Dear Gas Prices

Dear Gas Prices,

WOAH, calm down there. I mean, who are you mad at? Why must you insist on rising one day- the day I just so happen to have an empty tank and need to shell out 65 bucks to refill my poor car- and lower another day- the day I just so happen to have a full gas tank? Now, I don't know who bullied you as a kid or what made you so bipolar, but you need to stop making everyone miserable. Go to a psychiatrist, punch your pillow at night, but for goodness sakes it is too expensive to keep putting up with your little tantrums.

Look at the stats, woman. The price of you rose 50 cents from the beginning of February to the end! Did you break up with your boyfriend, or something? Fifty cents! That may not sound like a lot, but multiply 50 cents by the sixteen or so gallons it takes to fill up the old Jeep, and that'll cost an extra $8! My job does not pay me well enough to continuously spend an extra $8 every week and a half/two weeks. That still doesn't sound like a lot but that isn't my point. You're constantly on the news for being expensive; it's a wonder how people don't just toss their own vehicles to the side and take public transportation. At least we have it easier in America, I hear you are up to $8/ gallon over in Europe. What's with that? And let's not even bring up the 70's, or this letter would never end.

I cannot continue to sit idly by while you wreak havoc on the world. Get it together, Gas. Make up with your little friend Money, build a bridge, and get over it. Whenever you two fight, it just isn't good for anybody. 

Sincerely,

Everyone and Their Mother

Oh, The Humanity

There seems to be a lack of humanity within the community that Sethe is raising her children in. Earlier in the novel, a little boy taunts Denver over the fact that her mother went to jail. Denver was shunned by both the community and herself, refusing to even hear confirmation of her mothers' wrongdoings, instead, going deaf. I mean, what kind of a person do you have to be to blatantly walk up to a little girl and say something like "Your mom went to prison, right? Haha." Today, that kid would have gotten into trouble, and the suspended for playing imaginary war with his friends (but that's a different issue). But no, nothing happened to that little boy, perhaps encouraging his behavior. Denver dropped out of school, that day being her first and only, and refused to go back. The community is already a negative environment that she turns herself away from.

And what's with the community not saying anything about the Schoolteacher coming to take away Sethe and her children into slavery and then judging her when she kills her children? Half of the community are freed slaves! It isn't like they couldn't relate to her situation and feel sympathetic for her! What, was it because Baby Suggs gave them too much food to eat at the celebration the day before? That's some sense of entitlement if I ever did see it (and I have, I work in a sit-down, middle-class restaraunt for crying out loud).

The community shuns Sethe and her children, eventually causing the ultimate downfall of her household, for reasons that are superficial and ridiculous.

Community, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Hanover Experience Makeup 2/14/17

Last Friday I took the day off of school so that I could go on an overnight visit to Hanover College. Most people wrinkle their brows when I tell them I'm considering Hanover.

"Where's that?" they ask. "It's up in Indiana, right across the river," I reply. I know what they are about to say next. Something along the lines of

"Indiana? That's so boring!" Yeah, well.

Anyway, so I took the day off to visit and as soon as I arrive on campus, I've been assigned to shadow a student during a chemistry class. We arrive at the class and I sit for an hour, trying my best to understand the equations that are put up on the board. My escort told me that usually visitors would be falling asleep by that point.

After that class I was escorted to another class that was called "Great Works," where students review Great American Works. I walked in on a class reviewing Wuthering Heights and I payed lots of attention because I knew we would be reading that book at some point in class as well.
I went to eat lunch with some volleyball girls and realized tthat while eating, I would probably have to join a sorority. I haven't the slightest idea, really, what a sorority does, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with community service and other things like that (?). I may have to join a sorority because 45% of the student body is greek, and all of the volleyball players (except 2) are as well. But I digress.

I didn't realize how many meetings I would have. The amount of questions I had to come up with on the spot after having the volleyball coach, a chemistry professer, and my admissions counselor ask me if I "had any questions," was unreal. I was exhausted by the end of the day.
Despite this setback, my experience at Hanover was wonderful. I suppose if I could have been less shy and more social, my experience would have been even better. But I don't regret how I acted, and I even made new friends. I may even go back in the fall.

Hand Written Letters Makeup 1/31/13

Hand written letters seem to be something of the past. Whenever I get a postcard from my grandmother, I snort in amusement and try to read her messy cursive handwriting before giving up and putting it on the mantle above the fireplace like every other card she's sent me. Now that I type about it, I feel bad for her. She spends all that time carefully writing her feelings out, in pen, no less. What if she makes a mistake? Does she have to go out and buy another postcard? I've never seen a card that had a scratch mark through it.

Hand written letters preserve our education. Sometimes, we refer to computers to do all the work for us, and even help us find more academic words to make us more...impressive sounding. Hand written letters are more heart-felt, and you know the person means what they say when the write it. You can tell what the person is feeling by their handwriting. When reading from a typed letter, there is less emotion felt, especially looking at some Times New Roman font (nothing against the font, it's just less personal because everyone uses it).

So you go, Nana. You preserve your education like you do, girl.

Take A Step Back Makeup 1/17/13

Does anyone else have three jobs? A real, paying job, school, and an extracurricular activity that takes dedication? I mean, I don't think teachers realize that nowadays. How in the world am I supposed to find time between these three things to sit down and do a two-hour assignement? This is a problem; not having enough time to do anything but eat and sleep. I suppose I could take precious time from my sleeping schedule to do these assgnments, but then again I'd rather be called selfish for caring more about my sleep than schoolwork.

I used to be totally dedicated to doing my homework, getting every assignment done on time, and doing them well, for that matter. Now, the only way you could get me to do homework is to pay me; because all I see it as is just another job that I don't have the time to care for. Incredibly tedious and not very helpful, homework is the enemy of the Average Senior. Who's in their second semester, by the way.

Too bad my assignments are late, but I guess that's just the under-achiever in me. I'm not bothered by it, though. Whoever wants to see me at Outback when I work, I'm pretty sure I could get you a discount!

What Is So Beloved? Warning: No Spoilers

Beloved by Toni Morrison is a highly regarded novel and thought to be one of the best literary books around. I don't really understand that. I'm 30 pages in and scratching my head over the context and situations so far. I knew that Beloved would be a difficult read, so I took to SparkNotes before ever picking the book up and just read the summary. I knew I didn't have a choice in reading the book, but it looked interesting enough to keep my attention.

Last night I was able to keep up just enough so I could understand what was going on. That was ten pages ago, and today- without as refreshed a memory -I'm trying to read and keep awake as much as possible. The writing style is vague, even more so than The Road, I think. The characters switch between past and present at the drop of a hat and with no warning at all. I fear for my forehead because it's always crinkled when I try to understand what just happened. Although I will admit, Mr. Mullins did warn us about this.

So, hopefully the story will turn around and become a little bit more interesting. If not, it's always a good book to read right before bed.