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Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Honors Book Blog #3
Claude Brown was born in Harlem, New York, in 1937. He spent his childhood "roaming the streets with junkies, whores, pimps, hustlers, the 'mean cats' and the numbers runner"(pg 33.) He was a bad kid, druggie, gangbanger and served plenty of jail sentences until 1953. After that he left Harlem, after seeing a lot of friends die in drug crime, and mode to Greenwich Village, earning a living as a watch repairman. He later enrolled in night school to earn a high school diploma, then went to Howard University where he wrote this book Manchild in the Promised Land. He is the truest example of a terrible childhood turning into complete success. Something I want to be looked as when I grow up.
This book was a lot more about how this life turned him into a good person that the story of him growing up. This is a try inspiration for me because I am trying to turn the life I was giving into something great, which is sup rising hard to to considering the stories of boys I have heard with similar lives to me. As you know, I grew up not just with no dad, but with 3 main father figures coming in and out of my life whenever they pleased. This was more of a challenge that just having no dad, I had to cope with the constant fear of change and unreliability of not knowing whether I would have a father there for me or not. In this book, Claude brown shows that no matter how hard your life is, you can always overcome adversity with a positive outcome.
This completely changed my perspective on this project. I though that writing about Harlem in the 1950s would be about hard gangbangers that fought until they died. That went to jail and waited for the day they could get out, meet back with their gang and continue killing. I am starting to realize that it isn't about that, although they put up with the life they live, and act as if it is the greatest—they all want to leave. Nobody wants there life, they don't want there life. They deep down inside wished they grew up normal and had the same opportunities as everybody else.
I am starting to realize that I want the same thing, I don't want the childhood I was given. I always wanted more, a father, a reliable mother, to have my sister living anywhere near me or even to be in contact with her. I never got that, and I, like the characters I have been reading about, a, extremely jealous of people that were able to have that life. Maybe it is that fact that that has made me, and these characters, act harder than we had to. Am I really even the person I have cut myself out to be? I think I need to work on the acceptance of the life I was given. I know that because the way I grew up I have strived for success, but was it for the wrong reason? Have I been striving for success just to reach the life I never had? What kind of motive is that?
I know this was a bit off topic, however this is how I am feeling right now and there is nothing else I could possibly write about. This project, these writings, are developing something inside of me I have never achieved at school before. They are making me question life as it is, which I think I need to have a rough grasp on before I enter college. So I guess I'd like to say thank you, for making this all possible.
This book was a lot more about how this life turned him into a good person that the story of him growing up. This is a try inspiration for me because I am trying to turn the life I was giving into something great, which is sup rising hard to to considering the stories of boys I have heard with similar lives to me. As you know, I grew up not just with no dad, but with 3 main father figures coming in and out of my life whenever they pleased. This was more of a challenge that just having no dad, I had to cope with the constant fear of change and unreliability of not knowing whether I would have a father there for me or not. In this book, Claude brown shows that no matter how hard your life is, you can always overcome adversity with a positive outcome.
This completely changed my perspective on this project. I though that writing about Harlem in the 1950s would be about hard gangbangers that fought until they died. That went to jail and waited for the day they could get out, meet back with their gang and continue killing. I am starting to realize that it isn't about that, although they put up with the life they live, and act as if it is the greatest—they all want to leave. Nobody wants there life, they don't want there life. They deep down inside wished they grew up normal and had the same opportunities as everybody else.
I am starting to realize that I want the same thing, I don't want the childhood I was given. I always wanted more, a father, a reliable mother, to have my sister living anywhere near me or even to be in contact with her. I never got that, and I, like the characters I have been reading about, a, extremely jealous of people that were able to have that life. Maybe it is that fact that that has made me, and these characters, act harder than we had to. Am I really even the person I have cut myself out to be? I think I need to work on the acceptance of the life I was given. I know that because the way I grew up I have strived for success, but was it for the wrong reason? Have I been striving for success just to reach the life I never had? What kind of motive is that?
I know this was a bit off topic, however this is how I am feeling right now and there is nothing else I could possibly write about. This project, these writings, are developing something inside of me I have never achieved at school before. They are making me question life as it is, which I think I need to have a rough grasp on before I enter college. So I guess I'd like to say thank you, for making this all possible.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Gangsters Of Harlem, Honors Blog #2
The Gangsters of Harlem is fantastic book about, guess what, the Gangsters of Harlem. It does a great job of going through al time periods of Harlem, New York, which helped a lot for the project I will be doing. The book started in the late 1890’s when Harlem was a primarily white neighborhood, all the way until the 1980’s when it was over two-thirds African American and the crack problem was considered an “epidemic” by the United States Government.
This novel covered many different gangsters, from all different time periods. Nicky Barnes, Frank Matthews, Frank Lucas, Dutch Shultz all being some of the familiar names. However, although it went into great detail about many gangsters, it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.
The biggest help this book was is that it made me think more about crime, not necessarily Harlem. Most of us are aware of the blood and guts that inevitably come along with crime, but few of us have a real idea of how crime actually affects a community. Our class has been about community all year, and the way crime affects it is second to none. Even with Harlem starting out as a safe area in the late 1890’s, as soon as a couple mobsters came in and the real estate market collapsed in 1900, the entire neighborhood changed. The entire placed turned into a war zone. A war zone with a downward spiral that lead to an epidemic.
I liked this book because now I know that 1950’s Harlem, my topic, didn’t just happen because of 1950’s Harlem. It started decades before that, it was built upon a generation of crime and poverty. It created a new generation of crime and poverty that I cannot wait to read into after this project.
This novel covered many different gangsters, from all different time periods. Nicky Barnes, Frank Matthews, Frank Lucas, Dutch Shultz all being some of the familiar names. However, although it went into great detail about many gangsters, it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.
The biggest help this book was is that it made me think more about crime, not necessarily Harlem. Most of us are aware of the blood and guts that inevitably come along with crime, but few of us have a real idea of how crime actually affects a community. Our class has been about community all year, and the way crime affects it is second to none. Even with Harlem starting out as a safe area in the late 1890’s, as soon as a couple mobsters came in and the real estate market collapsed in 1900, the entire neighborhood changed. The entire placed turned into a war zone. A war zone with a downward spiral that lead to an epidemic.
I liked this book because now I know that 1950’s Harlem, my topic, didn’t just happen because of 1950’s Harlem. It started decades before that, it was built upon a generation of crime and poverty. It created a new generation of crime and poverty that I cannot wait to read into after this project.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Response Paper 9.26
Our entire semester so far has included a lot of reading regarding race and community. Even the books I personally chose to read for honors have to do about race and community. These new readings by Natalie Molina spoke to me in a new way that I have yet to think about.
Most of the beginning of the article Caught Between Discourses of Disease, Health, and Nation talks about the immigration of certain races, which is a new topic to our class. It also mentioned that in the beginning of the 20th century races had a certain ranking the government gave them. This ranking depended on a lot of things such as, wealthiest, where the race primarily lived, and one that really struck me—the degree to which they resembled the English.
I know that it is a different time, but this thoroughly upsets me. However I had to hold back the immediate reaction of rage felt toward the government for ranking races based on how Caucasian they are, to realize where this came from.
White people have always been the “best” in the United States. Is that racist, yes. Is it the hard truth that many people won’t admit to themselves, yes as well. Why is this though my mind wonders? I have an idea that it could be because white people immigrated to the United States before anybody else. They immediately saw the darker skin of the Native Americans, and what did they do? Killed them and drove them away. Starting generations to come of whites feeling supremacy based on skin color. But what if darker skinned races had come to America first? Would whites still be on top of the food chain? Would Native Americans still be here? Unfortunately we never can answers these questions, but they can generate a rich thought in all of us.
Most of the beginning of the article Caught Between Discourses of Disease, Health, and Nation talks about the immigration of certain races, which is a new topic to our class. It also mentioned that in the beginning of the 20th century races had a certain ranking the government gave them. This ranking depended on a lot of things such as, wealthiest, where the race primarily lived, and one that really struck me—the degree to which they resembled the English.
I know that it is a different time, but this thoroughly upsets me. However I had to hold back the immediate reaction of rage felt toward the government for ranking races based on how Caucasian they are, to realize where this came from.
White people have always been the “best” in the United States. Is that racist, yes. Is it the hard truth that many people won’t admit to themselves, yes as well. Why is this though my mind wonders? I have an idea that it could be because white people immigrated to the United States before anybody else. They immediately saw the darker skin of the Native Americans, and what did they do? Killed them and drove them away. Starting generations to come of whites feeling supremacy based on skin color. But what if darker skinned races had come to America first? Would whites still be on top of the food chain? Would Native Americans still be here? Unfortunately we never can answers these questions, but they can generate a rich thought in all of us.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Down These Mean Streets, Honors Blog One
Harlem, New York. Circa 1950. Young Puerto Rican Piri Thomas is growing up in El Barrio—Spanish Harlem. A place where you’re either down to back up the friends on your block, or you’re down to leave. Piri grew up and was nurtured in El Barrio, and during this book it shows when he is telling the story of his life. From cutting out of the house at 3am when he was 12 years old, to getting out of prison when he was in his late 20s. This is a story that shows the highest level of community, respect, and consequences to negative actions.
Piri Thomas up in the “ghetto” of El Barrio, although with the conditions of the town as a whole everything could have been considered a “ghetto.” While growing up there he learned a lot about community, possibly not knowing it until later in his life when he needed to rely on people. He had his group of 10-15 friends, and although what they were doing together was highly illegal (things like robbing liquor stores, or smoking “pot sticks”), he became close with those friends and felt at home on his block of 104th street. A couple years later he moved into an Italian neighborhood. They like to ridicule him, calling him things like “spic” or “nigger.” After all, he was a dark skinned Puerto Rican, un moreno. Here he learned that the community he grew up in made him the strong-minded individual that he was. In his comfort zone he could thrive and stay out of trouble, or at least stay in friendly trouble. It taught him the lesson of making the right friends, and doing whatever you needed to do in order to keep them.
During the middle of the story, when he is 16 years old, Piri moves out of the house. Not by force, but by choice. His family moved to Long Island, a place where white people run the schools and streets. A place where he felt uncomfortable enough, to drop out of high school after sophomore year, and movie back to El Barrio in order to be with his amigos. This is where he ran into real trouble. He starting peddling drugs in order to get by, for not many places want to hire a 16-year-old high school drop out. After about a month of selling tecata, heroin, he became addicted. He reached out to his old friends, his old community, and asked for the help of getting off the drugs. They accepted his plead and helped him get off of the drugs, and back on his feet.
He struggled afterwards, eventually landing himself on a Naval ship for a couple of years, so he could travel south and get away to learn who he himself was. He always ended back to Harlem though, and when he was 21, he found himself back on the streets of El Barrio. He was looking for easy money, so he got involved with one of his old amigos and a couple of his friends. They started doing hold ups. At first just a couple hundred dollars from liquor stores and bars, split four ways. Then they went for the grand finale, a nightclub that was filled with over 200 people. When it all went wrong, he found himself with a bullet in his chest, facing 5-15 years in state prison for armed robbery and shooting a police officer.
In prison he really learned what happens when you make bad choices. Not only did he get himself in prison, but also when his parole was up after 5 years, he got himself another two years minimum added because of his behavior while in the state penitentiary. He thought he was done, he no longer had reason to live, nobody that wanted to see him on the outside. He nearly killed himself on drugs in prison, but he stuck through. He remembered his childhood, as long as he remained cool and thought about the outside, he could get out. 2 years later he was released on parole.
His return home was a sad one. He confronted old lovers, friends, and family. Only to see that they had all changed, along with is neighborhood as a whole. He was on his own now. However, he was okay with it, knowing that a new life of sanity and normal tendencies would be the best life. This is the true story of a man who learned from his mistakes, and came back from a hard upbringing and a rough life, to a successful man with the respect of a poor one.
This novel taught me a lot about Harlem in the 50’s. Starting with the fact that there wasn’t just Harlem, but Spanish Harlem as well. The streets were generally from the 100 block to the 130 block around Lexington ave. Robberies and crime was the life of a normal person growing up in Harlem, and an honest person was a rarity. I’m excited that this was just my first plunge into the world of 50’s Harlem, and I have a whole semester of opportunities and perspectives to learn more about it.
Piri Thomas up in the “ghetto” of El Barrio, although with the conditions of the town as a whole everything could have been considered a “ghetto.” While growing up there he learned a lot about community, possibly not knowing it until later in his life when he needed to rely on people. He had his group of 10-15 friends, and although what they were doing together was highly illegal (things like robbing liquor stores, or smoking “pot sticks”), he became close with those friends and felt at home on his block of 104th street. A couple years later he moved into an Italian neighborhood. They like to ridicule him, calling him things like “spic” or “nigger.” After all, he was a dark skinned Puerto Rican, un moreno. Here he learned that the community he grew up in made him the strong-minded individual that he was. In his comfort zone he could thrive and stay out of trouble, or at least stay in friendly trouble. It taught him the lesson of making the right friends, and doing whatever you needed to do in order to keep them.
During the middle of the story, when he is 16 years old, Piri moves out of the house. Not by force, but by choice. His family moved to Long Island, a place where white people run the schools and streets. A place where he felt uncomfortable enough, to drop out of high school after sophomore year, and movie back to El Barrio in order to be with his amigos. This is where he ran into real trouble. He starting peddling drugs in order to get by, for not many places want to hire a 16-year-old high school drop out. After about a month of selling tecata, heroin, he became addicted. He reached out to his old friends, his old community, and asked for the help of getting off the drugs. They accepted his plead and helped him get off of the drugs, and back on his feet.
He struggled afterwards, eventually landing himself on a Naval ship for a couple of years, so he could travel south and get away to learn who he himself was. He always ended back to Harlem though, and when he was 21, he found himself back on the streets of El Barrio. He was looking for easy money, so he got involved with one of his old amigos and a couple of his friends. They started doing hold ups. At first just a couple hundred dollars from liquor stores and bars, split four ways. Then they went for the grand finale, a nightclub that was filled with over 200 people. When it all went wrong, he found himself with a bullet in his chest, facing 5-15 years in state prison for armed robbery and shooting a police officer.
In prison he really learned what happens when you make bad choices. Not only did he get himself in prison, but also when his parole was up after 5 years, he got himself another two years minimum added because of his behavior while in the state penitentiary. He thought he was done, he no longer had reason to live, nobody that wanted to see him on the outside. He nearly killed himself on drugs in prison, but he stuck through. He remembered his childhood, as long as he remained cool and thought about the outside, he could get out. 2 years later he was released on parole.
His return home was a sad one. He confronted old lovers, friends, and family. Only to see that they had all changed, along with is neighborhood as a whole. He was on his own now. However, he was okay with it, knowing that a new life of sanity and normal tendencies would be the best life. This is the true story of a man who learned from his mistakes, and came back from a hard upbringing and a rough life, to a successful man with the respect of a poor one.
This novel taught me a lot about Harlem in the 50’s. Starting with the fact that there wasn’t just Harlem, but Spanish Harlem as well. The streets were generally from the 100 block to the 130 block around Lexington ave. Robberies and crime was the life of a normal person growing up in Harlem, and an honest person was a rarity. I’m excited that this was just my first plunge into the world of 50’s Harlem, and I have a whole semester of opportunities and perspectives to learn more about it.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Reading and Seminar Response
So far these past three weeks we have read many of the most influential short stories ever written. Or at least the most popular. There are thousands of different themes that people have created, usually revolving around segregation or fear. However, one theme I noticed that sure attracted my attention more that anything else was the theme of evolution. I feel as though just about every other theme ends up relating back to evolution, and that it always drops your mind off at the question of, where will we be in the future?
Think about the story of the Jim Crow laws. Wright was writing that story like everything was normal, or not that big of a deal. If that happened now it would be a terrible crime, because we have evolved out of that time period. Nearly every story was something bad happening, and we have evolved out of all of those things. However, take Harrison Bergeron for example. Everybody had mental and physical handicaps on them, if the world was like this, how would anybody evolve? Would we even have a need to evolve?
The reason I think so much about evolution is because it brings up so many different questions. It leaves me searching my mind for answers I know I do not have, yet. And most of the time you can only find them by waiting for society to evolve throughout your life. Think about where we are in today’s world, and think about where we were 50 years ago. It was a totally different time. Now think about where we will be in 50 years, who knows what fear we will have evolved out of by then
Think about the story of the Jim Crow laws. Wright was writing that story like everything was normal, or not that big of a deal. If that happened now it would be a terrible crime, because we have evolved out of that time period. Nearly every story was something bad happening, and we have evolved out of all of those things. However, take Harrison Bergeron for example. Everybody had mental and physical handicaps on them, if the world was like this, how would anybody evolve? Would we even have a need to evolve?
The reason I think so much about evolution is because it brings up so many different questions. It leaves me searching my mind for answers I know I do not have, yet. And most of the time you can only find them by waiting for society to evolve throughout your life. Think about where we are in today’s world, and think about where we were 50 years ago. It was a totally different time. Now think about where we will be in 50 years, who knows what fear we will have evolved out of by then
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Summer Book Two: Final Post
Later I met back up with Walker to discuss the book we both have now read. We both got very similar feelings and ideas out of this book, very different from my previous book I read. To Walker what still stands out to him is that he doesn't know how his life will end, and he is not trying to figure it out, he is just endlessly walking into the great perhaps until he reaches something he is very happy with and wants to keep.
I love that, that is exactly how I want to live my life and how I hope to live my life soon. I would say what stands out most to me is the whole "no loose ends" deal. I think that in life you need to make all of your relationships with people okay so that if anything bad were to happen you wouldn't leave on a bad note. With these two things I think this book actually will transform the way I look at life, and more than one that was actually supposed to. I would recommend this book to everybody, even if you don't get anything good out of it, it is still a good read. And while the surface is a piece of cake, there are many layers underneath that experienced readers can try to dig up.
I love that, that is exactly how I want to live my life and how I hope to live my life soon. I would say what stands out most to me is the whole "no loose ends" deal. I think that in life you need to make all of your relationships with people okay so that if anything bad were to happen you wouldn't leave on a bad note. With these two things I think this book actually will transform the way I look at life, and more than one that was actually supposed to. I would recommend this book to everybody, even if you don't get anything good out of it, it is still a good read. And while the surface is a piece of cake, there are many layers underneath that experienced readers can try to dig up.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Summer Book Two: Active Blog Two
Let me start this blog off by apologizing for only doing two of these active blogs, but I kind of already finished the book. The "after" section of this book, and the ending of this book, is insane. It goes so fast, it is so good, so filled with action, and honestly life changing. Essentially, the "After" section of this book is when Alaska dies. Yes, she dies. You get to know her so well, you want her and Pudge to be together so well, and then she gets drunk and drives and crashes and dies. Yes, she dies. She crashed her car straight into the back of a police car. Pudge tries to figure out if it was suicide, or an accident, but never actually finds out.
Later on Pudge turns in an essay in which he was answering a question that Alaska had asked. "How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering?" He answers by saying that the only way out of this labyrinth is through forgiveness. When you forgive, you can make it out of anything because you can stay sane. This book really made me think about life, and the fact that it can end so quickly and you can leave so many strings untied without even realizing it. It is important to forgive and stay on good pages with people, so neither you or them leaves this world without one another.
Later on Pudge turns in an essay in which he was answering a question that Alaska had asked. "How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering?" He answers by saying that the only way out of this labyrinth is through forgiveness. When you forgive, you can make it out of anything because you can stay sane. This book really made me think about life, and the fact that it can end so quickly and you can leave so many strings untied without even realizing it. It is important to forgive and stay on good pages with people, so neither you or them leaves this world without one another.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Summer Book Two: Active Blog One
This book is incredible. I've been reading it so quickly because I actually want to keep reading. It is very rare I find a book like this, but this is one of them. I think part of it is because on the folio of where I am reading it says "before", and later on in the book(I may have peaked a little bit) it says after. So I am very excited to get to the "after" section of the book. So far the book is a story about a boy named miles who gets transfered to a private preparatory school in Alabama. I love a quote he says before he goes, which is "I go to seek a Great Perhaps". This actually touched me in a way because when I leave for college, and leave my nest in general, I really am searching for a "Great Perhaps". I don't know what Im going for, and I don't know where I will find it or what it will be, but I hope it will be something great, perhaps. (Tried to be funny again, it never works)
At this new school he was made new friends, the Colonel, Alaska, Lara, and Takumi. They are all quite a bit more exciting that Miles(Pudge), smoking cigarettes and drinking on campus. They are giving him the greater perhaps that he always wanted—friends and excitement. However Pudge is in love with Alaska, but she has a boyfriend and therefore can't do anything about, but I can tell she loves him as well. Oh well, we will see with the next blog!
At this new school he was made new friends, the Colonel, Alaska, Lara, and Takumi. They are all quite a bit more exciting that Miles(Pudge), smoking cigarettes and drinking on campus. They are giving him the greater perhaps that he always wanted—friends and excitement. However Pudge is in love with Alaska, but she has a boyfriend and therefore can't do anything about, but I can tell she loves him as well. Oh well, we will see with the next blog!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Summer Book Two: Looking For Alaska
The second adult that I really do admire and interviewed is my best friends older brother, Walker. We talked for a while and he is a guy who absolutely loves reading, and said a lot of books have really changed the way he thought about things. However one that he read recently and stuck out more than the others was called Looking For Alaska. It mattered a lot to him because it helped him realize a lot about his life and what he needs to do with it(he said he didn't want to get too in depth because it could give away). However it opened his mind up and showed him what he needed to do, whatever that means Im sure I will find out during the wrap up talk.
Walker said that at the time he read this book he wasn't necessarily going through hard times(that tends to be when people enjoy books the most I have noticed), however he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. He was going into his 3rd year in college when he read it and still didn't know what he wanted to do or where he wanted to be, and this book helped him clear his mind and figure it out.
Walker said that at the time he read this book he wasn't necessarily going through hard times(that tends to be when people enjoy books the most I have noticed), however he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. He was going into his 3rd year in college when he read it and still didn't know what he wanted to do or where he wanted to be, and this book helped him clear his mind and figure it out.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Summer Book One: Final Post
My mother and I disscussed our opinions on the book, and realized hers was much higher than mine. She thought the book was perfect, and it couldn't have done a better job of helping her out. However I believed while the ideas were good, it seemed like one of those books that shouldn't have been a book, but was very forced to reach a certain number of pages. I think that the information taken from this book could have easily been condensed to a simple blog like I have written. Not a full blown book.
I think that the reason we differ on this topic is because when she read this book she really needed it, she was having a lot of trouble and needed help through it. She used it as an outlet. Whereas I have never been happier with my life and I didn't really need help. There wasn't a reason for me to read this book other than the fact that it was reccomended by my mom and required by my school. I think that this book should be read by anybody going through hard times, that is down on themselves, and wants some sort of outlet. And if that is the case I would undoubtedly reccomend this book.
I think that the reason we differ on this topic is because when she read this book she really needed it, she was having a lot of trouble and needed help through it. She used it as an outlet. Whereas I have never been happier with my life and I didn't really need help. There wasn't a reason for me to read this book other than the fact that it was reccomended by my mom and required by my school. I think that this book should be read by anybody going through hard times, that is down on themselves, and wants some sort of outlet. And if that is the case I would undoubtedly reccomend this book.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Summer Book One: Active Blog Four
Well I am done with the book! But I will save my opinion on the book for the little wrap up blog after I talk to my mother about opinions. For now, lets get onto the Fourth Agreement. The Fourth and final agreement is Always Do Your Best. At first I thought this was kind of a given, and it is, but he twists it a little bit. He notes that your best is going to completely differ from moment to moment. From awake to tired, sober to drunk, healthy to sick, you will always have a different version of your best. He says that as long as you are doing your best in every situation, no matter what your best actually is, you will avoid self judgement, self abuse, and regret.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Summer Book One: Active Blog Two
Right Now I just finished the Third Agreement and had to write a blog about it because I actually have used this a lot pre reading this book! Exciting stuff right? The third agreement is Don't Make Assumptions. This is crazy because I always abide to the rule "Don't assume or you'll make an ass out of you and me". Get it? Ass-u-me, I know I'm hilarious right? Well Mr. Miguel here says that we need to find the courage in us to always ask questions and so we can truly express how we feel based on facts not assumptions. And this rule alone can help you avoid much drama, sadness, and misunderstandings. This rule can and will completely change your life, and I can second that because it has actually helped me a lot in my life so far.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Summer Book One: Active Blog One
It looks as though I am getting close to being halfway done with The Four Agreements. So far I am honestly not enjoying it as much as I thought! Which is a bummer, but oh well. The ideas behind the book are good so far. Essentially this guy Don Miguel Ruiz has these four "rules" to life and he is telling the audience what they are. He had this idea we are all living in a "hell" and by following his rules we can get out and live in our own "heavens". Unfortunately for him I am a teenager who doesn't like to listen to rules, and an atheist who doesn't really use the "heaven" and "hell" words. However lucky for him, I am an accepting individual who is willing to finish the book.
So far I am through the first two agreements which I actually can relate to and side with. The first agreement is titled Be Impeccable With Your Word. Essentially he is trying to say that when you speak you need to say only what you truly mean. You also need to use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love, not to gossip about others or bring others down. Because when you bring others down you are only bringing yourself to a lower level and that is the opposite of what you should be doing. The second agreement is Don't Take Anything Personally. By this he means that nothing anything says to you is because of you. We all live in our own realities and when we talk down, or even up, to others it is just a projection of ourselves. When you take things others say to you personally, it can lead to needless suffering or undeserved reward/pride. All we need to know about ourselves is what we personally think about ourselves, not what others think.
So far I am through the first two agreements which I actually can relate to and side with. The first agreement is titled Be Impeccable With Your Word. Essentially he is trying to say that when you speak you need to say only what you truly mean. You also need to use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love, not to gossip about others or bring others down. Because when you bring others down you are only bringing yourself to a lower level and that is the opposite of what you should be doing. The second agreement is Don't Take Anything Personally. By this he means that nothing anything says to you is because of you. We all live in our own realities and when we talk down, or even up, to others it is just a projection of ourselves. When you take things others say to you personally, it can lead to needless suffering or undeserved reward/pride. All we need to know about ourselves is what we personally think about ourselves, not what others think.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Summer Book One: The Four Agreements
The first adult I interviewed, for the first book I will read, was my mother—Sharon Daddi. She decided that a book that really changed her perspective on life and the way she thinks of the world and herself is a book called The Four Agreements. At the time she read this book she was in her late 30's and going through very hard times in her life. She was going through her second divorce, while trying to quit drinking, and was struggling quite a bit with how she viewed herself through the whole process.
She described the book to me as a book that will change the way you act toward the world and generally make you a happier person. To me it sounds like a self help book, but we will see. She said that it reveals certain keys to life that will help you realize that the world we are trapped in is all a dream, a hell in a way, because of the ways we have been raised and adapted to the world. She said it freed her mind of a lot of stress and worry and taught her to be a much calmer person.
She said she picked this book because she thinks it could help me out a lot with my life. She thinks I over think a lot of problems in my life because of the childhood I grew up with. Living in 12 different houses and going through three divorces turned me into a person that often overlooks the simplest things to protect any possible problems. She said she noticed that I did live defensively and this book could help me break free of that, and live in a haven that I will never want to leave.
She described the book to me as a book that will change the way you act toward the world and generally make you a happier person. To me it sounds like a self help book, but we will see. She said that it reveals certain keys to life that will help you realize that the world we are trapped in is all a dream, a hell in a way, because of the ways we have been raised and adapted to the world. She said it freed her mind of a lot of stress and worry and taught her to be a much calmer person.
She said she picked this book because she thinks it could help me out a lot with my life. She thinks I over think a lot of problems in my life because of the childhood I grew up with. Living in 12 different houses and going through three divorces turned me into a person that often overlooks the simplest things to protect any possible problems. She said she noticed that I did live defensively and this book could help me break free of that, and live in a haven that I will never want to leave.
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