Free Blog 2

When you finish a book, do you ever get that heaviness in your heart because the ending was so well written? But then do you also get that pit in your stomach because it ended and you are still longing for something more; for the story to keep going so that you can experience it all again? The ending included?!

But then, inevitably that ending will leave you wanting more too, so you will never get what you crave the most: a life exactly as it is described in the book.

So, like any logical person, you try to find another book that will give you that same feeling, because let's face it...once a book ends, that's it. There is nothing more for the author to tell (according to them of course). Even though we all know that readers can add pages and pages of extra information as seen evident in fan-fiction.

This is what I call the infinite cycle of reading.

For serious read-a-holics, we experience these feelings weekly. It is torture and pure happiness all at once. You can only try to describe it, but without exposure to an amazing book, our words will mean nothing to you.

So this is my challenge to you: go home, pick an amazing book, on a weekend read it all (nonstop!), then sit for a few minutes and soak up all the information that was just shoved into your brain. Take a moment; laugh, maybe even cry, or sit with you mouth wide open for a bit. These feelings that you are experiencing is the infinite cycle of reading starting to form.

CONGRATS!!!

You are on the right track to becoming a read-a-holic!

We can only hope that soon we will be able to compare our suffering to yours. Happy Reading!

Journal #6

The author of this book would have to be spontaneous and fun,  because that is all this book is. You can't get that much description about the characters feelings while traveling the world if you didn't experience that yourself.

In the book 13 Little Blue Envelopes, the main character Ginny travels Europe on the order of her dead aunt through letters she wrote before hand. Even this plot couldn't be thought of by just anyone.

Te characters she meets on the way are all unique, so at the very least a good imagination was needed. This is why I think Maureen Johnson would have to be an exciting person to accomplish this level of writing skill.

She also wrote a sequel to this book and I expect it to be written with the same enthusiasm.

Journal #5

One passage that stood out to me while reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes, was this..."Sometimes artists like to catch themselves looking out, let the world see them for once. It's a signature. This one is a very bold one. But this is also a witnessing. We want to remember, and we want to be remembered. That's' why we paint."

This quote popped out a me for many reasons. The most simple reason, is that I love to paint, so when the author mentioned painting, i took notice. The reasons mentioned why artists paint, is true too. You want to capture a beautiful moment or memory. And if you are the one capturing the memory, then you can't be in it, so that is why a signature is necessary.

Another reason I focused on this quote is that it mentioned being remembered. This spoke to me.
Who hasn't thought of being remembered after they die. It's a concern that everyone has at least once in their life. If I'm not going to be remembered, then why am I here?

This quote embodies everything about life, yet it's not explicitly saying it.

Journal #4

I would recommend any one who wants to be entertained by witty comments and interesting/unique characters to read this book. Basically, if you want to laugh or be happy in any way, shape or form, you must read An Abundance of Katherines.

Throughout this whole book there are little facts and tidbits to explain what Colin Singleton means and some back stories. Since he is so smart and knows basically everything, reading these will help understand the novel better. Plus, the way that he talks about everything is so entertaining, it makes you laugh.

The way John Green writes this novel, will keep you hooked until the end. Even then, you may want more!

Journal #3

While reading An Abundance of Katherines, one line that stood out to me was this..."Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back."

As I was reading, this quote was one that I could relate to my life. Also,when your reading, some people tend to skim or read quickly just to pick up key phrases and understand the main idea, but when I read, I do the opposite. I love to read and reread passages, especially if they make sense in real life. Some books don't think about connecting the story to its readers and when an author does this it stands out to me. 

This quote, at first glance, makes you think. Then once you reread it, you understand that a dumpee is someone who gets dumped ( if you didn't already know that). Then you think that to dump a book, you just close it and put it away, so technically it will wait forever. And lastly, my favorite part, is that when you read a book, it takes you in, mentally and emotionally, just like if it really loved you.

This quote is true in all aspects and it is definately my favorite from this book.

Journal #2

I know that this is completely cliché, but my favorite character in the book, An Abundance of Katherines, is the main character, Colin Singleton.

Colin is a child prodigy and he has been broken up with by 19 (technically 17) girls all named Katherine. Did I mention that he is only 17 years old? This guy should be a "player", a stupid jock, maybe even a psychopath, but he is none of the above. He is the smartest person ever! (At least I think so...) Colin remembers everything he reads or hears about and he finds everything interesting. But, being a child prodigy is not "good enough" for Colin, he wants to be a genius. More specifically he wants to have a "Eureka moment".

The whole novel is based around Colin and his friend on a road trip. They stop in a small town called Gutshot and meet some new people. The most random group of individuals you have ever seen has helped Colin finish his theorem. This mathematical formula can predict who is going to break up with who in a relationship based on certain factors. His history with Katherines has given him a basis to test his theorem.

SPOILER ALERT!!

He gets the theorem to work!!

At one point Colin asks his friend, "What is the point of being alive if you don't even try to do something remarkable?" This theorem is Colin's remarkable thing. 

This is why he is my favorite character, his drive and determination. The fact that he wont let anyone deter him from his goal. And the fact that he can take the most simple situations in the world and make them so complicated enough that they are simple again. ( Did that makes any sense...?) Basically he can make you feel good when you are sad, just by being himself. These are the best qualities anyone could ask for, and Colin has them all.

Journal #1

This week I have been reading the book An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

Now, I know that many people either love or hate John Green novels (there is no middle), but I don't judge a book by their author's "reputation". I have read one of his books before (The Fault In Our Stars) and found it to be very emotional and descriptive, especially in his character's thoughts. He uses a sophisticated language, but in a way that everyone can understand. And based on what I have read of this book, it seems like his writing is consistent (but not in a boring, repetitive way).

Of the two books of his that I have read, they have nothing similar in the plot or character types, but at the same time, you can tell they were written by the same person. You can tell through his word-perfect writing, the emotion he feels for his characters and the deep insight he gives you to understand their frame of mind, that he loves his work.

I personally think that when he does write a novel, he doesn't think of it as stressful or hard work, he genuinely wants to create something that people can connect to. If any writer doesn't feel wholeheartedly that his work is good, it wont be, because authors can't help but put what they are feeling into their work.

As John Green's novels show, he pours his heart and soul into his work.

Sayreville

Football is an old American past-time. In some states or towns it is so popular that it's all you care about. Football was a way to hang out with friends, play a game, laugh, work hard, and win. Bringing people together with one common interest. It was male bonding at its finest. But, currently it has become more of a problem than a solution.

Hazing has become more of a serious crime compared to what it was 20 or 30 years ago. The techniques, social media, and the embarrassment factor have all escalated exponentially. The times are different, society is different, and bullying is frowned upon now more than ever.

This is why when football players in Sayreville, New Jersey were hazing the freshman team, it was a serious offense. There have been some questions on the fact that hazing at this school has been going on for years, but like I said, the times have changed. The fact that reports of hazing have not been known to the public until now is not surprising. But, these varsity members went above and beyond their call of duty and started to sexually assault some of the freshman. Some may say this was the breaking point. One of the victims was quoted saying, "it made me want to shoot myself". No one should feel that way. Especially by teammates who are supposed to be your mentors and friends.

Football has changed through time. What was once a simple and pure game has turned into a cragged and disturbing sport. One filled with manipulation and intimidation. This is why old coaches should not be using their old ways. A smart and fun coach back then is now considered ignorant and easy to fool. Coach George Najjar, aged 62, was in charge of the team in Sayreville, NJ. He would leave the team in the locker rooms alone, giving them space,  but all he was really doing was giving them opportunities. Opportunities to hurt the younger players.

What these recreant teenagers did was unforgivable and now they will pay for their crime. Three of the offenders were initially held in juvenile detention, and four others with less serious crimes were released.

If only these problems were assessed when they first occurred who knows how long ago; maybe these victims would not have had to endure all this pain and humiliation.

Confederate Flag

It all started in 1861 when the Civil War broke out. Eleven southern states succeeded from the Union and were now known as the Confederacy. Although the Confederate States claimed to be fighting for States rights, the States right they wanted to keep was that of slavery. They argued that their "property" (meaning slaves) should not be set free or taken away just because they traveled to a northern state. The North argued that it can be taken away because having slaves in the North would break the law that abolished slavery in the Northern States. This debate quickly turned into a war and when the south succeeded, they had to create a new government, new currency, and a new flag.

These days the Confederate Flag has a lot of controversy attached to it. Whether or not the flag represents Southern pride, advocation of slavery, racism, or the country band Lynyrd Skynyrd is always up for debate. Even the Mississippi state flag currently resembles the Confederate flag, so I understand why there is still so much animosity towards this subject. This issue has not receded from view after the ending of the Civil war, even though it has been 149 years.

This fact becomes evident after reading an article about what occurred this September at Bryn Mawr College. 2 girls decided to display the Confederate flag in the middl of a court yard where everyone can see. When others asked for them to removed it they declined. Eventually they brought the flag into their dorm room, but it could still be seen by others. They defended their actions by claiming that they were just showing southern pride.

This same skirmish has occurred in many southern colleges with strong Confederate ties for years now, but in the case it different. For one, Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in no other city but Philadelphia. And secondly, Bryn Mawr publicizes itself as a progressive college, so for a debate like this to occur there is a very big shock.

Thankfully the students of this college are trying to fix this problem of minorities feeling left out by creating a mandatory diversity training course and increasing the number of colored faculty members. Although these changes are good and could help create some ease between the majorities and minorities, this problem will still be present in our society. And I fear that it always will be.