As weird as this sounds, I kind of enjoyed the research paper. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I liked doing the research. Maybe not the preparation steps (outline, notecards, etc.) and kind of liked but not as much the writing part, but I couldn't stop researching. My mind was like "oh, what's this" and "what was that about?" I sort of got off topic, but hey, research is research. The actual writing, well it was ok. I felt a sort of relief once it was all over. But I also felt a tinge of joy that I got to share my months-worth of hard work. Through the process, I also learned how to do a real research paper and am now talking about things in history class and thinking "that would make a great research paper!" Yes, I know, I'm weird.
On the other hand, I don't think I got all that I could have out of the personal narrative. It was our first essay, and I didn't really know what to expect and what was expected out of the essay. I was too focused on the expectations that I didn't focus enough on the smaller details, which is the opposite of the problem most people have. I spent too much time describing and giving vivid details, which is a good thing, but then I didn't make it personal; I didn't say what the whole experience meant to me. So I definitely could've gotten more out of that piece.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Portfolio: Strengths and Challenges
Let's start with an area I need some work on: organization. Especially in my research paper, my organization sometimes lead essays to be confusing. This is also true of my personal narrative. I should really work on this because, you know, organization is important in, like, everything. So I'll try to get it straight. It's not like I'm not getting it at all, but it could use some work. A subset of organization that I need to work on is transitions in long papers. Sometimes I get too caught up in the big meaning of the essay that I move right on through getting from one subject matter to the other. Which is not good.
Now for some self-confidence: my strengths. One strength is that I am able to develop my ideas pretty well. Once I have an idea, I can make it as developed as I need it to be (if given a ton of time). The problem is getting the idea. Once it has come, though, I am able to turn into an essay that isn't too bad. So the developing of ideas isn't that bad for me, but organizing the parts of the well-developed idea is. But at least I'm ok at starting the essay.
Now for some self-confidence: my strengths. One strength is that I am able to develop my ideas pretty well. Once I have an idea, I can make it as developed as I need it to be (if given a ton of time). The problem is getting the idea. Once it has come, though, I am able to turn into an essay that isn't too bad. So the developing of ideas isn't that bad for me, but organizing the parts of the well-developed idea is. But at least I'm ok at starting the essay.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
"Something Rotten" Was Not Rotten
Prompt 238: What are the best live theatrical performances you've ever seen?
This prompt was made for me. But it's really difficult because, and I am so lucky and appreciative for this, I have seen A TON of live theatrical performances in my life, so it is hard to choose. But I think, hands down, the best show I have ever seen is Come From Away. There is no doubt in my mind. Now, I haven't seen any modern shows like Dear Evan Hansen or Hamilton that supposedly change lives, but I have seen Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and while it was amazing, Come From Away was a truly perfect and moving story. But I've already written about Come From Away, so I'll talk about a different show: Something Rotten.
Something Rotten show is not the best show ever, but it is 100% the funniest show ever. Written by two brothers who Baton Rouge High graduates (I am not kidding), Something Rotten opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in mid-2015 at closed on January 1, 2017, to make way for Frozen. The show is about two brothers living in the Renaissance who are playwrights, living under Shakespeare's shadow. Desperate to be successful and make a living, one of the brothers (Nick) goes to a fortune teller and asks what Shakespeare's next greatest hit will be. The answer: "omelet" (Hamlet). The fortune teller also predicts the next thing in theater will be "the musical," which is not a thing during that time. And thus, Nick is determined to write a musical about omelets.
The show is riddled with references to other musicals, with too many to count, and most of them are really clever. It helped that I got most of them, but I was rolling around in my chair laughing. If you want to hear some of the jokes/references, listen to "A Musical" or "It's Hard to be the Bard" on the Something Rotten album. The original cast starred Brian D'Arcy James as Nick and Christian Borle as Shakespeare, who received a Tony nomination for his role and is famous for the TV show Smash. When I saw the show, the original cast was gone, but it was still hilarious. The show is on tour now, and I really hope it comes to New Orleans soon. But for now, I highly suggest listening to the soundtrack.
While it is not the best musical ever, Something Rotten is one of the best that I've seen. It is no Phantom or Les Mis, but it is still amazing.
This prompt was made for me. But it's really difficult because, and I am so lucky and appreciative for this, I have seen A TON of live theatrical performances in my life, so it is hard to choose. But I think, hands down, the best show I have ever seen is Come From Away. There is no doubt in my mind. Now, I haven't seen any modern shows like Dear Evan Hansen or Hamilton that supposedly change lives, but I have seen Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and while it was amazing, Come From Away was a truly perfect and moving story. But I've already written about Come From Away, so I'll talk about a different show: Something Rotten.
Something Rotten show is not the best show ever, but it is 100% the funniest show ever. Written by two brothers who Baton Rouge High graduates (I am not kidding), Something Rotten opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in mid-2015 at closed on January 1, 2017, to make way for Frozen. The show is about two brothers living in the Renaissance who are playwrights, living under Shakespeare's shadow. Desperate to be successful and make a living, one of the brothers (Nick) goes to a fortune teller and asks what Shakespeare's next greatest hit will be. The answer: "omelet" (Hamlet). The fortune teller also predicts the next thing in theater will be "the musical," which is not a thing during that time. And thus, Nick is determined to write a musical about omelets.
The show is riddled with references to other musicals, with too many to count, and most of them are really clever. It helped that I got most of them, but I was rolling around in my chair laughing. If you want to hear some of the jokes/references, listen to "A Musical" or "It's Hard to be the Bard" on the Something Rotten album. The original cast starred Brian D'Arcy James as Nick and Christian Borle as Shakespeare, who received a Tony nomination for his role and is famous for the TV show Smash. When I saw the show, the original cast was gone, but it was still hilarious. The show is on tour now, and I really hope it comes to New Orleans soon. But for now, I highly suggest listening to the soundtrack.
While it is not the best musical ever, Something Rotten is one of the best that I've seen. It is no Phantom or Les Mis, but it is still amazing.
PH Response: Relationship Between Kambili and Amadi
***** Spoiler Alert - this blog post will cover material up to page 276 *****
The readers of Purple Hibiscus first meet Father Amadi, though we do not know it yet, on page 28, when he is a guest preacher at Kambili's church in Enugu. He breaks into Igbo song midway through his sermon, which is very unusual for a priest to do, and displeases Eugene. The next time we see him is on page 135 when he is the priest in Nsukka (where Aunty Ifeoma lives) and he is visiting Ifeoma's house for dinner. In that first meeting, Kambili thinks he is handsome and wants him to notice her. She is aware when he looks at her, and she "can't move her tongue" (p 139). She can't speak, something Ifeoma attributes to her shyness, but it the first sign of love.
Throughout the book, this infatuation develops. On page 219, Amaka tells Kambili that she (Kambili) has become Amadi's sweetheart. Kambili even admits she has a crush on him. Their car rides and the hospital also help grow this relationship. By page 276, it has escalated to the point where Kambili tells Amadi that she loves him, and he kisses her. It is too bad that he is a Catholic priest, and can't marry or have children. Seriously, he should leave the priesthood.
So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed Purple Hibiscus and I am anxious to see what happens next, at the end of the book. My prediction is that Eugene's rashes do not come from "allergies," and that maybe someone is poisoning him or something. Also, I really hope that Kambili and Jaja go with Ifeoma and her family to America. We'll just have to see.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Trade Wars
As gun control is one of the hottest topics right now, I don't really want to talk about it. I have my opinions, which probably conflicts with many of yours, and definitely most of the people in our state. But right now, I want to talk about the what the most current news is right now - tariffs. While I don't know much about tariffs, trade, and stuff like that, I will do my best to explain.
A tariff is basically a tax/additional price on imports from other places (countries). These are current because Trump is ordering (the consideration of) tariffs on Chinese goods (most recently an additional $100 billion), and China is imposing tariffs on American goods. Basically, China has to pay more to import goods to America and America has to pay more to import goods to China. This exchange of tariffs keeps going back and forth, a trade war.
Let's put this into perspective. According to the United States Census Bureau (1), in 2017 the US imported over $505 billion worth of goods from China, while exporting only $130 billion to China. America is paying China a ton of money for goods, and not getting much back (a $375 billion deficit).
The article I read is from Politico, so it's not CNN/Washington Post (to some people) or Fox News/Breitbart (to some people), but it is leaning towards liberal. It is titled "How Trump could lose a trade war with China" written by Doug Palmer (2). Palmer points out the president's unpopularity domestically and internationally, which can affect the support of allies. The loss of allied support could turn this economic issue into a political one, meaning that these lost allies (as well as China) could withdraw support from the United States in other matters, such as military support (though unlikely), trade deals, support in general, and other diplomatic situations.
So what do these tariffs and this trade war mean to us, the citizens, right now? Well, yesterday (April 6) the stock market crashed 450 points. Also, as you know, there are a ton of products made in China. According to a graphic from the Atlantic (3), in 2011 China manufactured 90.6% of all personal computers in the world, 63% of the world's shoes, 49.8% of the world's pork, and 70.6% of the world's cell phones. If China cuts down on exporting some of these products (sending less) to the US or makes these products more expensive, they will make it harder and/or more expensive to buy. There are other possibilities that could be outcomes from this trade war, like other countries cutting back on trade to the US, but these seem less likely.
This trade war doesn't seem to have an end in the near future, but hopefully, it will. So far, China has imposed tariffs on 106 US products in response to America's and has said that they will continue with more. While most countries agree that China's trade laws need to be reformed, and they are hurting countries like America's economies, as Palmer points out, Trump's proposition is not the right way to go. There should be a different, more moderate, way to "ask" China to reform its laws rather than imposing this amount of tariffs, inciting this trade war.
Citations
(1) United States Census Bureau - "Trade in Goods with China"
(2) Politico - "How Trump could lose a trade war with China" by Doug Palmer
(3) The Atlantic - "China's Dominance in Manufacturing - in One Chart"
A tariff is basically a tax/additional price on imports from other places (countries). These are current because Trump is ordering (the consideration of) tariffs on Chinese goods (most recently an additional $100 billion), and China is imposing tariffs on American goods. Basically, China has to pay more to import goods to America and America has to pay more to import goods to China. This exchange of tariffs keeps going back and forth, a trade war.
Let's put this into perspective. According to the United States Census Bureau (1), in 2017 the US imported over $505 billion worth of goods from China, while exporting only $130 billion to China. America is paying China a ton of money for goods, and not getting much back (a $375 billion deficit).
The article I read is from Politico, so it's not CNN/Washington Post (to some people) or Fox News/Breitbart (to some people), but it is leaning towards liberal. It is titled "How Trump could lose a trade war with China" written by Doug Palmer (2). Palmer points out the president's unpopularity domestically and internationally, which can affect the support of allies. The loss of allied support could turn this economic issue into a political one, meaning that these lost allies (as well as China) could withdraw support from the United States in other matters, such as military support (though unlikely), trade deals, support in general, and other diplomatic situations.
So what do these tariffs and this trade war mean to us, the citizens, right now? Well, yesterday (April 6) the stock market crashed 450 points. Also, as you know, there are a ton of products made in China. According to a graphic from the Atlantic (3), in 2011 China manufactured 90.6% of all personal computers in the world, 63% of the world's shoes, 49.8% of the world's pork, and 70.6% of the world's cell phones. If China cuts down on exporting some of these products (sending less) to the US or makes these products more expensive, they will make it harder and/or more expensive to buy. There are other possibilities that could be outcomes from this trade war, like other countries cutting back on trade to the US, but these seem less likely.
This trade war doesn't seem to have an end in the near future, but hopefully, it will. So far, China has imposed tariffs on 106 US products in response to America's and has said that they will continue with more. While most countries agree that China's trade laws need to be reformed, and they are hurting countries like America's economies, as Palmer points out, Trump's proposition is not the right way to go. There should be a different, more moderate, way to "ask" China to reform its laws rather than imposing this amount of tariffs, inciting this trade war.
Citations
(1) United States Census Bureau - "Trade in Goods with China"
(2) Politico - "How Trump could lose a trade war with China" by Doug Palmer
(3) The Atlantic - "China's Dominance in Manufacturing - in One Chart"
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