Grimm: Week 3

Seeing Waitress on Broadway

    Over a year ago now my mom, grandmother and I all went to see Waitress on Broadway. The famous Sara Bareilles wrote the score which is probably why it's my favorite show.

    I actually got a great deal on the tickets because one of the actors in the show was also a Youtuber. That Youtuber being Colleen Ballinger gave her audience, including me, a really great discount code. She's such a genuine person and it was amazing to see her on stage finally fulfilling her dream career. One of Colleen's friends, Todrick Hall performed along side as her love interest. Todrick's also a Youtuber, but he's most famous for his choreography skills and being Taylor Swift's best friend.

    I remember walking in that theater and it smelling like delicious sweets. We sat in the front on the second level. Looking over the balcony I could see towers on each side of the enormous stage filled with several fresh pies like a bakery would have. The curtains opened to the song "Opening Up" and the classic pie shop tile floor was revealed. It looked exactly like an old dinner with several tables, booths and waitress's. The discount I got was only for a certain seating area so I was right next to all of Colleen's fans. I watched as those moving shelves parted and Colleen stepped out causing my whole row to light up clapping and cheering with excitement. It was so cool to see her followers in action supporting her during such an important part of her career.

    The story took it's audience on a roller coaster of emotion. From abusive spouses to pregnancy to old supportive friendships to new forbidden love to a motherly love, I couldn't have asked for a better plot. It's a feel good show. If you've ever listened to Sara Bareilles's beautiful soothing pop, soulful style songs, it's like experiencing that vibe through you're eyes instead of ears.

    After the final bows I made my way outside to see some of the cast. Holding my playbill I tried as politely as possible to make my way to the front, but I couldn't get to the rope. Thankfully the majority of Colleen's audience was there so they were easy to talk too and nice enough to pass my playbill up for a signature. Colleen did come out to say hi, but it was only when Todrick made an appearance did I get a signing. That's right I have his signature, I feel so powerful!

    My family and I went out for a fancy dinner after and processed the whole performance. It's so sad now to know I'll never be able to go back again because they took the show off Broadway. If I had the opportunity I might've just moved to New York City so to spend every night at the theater. Even though the show is gone for now, to keep it alive I recommend listening to the soundtrack from the original cast. Sara Bareilles also has an album called Opening Up with a bunch of unused material from her writing process for the show as well as a few that were used. I love Waitress!

Goodricke Week #3

     Ever since I was a little girl, I have been described by all who have known me as dramatic and theatrical. As soon as I could, I joined theatre and any other arts-related activities. I quickly became drawn into music specifically. I very quickly realized how scared I would get for the monologue I had to perform rather than my solo I had to sing. I, at first, blamed it completely on stage fright, but I didn't really understand why I had such a fear of it until recently. 

    The first show I ever performed in was called the Granny Awards in 5th grade. Basically, this was a musical about an award show for Disney and Fairytale characters such as the Three Blind Mice, The Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, Cinderella, etc. I played one of Cinderella's evil step-sisters. I don't exactly remember having any lines, but I did have a solo. I didn't have any fear associated with it however, I knew that I loved to sing and I wasn't unsure about anything. 

    The next show I was in was the first lead role I had ever gotten and I was in 6th grade. It was called "The Grunch", a spoof on "The Grinch". It was about a middle schooler names Rudy Grunch who hated theatre and came up with a plan to ruin the musical at their school. Rudy then falls in love with theatre and ends up joining the group and having a great time with everyone as a team. I had this monologue about hating musicals and every time I had to perform it in front of everyone, I would get so incredibly afraid and forget the line. A solo would follow that monologue and I looked forward to it the most. 

    When I got into middle school, it was just more of the same. I was cast as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music Jr! I never felt like I was ever playing a part or fully acting. I didn't feel like my acting was good and I was just Allie Goodricke saying lines about being a nun. It was really frustrating for me. I would try and try to become the character, but it never was as authentic as it should have been. 

    When I entered high school in my Sophomore year, I was cast as Hildy Esterhazy in our production of On the Town! This show was based in the 1940s around the second world war, and these 3 sailors are visiting New York City for 24 hours before their leave. Along the way, they each meet the loves of their lives. Hildy was basically the female lead of the production. With 5 solos, over 100 lines, and a duet with a boy, I was both excited and the most nervous for a role I have ever been in. Of course, I wanted the role, but it was a tremendous responsibility. I had that same uncertainty as I did when I was in middle school. My character was supposed to be a flirty, confident, forward, and dramatic cab driver who was pining over one of the sailors she met. Over the months of rehearsals, I grew more and more uncomfortable fully expressing myself through the role. I felt as though I was the weakest actor on that stage, but I tried really hard to do the best I could. 

    When I found out that the show was canceled due to the pandemic, I found myself relieved. I loved being on the stage with everyone and performing such an amazing show, but I knew that I could never pull off that role as much as I desperately wanted to. Now being cast in the Theory of Relativity, I am relieved to have found out that I don't have any lines, and all of my songs are so fun to sing and I know I'll have a great time with them. I think, for now, I'll just stick to singing. 

On the Town cast
From left to right: Claire, Ozzie, Ivy, Gabey, Hildy, and Chip

Ahearn Week 3

The Power of the Mind

I have always been fascinated by the abilities of the human mind, which is the main reason I took AP Psychology this school year. I love learning how our minds voluntarily and involuntarily control our bodies every day. One of the fascinating mental phenomenons we learned is known as Synesthesia. 

Synesthesia occurs when one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic and involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. In simpler terms, when one sense is activated, another unrelated sense is activated simultaneously. An example of this could be hearing a number or letter and then associating and visualizing a color to match with that number or letter. This example activates your auditory senses, and then simultaneously activates your visual senses. 

Synesthesia can enhance an individual’s creativity and memory because it becomes easier to make connections between concepts and ideas. In addition, synesthetes (people with synesthesia) tend to have more vivid mental imagery than non-synesthetes. This mental phenomenon can be passed down in families, and 3-5% of the population has some form of synesthesia. 

Some types of synesthesia include auditory-tactile, chromesthesia, grapheme-color synesthesia. Auditory-tactile synesthesia occurs when a sound prompts a specific bodily sensation. Chromesthesia occurs when certain sounds trigger someone to see certain colors. Finally, grapheme-color synesthesia occurs when letters and numbers are associated with specific colors, which is the example I gave above earlier. Additionally, lexical-gustatory synesthesia, mirror-touch synesthesia, ordinal linguistic personification, and spatial sequence synesthesia are all other types of synesthesia individuals can have. Because of all the types of synesthesia, many tests have been developed to test for the condition in a person. These assessments include both visual and auditory tests. Many of them are designed in a test-retest format which rules out the possibility that someone is making up their associations.

Overall, this neurological condition shows the magnificent abilities of the human brain as well as how complex our bodies are. If you believe you are a synesthete, get tested to find out if you are part of the 5% that can see color in sound, taste distinct flavors after hearing certain words, or feel a body sensation after hearing a certain sound. 

This is an example of grapheme-color synesthesia, which occurs when letters and numbers are associated with specific colors.

Hunter Week 3

Embracing Authenticity 

        

   Cheesy phrases such as "Be yourself, because everyone else is taken,” seem to be popping up in my mind recently. Such thoughts are probably due to our commencement speech analysis. Nevertheless, I would like to offer my personal experiences and challenges that follow my efforts to lead a unique path. 

        

   To begin, I grew up quite ordinary; curious, ambitious, loud, adventurous, etc. What set me apart, at least from everyone in my elementary school, was my vibrant, strawberry-blonde hair. I did not think much of my hair color, considering I knew about 30 people and was seven-years-old at the time. I vividly remember kids harshly picking on me during recess with phrases such as “you have no soul” and “gingers are gross.” I never thought that something so insignificant would lead me to feel such hatred for myself. These instances were just the beginning of my struggle to obtain individuality.
       

    As the years went on, more aspects of myself that were not quite lining up with my peers seemed to emerge. Negative relationships with the randomly plotted freckles upon my cheeks, the sound of the vowels in my name, and porcelain skin tone arose to consume me. Feelings such as those became detrimental to my self-concept. After incorporating a plant-based diet to better fit my morals and improve the wellbeing of the planet our society does so well to neglect, I noticed more comments come to light. Something as simple as not eating a food group brought out of the blue torment, despite having no interactions with people providing such remarks. The strength behind my desire to fit in was incredible.
       

    My friend group at the time did just the same as those making fun of me. I knew they intended remarks as jokes, but after the 300th comment on my characteristics, are they? I would carry immense amounts of guilt, embarrassment, and the belief that I was inferior to everyone around me just because my values were different.
        

    That mindset continued for years until I completely broke down in front of my truest friend; Kurt. He began to explain that my purpose is not to be a carbon copy of the girl sitting next to me. Kurt explains the differences in every fingerprint (just as Quindlen does) to emphasize how nobody in this hemisphere could fulfill my dreams and future accomplishments. He repeatedly mentions that those who follow trends and stay within lines placed before them have not yet uncovered their reason to stray away.

       

    Since then, I have begun to look much deeper into myself. Now, I can recognize and wholeheartedly admire the beauty of others without sacrificing my own. Why did I give people in this no-name Pennsylvanian town such power; If I am honest, I have no idea. Let them talk about you and send your reposts in their group chat because you will probably not recognize their name in ten years.

        

    Though I have not fully overcome many of those insecurities, I have grown to celebrate the distance between my interests and others. I hope you can embrace every curl upon your head, every mannerism, every freckle, every thought, and every inch of the skin within your beautifully crafted self. As I start to put down "The backpack full of bricks," which in my instance, represents my insecurities and will to conform, I cannot help but smile. The unfriendly kids at recess were unknowingly leading me to grow, and for that, I am forever grateful. I cannot wait for the day those people can see the beauty within themselves without needing to tear others down to do so. Everyone is trying to navigate through our insane reality, so please encourage, support, and most of all, do not judge the steps that one might take to blossom.

 

A photo of various types of flowers from my grandma's house blooming
in harmony despite their different characteristics! :)

Dawe: Week 3

 More Than Makeup 

    Something that not many people know about me is that I love makeup. You may not believe this considering how little I wear to school or outside the house but I see makeup in a different way than some.

    Putting on makeup is like therapy for me, it takes my mind off of everything in the world. Almost like how many view painting, instead of focusing on your struggles or issues, you focus on creating art. I don't put it on to feel prettier or impress others because the outcome isn't the important part to me. The act of blending eyeshadow together or blending foundation brings me peace and a sense of calmness.

    Many ask me why I put on makeup to go nowhere. To me, that's like asking why do you paint or draw a picture with no plans of selling it? I do it for myself, not for others. I have never been amazing at sports or a genius in school, but with makeup, you don't have to be good at it to love it.

    Many think that makeup is a mask or something that women put on to hide their true appearance but for many makeup is so much more than that. I hate that so many women in today's society are put down daily for how much makeup they wear. Something that builds their confidence and makes them feel great can also be so harmful to them. Why should anybody be ashamed of something that makes them feel good about themselves?

    Although I personally see makeup as therapy and self-care, there is nothing wrong with seeing it as a way to feel prettier or build a little confidence. Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and if makeup is a way to build that confidence, then where is the problem? 

Image Link

 

Leszcynski: Week 3

 A day I will never forget…

Date, August 23rd, 2009. Time, 8:23 at night. Location, St. Luke's Anderson Hospital. Sometimes when you hear hospital, your first instinct is, oh no. However, in this case, the hospital was the happiest place to be for my family. 

Rewind… 6 months ago. February 2009. 

My mom had gathered my siblings and I in for a family talk. In my house, family talks do not occur often. My siblings and I knew that what we were about to talk about was important. My mom started off by saying “We have some big news!” I was 5 at the time, so I was super excited. My parents at the same time told us “You are going to have a baby sister!” Of course, we were all extremely excited and were jumping all around the house. We begged our mom to let us go set everything up, but she told us that we have time and that we don’t have to rush yet. 

The next six months seemed to last forever as we all could not wait to have another sister. I in particular was far more excited than my two older siblings. But, soon enough we would be able to hold our new little sister. 

Fast forward to August 23rd, 2009 at five o’clock at night. My older siblings and I were all waiting in the waiting room with my aunt. I remember us all being alone in the waiting room, so we were able to have a lot of fun. Our night started out by getting Subway sandwiches. I got my favorite an Italian BMT. Then, we spent a lot of time playing games to pass the time. We played UNO attack, Mexican Train, and lots and lots of Candyland. 

But it wasn’t until 8:23 that my dad came barreling into the waiting room and yelled “Karly is born!!” We were all so excited. We were jumping around, doing handstands and cartwheels. We couldn’t believe that we now had another sister. We all couldn’t wait to hold her. But unfortunately, we had to wait until the next day to hold her. However, we were still able to go in and see our mom and our newborn sister. At last, we went home and went right to bed, so we could go back early the next morning to hold Karly. 

The next morning, we finally were able to hold her. Me being the youngest, I got to hold her first. Little did I know that I was holding my best friend for life for the first time. I will never forget the day that I met my little sister, who luckily is also my best friend. 

My sister and I in 2010

Falzone M. Week 3 _ Spanish Immersion

Spanish Immersion

Learning a language at a young age seems to be becoming more popular as time goes on. After much research and consulting with other parents, my mother decided to have my sister become a part of this new generation of bilingual children. As skeptical as I was, I became more and more excited as I listened to the idea of Spanish Immersion Education. My sister, Phoebe, would spend the entire day in a classroom speaking, reading and writing entirely in Spanish. With her teachers talking in Spanish she would be fully immersed in the language from kindergarten to 4th grade. Now 3 years into her immersion program, I stand as a critic who can outline all of the positives and negatives of this new idea of a normal education. 

I have found many positives in the program. English-wise, we occasionally have to correct her English speaking, but overall her English reading and speaking skills are well-developed. She speaks to us in strictly English and does not try to communicate with us in Spanish. Not only is she proficient in English but her Spanish is absolutely amazing. When she is playing with her dolls she only speaks to them in Spanish. As I listen to her babble in a language I do not understand I realize how amazing the results are. She sings, studies, and plays using a language that she was never exposed to at home. She is knowledgeable in a way that I will never be and I see this as a positive. I truly think that it is amazing how the human brain can work and how young children can absorb aspects of the language to the point of fluency.

Now this program is not in any way faultless. With English class only twice a week it is easy for her spelling of English words and pronunciation to become a bit confused. While this is a problem that we can fix at home, she does require extra attention. We are now responsible for her learning of English vocabulary. We translate her math problems into English and reinforce her confidence in speaking in English. I find that the program is time-consuming and requires families to be fully involved in the process.

Overall, I believe that this program is truly a gift. My little sister has become so well-educated in this process and you can see how her Spanish education really stretches her mind and proves her intelligence. I am proud that she has taken this challenge and succeeded. The goal of the Spanish Immersion program is for her to be as fluent as possible
and I believe that she is well on her way to reaching this goal.

For more reading here is a more scientific study of the positives and negatives of the Spanish Immersion Education program 

My sister (Phoebe) on her first day of school

Cuevas Week 3

The Tournament That Changed My Life         

This weekend, my Mock Trial team and I will be participating in our yearly pre-season tournament, the "Ben Franklin Invitational." It usually takes place at the University of Pennsylvania, and it's one of my favorite events of the year. This year, it will be taking place in a zoom room. In light of this exciting event, I realize that I have been remiss in blogging about what I am really passionate about. Of course, you all heard about my love of playing the cello, which is a passion and a joy. But really, the thing I want to do for the rest of my life is law. That passion is currently being driven through Mock Trial.

    The Ben Franklin Tournament is quite important to me, as it was my first introduction into the world of mock trials. Here was my first trial, my first opening statement, my first direct and cross examination. Here is where I realized that I might actually have a talent. Here is where I realized what I want to do with my life. 

My first tournament was terrifying, of course. My witness got impeached (basically means called out for contradicting sworn testimony) during my first trial, and I almost burst into tears right there. But as we kept competing and doing more trials, I started getting into a groove. I kept working hard and simply enjoying myself, and it turned out to be one of the best weekends of my life. I’ll never forget the first judge who listed me as the best attorney in the trial. I’ll never forget how that made me feel- excited, seen, inspired. I went into the regular season with a passion and a confidence like never before. It was that passion and excitement, along with never-ending support from Mrs. Cunningham, that helped me succeed in the regular season. I started taking on harder roles within the trial, becoming a better, more confident attorney, and falling absolutely in love with the law. We won the regional championship that year against our biggest rivals. (well until the judge reversed it on a technicality but we don't like to talk about that!!)

Last year was my second time at the Ben Franklin. It was just as fun, the same beautiful city, the same delicious restaurants, and new memories with those same amazing people. What was new was me. This time, I was filled with real confidence, real excitement. Through every trial I just had fun. I was relaxed, and my confidence and excitement showed in everything I did. I delivered some killer speeches, and I just had fun. 

At the end of the tournament, we placed second out of 40 other teams. I won first place as best attorney out of over 200 others. 

I was shocked, I was floored! But most of all, I was grateful. I was grateful to Mrs. Cunningham for always believing in me. I was grateful to my team for helping me along the way. I will always be grateful to the Ben Franklin Tournament for the amazing opportunity it gives every year. It gave me confidence, a nice little plaque for my wall, and most importantly, the passion to pursue law for the rest of my life. 

So although it’s on zoom, I can't wait for the tournament this weekend. Above all, I can't wait for my future, and for the chance to pursue my passion in the real world. 

Wish us luck!

A terrible picture, but this is me last year at the awards ceremony :)

Falzone H. Week #3 My Addiction

My Addiction

    Many people have told me running is like a drug. Years ago I would have told them, they were crazy. How can you be addicted to the utter exhaustion that comes from pushing yourself while running? Well now I can attest to that idea and confirm that running is my drug. 

    It all starts with the dread. The apprehension I feel before is incomparable to any other dread I have felt in my entire life. I know I'm going to feel awful, tired, and my lungs will threaten to give out on me, yet I still run. I start my run, with thoughts racing through my head. All of my worries are at the forefront of my mind but slowly these thoughts disintegrate and disappear like the houses I am passing, one by one.  As I reach a comfortable pace I am actively thinking nothing. This feeling is weird and indescribable, but zero thoughts are in my head. I go to my happy place where my mind is empty and none of my worries and thoughts exist. I know where I am, and the occasional thought of how cute the dog I passed was, does slip through my head but eventually every thought that was plaguing me, or stressing me out disappears. For a little while my head is clear and I feel free of all of my worries. Then comes the sprinting. This part of my workout is grueling and very demanding. I despise the sprinting portion, yet that is what I do. That is also the part of running I love the most. As I pick up my pace and start increasing speed I feel my breaths getting heavier and once I reach my top speed I feel my legs start to get tired, and my body starts yelling at me to stop. Except I can't stop. These feelings are all normal, expected, and the feeling that my lungs are going to collapse is very common for me. When I slow down to a running pace, my breathing starts returning to normal, and just in time for another sprint. With my arms pumping and feet hitting the ground I think to myself. Why? Why am I doing this? I could easily be at home watching Gilmore girls, eating some pizza, but instead I am outside in the bitter air. This pattern of sprinting and self ridicule happens for about 20 minutes until I slow to jogging pace and eventually a walk to catch my breath. At this point my lungs are screaming for air and I feel my legs threatening to give up on me. I tell myself that I will never run like that again, and this is not the activity for me. Yet later that night I felt myself longing to be running again. The pain and exhaustion is addictive, and I find myself reaching a high after running. A feeling that I can accomplish anything and my body is capable of pushing itself to its limits. 

    The addiction that I have to running is actually pretty healthy. Running keeps me active and offers me a way to use my energy despite being sidelined by an injury for nine months. I would recommend running to anyone who feels like they need to release energy and clear their mind. Being active gives you a purpose to work towards, whether it be training for a 400 or a marathon. As I actively dread my next run I realize that it is pointless, because running is my drug and something I cannot stop myself from doing.

Districts 2019

Regan Week 3

Living With Regret

    There is not a day that goes by where I don't think about my grandfather. He was a special person to me, and will live in my heart forever. My grandfather was a very kind and loving man who would go out of his way to make others happy. He was a Lieutenant in the NYPD, and when I was little, I loved listening to all the great stories he had to tell. I truly mean it when I say he was one of the greatest people I had ever met. I was very blessed to have a grandfather like him. 

    In 2015, he was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. I remember the day my parents told my sisters and me. I definitely took it the hardest. After many questions and an endless amount of tears, I had to accept the fact that time was limited with him. My grandparents lived in Long Island, New York, so it wasn't that easy to go and see him. For the next three years, every time I could go and see him I would. I never wanted to have guilt because I didn't spend enough time with him.

    The last time I got to see him was Thanksgiving of 2018. Shortly after that, things took a turn for the worse. He was in and out of the hospital and needed a lot of medical attention. In the last few months of his life, he was getting very ill. The cancer was spreading throughout his body. I made the personal decision to not see him in the hospital because I couldn't bring myself to see him sick and in pain. On the day he passed, I was in school, and my dad left to go see him one last time. The rest of us were going to leave right when we got home from school, but it was too late. 

    My grandfather passed on May 10, 2019, and to this day, it is something I struggle with. I wish I would have been able to say goodbye in person. It is something I will never be able to change, but I know my grandfather would not want me to live with this guilt forever. As time has gone on, things have gotten a little easier. Something that has helped me has been opening up about my feelings. Whether I am just having a conversation with someone, or just writing it down, I have noticed that letting it all out really has been very beneficial for me! 

My grandparents and me at my First Holy Communion in 2012.

Buezo Week 3

 

                                                                        Why Dirt?

    In Environment Science we are learning the importance of dirt. Never in my life have I ever considered dirt so important until Mr. Friend made us watch an hour and 20 minute video on dirt. I also had to answer 32 questions on it. Thanks Mr. Friend. But truthfully it was very eye opening. In the video we had to watch it explained how a multitude of different religions such as, the Jewish, Muslim and Christian believe that us humans come from dirt.  It is also said that dirt is alive, because it is constantly growing and changing. Just like us soil breathes and drinks water. You're probably wondering how that is possible but dirt is responsible for so many amazing things. It helps create the food that we have on our plates everyday. The vegetables and the fruits we have in our kitchens, or even that we see in the grocery store need dirt to grow. Dirt can also be used to build houses and turned into clay. The benefits of building a house out of clay goes on and on. Some interesting properties of clay include that they are able to stay cool in the summer and are able to absorb heat and stay
warm for the winter.

Unfortunately there is a lot of people who do not recognize the importance of dirt. They either just dig it up and destroy mountains for whatever reason, whether it be to make roads or to collect minerals. The sad thing is, dirt can not be replaced, and once dirt is dead and destroyed it can be replenished. There are other ways that dirt is destroyed such as over cultivating. When crops are continuously planted without giving the dirt a break or at least creating patterns to make it less harmful, the dirt is over worked and unable to be used again. Before farmers knew the importance of crop rotation their crops would no longer grow and they would have to face harsh winters with no food.

Dirt is very important and impacts our everyday lives, it is importance to understand the importance of dirt and how to protect it.

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American Horror Story

     Over the early April-May quarantine, the amount of free time on my hands was overbearing. School was a joke, I was out of work, and unable to see any of my friends. It was at this time that I decided to start watching American Horror Story at the same time as my one friend Sara. This became one of the best decisions I made, as American Horror Story has become one of my top three favorite shows of all time. In this blog post, I will be ranking the nine seasons of this show without giving away any spoilers. Each season is completely different from the last, meaning same actors, but completely different characters, scene, and plot. I highly recommend this show to anyone who enjoys suspense, thrillers, emotional story lines, and triumphs.

1. Coven - Season 3: In season three, American Horror Story: Coven, we are introduced to a coven of witches. These witches are descendants of the witches from the Salem Witch Trials. This season definitely has the best characters, and the plot is amazing. The whole season is finding out who is going to be the next supreme, also known as the leader of the coven. Notable actors include regulars like Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Dennis O'hare, Taissa Farmiga, and Francis Conroy. We are also introduced to new regulars such as Emma Roberts, Kathy Bates, and Angela Basset. Although I might get some hate for this, Coven is the best season of American Horror Story. Infinity/10 

2. Asylum - Season 2: In season two, American Horror Story: Asylum, we are introduced to an insane asylum known as Briarcliff run by nuns. This is another season with amazing story arcs with almost each character having something flat out crazy happen to them. With people getting admitted, or kidnapped, or possessed, there is always something to look forward to. Notable actors include regulars like Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Francis Conroy, and Lily Rabe. This season takes so many twists and turns that leave the audience stunned. 10/10

3. Cult - Season 7: In season seven, American Horror Story: Cult, the 2016 presidential election was just finished, and sets off a wild reaction from our characters. We have actors on the right and left, and all are equally affected from the results. The far right results in a cult that terrorizes the city. This is a great season because of the connection it has to real problems. The cast includes regulars such as Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, Cheyenne Jackson, and Francis Conroy. This is also the first season for season regulars Billie Lourd and Leslie Grossman. The character arc for all of the characters is truly amazing, and the audience is always kept on our feet. 9.8/10

4. Murder House - Season 1: In season 1, American Horror Story: Murder House, we are introduced to this family of three who are coming off a horrible year, including a miscarriage and a cheating husband. They moved across the country for a new start, however it is not all they imagined as they moved into a house, unbeknownst to them, known for famous murders. The cast includes regulars such as Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Jamie Brewers, Frances Conroy, Lily Rabe, and Taissa Farmiga. There are also cast members such as Connie Britain, Dylan McDermott, and Kate Mara who star in this season. This is an amazing opening season with a lot of twists and turns to keep us interested. 9.5/10

5. Hotel - Season 5: In season five, American Horror Story: Hotel, we learn all of these new characters who are tied to the Hotel Cortes, a famous hotel known for murders. We learn about all of these characters and their own personal connection to the hotel. This was a great season with great characters. Seeing them go through their own struggles throughout the season kept it very interesting. Some of the most notable actors in this season are regulars Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, Dennis O'Hare, Angela Basset, Finn Wittrock, Matt Bomer, and Lily Rabe. We also have a new castmate, Lady Gaga. Bringing in world wide star such as Lady Gaga really brought a lot to this season. This was a very interesting season, one that always kept me on my feet. 9/10

6. Apocalypse - Season 8: In season eight, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, we tie in previous seasons and learn about the antichrist, who was birthed at the end of season 1. This is a great season because we revisit some of the great characters from earlier in the show. It is very refreshing to see the actors play some of my favorite characters again. The season is about the witches from "American Horror Story: Coven" fighting the antichrist who was born at the end of season 1. Some of the notable cast includes regulars such as Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, Lily Rabe, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Kathy Bates, Francis Conroy,  and Gabourey Sidibe. We also met a new actor who became a regualar, Cody Fern. There is also a return of some of the most iconic characters from earlier seasons played by Jessica Lange, Connie Britain, Dylan McDermott, Taissa Farmiga, and Angela Bassett. Overall, this was a really good season with a nostalgic vibe because of the older seasons. 8.5/10

7. Roanoke - Season 6: In season six, American Horror Story: Roanoke, we are watching the filming of a show called "My Roanoke Nightmare." We watch what a "real life couple" went through during this stay in this haunted house. Towards the end of the season, we watch season 2 of My Roanoke Nightmare, where everybody moves back in to the house. As you may assume, not everything goes as expected. Some of the most notable cast includes regulars like Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, Angela Basset, Lady Gaga, Francis Conroy, Finn Wittrock, Dennis O'Hare, and Cheyenne Jackson. There is also a guest appearance from Taissa Farmiga, a fan favorite from earlier seasons. Overall, the idea of this season is great, however the execution gets a little boring towards the end. Also most of the characters were just unlikable. 7.5/10 

8. 1984 - Season 9: In season nine, American Horror Story: 1984, the scene is set as a group of teenagers are sent to a summer camp and counselors, however encounter a night they will never forget. The second half of the show then takes a jump forward ten years, and we get some closure from the first half of the show. Some of the cast includes regulars such as Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Lily Rabe, Finn Wittrock, and Cody Fern. This is the first and only season without Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, so the cast is a little lackluster. Overall, this was a good, a little too short, season that might be better on a rewatch, but overall was good. 7/10

9. Freakshow - Season 4: In season four, American Horror Story: Freakshow, we are introduced to a circus full of "freaks." Throughout the season, we embark on a journey that these freaks go through trying to do the best with their physical limitations, while two serial killers are on the hunt. Each character has their own issues as well, but I don't want to give anything away. The cast includes regulars such as Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Francis Conroy, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Dennis O'Hare, and Angela Basset, and Jamie Brewers.. This season also featured a guest star, Neil Patrick Harris, as well as the first season for Finn Witrock, who becomes a season regular afterwards. Overall, this was a good season, however the middle episodes get a little boring and predictable. 6/10

Ricci week #3

                                                                 

                                                           Everything, Everything

I typically do not enjoy reading. I will read a book if it is assigned to me, but I rarely find myself wanting to read just for enjoyment. However, when I do find a book that interests me I will finish it fairly quickly. One of those books is Everything, Everything.

This book is centered around the life of an 18 year old girl named Maddy. She was diagnosed with Immunodeficiency disorder, which is the impairment of the body's ability to fight off diseases. She has suffered from this disorder ever since her father and brother were killed in a car crash, when she was a few months old. The only people that she is allowed to come into contact with are her mother and her nurse, Carla. Then one day, they get new neighbors and she befriends their teenage son, Olly. She begins messaging him online and they quickly become close friends. Maddy finally starts meeting him in person, however her mother finds and she is banned from seeing him again. When Maddy’s mother shows her a picture from when she was younger, of their family in Hawaii, it prompts her to sneak away with Olly. However, when she gets extremely sick and it is only then that she realizes she never had SCID and her mother had been lying her entire life. 

I read this book for the first time a few years ago, and have read it a few more times since. This book is a pretty easy read, however, I think that it is still worth taking a look at. 

Olson Week #3

My Martial Arts Journey

     I have been practicing Isshin Ryu Karate for a while now. Since I was born my Dad brought me to the dojo almost weekly. Before I was 4 I wasn't allowed to train yet. So, I would just sit at the doorway of the dojo and watch as the large figures practiced moves that were bizarre and foreign to me at the time. When it was finally time to get on the dojo floor, I was a white belt. You can see me in my early days of training in this video. I can't tell you the emotions going through my brain (I was 4 so I can hardly even remember) but I can guess that I was excited to finally try what I had been seeing. It took me 12 years to get my black belt (average number for my dojo) and boy was it an experience. Learning the basics was first, knowing how to stand and how to throw simple punches and kicks. Then, the yellow belt test. I still remember breaking my first board, and it was scary for me. After climbing through the ranks a bit, I had reached brown belt. I stayed at brown belt for 5 years before I could even attempt my black belt test. Every time I would make a comment saying "that was hard" or "I'm tired" people would say "wait until your black belt test." They weren't kidding.

    My dad was determined to make my brother and me black belts before my brother went off the college. The hard part wasn't doing any of the moves I had learned over 12 years (that was relatively easy) but rather the physical training. Boy that was a tiresome weekend. The whole test lasted about 14 hours, with about 4 designated for sleep. It involved some serious cardio I can tell you that. After the test was done I could finally relax, I had done it. 12 years of hard work and I had finally done it. I'm not done yet though, I still have weapons kata and further studies to do. My dad still teaches me at home, so everything is still fresh in my mind. Whoever you are, you can do whatever you set your mind to. 

Picture after my black belt test (July 2020)

Sheka: Week 3

 Classic Lit versus Modern Sensibilities

Spoiler alerts for The Merchant of Venice and The Odyssey. 

I doubt it’s a surprise to anyone that classic literature isn’t very woke. Most of the stuff that we’ve had to read in English classes were rife with sexism and racism. Sometimes, it was very blatant, such as in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, where the main character, Shylock (a Jewish moneylender living in Venice), is subjected to just about every anti-Semetic insult under the sun and is forced to convert to Christianity in order to stay alive. Other times, it’s more subtle, such as when Odysseus cheats on Penelope, his wife, with almost every named female character in the Odyssey, then threatens to kill her if she was unfaithful to him after believing he was dead for the past 20 years. So yeah. Not a great showing from Shakespeare or Homer. 

That being said, is it really fair to judge these texts and others by our modern standards? I don’t know if y’all have noticed, but Elizabethan England wasn’t the greatest environment for pro-Jewish sentiment. Shakespeare, to his credit, at least made an attempt to make Shylock a somewhat fleshed-out character rather than a one-note stereotype. Don’t get me wrong; Shylock’s portrayal is definitely stereotypical; he’s a Jewish moneylender who tries to get a literal pound of flesh from the guy who stiffed him, for God’s sake. But Shakespeare weaves in Shylock’s sense of justice, and his anger of being betrayed, along with those negative traits. In short, it’s an incredibly complicated issue that has stumped critics, one that I shouldn’t be passing judgement on. 

As for Homer, ancient Greece was a horrible place to be a woman. In many places, women had roughly the same status as slaves. They were the property of their fathers until marriage, where they then became the property of their husbands. They rarely held positions of power or any sort of control over their lives. Homer, for all of his faults, actually gives Penelope some agency in the story. She tries to delay her marriage to one of the suitors living in her house, and intentionally creates an impossible contest for the suitors to win her hand. Keep in mind that everybody thought that her husband was dead; the socially acceptable thing to have done would have been to remarry. Yet, she chose to remain faithful. It ended up working out for her in the end, but her decisions could have easily made her a social pariah. 

I really don’t want this to sound like I’m defending racist and misogynistic ideals. My point is that injust ideals don’t exist in a vacuum, and that these authors (or rather, poet and bard) don’t deserve hate for repeating the ideals of their times. Alternatively, we could read literature from  more marginalized storytellers instead; they have just as important a story to tell as privileged storytellers.

Rodrigues Week III

 Samuel M. Rodrigues                                    AP Language                                           19 January 2021

Politics: The Latest

    Tomorrow, on January 20th, 2020, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. and Kamala Devi Harris will be sworn in as the 46th president and vice president of the United States. It felt like this day would never come, right? With all of the division and immense turmoil in American politics and Covid-19 concerns, it is reassuring to have a little bit of normalcy. In this segment, I don't plan on promoting a party while badgering the other. Instead, I will review the past few years -especially last year- and look at the new presidential plans for the next four years. As a note, I do ask that you please read everything before critiquing.

    For the last four years, the white house has been occupied by Donald J. Trump and his administration. Over the course of his presidency, the Trump team has introduced new ideas and policies. His most notable policy focused on a tax cut for major corporations. Although unpopular amongst Democrats, this decision appears to have contributed to the recent economic growth we have seen over the past few months. In terms of foreign policy, Donald also deserves credit for making new deals with China and creating interestingly new relationships with Russia and North Korea. However, over the past year or so of his presidency, there has also been an immense amount of loss. Under his supervision, there has been unprecedented job loss, as well as a loss of life due to Covid-19. Taking all of this into account, I personally feel as though the shadows from the tragedies he oversaw far outweigh everything he has accomplished as a president. I believe that failing to protect American lives as the commander in chief, is simply unacceptable.

    Although it is true that, as a nation, we are still feeling the tragic effects of the novel Carona virus, it is important to look forward. In this next segment, I will discuss the future plans of Joe Biden and his administration. To sum it up, Biden's overarching goals are to [1] implement an aggressive vaccination plan for Covid-19, [2] remediate the economy, and [3] begin to solve the climate crisis. Bidens plans on carrying out a vaccination plan in which he hopes to deliver 100 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in 100 days. Is it aspirational, we have yet to see? Now, the economy. Biden is planning on supplementing the economy with a 2.3 trillion dollar budget. Although the schematics of his plan have not yet been released, he is certain that he will be giving a minimum of 377 billion dollars to small and local businesses in a ground-up approach. Last but not least, the climate plan. The administration's plan to combat climate change is simple in principle; make the United States carbon neutral, or produce net-zero emissions, by the year 2050. Alright, so with the inauguration coming up, I just thought I would do something a little bit political. Hopefully, this helped recap a little bit of Trump's presidency and helped to clarify some of Biden's agenda for his next four years. If you agree or disagree with anything I said, or just have some thoughts, feel free to comment below:)

The 45th and 46th presidents of the United States, 
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. and Donald John Trump.

Kryemadhi: Week 3

Mr. Miles

    For years and years, my parents stood firm in their beliefs of not getting a family dog. We are a bunch of busy bees to say the least, so they didn’t think we would have the time to train a puppy and watch over him or her. But then, all of a sudden, the world got put on pause, and we were all locked in our houses with nothing to do. That’s when a brilliant idea struck my sister and I, it was the perfect time to get the puppy we always dreamed of having. 

As long as I can remember, my sister has always been begging for a dog. Every birthday, holiday, special occasion, she would always ask for one, but for every ask, it was always a firm no. This time was different; we teamed up and put fourth a convincing argument. The COVID situation was only getting worse, so there was no way we would be out of our houses any time soon. In addition, school had just gotten cancelled for the rest of the year. With so many convincing points, there was no way to deny the puppy this time. After years of hearing no, we finally got the yes!!

And so the hunt began, we spent days and days on end searching for the perfect dog. We found tons that we thought would be perfect, but unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones who thought it would be convenient to get a puppy during quarantine. After weeks of searching, we finally found the perfect one. He was a ginger cockapoo ready for an adventure.

On May 22nd, my dad, sister, and I picked him up from Lancaster. He was so cute and tiny. We decided to keep his original name, Miles. My mom had to work that day, but she couldn’t wait to meet him. 

He was a little ray of sunshine and instantly lifted everyone’s spirits. For a while, we had become sick of being at home everyday doing nothing, but now we were dealing with our crazy little pup. I have countless stories and could go on and on about all the silly things he has done. There truly is never a dull moment with him. From chasing us around the house biting our ankles to sitting on top of the air conditioning vents to cool down after walks, he is quite a wild child, I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world. 

Miles' first Christmas!

Miles laying on the AC vent with his toy monkey