Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

The other day I had the opportunity to read one of Ernest Hemingway short story called “Hills like White Elephants.” This was my first time reading one of Hemingway story so I did not really know what to expect. Once I finish reading it, I did not completely understanding what the story was about until I read it a second time. Hemingway writing is very ambiguous and leaves out a lot of detail. He never writes what he means so it can be confusing at first. Throughout the story he talks about this “operation” which the reader does not understand what he is really trying to say until we further read the dialogue between the man and the woman. Most of the story consists of dialogues between the couple, which is where we get the most important information of the characters and theme of the story. Interestingly enough his writing style make the story ever more powerful.

Icarus Email

 

In my English class we are studying the myth of Icarus and we were told to email a company who used Icarus as part of their name and asked them why they would use this name. I was picked to email a man named Seth Godin who had a project on Kickstarter for his new book The Icarus Deception. I email him my question and after a few days I receive a response. His response was “once you read it, you’ll know!” I guess he had a lot of work to do and had other things to do so his response was to find out for myself by reading his book.

Multiple Intelligences

 

I took a multiple intelligences inventory and I got some interesting results. Multiple intelligences is the ability to better understand something compared to others. There are eight intelligences, which include kinaesthetic, linguistic, logical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, visual and naturalistic. By on my results I am kinesthetic in other words I am body smart. I have good sense of balance and through interacting with the space around me I can retain and organize information. My possible career based on my results, are athlete, physical education teacher, dancer, actor, firefighter, artisan, designer, doctor of sports, surgeon, physical therapist and personal trainer. All these are possible careers paths for someone who is body smart like myself but I can only relate to one of the career which is that of a surgeon or a doctor. I like using my hands, being active and helping others so becoming a doctor is a perfect career path for someone like me.

Learning Styles

 

 

I took a learning styles inventory and I learned a few things about myself. Learning styles are the ways people take-in, process and organize information. Knowing your learning style is very important because understanding how you can learn can be the differences between success and failure.  With the learning style inventory, I learned that I am a social and physical learner. I was shock by these results because I thought I was more of a visual learner since I always like having information on paper and being able to read it. Knowing this information will help me improve in my class and to better prepare for future project and exams.

Personality Type

 

 

I took a personality type inventory and I learned a few things about myself. Personality types are personality traits that a person has which is what makes everyone different. There are sixteen personality types, which are based on four pairs of personality attributes. Knowing your personality is very important because it can help you understand others and the differences between one person and another. With the personality types inventory I learned that I am both an “idea”-person and “people”-person, which I didn’t consider myself to before I took this inventory. Unexpectedly based on my personality type, I have a natural inclination for role-playing and acting. Never in my lifetime would I ever consider acting so I was surprise when I read that people with my personality type have a natural tendency to act.

Dalai Lama's Wisdom

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered; "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future: he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

I totally agree with Dalai Lama statement. We worry about our future and completely forget to live in the present. What we do in the present shapes and effect our future. Yes, it is important to plan for the future but it should not prevents us from living in the present. In addition, in this time of age people define success as having a lot of money. While we are working hard to be richer than the person next us, we let ourselves go. Then when we are “satisfied” with our net worth than we became aware of our health and at this late point we want to help ourselves. The irony of this is that the money we earn getting at this point, we have to use to get better.

Jullien Gordon

 

Jullien Gordon came to Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus for our colloquium on Thursday and it was one of best colloquium we have had so far. Jullien talk to us about what college is really about and what is really important in life. We can’t live under other people’s shadows and we have to find our own road. Life isn’t about being better than your parents because then you are only marginally better. Having a 4.0 GPA and a college diploma does not guarantee you will be successful. Everyone has a different definition for what success is, so Jullien challenged everyone that day to come up with our own definition and follow it through.

            Jullien Gordon is one of the best speakers I have come cross. He had my full attention throughout the whole presentation. He made me think about my education and what is important in life. When Jullien speaks, I can tell he cres about the audience and is passionate about his message. He speaks to thousands of people all around the world and has had to do countless presentation, some speakers could get tired of saying the same thing repeatedly but Jullien had enthusiasm amd passion when he was speaking to us. I felt a connection with Jullien and he really made me think about my future.

Blind Students Learn How to Play Tennis

http://news.yahoo.com/blind-tennis-players-keep-ears-ball-180153298--spt.html

I came upon an article the other day about blind kids learning how to play tennis and I was left speechless when I read the story because these kids are inspiration to everyone, that anything is possible. At a school in California, students are learning a form of tennis adapted for visually impaired. The students play by locating the ball fill of metal beads by listening when the ball hits the floor. It is not easy but with practice, the students are getting better. These students are just amazing and it is so inspiring. People like these are the ones that prove to others that nothing is impossible and if we set our minds to it, we can do anything.

 

Obama the Right Choice

In the upcoming election I will be voting for Barack Obama. I think Obama will do a better job in trying to revamp the economy and not Mitt Romney. If Romney is elected then we better say goodbye to the middle class because his political decisions will only benefit the rich. Some may say Obama has put our country in more debt that we sometime forget that when he came into power the economy wasn’t in its highest moment. Obama will continue to keep educational funding, unlike Romney who will cut funding which will affect college tuition. Romney is too conservative and his religious views may conflict with the way he could run the government. I believe Obama will be our best chance to get our country back on it’s feet.

 

Amputee Boy Helped by Marines to Finish Race

 

View video: http://youtu.be/oD0OSOHjEXY

            When I watched this video my eyes got watery because it’s always nice to see other people help each other and someone being an inspiration to others. Ben Baltz is a 11 years old boy who lost his leg to cancer when he was 6 years old. He took part in the Sea Turtle Tri-Kids Triathlon in Florida, where he had to swim, bike and run. When Ben made it halfway through the one-mile run his prosthetic broke in half. A few Marines nearby watching the race saw Ben and picked up him and gave him a ride to the finish line.

            Little act of kindness like this one are special and rare. Children like Ben inspire other kids who may feel like they can’t do something because they may not have a leg or arm. Ben represents what life is all about, even thou we may face challenges and unfortunate events we must continue on and not let anything stop us. We can do anything we set our minds to and there is nothing in the world that we can’t do.

 

"The Very Old Man wth Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

            In the short story “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez we are told the mystery story of how a couple who found an old man with wings. At first they don’t know what he is until a neighbor tells them he’s an angel who fell from the sky because of the storm. The couple decides to lock the angel up when they concluded that the angel may have come to take their sick child. Soon the word gets out about the old man with wings and people want to come see him. After a while people get tired and instead go see a young girl that turned into a spider. Many years pass and the old man heals and his wings grow out and as simple as he came to the couple’s life is disappears.

            Marquez blends reality with fantasy which he does in his short story. He writes in such a way that the story doesn’t seem unusual instead it seems like one day you too will cross pass with an angel. Reality and fantasy are equal in his story. People are willing to believe anything if they can relate, like the people could understand how a girl was turned into a spider because she sneaked out of her house to go to a party. Marquez presents the angel as an ordinary situation, like if an angel is seen all the time. Our perception of what is reality is determined by our culture and beliefs. People can believe in witches and demon but when they were told about new inventions like the portable phones, airplane and internet they are amazed and can’t comprehend.

           

 

Pakistani Girl To Be Killed If She Suvives From Her Injuries

                                                http://www.kgmi.com

A Pakistani girl, Malala Yousufzai, is shot in the head by a Taliban man because of her support on girls having an education. She was shot by the gunman as she was leaving from school. She is a critical condition and being treated. The gunman who shot the girl, has told the public who he is and will kill her if she survives.

            This is just disgusting and unbelievable. How can someone kill an innocent child? How can a person say that he will kill her if she should survive? Are they so afraid of an innocent girl that they would decide to kill her? When I read this I couldn’t believe what they had done to this girl. What has the world become? Whoever kills or hurts a child is a coward in my eyes.

            Malala is an inspiration to all of us because she stood up for what she believed. She knew the risk of expressing her opinions but she still told people what she believed in. That is what I consider bravery and a hero. I hope she survives and that the Pakistani government can keep her safe because this world needs more people like Malala.

http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-vow-kill-pakistani-girl-shot-going-school-131916069.html

 

Voters Action Project

Today in colloquium, we had the Voters Action Project speaking to us. The speakers were no other than Wolfson Campus Honor students. They talked about how important it is to vote and let our voices be heard. And most importantly to know all the facts before we decide who were are going to vote for.  You shouldn’t vote based on what other people are voting for or because you want to vote on whoever is more popular, that is not what voting is about. You should vote base on who will help this country. We have to think carefully and be wise because whoever wins this next election will have the hardest job to so far, to get this country back to its feet.

It was very inspiring to see fellow classmate be so passionate about an issue so important like this one. They are the perfect example of what each of us should be doing for our country. We shouldn’t just stand by and not be heard. We are the future and we should set an example for future students to stand up for what they believe in.

First Presidential Debate

After watching the First Presidential Debate, I was astonished at how unprepared Obama was. Clearly, Romney won the debate and kicked Obama under the rug. I have no idea why Obama didn’t confront Romney more and asked him for more specific answers. President Obama is one the best speaker we have had in a long time, which should have given him the upper hand but it was the opposite  the debate was a major disappointment. It seem like Obama was out of practice with this sort of thing. It may have been because he hasn’t been challenge in over four years. I hope in the final two debates Obama is prepare and attacks Romney on his ever-changing political standings.

Phone Storage Truck

Associated Press/Tina Fineberg
http://news.yahoo.com/phone-home-ny-teens-pay-valets-store-devices-062352589.html

This is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time, a storage truck for student’s phone, who are not allow to bring phones to school. It counts a $1 a day. You exchange the phone for a numbered yellow ticket. I never knew that such service existed. Why waste $180 a year, if you can just leave your phone at home for free. It makes no sense to me why would anyone pay for this type of service.  

On the other hand, I don’t understand why they don’t let student have their phone with them during school. For many students this is their mode of communication with their parents and if there is an accident, they have a form of communication to ask for help. I think the New York school system should reexamine their decision on banning cell phones.

Wisdom from Buddha

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” -Gautama Buddha

Don’t believe in something just because others tell you too. First, you have to agree and understand what it is that you are being told. Sometimes what others believe to be right or wrong may not be what you believe is right or wrong. Before you say “I believe”, you must feel it in your heart. We all crave explanations and sometimes when present with those answers we believe them to be true. But how do we really know what to believe, that is the question we should always ask ourselves. Sometimes what we perceive may be different from others and thus cause people to believe in things differently.  I believe that everyone should have their own beliefs and like Buddha says “live up to it.”

I have my own beliefs and there are people who don’t agree with them but that is alright because what’s important is what I believe is right and good. We all have different ways of viewing the world and different people thus the different religious people practice in this world.