Tuesday, December 4, 2007
I Just Want My Pants Back 3B
On page 72 in I Just Want My Pants Back, Jason is commenting on how people around him put so much effort into their images. "My God, the effort these people were making to be super-stylish, it seemed exhausting." (72). This made me think about how lots of people do worry too much about how they are perceived by society and their peers, which personally pisses the bejeesus out of me. People shouldn't judge others by what they look like, and especially how they dress. It almost makes me want to come to school every day wearing something ridiculous like spandex and hip-waders with a big sombrero on my head just to break the ice and let people know that I believe that appearance isn't how you should judge someone. Well, I won't do this, seeing as I don't have a sombrero or spandex, and it would be very uncomfortable, and I don't think Jason will either, but my point still stands. You shouldn't judge people based on appearance, and you shouldn't have to worry about putting so much effort into what you look like just to impress people.
I Just Want My Pants Back 3A
vocab: -minx = A girl or young woman who is considered pert, flirtatious, or impudent. (69)
-vestigial = Occurring or persisting as a rudimentary or degenerate structure. (71)
fig. lang.= -"People gathered around us, curious. The tide had turned." (71) = metaphor because it is relating the turning of the tides to the situation of people and events.
-"It was going to be all lollipops and rainbows from her on out." (77) = irony because it most likely will only get worse seeing as he will have to go to work hung over the next morning.
-"I made my way inside, figuring I could hang out with the minxes. Perhaps I might even collect my bounty from one." (72) = Irony because in a couple pages he finds out they both have boyfriends.
"I was always preparing myself to say my own name and I forgot all about remembering theirs." (75). This is significant because it shows how Jason is kind of selfish and a little bit shallow.
One emerging theme in the book is how Jason is getting more and more selfish, which could effect his whole life and the lives of people close to him.
-vestigial = Occurring or persisting as a rudimentary or degenerate structure. (71)
fig. lang.= -"People gathered around us, curious. The tide had turned." (71) = metaphor because it is relating the turning of the tides to the situation of people and events.
-"It was going to be all lollipops and rainbows from her on out." (77) = irony because it most likely will only get worse seeing as he will have to go to work hung over the next morning.
-"I made my way inside, figuring I could hang out with the minxes. Perhaps I might even collect my bounty from one." (72) = Irony because in a couple pages he finds out they both have boyfriends.
"I was always preparing myself to say my own name and I forgot all about remembering theirs." (75). This is significant because it shows how Jason is kind of selfish and a little bit shallow.
One emerging theme in the book is how Jason is getting more and more selfish, which could effect his whole life and the lives of people close to him.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I Just Want My Pants Back 2A
Vocab: -rendered= page 44 = To submit or present, as for consideration, approval, or payment.
-treatise= page 45 = A formal and systematic exposition in writing of the principles of a subject, generally longer and more detailed than an essay.
F.L.: -"...somewhere around thirteen drinks-a true bar mitzvah-style drunk..." (simile because it is comparing two things, page 45)
-"No it's cool- I broke a mug across his jaw. He's f***** forever. He left bloody and crying." (page 46, irony because earlier something similar happened but she didn't actually do it this time)
-"Finding out you were to stand as a rabbi in front of three hundred people, some from Europe, and fuse two friends together for life..." (page 45, irony because such a wild guy like Jason becoming a rabbi is obviously ironic)
quote: "Finding out you were to stand as a rabbi in front of three hundred people, some from Europe, and fuse two friends together for life required somewhere around thirteen drinks-a true bar mitzvah-style drunk-and Tina and I had been doing our best to reach that magic number." This is quite significant because it shows how when put up to very important situations that require a lot of responsibility, Jason often doesn't know how to handle it and sometimes just goes out and parties to forget about it, which I think may become a developing trend in this book.
I think that an emerging trend is how Jason doesn't know how to handle situations involving responsibility, and instead goes out to party.
-treatise= page 45 = A formal and systematic exposition in writing of the principles of a subject, generally longer and more detailed than an essay.
F.L.: -"...somewhere around thirteen drinks-a true bar mitzvah-style drunk..." (simile because it is comparing two things, page 45)
-"No it's cool- I broke a mug across his jaw. He's f***** forever. He left bloody and crying." (page 46, irony because earlier something similar happened but she didn't actually do it this time)
-"Finding out you were to stand as a rabbi in front of three hundred people, some from Europe, and fuse two friends together for life..." (page 45, irony because such a wild guy like Jason becoming a rabbi is obviously ironic)
quote: "Finding out you were to stand as a rabbi in front of three hundred people, some from Europe, and fuse two friends together for life required somewhere around thirteen drinks-a true bar mitzvah-style drunk-and Tina and I had been doing our best to reach that magic number." This is quite significant because it shows how when put up to very important situations that require a lot of responsibility, Jason often doesn't know how to handle it and sometimes just goes out and parties to forget about it, which I think may become a developing trend in this book.
I think that an emerging trend is how Jason doesn't know how to handle situations involving responsibility, and instead goes out to party.
I Just Want My Pants Back 2B
In the last section of my book, it became more clear that the main character, Jason, is what many people might call a slacker, but at the same time quite adventurous. I try to think of myself in his same position, as a mid twenties young guy living in Greenwich Village in New York City, out of college, not knowing what I want to do with my life. I have a job that pays the bills, but I hate it, so every night I go out and party with my friends, going to various bars around the city, hoping to maybe hook up with some hot girl that I may meet. Obviously, being the angel that I actually am (wink wink), I personally would never even think of touching a drop of liqueur, and definitely not take drugs. (Isn't that right Ms. Tholen). No but seriously, I can understand his position. With school, which I can relate to his job that he doesn't really enjoy, but really has to go, the week becomes dull. So, after no excitement for so long, I would feel the need to make it up by doing something really fun on the weekend. In Jason's case, this is partying almost every night, hopefully bringing back a girl to his apartment, ordering take out, and hopefully "not involving with any sort of sexual intercourse whatsoever" (hint of sarcasm).
Thursday, November 22, 2007
I Just Want My Pants Back 1A
Vocab: "souvlaki" = (page 22) = noun = a dish similar to shish kebab made with lamb
"yarmulke" = (page 20) = noun = a skullcap worn, esp. during prayer and religious study, by Jewish males, esp. those adhering to Orthodox or Conservative tradition
"... so dance like a piece of fruit would dance, I guess." (page 21) = personification, because pieces of fruit don't dance.
"The problem with being me was that somehow my dick had acquired the argumentative skills of a debate team captain." (2) = personification, because his dick doesn't actually have arguementative skills, it's not a person.
"In fact, if adults were some kind of exotic animal species, New York City was their African veldt." (15) = simile, because it uses "if" and is comparing adults to something else.
"But when I came back, I didn't see the point in shaving every day and working long hours at something I wasn't sure I wanted to be doing." (13) This shows a trend that is starting to form that Jason is kind of a slacker, and doesn't know what he wants to do with his life.
One theme that is emerging is to have fun in life, because although his job situation is sticky, Jason still has plenty of fun with his free time and friends.
"yarmulke" = (page 20) = noun = a skullcap worn, esp. during prayer and religious study, by Jewish males, esp. those adhering to Orthodox or Conservative tradition
"... so dance like a piece of fruit would dance, I guess." (page 21) = personification, because pieces of fruit don't dance.
"The problem with being me was that somehow my dick had acquired the argumentative skills of a debate team captain." (2) = personification, because his dick doesn't actually have arguementative skills, it's not a person.
"In fact, if adults were some kind of exotic animal species, New York City was their African veldt." (15) = simile, because it uses "if" and is comparing adults to something else.
"But when I came back, I didn't see the point in shaving every day and working long hours at something I wasn't sure I wanted to be doing." (13) This shows a trend that is starting to form that Jason is kind of a slacker, and doesn't know what he wants to do with his life.
One theme that is emerging is to have fun in life, because although his job situation is sticky, Jason still has plenty of fun with his free time and friends.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
I Just Want My Pants Back 1B
I am reading the book, "I Just Want My Pants Back," by David J. Rosen. So far, it has been one of the funniest and absolutely true books I have ever read. There are comments that totally characterize a guy's thoughts. (please excuse the slightly explicit content ms. tholen) "I didn't want a a girlfriend, not really, at least not right away. But I could have used a functional va***a. It had been a while since I'd had access to one of those, and my p***s kept reminding me how accommodating they could be." (page 1). I rarely laugh out loud when reading a book, I mean, I often smile, or laugh in my head, but this is the first time in SO long that I have actually full out laughed at a book. I mean, it is quite raunchy subject matter, but it's totally what goes through a guy's head, but nobody actually goes out and says it. I guarantee that even if they don't admit it, this exact thought has popped in every guy's head at least once in the last month or so. Well, the main character, Jason Strider, is a guy who graduated from an Ivy League college with an English degree, and now lives in Greenwich Village, and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. I like that, because that is nearly exactly where I see myself in 7 or 8 years. So... hopefully this book stays as funny as it is so far. OUT.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Sea Inside response
1. I thought that it was a decent, but rambling film. I understand that a man's life is a very important thing, and the issues dealt with in this movie were extremely important, but I think that the movie was too excessive on that one topic. In the film, I admired Ramon's friends who helped him die. I think that that was a very honorable thing to do. I understand how if you were not able to do anything, life wouldn't be worth living. In all, it was a decent film, but I liked the book, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly much better.
2. I think that even though The Sea Inside and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly were both about people in situations that maybe aren't even worth living in, it is difficult to compare the two. In The Sea Inside, Ramon is paralyzed, but only from the neck down. In The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Bauby can only blink his left eye, yet Ramon is the one wanting to die. I think that in this case Bauby is a stronger person. However, Ramon has been in his condition for around 29 plus years, while Bauby only a year or so. So, I think that the two stories are not very similar besides the fact that they both couldn't really move much and were at the mercy of others.
3. During the film, there were many very interesting shots that definitely added to the production of the movie as a whole. During the more intimate kissing scenes, they had extreme close ups panning and fading into more extreme close ups, giving it a mood to match what was happening. During the flying scene, they do a first person shaky shot angle to add drama and suspense and also give the viewer the feeling of seeing things from Ramon's perspective. In all, there were many great shots that added feeling and different moods to match each scene in the film.
2. I think that even though The Sea Inside and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly were both about people in situations that maybe aren't even worth living in, it is difficult to compare the two. In The Sea Inside, Ramon is paralyzed, but only from the neck down. In The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Bauby can only blink his left eye, yet Ramon is the one wanting to die. I think that in this case Bauby is a stronger person. However, Ramon has been in his condition for around 29 plus years, while Bauby only a year or so. So, I think that the two stories are not very similar besides the fact that they both couldn't really move much and were at the mercy of others.
3. During the film, there were many very interesting shots that definitely added to the production of the movie as a whole. During the more intimate kissing scenes, they had extreme close ups panning and fading into more extreme close ups, giving it a mood to match what was happening. During the flying scene, they do a first person shaky shot angle to add drama and suspense and also give the viewer the feeling of seeing things from Ramon's perspective. In all, there were many great shots that added feeling and different moods to match each scene in the film.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Always Running #10
Ahh, the last outside reading blog post... I guess it's been a good run though, huh?
Anywho, I guess I'll get to it.
To be completely honest with you all, with all my previous posts, I already knew what was going to happen. I am the kind of person that doesn't do well when I try to read slow and stop all the time to do things on the book. I need to read it straight through and then do things on it. So, in order for me to do all my blog posts, this wonderful memoir, "Always Running; La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A." by Luis Rodriguez, has been read by yours truly four times.
And it got better each time.
Throughout the book, Rodriguez unravels tales of hardship, violence, and human life at its very worst. Even with some extremely brutal subject matter, he manages to tell his story with a tranquil but troublesome tone. Not only is it a great memoir to read, but it teaches very important lessons. Most people don't even realize how terrible some people are almost forced to live. Gangs, drugs, and violence tears peoples' lives apart. And all of it may be hard to avoid when you grow up in tough neighborhoods, but it is definitely not the right path to go down.
With wonderful voice, a great story, and very important lessons, "Always Running" is a must read. I strongly suggest that you read it. If you happen to be someone who knows me, I would be more than happy to lend it to you. Just ask. : )
Well, that just about wraps it up here. So, until next time...
I is out fo sho bro
heehee bye.
JPN
Anywho, I guess I'll get to it.
To be completely honest with you all, with all my previous posts, I already knew what was going to happen. I am the kind of person that doesn't do well when I try to read slow and stop all the time to do things on the book. I need to read it straight through and then do things on it. So, in order for me to do all my blog posts, this wonderful memoir, "Always Running; La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A." by Luis Rodriguez, has been read by yours truly four times.
And it got better each time.
Throughout the book, Rodriguez unravels tales of hardship, violence, and human life at its very worst. Even with some extremely brutal subject matter, he manages to tell his story with a tranquil but troublesome tone. Not only is it a great memoir to read, but it teaches very important lessons. Most people don't even realize how terrible some people are almost forced to live. Gangs, drugs, and violence tears peoples' lives apart. And all of it may be hard to avoid when you grow up in tough neighborhoods, but it is definitely not the right path to go down.
With wonderful voice, a great story, and very important lessons, "Always Running" is a must read. I strongly suggest that you read it. If you happen to be someone who knows me, I would be more than happy to lend it to you. Just ask. : )
Well, that just about wraps it up here. So, until next time...
I is out fo sho bro
heehee bye.
JPN
Always Running #9
OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS. I am terribly sorry for the minor repetition, but I have to talk about this again. Police corruption and brutality. Not cool. At all. This book is making me hate police so much. I don't know if that is healthy, but nonetheless. I don't know how to begin explaining this scene, so I am going to try to type a really long quote of the most important part of the scene. Forgive me for it's length...
"The woman screamed but nobody appeared to hear. I saw a couple of deputies push her against a car parked in the lot of an after-hours club in Norwalk. I looked to see if anybody else was around, but the few who were there turned away, ignoring the screams as a deputy punched the woman in the face.
"Hey, get off her!" I yelled.
I didn't know who she was or what she did; I just couldn't stand there and witness the beating.
"Get the fuck out of here- now!" shouted an officer as he pulled hard on the woman's arm so he could put handcuffs on her. Her face smashed against the asphalt, bleeding from the mouth.
"Pinche cabrones!" she managed to say.
"Leave her alone- can't you see you're hurting her?"
At this, a couple of deputies pounced on me. I fell to the ground. Officers pulled on my arms, picked me up and threw me against a squad car. I felt the blows of a blackjack against my side and back. I tried to pull them off me, when suddenly eight other deputies showed up. AS they pounded on me, my foot inadvertently came up and brushed one of them in the chest.
The deputies threw me inside a squad car, the woman in another. By then a crowd had gathered, but they appeared helpless as more deputies swarmed the club's parking lot.
For about a half-hour the squad car drove around. A deputy hit me in the stomach. Another struck me in the face:
"You got something to say...it looks like you got something to say to us," an officer implied.
I didn't say anything. Not even fuck you. I felt my cheek swell. Another fist smashed into an eye, the end of a blackjack into a rib. I clenched my teeth, holding back a cry so that they couldn't use anything I said of did to intensify their attack." (pgs 226-227).
If this isn't police brutality and corruption, I don't know what is. I think I might think twice now before I even look at a cop in the wrong way. Man...
"The woman screamed but nobody appeared to hear. I saw a couple of deputies push her against a car parked in the lot of an after-hours club in Norwalk. I looked to see if anybody else was around, but the few who were there turned away, ignoring the screams as a deputy punched the woman in the face.
"Hey, get off her!" I yelled.
I didn't know who she was or what she did; I just couldn't stand there and witness the beating.
"Get the fuck out of here- now!" shouted an officer as he pulled hard on the woman's arm so he could put handcuffs on her. Her face smashed against the asphalt, bleeding from the mouth.
"Pinche cabrones!" she managed to say.
"Leave her alone- can't you see you're hurting her?"
At this, a couple of deputies pounced on me. I fell to the ground. Officers pulled on my arms, picked me up and threw me against a squad car. I felt the blows of a blackjack against my side and back. I tried to pull them off me, when suddenly eight other deputies showed up. AS they pounded on me, my foot inadvertently came up and brushed one of them in the chest.
The deputies threw me inside a squad car, the woman in another. By then a crowd had gathered, but they appeared helpless as more deputies swarmed the club's parking lot.
For about a half-hour the squad car drove around. A deputy hit me in the stomach. Another struck me in the face:
"You got something to say...it looks like you got something to say to us," an officer implied.
I didn't say anything. Not even fuck you. I felt my cheek swell. Another fist smashed into an eye, the end of a blackjack into a rib. I clenched my teeth, holding back a cry so that they couldn't use anything I said of did to intensify their attack." (pgs 226-227).
If this isn't police brutality and corruption, I don't know what is. I think I might think twice now before I even look at a cop in the wrong way. Man...
Always Running #8
While reading this memoir, I keep thinking about how violent life is when you are in bad neighborhoods and especially with gangs.
"A loud crack resounded nearby as a powerful projectile struck the side of the helicopter, causing it to sputter and twirl as it descended toward earth." (pg 205).
"Two bullets burst out from inside the vehicle before it sped off, never stopping. No barrio was claimed. The bodies of Santos and Indio lay across the lawn, killed instantly, while a small boy wailed for his mother." (pg 205).
"There before me lay the larges collection of weapons I had ever seen: shotguns, in different gauges; handguns from .22s to 9 millimeters; semi-automatic rifles with scopes, thirty-thirty and thirty-ought-sixes; and the automatics- 16s and all sort of subs. In a corner were sever wood boxes piled up with hand grenades." (pg 207).
"But Chava did not run, could not run; he stood alone in the back yard as the legion of shadows approached, yelling back, shadows which surrounded their prey and pounced in a deadly pantomime, steel blades penetrating flesh... ...Somebody picked up a rusted tire rim from the cluttered driveway, raised it high, and thrust it down on Chava's head." (pg 211).
These quotes, and even more that I didn't post, made me glad I live in a safe area. In a song I know, there is a line that says, "It's not my fault that humans don't act humane." I think that that line is very appropriate with some of the gruesome, terrible things that people do to each other.
"A loud crack resounded nearby as a powerful projectile struck the side of the helicopter, causing it to sputter and twirl as it descended toward earth." (pg 205).
"Two bullets burst out from inside the vehicle before it sped off, never stopping. No barrio was claimed. The bodies of Santos and Indio lay across the lawn, killed instantly, while a small boy wailed for his mother." (pg 205).
"There before me lay the larges collection of weapons I had ever seen: shotguns, in different gauges; handguns from .22s to 9 millimeters; semi-automatic rifles with scopes, thirty-thirty and thirty-ought-sixes; and the automatics- 16s and all sort of subs. In a corner were sever wood boxes piled up with hand grenades." (pg 207).
"But Chava did not run, could not run; he stood alone in the back yard as the legion of shadows approached, yelling back, shadows which surrounded their prey and pounced in a deadly pantomime, steel blades penetrating flesh... ...Somebody picked up a rusted tire rim from the cluttered driveway, raised it high, and thrust it down on Chava's head." (pg 211).
These quotes, and even more that I didn't post, made me glad I live in a safe area. In a song I know, there is a line that says, "It's not my fault that humans don't act humane." I think that that line is very appropriate with some of the gruesome, terrible things that people do to each other.
Always Running #7
Whew. I don't know what to think of this memoir.
In one chapter, Luis will be doing terrible things like drugs, sex, and hurting people along with his fellow gang members, and the next chapter, he will be doing public service and writing poems. Ahhh! This book seems so two sided, but for some reason it is in an appealing way.
I have always heard that once you are in a gang, the only way you get out is dead. With all of Luis' gang involvement in the Lomos barrio gang, this is something that has been frequently running through my mind. I know he doesn't die, because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to write and publish the book, but how does he get out? Or does he get out at all? I am very curious to get some answers. And along with the gangs, does Luis quit all of his other bad behavior? With drugs and alcohol being so addictive, will he be able to quit that as well? Hmmmm. This is something I will definitely be looking for as I read on.
In the last segment that I read, one segment truly made me angry at police. Personally, I don't like police that much to begin with, I don't know why, or actually have any reason why, I just don't. But anyways, one of Luis' friends, Miguel, died. Miguel had absolutely no gang affiliation.
"He devoted himself to sports- becoming a prize-winning track runner and baseball player. His leadership qualities satyed with him as he participated in San Gabriel High School's MASO club at the same time I was embroiled in ToHMAS. In fact, he had the respect from both barrios as someone who could transcend the obstacles and amount to something. He even talked about being a police officer." (pg 201).
One night, Miguel and his friends were ordered by policemen to line up and be searched. Miguel's brother saw the police and ran because they recognized him from an outstanding warrant. The police chased after his brother into their house. While his brother was trying to run away, Miguel ran into the house to try to help his brother. In the house, the officer shot at his brother, clipping him in the ear. Miguel tried to stop the policeman from shooting again, but the officer turned and shot Miguel in the heart, killing him.
I am fuming at this point, so I'm leaving. I will let you (whoever may be reading this) think about this.
In one chapter, Luis will be doing terrible things like drugs, sex, and hurting people along with his fellow gang members, and the next chapter, he will be doing public service and writing poems. Ahhh! This book seems so two sided, but for some reason it is in an appealing way.
I have always heard that once you are in a gang, the only way you get out is dead. With all of Luis' gang involvement in the Lomos barrio gang, this is something that has been frequently running through my mind. I know he doesn't die, because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to write and publish the book, but how does he get out? Or does he get out at all? I am very curious to get some answers. And along with the gangs, does Luis quit all of his other bad behavior? With drugs and alcohol being so addictive, will he be able to quit that as well? Hmmmm. This is something I will definitely be looking for as I read on.
In the last segment that I read, one segment truly made me angry at police. Personally, I don't like police that much to begin with, I don't know why, or actually have any reason why, I just don't. But anyways, one of Luis' friends, Miguel, died. Miguel had absolutely no gang affiliation.
"He devoted himself to sports- becoming a prize-winning track runner and baseball player. His leadership qualities satyed with him as he participated in San Gabriel High School's MASO club at the same time I was embroiled in ToHMAS. In fact, he had the respect from both barrios as someone who could transcend the obstacles and amount to something. He even talked about being a police officer." (pg 201).
One night, Miguel and his friends were ordered by policemen to line up and be searched. Miguel's brother saw the police and ran because they recognized him from an outstanding warrant. The police chased after his brother into their house. While his brother was trying to run away, Miguel ran into the house to try to help his brother. In the house, the officer shot at his brother, clipping him in the ear. Miguel tried to stop the policeman from shooting again, but the officer turned and shot Miguel in the heart, killing him.
I am fuming at this point, so I'm leaving. I will let you (whoever may be reading this) think about this.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Always Running #6
Ok, now for a post that's a little more towards my book actually.
I thought that my book had been getting better (in the sense of not so bad for the characters lives, not the quality of the book), but I was wrong. In the last section that I read, many tragic things occurred. One of the worst, I think, is what happened to Luis' friend Sheila. When Sheila found out she was pregnant, (not with Luis, they were just friends), she asked Luis' advice on what to do. Luis thought that she should tell her parents, and even though she was scared about the idea, she took his advice.
"The next day, I asked around for Sheila. Nobody knew where she was at. I entered the Chicano Student Center.
'Hey Blanca, have yo7u heard from Sheila?'
'You mean you don't know?' Blanca said.
'What?'
'She told her father she's having a baby,' Blanca replied. 'He got so mad, he broke all her fingers.'" (page 199)
Another example of how bad life is for the characters in this book is in an intense scene with Luis. I had thought he was almost done with the gang life, but then he happens to do a drive-by shooting against another gang, and gets arrested. After a little time in jail, Luis finds a loophole in the system and gets off without too heavy of a charge. However, this is still bad, and just goes to show how once you start being involved in gangs, it's hard to get out.
I'm out. adios.
I thought that my book had been getting better (in the sense of not so bad for the characters lives, not the quality of the book), but I was wrong. In the last section that I read, many tragic things occurred. One of the worst, I think, is what happened to Luis' friend Sheila. When Sheila found out she was pregnant, (not with Luis, they were just friends), she asked Luis' advice on what to do. Luis thought that she should tell her parents, and even though she was scared about the idea, she took his advice.
"The next day, I asked around for Sheila. Nobody knew where she was at. I entered the Chicano Student Center.
'Hey Blanca, have yo7u heard from Sheila?'
'You mean you don't know?' Blanca said.
'What?'
'She told her father she's having a baby,' Blanca replied. 'He got so mad, he broke all her fingers.'" (page 199)
Another example of how bad life is for the characters in this book is in an intense scene with Luis. I had thought he was almost done with the gang life, but then he happens to do a drive-by shooting against another gang, and gets arrested. After a little time in jail, Luis finds a loophole in the system and gets off without too heavy of a charge. However, this is still bad, and just goes to show how once you start being involved in gangs, it's hard to get out.
I'm out. adios.
Always Running #5
Well, apparently "the legend" (a.k.a. maxwell a.k.a maxium, which means big in latin heehee) liked my going the "extra mile," so I did it again.
In the memoir, Luis is part of a group called "ToHMAS," or "To Help Mexican American Students." In the high school that he goes to, there are a lot of Mexican American students, as well as Caucasian and other races. However, the Latino students are often disregarded by the school administration, and placed into classes that they aren't usually interested, most often based around blue collar jobs such as shop class and mechanics. The students are also discriminated against often in the school, and "ToHMAS" wants to do something about it. All of the Mexican American students plan a walkout and they pull it off in a massive protest against the school.
As a fairly politically involved young person, I have always taken an interest in useful and effective protesting methods. Walkouts have always seemed interesting to me. They are not quite a boycott, which proved to be a very effective method in the Civil Rights Movement, but a walkout is very similar. I used some prior knowledge and some research and found out that young members of "YAWR," an organization founded in Seattle, had successfully done a walkout and achieved the goal of it. YAWR stands for Youth Against War and Racism, and the students in Seattle had a walkout to protest military recruitment in schools. The government often will send in military recruiters to high schools, where the recruiters make the military seem like a wonderful option to high school students, especially racial minorities. Kids will often take the bait and throw away their future because of it. So, in Seattle, the students planned a walkout to protest against action like this.
Neat!
In the memoir, Luis is part of a group called "ToHMAS," or "To Help Mexican American Students." In the high school that he goes to, there are a lot of Mexican American students, as well as Caucasian and other races. However, the Latino students are often disregarded by the school administration, and placed into classes that they aren't usually interested, most often based around blue collar jobs such as shop class and mechanics. The students are also discriminated against often in the school, and "ToHMAS" wants to do something about it. All of the Mexican American students plan a walkout and they pull it off in a massive protest against the school.
As a fairly politically involved young person, I have always taken an interest in useful and effective protesting methods. Walkouts have always seemed interesting to me. They are not quite a boycott, which proved to be a very effective method in the Civil Rights Movement, but a walkout is very similar. I used some prior knowledge and some research and found out that young members of "YAWR," an organization founded in Seattle, had successfully done a walkout and achieved the goal of it. YAWR stands for Youth Against War and Racism, and the students in Seattle had a walkout to protest military recruitment in schools. The government often will send in military recruiters to high schools, where the recruiters make the military seem like a wonderful option to high school students, especially racial minorities. Kids will often take the bait and throw away their future because of it. So, in Seattle, the students planned a walkout to protest against action like this.
Neat!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Always Running #4
During the last chapter that I read, I became very interested in what Luis was doing. As a part of the organization he was in to better the Mexican-American community, Luis, along with others, went around East Los Angeles looking for walls and buildings that had explicit graffiti on it. Instead of letting them be, or even cleaning them up, they would find the owner of the wall, and ask permission to repaint it as a mural that the whole community could enjoy.
I thought this was a very cool idea, so I decided to do some research on the topic. I found out that Los Angeles is considered the city with the most wall/building murals in the world. Famous muralists like Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco painted works there, as well as local unknown artists and civilians just like Luis.
In the memoir, Luis describes many of his artworks in detail, and I noticed that they all have a common theme. With a very impressionistic style, his artwork is heavily influenced by the rough life he had lead so far, involving women, drugs, and gang violence. As I browsed through pictures of murals in Los Angeles, I noticed that many, if not all of them were just like the way Luis described his. Among my favorites was this artwork, by an unknown artist:
I thought this was a very cool idea, so I decided to do some research on the topic. I found out that Los Angeles is considered the city with the most wall/building murals in the world. Famous muralists like Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco painted works there, as well as local unknown artists and civilians just like Luis.
In the memoir, Luis describes many of his artworks in detail, and I noticed that they all have a common theme. With a very impressionistic style, his artwork is heavily influenced by the rough life he had lead so far, involving women, drugs, and gang violence. As I browsed through pictures of murals in Los Angeles, I noticed that many, if not all of them were just like the way Luis described his. Among my favorites was this artwork, by an unknown artist:
Always Running #3
Interesting...
I have definitely hit a turning point in my memoir. So far, it has been all about the dark life of being involved in poverty, drugs, violence, and gangs. In the last section that I read, however, Luis has started to mature and try to stay away from these bad influences, or, in some cases, influence others to be better. Luis started to attend high school again, after having dropped out for a couple years. He immediately emerges as a leader among other Mexican-Americans at the school, and starts influencing others to be more responsible. Luis was a member of the "Lomos" barrio gang, enemies of the "Sangra" barrio gang. However, Luis helped communicate between the two so that the two gangs signed a peace agreement.
The peace didn't last too long, but for the time it did work, it was a major accomplishment for Luis. He also joined a club in his school that worked towards better treatment for Mexican-Americans in the school and community. He helped organize a walkout to protest the unfair way the school administration had been treating them, which succeeded and there were new guidelines and classes available for the students.
I am curious to find out if Luis is able to maintain this healthier lifestyle throughout the rest of the book.
I have definitely hit a turning point in my memoir. So far, it has been all about the dark life of being involved in poverty, drugs, violence, and gangs. In the last section that I read, however, Luis has started to mature and try to stay away from these bad influences, or, in some cases, influence others to be better. Luis started to attend high school again, after having dropped out for a couple years. He immediately emerges as a leader among other Mexican-Americans at the school, and starts influencing others to be more responsible. Luis was a member of the "Lomos" barrio gang, enemies of the "Sangra" barrio gang. However, Luis helped communicate between the two so that the two gangs signed a peace agreement.
The peace didn't last too long, but for the time it did work, it was a major accomplishment for Luis. He also joined a club in his school that worked towards better treatment for Mexican-Americans in the school and community. He helped organize a walkout to protest the unfair way the school administration had been treating them, which succeeded and there were new guidelines and classes available for the students.
I am curious to find out if Luis is able to maintain this healthier lifestyle throughout the rest of the book.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Always Running #2
This book is SO intense. After the scene already set at the beginning, a very grim mood has been set that continued through the last section of reading that I did. Luis is now in his early-teens (the book jumps around a lot, anywhere from 13 to 16 years old), and his life has gotten even more rough than before. Luis and his family are still moving a lot, and besides leaving schools because of that, Luis has been kicked out of a bunch of schools as well. Fights, vandalism, gang involvement, sex, and drugs are starting to take over Luis' life.
"Hypodermic needles, spoons, matches and bags of powder were on the table. I looked around and saw about five people, including two women. They had dark circles beneath their eyes, tattoos like old pachucas, and collapsed veins along the inside of their arms." (page 130).
"I clasped the screwdriver and walked up to the beaten driver in the seat whose head was bleeding. The dude looked at me through glazed eyes, horrified at my presence, at what I held in my hand, at this twisted, swollen face that came at him through the dark. Do it! were the last words I recalled before I plunged the screwdriver into flesh and bone, and the sky screamed." (page 111).
"Payasa fought all the time at school. Whenever she lost, her older brothers would slice her tongue with a razor. She wasn't ever supposed to lose. This made her meaner, crazier - unpredictable." (page 106).
These quotes, for me, illustrate scenes that are full of death, destruction, and hopelessness. Rodriguez is describing places and events that nearly defines the lifestyle of the "hood." Violence and other terrible things involved with gangs run people's lives in the wrong direction. I read passages like these and wonder how people can live like that. However, elements like these make the book completely unpredictable, with action and unsuspecting events at every turn of the page, which I enjoy. (And it's still just as exciting the second time through surprisingly!)
word up homie g peace
"Hypodermic needles, spoons, matches and bags of powder were on the table. I looked around and saw about five people, including two women. They had dark circles beneath their eyes, tattoos like old pachucas, and collapsed veins along the inside of their arms." (page 130).
"I clasped the screwdriver and walked up to the beaten driver in the seat whose head was bleeding. The dude looked at me through glazed eyes, horrified at my presence, at what I held in my hand, at this twisted, swollen face that came at him through the dark. Do it! were the last words I recalled before I plunged the screwdriver into flesh and bone, and the sky screamed." (page 111).
"Payasa fought all the time at school. Whenever she lost, her older brothers would slice her tongue with a razor. She wasn't ever supposed to lose. This made her meaner, crazier - unpredictable." (page 106).
These quotes, for me, illustrate scenes that are full of death, destruction, and hopelessness. Rodriguez is describing places and events that nearly defines the lifestyle of the "hood." Violence and other terrible things involved with gangs run people's lives in the wrong direction. I read passages like these and wonder how people can live like that. However, elements like these make the book completely unpredictable, with action and unsuspecting events at every turn of the page, which I enjoy. (And it's still just as exciting the second time through surprisingly!)
word up homie g peace
Monday, September 24, 2007
Always Running #1
Hello! blog blog blog blog blog blog blog blog blog blog.
For outside reading this unit, I am reading Always Running: La Vida Loca:Gang Days in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez. Ironically, I finished this book the day before I found out that we are supposed to do updates on the BLOGS for our books while reading. However, I did enjoy this book very much, and so I have decided to simply read it again for the project. : )
Right now in the story, Luis is telling the dark tale of his youngest childhood and introducing his family and their rough lifestyle. Always in utter poverty, Luis and his family almost never have enough to eat, they are constantly moving and are always too crowded in the small houses. Also, racial hatred against Mexican-Americans such as Luis and his family is nearly overwhelming.
Rodriguez also goes into sections that both help set the scene for the book, but also foreshadow future events in the book. "We were constant prey, and the hunters soon became big blurs: the plice, the gangs, the junkies, the dudes on Garvey Boulevard who took our money, all smudged into one. Sometimes they were teachers who jumped on us Mexicans as if we were born with a hideous stain. " (page 36).
For outside reading this unit, I am reading Always Running: La Vida Loca:Gang Days in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez. Ironically, I finished this book the day before I found out that we are supposed to do updates on the BLOGS for our books while reading. However, I did enjoy this book very much, and so I have decided to simply read it again for the project. : )
Right now in the story, Luis is telling the dark tale of his youngest childhood and introducing his family and their rough lifestyle. Always in utter poverty, Luis and his family almost never have enough to eat, they are constantly moving and are always too crowded in the small houses. Also, racial hatred against Mexican-Americans such as Luis and his family is nearly overwhelming.
Rodriguez also goes into sections that both help set the scene for the book, but also foreshadow future events in the book. "We were constant prey, and the hunters soon became big blurs: the plice, the gangs, the junkies, the dudes on Garvey Boulevard who took our money, all smudged into one. Sometimes they were teachers who jumped on us Mexicans as if we were born with a hideous stain. " (page 36).
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
This I Believe
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4544547
"A Game of Cards"
Norman Cousins
"This I believe; that man today has all the resources to shatter his fears and go on to the greatest golden age in history, an age which will provide the conditions for human growth and for the development of the good that resides within man, whether in his individual or his collective being. And he has only to mobilize his rational intelligence and his conscience to put these resources to work."
I personally liked Norman Cousins' philosophy on man; that man is both good and evil, and a person must choose the traits in them that brings out the good. I often hear that nobody is a bad person, people just do bad things, but I have always disagreed. People have good and bad things about them, and how they choose to use the good things makes them what they are.
"A Game of Cards"
Norman Cousins
"This I believe; that man today has all the resources to shatter his fears and go on to the greatest golden age in history, an age which will provide the conditions for human growth and for the development of the good that resides within man, whether in his individual or his collective being. And he has only to mobilize his rational intelligence and his conscience to put these resources to work."
I personally liked Norman Cousins' philosophy on man; that man is both good and evil, and a person must choose the traits in them that brings out the good. I often hear that nobody is a bad person, people just do bad things, but I have always disagreed. People have good and bad things about them, and how they choose to use the good things makes them what they are.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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