Some presidential lingo has varied over the years, but has vastly stayed the same. Ironic for an ever-changing country. Each and every president said "America," "Freedom," and "United States" far too often.
Obviously, the words "America" and "United States" directly relate to each president's speech. Assuming that he is, of course, speaking of or addressing the country. However, so many other words were over used in speeches, that I wonder why our nations leaders have such small vocabularies. It also makes me feel like their immense over-usage of many "cliche" words reflects poorly on the educational system as a whole.
Most, at least many, presidents have very powerful speaking abilities. They are able to bring audiences to their feet. That is how they get elected. They have knowledge of the human-mind and persuasion. I just don't feel like many of them are gifted in the ways of the thesaurus.
It would be one thing if these presidents all had unique, selective groups of words that they used in their speeches throughout each of their presidencies, but each president has the exact same GROUP of words.
World-wide, many countries see the US as a stupid-country. Our president are the figure-head of our country, and if our president is seen as having a great stage presence, but very redundant content in his speeches, minimalistically his word-choice, I just don't see how that could be a positive thing.
Consistency is one thing, blatantly over-using certain phrases/words is another.
Monday, December 5, 2011
I Am a Camera
I see things through my lens. I don't pretend to see something in you that isn't displayed on my screen. You can take back things you've said to me, but they are all on "film" at the end of the day. I will not forget them, and I will not erase them. After all, very few things can be completely erased. I have many buttons. If you press to many of them incorrectly I shut off. I will not take pictures if you want me to. I will not record a video for you. In the same sense, if you do break my trust or "push too many of my buttons," I will not be your friend. I will not help you.
I need to be recharged at the end of the day. If I don't get enough sleep the night before, I am a mess the next day. Unfortunately for humans that come in contact with me during the school week, this is often the case.
Depending on my angle, I can make you look good, but I can also manipulate my functions to make you look extremely unattractive. Not in a malicious sense, but if you don't see eye to eye with me, the angle will be slanted in a way that will certainly add more than "10 pounds," as they say. Not 10 pounds as in weight, but you will lose the opportunity of being friends with me. Never talk to me as if I am lower than you.
I am a camera in the sense that I have more functions than just one. I can take photos, videos, and even edit your pictures right on my screen, but if you haven't taken the time to read the instruction manual, you will never know how to properly use me. I am not going to be falsely modest. What you see on the packaging is part of, and is the most eye-catching part of who I am. I am a very confident, talented, smart woman, but if you never take the chance to see past the packaging, you'll never know how much more there is to me.
I need to be recharged at the end of the day. If I don't get enough sleep the night before, I am a mess the next day. Unfortunately for humans that come in contact with me during the school week, this is often the case.
Depending on my angle, I can make you look good, but I can also manipulate my functions to make you look extremely unattractive. Not in a malicious sense, but if you don't see eye to eye with me, the angle will be slanted in a way that will certainly add more than "10 pounds," as they say. Not 10 pounds as in weight, but you will lose the opportunity of being friends with me. Never talk to me as if I am lower than you.
I am a camera in the sense that I have more functions than just one. I can take photos, videos, and even edit your pictures right on my screen, but if you haven't taken the time to read the instruction manual, you will never know how to properly use me. I am not going to be falsely modest. What you see on the packaging is part of, and is the most eye-catching part of who I am. I am a very confident, talented, smart woman, but if you never take the chance to see past the packaging, you'll never know how much more there is to me.
Alligators/Crocodiles
I love Disney World, don't get me wrong, but why does every single ride have to have a fake alligator in it? WHY? When I go to Disney World I have to close my eyes during parts of the rides because I honestly FREAK OUT when I see alligators/crocodiles. Throughout this post I will use the words "alligator" and "crocodile" interchangeably, because to me, they are the same, TERRIFYING. I will also use "Caps Lock" frequently to display the amount of fear each of their beady eyes sends through my body.
I don't know where this irrational fear of "alligodiles" came from. I've always thought they were extremely scary. Now that I think about it. It probably came from watching "Peter Pan" once or twice too often as a little girl. Captain Hook got eaten by that weird crocodile that ticked like a clock EVERY time. I guess I just assumed, though my morality is better than that of the villainous Hook, that when an alligator saw me it would instinctively eat me. I have never seen an alligodile who has looked as if he/she could disprove this theory. They all look immensely intimidating.
Someday, perhaps, I'll get over this fear, but it really doesn't affect my life and daily habits very much, so I'll probably go on living with my hatred of the alligodile. It would probably be beneficial to be able to go on rides at Disney World and not get scared when I see an OBVIOUSLY fake alligodile swimming along side my boat in "It's a Small World."
Monday, November 7, 2011
Enchanted: The Life of Audrey Hepburn
Without a doubt, the late Ms. Hepburn is one of the most fascinating women to have ever walked this planet. Donald Spoto does her great justice in Enchantment. He has a great writing style and describes her life meticulously. It actually made me wonder how someone could possibly know so much about someone else's existence.
Her story is an interesting one. She was born in Belgium in 1929 and died almost a year to the day before I was born (in 1993). She was abandoned at a young age by her father and nearly died of starvation in World War II.
She then moved to the United States where she started acting in musicals and eventually starred in plays such as "Gigi." Her first starring role was in "Roman Holiday." She began getting recognition for her amazing talent and work ethic. She took on many comedic roles.
Later she began choosing darker more intense roles, perhaps because of her unconventional childhood, to display the immense amount of talent she possessed. She quickly became the Hollywood "it girl."
She was known for her impeccable taste in fashion. She was even inducted into the International Best Dressed List.
Her personal life was far from the perfection of her career. She had several failed relationships and marriages. She had two children, boys. Spoto suggests its relation to her father's leaving at a young age. She looked for affection as an adult that she had never experienced as a child.
She died of cancer at the age of 63, but because of her incredible work ethic and talent, we all still know exactly who she is. After all she coined the "little black dress." (wink) This book gave me an even greater appreciation for Ms. Hepburn and her amazing accomplishments.
Her story is an interesting one. She was born in Belgium in 1929 and died almost a year to the day before I was born (in 1993). She was abandoned at a young age by her father and nearly died of starvation in World War II.
She then moved to the United States where she started acting in musicals and eventually starred in plays such as "Gigi." Her first starring role was in "Roman Holiday." She began getting recognition for her amazing talent and work ethic. She took on many comedic roles.
Later she began choosing darker more intense roles, perhaps because of her unconventional childhood, to display the immense amount of talent she possessed. She quickly became the Hollywood "it girl."
She was known for her impeccable taste in fashion. She was even inducted into the International Best Dressed List.
Her personal life was far from the perfection of her career. She had several failed relationships and marriages. She had two children, boys. Spoto suggests its relation to her father's leaving at a young age. She looked for affection as an adult that she had never experienced as a child.
She died of cancer at the age of 63, but because of her incredible work ethic and talent, we all still know exactly who she is. After all she coined the "little black dress." (wink) This book gave me an even greater appreciation for Ms. Hepburn and her amazing accomplishments.
Chap. II. The Prevailing Opinion of a Sexual Character is Discussed
I've always thought it was odd that genders are brought up to believe that they are complete oposites. Children are immediately categorized into different categories when they are born. If you see a baby wearing pink, it is a girl. If you see a baby wearing blue it is a boy. Yes? Yes.
Why do we gender stereotype so much? Yes I am a very, VERY "girly-girl," but that's not because I have been told to; it's because I just am. I've always liked glitter and dresses. That's just me. But do I think of myself as lesser to a man? Absolutely not. I am feminine, but I am NOT the "weaker sex."
I am not frail. Nor do I think women should be raised thinking that they need a man to protect them in a dangerous world. I love Disney movies, everyone knows I do, but I have some serious issues with the fact that all of the princesses need princes to save them. I commend Disney for incorporating some female heroines in the recent years, but it just shows how our society teaches men to grow up being strong and women to grow up to be men's "play things."
Having just finished a Shakespeare class last quarter, I find it fascinating that these ordeals were even worse years ago. Women used to be viewed as contracts and property, not as humans with actual feelings, or so it seemed. It is interesting how fathers and brothers care greatly for their daughters or sisters and recognize their emotional and cognitive abilities, yet still marry knowing that whichever woman they marry is their PROPERTY.
Yes, we've come a long way, but women are still often not viewed as equals. Often women are taught growing up to be very modest and to please others, so they don't show how absolutely capable they are as functioning human beings. Men are taught to hide all "feminine emotion" but to boast of their self-worth and strength. This sounds barbaric to an extent; nevertheless, it occurs.
I thought this essay was well written, but a bit long. Maybe it's because "Google Is Making Us Stupid," or maybe it's because it was a little too long and some points were mentioned more than once making it seem like it dragged on. I'm going with the latter.
Why do we gender stereotype so much? Yes I am a very, VERY "girly-girl," but that's not because I have been told to; it's because I just am. I've always liked glitter and dresses. That's just me. But do I think of myself as lesser to a man? Absolutely not. I am feminine, but I am NOT the "weaker sex."
I am not frail. Nor do I think women should be raised thinking that they need a man to protect them in a dangerous world. I love Disney movies, everyone knows I do, but I have some serious issues with the fact that all of the princesses need princes to save them. I commend Disney for incorporating some female heroines in the recent years, but it just shows how our society teaches men to grow up being strong and women to grow up to be men's "play things."
Having just finished a Shakespeare class last quarter, I find it fascinating that these ordeals were even worse years ago. Women used to be viewed as contracts and property, not as humans with actual feelings, or so it seemed. It is interesting how fathers and brothers care greatly for their daughters or sisters and recognize their emotional and cognitive abilities, yet still marry knowing that whichever woman they marry is their PROPERTY.
Yes, we've come a long way, but women are still often not viewed as equals. Often women are taught growing up to be very modest and to please others, so they don't show how absolutely capable they are as functioning human beings. Men are taught to hide all "feminine emotion" but to boast of their self-worth and strength. This sounds barbaric to an extent; nevertheless, it occurs.
I thought this essay was well written, but a bit long. Maybe it's because "Google Is Making Us Stupid," or maybe it's because it was a little too long and some points were mentioned more than once making it seem like it dragged on. I'm going with the latter.
Skunk Dreams
This essay had a great way of catching the reader within the first few sentences, but overall I wasn't a huge fan of this essay. There were some amazing and mind-blowing parts about dreams and overcoming obstacles, but Louise Erdrich had way too many descriptive paragraphs about nothingness (or trees).
I'm not a very "out-doorsy" type of girl. I don't like envisioning laying near a skunk or wandering around forests, so the paragraphs where she went on and on about how beautiful and lush the nature surrounding her was was lost on me after the first few attempts.
At first, some of the scenery descriptions were lovely, but they then began to battle with the over all concept of the essay. I felt like the message of the essay was overwhelmed with all of the yawn-inducing, unneeded facts she tended to throw in.
Erdrich talked about her dreams often when she was not droning on about trees. I liked that part of the essay. I too have dreams. (Don't we all?) And thought it amazing how she thought about dreams and how they were or were not attainable. She also talked about a different sense of dreams.
Not the ones that are goals you would like to achieve in your life, but the ones that happen while you are asleep. I found this hard to relate to because I rarely remember my dreams. I don't remember a single dream I've ever had. I've always taken that as though I've never had dreams that were memorable enough, but it made me wonder why. Is there something about me that is different than everyone else because I don't know what happens my dreams? Would I be a different person if I remembered what happened in my dreams?
I guess I'll never know these things, but in the meantime I'm going to keep reaching for my dreams (the ones that don't happen while I'm asleep).
I'm not a very "out-doorsy" type of girl. I don't like envisioning laying near a skunk or wandering around forests, so the paragraphs where she went on and on about how beautiful and lush the nature surrounding her was was lost on me after the first few attempts.
At first, some of the scenery descriptions were lovely, but they then began to battle with the over all concept of the essay. I felt like the message of the essay was overwhelmed with all of the yawn-inducing, unneeded facts she tended to throw in.
Erdrich talked about her dreams often when she was not droning on about trees. I liked that part of the essay. I too have dreams. (Don't we all?) And thought it amazing how she thought about dreams and how they were or were not attainable. She also talked about a different sense of dreams.
Not the ones that are goals you would like to achieve in your life, but the ones that happen while you are asleep. I found this hard to relate to because I rarely remember my dreams. I don't remember a single dream I've ever had. I've always taken that as though I've never had dreams that were memorable enough, but it made me wonder why. Is there something about me that is different than everyone else because I don't know what happens my dreams? Would I be a different person if I remembered what happened in my dreams?
I guess I'll never know these things, but in the meantime I'm going to keep reaching for my dreams (the ones that don't happen while I'm asleep).
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
I am admittedly addicted to the internet. I think this article was particularly written to people of my breed. I don't really think Google is making us stupid. Lazy perhaps, but that is a completely different thing. I use Google every day. It makes my life a lot easier and it enables me to get a lot more done in a day than would have otherwise been thought possible. The knowledge at the world is at your finger tips, that is an amazing concept.
Yes, because of the internet, people's attention spans are lessening, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It just means that content creators have to lessen the amount of unnecessary information and make the important information more riveting.
It is suggested that Youtube content creators keep videos under 5 minutes in order to keep viewers around for the whole video. If you click on a video that is over 10 minutes, you can assume that most people will click away before they even start the video. 10 minutes used to seem like a very short amount of time, but in the internet world, it is an eternity.
Yes, I groaned at the thought of having to read six essays before even starting this course. Yes, I groaned again when I found out one of them was nearly 20 pages. That could be because "Google is making us stupid," or because I'm a teenager, and I would rather do a few other things with my time. I don't mean for that to sound harsh, just honest.
The internet and Google enable us to get things that could have been done in 10 months done in 10 days. It is a beautiful gift, yet admittedly there are some major faults and disadvantages to this new uncharted world, but overall it is what it is, and it's not going away anytime soon. After all this blog component of this very course would have never existed when my parents were in high school, and many teachers see the addition of blogs like this to be a very positive addition to school curriculum.
Yes, because of the internet, people's attention spans are lessening, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It just means that content creators have to lessen the amount of unnecessary information and make the important information more riveting.
It is suggested that Youtube content creators keep videos under 5 minutes in order to keep viewers around for the whole video. If you click on a video that is over 10 minutes, you can assume that most people will click away before they even start the video. 10 minutes used to seem like a very short amount of time, but in the internet world, it is an eternity.
Yes, I groaned at the thought of having to read six essays before even starting this course. Yes, I groaned again when I found out one of them was nearly 20 pages. That could be because "Google is making us stupid," or because I'm a teenager, and I would rather do a few other things with my time. I don't mean for that to sound harsh, just honest.
The internet and Google enable us to get things that could have been done in 10 months done in 10 days. It is a beautiful gift, yet admittedly there are some major faults and disadvantages to this new uncharted world, but overall it is what it is, and it's not going away anytime soon. After all this blog component of this very course would have never existed when my parents were in high school, and many teachers see the addition of blogs like this to be a very positive addition to school curriculum.
Talk of the Town
"Let's by all means grieve together. But let's not be stupid together." Such a powerful point made by Susan Sontag in her section of this essay. I often struggle with thinking, "Am I not patriotic if I disagree with many things going on in this country that other's seem to think are awesome?"
I was in second grade sitting in a class room on September 11, 2001. I still remember the horrified look on the teacher's face when she returned to the room after having been told of the tragedy that had ensued in New York earlier that day. I, being seated near the back of the room, heard the conversation in the hallway, so I knew what had happened (but I didn't completely understand it, being as young as I was). I found it astounding that she refused to tell the class what had happened. Because here we were sitting in our class rooms wondering why all of our teachers left the room for a few minutes and returned red-eyed. I have always thought that adults underestimated the immense understanding of children.
I still believe that. It kills me when adults talk to a child as if he or she is a new-born puppy or something. It just instills a sense of inequality into him or her. Maybe I'm completely off-base, but that's how I've always felt. I've always felt the same notion in relation to how politicians talk down to "the average American citizen." Having just finished the first quarter of A.P. U.S. History, I just can't help but wonder why years ago politics seemed so close and personal, and now they seem harsh and far away. Why is "corrupt" one of the most commonly used words used to describe politics? Especially when very few of the people using this term know much about these politicians anyway.
It seems that Americans have little to no faith in those that run their country, but perhaps that is a bit off topic to relate to this article. I relate it because of the initial quote by Sontag at the beginning of this blog post. I feel like we all assume that the government is corrupt on any given day, but when a tragedy like 9/11 occurs or an event such as the death of Osama bin Laden, all of a sudden patriotism is flung all over the place, just like the fireworks shot off on July 4th of every year.
I feel like the majority of the public is incredibly under-educated on most political issues, including myself. And we are all to blame. We live in a culture that is so self-indulgent that we find the death of an enemy grounds to go out and party all night long, when in reality most of us knew NOTHING or very little about the recently departed man.
This article brings to light some of the imperfections that the United States government and its people's relationship has, and it brings out some of the most beautiful aspects of it. But, most importantly, it made me think about how I view the country, and what I can do to make myself not be one of the people being "stupid together."
I was in second grade sitting in a class room on September 11, 2001. I still remember the horrified look on the teacher's face when she returned to the room after having been told of the tragedy that had ensued in New York earlier that day. I, being seated near the back of the room, heard the conversation in the hallway, so I knew what had happened (but I didn't completely understand it, being as young as I was). I found it astounding that she refused to tell the class what had happened. Because here we were sitting in our class rooms wondering why all of our teachers left the room for a few minutes and returned red-eyed. I have always thought that adults underestimated the immense understanding of children.
I still believe that. It kills me when adults talk to a child as if he or she is a new-born puppy or something. It just instills a sense of inequality into him or her. Maybe I'm completely off-base, but that's how I've always felt. I've always felt the same notion in relation to how politicians talk down to "the average American citizen." Having just finished the first quarter of A.P. U.S. History, I just can't help but wonder why years ago politics seemed so close and personal, and now they seem harsh and far away. Why is "corrupt" one of the most commonly used words used to describe politics? Especially when very few of the people using this term know much about these politicians anyway.
It seems that Americans have little to no faith in those that run their country, but perhaps that is a bit off topic to relate to this article. I relate it because of the initial quote by Sontag at the beginning of this blog post. I feel like we all assume that the government is corrupt on any given day, but when a tragedy like 9/11 occurs or an event such as the death of Osama bin Laden, all of a sudden patriotism is flung all over the place, just like the fireworks shot off on July 4th of every year.
I feel like the majority of the public is incredibly under-educated on most political issues, including myself. And we are all to blame. We live in a culture that is so self-indulgent that we find the death of an enemy grounds to go out and party all night long, when in reality most of us knew NOTHING or very little about the recently departed man.
This article brings to light some of the imperfections that the United States government and its people's relationship has, and it brings out some of the most beautiful aspects of it. But, most importantly, it made me think about how I view the country, and what I can do to make myself not be one of the people being "stupid together."
Hi, I'm Heather
Creating a blog is just another account that I have to remember the email and password combination for. I spend too much time on the internet. I check my email at least once an hour. If I ever tell you otherwise, I am lying.
When I am not absorbing the internet's content, I am creating it. I make Youtube videos in my "free time." I am not ashamed to put that as the one of the first facts about myself. I sing in and create music videos on my channel (although, an occasional makeup tutorial is posted from time to time).
Truth be told, Youtube is more of a priority in my life than many think it should be. I have roughly 10,000 subscribers on Youtube, nearly 900 fans on Facebook, and 500+ followers on Twitter. I say this not to brag about the moderate amount of success I've had at building an online fan base, but to prove that I put a large, perhaps unhealthy, amount of work into what I do.
I'm a performer (onstage and off). I have a very sarcastic sense of humor that I am not afraid of unleashing, generally because I find it makes people laugh. Some would call me "unique," others would call me "insane." You decide. I know who I am, and what you think of me is none of my business. Being on the internet, you get used to people hurling unprompted insults your way, so say what you will, I'm still going to be me.
I may or may not wear too much glitter on any given day. Much to my mother's dismay, every room in my house, unintentionally, has glitter or rhinestones in it (all having traveled to other locations from the epicenter, my room). I wear skirts and dresses more frequently than pants, I own more pairs of shoes than I am willing to admit, and my room is never clean. To some, these things are positive attributes, to others, negative. Again, you decide.
I'm happy being me. I have opinions, and I'm not ashamed of them, but I'm not a very confrontational person; therefore, I often do not share them with people that I know have different view points. Does this make me a coward? Perhaps, but I've learned that picking your battles is very important.
Some may find it surprising, but I am a very "nurturing" person. When someone close to me is upset, my immediate instinct is to get to the root of the problem and fix it; quite different from the "diva" persona I often display on the exterior. I frequently neglect my own problems to help other's with theirs.
That's me in a few short paragraphs, not that that's all there is to know about me, and not that it isn't.
When I am not absorbing the internet's content, I am creating it. I make Youtube videos in my "free time." I am not ashamed to put that as the one of the first facts about myself. I sing in and create music videos on my channel (although, an occasional makeup tutorial is posted from time to time).
Truth be told, Youtube is more of a priority in my life than many think it should be. I have roughly 10,000 subscribers on Youtube, nearly 900 fans on Facebook, and 500+ followers on Twitter. I say this not to brag about the moderate amount of success I've had at building an online fan base, but to prove that I put a large, perhaps unhealthy, amount of work into what I do.
I'm a performer (onstage and off). I have a very sarcastic sense of humor that I am not afraid of unleashing, generally because I find it makes people laugh. Some would call me "unique," others would call me "insane." You decide. I know who I am, and what you think of me is none of my business. Being on the internet, you get used to people hurling unprompted insults your way, so say what you will, I'm still going to be me.
I may or may not wear too much glitter on any given day. Much to my mother's dismay, every room in my house, unintentionally, has glitter or rhinestones in it (all having traveled to other locations from the epicenter, my room). I wear skirts and dresses more frequently than pants, I own more pairs of shoes than I am willing to admit, and my room is never clean. To some, these things are positive attributes, to others, negative. Again, you decide.
I'm happy being me. I have opinions, and I'm not ashamed of them, but I'm not a very confrontational person; therefore, I often do not share them with people that I know have different view points. Does this make me a coward? Perhaps, but I've learned that picking your battles is very important.
Some may find it surprising, but I am a very "nurturing" person. When someone close to me is upset, my immediate instinct is to get to the root of the problem and fix it; quite different from the "diva" persona I often display on the exterior. I frequently neglect my own problems to help other's with theirs.
That's me in a few short paragraphs, not that that's all there is to know about me, and not that it isn't.
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