The Kite Runner study guide

1)

The Role of Women - The role of women in The Kite Runner is split between America and Afghanistan. In America, women are independent and can choose their own lives, while in Afghanistan, women serve their husbands.

Betrayal- Amir betrayed Hassan by choosing self-preservation instead of helping his friend in a time of need. Betrayal is a consistent theme throughout The Kite Runner.

Brothers- Brothers are deeply bonded in The Kite Runner. Although there were few instances where the reader saw real brothers, he or she understands that brotherhood is in the heart, not blood. Amir and Hassan and Baba and Ali are good examples.

Guilt- Hidden Guilt~Amir carries the guilt of his betrayal throughout his life, never expressing it to anyone, but being miserable on the inside. Open Guilt~ When Sohrab cuts his wrists near the end of the book to try to kill himself, Amir is visibly miserable due to the guilt of telling Sohrab he would have to go to an orphanage, which was his worst nightmare.

Redemption- Amir's biggest step towards redemption is fighting Assef for Sohrab, doing what he should have done years ago for Hassan.

Journey- Amir goes through a life journey feeling miserable and cringing at the sound of Hassan's name. By the end of his journey, he wants to redeem himself and help Hassan by saving his son.

Fathers and Sons- It seems as though in Afghanistan, it is customary for sons to follow after their fathers in everything. Sons seek the attention and affection of their fathers.

Class Distinction- There is a clear class distinction in The Kite Runner. Pashtuns are the majority of the Afghan population, while the Hazaras are the minority and are treated as such. Hazaras are the servant class.

2)

Parallelism- There is a religious parallel in the book. Biblical Abraham had two sons: a legitimate son, Isaac, and an illegitimate son, Ishmael. Baba had two sons: a legitimate son, Amir, and an illegitimate son, Hassan.

Character Foils- Hassan is a foil to Amir in many ways. His undying loyalty to Amir (by protecting him from bullies, by running kites for him, etc.) just strengthens the idea that Amir is not loyal at all to Hassan. In fact, Amir made Hassan look like a thief so Baba would kick them out. Even then Hassan covered up for Amir.

Foreshadowing- The author foreshadows very aggressively even on the first page of the book, but most of the first half of the book has instances of foreshadowing. Amir stating that on the day Hassan fetched his kite would be the last day he ever saw him smile. Or when Amir graduated and Baba said he wished Hassan were there with them.

Flashback- Flashbacks aren't used as often as foreshadowing, but the author italicizes all the flashback moments in the book. Some include his flashbacks to his childhood during action scenes in the book. However, the whole story is a flashback, because Amir is telling a story of his past.

Positive and Negative Aspects of the Writing- The author does use explicit detail which in some cases is good and in some it's bad. It's good to stir emotion in the reader, however, some readers may think it was too much detail.

3)

• Hazara vs. Pashtuns
• Afghanistan before war vs. Afghanistan during the war
• America vs. Afghanistan
• Kabul vs. Jalalabad
• House in Kabul vs. House in California

4)

• Rahim Khan- tells Amir about Hassan being his brother. Tells Amir about Hassan and his family and where to find Sohrab.
• Sanaubar- Hassan's mother who ran off when he was a baby. Her coming back gave him a sense of closure, something that Amir will never have in regards to his mother.
• Assef- the boy who used to bully Amir and Hassan when they were children ended up being the man to kill Hassan, and rape his son, and become head of the Taliban.
• Farid- a man who agreed to take Amir into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Ended up taking Amir to the hospital and taking care of Sohrab while Amir couldn't.
• Soraya- Amir's wife. Proved to be his source of happiness. Helped him through his father's death. Was the reason they couldn't have children.

5)

• The pomegranate tree in the backyard- When Amir and Hassan were young they would sit under the tree and Amir would read to Hassan. They carved their names into the tree. It always blossomed and gave off fruit. When Hassan returned to the house during the war with Rahim Khan, the tree sat fruitless and didn't blossom. This is a symbol of the war in Afghanistan and also the lost friendship of Amir and Hassan.
• The kite fighting is a symbol of Afghanistan which always seems to be in war.
• The kite represents the freedom and bonding of Amir and Hassan, both at the beginning and at the end of the book.
• The slingshot is a symbol of devotion. Hassan protected Amir with it, and Sohrab saved Amir with it.
• Assef's brass knuckles are a sign of fear. Whenever he took them out the reader would automatically know what was about to happen. Both with Hassan at the beginning of the book and with Amir at the end of the book.

shoulder problems

My shoulder problems started when I was in 5th grade. I was carrying a really heavy backpack on my right shoulder. It popped out and I screamed due to the pain. I went to a private school, so there were an ample emount of doctors around. One of them came over and relocated my shoulder. Ever since then, it pops out every once in a while and I pop it back. During the past several months, it's dislocated anywhere from two to six times daily! This past week, it is permanently out. It hurts to move even the slightest bit. The pain makes me dizzy and feel very sick. Luckily, I am going to see a doctor on Thursday. Hopefully they find a problem that is easily corrected.

My First Laundry Experience in My New Apartment!

Not as exciting as it might sound...
I do not have a washer/dryer in my apartment (yet), so I had to use the laundry facility that the apartments provide for residents. First off, they do not run on quarters, but on cards which you load money onto. Essentially that would be a fantastic idea. However, it is quite a pain. To get your card initially, you HAVE to have a five dollar bill. After you insert the five dollars, you assume you would have a balance of five dollars on your card. Not so. It apparently costs three dollars to get the card, so your balance is two dollars. Each load costs $1.50, so that is good for one load of laundry... I added another ten dollars to my card. I was in that laundry facility for three and a half hours! Sitting there on my computer, listening to music and talking to my sister. I had to run the dryer THREE cycles because it didn't dry well enough. That is $4.50 on JUST drying my jeans. I feel like this is a really big waste of money.

Anyways, I was SOO ready to get out of there that I packed up all my stuff in my laundry basket. In there were my folded clothes, my laptop, my phone, and my keys. I put the laundry basket in my passenger seat, closed the door, and walked to the driver's side. I attempted to open the door and realized it was locked. I walked back over to the passenger side and saw that it was locked too... uh oh.

I don't have my phone because it is in the laundry basket. Luckily, right at that moment, another resident came to do his laundry. I quickly asked to use his phone, and he handed it to me. Unluckily, I do not know my roommate's number by heart. I know my boyfriend knows her number, but again, I do not know his number by heart. So I called my sister. I asked her to three-way my boyfriend. When he got on the phone, I asked him to call my roommate. He called her, called my sister back, and she called the number that I called her on. My boyfriend said that she is in Warner Robins, so it will take her some time to get back. I went and sat by my door and read 'The Kite Runner.' She showed up under fifteen minutes later. She opened up the apartment door, I got my spare key and went to get my car...


My back is killing me.
haha

Halloween

was terrible.
My boyfriend and I didn't really find anything to do, so we stayed at my apartment and watched a 'scary' movie. It was absolutely terrible. I highly recommend not to watch 'The Last Resort.' Anyways, my boyfriend is 19 years old and isn't allowed to spend the night at my house. So he tells his parents he is at his friend's house. His mom called him in the middle of our movie and asked what he was up to. He answered by saying he was at his friend's house, and his mom told him that she is in his driveway with some kind of treat for him. He had to tell her that he was at my apartment, and she hung up on him. Ends up his dad wants him to come back home and talk with his mom. So I have to take him home.. and come back.. to spend the rest of halloween by myself.

=[

New Apartment... YAY!

I finally moved into my new apartment. It's awesome, but this weekend was SOO tough.

Thursday, I decided I need to move out, ASAP.
Friday, my new roommate and I talked about places we could look.
Saturday, we went and looked at apartments.
and Sunday, I moved in.

I do not have a couch or tv stand, and i need a dining room set. So if anyone has hand-me-downs, let me know =D

Compare/Contrast Essay

‘Land of the Free’ Versus ‘Land of Milk and Honey’
Known as the ‘melting pot’ and ‘the land of opportunity,’ the United States has grown to become one of the most sought after places to live, work, and study. Many people immigrate to this great country because of the many opportunities to excel in nearly everything. Here, if one puts his or her mind to something, he or she can truly become satisfactory and continue to progress in the area which they are chasing. Israel is famous for being the birthplace of nearly all religions. Also, Israel has more museums per capita than any other country, and Israel has more engineers and scientists per capita than any other country. Israel is slightly smaller than the size of New Jersey, so there, people have to adapt to different things, including the housing situation. Due to its location and historical value, nearly every country in the Middle East wants control of Israel. For this reason, Israel’s army must be very well trained, powerful, and big in size. However, the nightlife, just like in the United States, is still alive and thriving. Although these two countries are thousands of miles apart and nearly on opposite sides of the world, people in both places are determined and willing.
The area of the whole United States is approximately 9,161,923 square kilometers, which is a little more than 3.5 million square miles. Due to this vast land space, people can afford to spread out and build houses on acres of land. People usually live in single-family homes that have backyards and a driveway. In Israel, the situation is very different. The majority of families live in apartment buildings. Because Israel is so tiny and has to occupy many people, the government decided to build up instead of out. On average, about fifteen families live in one apartment building. A set of similar-looking apartments, usually between five and fifteen buildings, makes a neighborhood. In each neighborhood there are parks and playgrounds for children to play in. Although they are sufficient for Israeli kids, American kids may think these playgrounds are far too small. Pets in the apartments are no problem at all. They are totally welcome, and residents don’t have to pay a down-payment or a monthly fee. However, there is a very small percentage of the Israeli population that lives in single family homes. Although they are tightly packed and have virtually no yard space, these houses are definitely bigger than apartment living. In most cases, the people who own these houses are doctors, lawyers, or company CEOs. In the United States, people would most likely not think these houses are luxurious in comparison to the ones available to them.
In all of United States’ history, there have only been six drafts into the military. Today, one joins the army on volunteer terms only. These are not the procedures in Israel, however. In Israel there is always a draft. Once a child turns eighteen, he or she must serve in the Israeli Defense Force, or IDF. Boys serve for three years minimum while girls serve for two. Every Israeli citizen must pass health exams, join the army, endure basic training, and be a part of the army. There is one exception to this rule. If one is an Orthodox Jew, he or she does not have to serve in the army, due to religious reasons. However, they must still serve the country by doing volunteer clean-up work on the highways and in cities. Most eighteen-year-olds in America, especially the girls, could not imagine themselves going to the army right after graduating from high school. On the other hand, Israeli teens could not picture themselves going to college right after finishing high school. There, it is just the way of life, and it is what everyone does.
The nightlife in Israel and in the United States differs greatly. For the most part, in the U.S. people do not party or go to clubs until they are at least eighteen. In most states, children under eighteen have a curfew, which states a time when they need to be at home, usually around midnight. In Israel, a ‘curfew’ does not exist. During the summer, teens and young adults will stay at home with their family until around one in the morning, and then head out with their friends. Teens usually go to the beach, but towns are completely open at night! Bars, restaurants, and clubs are open until the wee hours of the morning. Teenagers sometimes get back to their homes at around the same time their parents leave for work. During the school year, nightlife is much the same as in the U.S. Parents choose a bedtime for their kids, and the kids wake up early for school. American parents most likely would not let their ten-year-old child wander the streets with his friends on a summer’s night, but in Israel, it is almost customary.
However far away and different these two beautiful countries may be, they are quite similar in their way of life and in the attitude of their citizens. Israelis mostly live in apartments, and Americans live in homes, but home life is relatively the same; the value of family is maintained no matter what kind of house you live in. The nightlife in both areas is different through the summer days. Throughout the school year, children in the United States and in Israel have the same routine. The places are equally excellent to live in and to raise a family in. The maintenance of peace is the sole goal of both the American army and the Israeli army. However, the way of obtaining military men and women is quite different. Although the reasons may be unique to each country, people in both places are motivated and proud.

Terrible week

Have you ever had a week when you just want to curl up into a ball and not leave until the week is over? Yeah, that was this week for me.

Monday-Classes went well. However, it rained so hard that my shoes and pants got completely soaked! So I went to the mall with my boyfriend and got a pair of sweatpants and new socks. I absolutely hate wearing wet clothing. It irritates me.

Tuesday- School was alright. Got a good grade on my math test. I get home, make lunch, boyfriend comes over. Right before we're about to head out to eat, I get a knock on the door. I open it, and the manager of the apartment complex is at my door about "rent." After a lot of miscommunication, we figured out that my roommate's check bounced. She now owes almost $300 more than rent usually is, and we are facing eviction.UGH.

Wednesday- Got an 85% on a test in history that I thought was ridiculously easy. Very disappointed. Boyfriend is angry about a class and I feel helpless. He starts feeling very sick, and I tell him to just go home.

Thursday- I woke up kind of depressed and tried to convince myself before I got out of bed that it will be a good day. I called my boyfriend and he told me that he has a fever of 102 and isn't going to be able to come to school or complete the plans we had for today. Upset, I realize that I have to work, and that because he is sick, his mom probably won't let me see him until Monday. Fantastic.

I just want this week to be over already.

This past weekend...

...was absolutely incredible! My parents were out of town and asked me to go watch my younger siblings (14 and 10). I brought my boyfriend with me to Atlanta. We had such a blast! We took my mom to the airport on Friday. Then on Saturday, we woke up early to get my oil changed in my car. On the way there, my boyfriend saw a Chuck E. Cheese's and asked if we could take the kids there later. I told him that if we had enough money left, then yes. We got home, ate brunch, and took the kids to Cagle's Dairy Farm! We went on a dairy tour where they show you how they milk cows and how they pasteurize the milk. We also took a hay ride around the farm! After the tour, we went through the corn mazes! They were a challenge but were so much fun! When we got to the end, we felt so accomplished!

Later on that day, we went to Chuck E. Cheese's and to the dollar theater to see Harry Potter.
All in all, we had a fantastic weekend, and I really didn't want it to end.

Second Essay in Review

I found this essay to come very naturally after I decided on a topic. However, choosing a topic was quite difficult. Every topic I was thinking about doing ended up being more argumentative than anything. The topic was so broad that it was hard to settle on one area.
The writing process was tedious, but not hard. After I got the thesis, I just focused on making each paragraph support it. It definitely was not the hardest essay I've ever had to write.

I was very surprised that my commenting significantly affected one of the people's way of thinking. I was very glad that I could help. Commenting and receiving comments is probably my favorite part of this class.

Charlotte Russe

I finally got a job! I am now going to work at Charlotte Russe, which is one of my favorite stores. I had my orientation yesterday where we went over rules and regulations and filled out a bunch of paperwork. I think it will be fun, but some subjects came up that I never even thought about when I applied. Apparently, shoplifting is quite common, and everyone usually encounters it. I didn't suspect this... maybe I trust people too much. The good thing is that we have training focused around every aspect of the job including registers, fitting rooms, floor set-up, and so on.
My last job as a preschool teacher didn't provide any training. They sat me down and expected me to read a 600 page manual. I skimmed through it, but when I did things wrong, I would get yelled at. You can't be expected to do things the 'right way' if you never knew what the right way is! I learned from the people around me, and apparently, they were doing the wrong things.
Oh well, I just hope this job works out better for me.

Sick

Last night, I had a really hard time falling asleep. It was hard to breathe, and I noticed my nose was stuffy. No other part of my body ached or anything, so I just brushed it off. This morning when I woke up, my throat was very soar and scratchy. I feel that my voice sounds different too.
This is the first time I haven't felt well since I moved out. It is SOOO weird having to take care of myself. I have to find a solution for my ailment alone. My mom isn't there to push me into going to the doctor or give me the Dayquil/ Niquil regimen.
After class, I will stop by wal-mart and buy some throat drops. Hopefully they will help and I will not need to see a doctor.

The Uncommon Hero (Example essay)

The Uncommon Hero

What is a hero? A hero may be defined as a strong person who commits courageous acts or a person with tremendous spiritual belief and guidance. A personality trait may label one as heroic. In modern-day society, a hero may be a brave man who is admired for his acts of valor. In literature, a hero is a description much more complex. King David of ancient Hebrew times, Forrest Gump of Greenbow, Alabama, and Erik Weihenmayer of Colorado all qualify as heroes. A hero is not defined by physical strength and agility but by the characteristics of his personality.

In Biblical literature, a hero is depicted differently than one of modern times. David was a poor shepherd’s scrawny son. He did not posses any obvious heroic qualities externally. Heroism in the Bible had a direct connection with the covenant between God and the people. David was very loyal to God and faced great danger, making him heroic although his appearance may lead you to assume otherwise. The Old Testament was written through the anti-hero era in literature. During this period of time, heroes’ physical qualities were remarkably plain, but their belief in God proved to overcome all doubt of their heroics. With God on his side, David destroyed Goliath with one hit of a pebble to the giant’s head.

Some heroes are characterized as such due to the effects they make on people’s lives. Forrest Gump was a mentally challenged boy from Greenbow, Alabama. In spite of his difficulties, he served as an inspiration to fictional and living people alike. He possessed many heroic qualities such as integrity and compassion. Gump showed reliability and honor though almost every aspect of his life. His running to get out of complicated situations would maintain his honor because he would not have to confront situations in which his reputation would be questioned. Forrest promised his friend Bubba that he would help him start his own fishing business. Although Bubba died in Vietnam, Forrest still kept his promise and started the business. When he became wealthy, he split his earnings in half and gave one of the two halves to Bubba’s family. Such integrity is very hard to find in a human being, and therefore is a qualifying characteristic of heroism. Compassion is yet another defining trait. Whether he wanted to or not, Gump was always a caring person from his early childhood on. Despite the fact that Lieutenant Dan hated Forrest, he still managed to rescue him in Vietnam. Dan would hold a grudge for this act of courage for many years to come. In spite of that, Forrest always looked up to Dan and respected him immensely.

Although Forrest Gump is a fictional character, his struggles through life are not fictional and not unique. The early life of Erik Weihenmayer, a now-world famous adventurer, was not trouble-free and was in many ways similar to that of Gump’s. Erik was born with the knowledge that he was one day going to be completely blind. He tried to rebel and deny it, but by the age of fifteen, he was sightless. Erik denied any kind of help and spiraled into a depression. However, when he accepted his situation, he became very successful. He started rock climbing and found that he loved the feeling of the thrill and the sound of the wind. He went to college to become a teacher, and there he met his wife. Weihenmayer fought through adversities and challenges, such as being a blind teacher. In May of 2001, Erik successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, a feat no blind person had ever attempted and no person would ever imagine it a possibility. Today, he is a middle school teacher and world-class adventurer. He truly serves as an inspiration to both sighted and blind people. Erik proved to the whole world that both the sayings “The sky is the limit” and “If you believe in yourself, you can make your dreams come true” are reality and very much possible. In addition to teaching teenaged school kids, Erik travels all over the world and teaches blind kids how to rock-climb. In Tibet, he took a group to the mountains. They reached 21,500 feet, which is the highest altitude that a group of blind people reached in history. Erik had a very difficult life, but he turned his challenges into advantages.

Heroes come in all shapes and forms. Sometimes, a person may be a hero for uncommon and unique reasons. The things that characterize a hero should not be generalized because there are far too many to put under just one category. King David, a Biblical hero; Forrest Gump, a symbolic hero; and Erik Weihenmayer, a modern hero, all possess heroic qualities that are, in some way, tied to one another, but are, however, unique to each individual. Everyone should strive to be heroic in their own sense and to learn from those who are heroes to them.

Mud

Saturday night, I went to the Refuge to hang out with some old friends. When I got there, I saw a sixteen-year-old boy holding a tiny kitten. Being the way I am, I asked him if I could hold it. The cat was the cutest thing I've ever seen. He was a dark tan/gray with bright blue eyes. I asked the boy if he had named him. He told me no, and that he had just found the cat running across Mercer University Drive. I told him to name the kitten Mud. =)
Later that night, I went inside the venue and found the boy again. He told me that if he does not keep him, he'd give the kitten to me. I was overwhelmed. I do not have any kitten food or a litter box or any supplies for a cat. I knew the kitten had a broken foot, and I do not have the money to take him to the vet. I started searching for people to give him to, just in case the boy couldn't keep him. I found a girl named Chloe that really liked Mud, so she asked her mom if she could keep him and she agreed. The kitten did not want to leave my side. Whenever I handed him to someone to hold, he started screaming and looked terrified. As soon as I would bring him back in my arms, he would curl up in my arms and purr. I felt awful for having to give him away and I was SO attached by this point. I went inside to find the boy to see if he was keeping the kitten or not, but he was nowhere to be found.
I found an empty container and filled it with water, helping Mud drink it slowly. After he drank, he stuck his head under my arm and fell asleep. I let him sleep for a little while, then decided that if I didn't give him away at that moment, I wouldn't be able to. I handed him, still sleeping, to Chloe, kissed him, and left.


I miss him =(

Rosh Hashana

This weekend is going to be absolutely fantastic.
My boyfriend is coming with my to my parents' house in Atlanta because this weekend is Rosh Hashana. It is a holiday celebrating the Jewish new year, which will be 5771 as of Friday night. (Yes, the Jewish calendar has been around 3,762 more years than the one we use today!)
Tonight, we are driving up to Atlanta and maybe going out to coffee with my best friend, her husband, and my 1 1/2 year old goddaughter.
Friday will be a busy day. I will wake up, go see my chiropractor, and go to a hair appointment. Then, I will pick up my sister from school and hopefully go get our nails done or something.
Dinner will be at my mom's friend's house, and will consist of my family and my boyfriend, their family of four, and their soon-to-be daughter-in-law and her family. I swear, we're talking about 50 people, more or less. It's going to be stuffy to say the least.
Saturday morning I have to wake up early to get my flu shot, and after that, I don't really have plans. We have to leave by 2 at the latest.
That night, one of my friend's bands is playing in Macon for the first time, so I will be going to that!
=D

My writing process and challenges

The hardest thing about writing my essay was probaby coming up with a topic and actually starting the writing process. I don't actually remember what sparked my topic idea, but I remember thinking that my first roller coaster ride is something I could easily describe in great detail.

I really enjoyed reading other people's essays. After writing and rereading your own essay about one hundred times, you get kind of sick of your own writing. Reading other people's essays was a unique experience and really opened my eyes to what other people were thinking and how other people write. In my own essay, I got very good comments, but I had already known that I had that one problem people kept commenting on.

This upcoming weekend... and the next

This weekend is a big question mark at the moment. My boyfriend is going out of town with his family to the beach, leaving me alone at the apartment. My options are as follows: Stay at the apartment and do absolutely nothing by myself, or go home and do absolutely nothing with my family... Option B sounds better to me! But it requires driving for two hours. Oh well, the things we do to surpass lonliness.
Next weekend is Rosh Hashanah, which is the holiday celebrating the Jewish New Year. It's going to be five-thousand-something... Crazy. My boyfriend was invited to come spend the weekend with my family and I in Atlanta, but it's his mom's birthday and it's important for her that he's there. Understandable i suppose.
If plans go as such, that will be THREE weekends in a row I have not spend with my boyfriend. How depressing =[

Labor Day Weekend

This Labor Day weekend was an unexpected one. I had absolutely nothing planned and it was all very spontaneous. Friday morning, I realized I had absolutely nothing better to do than to go to my parents' for the weekend. They live in Atlanta, and making that drive is not my favorite thing to do. I called my mom and asked her if it was alright if I came. She was shocked I had to ask. So I quickly packed and headed up there.
When I got home, my little brother told me that they just plugged up the Wii Fit and that he wants me to play with him. I decided that would be a great idea because I really do need to work out. Let me tell you, that thing WORKS! Friday night, my mom made a big dinner. I had my best friend, her husband, and their baby Elizabeth (who is my goddaughter) over. After that, I was totally exhausted and went to bed.
Saturday was a lazy day. Didn't do anything but go to the store, drive my little sister around, and play some more Wii Fit with my brother. By the end of Saturday, I was SO sore from it! Saturday night I watched Pitch Black with my parents. I thought it was a really dumb sci-fi movie at first, but the farther into the movie we watched, the better it got.
Sunday morning, my dad had plans to get up early and go to Savannah for the day. However, those plans changed because the whole house ended up waking up around noon, and it is a five hour drive to Savannah. I decided to look up prices for the Georgia Aquarium because we have no been there yet. When I looked at prices, I saw a joint ticket for the aquarium and an exhibit called Dialog in the Dark. I quickly looked up tickets for that instead and found that they were cheaper. As a group of six, we went to Atlantic Station to go to Dialog in the Dark. The exhibit is basically a day in a blind world. You do day to day things, such as walking in the park, going over a bridge, riding a boat, crossing the street, and ordering a soda all in complete pitch darkness. You can't even see an inch away from your eyes. When we got there, the workers gave us poles that blind people use to maneuver their way around. Surprisingly, this pole was my 'best friend' as the instructor promised it would be. It was definitely a unique experience that I think everyone needs to do at least once during their lifetime. It's amazing that a simple thing such as sight, which we obviously take for granted every day, is so heavily relied on every day. The world is a much different place in the dark.
Monday morning, I woke up and drove back to Macon. When I got back here, I studied for HOURS for my math test. Hope I did well =]

MindEraser

Knees buckling, hands shivering, I walked onto the platform. The wait that seems like forever is beginning. I sit down in the purple contoured seat, which I quickly realize is quite uncomfortable. I feel my stomach clench tighter, and I grit my teeth. Slowly, painfully, I lift my arms and grab the safety harness. Pulling the harness down over my head seems to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. Gravity is my enemy today. I manage to hold all the air I can in my lungs and with all my might, pull down and buckle the harness into place. The announcer’s bored, nonchalant voice fills the amplifier, stating to keep our hands and all extremities inside the car at all times.
“Deep breaths,” I tell myself. “The sooner it starts, the sooner it will be over.”
A harsh thrust brings me out of my attempt of relaxation. My friend Brittany looks over her harness at me and smiles as big as she can. I lean forward, fake a smile, rub my sore calf, and sink back into the seat. The worker pushes the flashing neon red button and we jolt forward. I hold on tight as the seats begin to lean back. My eyes shut tight, afraid to relax and look at the view. The ride, creeping up the steep slope, decreases in acceleration, nearly stopping. Handlebars are provided on the harness; however, they are no help due to my perspiring hands. My stomach flips anxiously inside of me. I open my eyes in a nervous twitch only to see blue sky, and before I could close my eyes once more, the seat was leaning forward. Down was my only view.
The beginning of the week starts like any other. It is Monday night and I have finished my homework like mom asked. As routine goes, I watch an hour of television until dinner is served. A commercial comes on as soon as I click the ‘On’ button. Children screaming, waving their hands up in the air as they glide down the roller coaster tracks is what I see. In the next frame the family gets off of the ride, holding onto each other, smiling in merriment.
“Six Flags: Elitch Gardens! Have a blast!” announces a comical, childish voice.
I have never been to Six Flags, and this commercial has sparked an interest. Running to the phone to call my best friend, I quickly repeat the name of the amusement park in my head so I will not forget. Brittany’s mother, Amy, answers the telephone and politely asks me how I am. Enthusiastically I ask her if Brittany and I can go to this awesome amusement park called Six Flags Elitch Gardens over the weekend. She giggles out loud and answers calmly: We are much too young to go to a giant amusement park on our own. Disappointed, I say nothing but stay on the telephone. After a couple seconds, she exclaims, “Actually, we have no plans this weekend. How about I take you two?” Giddily, I ask my mother for permission to go. The date is set: Saturday at 11 am.
The whole week, I make sure to do my homework every night and do well on quizzes so I will be allowed to go to Six Flags. When Saturday rolls around, I wake up extra early and get dressed in light khaki shorts and an old t-shirt my mother bought at a thrift store. Fruit salad is what I eat for breakfast because of the simplicity. The butterflies in my stomach won’t allow much more food. Amy honks her car horn, startling me although I was expecting a noise soon. I run out to the minivan with my mother by my side. After big bear hug, I hop inside.
The ride to downtown Denver is a blast. We listen to bands such as N*Sync and A-Teens, teen hit sensations and our absolute favorites. Amy tells us that in the gargantuan park, we must stay next to her at all times and let her know if we need anything. I am so terribly excited, but in one instant, the entire thrill evaporated into thin air. Roller coasters soar high in the early morning sky, hundreds of feet above the dirty, colorfully painted concrete ground. My stomach sinks. Nobody told me this park was full of monstrosities. The horror, shock, and utter disbelief runs through my little veins, reaching every inch of my quivering body.
Walking through the park, I’m a daze. My main goal is to stay calm and not show Brittany or Amy that I am in fact, terrified. The MindEraser, staring me blankly in the face, is a shocking structure filled with sharp twists, astonishing speed, and unavoidable loops. Brittany grabs my hand, stares up at the menacing sign, looks at me with a devilish twinkle in her eye, and pulls my arm towards the entrance. A twenty minute wait is not long enough to calm my nerves, but just long enough to make sure I am perfectly petrified. We are next.
Knees buckling, hands shivering, I walked onto the platform. The wait that seems like forever is beginning. I sit down in the purple contoured seat, which I quickly realize is quite uncomfortable. I feel my stomach clench tighter, and I grit my teeth. Slowly, painfully, I lift my arms and grab the safety harness. Pulling the harness down over my head seems to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. Gravity is my enemy today. I manage to hold all the air I can in my lungs and with all my might, pull down and buckle the harness into place. The announcer’s bored, nonchalant voice fills the amplifier, stating to keep our hands and all extremities inside the car at all times.
And then it was over. Just like that, relief floods my body. Imagining myself riding straight up and directly back down. Twists and turns and loop-de-loops caused this ride to be high in velocity and, surprisingly, enjoyment. No wonder this ride is called the MindEraser; I can think of nothing other than the pure joy and freedom I felt while upside-down or falling down a ninety-degree slope.
“Nothing to be scared of now,” I tell myself. And from there, we continue or adventure through the amusement park.

Relationships- #1

My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a month. It's been a great time and I have been very happy, happier than I have been in a very long time. But along with any great relationship come hardships and things that you must overcome.
Yesterday, my friend Meg posted a status update on facebook about how her boyfriend came over her house with flowers and soup because she is sick. Part of me became jealous at that, although I am very happy for my friend. I was jealous because I do not think that my boyfriend would come bring me flowers if I was sick, or even anything close.
We have a very strong and honest relationship, so I just explained how I felt about it.
His response: "You can't plan sweet things. It's the spontaneous act that makes it sweet."
That was a good enough for me! Hopefully something awesome will happen sometime soon. I'm hoping for a surprise on our one month anniversary, but I do not want to get my hopes up. All I know is that I'm planning something sweet.

English Class

My favorite things to do in English classes are things like editing other people's papers, analyzing poetry, and reading and discussing really good books. I strongly dislike writing essays, although I know I cannot escape it. Essays are what I am dreading most about Engl1101. Quite often, it is very hard for me to start an essay; the needed spark of interest in non-existent in my mind. However, once I get going, my writing is reasonable and easy to understand.

Blogging is another challenge for me. Coming up with something to blog about is very difficult for me. If I am given specific instructions or guidelines or maybe even a topic, I am good to go! Hopefully through the course of this semester, I will learn how to become more creative in my "on-the-spot" writing.

Description- My mom

The most caring and intellectual person I have ever known is the one person that cares the greatest deal about me in this world. Her freezing cold fingertips touched my fiery forehead as a child. When I got hurt, her gentle squeeze of a hug was all I needed to make my day. Her intelligent words of wisdom that enveloped my head throughout my childhood are the words I live by now. Long brown hair always fell softly on her boney shoulders. Blue eyes, icy yet full of passion, at all times seemed to be watching my every move. Bright red lips kissed my cuts and scrapes, and never ceased to cure my ailments. Her scent was always crisp and proper, yet so comforting to my senses. She was my best friend from the time I was a little girl, giving me advice on boys and letting me enjoy my time as a child. From local museums to traveling the world, she constantly made sure I was active and enthused. “No one’s love is greater than a mother’s love,” she said. Those words still jingle in my head.

Ambitions for Engl1101

Honestly, I am just taking this class because it is mandatory for undergraduate degrees. However, there are many skills I would like to obtain from Engl1101.

Grammar is one of the things I am very nit-picky about. I correct everyone at any time, so I do not think I need to work on that anymore than I have. Spelling is another one of my "areas of interest." In fact, I moved to the United States in 1997 without a word of English. A year later (at seven years old), I could already spell words such as acknowledgment. I rarely make spelling mistakes and therefor, I do not think I need to work on that any more than I already have in years passed.

I am capable of writing well, but I really don't enjoy it. Maybe after taking this class, I will be able to write more quickly and efficiently, and maybe even learn to enjoy writing. Seeing as how I have thirteen years left of schooling before I enter my work environment, I must find ways to make writing enjoyable. Mostly, I have to learn to write well with as little mistakes as possible.

All in all, I hope this class won't take too much of my time and won't stress me out, but I also wish to obtain important knowledge about writing skills that I may use in future endeavors.