Take A Position

               After the many deaths at Hawaii's natural landmarks, many feel the state should be liable for the amount of injuries and deaths that occured there; while rightfully the blame should be put on the visitors. There are many reasons why the blame should be placed upon the visitors of these special sites. For example, the reckless things people do, not being cautious enough and not having enough common sense. First, in the article "County denies culpability in blowhole incident" by Michael Tsai, Daniel Dick of Sylmar, California straddled the Halona Blowhole and was instantly killed. Besides the fact that there should have been more than one sign surrounding the blowhole, his reckless behavior caused his death. Second, two women from California  died near Opaekaa Falls on Kauai. The same article about the blowhole incident states that, "The women apparently followed the right side of a split trail and feel from an area of the cliff hidden by vegetation." The hike they were on was an unofficial hike, and the lack of self-caution was their cause of death. Lastly, the amount of common sense that people lack, can cause problems that are brought on by themselves. An example of this is David Potts of San Anselmo, California dancing around the Nakalele Point Blowhole. Even though there was the presence of a sign that states, "Blowhole: Park and Walk at your own risk" Potts and whoever he was with did not have the common sense not to take part in dancing by the dangerous blowhole. Even though many people would like to think that the state should be blamed for the deaths at Hawaii's landmarks, those visitors need to take the blame because of the reckless things they take part in, not being cautious enough and not having enough common sense to do the right thing. In the end, it comes down to your decisions, and that responsibility cannot be put onto anyone else.

Conclusion

Conclusion: Possible goals for next year that I have are to stay on top of my grades. This includes making sure I study before each test, listening intently in class and making sure I write down things so I don't forget. For my career I don't have many possibilities seeing that I am a freshman. The closest thing I have to a career is the pathway of Arts & Communication which is what I learned in CAP. Some websites that have majors in this pathway are listed below.

Texas College: http://www.finearts.txstate.edu/
BYU: http://cfac.byu.edu/

GLO PORTFOLIO

To Parents:

http://www.wix.com/jjkurosawa/gloportfolio#!home|mainPage

Heres a link to my GLO Portfolio which shows what I have done this year. After you review my website, please answer the following question in a comment-

"What did you learn about your child's achievements and experiences in MenemAC this past year?"

          POETRY CONNECTIONS ESSAY

  Look at the society around you. Look at the clothing, language, personalities, things that happen and almost anything nowadays. What do you think has caused all of these things to happen? Many may say it is caused just by the generation, and how more advanced we are becoming. That may be true, but there is one big factor in how the world looks today. This factor is music. Music can have many effects on how the world is at this time, and the biggest place it affects is teens. The singers influence us on what to wear, how to stand, things to say, and what to do. But, there are also other sections that music has an effect on. Some examples of the effects of music on society can be seen through poems such as, “ Music on Christmas Morning” by Anne Bronte, “Music I Heard” by Conrad Aiken, and Sing-Sing-Music Was Given” by Thomas Moore. Also, a few articles like, “The Powerful Role of Music In Society” and “Why Does Music Make us Feel?”.

            Anne Bronte’s “Music on Christmas Morning” talks about how music is everywhere, and how it can add to the feelings in a certain situation. Also, how music can help you during these times is being talked about as something bad is happening, it can lift your spirits. This poem relates to how music is in effect on our society by speaking of exactly that.  In the poem, music has a role that is rejoicing, comforting and sacred. In life, there are many things happening that have a natural music to it. Such as when one walks into a scary room. Creepy music pops into the brain, sending shivers up your spine. In this situation the music has an effect in feelings. It can change the emotion in the room, and in society it can change an outlook on life. 

            Conrad Aiken’s “Music I Heard” is more about how we connect many things to music. In this poem, a person has gone through a relationship, and it is at the phase where you greive over what used to be. In the line, “Music I heard with you was more than music” it talks about how a special connection to the song the couple has. There are memories attatched to it, that either hurt or help society. This can be considered  far out there as in the connection, but there are many things that can be connected to songs. Music has many components to it such as the artist who created it, the music video that is made, and things that happened during this time, or even what the song is about.

            In the last poem “Sing-Sing-Music Was Given” by Thomas Moore, it talks about how there are many different scenarios where music is present, or how universal it is. This poem is pretty much examples of how music can work in life. An example from the poem is how a young boy is being sung asleep by his mother. The effect of music, or the mothers singing is soothing. In society there are many different scenarios such as this. They include pump up music that athletes use to get them ready for game time, love songs you listen to when you feel like day dreaming, and loud obnoxious songs you listen to when you want the world to dissapear for a moment.

            The article, “The powerful Rold of Music in Society” is exactly about what it says. 

TO BE CONTINUED (idk what happen to umm)....

Of Mice and Men Essay

          In the book "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, the wife of the bosses son was of the flirtatious type to all of the working men. She was previously known as just that, but developed into that of a lonely personality and ended the book as a woman who felt trapped, and wanted to do more with her life. Because of this, she proved herself in being the one character in this book that kept growing and opening up until the end.
          Curley's wife started the beginning of the book as the character who causes a lot of the drama. By being extra friendly to the men who worked under her huband, she portrays the personality of a troublemaker. On page 31 she is caught showing off that certain personality trait. "Hi good lookin' I'm trying to find Curley, Slim"she says to a worker while supposedly looking for her husband. She gets caught when that same worker responds to her, "Well, you aint trying very hard. I seen him goin in your house." Next they describe in the book how she runs off in a rushed fashion. This shows that the worker had truth to his words, and she knew it.
          As the story goes along, so do her visits to her husbands workers. One day when many of the workers go out, she pays the men that stayed a visit. They expected her to be looking for Curley, so they instantly drive her away. On page 77,"Well I aint giving you no trouble. Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?" she responds. She opens up to the men, and shows them another side of her that they never saw before. She showed them that she is lonely. Ultimately confessing that most of her visits to them are not for finding Curley, but just to get out of the house, she tells that she is lonely.
          By the end of the book, Curley's wife opens up to Lennie about how she feels about her situation at that time. She talks about being on the ranch and how it is being Curley's wife. "--Well, a show come trough an' I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol' lady wouldn't let me. She says because I was on'y fifteen. But the guy says I coulda. If I'd went, I wouldn't be livin' like this, you bet." she says on page 88. By saying this, she shows a longing for something more than what she had. Before in her life, she had the chance to be much more successful, and being stuck on a ranch, while being controlled by her husband, makes her feel trapped.
          In conclusion, when John Steinbeck wrote the book "Of Mice and Men" he created many characters. Some were much more important than others of course, and they all had their own personalities. But, not all of the characters personalities had stayed the same throughout the book, but instead grew. Out of all the characters in the book, Curley's wife developed the most by starting as a the troublemaker, to a lonely wife, and then ending up as a trapped woman.

"Coney Island Life" Essay RE-DO

In the poem, “Coney Island Life” by James I Weil, he describes his life with sayings and words such as rollercoaster, dolls and planet carousel. By creating these and may other scenes, I beliebe the author was describing a slightly sad life.

By describing life as  “rollercoaster ups and downs” and “helium hopes break skyward without me” the author sets the mood saying that his life wasn’t the happiest. Life can be compared to ups and downs just as it says. There are low times in your life when you can be going through certain things, and “ups” when it feels like nothing could go wrong. But his hopes, which is like helium, light and rising up higher without him tells us that his dreams left him behind. 

Also, at the end, the poem is structured with breaks. “and ask” is emphasized, also “I have”  to give it the effect of the author coming to a close in his life, with a sense of wonder in his voice. 

By comparing life to Coney Island, which is full of amusement park attractions, it sounds busy. Comparing life to a rollercoaster with ups and downs, means life has its peaks and valleys. Also, the fact he says“how many more times” gives the feeling of being tired, but also a wishing that he had more time for his life.

When James I. Weil wrote the poem “Coney Island Life” he gives off the impression of a sad life by using metaphors, evocative language, and more. He portrays that life doesn’t go on forever. And, whatever happends during your journey, make use of that time until you go. 

Writing Standards Portfolio: Parent Post

1. What piece of writing did you like best in my portfolio and why? 

The querencia essay, because it shows your experience and pulls me into the story.

1. What did you like about my portfolio and sharing and what would you like to see me improve on?

The website is nice, but you could be more prepared.

1. Which of the writing traits (ideas, organization, voice, word choice) do you feel was most successful for me?

Voice

1. Which of the traits of writing would you like me to improve on in the coming semester?

Organziation

Parent: Alton Kurosawa

Link to Portfolio: http://www.wix.com/jjkurosawa/joyswritingstandardsportfolio