PA #11 Dumb Racist People

Be warned. Rant coming.


Why are people hating “The Hunger Games” just ‘cause Rue, Thresh and Cinna are black?? It was an amazing movie, and it said right in the book that Rue and Thresh are dark skinned. HELLOOO USE YOUR BRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok. So Cinna could’ve potentially had light skin, but Suzanne Collins never actually said anything about his skin colour! So the people decided!
There were a lot of idiotic (and racist) people out there, who posted on Twitter and such that they thought the movie was worse, because Rue was black. Seriously, that is ridiculous! Rue was adorable! And if you are that focused on that the “good characters” must be white, then you should sit at home, in your little bubble, and pretend that the only people who exist in the world have white skin, blue eyes, and blond hair.
Hate to break it to you, but if you step outside, still thinking in that little bubble, you will be run over by a little thing called “REALITY”!
Get your heads out of your toilets and accept that ok?



http://jezebel.com/5896408/racist-hunger-games-fans-dont-care-how-much-money-the-vcmovie-made

Click that link. You'll see total boneheads who posted on Twitter about that. Seriously, click it, it'll blow your mind how idiotic people can be.

(P.S. Thanks for letting me rant)

PA #10 Bus shelters have awesome acoustics.

Okay. This is a strange occurrence for me. I am posting a blog post at 2:50 in the morning. Why? Since everything melted, it has been a rough time for allergies for me. I figure that since I am awake anyhow I may as well post and then hopefully I'll be tired enough to sleep...

So at school, I am in the choir. For our final concert, Ms. A, our conductor wants a few self-directed groups to sing. So myself and three of my friends are going to! I was thinking of repertoire in my head while waiting for the bus yesterday morning, and I started to sing. I promptly looked around, to make sure that no one was around, then belted my heart out.

Who knew that bus shelters had such amazing acoustics?? It got me to thinking, where else do you have really awesome acoustics?

Doesn't it just look perfect for singing?
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Bus Shelters!
Bathroom
Bathroom Stall (in malls or schools)
Shower
Staircases
Under Staircases
Pools
Locker Rooms
Closets
Corners of places
Basically any Circular Room!

I am sure there are a lot more, but that's all I have....


I think that I now need to go out and try all these places sometime soon!

PA #9 Spring is here, a-suh-puh-ring is here.

:)

It is the first day of spring!

New life!
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Beautiful Scenery!
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I would have to say that I really love spring. At lunchtime yesterday, my friends and I were talking about what we consider to be spring. Where I live there a couple of days where it is all slush and gross, but still somewhat chilly. Then we go into what we have no where is is just dirty outside (until we get rain) but it is shorts and t-shirts weather. The kind of weather that make me super happy because I can wear a t-shirt and shorts without having to worry about bugs. I hate bugs.

I think that this kind of weather, right now it is supposed to go up to 12 degrees! For any Americans out there, that is ... (finding converter on Google) ... 53.6 F. Yesterday it was around.... 25? I think? There has been a strong wind recently, but that is okay.

So I guess that is all that I have to say.... I think maybe sometime soon I'll post some pictures of what spring is like where I am... or from last spring/summer.

Too-Da-Loo!

PA #8 "Thunderbolt and lightning - very very frightening" - Queen lyrics

There's a thunderstorm here! It is so strange to hear thunder and see lightning and rain on March 19th! This has never happened... not that I recall at least.

I grabbed my little point and shoot camera and took some pictures of the lightning... they didn't turn out too well, but oh well.

Pretty impressive, right? That, in March.

All that lightning made me think that a good story could start with a lightning storm. Perhaps someone is stuck in a house and the electricity is blown... with someone they hate?

I will have to think this through...

What is the weather like where you are?

The Moment and Solitary Confinement

Writing Reflection #4

So over the last week and a bit we have been working on Smith Mag's idea of a story called "The Moment". We have all been writing our own "moments" and mine is currently in rough draft form.

I wrote about my first memory, Halloween when I was four years old. I think that that memory stuck with me because it was really terrifying (for a four year old at least). My "Moment" story certainly needs more work still, because there are parts where the writing doesn't make a lick of sense, and parts that just simply need to be taken out or placed into the story.

My English teacher made us spilt up and go into "solitary confinement" AKA going off and working by yourself without any distractions. I just stayed in the class room and sat on the couch. The classroom was only slightly filled, but the "solitary confinement" sort of failed. We kept chatting... not about the "Moment" but about other random stuff. My English teacher was in the room and kept kindly (and while chuckling) reminding us to not talk. It took a while (about 10 minutes) for us all to stop talking. Now in my opinion, solitary confinement isn't the best thing... I like chatting when working, and the quiet is too much for me. I seem to lose my creative side when it is really quiet while I work. Anyone else feel the same?

One last thing, in case you didn't notice, my blog had a face lift. I changed most of the things that you see. The background, the colours, the fonts....

Do you have any other ideas of what you would like to see on my blog?

PA #7 An Awesome Concert - And Awesome Videos

Okay. So a week ago, I went to an amazing concert. The group was Straight No Chaser. They are 10 college friends, who got together and started singing.

All of their songs are acapella, and totally awesome! So I grabbed some videos of the concert off of my laptop and here they are!

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Just listen to that falsetto!!

"I'm Yours/Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

I really love their version of this song. Ironically, I realized at the concert that one of these songs (I'm Yours) is one that my friend taught me to play on the ukulele. Well, play while singing. If I get good, I might record it for you....

"Joy To The World"

This is my favourite song that Straight No Chaser does. Apart from their rendition of "12 Days of Christmas", but you can't listen to that all year long...

I hope you enjoyed the videos!

Lemme know what you think!

Don't Judge a Book by It's Cover

It is usually a good thing to not look at covers when choosing books, but occasionally it actually helps! There are some amazing covers out there that will cement your decision to pick up a certain book.

I am going to show a few of the best book covers I have seen, and a few of the worst.

I'll start with the worst, just to get it out of the way.

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Now, I don't know about you, but I find this cover to be bad because while the artist doesn't seem to have any trouble drawing animals (the horses are very well done) the humans look like a cross between... a human, Elmo and Yoda? I don't even know... and just to let you know, they are actually human too. They aren't some other creature. So.... Hummm

(Although - apparently, this book is really good. I haven't read it yet, since it is book 9 in a series that I don't have time to read yet)

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Okay so I picked this book up from the library, I read the back, thought it sounded really strange and yet interesting (kind of) and then glanced at the cover. I actually laughed out loud in the library, simply because I thought that this cover was so ridiculous. Ironically, in my opinion, the cover fits the book very well because I really didn't like the cover, and I really didn't like the book either....

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Okay- so this cover I feel just has too much going on. There is the castle with Fluffy, the snitch and Harry, a unicorn, and then the background. It is just way too busy, and it doesn't fit the facts in the books.
Harry wouldn't be wearing jeans, a sweater and a cloak to play Quidditch, we would be wearing his team robes.
Harry is also going miss the snitch at the angle he is at.
Why is Fluffy under the castle...? He is on the 3rd floor.
The unicorn should have a silver horn. Not gold. Quote from the book: "...Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one galleons each..." See? Not gold.

The cover doesn't make the book and worse though! Except that this one is the American version. So the misspellings (color instead of colour. Behavior instead of behaviour,) are irritating.


That's all I have for the bad book covers, because usually I like book covers.... onto the good ones!!

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Now that is an awesome cover. Pretty simple, and yet it draws you in with the fiery look it has. With the city skyline at the bottom, it made me wonder what kind of book that is, and already had me wondering what was going to happen in it.



This book was AWESOME!

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Once again, I have found myself to be love a book cover. The original cover for Cornelia Funke's Inkheart seemed to be perfect. The burning pages show whats going to happen, and yet it doesn't give it away. When you look at the words in the picture itself, you realize after reading that it is in the book! It is as if the cover is burning away to reveal what is actually underneath. Did that make sense? This is definitely one of my favourite book covers of all time. Also it is one of my favourite books!

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 Now I really like this cover because it is simple. However, even though it is simple, it is still eye-catching because it is so strange.
I think that that is how all book covers should be. Simple, and yet intriguing.

As for the actual book Matched, it wasn't my favourite, but it wasn't completely awful.








So what do you think? Any covers you like? Dislike?

There are some things, once they are done, that we can never question, because if we did, we wouldn't be able to go on. And we have to go on, every single day.” - Caragh O'Brien



Reading Reflection #3

Birthmarked By: Caragh M. O'Brien

The Synopsis from the book:

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed that it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

So this is an example of why my method of choosing books is totally awesome. When I go to the library I scan the shelves and the turn table thingys and when I find a book that sounds alright, I pick it up. After that, I read the synopsis. That is precisely why when I went to the library last Tuesday, I checked out 15 books. I don't let covers, or anything distract me. I have discovered so many totally awesome books this way!

Anyhow. Onto the review!

So I totally forgot to stickie note this book because it was way to amazing to even consider pausing to write something down and stick it on there. I do however, remember some of my questions/comments/predictions, so I'll chat about them for a bit!

First off, the very beginning was somewhat confusing. Not as confusing as Allie Condie's Matched, but it still left me with a couple of questions.

" 'No!' The mother cried. 'You can't! It's April twenty-first! Nobody ever advances a baby this late in the month.' "

Now I would assume that your reaction to this would be similar to mine, which was basically at confusion over the whole "advancing a baby" thing. You soon learn that what that means is that the midwives must give their government the first three babies that they deliver each month. Strange, isn't it? I wondered why they had to do this. You'll however just have to read the book to find out!

Honestly, that is pretty much the only thing that I was really confused about. Caragh M. O'Brien did an amazing job at writing this book. The ending was a total cliff-hanger. It quite literally made me sigh when it ended. Of course, then there was an excerpt from "Prized"  which is the second in the trilogy (HURRAH! There it is a trilogy!) which of course, also ended in a cliff hanger. I leapt to my computer to request it from the library.

By the way, "Prized" came in for me,  I read it and now I am dying because I have to wait a while for the third (called Promised) doesn't come out until Fall 2012.

Keep an eye out for a review on Prized!

Kony 2012 (again)

Yo! Just kidding....

So once again I am blogging on the whole Kony 2012 issue. I realized that there are a ton of different opinions out there, as there is with any and all world issues.

However, some of the critics make pretty legitimate arguments. Their arguments and Invisible Children (producers of Kony 2012)'s  replies are below

Criticism from http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/


"Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services (page 6), with much of the rest going to staff salaries, travel and transport, and film production."

Reply from Invisible Children

http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html

"The organization spent 80.46% on our programs that further our three-fold mission; 16.24% on administration and management costs; and 3.22% on direct fundraising in Fiscal Year 2011."


Criticism from Visible Children

 "Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them, arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn't been since 2006 by their own admission."

Response from Invisible Children

"We do not defend any of the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Ugandan government or the Ugandan army (UPDF). None of the money donated through Invisible Children ever goes to the government of Uganda. Yet the only feasible and proper way to stop Kony and protect the civilians he targets is to coordinate efforts with regional governments."



Those criticisms above were the most recurring ones that I saw. Now, honestly, I don't have an opinion on this matter! It isn't black and white. You aren't For Kony 2012 or Against Kony 2012 there is a whole big bunch of in between grey space.

I suppose the best way to put this is that I am neutral. I am not totally into it, buying the action kit and going out covering my city in posters! However, I am also not blogging about how dumb of an idea it is, and how Invisible Children is just trying to take your money.

Personally, I don't think that those who either revere Kony 2012 or criticize it have looked at both sides. If everybody had, I am pretty sure that there would be a lot of people right smack dab in the middle with me.

http://media.zenfs.com/en_US/News/TheWrap/kony2012guns.png

This picture has gotten out, and is stirring up a lot of conflict. (By the way, those 3 guys are the producers  of kony 2012) What do you think? Personally, I think they thought: "Oh! Big bazooka! Wanna take a picture?" After all, boys will be boys.

New Hit on the Internet: Kony 2012

I am sure a lot of you have already heard about this new video that has gone viral. Kony 2012.

We watched this yesterday at school, and it is a really good video! For me at least, even though it lasted a half hour, it sure didn't feel that way!

So here's the video, if you're interested

In my opinion, this video is pretty effective! I know there are a ton of critics out there, if you google "Kony 2012 Criticism" you'll find tons.

Personally, I think that this whole "Kony 2012" was a really good idea to raise awareness and support!

What do  you think??



I have run out of ideas for a creative start to the title. Six Word Memoir #4

This six word memoir is really special for me. In December I was really sick, and I was actually in the hospital for a number of days. I remember when I was discharged from the hospital, everyone always said that it would get easier. (I had meningitis, and it sucks all the energy from your body) That really stuck with me, and I remembered that advice and would think of it when I couldn't do something that I normally could.

I chose this picture because the rainbow on the glass is kind of scraggly, and looks weak, but the words are there to tell them that it'll get easier, and better. The rainbow in this case, represents me, and how I was feeling after everything that went on in December. I know that I will grow from this experience, and I will be okay.

Voila! The Third Six Word Memoir

Dah Dah Dah DAAAA!!!!!!!

All I can think of when I look at this picture is "Aww!!!" That there is my 6 month old puppy, Oscar. He is sitting infront of the stove in my kitchen, and thankfully, he sat still long enough for me to snap this picture.
We brought Oscar home when he was 10 weeks old, and within the first week or so, I realized that his favourite way to wake me up is to walk along my back (or stomach, or side, whichever one is facing up) and stick his tounge into my ear. I remember the first time, shooting awake, sitting up in surprise, and tossing him off of me and onto the floor as I sat up. I have now gotten used to it... mostly.

This was really special to me because I have never had a dog before, and the fact that he has a unique way to wake me, and only me, up makes me feel awesome.

Hasta La Vista!

Emily

My Second Six Word Memoir + 21 Minus Blog Tour!

Buenas Noches!!!

That there is the extent of my Spanish...

So right below here is my second six word memoir. This one I also really love!

Photo Credit: E. Casselman

Now this is a six word memoir and a photo that I love more than anything. Which, ironically is almost exactly what it says. The "You" I am referring to, in case you didn't get it from the cross in the picture is the Lord. I am a God-Lover, aka Christian, and there isn't anything or anyone that is more important. I felt that this was important to share, because I don't share my faith enough, even though I should. I felt that my blog was the perfect way, and the six word memoirs really just fit right in with it.


On another note, my friend Gracie over at www.iamwriterhearmeroar.blogspot.com, is participating in this blog tour  called 21 Minus put together by Anna Waggener. The official rules are found right here.

Check it out! It is really sweet.

Six Word Memoir Numero Uno

Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's off to work I go...

Well, not really. :)

So as I mentioned in my last post, my English class has been assigned six word memoirs to do.

I am going to be posting a series of four different posts with six word memoirs (along with pictures) and this is the first of said posts. Enjoy!!

Photo Credit: E. Casselman

This is one of my favourite six word memoirs. I often get this feeling, of happiness when my feet are snug and warm inside a pair of socks. I actually get excited when my Mom brings home a new set of socks.
I took this photo with my feet up against the glass of a pane glass window in my school. I also got a really good ab workout while taking it, because having my feet up above my head and sitting up to keep a camera steady.
Ironically, pair of socks that I have on in this picture are the most comfortable pair of socks I owned, except for my fuzzy ones. When I was putting the words on this photograph I decided to have "Socks!" in colour because I always feel bright and bubbly when I have the right socks on!

That's all for tonight, I am heading to bed!

Emily