door, and you might say "Trick or Treat !", or " Happy Halloween !" or something else. They compliment on your costumes, then later they will give you free candies (:  And after the long day of Halloween, let's not forget all the awesome scary movies that come out in the theatres or like the endless hours of movie on tv. And the ghost stories that kids sit around  the camp fires telling to get a good scare. Also, you get to be decorative, you can decorate you house to be like a haunted house .
      And you can like decorate your pumpkins with faces carved in them, or  ghosts and goblins hanging in trees, to scare away trick or treaters, or little kids. Plus, you get  to see all the different costumes, if you are handing out candies. 

Rabbits & Hares.

Hares and rabbits, are they the same animal but with different names ? 
I used to think that they are the same but with different names, because they look alike. But I recently learned that they are not the same in several ways.  


Hares: To begin, hares are wild animals found in cold climates, and they are generally larger in size than rabbits, and they have longer hind legs and run a lot faster than rabbits and also they have longer ears than rabbits. Plus hares' ears tend to stay down. When hares are born, they usually have a full coat of fur and their eyes are open. A baby hare is called a leveret. They don't stay with their mother as long as rabbits do, and hares are very independant from the time they can run.


Rabbits: Okay unlike the hares, rabbits come from the warmer climates. & Rabbits are a lot more compact, smaller with shorter ears and shorter legs, and their ears stick up unlike the hares.The baby rabbits are called bunnies, and when they are born, they are with no fur or hairless. Also when they are born, they are blind, with their eyes closed. After they are born, they are completely helpless and they all have to depend on their mother for everything for at least 8 weeks. A rabbits' diet should be mainly grass or hay, and veggies with a small amount of pellets. 


Rabbits and hares both molt and later grow new furs. This happens in both the spring and in the fall seasons. Rabbits' brown summer fur is  then replaced with fur that is a lot grayer. And hares, especially those living in cold, snowy regions,  their fur will turn white in the winter.
All rabbits, well actually except for the cotton tail rabbits live underground in the burrows or warrens, while the hares, and the cotton tail rabbits live in the simple nests above the ground, and plus  usually they do not live in groups while the rabbits do. Also,  hares have not been domesticated, while rabbits are often kept as house pets .

Response to : Addicted to Facebook.

Addicted to Facebook?
Yes, aha. This is a response to Andy Lau' s blog post about being addicted to Facebook. 
& here is a part of what he said : 

" Facebook runs a big aspect of my life. Usually, the first thing I do when I get home is turn on the computer, and go on AIM and Facebook. On a regular school day, I typically spend around two or three hours on Facebook. On the days I do not have school, which include Saturday and Sunday, I would estimate that you can find me online for at least four hours of the day. "

To start off, Facebook is a powerful tool for keeping in touch with people you know, or with people you lost contacts with for a long long time. And with Facebook, you can just type in their names and click search. Then this way you can keep in touch with them. Also with Facebook you can interact with your closest friends or friends that live very far away ! Not even friends, but you can also keep in contact with your family members that are far away too.   


 I do agree with what Andy said, Facebook can be addicting  yet boring at the same time. Though I said it is boring, yet I find myself going on that website everyday. Facebook is a addiction and also a distraction. When I get back home from school, I immediately start on my homework, because I know that if I do not then I will have to stay up late to finish it. But starting my homework early did not help, because when ever I start on my homework, Facebook distracts me from finishing it the time I expect myself to. And as a result, I have to stay up until like 10:00. 11:00 or even 12:00 to finish my homework. 


I think the reasons why I go on  Facebook is because i found Facebook to be a great way to keep in touch with all my old friends, and new friends. And plus if you need help with homework you can just chat with your friends and ask them for help. Also, I go on Facebook to click " like " on random pages pictures, and comments, and just to stalk and talk to people.