PromiseOfEternity

Official Yeo Valley X Factor Advert 2011: The Churned 'Forever'

2011-10-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Dickenson

2011-09-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

Dickenson’s themes are varied and compelling. She speaks of great pain and heightened pleasure. Her ability to express an abstract object in a concrete form is truly remarkable. She has stirred up and conveyed deep emotions and related sensations within her readers over the years, and still does so today. Dickenson’s work has a unique style, an eye-catching structure and wonderful techniques. The musical, rhythmic movement gives a flow to her poetry; the multiple meanings and the sense of mystery are thought provoking. Microscopically thorough view, effective extended metaphors and stunning imagery take us on exotic journeys. Emily is honest, sincere and personal.

I loved that this poet deals with traumatic themes. It seems a strange thing to say, that I enjoyed this exhausting emotional rollercoaster. However her ability to make me think, to challenge me and get her intricate themes across astounded me. I found poems such “The Soul has Bandaged moments” to be extremely moving. The reader is forced to acknowledge and deal this this damaged soul in extreme anguish. “These, are not brayed of Tongue”. This is something not often spoken of.. We are placed into the very minds and hearts of someone going through the most horrific situations in life. Through reading the poetry I received a glimpse of the inner workings and core of a being, wrenched so deeply in pain that their very self conscience and soul is in distress. I found that I was forced to deal with this fear and horror. “Salute her-with long fingers- Caress her freezing hair-”. The thing that frightened me most however, was the inevitability of our soul being damaged. “The soul has retaken moments-” unavoidable. The soul is a captive, “dungeoned”, “bandaged” like a “felon” she is shackled. Imprisoned by fear and horror, she cannot even move, she cannot run. She is “too appalled to stir-”, unable to fight back. There are few moments of ecstatic bliss of freedom and “Liberty”, They are, however, quickly overshadowed by the recapture, when it is “recaptured” and stapled. We also see this in “I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain”, where the themes are death and mental breakdown. Though relevant, they are hard to deal with. We watch helplessly as the speaker falls helplessly into mental anguish.
“And then a plank, in reason broke- And I dropped down, and down-”.

The poem is genuinely terrifying, for both the speaker and the reader. We witness the mind-numbing loss of sensation that accompanies the speakers’ mental anguish; it’s like the mourners “treading” “to and Fro” and the service, like “a drum”. Our dread of death is emphasised as the coffin is lifted, the intensity is astonishing. The speaker is buried alive in her depression, degraded and dwindling to nothing “but an ear”. She is alone, only with “silence” as company. Death is a common theme in Dickinson's poetry. She speaks of the dread of the inevitable, uncertainty of the afterlife. She uses death to assert that death is a natural and necessary part of life. Dickenson successfully gets the reader to acknowledge the hurting and teaches us to be compassionate and understanding. I found this to be through provoking and challenging.

Dickenson also addresses uplifting themes, such as nature. We know that she lived a hermit like life, which could account for her amazing observation skills and wonderful microscopic view of nature. “And then he drank a Dew, From a convenient grass”. This challenges the reader to examine a typical scene in a completely different light. She provides us with the unattainable and essentially unquantifiable nature of the natural world. Dickenson expresses, through her poetry, the joy and lift she receives from nature. She doesn’t lie, but depicts what it truly is, without judgment. “He bit an Angleworm in halves, And ate the Fellow, raw”. She emphasises the untamed nature of the bird. In “I could bring you Jewels-had I mind to” she paints vivid, exotic pictures of beautiful places. Extreme beauty, the pinnacle of all nature. As she searches for her gift, we’re taken on a journey throughout the world. However, again the microscopic is shown. “But this little Blaze Flickering to itself-in the Meadow-Suits me- more than these”. The best gift to her is a small meadow of “Topaz” flames. The choice reveals what Dickenson holds dear, her true personality. She finds small things in nature to be better and more valuable than “jewels”. In “I taste liquor never brewed” the speaker is “Inebriated on air”, she’s drunk on nature, a happy “little Tippler”. The drink of nature is precious to her, held in “pearl” tankards. Dickenson expresses her love for nature through the poem as she exclaims that her indulging on “endless summer days” will never stop. Still she moves it further, linking nature with heaven. “Till seraphs swing their snowy hats-And saints-to windows run-”. Dickenson’s love for nature radiates through her poetry, the theme is uplifting and light.

Hope is another theme dealt with by Dickenson. I found this to be very appealing. There is something in each of us that strives to fight for freedom and hope, especially in hard times when “the gale” or a “sore” storm of life occurs. “Hope is a thing with feathers” is a poem that expresses hope in a concrete fashion. Dickenson writes a very convicting, uplifting explanation of hope. It’s universal; it’s even “in the chilliest lands” and “on the strangest seas”. It’s permanent “And sings a tune without the words- And never stops-at all-”. The reality of our need for hope is outlined, it brings us through rough times, keeping us “warm” through “the storm”. It’s at its best, its “sweetest” when endangered. Hope is a free gift, that never asks a “crumb” of us. This theme is meant for all humanity and Dickenson dealt with it beautifully. After reading the poem I felt uplifted and encouraged.

The ability of the poet to express the abstract in concrete terms in amazing. She uses extended metaphors and personification often in her work. In “Hope is a thing with feathers” Dickenson expresses hope through the extended metaphor of a bird. The birds characteristics where used to explain hope in concrete terms. “Hope is a thing with feathers-that perches in the soul”. With its feathered wing and freedom song, it represents liberty, flight and hope. “I felt a funeral in my Brain” contains the metaphor of a funeral, used to relate the mind of a person falling into mental anguish. The spiral downwards, the step by step fall is outlined. The fear and pain is vividly described through the metaphor. This technique conveys the deep feelings of the speaker and gives a glimpse of the sensations and pain that the person must be feeling. The soul in “The Soul has Bandaged moments” is expressed as a victim of “ghastly fright” and “Horror”. The metaphor is that of an imprisoned and suppressed girl, a victim. “Salute her-with long fingers-caress her freezing hair”. She feels responsible. “Unworthy, that a thought so mean accost a Theme- so-fair”. Fright and Horror are described in terrifying, gothic terms. The poem portrays a soul that has gone through something so terrible; the core being of the person has been scared. Dickenson effectively conveys the feeling of being frightened to the core, to feeling “bandaged” and “too appalled to stir”. The soul is a prisoner, treated like a “Felon led along”, with “shackles” and “staples”. There is a sense of hopelessness and inevitability of being “retaken”. ” Dickenson expresses her delirious love for nature through the picture of a “happy tippler”, in “I taste a liquor never brewed”. The joy she receives from the world around her is like that of the joy that someone “Inebriated” in a precious drink receives. This wonderful technique was so effective and made her themes so vivid for me; I felt connected with the poet and the narrators of the poems.

One thing that immediately caught my attention was Dickenson’s unique structure. Her poems were short and compact. Dickenson steers away from the ordinary rules governing punctuation, shape and grammar. She places capitals in the middle of sentences, to give emphasis. “A Service, like a Drum”, effectively punctuates the words capitalised. Pausing also creates emphasis and highlights the poets’ emotions. “Yet, never, in extremity, it asked a crumb-of Me.” Both the capitals and pauses show the poets deep wonder, shock and respect for hope. It also shows her surprise in a bird came down the walk, as she describes an almost courteous bird eat an angleworm. “And ate the fellow, raw,” The dashes mimic the sound of her surprise. The dashes in The Soul has Bandaged moments, create a different atmosphere. They add to the inevitability of being “recaptured” by horror. “The Horror welcomes her, again” the dash indicates that this is not the first time. The dashes also had a huge effect on her poems, both rhythmically and in meaning. In “Hope is a thing with feathers”, the dashes are used to emphasise that hope is lasting, “And never stops-at all-”, and in the soul has bandaged moments, it emphasises the terror of fear “Salute her-with long fingers-”.In I felt a funeral its used as a cliff hanger, signifying the unknown element of life after death “And finished knowing, then-”. The reader is left the wander, to make up his or her own mind on the matter. This is very though provoking. The dashes in “"A Bird came down the walk”, capture the jerky, quick and somewhat erratic characteristic movements of the bird. “He glanced with rapid eyes that hurried all around-” this also mirrors the words of the poet. The technique appeals to the sense of hearing.

Onomatopoeia, assonance and alliteration are used by Dickenson in many of her poems. These techniques effectively play with the readers sense of hearing. “Unworthy that a thought so mean accost a theme-so-fair-” The “th” sounds give a soft flow to the poem, a rhythmic feel. The soft sound also lends to the meaning, conveying the souls’ feelings. The soul has been quietened, bandaged and suppressed, a cowering and hopeless victim. In “Hope is a thing with feathers”, the light “s” sounds covey the flight of the bird. “Hope is a thing with feathers-That perches in the soul-and sings the tune without the words-and never stops-at all-”. “I’ve heard it in the chilliest land-And on the strangest Sea-”. In “I felt a funeral”, the “s” sounds are used to emphasise the narrative. “And I, and silence, some strange Race”. The soft sounds in the verse lends to the meaning. The speaker is alone; there is not a sound to be heard. . A good example of this is in the poem ‘A Bird came down the Walk’. In the last stanza, she is trying to get across that the flight of the bird is much more graceful and softer than a boat rowing in the ocean. Instead of using the word “splashless”, she uses the word “plashless” because it sounds softer, and so the soft sound can relate to the birds peaceful flight better. The moment the bird takes flight, the meter begins to flow. The assonantal “o” sounds in A bird came down the walk provides the reader of the noise of the birds beating wings against the air. I found Dickenson appeals to the senses, which is very effective.

Dickenson use of imagery effectively paints pictures in the readers mind. The little bird of hope is a thing with feathers, is endeared to us. We want to protect it from the “storm “could “abash the little bird, That kept so many warm”. The poems imagery coveys the strength of hope, that helps us through “the Gales” of life. In A Bird came down the walk, the imagery is courteous. “And then hopped sidewise to the Wall, To let a Beetle pass”. The truth of nature is countered by being portrayed as a civil society. He drinks from a “convenient grass”, his eyes are described as “Beads” and his head as “Velvet”, all very human. Dickenson’s imagery also conveys the microscopic “a dew-from a convenient grass”. The fluency of the imagery in this poem is very beautiful. “Than Oars divined the Ocean, Too silver for a seam-Or Butterflies of Banks of Noon, Leap, plashless as they swim.” Time and space are altered a water, sky and earth are merged into a distillation of the birds unique qualities. In I could bring you Jewels; the poet paints a huge canvas of exotic places and faraway lands. She appeals to our senses, describing the “Odor from St. Domingo”, “The colors-from Vera Cruz” and the “Berries of the Bahamas”. All the worlds’ finery is painted before our eyes. By contrasting her gift of the “little blaze” with the exotic, as well as mentioning of a classical figure “Bobadilo” gives it status. In I Taste a liquor never brewed, Dickenson’s imagery is light, fun and witty. “Inebriate of Air-am I-Reeling through Endless summer days”. She wittily proclaims that even when the “drunken Bee” is kicked out of the “Foxgloves door” and the “Butterflies-renounce their drams” she will “drink the more”. There’s a positive happy atmosphere in the poem, it’s light-hearted. The image of heaven running, to peering through “windows” to see the “little Tippler, leaning against the Sun” is effective. A celestial lamppost, the Sun, the endless summers props her up. She’s giddy and high of her happiness.
Dickenson’s imagery can be the exact opposite but just as effective. In I felt a funeral, the imagery used is frightening. The descriptions are clear; we are plunged into the middle of a funeral. We watch the “mourners to and fro” The repetitive “service, like a drum”. I watched the familiar scene; a depressing, vulnerable occasion. The speaker is actually inside the box. “Then space began to toll”, as the coffin is lifted. The coffin falls into the ground, the speaker into depression. I felt the jolt as she “hit a world at every plunge” I couldn’t help her. The use of “I” makes it personal. In the soul has bandaged moments, the imagery is eerie and gothic. The dark and twisted picture painted by Dickenson comes right out of a gothic novel. “Salute her-with long fingers, Caress her freezing hair”. The “goblin” figure of fright haunts and dominates the poem. The imagery of the sudden ecstatic “bomb” that occurs when the soul has “moments of escape” effectively expresses the souls’ delirious liberty. When we see the victimised soul put into “shackles” and “retaken”, led away like a “felon”, the image is horrific. The imagery was so effective in creating atmosphere in this poem.

Dickenson creates a mood and atmosphere in her poetry effectively, by conveying and convicting emotions within the reader. In I taste a liquor; the mood is light and fun. She chooses a happy theme. Her clever wit and smart chart makes the poem easygoing. “Inebriate of Air-am I-And Debauchee of dew-” there’s a fun twist and surprise in the poem. The lovely, light imagery of a summers’ day also adds to the mood. “the drunken bee Out of the foxglove’s door-”There’s a very calming, relaxed feel to the poem, which the rhythm adds to. The staggering feel made by the dashes is very clever and effective in creating the mood. In A bird came down the walk, the imagery effectively expresses the panicked tone. The bird glanced with “rapid eyes” that “hurried all around”. They look like “frightened Beads”. The image of the frightened bird gives the poem a jerky, unsettled feeling. The words “danger” and “Cautious” are unsettling. However, the moment the bird “unrolled his feathered wings” the mood changed. It’s an awed, admiring and longing atmosphere as we watch the bird float away. The mood uplifts due to the uplifting, vivid imagery. “or Butterflies, off banks of Noon, leap plashless as they swim.” In I felt a Funeral; the mood is dark and depressing. The atmosphere is created by the dark subject of the poem. The repetitive beat is numbing, creating a sedated, confused mood. The eerie mood is echoed in the words. “As all the Heavens were a Bell”. We hear the knelling bell, and then total silence. The “silence” is more frightening, the reader feels “Wrecked, solitary” all alone. She creates the mood expertly.

Dickenson has a habit of leaving unanswered questions in her poetry. In hope is a thing with feathers we don’t know what the “Gale” or “storm” mention is. We don’t know why Dickenson was in “the chilliest land” or on “the strangest sea”. The element of the unknown “something” gives the poem a sense of mystery. I felt a Funeral ends with a question. We are not told exactly what comes after death, or to the speaker. “And finished knowing-then-”. We can question, what did she mean? That the speaker came to a conclusion and enlightenment, or that her mind has deteriorated completely. Is there a life after death, or just a void? Though unsure, the poem leaves us thinking, and with a few questions unanswered. In The soul has bandaged moments, there is no resolution. Does the vicious circle ever end? Is there a way to avoid getting “retaken”? We are not told who the “lover” is, or why he “hovered” uncertainly. Is he the reason for this fear, horror or bandages? In I could bring You Jewels; we’re not told who the receiver of the gift is. The element of the unknown adds mystery to Dickenson’s poetry.

Overall, Dickenson’s poetry truly does impact the reader. Her themes are relevant and powerful. Her imagery, style and technique all worked together to make her work unforgettable. I loved her use of an extended metaphor to express abstract notions in concrete form. Dickenson has an amazing ability to make the reader feel. She puts herself in her poetry. Dickenson overcame a society where woman were restricted, and achieved much. She is a great role model for all women today. I believe that she is relevant to young people, and that she has something in her poetry for everyone to enjoy.

Setting of our grad balloons...

2011-09-08T03:26:00.000-07:00

These balloons were a symbol of each student. As our school careers came to a close,

around March 2011, we were ready to be "set free" into the world.

We began together but we scattered just like these balloons did. each of us following our own path so to speak. It was a very touching expression.

Adrienne Rich

2011-09-08T03:21:00.000-07:00

Writings of Rich

Person and Politics paralleled. Feminist and Phrase fused.

Poetry. We, as leaving cert students, immediately begin to think that it is far removed from us today. Except for those cold Monday mornings of course, when we sit in a classroom wishing for the weekend and trying to extract the deeper meanings of Bishops “The Fish“. Most would give up on the analysis half way through the class, concluding that it is, in fact, just about a fish. Yet on the other hand through poetry we have been able to take exotic voyages across the seas with Dickenson, experienced the most exhaustingly deep and complex emotional rollercoaster’s with Hopkins or were encouraged by Wordsworth and Frost to use our imaginations and intellect beyond our wildest dreams. Has there been anyone on your course that has inspired you? We have all studied various poets on the course and many could probably hold up their hand and admit, sheepishly, that they in fact enjoyed it. Not only that, but learnt from it. Poetry is an extremely influential, emotive, inspiring form of language that is able to prick the hearts of men, speak to many through its lines and evoke thought and feeling where otherwise we would be at a loss. You are probably wondering why I am writing on the subject of poetry, on the poetry of Rich in particular. Have we not done enough of that? I am certain that many of you have read her poetry and have found within it something that impacted you. For those of you who haven’t, I am here to urge you to do so.

Adrienne Rich searches the complex idea of self exploration, the fight for women’s rights and the theme of social justice. Her work challenged the assumptions of the Western world with regard to women’s role in society and their need for liberation in her day. A central idea to her poetry is that personal experiences are political; our lives holding civic and political consequences for the wider world. Richs vividly created imagery, insightful symbols and complex themes all add to her work. Her skilful use of rhythm, rhyme, punctuation and other techniques all aid in creating atmosphere and relaying her intricate subject matter. With her simple, tight structured approach, Rich is able to communicate expertly with her readers. Rich explores appearance and reality, expresses different points in women’s lives and emphasises the idea of power and powerlessness. She gives us a female perspective, providing women with a voice or the words to express themselves and their lives. She is fresh, stimulating and challenging; fearlessly tackling difficult issues and frequently making herself vulnerable by opening up to the reader on a personal front.

Theme is of huge importance in Richs work. There is something for everyone; male and female, young and old. It is due to her impacting themes that her poetry becomes so unforgettable to any reader. She is highly feminist and one of her main themes is of the oppression of women within a male dominated world. This is of huge affect to us, girls studying within an all girls school. We take our rights very seriously, do we not? Through Richs writings we learn a more of the struggles that women faced previous to the equality we have now, and their fight for this freedom. “Aunty Jennifer’s Tigers” reveals a terrified, suppressed woman in contrast to the tigers displayed in her art who are fearless, strong and asserted. She is expressed as victimised and controlled. The idea of marriage being a binding contract created by a society which supported the subjugation of women is seen her. The Roofwalker is an extremely personal poem in which Rich expresses her vulnerability and fear after leaving her husband and breaking with the bonds of societies norms. She sees herself as “larger than life” easily spotted, scrutinized and judged by the world. The pressure is clear as she used the image of a roof walker to express also her journey to becoming a successful female writer in a male dominated career. Her struggle for acceptance is shown to us as well as the difficulties she faced as made herself vulnerable to the world through her poetry. Our whole world. I found this theme to be powerful personally and her ability to capture her emotions and subject matter so effectively to be breathtaking. How could you not? The idea of gender based roles is evident in her poetry. Aunt Jennifer knits, a gender based action. In “living in sin” the narrators mind in which we enter was full of naïve hopes and dreams. Rejecting social norms she embarks on an adventure with the man she loves. Only her dreams of living on love and poetry are shattered when he places her in a domesticated role of a woman. Rich is feisty, passionate and honest. We can look up to her for her daring actions; standing up to society and never dismissing her strong beliefs, even when it was difficult.

Rich expresses art and poetry as an escape and as a means of immortality. The power of the arts is an evident theme within her work. We have all seen and experienced the power of writing. It can immortalize, as Shakespeare expresses in his Sonnet #18, “Shall I compare Thee”. It has power over the emotions, the intellect, the imagination and the core beliefs of humans. Within the poem “Aunty Jennifer’s Tigers” the woman’s only escape is through her art, in which she creates another world in order to express her innermost desires. Her imagination provides a solace, an escape from the unhappy life in which she lives. Even when “Aunt is dead” the tigers will carry on living, immortal in the way that she created them. On the other hand in Our whole Life she expresses that the “lies” wound within literature over the years with regards to women are like “knots” that try to eat itself to get free. The idea is that the power of poetry can be either positive or negative. It can be used to immortalise, to escape and to celebrate beauty, but it can also be used to wield lies and suppress others. I found the idea of the power of language to be fascinating and thought provoking. In this poem the language of the oppressor must be used to express her anger. Rich explains how women have been forced to use language which reinforces a patriarchal society and a male dominated world. This has been facilitated by women. Rich wanted to tell the truth about women’s perspective and experiences, giving them words to express themselves and a language that is truthful; she calls for a new language. This is similar to Boland’s plea in her poem “Child of Our Time”. I found it amazing that language can be used as a tool to oppress a group of people, even brainwashing them into submission to the social norms.

The theme of relationships is popular with all the great poets. Hopkins talks of his relationship with God, Frost on the conceitedness of bought friendship, Wordsworth and Boland celebrate the beauty of family and Dickenson reveals the joy of a relationship where she could be true to herself. This is not different with Rich, who takes on this key concept within all our lives. In “Living in Sin” the relationship is tainted. The narrator has been naïve in thinking the studio would “keep itself”. She expected a poetic lifestyle, living on love with a musician. Yet “he” leaves her alone in the mess to clean up. There is no companionship, she is alone. Stuck in what she tried to escape from. Reality is so different from what it appeared to be. Is that not usually the case in our world today? We are masters of deception. In Form A Survivor Rich tells of her relationship with her husband. It is personal and confessional. We, as the readers feel more in touch with the poet. Rich openly talks of her loss and the sadness felt due to her husbands suicide. Also she tells of the great freedom and growth that she achieved through “a succession of brief, amazing moments each one making possible the next.“ We see her vulnerability and her honesty. This can truly be admired, in my opinion. We have lost a loved one, we have all had turbulent relationships and we all strive to find out who we are as individuals. Due to this, we can empathise with Rich, her poetry becoming more meaningful to us. Her themes are so emotive, so powerful and though provoking that and reader would love her poetry.

Without a doubt, I fount Richs use of imagery in her poetry to be absolutely unquestionable in its expertise and effectiveness. The imagery of the Tigers in Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers are colourful, strong and memorable. They are a direct contrast to the frail, fearful woman herself. Rich has given them a sense of freedom, fluidity and power. They come alive in from of us due to their cinematic description. Who needs a television? Rich engages the imagination! Within the poem “Living in sin“ the imagery is unpleasant. Rich effectively describes the awful conditions the girl finds herself in. The place is infested, dirty and dusty. The image of “beetle-eyes“, coming from some colony between the cracks in the walls make us want to squirm. “envoy from some village in the mouldings”. We cringe. We feel Closter phobic in the mess of “scraps of last night’s cheese and three sepulchral bottles”. She’s left in this dirt place. The vivid images in “Our whole life” is horrific and terrifying, so powerful in their portrayal of her message and her emotions. The idea of lies knotting, “eating at itself to get undone” is vicious. The charred paint ‘burnt off‘ by a “blowtorch“ and image of the burning Nigerian “his whole body a cloud of pain” is excruciating . She expresses the ineffectiveness of communication here through this horrific imagery. This lack of understanding enforces her key central message of the suppression and dismissal of women due to the failure of words. I found that she really forces the reader to take note. The image of the “listing deck, burning with its “torn sail” and “magnified shadows” is an extremely effective and vivid image. We see the light of the blaze, the huge shadows cast be the fire as the boarders run around frantic, trapped, trying desperately to “flee”. it’s an image of chaos and fear, reflecting the poets emotions perfectly. The image of home, of the “shade of difference” where she could be “sitting in the lamplight against the cream wallpaper reading”. Rich givens the contrast to her situation now, where she could have been if she had not bucked the system, or taken this difficult path. Personally, I found this image to be a stark contrast to the others in the poem; alluring and revealing a bit of regret. Although I know that often the easiest path is not the best one. Rich reveals herself to us here, showing her vulnerability in this crucial part of her life. She also teaches us through her experiences.

Extended metaphors is a technique used by Rich which I thought to be amazingly rendered. Within the poem “roof walker“, we see the extended image of a builder on a roof at night. It is dangerous and they cast huge “giant“ shadows. They are larger than life, exposed to all. She carries it on throughout the poem, telling us “It is quiet after the hammers, the pulleys hang slack”. She talks of “blueprints” and “ closing gaps, measures, calculations”. Here Rich used and everyday image to explain a complex idea. The metaphor of the builder; vulnerable and exposed to all, fearful of “breaking” their neck can be seen as a metaphor for Rich herself. As a female poet in a male dominated world, and a as woman who has left her husband. In contrast to the warm, easy image of home given, she is running, “fleeing“ across the roofs. Rich shows us her feelings here, her difficult situation and the choices she has made. She expresses her struggle in a very concrete manner. We have all been on walks during dusk, we have all witnessed the magnitude of shadows during the night. It is a known image, making it real to us. The image of the sea farer on a burning deck, with no escape is also very effective. Her Rich makes feelings concrete. We, as females, can sympathise with her. We can also feel gratitude for her and other women who took a stand, making the equality we have today possible.

The terrifying image of the Nigerian burning found in “Our whole Life“ and “Living in sin’s” final line, which depicts the milkman’s visit each morning, are both effective similes used by Rich to bring across the importune of her statement or to express herself clearly to the reader. These evocative images emphasis her point. The pain the burning man is in cannot be explained. He cannot put it into words, the only explanation is himself. This expresses the pain women went through in order to gain freedom and equality. A right of a voice and not to be governed under this patriarchal society. It’s a painful process. The milkman in Living in sin represents the repetition and inevitability of a new day. The mundane in life. The realisation that the narrator finds her self in; she is stuck where she is. That nothing can be done, tomorrow is coming. We all have to make choices, and have to live with consequences. I found her use similes to be exceedingly effective.

A Formalistic structure can be seen in “Roof walker” and “Aunty Jennifer’s Tigers“. The structure is rigid, mirroring the themes. Richs structure and form is usually so tight and formal, keeping her sometimes emotive and powerful themes from becoming too sentimental, as see in From a Survivor. Also this gives her the bases on which to write effectively on issues. The simple structure in our whole world gives a surface for her argument, keeping it from becoming too erratic. However it is slightly less tight than the rest of her poems, effectively creating her angered, passionate tone. I found that this gave her poems stability, making it easier to read and often mirrored her central message. Also, with such simple structure Rich could dive into extremely complicated, challenging ideas; such as the theme in “Our Whole Life”. We all like a challenge; to be pushed to think, to contemplate deep issues that we might never have thought of before. We all also like structure and continuity. Rich provides us with both.

Richs language is poised and restrained, never too sentimental but effectively getting her message across. In “Living in Sin”, she clearly and expertly reveals the emotions of the narrator in a few lines. She reveals the girls childlike beliefs and dreams within the first lines and the meaning of her breaking with society. We feel the sadness and disappointment and we are angered through the cynical tone in which she talks about the unnamed man in the poem. However, throughout this her effective choice of words and verbs never get sentimental or over the top. She keeps her composure, staying clear of becoming crazed or too passionate; writing with restrained and measured language. This is how, I believe, she is able to write about such difficult and serious topics. Rich is dignified, creating effective arguments. In Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers we clearly understand the hopelessness of the woman’s state. Yet Rich again does not stoop to sentimentality. Through powerful imagery and beautiful language she expresses her message clearly to us. I found this to be skilful and enjoyed her poetry as, although it challenges the reader and has many levels, it is easy to understand what she is conveying or feeling within each of her poems.

The conditional tense in “From A Survivor” highlights the poets genuine belief that things could have been different, that her husbands did not have to be “wastefully dead”. Through this tens we see her regret and loss at his death, and her wish that he too would have made the step towards self-fulfilment and healing after their divorce. I found this to be so moving, confessional and honest. The poets life became personal to me, and I could empathies with her, and also rejoice that she has been able to move on. She uses the pluperfect in “Living in Sin” to express her uncertainty and realisation that her choice might have been the wrong one. It suggests the woman’s feelings of regret in a subtle way. It is as if we’re talking to a good friend. One who does not have to spell out how she feels exactly, but we can understand the undertones of her words. She “had thought” that life would be different, but now comes to a realisation. I found this tense to be so effective in revealing her feelings to us. Its natural and confessional and unsure. We see her fear and regret conveyed through just these few lines.

The confessional tone of “Roof walker” and “From a Survivor” is highly charged, emotional and atmospherically. This is created through rhythm, theme and the language used in the poem and emphasises the subject matter as a result. Rich skilfully creates mood and atmosphere in her poetry, the narrators tone clear within the texts. Irony is heard in “Our Whole Life“. The irony is that she has to use this language of lies and deceit to convey her message to those who use it. There is anger and anguish as she expresses the pain that many have had to go through, and will have to endure to be heard. This adds emphasis to her message. There is a mocking voice within the poem “Living in Sin“ when she berates her own foolish naivety and youthful hope. She sneers as she recalls her lovers actions. Yet there is an overall sense of sadness, of loss and loneliness underneath. We have all faced disappointment. This makes the poem very real to all of us, and we empathies with the broken dreams of this young woman.

Richs poems are exceptionally lyrical. Aunty Jennifer’s Tigers is written in three quatrains. Its rhyming scheme is simple, straightforward and steady. Its iambic pentameter and even rhythms heighten the aunty feelings of constraint. As someone who loves music and the rhythm and melody of song, I could appreciate this. I’m sure any of you who are involved in music or dance would quickly notice the rhythmic iambic pentameter in this poem. The metre gives a steady rhythm, a flowing movement to the poem. This keeps it together and adds stress and sway to the lines. This in turn enhances the theme and reinforce the central message. “Living in sin” employs the natural rhythms everyday life and the author effectively captures the idea of the mundane, the “norms” of life that cannot be avoided but must be done. Like the “milkman” coming every morning. Rich is able to combine her structure, themes and rhythm, blending them to compliment and emphasise each other through the skilful writing of her pen. She is truly extraordinary. Her syllables and phrases flow into each other and her rhythms are steady and hypnotic. It is truly pleasurable to read.

Symbol is another technique used by Rich. In Aunt Jenifer’s Tigers, the symbol of wedding ring is warped and twisted. Usually it is a sign for continuity, no beginning or end and everlasting love. It is more of a symbol of entrapment, subjugation and oppression here. The weight of the band is an emotional one. “massive weight of Uncles wedding band” Vows to love, honour and obey are gone now, but then, in Richs society, the institute of marriage could be seen as a way of trapping women in a male dominated world. The symbol of dawn usually represents new beginnings. Here there is an aubade with a difference. The narrator realises that she has made a mistake in choosing to “live in sin”. Instead of new beginnings, dawn is a motif to the inevitability of tomorrow; that she must live with the consequences of her actions. Richs use of symbol, the way in which she twists them and gives them new meaning was appealing to me. Known symbols were recharacterised.

Personal in nature, Richs poetry engages with the reader. Living in sin opens up the mind of the young girl. The first person adds to this personal link between narrator and reader as she reveals her feelings; her shattered dreams and her dead hopes. We witness her bitter remarks as “he” makes an excuse and stumbles out the door for a cigarette. Its so realistic, this young girls naivety. Her willingness to break all tradition for the one she loves. Choices are made, and because of this we empathise with her. She could be your sister, cousin, friend. In “From a survivor” the poet herself is revealed. She openly confesses to us, opening herself up even more to hurt. Her sadness at her husband death is clear, as well as her wish that his life had not been “wasted”. We feel a connection with the poet and the narrator within the poem. I connect personally with the events within her work, and therefore her poetry impacts me deeply.

So, to conclude, it has to be said that I enjoyed Richs poetry immensely. When you pick up a book of her poems you will recognize yourself that her exquisitely challenging, interesting themes, her beautifully shaped imagery and her skilful use of remarkable techniques; such as similes, extended metaphors and stunning atmosphere all work to make her work unforgettable. Richs talent in evoke emotion, yet keep cool within a structured form, her employment of rhythm and rhyme and effective use of symbol will bring you closer to this personal writer, as it did for me. What more could you want?

Haha..bubble fountain...

2011-09-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Frost

2011-08-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

Frosts Poetry has can be enjoyed by all. The ideas within his themes, and how he expresses these ideas are enjoyable, as well as his effective technique and language use. Frosts writing appeals to a wide scope of readers due to his tremendous skill, depth of thought and imagination. He is highly structured and used familiar, even colloquial language, making his poems easy to enjoy by all. Frosts complex themes of the power of nature, seclusion and contemplation challenge the reader. His imagery of ordinary scenes that lead to deeper exploration is inspiring and transcending. His style of multiple interpretation, effective metaphors and symbolism as well as the use of rhyme and rhythm patterns all draw the reader in, making his poetry enjoyable to read.

Frosts themes are diverse and appealing. The theme of nature reoccurs throughout his work. He conveys his love of nature so effectively to the reader, appealing to our senses and drawing us in. In his poem “After Apple Picking” the narrator is giddy with sleep “done with apple picking. The narrator is tired after a lone day working in the orchids. Here nature is seen in a positive light; something precious. This poem is full of different layers and meaning. The picking of apples can be seen as a metaphor for writing poetry and also for the journey of life. Though the poem initially seems simple, it has a much deeper meaning and challenges the reader to look beyond the obvious. “Birches’ presents an ambiguous view of the natural world, using it to question large issues. Here we see nature as a teacher; showing the young boy about perseverance, patience and timing. “He learned all there was To learn about not launching out too soon”. Nature is an escape, a companion to the boy. “Some boy too far from town to learn baseball-Whose only play was what he found himself.” Frost also the power of nature in this poem. We see the power of ice storms, and we watch the trees as they are “dragged to the withered bracken by the load.” The theme of nature is evident in his poetry, often teaching lessons or described as having great power and beauty.

These poems positive view of nature is a complete contrast to that of “Design.” Here Frost reveals his rounded personality as a poet. Here he treats nature in a completely different manner. Everything is deceptive, veiled and disguised. The fat, white spider. The anaemic, sickly heal all commonly used for medical purposes. The silky moth. They all combine to from a “witches broth”. The idea of nature being evil, or being ruled by demonic powers is very different. Frost goes on to ask some fundamental questions, to which he gives no answer. Is there a God? A force which put this strange, unbelievable situation together. “what had that flower to do with being white…What brought the kindred spider to that height, then steered the white moth thither in the night?” Nature is portrayed as evil and malevolent in this poem.

Another theme within Frosts poetry is the issue of choices and the journey of life. This appeals to us, as we can all connect to this very human experience. “The Road Not Taken” opens with a clear statement. A choice had to be made. Frost used the extended metaphor of an autumn wood to express the nature of making choices. He focuses on consequences. “And looked down one as far as I could To where it bend in the undergrowth”. Frost explains how “way leads to way”, how he doubts he “shall ever come back”. The poet effectively highlights the outcome of life’s big choices. In “provide provide” Frost tries to convince the reader to prepare for the end. To buy friendship, to accumulate wealth or fame, as not to die alone. After Apple Picking can be read as a metaphor of the journey of life. The narrator has “a barrel” he did not fill, apples he “didn’t pick”, but is tired and is “done with apple picking.” The imagery of hard work “There were ten thousand thousand fruit to tough, Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.” expresses the achievements of the speaker, and those that had “Stuck the earth” as the failures. All in all the speaker is at the autumn of his life, tired of the work, ready for a long “sleep” after life’s labour.

The theme of poetry is another issue that Frost deals with. In Mending wall, the wall can signify the creative process of writing a poem. The “repair” of the wall, the careful building and the questioning of conforming to norms can be applied to the art of poetry. The careful picking of apples, selecting the fruit carefully can also be seen as a metaphor for the writing of poetry. Some apples are left behind “Two or three apples I didn’t pick”. He expresses his care for the choice of words; “cherish in hand” and his tired and troubled mind looking for “sleep”, as his imagination has worked tirelessly. Birches also reveals the patience needed for the poet to write. “He learned all there was to learn about not launching out too soon”. He learns to “balance” his work, never yielding. “one by one he subdued his fathers trees By riding them over and over again Until he took the stiffness out of them” From these poems we see the art of poetry writing coming through. It is a theme common to Frosts work.

Frosts use of imagery is very enjoyable. The image of the ice covered trees in Birches is breathtaking and cinematic. “As if the inner dome of heaven had fallen” The poets imagery is effectively used. I Apple Picking, we see the “magnified apples” and the ‘flick of the russet” clearly. We smell the apples in the barrel, we feel them in our palms cautiously, we hear them fall into the barrels with a thud. Frost appeals to the senses, bringing the reader into the poem. His descriptive language paints beautiful images within our minds. We see the white spider playing with “a rigid, satin, cloth” The moth is described to look like a ‘kite”, the spider “fat and dimpled”, the heal all to be colourless and translucent. This is turn challenges the reader to think. It is all the more eerie that the images of evil we are used to reading about. Here all is not as it seems. The imagery of the spider is that of a new born baby “fat” and “dimpled”. Frost includes symbols of purity an innocence usually associated with a wedding dress. These images of children playing and medicines used to heal are warped and turned into something evil hiding under a disguise. In Provide Provide, Frost uses the image of “Abishag”, a biblical reference which enhances his poem. He contrasts her previous beauty to her “hag” like appearance now. Frost effectively expresses the passing of beauty. In Mending Wall, the image of the “stone aged” neighbour effectively conveys Frosts theme. He highlights the “blackened” mind and understanding of the traditional man, unwilling to question or reason. “Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.” The image of the man struggling to move “in darkness” is an effective symbol for his metaphorical darkness of the mind. His refusal to look beyond his instinctive need for a wall is the cause of this darkness of mind. He “will not go behind his father’s saying.” Here Frost challenges the human territorial need to segregate using humour and wit. This is engaging and enjoyable for the reader. The poet draws on the mythological image of Sisyphus, pushing a boulder up a hill for eternity to express his frustration in the futility of the building of the wall that will fall down by next year. The imagery of “elves” and the mystery of “something there is that doesn’t love a wall” adds to the atmosphere of the poem, giving it an almost magical feel. Frosts imagery is cinematic and beautiful as well as aids in enhancing his poetry and adding meaning.

Frosts use of colloquial language is informal, simple and personal to the reader. As if in an easy conversation, Frost communicates with us. We see this in The road not taken, when the poet describes the roads being warn down “really about the same”, or the casual “I doubted that I should ever come back. This reinforces the effect of the relaxed vocabulary. The colloquial style of the monologue in Mending wall gives a relaxed, lilt quality to the work. The use of “I” and “My” throughout his poetry makes it personal and places the reader within the poem. We feel a part of what he is saying and can better understand him as a result. Also, the use of simple language allows the poet to concentrate on his complex themes, often more than one understanding can be made from any of his poems.

The poet uses repetition frequently in his poetry. In “provide. Provide” He uses it to emphasis his point. He expresses the importance of preparing for the future. In Mending wall the opening line is repeated “Something there is that does not love a wall.” The mystery is emphasised, this unknown “something” Is it something supernatural? He never answers our question. In the road not taken, again the first line is repeated. This effectively jois the end of the poet to the beginning, almost in a cycle. This contrasts with the inevitability that the poet cannot turn back, but must live with the consequences of his actions, never to “come back” to that moment f choice. Also this repetition adds emphasis on the importance of his decision. It has made “all the difference” in life. Looking back on his choice he decided that it was the right one to take.

The tone and atmosphere within Design is created by its childlike rhythm and nursery rhyme sound. Coupled the eerie imagery and symbol a haunting atmosphere is created. Provide, Provides overtone is that of mocking and jeering. It also has a nursery rhyme pattern, adding to the cynical tone of the poem. ‘Die early and avoid the fate, Or if predestined to die late, Make up your mind to die in state.“ The childlike rhyme creates a sneering quality to the poem. Frost effectively captures the haziness of someone overly tired. “I am drowsing off, I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight” The rhythmic, falling, heavy beat within the poem as well as the the effective imagery all help to create the feeling of exhaustion in the reader. The vision of “magnified apples”, which “appear and disappear” captures the hazy, confused vision of the speaker.

Alliteration and onomatopoeia are techniques used often by frost in his poetry, which adds to the effectiveness of his poetry. In Birches, the ”cracks and crazes” of the enamel of the trees is onomatopoeic and creates a flowing rhythm to the poem. We hear the branches “clicking upon themselves”, we see the trees “Shed crystal shells, shattering and avalanching on the snow crust-Such heaps of glass to sweep away”. The ‘s’ sounds add a softness and delicacy to the poem.

Punctuation is another feature of language employed by Frost. Exclamation marks are used to emphasis a point. This is seen in the dark, cynical humour of Provide Provide. “Make the whole stock exchange your own”, here the poem has picked up momentum as the poet becomes passionate in his mocking speech. The exclamation expresses his exasperation and disgust at the fickleness of humanity. Of “Hollywood”, “beauty” and the “stock exchange”. He finishes of by emphasising the final line, getting his point across firmly before closing, repeating the final word twice. “Provide, provide!” The dash marks in Design help to emphasis certain lines within the poem as well as creating a rhythm. “…Like a white piece of rigid cloth- Assorted characters of death and blight” Frost names off the ingredients to this “witches broth”, describing them vivid images. He then sums up these ingredients; calling them characters of death and blight. Like a chant, he explains how the “broth” is “mixed”, emphasising the ingredients, as if it were a witches chant. The reader can almost see them being thrown into a cauldron. “A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth, And dead wings carried like a paper kite.” Finally, the dash is used to emphasis his final question, a disturbing thought that drives the point across to the reader. “What but design of darkness to appall?-If design govern a thing so small.” Here we question the existence od God, or a demonic, evil power at work to create this eerie situation. Or worse yet, could it all be an accident? Is there evil within nature, or is there an evil presence? And is this evil presence has a hand over something as small as a spider, a moth, what will it do with us? These questions are not answered. The reader is left with them.

The structure which Frost employs is always rigid. He uses traditional methods in all his poetry; which helps to enhance his work. His simple forms allow his to concentrate on his complex themes more clearly. In Design, the childlike rhyming structure is used and twisted. It is the normal order of a sonnet reversed. Frost describes an occurrence or a scene in the octet and then poses questions in the sestet. Usually, questions are posed and then answered on sonnet form. This “perversion” of the sonnet form reflects the perversion of the images within the poem. Also, this suggests to us that the poet does not have the answers to these questions. The final couplet gives two possible conclusions, but it is left hanging in the mind of the reader. It is a dark and unsettling poem, set to an airy and light poetic form. This only adds to its eeriness and disturbs the reader further. In after Apple Picking, the poet uses phrases that don’t rhyme, with strange rhythms. Short sentences follow long lines. This all adds to the disoriented, confused feeling and atmosphere of the poem. The structure creates in the reader the dizzy, stumbling feeling of the narrator. In Mending Wall the poem is written in unrhymed iambic pentameter, which makes the poem seem more relaxed. “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” The feeling of everyday speech relaxes the reader, and the tone is almost conversational. The poem is highly crafted and the traditional forms give the poem a stable platform that enables the poet to explore his themes effectively. Iambic pentameter is also seen in After Apple picking to create this relaxed atmosphere, and in Birches, which reflects Frosts personality and allows Frost to concentrate on the theme. A road not taken is written in tetrameter; a formal construction. The steady regularity of the four- beat lines create a sense of peacefulness and thoughtfulness within the poem. This contrasts with the wavering meter; this changing rhythm reflects an almost regretful condition within the speaker and the memory of his hesitation. This creates a dramatic effect and makes this choice feel important to the reader.

Frost transcends his poetic themes throughout this work. In Design he questions the existence of God, asking key philosophical questions, challenging the beliefs and ideas of his reader. Encouraging us to question and contemplate. In After Apple Picking he talks of his “lone two-pointed ladder’s sticking through a tree Towards heaven.” Frost is constantly contemplating boundaries; the boundary between heaven and earth, his wish to break through this barrier and his fear to be stuck on the other side. We see this again in Birches. The poet describes the young boy ”Kicking his way down through the air to the ground”. The poet described the times in his life when he is :weary of considerations, And life is too much like a pathless wood.” When he wished to “get away for earth awhile And then come back to it and begin over”. The idea of beginning afresh, of escaping this world for a little while is very seducing to all. The poet is not contemplating suicide , as earth is where “love” can be found. He fears something will “snatch” him away. The image of “climbing a birch tree, And climb black braches up a snow-white trunk Towards heaven” is very effective as the poet touches the boundaries between heaven and earth only to have the tree dip its top and set him “down again.” This idea is inspiring and refreshing, and very human.

Frosts use of language, the themes he deals with and his effective stylistic techniques all make his poetry enjoyable to read. His vivid imagery, formal structure and use of metaphors to layer his poetry all add to his work and make his poetry meaningful and unforgettable. The poets ability to bring across emotions to the reader through his poetry is amazing. His use of simple, colloquial language, ordinary events and the personal “I” helps to draw in the reader. Through these everyday scenes Frost is able to challenge us, causing us to ask questions. His poetry can be enjoyed by anyone.

August Rhapsody in C major

2011-08-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

Bob Marley-Could you be loved

2011-06-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Regina Spektor, Hero

2011-06-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

Rosie the Riveter

2011-06-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Most of our readers are probably familiar with the now-iconic “We Can Do It!” poster associated with Rosie the Riveter and the movement of women into the paid industrial workforce during World War II:

Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories during World War II , many of whom worked in the manufacturing plants that produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military. Nonetheless, women quickly responded to Rosie the Riveter, who convinced them that they had a patriotic duty to enter the workforce. The image is widely seen as a symbol of women’s empowerment and a sign of major gender transformations that occurred during the 1940s.

The term "Rosie the Riveter" was first used in 1942 in a song of the same name written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. The song portrays "Rosie" as a tireless assembly line worker, doing her part to help the American war effort.

All the day long,
Whether rain or shine
She’s part of the assembly line.
She’s making history,
Working for victory
Rosie the Riveter

The individual who was the inspiration for the song was Rosalind P. Walter, who "came from old money and worked on the night shift building the F4U Corsair fighter."Although real-life Rosie the Riveters took on male dominated trades during World War II, women were expected to return to their everyday housework once men returned from the war.

"Rosie the Riveter" inspired a social movement that increased the number of working American women to 20 million by 1944, a 57% increase from 1940. What unified the experiences of these women was that they proved to themselves (and the country) that they could do a "man's job" and could do it well. African American women were some of those most affected by the need for women workers. It has been said that it was the process of whites working along blacks during the time that encouraged a breaking down of social barriers and a healthy recognition of diversity.

For some, World War II represented a major turning point for women as they eagerly supported the war effort, while other historians emphasize that the changes were temporary and that immediately after the war was over, women were expected to return to traditional roles of wives and mothers, and finally, a third group has emphasized how the long-range significance of the changes brought about by the war provided the foundation for the contemporary woman’s movement.

In 1942, Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller was hired by the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee to create a series of posters for the war effort. One of these posters became the famous “We Can Do It!” image—an image that in later years would also become “Rosie the Riveter”, though this was not intended at its creation. Miller based his “We Can Do It!” poster on a United Press photograph taken of Lansing, Michigan, factory worker Geraldine Doyle. Its intent was to help recruit women to join the work force.

Norman Rockwell's image of "Rosie the Riveter" received mass distribution on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in 1943. Rockwell's illustration features a brawny woman named 'Rosie' taking her lunch break with a rivet gun on her lap and beneath her boot a copy of Hitler's manifesto, Mein Kamf. Less known to the general public is that the Sistine Ceiling image of Isaiah the prophet is the root of Rockwell's Rosie. Two of her most famous photos were of Rosie treading on a book written by Adolf Hitler and of her in a U.S. fighter plane with another woman fueling the plane.

Beautiful!!

2011-06-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

A letter to the future...

2011-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

To Whom it may concern,

I am writing to you representing my generation today, in 2010. When thinking of our planet earth, I particular hopes for 2050, which I pray that my generation will fulfil. With the help of other spirited, driven and determined young people just leaving secondary school and entering the world as young adults, we hope to influence our world greatly for the better. We have the ability, the will and the man power. We must work together and strive to make a better tomorrow, today.

May it be our generation that sees to the distribution of wealth and an end to poverty. The worlds wealth is divided so unevenly today, 2010. The tiny minority live in luxury, totally oblivious to the huge majority living in poverty. We see images on the TV every day, of starving malnourished people of the third world. A day doesn’t go by that we don’t hear of suffering in the world, or see a poster or billboard urging us to help. How can we forget about it. We react with a sad shake of our heads and a “that’s so sad, cant anyone help them” but we fail to see that WE are the somebody’s. We have become immune to peoples suffering. Its now “normal to us”, its far away and removed. We can forget about it and carry on with life. We can waste food in huge quantities, as our dumps
suggest. We can spend copious amounts of money without the though of our brother a few thousand miles away who cannot feed their child. The small desperate handful of workers cannot do it alone, they need the help of all of us! Hopefully this problem can be combated, spreading wealth and aiding those in desperate poverty. Teaching them to help themselves. If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you’ve fed him for life. People need not just a means to live, but dignity and pride. Those reading in 2050, I am confident that this goal has been met.

May clean water and health care be afforded to ever person on this planet, their basic needs.. How is it, that in the 21 century so many people don’t have access to clean running water? Is this not a priority? By 2050, my hope is that there is a clean water system in every city, town and village in every country in the world. It can be achieved, if we put our minds, efforts and resources into this goal. it’s a desperate need, people are dying of dehydration as I write this letter. Irish people cant come to grips with this, with our extreme amounts of rainfall, water is easily gotten and wasted without thought to how lucky we are. Yes lucky, though we might not always think so. Would you rather get a little wet, or die due to lack of water that flows so endlessly in our country. Droughts are caused by global warming, our co2 emissions, our waste and pollution. America and China produce huge amounts of co2 gas each year, not thinking of the lives that will be lost so that they can make a revenue! I hope that a president has risen up from my generation in the US that puts a stop to this and takes strong action towards healing our planet.

Let us fight for peace globally; promoting tolerance, inclusiveness and respect of differences. War is a huge problem in our world, and we never seem to learn from our mistakes. We wage war constantly, usually over the greed or prejudices of man. Each person is made equal in the sight of God, each person in entitled to their own opinions or beliefs. We may not always agree with one another, but can we not get along? Is there no way that men can prefer others? By 2050, my hope is that integration societies will be put into place for immigrants, that the UN will continue their good work for world peace and that tensions between Christian and Muslim societies will be eliminated. it’s the age of forgiveness. We have to, if we are ever to move on and work together to combat problems in our world and create a better environment globally. Racism and prejudice of others due to race, colour, religion, age or genre is ramped in society. We stereotype others, we judge without meaning to. Its our mindset that must be changed. We must not suspect others, but learn to trust one another if we are ever to achieve anything. Women’s place in society is a huge area in most countries, especially in Indian and African tradition, where women are second grade citizens. Even in western culture, men are still paid better than women for completing the same jobs, positions of leadership are held by mostly men and even examinations for once “men’s occupations” such as medicine are constructed in favour of males. Women in society have come on leads and bounds, especially since WW2, however we still have a long way to go. By 2050, I’m sure that women and men are treated equally.

My hope today is that by 2050 action will be taken against the huge problem of drug abuse, especially in young peoples lives. Drug use is on the increase. It has filtered down to the ordinary, everyday working class. Students are also heavily involved in drugs. Be it addicts, traffickers or sellers of illegal substances. The effect of drug abuse vary and cause so much damage, not only to the user, but their families too. Suicide and self harm is seen in many cases, due to addictions, hallucinations, or not being able to afford feeding the addiction. Drugs have many physical side effects, and can cause death. It also causes an alteration of personality, making a person become very violent. it’s the cause of many broken homes, like alcoholism, which is also a form of drug abuse, though not seen as such in society today. By 2050, I hope that this problem be tackled effectively. That more helplines and help groups be run and financed by the government, that greater penalties be put on traffickers and greater help is given to those suffering the effects of drug abuse..

As someone lucky enough to have been born into a society where education is available and free, my hope for the future is that each child has the opportunity to better their standard of living and to have access to necessary school facilities which are safe, stocked and free of fear. Education is of huge importance today, and I’m sure even more so in the year 2050. It has the ability to changes lives of individuals, and hence families, and in the long run whole communities. A stable society is one in which every child has the opportunity to follow their dreams and become what they want to be. An ideal world is one in which education is available to all children, no matter where they’re from. That each child has equal opportunities and a future ahead of them. Education is the tool that will get people out of poverty in the long run. By 2050, I hope to see this dream carried out. That there are schools, teachers and funding for students to learn in a clean, safe and secure environment with all the equipment they need for a proper education.

I hope that further research will be done to aid cancer and aids patients, and that a cure will be found. Cancer is a disease that is fast growing and ramped in our society today, 2010. I hope that by the time this letter is read again, that the problem of Cancer would have been demolished and a cure found. Extensive research is being made already, and I hope that this will continue to be supported in the future. Another huge area is that of the HIV, Aids virus. Spreading furiously and uncontained, it’s a death threat to many thousands of people today who carry the virus. Is there a cure? We can only hope. We can only hope that by 2050 the Aids virus will be eradicated, that a cure will be found to destroy the thing that destroys so many lives.

I pray that we will leave behind materialism, prejudice and selfishness, and that men will once again reach out to their families, neighbours and the rest of mankind. Our western world have become so out of touch. We all lead our own, separate lives. We have lost our sense of community and the value of family. There are steps already being taken to unite the community, to get youth involved in their local area and with charity work. Ireland has a huge heart for the less fortunate. The Irish population give the most money to charities per person than any other country in the world. Lets hope that we keep have kept our sights on this in years to come. That we follow this good example, and maybe even do it better. Hopefully we can learn something good from this recession that we are facing at the moment, hopefully also gone by 2050!
That we will learn what’s really important, that life’s short and that we cannot be certain of tomorrow, only today. that’s why work begins NOW! I hope that we didn’t just loose our money, but our materialism too.
I pray that young western children, which our generation will raise, will grow to be good people, with moral values and respect for others. People who don’t find their worth in what they own, or how much money they have in the bank, but in what’s really important. I trust that you who are reading this letter see yourselves mirrored in this description.

Let the huge problem of global warming, which causes melting ice caps and horrific natural disasters be faced head on, not ignored as in the past because Co2 gas is “colourless, odourless and tasteless” Just because we cant see it, doesn’t mean its not there. This problem cant be faced alone. We all need to work together on this. The amount of pollution that we generate is shocking. We burnt fossil fuels without thought of consequences, we dump our waste into landfills and in oceans and we produce so much non-biodegradable merchandise. If we don’t take action now, we will just be ignoring the problem. We will make the wrong choice, and there are only 2. Act or don’t. “Life” or “death”. We must strive to leave our earth the way we got it, no, better still!! Stewardship is an art lost in 2010 s society. I’m sure it will be rediscovered by 2050. I have great hopes for my generation. We can change the world, so why don’t we? I hope you are able to say that we did!

I hope that my generation will not cower behind their white picket fences, blind to the suffering of others. I hope that we never loose our fervour and that we do, in fact, inspire change. I want to see my fellow students go on to do the things that they dream, be it feeding the hungry or finding a cure for a retched disease. Let us dedicate our lives for those who come after us, remembering that, as the old red Indian proverb goes, we did not inherit the earth from our forefathers, rather we are borrowing it from our children. There is so much we must do; battle for peace, strive for womens equality, build function able schools in poor areas. The list is endless, but not impossible. We must start today, and we must start by changing our mindset. By working together we can, and will, achieve great things for our planet earth.

Yours Faithfully,
Amy A

The most beautiful movie and song!

2011-06-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

"Quelqu’un M’a Dit" ( By Carla Bruni) lyrics:

On me dit que nos vies ne valent pas grand-chose
Elles passent en un instant comme fanent les roses
On me dit que le temps qui glisse est un salaud
Que de nos chagrins il s'en fait des manteaux
Pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit...
(refrain)
Que tu m'aimais encore
C'est quelqu'un qui m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore
Serait-ce possible alors ?
On me dit que le destin se moque bien de nous
Qu'il ne nous donne rien et qu'il nous promet tout
Paraît que le bonheur est à portée de main
Alors on tend la main et on se retrouve fou
Pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit...
(refrain)
Mais qui est-ce qui m'a dit que toujours tu m'aimais ?
Je ne me souviens plus, c'était tard dans la nuit
J'entends encore la voix, mais je ne vois plus les traits
"Il vous aime, c'est secret, lui dites pas que je vous l'ai dit"
Tu vois, quelqu'un m'a dit...
Que tu m'aimais encore, me l'a-t-on vraiment dit...
Que tu m'aimais encore, serait-ce possible alors ?

Translated:

I’m told that our lives aren’t worth much,
They pass like an instant, like wilting roses.
I’m told that time slipping by is a bastard
Making its coat of our sorrows.
Yet someone told me…
That you still loved me
Someone told me…
That you still loved me.
Well ? Could that be possible?
I’m told that fate makes fun of us,
That it gives us nothing and promises everything,
When happiness seems to be within our reach,
We reach out and find ourselves like fools.
Yet someone told me…
That you still loved me
Someone told me…
That you still loved me.
Well ? Could that be possible?
Well ? Could that be possible?
So who said that you still loved me?
I don’t remember any more, it was late at night,
I can still hear the voice, but I can no longer see the face,
“He loves you, it’s secret, don’t tell him I told you.”
You see, someone told me
That you still loved me
Did someone really tell me?
That you still loved me
Well, could that be possible?
I’m told that our lives aren’t worth much,
Passing in an instant, like wilting roses,
I’m told that time slipping by is a bastard,
Making its coat of our sadnesses.
That you still loved me
Someone told me…
That you still loved me.
Well ? Could that be possible?

Red Riding Hood!!

2011-05-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Wow! To be honest, I wouldn't mind having these guys fight over me!

Max Irons

hhh

Shiloh Fernandez

Beautiful flowers at spring time

2011-05-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

My house is always overflowing with flowers during the spring.

We may not be "green fingered" people per say, however we moved to the country last year.

The colours of spring never cease to amaze me really.

Here are a few pictures...my dad bought my mom flowers...so sweet!

So cute! Love the colours...They cheer me up every time I see them!

Love wild flowers...even weeds can be beautifully deceptive at times...

The lovely bouquet :)

Cool spiky green flower....

Gerard Manely Hopkins- High Hopes and a Heavy Heart

2011-05-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Many of you may have come across the writings of Hopkins. He is a poet that I enjoyed studying immensely; he challenged my intellect, moved my emotions and captured my imagination. Hopkins effectively reaches many levels through his poetry. His stimulating and intellectually challenging work gives the reader a sense of satisfaction. He had a profound understanding of the Christian faith, which he expresses passionately and we can relate to the questions he poses. Hopkins poetry deals with powerful themes which evoke emotion from the reader, creates breathtakingly beautiful imagery which captures a specific moment in time and uses unique techniques which effectively engages the us; making his poetry appealing. His poetry is inspiring in itself as a high form of aesthetic language. His innovations, close attention to detail, coined words and structures make his work impacting.

Nature plays a huge part in the themes of Hopkins poetry. This theme appeals to us as we can identify with it, a moment in time when the magnificence of nature leaves us in awe. The manifestation of God in nature is a powerful theme used by Hopkins. This theme appeals because Hopkins was able to express to the reader his deep love and faith in Christ, revealing his own soul and inner self. We feel connected personally to the poet “The Windhover” is an example of a poem in which Hopkins entraps the marvel of creation and God in beautifully painted words. Hopkins’s sonnets typically shift from a personal, often sensual experience, rooted in the physical world, to moral, philosophical, and theological reflections. He uses the image from nature to capture a characteristic of God. Many of his poems feature an ecstatic outcry, a moment at which he expresses his transcendence of the real world into the spiritual world. The words ah, o, and oh signal when poem moves from a description of nature’s beauty to an expression of religious sentiment. “Oh morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs- Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with arm breast and with ah! bright wings.” We get to know the reader as he explains an important aspect of his life that we may not personally understand ourselves. He begins by praising an aspect of nature, then leads into a consideration of an aspect of God “My heart in hiding Stirred for a bird- the achieve of, the mastery of the thing”. Worship is a very powerful, intimate and personal thing, and we are allowed to catch a glimpse of Hopkins praising God with all he has. Hopkins used poetry to express his religious devotion, drawing on natural images.

“Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume here Buckle! And the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion Times lovelier, more dangerous, O my Chevalier!”

In “God’s Grandeur”, to Hopkins dismay, men misuse what God has created for our enjoyment. “And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; and wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell” He laments these effects in Gods grandeur. “The soil is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod”. This poem is close to home; a familiar issue. The word has not changed so much since his time. Hopkins gives hope, telling of nature’s power of regeneration. “And for this nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things”. He speaks about the wellspring that runs through nature and through humans. This is very uplifting.

Felix Randal opens almost coldly, moving into a most intimate recollection of a parishers time with one of the members of his flock. We get a view of Hopkins life a s a priest and his great privilege to be able to comfort this sick man. “ I had our sweet reprive and ransom tendered to him”. The poem is intimate, we witness a loving friendship and the care given Care. Here we are uplifted at the goodness in humanity; the fact that we reach out to each other and that we are able to bless and encourage one another during hardship. Through this poem we see another facet of the poet and we are also confronted with the importance of friendship. We are left with a positive image of Felix; as Hopkins remembers the man as he was. This idea of the power of humanities kindness is extremely uplifting.

Hopkins just as effectively expresses his pain and isolation, through images of nature. As joyful and magnificent his worship and exalting poems to God are when he is firm in his faith, his terrible sonnets weigh as much in how terrible, hopeless and agonizing the situation Hopkins was in at the time. The terrible sonnets focus on themes of death, destruction and darkness. Hopkins writes when he feels an absence of God and a deep failure when he looks at his life. We see the poet plead helplessly in Thou art indeed just Lord “O thou Lord of life; send my roots rain”, again in No worst there is none “Comforter, where, where is your comforting?” his wounded cries touch us deeply and we connect with him and his longing for release. His cries go unanswered “And my lament Is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent to dearest him that lives alas away”. The shocking opening line of “I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day” puts us straight into the broken mood. This pain is continuous, never-ending, sure to resurface. “But where I say Hours, I mean years, mean life.” These poems appeal because of their raw emotion which obviously comes from the core of the poet. We sympathise with him and his isolation with the person he holds dearest in the world. Many readers today can understand the feeling of isolation, confusion, hopelessness and ultimate depression. “What hours, O what black hours we have spent this night! What sights you, heart, saw; ways you went” He cannot even form words to explain his pain and anguish. Hopkins reveals his deep feelings and expresses to the reader what it’s like to be in his depression, with only sleep to comfort him. “all Life death does end and each day dies with sleep” the almost suicidal references takes its toll on us. We care for the poet, we want to help him, but are unsure as to how. Hopkins managed to capture his feelings into words, making my heart ache at the thought of someone suffering so much. The emotive and ecstatic way in which he conveys his themes in his writing overwhelms and impacts the reader, making his poems unforgettable. Writing on spiritual darkness and mental suffering was unusual for his time. Hopkins wrote on subjects most other writers would have avoided. We can admire his courage for writing about the truth, ahead of his time.

Hopkins imagery is another aspect of his work that makes it appealing. In God’s Grandeur we see powerful, dazzling imagery, which draws us in immediately. “It will flame out, shining from shook foil” Gods magnificence is said to gather “to greatness; like the ooze of oil Crushed”. This beautiful image full of light appeals to the sense of sight, it is positive and uplifting. This effectively contrasts with the following, negative imagery “the soil is bare, nor can foot feel, being shod” where again Hopkins appeals to the senses, as this image is very tactile. The imagery of the windhover is particularly striking. Hopkins manages to capture the essence of the bird in the poem. The powerful, wild description of the “striding” bird “As a skates heel sweeps smooth” holds the attention of the reader throughout the poem. We are there, watching this powerful bird of prey in flight. Hopkins brings across the uplifting emotions he feels, passing it on to us “My heart in hiding stirred for a bird”. The poem ends with the image of light, “Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear, Fall, gall themselves and gash gold-vermillion” the beautiful array of vivid colours, the metaphor for brilliance is breathtaking. We can see the swell and split of the dull ashes in a fire, to reveal a bright and mesmerising flame inside. Hopkins describes light and colour extremely well, so well in fact that our minds eye catches a glimpse of it.

In I wake and feel the fell of dark, not day, the imagery again appeals to the senses of the reader, this time to taste. “I am gall, I am heartburn.” This image is very effective; the reader feels the sensation and tastes the bitterness. This is all very real and makes the poem immediate. In No worst there is none Hopkins uses nature to express his falling into depression, “O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall Frightful, sheer no man fathomed”. The confusion of his despair is “a whirlwind” The imagery is frightful and helpless. Hopkins communicates the sensation of falling off a cliff, into a deep and inescapable depression. “Nor does long our small durance deal with that steep or deepThe imagery of “Bones built in me, flesh filled, blood brined the curse” is quit a grotesque medieval term. Hopkins expresses his physical and emotional turmoil through these images.

Symbolism is heavily used by Hopkins. The symbol of the “great grey drayhorse” is used to describe Felix Randal. In the same way as the large horse, Randal once stood apart from fellow labourers. “powerful among peers”. The “farrier” is a symbol of God, purifying us, to make us fit for heaven. The “selfyeast” is a symbol of one’s ability to pick oneself up. When this “dull dough sours” it is unable to refresh itself, or to raise its own spirits. The symbol of a eunuch is used in “thou art indeed just Lord”, symbolizes infertility and a lack of power and strength. A classical term used by Hopkins to express his feelings of worthlessness and failure. This gives an extra layer to his poetry and adds meaning and depth. In turn, this makes his poetry more appealing. The word “dauphin” in the Windhover is a French monarch term for the first-born air to the throne. By referring to the eldest son of the monarch, Hopkins obviously intended us to view the falcon, a symbol of royalty in itself, as a symbol for Christ the Son of God. The way in which Hopkins uses these symbols, weaving them expertly into his poems effortlessly astounded me. The classical and literary references give academic status and a high level of meaning to Hopkins poems. The mention of “fury” in “No worst there is none” links with the Greek mythological Furies, the merciless, avenging spirits. “Thou art indeed just, Lord” is based on a biblical reference found in the book of Jeremiah “wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?”. In “No worst there is none”, there is a reference to King Lear. “My cries heave, herd-long; huddle” reflects the poor wretch. This classical term is appealing, as it heightens the poem and adds yet another layer to Hopkins work.

Hopkins used the techniques of inscape, creating in word the uniqueness of something, capturing the essence of it. An example is how he captures the flight of the windhover, where he uses this technique to express ecstatic joy in the beauty of nature. Hopkins coined the word inscape, to describe how he tried to produce faithfully the individual characteristics of a particular object or thing. He also uses this technique to express his deep depression. He conveys the energy in things through instress, capturing the power of the bird in flight.
Hopkins asks a few natural and commonly asked questions by humans throughout history. Why do the evil men prosper? Why do good people suffer? “why do sinner’ ways prosper? And why must disappointment all I ever endeavour end” Where is God, and his comfort and love at times of great despair or need? Will God ever hear me? “cries like dead letters to dearest him that lives alas! away” This makes his poetry very real and relevant for every generation and decade. It also makes the poet very human.

Structure is another key stylistic feature of Hopkins. He uses his structure to emphasis his point and allow his poems to flow smoothly. In m “Thou are indeed just, Lord, if I contend”, the structure is that of a court case end speech. There is a logical and mathematical opening. Hopkins expertly represents his case, a clear and clinical argument. The beginning 8 lines form the argument of the poem and the following sestet gives a heightened conclusion, rapping the poem up in a final powerful phrase or thought. He becomes more personal and passionate; ending with a plea. This makes the language more effective. The form Hopkins uses gives the poem a natural build. Hopkins structure appeals as it is easy to follow, leading the reader logically along. The easy flowing form leads to a natural build up in the poem, which usually reflects the language context. The structure lends to the movement of the poem to the final phrase, easily highlighting the important point in the poem, aiding the sprung rhythm.

Coined words is a technique used by Hopkins that makes his poetry highly appealing. This technique is unique to Hopkins, showing his great creativeness. Coined works are made up words, usual two words put together. This allows one word to mean many things, and to be layered. He is able to place these words and fit them into his structure effectively, allowing the poem to flow. This also increases the meaning of a phrase, improving the language. “Forpangs” in No worst there is none is coined by Hopkins to convey the sense that his anguish is built upon previous feelings of despair. Also the use of a word with many meanings increases the meaning and level of the poem, making it more intellectual and effective. The word “Buckle” from the Windhover expresses the fusion of two opposite characteristics of Christ and the falcon. Firstly they are powerful and majestic; secondly they are seen as a gentle creature who embraces the world in a loving manner. This fusion of two central qualities is common in Hopkins work and shows his amazing talent and ability as a writer. One can do nothing but admire him. The word “wimpling” also has a number of meanings. Including to wrinkle, to ripple, or to meander. In this one verb, Hopkins captures so much of the bird’s movement.

Alliteration is used widely by Hopkins in Gods grandeur the “s” used reflects the “shinning from shook foil”. The long, drawn out sounds in “seared”, “bleared” and “smeared” reflect the motion of the words. This alliteration helps the flow and rhythm of the poem, moving it along “I caught this morning mornings minion”. This has a steady beat, a rolling natural flow. This effectively aids in the description of the windhover as it “sweeps smoothly”, we can hear the whistle in the air. The repeating “s” again aids in creating a sound effect. “dapple-dawn-drawn falcon” ties the whole phrase together in a rolling rhythm, each word is connected, and flows easily. This makes it easy to read and beautiful to hear. This appeals greatly to any reader, or listener. In no worst there is one words such as “steep” “creep” and “ deep” give a heavy, dragging feeling to the movement in the poem. In no worst there is none the constant repetition of the first letter “Pitched, past pitch of grief, more pangs” gives the sharp thumping feeling the writer talks about. This makes it very real for the reader.

Sound is a huge thing used by Hopkins. Sound effect is important. Words such as “ooze”, “shrieked”, “heave” and are very onomatopoeic. The sound of a hammer against an anvil is created when Hopkins craftily combines the words “wince” and “sing”. This sharp sound shrieks very realistically. The following “lull” of silence is a deathly contrast. Hopkins uses colloquial terms in his poetry, which make it very real. “Felix Randal the farrier, O he is dead then?” The poetry is easy to listen to due to these colloquial phrases and everyday language. Hopkins used sprung rhythm to imitate the rhythm of natural speech. Sprung rhythm has varied stresses, not following a regular rhythm pattern. Some phrases are long, others short. This rhythm has force, energy and drive. This technique gave Hopkins a greater flexibility to express himself as well as sounding very natural.

Hopkins powerful themes, vivid imagery and skilful techniques seen in his poetry show his amazing ability to express deep emotions and complex themes to a reader through beautiful words. He is relevant to today’s society and was clearly before his time. He challenges the reader with his layered, intellectual work that can truly never be forgotten. This selection of a few of his poems will impact any reader, as it did for me.

Renoir-My favourite Impressionist painter!

2011-05-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

Degas continued!

2011-05-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Ladies and hats...

Degas awkward bathers are so natural and lovely!

Degas

2011-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Degas and his beautiful Ballet Dancers

Cezanne

2011-05-22T14:11:00.001-07:00

A few beautiful art works...

2011-05-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

I thought that the colours of these autumn leaves were so realistic! So vivid...

Thought this was cool...Dali I think?

Love this movement...

Celtic based art...thought this was so beautiful, with a mood of sadness

Impressionistic painting! Just perfect!!!

Thought this was amazing...

2011-05-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

Wuthering Heights

2011-05-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

'This is nothing,' cried she: 'I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy. That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other. I've no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn't have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.'

'It is not,' retorted she; 'it is the best! The others were the satisfaction of my whims: and for Edgar's sake, too, to satisfy him. This is for the sake of one who comprehends in his person my feelings to Edgar and myself. I cannot express it; but surely you and everybody have a notion that there is or should be an existence of yours beyond you. What were the use of my creation, if I were entirely contained here? My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and heremained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I amHeathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don't talk of our separation again: it is impracticable; and—'

'You teach me now how cruel you've been—cruel and false. Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this. You have killed yourself. Yes, you may kiss me, and cry; and wring out my kisses and tears: they'll blight you—they'll damn you. You loved me—then what right had you to leave me? What right—answer me—for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart—youhave broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine. So much the worse for me that I am strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will it be when you—oh, God! would you like to live with your soul in the grave?'

'Let me alone. Let me alone,' sobbed Catherine. 'If I’ve done wrong, I'm dying for it. It is enough! You left me too: but I won't upbraid you! I forgive you. Forgive me!'

'It is hard to forgive, and to look at those eyes, and feel those wasted hands,' he answered. 'Kiss me again; and don’t let me see your eyes! I forgive what you have done to me. I love my murderer—butyours! How can I?'

'May she wake in torment!' he cried, with frightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm of ungovernable passion. 'Why, she's a liar to the end! Where is she? Not there—not in heaven—not perished—where? Oh! you said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only donot leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!'

"... for what is not connected with her to me? and what does not recall her? I cannot look down to this floor, but her features are shaped in the flags! In every cloud, in every tree—filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day—I am surrounded with her image! The most ordinary faces of men and women—my own features—mock me with a resemblance. The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her!"

A walk with my sister...

2011-05-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

...Its so beautiful up here

...these wild flowers are considered to be the scurge of the Irish country side. I think they're amazing!

..My baby sister!

...sheep

Jimmy Eat World, "The Middle"

2011-05-13T11:55:00.001-07:00

A post entirely in French!

2011-05-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Vivre en Afrique du Sud

Quand on pense de Afrique du sud, on pense aux springboks, a la fin de l'apartheid et au destin exceptionnel de la père de la nation; Nelson Mandela qui a réconcilie la nation. Mais comment les choses ont évolué depuis? Le pays a considérablement changé au cours des vingt dernières années.

Je suis née dans un pays démocratique. Les lois ségrégationnistes ont été abolies, une démocratie multiraciale a été installe et la paix règne. Pour moi, c’était un bonne endroit merveilleux pour grandir. Mon enfance a été positive à cause de ceux qui ont combattu pour la liberté que les Sud-Africains peuvent profiter aujourd'hui.

Le pays lui-même est très beau et il ya toujours beaucoup à faire. . En raison de sa forte population et sa taille, ses différentes cultures et langages, c'est un endroit très intéressantes de vivre. Je vivais à Cape Town, la capitale.Vous y trouverez quelque chose.

Il ya de magnifiques vignobles, des montagnes énormes et les belles mers. L'océan Indien et l'océan Atlantique se rencontrent au Cap de Good Hope. Des sentiers de randonnée pédestre et randonnées dans la nature sont populaires. Nous aimons la nature. On y trouve des grands centres commerciaux. Ici on peut visiter les boutiques, a choisi un restaurant ou s'amuser. peut-être on peut aller patinage, se retrouvent au centre de jeux, jouer au bowling, aller au cinéma ou escalader le mur d'escalade. Il ya beaucoup à faire et à voir pour les touristes, peut-être aller en safari, visiter des musées ou des sites touristiques. Il est un lieu plein de couleurs, le bruit, le mouvement, la beauté, les gens et l'histoire. Beaucoup de gens me disent que l'Afrique du Sud et l'Irlande sont similaires, puisque les deux pays ont été confrontés à la colonisation, l'instabilité politique et difficultés de leur histoire.

Le système scolaire est brillant. Il ya beaucoup d'installations. Mon école avait une piscine, deux grands champs et des terrains de basket. Nous avions aussi un laboratoire de science, deux salles informatiques et des salles de dessin. Nous avons fait de grandes productions chaque année. Je me y suis amusée bien. Les enfants y connaître la valeur de l'éducation et la opportunités qu'il donne.

Liberté et niveau de vie ne sont pas le même chose. Il y a des profonds contrastes entre les quartiers d'une même ville, une grande pauvreté, présenté et bien visible de partout. La violence éclate souvent dans les townships car les gens perdent patience d'attendre l'aide du gouvernement et d'autres organisations. Il a fallu des années pour améliorer la vie de ces personnes, et souvent ils sont désespérés. Toutefois, maintenant que le pays a payé leur département, il est en mesure de consacrer tous dans le revenu pour aider son gens. La nation a beaucoup de ressources naturelle, en particulaire les métaux précieux; diamant, platine et or. Aussi le pays est vraiment a la traîne dans les technologies de l’information.

Le pays se réjouit parce que la Coupe du Monde de football. C’est un honneur pour la nation, un signe de reconnaissance. Il a fourni des emplois et de la sécurité était renforcée. le pays avait le plus bas niveau de criminalité de toute la Coupe du monde à ce jour. Il a été bon pour l'unification du pays et pour montrer ses capacités au reste du monde. De nombreux stades ont été construits, Fifa a donné une énorme somme d'argent pour la promotion du football en Afrique du Sud et les installations ont été améliorées par le gouvernement avant la Coupe.
J’y étais et l'ambiance était incroyable! Je suis allée a Waterfront pour regarder les matchs avec un foule immense de partisans sur un écran géant. Tout le monde chantait et dansait dans les rues, il y avait des défilés, des vendeurs et des animateur.

Similarités entre Afrique du Sud et Irlande.

A mon Avis, Afrique du sud et Irlande sont très similaires. Les gens sont très amicaux et accueillants. Ils travaillent dur et ont un amour pour leur pays. Les deux pays aiment le sport. Les Africaines du sud adorent en particulier le rugby, le cricket et la natation. Comme les Irlandais et leur football gaélique, chaque Sud-Africain joue le sport. Jeune ou vieux, homme ou femme, si vous êtes terrible ou brillant à elle. En plus de cela, la musique tient un rôle important pour les Sud-Africains et irlandais. Ils font partie de nos histoire et nos culture. Aussi Nous aimons la nature et la terre. Enfin, la famille est extrêmement importante pour les deux nationalités. Les familles ici et là sont proches.

Racisme

Le racisme est un problème mondial. En principe, il y a certaines des gens qui ont des préjuges contre les personnes avec les autre religions, cultures et peux. Par exemple; les gitans, les immigres et les groupes différents. Ca reflète une certaine ignorance, un manque d’éducation ou d’information et la peur de l’inconnu.

The Ponderous

2011-05-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

My class was able to visit the National Folk Theatre, Siamsa Tire about a month ago. Here we saw the instillation “The Ponderous”, choreography for blackboard. Choreographed by Michael Klien and performed by Jeffery Gormley, it is a highly established exhibition, having been exhibited in Hayward Gallery in London. As it is the local public gallery, I would visit Siamsa regularly to see their art exhibitions and watch their live shows; which include music, dance and theatre performance. Siamsa gives local artists a chance to exhibit their work, as well as commissions other artworks especially for the gallery, such as with “The Ponderous”. The class went to see the live “performance” which lasted about 50 minutes, and then returned to experience the work again and talk with

Siamsa

National Folk Theatre of Ireland

Siamsa Tire was built in 1991 and designed to resemble a round tower by architect Paddy Sullivan. It is run by Karl Wallace, the director of Siamsa who we got to meet and talk to about the gallery, Siamsa and the contemporary installation we saw. On entering the theatre a visitor comes upon an open space; with reception at the front, a bar with seats and information desk with lots of pamphlets, programs and leaflets about various exhibitions and show in the theatre. For this particular exhibition there was only some information of the wall explaining the background to the installation, a small plaque inside the gallery with a quote and a small explanation and finally an A-4 page with the name and performers of the art. The entire building of Siamsa Tire has three entrances and the main entrance is wheelchair accessible. It includes four galleries; including a large round gallery, two smaller galleries and a space for video projection. The multimedia room is used to show projections of film; during this exhibition it was used to show a DVD of an earlier performance.The Round Gallery is one of the more unusual spaces; a rotunda with 20 metre and 7 metre continuous walls. There are two entrances to the gallery. It is capped by a conical roof with a skylight. It reminded the choreographer, Klien, of a chapel; ponderous in nature. These as motion sensitive which saves energy and is eco-friendly. The bathrooms are clearly labelled, as well as the exhibitions and individual pieces. Signage is clear and visible and there is always a helpful member of staff willing to help a visitor.

Light is a combination of good overhead daylight and suspended lighting track with units. The lighting was set up so that the skylight was blocked off and the room was dim and the light even throughout the gallery. There were spotlights around the room which glowed on sections of the wall. Sometimes forms occurred in these lights, other times the spotlight lit up a blank section of the blackboard. The lights were left this way; in their original position. They were not moved to focus on the drawings or images on the walls.

The music playing in the background was like a sound scape; sometimes very loud and overbearing and other times plaintive and silent for long periods. The sound of the chalk was very clear to hear.

Dali

(Surrealist)

"The persistence of memory"

1931

Klien is a trained painter and choreographer we is interested in the way that natural things move in beautiful ways; the choreography of everyday life. A flock of birds in flight, water flowing over a surface, people weaving through each other as they cross the street. He is also interested in the subconscious mind, which is linked with the Surrealists interest in the world of the subconscious mind and free association. The performer is asked to express themselves through movement, thoughtfully using the blackboards to expel this thought. Jeffery is not a visual artist or a dancer; so he was not too worried about the ‘image’ he created or the way in which he moved. Each move was choreographed, but on the night intuition and improvisation did occur at times during the actual performance. The idea of performance art is that the artists body and movement is part of the art itself.

Duchamp

(Dadaist)

"The fountain"

1917

The exhibition is a contemporary installation designed to evolve over time. It is of our time, art made now. The installation occupied the entire space, changing over time and evolved to be sympathetic to the space it was in. Since the 20th century artists have tried to get rid of the “commercial art” idea in their work. Dadaism created “cheap”, destructive art that was not meant to be sold or put over a sofa. Installations did just that; so did found art, readymade art and photomontage. Dadaists had a message; art was not just for the rich and they blamed it for the War partly. They sought for it to tell the truth; to be contemporary. The entire wall of the round gallery was made into one large blackboard. Duchamp made this point with “the fountain”, and when is became popular and worth something, he made twenty more of them so that it would not be an original. A series of artists will work on the piece over a period of time using chalk and water. Images remain on the board until the next performance, when they are wiped clean. Its impermanent and the artist has released control; allowing freedom.

On 25th March 2011 the artist did his performance. Jeffery created a quiet space of calm. Time is a key factor in this piece. It’s a known fact that the average visitor to a gallery spends 9 seconds in front of each work before moving on. Here we have an hour, then a week of lull as the public is allowed to come and enjoy and engage with the entire installation. The viewer stands in the middle of the art piece; we are part of it. During the performance we sat in the centre of the gallery; right in the middle of everything. He sat still for 5 minutes first then moved throughout the gallery space making marks with chalk. We are given peace; Sometimes he did this slowly and contemplatively, other times very quickly and frantically. He would use both hands to draw, holding many pieces of chalk at once, and often he would close his eyes. At times during the performance, he paused; laying on the floor or standing before a board. He would sometimes wipe away parts of the work with a wet sponge or his hands. Areas wiped with the sponge became darker than the matt blackboard and water would drip down the boards making patterns and streaks down the walls. When these dried, he then traced them with chalk. A small mark or dot would develop into a whirl of swirls and lines. I found some forms looked like explosions, others like rain clouds, another to look like a light bulb. However, each person saw something different.

Bansky

Street artist

The first thing that I noticed about the piece was its untraditional, yet familiar materials. Blackboard paint and chalk. Being a secondary school student, this medium is not uncommon to me. We can all connect with it. We have all been the first year called up to the board to shakily solve a math problem and we have all vandalised the chalkboard during the break of class at some stage. The schoolish, childlike idea is very appealing. This connected with the idea of past and present and also conveying the idea of allowing yourself to become your childlike self and express yourself openly. I personally love the medium of chalk and charcoal on grey paper; but the idea of using it and blackboards as a medium was very different. The black and white contrast, the fun of the instant image on a wall to be washed away later is exciting and different and reminded me of Graffiti and Bansky.

Here we saw the art being “made”, and in fact I believe was part of the art itself. Some would argue that it was not art, and will not be until the end product. Others would say the performance itself was the art and the images on the blackboards only the aftermath, the “fossils“. A theatre performer always sees their audience and the final performance or “piece” is considered the art, and nothing before this. Dancers art is a process; their bodies are the artwork and it evolves in front of their audience. Visual art is also a process. When do we call it art? The process of movement as one makes the piece to the point of mounting it on the wall, when does it become art? I would say myself that both the process and final piece, together was the art. The “performance”, when the marks were being made through a series of movements, the serious thought process before and during the performance and also the images that were left on the walls. Is this art? I think so. As Marcel Duchamp, the Dada artist said, “Anything can be art if the artist intended it to be.“ However, even though both are one artwork, they can stand separately. The ideas behind the conceptual art is as important as the finished piece. The thought process, ideas and thinking behind it.

If you saw the performance and got the chance to talk to the artist himself, as we were able to do, the context would be know to you. We would see the ideas of the artist, witness what he was trying to do and by talking to them and asking questions we are enlightened. In this way, when you see the work on the boards again and think about it, your informed as you know the context. However, if you did not see the performance and you do not know the context every person will bring their own meaning to a piece. My ideas and thoughts will not be the same as yours, and this is ok. We bring our own ideas with us, and it can be hard to leave these behind when entering a gallery; we are influenced by our own culture, background or history. The “dispelled” evidence of the performance, I believe, can stand on its own as art and together both parts of the art work together as one.

Hausmann

(Dadaist)

"Spirit of our time"

1919

It is a layering process; being handed over from one artist/performer to another, to the local people. It will evolve and change overtime. It is a living, breathing thing that has been allowed space. It is a very brave tying to do. Last year we created an installation which we exhibited in the hall of the school. We provided a covered board, post-it notes and pens, as well as instructions and an explanation. We called it “Spirit of our Time” after Haussmann’s piece. We asked everyone to get involved; opening up our work. We were not sure where it would end up. We did decide that any negativity would not be destroyed, but constructed into something good. The piece evolved; we made a central digital “clock” like 2010, representing the year. We then layered and built all the post-its that people had left on the board around the clock. The organic, random positions of the notes were changed. We then made paper roses out of the few post-it notes with negative comments on them; they were part of the processes and the work. Finally, we stuck up objects which represents out time e.g. an I-pod, a watch, a calculator, rosary beads etc. Similarly, this installation will be open to the public.

Due to the open and evolving nature of the piece, the public gallery, which belongs to the people, had to make certain rules. We talked to the director and he explained that he had to ask the questions to protect the public. E.g. Will there be water on the floor? How much space and what lighting was needed? Will there be any swearing? The idea of censorship versus freedom of expression for artists is a huge debate. In music, in film, we see these things. However, in art the “subconscious” expression of an artist must be stifled under regulations such as “there will be no swearing”. This is because it is so public. However on can argue that the visitor chose to enter the gallery; and that these thing raise awareness or spark debates. If we are watching an artist in the process of making art, freely expressing himself and he writes a swear word or a signs suddenly in the midst of his thoughts; is it not the truth? Is it not part of his though process and the art? And should we hide the truth and put a barrier in front of an artist? On the other hand galleries are public spaces; there is public ownership.

Ingres

(Academic painter, member of Salon Jury and teacher)

"Turkish bath"

1862

Manet

"Olympia"

(Exhibited in Salon, but caused uproar.)

1863

Monet

(Impressionist)

"Impression Sunrise"

1872

Art is always pushing the limits people put on it; we see this with Manet in the Academy, with the impressionists and so on. Things are always changing and evolving over time. Rules are broken to find a new way. The Academic system is no more; artists over the years have rebelled against society and the rules put around them. I found this subject to be very interesting.

The exhibition was enjoyable; I found it interesting personally and it raised questions which challenged me as an art student. We were ecstatic to be asked to do a workshop with Jeffery and to be part of the actual work; creating our own performance and pieces with his guidance. This was a great opportunity for the class. The work we saw related to what we’ve done as a class and what we’ve been studying on many levels. I love visiting this gallery in particular and will defiantly be visiting the theatre after each phase over the next few weeks.

Beyonce- I'd Rather Go Blind

2011-05-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

Memories of Childhood

2011-04-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Huddling beneath my polka-dot bedspread, heart hammering I watched the “claw” like shadow moving over the room. A huge, black hand would move over the bed to grab at me each time the wind would howl during those stormy nights. Thumping noises would be heard in the attic and my closet would creak with anticipation as I squeezed my eyes shut covering them with tiny hands. The longer I waited, the louder the noises became. Finally I would muster enough courage to climb out of bed, rushing away from it before a monster jumped out from underneath it. I would race towards the door and not stop until I reached my parents room. Instead of taunting me my father would gently take my hand, enter the room and turn the lights on. As light flooded in the once hauntingly enchanted space re-morphed into my little bedroom. After checking under my bed and in the closet he would tuck me back into bed and tell me that if I was scared I should pray as God was watching over me. This continued on for months and one night my poor exhausted father led me by the hand. However, he didn’t put the lights on this time. It was then that he realised that he had not trimmed the huge oak tree just outside my window. A branch had grown and in the shadows of night it looked like a huge hand hanging over my bed, tapping and scraping on my window as the wind blew.

He cut the branches the very next morning. I never woke him up again.

The more that I think on it, the more I come to believe that there is nothing as powerful as the recollections created by a child's experiences. Our childhood memories shape our lives and each day is touched by these memories. Immense fears, great anxieties and the most negative views of ourselves are the product of the memories of youth. Our goals, our drives and our attitudes . Our perspectives, expectations and view of life are all impressively influenced by our childhood happenings and reminiscences. Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons. Katherine Anne Porter said “Childhood is the fiery furnace in which we are melted down to essentials and that essential shaped for good.”

You might be asking yourself what could possibly be so beneficial about memories? Our memories and past influence who we are and where we are going. They teach as and have the ability to make us laugh or cry as we recall past moments that we have kept as snapshots in our minds eye. They play an important role in giving us an identify; rooting us. It is important to look back on these memories, especially the strongest ones which we seem to remember so clearly. The exceptional moments of our childhood. In this way we are able to learn more about ourselves and life.

I have heard it been told that a person learns the most that they ever will in the first five years of their lives. That during these crucial first few years we develop and gain knowledge that will be important to us for the rest of our lives. Is it not true that our lives today are affected by our childhood? I learnt in my first fee years valuable lessons; for example instead of walking barefoot on boiling tarmac, I learnt to keep my shoes on my feet on a very hot day, I learnt not to try to climb a tree straight to the unsteady top branches the day I broke my arm and I learnt other valuable lessons; patience, friendliness and sharing through childhood lessons and a gentle nudge from my parents in the right direction. The most amazing thing is that as children we accept all and are open to gain knowledge. John Betjeman once said “Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows.“ We are often told that we are products of circumstance. Though I believe that we have a choice ourselves; with some amount of power over our own lives and responsibility for our actions, I do think that our surroundings effect us as people and our that we learn a little more everyday. My strongest childhood memories are not all good. Some are terrifying, others heartbreaking. However these times made me who I am and are all a part of life. Learning to gain insight in trials and from mistakes, giving thanks for the good times and never forgetting the people we meet on the way.

Memories not only teach us they can be very uplifting. Visions of playing in the dirt as a young child with friends. Thoughts of special days that we will never forget. These have the ability to lift our spirits when times are hard and to rejuvenate us. According to Tom Stoppard “If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” I would have to agree that memories of youth play a vital role in keeping us positive. Even though things change drastically over a few years I find it an exciting thought when I think of all the things I’ve done, places I’ve seen and people I’ve met over the past few years. Though I might be missing far away loved ones, distant lands and long ago moments, I can rest assured that I still have an entire life to live. The world is a big place, filled with possibility.

Looking back on my favourite childhood memories I realise that I am still the same young girl that I was then in many ways. I still am terrified of the dark…not physically anymore, but with my shadowy future which seems to be so unknown. I don’t know what I’ll find “under the bed”. I am as uncertain, alone and unsure as I was then. Today, with hindsight, I can look back on my childhood memories with a laugh. I recall that moment when I finally faced up to fears; checking the closet myself. Today I am older and I know that my fears then were based on my wild imagination, my uncertainty of the unknown. Today I have fears too; I have unanswered questions and I know that I won’t always have my father to run to when I’m afraid. The world is much bigger, I have more important decisions to make than which Teddy Bear to sleep with and yet the principle is the same. I have to look under the bed, facing the fears that haunt me. My memories taught me of concern, to conquer these anxieties and most importantly to ask for help when I need it. Finally I have hope that in the future I will be able to look back and laugh, having learnt. I can trust that all will go well and that this “unknown” is just part of life.

“I'd give all wealth that years have piled,
The slow result of Life's decay,
To be once more a little child
For one bright summer day.”
Lewis Carroll, "Solitude"

101 things to do before I die

2011-04-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

Swim with a dolphin.
Skydive.
Have my portrait painted.
Learn to speak a foreign language and make sure I use it.*
Attend at least one major sporting event*
Throw a huge party and invite every one of my friends.
Go skinny-dipping at midnight
Spend a whole day eating junk food without feeling guilty.*
Be an extra in a film.
Tell someone the story of my life, sparing no details.
Learn how to take a compliment.
Buy a round-the-world air ticket and a rucksack, and run away.
Give my mother a dozen red roses.
Put my name down to be a passenger on the first tourist shuttle to the moon.
Send a message in a bottle.
Plant a tree.*
Write a fan letter to my hero or heroine.
Learn to ballroom dance properly.
Fall deeply in love -- helplessly and unconditionally.
Write the novel I know I have inside me.
Buy my own house and then spend time making it into exactly what I want.
Stay out all night dancing and go to work the next day without having gone home
Shower in a waterfall
Teach someone illiterate to read.
Learn to play a musical instrument with some degree of skill.*
Sing a great song in front of an audience.*
Ask someone I've only just met to go on a date.
Make a complete and utter fool of myself.*
Sleep under the stars.*
Take a ride on the highest roller coaster in the country.
Spend a whole day reading a great novel.*
Learn to juggle with three balls.
Find a job I love.
Overcome my fear of failure.
Donate money and putting my name on something: e.g. a college scholars or a bench in the park.
Grow a garden.
Spend three months getting my body into optimum shape
Drive a convertible with the top down and music blaring.
Learn to use a microphone and give a speech in public.*
Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Go up in a hot-air balloon.
Attend one really huge rock concert.
Visit the Holy Land.
Visit a concentration camp.
Run to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
Create my Family Tree.
Learn to bartend.
Run a marathon.
Look into my child's eyes, see myself, and smile.
Learn to skate board
Get passionate about a cause and spend time helping it, instead of just thinking about it.*
See a lunar eclipse.*
Drive across America from coast to coast.
River rafting
Break a record
Bury a time capsule
Spend a week at sea
Make my own pasta
Build a tree house
Build something that will outlast me
Leave a love note on a windscreen
Watch the sun rise*
Watch a sunset*
Make a heap of autumn leaves*
Go see a ballet
Read Shakespeare*
Fast for 48 hours
Listen to my ipod right through
Take a vow of silence
Give blood
Test drive a car I cant afford
Annoy a security guard*
Climb all 1671 steps of the Eiffel Tower.
Save a life
Sell a work of art
Go skiing
Go windsurfing
Travel EVERYWHERE
Go to Disneyland*
Invent or discover something that changes the world for the better.
Read all 7 Harry Potter books cover to cover, back to back, one after the other with no interuptions!
Own my own island
Stand atop Buckingham Palace and play 'God Save the Queen' on an electric guitar
Learn to take criticism gracefully.
Go cliff diving
Learn about egyption history and visit the pyramids.
Go on a long hike in the mountains, without getting lost*
Have a star named after me.
See a show in west end*
See a show on Broadway*
Have a crowd burst into song and dance 'Grease style'.*
Learn to surf
Remember that a smart and sarcastic response is not called for in every situation!
Get married and have a family
Ride a gondolier in Venice
Buy a motorbike
Get a nose ring
Trek the Inca trail
Climb the Sydney harbour bridge
Go rock climbing
Get a tattoo

100 things that make ME happy!

2011-04-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

crisp cotton sheets
soft skin
old family recipes
the first daffodils of spring
sleeping in
an exercise endorphin high
window boxes
a perfect cup of coffee
a genuine compliment (giving or receiving)
the way babies smell
a handwritten letter
waking up in a good mood…for no real reason
singing in the shower
finding a couple forgotten euros in your pocket
laughing
a bubble bath
street musicians
your favorite song
fresh whipped cream
inspiring blogs
rainy afternoons
the funny things kids say
a novel you can get lost in
finding the perfect piece of clothing…on sale
the wind in your hair
sharing an umbrella
the smell of lavender
a long walk that clears your head
a bear hug
The Beatles
smiling at a stranger
eating with chopsticks (Chinese food optional)
butterflies
staying in your pj’s all day
singing along to the radio and knowing all the words
ordering in pizza
happy endings…even if they’re fictional
flying a kite
puppies
having someone hold the door for you
white, fluffy towels
sunshine
really great advice
green lights all the way home
the sound of rain hitting the windows
a great hair day with no effort
the smell of fresh-baked bread
the smell of petrol
great stories
old friends…
…new friends
a baguette — crisp on the outside, airy on the inside
hot chocolate
jumping in puddles
old photographs
birds hopping on the sidewalk
Ella Fitzgerald
a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar
your softest t-shirt
fireplaces
a day off from school
staying up all night with our friends
dancing
a field of wild flowers
My iPod
animals
family
Having a great dream, and remembering it vividly after waking up.
Rediscovering an old song I used to love and somehow forgot about
karaoke
Getting invited to a party.
Solving a tough math exercise I’ve been stuck on.
Getting presents for no particular occasion.
Texting/emailing...communication!
Wearing clothes which are still warm from being in the dryer.
Looking good in a picture.
Autumn.
Going to the beach
clear skies and millions of stars
Seeing a prediction I made come true
Discovering I have something unexpectedly in common with a friend
Discovering a great new band.
Getting to the bus stop right exactly as the bus arrives.
Being blown away by a great movie.
Breaking all the rules and getting away with it.
Discovering new things I never knew about myself
a beautiful relationship with God
My church family
being healthy
learning
carnival rides
slipping around the floor in your socks
a smile
walking bear foot in the grass or sand
licking the mixing bowl
candy floss
trying on perfume
Painted toenails
getting a haircut
getting an A

Florence & The Machine- Cosmic Love

2011-04-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

Shopping and Dating....

2011-04-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

It is somewhat remarkable, but I find the two to be inexlicabily linked!

I got the idea for this post from a friends blog actually;
where she expresses her ideas in relation to the similarities between the dating and the blogging world.

(You can find a link here; http://assassinoftheocean.blogspot.com/)

Her post effectively made me think about how much the dating mindset has informed our daily lives. Or perhaps how our daily lives have informed our dating patterns. From courtship to "shifting", from saving for those wanted shoes to buying on credit, from shopping bags to delivery. Over the generations both games have changed. And both seem to mirror one another. This is when I came to realise that perhaps dating and shopping hasn't changed so much, but rather the individuals and the societies that are involved!

1) There is the first meeting! The initial "attraction" so to speak.....THE moment...the one when you first set your eyes on THAT beautiful, suple, tan Italian......... sandal! Suddenly you're in love! You've met your match! At this moment your not thinking practically. (You know, the necessary questions such as size, price....what will it match?? WHO cares??).... we fail to notice any faults at this time. the secene is set; its all very romantic! Theres some expert out thre who has given us words, lighting and staging and we fall for it!

2) So what do you do next? (After a few moments oggling that is....)You make your move!!! You slink over to the shelf trying your best to remain cool and collective and inviting. You introduce yourself to the leather "strappin" lad and you get aqainted! You then sneak a peak at the price, heart plummeting as you realise that its WAY over your budget....

3) This is it, that moment...you see another women....tall and blonde and beautiful in her silk lined coat and you know shes eyeing that last six that you still have clutched in your worshipping hands! The last six! Its like destiny....You snatch them up before that blonde gets her slimmy hands on 'em. You grab it and buy it on credit...perhaps looking back on it now, you rushed into it all a little too soon! Thinks about it...you panicked! You havent REALLY worked for this...you just buy it!

4) All too soon your wearing them. They feel new and glittery and fabulous and in turn you feel great!! Everythibg is new and better and brighter! the world smiles down at you! But you dont REALLY know them! you havent invested.

5) Soon bills start to pile! you cant pay your credit date. Things are getting difficult!

6) You try to make yourself feel better...convincing yourself you were not wrong! It was a good investment, you say!! IT fits!! It feels good, it looks good...all my friends like "it" (or him....you get my gist here right?)

7) You finally take a closer look. Your realise there are problems on both sides. Your foot is slightly too long; hurting the heel of the shoe, damaging it! The straps begin to dig into your heels. You noticde a slight tear that you hadnt seen in the shop on further inspection! Perhaps this shoe isnt so "perfect" after all...
But you cant return it, its been too long! You beging to negelt it. It sits in your shelf and you dismiss it...

8) You feel angry; a sense of loss! the shoe lied to you!!! It pretended to be what it was not! In a fit of anger you toss it in the trash!!! You remain bitter for the next few weeks.

9) You then realise it was in fact NOT the shoes fault that you expected its perfection! It was in FACT the shop who sold it under pretense!
(Or the "dating game"...if you like, that creates the fictitious lighting and setting for our "role play" romances and high expectations, making it WAY too easy for us to forget reality. Before we know it we're married, with 3 kids, a morgage and a husband who we don tknow AT ALL!!...worst case senario of course. But seriouly; read Ibsens "A Dolls House" even THEN hundreds of years ago this was a problem! NO communication! Only expectations based on fantasy and ficitious roles beeing played over a candle lit dinner!)

10) You mourn your lost love and the fact that you never really understood each other, perhaps taking each other for granted or creating a shrine or pedistal that ANYONE would fall off, flat on their face, eventually! You mourn the fact that you spend money, energy and time investing into something (shoes, relationships) that were goind nowhere! On something you knew NOTHIG about!!!

11) You walk into that SAME little boutique place a few weeks later and there you see.................
these AMAZING prada boots in this deep redish purple hugh with these amazing tassels and......

ya...you know how it goes!!!

So seriously perhaps our forfathers had a better idea?? Save if you really want it! Be slightley more practicle than we are today; and manybe a little less materialistic and demanding! We want it ALL and we want it NOW! Which can be....well.....bad to be honest! Who are we fooling thats NOT real life! Maybe we should pace ourselves, know what we're getting into! (But stick at it when it gets though! Team effort and all that...:))

Also courtship has been replaced by "dating".... honestly I think its just a more selfish view! What can I get? Now? For me...never mind the consequences or damage I can cause! (often, not always) But when you look at the other person as created by God, in his image, as a brother or sister in Christ, everything changes! Respect is established as you journey together towards becoming like the Saviour! Also during the time of "courtship" people got to know each other. There was commitment;a guarding of body, mind and soul as well as love based on truth. Im not saying be old fashioned! Just aware; respectful, protective (of yourslef and others), intune to realitve (which ya, can take away the "sparkle" in romance...but careful if that glitter gets into your eyes...you can't see very well can you?) Above all; you youself!

OH and another thing, in relationships there are 2 people. 2 different people! We're unfair to go into ANY relationship expecting too much(expect perfection? BE PERFECT THEN!) thats putting aweful pressure on the other party! Also it'll take time! Fid a "shoe" thats comfortable, and beautiful, and completes you! Dont ask it to change, but be willing to compromise. To mold into each other, give and take! Like a brogue that kills you for the first few weeks but eventually fits nice and snug to YOUR FOOT! Its a pair thats made for each other, then conforms to one another to fit together PEFECTLY. Jigsawing to each others imperfections! Its beaufiful, this partnership that comes with friendship and relationships!

So the next time you go "shoe shopping"...remember he/she is only made of flesh and blood...

New York in Febuary

2011-04-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Flying over the city we were welcomed to the sight of white crystal broken shells below us;

Good morning America!

A few days before Valentines!

<--- It quickly becomes an addiction; their caramel frappatinos are to DIE for!

The only thing better than this experience is having it with these nutty people! (p.s. TIMES SQUARE!)

Yes, I was there, and I have a pic to prove it!

An amazing boat ride! It was FREEZING though.

Central Park is the most beautiful place in all of creation during the snowy months. Its like a chapter from a fantasy novel describing an enchanted wood....

Our lil snowman...

At night the place is SO ALIVE; its incredible!

Gorgeous view ! :) we has a blast

..Yes that is what you think it is! Juliard

Yes..thats also what you think it is! Monet's waterlilies!

A few of the girls!

Hehe we really got into the spirit of things :)

...Times square again!

We visited the UN and got an amazing tour :)

I thought this was an absolutely AMAZING image!

Sitting at UN headquarters. You know, as you do!

Shopping!!!!! --------------->

On a billboard on times square! YA..thats ME!

At Ripley's believe it or not...that was....interesting!

Haha taxi!!! :) Completed the trip :)

Just a few pics from my trip last year. It was unforgettable and I'm definitely going back!

Elizabeth Gilbert is AMAZING!

2011-04-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

"L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle.

The love that moves the sun and the other stars."

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"There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts."

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"In desperate love, we always invent the characters of our partners, demanding they be what we need of them, and then feeling devastated when they refuse to perform the role we created in the first place."
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"Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend."

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"Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really need to be certain it's what you want before you commit."

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"The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving."

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"I want God to play in my bloodstream the way sunlight amuses itself on the water."

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"If I love you, I will carry for you all your pain, I will assume for you all your debts (in every definition of the word), I will protect you from your own insecurity, I will protect upon you all sorts of good qualities that you have never actually cultivated in yourself and I will buy Christmas presents for your entire family. I will give you the sun and the rain, and if they are not available, I will give you a sun check and a rain check. I will give you all this and more, until I get so exhausted and depleted that the only way I can recover my energy is by becoming infatuated with someone else."

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"Prayer is a relationship; half the job is mine. If I want transformation, but can't even be bothered to articulate what, exactly, I'm aiming for, how will it ever occur? Half the benefit of prayer is in the asking itself, in the offering of a clearly posed and well-considered intention. If you don't have this, all your pleas and desires are boneless, floppy, inert; they swirl at your feet in a cold fog and never lift."

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"You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."

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People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master..."

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"I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism."

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Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark

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"I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it – I will love you through that, as well. If you don’t need the medication, I will love you, too. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than depression and I am braver than loneliness and noting will ever exhaust me.”

"The Room" - By Josh Harris

2011-04-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed."

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I Have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger," "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.
I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

Comptine D'un Autre Ete L'apres Midi- Amelie

2011-04-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

Roy Lichtenstein

2011-04-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

We went to MOMA, New York during our school tour and it was amazing! I am in love with Liechtenstein

Art Galleries

2011-04-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

Castletown House Co.Kildare

Crawford Gallery, Dublin

29 Fitzwilliams Street, Dublin

I love the doorways and the fanlights!

Castletown was built in the early 1720’s and was designed by Edward Lovett Pearce for William Connolly. It It has the basic symmetrical balance, key features and the overall regal atmosphere of a Palladian building (Georgian Architecture)

It has a large central block that is three stories high with a basement. Its connected to two pavilions by arching walls with niches for holding classical styled statues and ionic colonnades. One pavilion held the kitchens, the other the stables. This gives a semicircular façade, with an entrance courtyard or piazza. It has a raised base. Castletown has a decorative main entrance from the front, and a separate entrance for servants and workers that is out of sight. The entrance to Casltetown house is extremely grand, regal and large. It seems to peer down at a pedestrian looking up at it. This large, formal entrance gives the house status and a powerful demeanour. A double flight of stairs leads to the main block; where the family lived. The windows get smaller with each storey, giving an extra sense on height. Both round and triangular pediments decorate these windows. Balustrades decorate the roofline and parapets hide the rooftop. It has no portico.

Entrance hall...

The entrance hall to Castletown house is double height. There is a cool, elegant, distance feel to the huge space. An inside veranda or balcony stands opposite the doorway and looks down on those who enter. Doors and large archways link the entrance hall to the rest of the house on both sides. The floor is tiled in checked black and white tiles, there are huge ionic columns, a painting hanging over a fireplace and there are niches for statues. The ceiling is decorated in plasterwork. The grandeur, size and exquisite atmosphere of the entrance hall leaves us in a state of awe.

Haha, we entered through he servants quarters!

Casltetown was so immense, one room led to another and another. This is laid out enfilade. Each was decorated in splendour. Rich fabrics, expensive furniture, beautiful ornaments and decorations filled each room. The formal rooms feature strong colours and rich textures. The townhouse was much smaller and more practical. There is a large room in each building. Casltetown had a huge room for entertaining guests; the grand saloon. This room was decorated in the fashionable Pompeii style. A blind door was installed to give the room a more symmetrical balance. A statue between the doors is of Diana the huntress and there is a painting of Aurora, goddess of the dawn. The whole rooms walls are covered in detailed, decorative drawings and three large chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The townhouse also has a large room, the centre of the house.

"Flying staircase!" It the c18th!

Off the side of castle towns entrance is a flying staircase designed by Pearce. The stucco/plasterwork on the stairwell is done by the famous LaFranchini brothers. The plasterwork features relief portraits of the family as well as fruit, flourishes and shells. Each wall depicts the four seasons and is in the Rococo style. This is an important feature of Casltetown house.

Plasterwork on ceiling

The dining room in Casltetown held may large paintings, as in the rest of the house. There were large, decorative peer glass mirrors, marble gilded tables and other decorations that displayed Irish craftsmanship. Large doors opened up with a sliding window which leads to the gardens. The dining room in the townhouse was also rich in colour and decorative. On a whole everything is in a smaller scale, readymade and less colourful.

Amazing handmade Chandeliers!

I loved visiting the old mansion. I'm always so awestruck by the sight of these buildings. Ireland houses many of these Georgian architectural treasures.

Definitely one of my favorite places!

2011-04-02T14:06:00.007-07:00

A friend brought me here last Summer and I fell in love!
Ireland is So beautiful!

Leanne, looking contemplative!

Me...

I had to borrow some mismatched clothes that day...unplanned sleepover! We got chased by a few bulls after this...only in Ireland! If only I had known!

lol

made me smile

2011-03-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

Freedom of Choice

2011-03-11T14:59:00.000-08:00

I’m sure that you are aware that one of the greatest and most trying tasks that any parent might attempt to achieve is the unravelling their adolescents’ psyche. You ask yourself, can my teenager be trusted in the art of choice making? Especially when there are vital consequences involved. I’m positive that you have been previously warned never to lend your car to anyone that you have given birth to. Is it wise of us to place all our hopes on this generation, that will one day govern our world, trusting them to make their own decisions?

Today we live in a society where, as Edgar Friedenberg put it “The teenager seems to have replaced the Communist as the appropriate target for public controversy and foreboding.” There seems to be a negative connotation linked to the word “teenager”. Teens are seen as impulsive, destructive, perilous beings who give no thought to the future or the consequences of our actions. However, I would have to agree with Virginia Satyr that teenagers are just “people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.” Is it not unmerited to make a general statement that all adolescents are unable to make decisions, or that merely teenagers make mistakes? Yes, we might be younger and less experienced, but that doesn’t make us less intelligent and capable. Don’t adults make mistakes, some of them akin to the stereotypical “teenage” blunders? Is it not possible for a teenager to make good, trustworthy decisions if they know who they are and what they believe? Does it not depend on the person in question, as each and every one of us is different from the next? Yes, teenagers might be more impulsive than adults; we do not over plan or over deliberate anything. However, you must agree that we are competent of making calculated, thoughtful decisions and that we will most likely follow the path that we truly believe is best.

As separate individuals still moulding our personalities, beliefs and ideas; we are emerging people. Trying to form our own minds. We are all aware that figuring out who you are is the whole point of the human experience. Our lives, our encounters and our philosophies will be different to that of yours.
Helping your child to pick a college is a great educational experience in any parents life. That and trying to pick out their life long partner. It is the best way to learn that your authority, if not entirely gone, is slipping fast.

This does not suggest that we do not need you, our parents. We all require advise, no matter our age. Every young person that has gone out into the brave, new world will at some point return home in tears, carrying a bundle of dirty clothes. Is it not true that as an individual grows and matures with age, they being to make more decisions on their own? We make choices based on our values and beliefs. It's not problematic to make decisions when you know what your values are. Giving your teenager small amounts of freedom and responsibility will prove to you that they can, in fact, be trusted with making bigger decisions later on.

Had you yourself, as a teenager, ever had a disagreement with your parents? Were your parents ever wrong about your life? You have probably come to realise that young people often grow to be very different from their parents. An old proverb reminds us that adults and teenagers hold very different perspectives, and it is important that we try to understand and listen to each other. “Young people don't know what age is, and old people forget what youth was.” The peculiar thing is, if you look back just a few years you would probably observe that you were precisely like your teenager. When we are in our early teens our parents seem so ignorant to us that we can concur on nothing. By the time we hit eighteen we are astonished at how much they have learnt in the past few years! Thankfully you had twelve years to grow to love your little darlings before they turned into teenagers. The only comfort for any parent is the fact that one day your child might have a teenager of their own.

Mistakes. They are a common reoccurrence in life. Mistakes are natural and play a colossal part in the development of any person. As teens, yes, of course we are going to make the wrong choices at times. We must learn about consequences if we are ever going to make it on our own. Soon we will be leaving; making important life changing choices that will lead us all down different paths. Frequently the most crucial and significant lessons learnt are from personal experience, and they are never forgotten. By allowing us to make our own choices we will learn how to deal with the consequences of wrong decisions, as well as learn how to make accurate choices in the future. At some point it will happen. We will be leaving home; either prepared and used to making decisions, or unprepared and sheltered. Older teenagers have already developed into the people they will probably be in the future; forming who they are over the past few years. Of course we are always learning and growing as individuals. However, I’m sure you will agree that we are now old enough to make decisions. Every teenager comes to a stage where they crave this freedom and trust from their parents. This want for freedom is not, contrary to belief, a dismissal of your concerns or advise. It is a request to be taken seriously and to be given room to breathe, to decide for ourselves and to use our own intellect. Ben Savage said “A lot of the problems teenagers go through, it's better for them to go through them on their own. If you always have a crutch, you don't learn anything.”

We, as young people, need to be assured of your trust as our parents. It might be difficult not to let your imagination run wild the first time your teenager stays out late, or if your daughter brings home a heavily pierced boy with a motorcycle and facial hair. However, regularly, teenagers are not afforded the credit and trust that they deserve. Till now we probably have made some important decisions; maybe chosen leaving cert subjects, college of preference, careers paths, loyal friends, religious views and moral standards. I’m sure most of you will tell me that your teenager can stand up for their own values. Of course there are always a few exceptions. Many of us have shown that we have capability; that we have a right is to be taken seriously and to be given freedom of choice. If we can make good decisions in smaller matters, why not larger ones? We may not have your perspective or experience, but how will we ever learn these things if never given the opportunity? As not to discourage your teenager it is necessary to show them that you are on their side, that you trust them and support their decisions.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Teenagers and adults alike have the right to their own ideas, opinions and choices. Who knows you better than yourself? We are still young, and we still have a lot to learnt. We might surprise you. Give us trust and liberty to make our own decisions. Let us steer, with some guidance. We will show you that we are more than capable to step up and make good decisions, if given the trust to do so. If we have been raised to be mature people that have learnt to look ahead in life and to have a good worth ethic; why should we not succeed? If we grew up in a society with values we will most likely adopt these values, learning to make good decisions by watching others. So you ask me, why should I trust my teenage son or daughter to make their own decisions? I ask you, why not?

Childhood Stories

2011-03-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Summers in the world of a ten year old seem to be magical, the world absolutely perfect. There were no cares or worries, and believe me, even as ten year olds we all have a few! But in summer time. In the summer time it was different. We were young, we were full of life and we were free!

The six of us girls, that’s how it always had been. Six best friends. The kinds you hear about in story books you know. Sure we had our petty disagreements about who was “it” and who got the last of Mrs. Wolves chocolate chip cookies as young kids. As the eldest, and "the most mature", I was always expected to fix these catastrophes! So I did spend a lot of my younger years dividing cookies between my awaiting friends, who would stand with eager hands outstretched. The six psycho best friends from Mountain View Baptist Church. We were inseparable.

Morgan Wolf was just a few months younger than myself; we were the first of the famous six. A missionary kid from the USA, our dads were the pastors of the same church, She always got her way and was a real girl. A small, nail painted gymnast with brilliant blue eyes Then there was the twins, Anke and Elske. I was a year their senior. Elske was crazy and Anke even crazier. Which meant they fit right in! Anke was miss sporty, Elske the avid reader. They looked like models by the time they where 14. With white blond hair, huge green blue eyes and high cheek bones. Cayla, my best friend, and I were inseparable. We both had a love for music. You couldn’t help love Cayla. Whether or not it was because of her patient nature, doll like appearance, vast intelligence and sensitivity to others or her contagious laughter. Whatever it was, you couldn’t help it. Last to join our ranks was Roxy. A sweeter, quieter or more shy girl there never was. With brown short hair in a pony and religiously in sweats, she was the glue that kept us together.

Summer with girls was like being in a different world. We’d spend a week or two at the twins. Their house was huge and absolutely beautiful in every way. It was like walking into a home designer catalogue; marble pillars, breathtaking art and patterned rugs. We would all sleep in one room; pilled with pillows, blankets and junk food, getting up early to eat a huge breakfast of everything you could imagine. A ten year olds dream right?

We spent hours on the trampoline doing tricks and summersaults. The same one we used to sit on at night eating ice creams as big as our faces while we watched the sun go down. Ankes favorite part was the telling “scary” stories under a blanket of stars.We’d always be so terrified afterwards. Elske would then tell jokes to break the tension while Roxy sang the theme for “Jaws” under her breath.

We loved walking their slobbery dogs around the golf course, through the trails or on the beach just outside their house. Racing through the sand I‘d always felt so happy, as if at home, and totally safe. Here was no place I’d rather be! We’d ride our bikes and scooters to one of the 3 swimming pools in their closed off, secured million dollar estate. My mouth eventually stopped dropping in shock at the sight of yet another pool, golf coarse or mansion in their estate after visiting a few times. It was a long enough ride to either of the pools but it was worth it. We’d swim in the lagoon for hours and then maybe go to the clubhouse down the road and buy cokes, which the guy at the counter would always give us for nothing! I always did liked him…..

On the ride home you could feel your wet skin heat up, as the suns rays pelted down on your naked back. My absolute favourite thing about the ride was the extremely steep hill just above the house. From the top was an incredible view. But we never really looked. Our focus was on the quick decent. We flew down it with incredible speed our still damp hair flying out behind us. I've never laughed so much as I did in those days. Mrs Smit had a mountain of food waiting, which we’d devour. We’d say our many thanks and be on our was to the field across the road. Doing cartwheels, making daisy chains and playing soccer with the boys from down the road.

We’d make up cheers and dances and show them to whomever happened to be around at the time. Titanic was a favorite skit to reenact. We would do the scene where Jack dies and Rose sobs silently, dropping him off out the tree….well….in our version anyway, as we didn’t really have a floating wardrobe. We also had some originals, such as the adventures of Elske and Morgan, in which Anke was the bad guy, Cayla was always the victim and myself the judge that sentences the hero’s for disrupting justice. So as you can imagine, we had ourselves pretty busy. . We could be the owners of million dollar companies. We imagined oursleves grown up with families or living in the eighteenth century. We where famous singers, Olympians, actresses or presidents. We were cowgirls or medieval princesses. We lived in an enchanted world, where kids could eat as much ice cream as they wanted without getting sick. We mapped out our lives and our worlds. We did not realise how quickly make believe would turn to reality and we really would be all grown up pretty soon, exploring foreign lands. We did not even imagine our imagination becoming reality. Yet a few years later I was half way across the world. Slowly the group disintegrated due to moving families, promotions and life in general. We grew apart. We are different people now, with only the memory of those summers.

Summers where we;d have huge bbqs for dinner and we’d all sit outside, thinking about the day we had and how it was probably the best we’ve ever had, and wondering what tomorrow would be like. We’d consume giant slices of red blood watermelon. Our hands and faces wound be sticky by the time we where done. We’d make smoothies, and Roxy would accidentally open the lid…while the smoothie maker was still on. These days are over. We hardly even speak. We are no longer the same little girls we once were. Anke doesn't play sport. Morgan doesn't do gymnastics. Elskes hair is not a stark black. We can only remember yesterday.

After a movie or two, we’d sing along to “Hey Micky” and do our little dance up and down the corridor, on top of beds and couches and on the balcony. We’d then send Fred the cat from the balcony to the garden in a little basket tied to some rope. One time we forgot about him and left him dangling there for nearly an hour. Elske woke him when the rope slipped out of her hands….it was lucky that Morgan caught the basket, or they would have had to get a new cat! We never told the twins mom, nor did we hang Ted from the balcony again.

After a few board games, nail painting and hair styling, we’d crawl into bed, exhausted and talk for hours on end. After everyone had finally fallen asleep. I’d lay there and wonder if tomorrow would be as good as today. We where going to laser quest and to the huge shopping centre in town. I realise no those were probably the best days of my life, so far. That I’d one day miss us being together every summer, innocent and sweet as it was, singing the same songs going down the same road together, always together.

I believe that although times have changed and we’re all living miles apart, scattered for always. We’ll always be friends. We’ll always remember the days of our childhood! We’d always remember the feeling of friendship, security and love. The sweet sugary taste of rip watermelon and flying cats and falling Jacks. We’d remember when we carried a sobbing Cayla all the way back to the house when she fell that time. We’ll always remember the summer. We’ll always remember each other. And by doing this we will be able to look ahead. Because we where friends. We were six best friends

"The Stolen Boat" William Wordsworth

2011-03-11T14:12:00.003-08:00

One summer evening (led by her) I found
A little boat tied to a willow tree
Within a rocky cave, its usual home.
Straight I unloosed her chain, and stepping in
Pushed from the shore. It was an act of stealth
And troubled pleasure, nor without the voice
Of mountain-echoes did my boat move on;
Leaving behind her still, on either side,
Small circles glittering idly in the moon,
Until they melted all into one track
Of sparkling light. But now, like one who rows,
Proud of his skill, to reach a chosen point
With an unswerving line, I fixed my view
Upon the summit of a craggy ridge,
The horizon's utmost boundary; far above
Was nothing but the stars and the grey sky.
She was an elfin pinnace; lustily
I dipped my oars into the silent lake,
And, as I rose upon the stroke, my boat
Went heaving through the water like a swan;
When, from behind that craggy steep till then
The horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge,
As if with voluntary power instinct,
Upreared its head. I struck and struck again,
And growing still in stature the grim shape
Towered up between me and the stars, and still,
For so it seemed, with purpose of its own
And measured motion like a living thing,
Strode after me. With trembling oars I turned,
And through the silent water stole my way
Back to the covert of the willow tree;
There in her mooring-place I left my bark,--
And through the meadows homeward went, in grave
And serious mood; but after I had seen
That spectacle, for many days, my brain
Worked with a dim and undetermined sense
Of unknown modes of being; o'er my thoughts
There hung a darkness, call it solitude
Or blank desertion. No familiar shapes
Remained, no pleasant images of trees,
Of sea or sky, no colours of green fields;
But huge and mighty forms, that do not live
Like living men, moved slowly through the mind
By day, and were a trouble to my dreams

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/The_stolen_boat_by_william_wordsworth#ixzz1GKcke1xM

"Design" - Robert Frost

2011-03-11T14:10:00.001-08:00

I found a dimpled spider, fat and white,
On a white heal-all, holding up a moth
Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth --
Assorted characters of death and blight
Mixed ready to begin the morning right,
Like the ingredients of a witches' broth --
A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth,
And dead wings carried like a paper kite.

What had that flower to do with being white,
The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?
What but design of darkness to appall?--
If design govern in a thing so small.

"Hope"- Emily Dickenson

2011-03-11T14:08:00.001-08:00

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.

Love of old

2011-03-11T14:06:00.001-08:00

I read the great classics and am enthralled by the intensity, the consuming and idealistic nature of love. Not to say that it always ends up well. Only it is seen as the food of the Gods, the glory of heroes. In turn I am inspired, rejuvenated as once again fiction breathes hope and promise into life. There is something about the beautiful imagery of this powerful theme that makes us believe that mere mortals can feel this deeply, that we can experience both painful happiness and blissful torment.

The intense love of Heathcliff and Catherine moves me every time."My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself." They are so connected, kindred spirits, obvious soul mates. I begin to question fate and the reality of soul mates. Would it not be sad if there was only one person in this world for all of us? what are the chances of us finding one another? What are the chances of us living in the same era, if we are to find our Heathcliff? Maybe he is not perfect, but he is our other half? Created specifically with us in mind? Is it set up precisely, as God is in control? Or is it all chance, the luck of the draw? How much is left to us? What if Mary hadnt happened to visit that particular coffee shop that specific morning, or hadn't accidently spilt her coffee all over Tomes shirt. Would the odds have somehow ended up the same? With three kids and a house in the suburbs.

"If all else perished, and heremained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I amHeathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being." My breathe catches and I applaud Bronte for capturing this for us to explore today. Love being so strong that it is sufficient. That somehow our entire world dwindles down to this one person. Narrows to that one somebody in which all our hopes and dreams combine, who holds our ever thought and prayer.

This love is unshakable, eternal. Yet it fails. It is not built on truth, but selfishness and jealousy. We witness the crumbling of this relationship due to the faults of its givers. Even this seemingly invincible love, the characters cannot be together. They allow pride, bitterness and hate to pull them apart. We see love damage here. They end up hurting each other. Still, their love never dies, still as strong as ever even if them being apart is so painful. So I ask, whats the point? How will love survive circumstance and our cruel natures? why do we seem to hurt those we love most? Most importantly, does love have a more devastating effect than uplifting. I come the the conclusion that yes, it IS better to love than never love at all. It is better to hurt than feel nothing at all. There will be hard times, but it is possible. I look at my parents. A roller coaster relationship where they hate and love each other at the same time. And its beautiful.

Heathcliffs words echo"... for what is not connected with her to me? and what does not recall her? I cannot look down to this floor, but her features are shaped in the flags! In every cloud, in every tree—filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day—I am surrounded with her image! The most ordinary faces of men and women—my own features—mock me with a resemblance. The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her!" We feel his loss, his pain at being haunted by her. Yet he begs her to do just that, never to leave him alone. This love is so all consuming. Yes, its just a novel. However it holds within its cover a lifetime of lessons, inspiration for the soul and beauty to uplift minds eye. Love is a powerful tool!