A Book Review by Mia C.

Eat, Pray Love is a funny, witty and attentive grabbing book.

When writer Liz survives a horrifically difficult and exhausting divorce and her love affair ends badly, she decides to take a year of travel in search of the best of everything across Italy, India and Indonesia.

Italy is famous for its food, India is famous for its devotional prayer and practice, and Indonesia is famous for love and the balance of all things.

Following the many foreign adventures she undertakes made me not only yet again dream of moving to Italy, but it gave me insight into the wonders of Indian and Indonesian cultures which I found to be fascinating.

One of the best components of this book is the fact that it’s a true story. I love the fact that the author actually went to all of the places in the book.

For example, the country that has the best pizza in the world is Italy. In Italy, the small village of Naples is famous for making the best pizza in Italy. In Naples there is one, small, crowded pizzeria that makes the best pizza in Naples.

Therefore, by transitive property, doesn’t that pizzeria make the best pizza in the whole world?

This book is chalk full of humor and innocence like eating the best pizza in the world; or the author’s eyes “burning as the pant size sky rocketed even higher”.

This book offers a nice contrast to have I have recently read; because the author happens not to be a stressed, shallow teenage girl whose life is dominated by the fact she’s a) anorexic or b) is in love with a guy who is dating the “most popular girl in school”.

The author is, in fact, a full grown woman who had real issues and real loves and meaningful thoughts. Liz Gilbert (who is the author and the main character) has a much more complex emotional life and mind than the main character of Confessions of a Not It Girl.

Liz, as a flawed human, is so much more likable and easy to relate to. I especially love her self talk, when you’re not sure if “you” and “your mind” are actually separate or are the same thing.

For example:

Me: Okay, we’re going to mediate now. Let’s draw attention to our breath and focus on the mantra. Oh manah shiva.

Mind: I can help you with this, you know!

Me: Okay, good. I need your help; let’s go. Oh manah shiva.

Mind: I can help you think of really nice meditative images. Oh! Here’s a good one: Imagine you’re on a temple on an isle! And the isle is in the ocean!

Me: Oh, that is a nice image.

Mind: Thanks, I thought it up myself.

Eat, Pray, Love is the kind of book to curl up reading on a rainy day; because it brings a little brightness into your life.

The dialogue is witty and delightful and the characters are completely believable and lovable. Richard from Texas; whom the author calls her “Big Texan Guru” is probably my favorite character of all.

Richard is the kind of person who asked God to give him a sign that his heart was open; and ironically, he ended up having open heart surgery. His heart opened up very wide indeed.

Another thing I love about this book is how this year is only a segment in Liz Gilbert’s life. Eat, Pray, Love was written so well that I was breathless to find out what she did after her adventurous year of world travel.

In fact, I even googled her to find what she does now. (She leads an intriguing life, by the way.) This book was merely a segment in her life.

I wished the book could go on forever with its insights on foreign culture and religion and love. I usually don’t read memoirs, because often memoirs are dry and written in a monotone that drones on forever; stretching across the pages until the blessed day when the book ends.

Sadly, this book ended too fast for me. Like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Eat, Pray, Love is endearing and witty. Compared to Memoirs of a Geisha, the character is just as genuine and affable.

I would rate this book a ‘9’ because I found it to be such a joy to read. It was funny, lighthearted and truly profound.

Eat, Pray, Love was rich in all different types of experiences; from eating the best pizza in the world to talking to Richard from Texas to speaking “American” on a beach in Indonesia.

I wish I could more books that have the same aura and the opportunity to witness character growth as in Eat, Pray, Love.

A Word of Thanks From Mr. Scot

Can't let the Semester go by without a special "Shout Out" to the classroom aides that have made the blog possible this semester....Mia and Luc. Thanks for all your work!

...now get back to work.

The Culturally Shocking Silence by Chelsea O.

I was invited a few months ago to attend a Mediation and Yoga conference promoting world peace. It was very serene, hidden in one of the most beautiful locations known to my eyes, Santa Cruz, California.

Santa Cruz is located in the Northern area of the coastal state and basically anywhere you go in Santa Cruz you'd have a perfect view of the ocean.

My mother and I are rather cacophonous people, so entering into this peaceful resort rather startled us. The resort was a little nook tucked within the rows and folds of perfect forestland.

Our car pulled up with terrible screeches and exhaustion from climbing uphill for about 15 miles. It was 5:30am and the biting cold weather was no bit refreshing.

Some people who attended the retreat were natives to the area and actively went to the events at the retreat location, and others came from out of state to experience something new and different that was my mother and I.

I haven’t done anything similar to that in my entire life so it was shocking how some people handled the situation.

We had activities daily present at such as “mediation sits” and yoga classes. The mediation was so intense for my inexperienced mother and myself! The main idea is to sit cross-legged for long periods of time and to concentrate solely on your breathing.

I have to admit at first I was staring at the clock, counting the seconds go by until the end of the practice. My legs couldn’t stay in the same position for long, and my head couldn’t stand the silence.

Obviously our generation young depends so tremendously on technology and when that resource is taken away, nothing is entertaining- especially not something as simple as your breathing.

My fellow meditaters looked simple and pretty friendly as I made eye contact with a few while passing through the corridor, because of course we had to refrain from sound.

My mother and I did break that rule because we weren't accustom to the practice of silence at all times.

On the breaks between lessons and such there was free time to just walk about the property. It seemed to have dozens of acres of pure beautifully tall trees.

It was fall so leaves covered the forest floor. It was then that my true meditative state came about.

The mixture of the breeze flowing through the trees and the rush of sunshine pouring into my body, and spirit, made myself seem completely content, and somewhat silenced.

Experiencing something so complex at a young age is helpful if you ever plan on achieving it in the future.

The exposure to the Hindu and Buddhist culture really helped me to evaluate what is spiritually available in this lifetime. I wouldn’t of had that experience any other way.

The Outsiders Rewrite Laurel G.

Weekly Focus

I walked through the front door to hear the phone ringing obnoxiously.

Breathing a string of curse words to nobody in particular, I set down the grocery bags that swallowed my arms and ran to get the phone.

I answered it somewhat rudely, I have to admit, only hearing an official sounding voice tell me that his name was Dr. Crastal, and that my son was in the hospital with a serious fire injury.

“Son?”

“Johnny Cade? I’m sorry, do I have the wrong number?” He replied apologetically.

“Oh, Johnny. What about him? What kind of stupid trouble has he gotten into now?” I replied with absolutely no hint of emotion.

Johnny had always been a dumb kid, hanging around with those dumb hoodlums every second of his life. He must have gotten jumped again.

Not too long ago, Johnny had been jumped by a bunch of kids. It seemed to have emotionally scarred him.

He was always moping around, afraid of his own shadow. I could honestly care less. Maybe if he had done something with his life, and just happened to get beat up for cash on the street, then I might have some sympathy.

But Johnny deserved what he’d gotten.

“It’s actually quite a long story, but we have Johnny here in the hospital with severe burns and other very serious injuries. He-”

“Ha. What did he do, light himself on fire with a cigarette? What a stupid kid.”

“Ma’am, I don’t think you’re really understanding how serious your sons condition is. We are talking possible death here.

He ran into a burning church to save the children that were inside. It was an extremely heroic thing to do, but he just didn’t get out fast enough. He is unconscious, and has been since we brought him in.”

“Alright fine. I guess I’ll be there, oh, tomorrow afternoon? That sound alright to you?”

“Mrs. Cade, your son is in critical condition. We honestly don’t know how long he’ll be with us. It’s best for you to come as soon as possible,” The doctor replied, shocked at the fact that I wasn’t already rushing out the door.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Crastal, but I am just a little bit busy trying come up with the rent and trying to support my family, and that is as soon as possible. So I will see you tomorrow afternoon. Good Day,” I replied, annoyed.

Maybe Johnny was actually stupider than I thought. Saving children from a burning building? Pah! I’d believe that he had turned into Godzilla and destroyed Tokyo before I believe that.

My son was not a hero. He was a no good hood that couldn’t go a week without getting in trouble with the fuzz.

I walked across the kitchen to grab a notepad and a pen, and then sat down at the cluttered coffee table and began to write.

Johnny,

I don’t believe your story about saving children, o try a new one. Honestly Johnny, why can’t you just be a good kid?

Out of all the problems you’ve caused your father and I since the day you were born, this is by far the worst. Do you have any idea what hospital bills are these days?

Prepare yourself to be hungry for months after this is all over. Why can’t you be like that sweet boy Bob who stops by the 7-11 every Tuesday for a coke with his friends? You don’t see him getting into any trouble.

You don’t see him killing anyone, or getting arrested. After all the trouble we went through to give you food and shelter, this is what we get? You stupid hood.

From Mom

The next day was a hard day at the 7-11. I came so close to getting fired because I almost let some kid get away after he tried to walk out with half the store stuffed down his pants.

I was drowsy; too many sleeping pills last night. Today was the day I was seeing Johnny at the hospital. I was planning to just give him a good old dirty look and hand him the note. When I got to the hospital, they made me wait outside while they got the current visitors out.

Who would be visiting my no good boy?

It was those damn greasers. They walked out looking solemn, but their expressions changed immediately when thy saw me.

I tried to remember their names. I knew the smaller on was named horse boy or something dumb like that, but I couldn’t remember the name of the other boy.

They glared at me with such hate that I felt a serious need to take care of them right there and then, but there was no way I would get away with that in the middle of the hospital. I began to complain.

“I have the right to see him! He is my son! After all the trouble his father and I have gone to raise him, this is our reward! He’d rather see those no count hoodlums than his own folks?”

An Audience Letter to a Friend

Dear Other Half!

I can’t believe you’re moving to Africa for three years!!!!!! Not only Africa but Sudan. I’m sooooo worried about you, you better not get hurt or I’ll hurt you worse! Every one says that Sudan is a horrible place to be, yet you reassure me that your going to the “safe” part of Sudan. I’ve done so much research on it that I know that there is no safe place. I think of how you and your family are going to be missionaries and help people. But, that’s not surprising because that’s just the kind of person you’ve always been.

I think back over the past nine years and I can’t stop from tearing up. I think about all the great times we had together.

I remember how in 1^st grade Ms. Lisa called me, you, and Samantha a threesome because we never were away from each other. We would be best friends one day and then be fighting the next. Together we were the stars of our soccer team and we would run to your house after practice every night.

Then in 3^rd grade we were the pet feeders and we got Elijah to teach us how to do the splits. We were always talking about how when we grew up we were going to be professional best friends. I would always go to your house and we would eat noodles with butter because that was the best meal ever for the next three years. We would play with Molly in that ditch behind your house, now it’s not yours anymore. We would always play Frogger on your computer and your brother would beat us every single time.

Then at the end of 3^rd grade we got in a fight, I don’t even remember what it was about. We didn’t talk for almost a year. When I think of how I let myself grow apart from you I feel like slapping myself.

Then in 5^th grade we were friends again. We stayed friends all the way through 7^th grade, but in the past year we have gotten close again. The thing that I will never ever ever forget about you in a million years is that you were always a great friend even if I was a total bitch. You always were there and listened when I needed you.

I LOVE YOU Kassie, I always will. I’ll miss you every second of every day and send you emails every day until I see you again.

I’ll miss you forever,

Josey

Hmm. Perhaps 6th Graders Should Go Back to Elemntary School?

Dear Editor,
I am responding to the article written on whether or not 6th grade should go back to elementary school.

I believe that 6th grade should remain in middle school as it is, and I have several reasons to support this. First of all, having 6th grade in middle school gives students more time to prepare for what is ahead.

High school would be more difficult for kid students if they had one less year to prepare for the complications of high school and college.

Also, if sixth graders go back to elementary school, there will be a better chance of conflict. First graders might get pushed around a lot, and the sixth graders would not like being stuck with a bunch of younger kids.

They might harm or tease the younger kids. If sixth graders were to go back to elementary school, that would mean that many teachers would have to move schools, or even lose their jobs.

This would not be good, because it is so difficult to get a job due to the current economy.
For half of my sixth grade year, I was in elementary school and I absolutely hated it.

All of my friends at other schools were talking to me about their lockers, their different classes, and everything else that’s exciting about middle school.

I felt very immature and lame to be stuck with younger kids instead of going to middle school.
My last reason is that kids get bored with the same old setting.

The transition from elementary to middle school is a much needed change of scenery for kids. Being in the same old school for six years can really bore a child, and then grades could suffer.

If kids are bored and unexcited with what they’re doing, they will stop trying.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that sixth graders should remain in middle school.

Sincerely,


Laurel

Another Disappointment to Twilight Saga Fans

Many young adults, males and females, are most likely eagerly waiting for November 21st. The date is coming and many calendars are marked so that the fans won't forget (which is not likely).

I am referring to the much anticipated Twilight. Last year word got out that Summit Entertainment would be producing the film, instead of Paramount Pictures because the screenplay would have been changed if Paramount had made it.
Many young adults, even adults, have been waiting patiently since the first of the book saga came out for the film.
Twilight sucked in its the readers and made them all fall in love with the leading character, Edward Cullen. He is described to be a prodigiously vampire of 17.

This is where the casting had gone wrong. Robert Pattinson well known for playing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire in Twilight he is Edward Cullen.

Many would back me up when I say that I am profoundly disappointed.
I waited to be in love with the actor portraying Edward.

What may have made this better is if they had made an unknown actor be Edward because most Twilight saga fans have read the Harry Potter series, which may makes the viewers still think of Cedric, not Edward.

Many die hard fans of the saga would also notice that in the movie trailer where Bella tells Edward that she knows what he is, the scene is not taken in the Forrest. This scene most certainly occurred in the silver Volvo when Edward (like many times before) saved Bella in Port Angeles.

This is very piteous! When you expect a book to made into a movie, it unquestionably has to be like the book. Many fans have read the book so many times that they have memorized it.

Well to be even pickier, in the exact same trailer when Bella is in the parking lot at school and is about to be hit by the mini van, Edward's shoulder was supposed to save her.

It was his shoulder because he is suppose to be not entirely embracing her but in a protecting position. When his hand is out, there is still a chance of her getting hurt, and knowing Edward, he would never let Bella get hurt.

Lastly, there are the Nomad vampires who the Cullens (Edward's whole family) come upon when they are playing a baseball game. In a different trailer, they have that police officers are looking into the murder of some people by some sort of animal.

They have the baseball scene perfect, amazingly, but they added some unnecessary material. The Nomad vampires were hunting but did not catch any attention that was recorded in Twilight.

We must take into consideration that many of us at least got what we wanted, a visual to Twilight. Also many trailers aren't shown in the movie, so maybe some parts are just throwing off fans for fun, because how could they get anything wrong?

Meyer was right on scene making sure it went along to plot during filming. All we can do is wait till November 21st, 12 a.m.

A Take On Twilight by Valeria

Hey Yalana, you'd never guess what! I just saw the newest trailer for Twilight and I am just like very very unhappy.
Grrr! Seriously, did they not know that Edward Cullen was supposed to be utterly gorgeous? That guy (Señor McUglyFace) looks like a Señor McUglyFace!
Seriously, don't you think they should have gotten a handsome random guy instead of someone who was already in a like BIG movie you know?
Harry Potter is what is was called. Well Mallory and I were thinking of going to the midnight showing like during the summer but now, I'm just like
"No." GAH! This kind of stuff gets me so mad!
(Hey my tummy is hurting A LOT right now L) Like well, he has a sort of Birtish accent right? Cuz, HP is British right?
Well anyways, I'm pretty sure that Edward is not British, then again since he lives forever he could like go to England live there for a while and learn to have an accent.
That just isn't a possibillity.
And Bella! WTFP (flip phone, good language is keyJ)? I imagined her so different from the book's description!
I bet everyone else who read this book thought of her differently too.
And watching the trailer she does a horrible impersonation of Bella.
Yes I guess it's hard to make an impersonation of someone who isn't a person, but the characteristics are written in black and white.
Unless you got a book where the words are color, different colors, then they'd be written in colors and more colors.
And dude, have you read Breaking Dawn? Seriously, Stephanie Meyer is putting this stuff out, as in the book and movie, and they are just crap.
Like (ok I know I'm making a lot of referalls to HP but hey I'm a nerd) in HP#5 it like didn't go along with the story at all.
This is just going to be like the book, something people are gonna stay up till 12 a.m. to get then just be uber disappointed.

A Study on Courtesy by Carmen K.

As a student in middle school, it is rare to hear the words please or thank you. It has become apparent that teenagers of modern times don’t believe etiquette is an essential aspect of everyday life.
I have attempted to count the number of polite words or phrases being used in a middle school and was shocked by the outcome.
During the entire day, I would go out of my way to receive the reply from a compliment, holding the door, or getting bumped into. The outcome was three instances where the known polite words or phrases (please, thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me) were used.

I purposely was trying to do everything in my power to receive these phrases of courtesy, but was unfortunately not given them. I complimented my teachers in several periods, but was shocked to not even be recognized to have said anything that should be responded to.

These teachers must be accepting manners displayed by the students and after many years of teaching have tolerated and began to show the same decency.

During the lunch passing period, I held one of the double doors open that lead to the hallway that was the direction to the cafeteria. In my efforts to receive some form of statistics, I continued to hold the door for over five minutes.

Within that time span, there was only two “Thank you”s said and about sixty-five teenagers walking through. It was obvious that the door wasn’t light and I certainly desired to go to lunch as much as the next person, but no one even made the slightest gesture as to take the door themselves.

I can’t help but wonder if this form of behavior will only get better or worse. The last courtesy word was spoken because a young girl was in desperate need of the restroom.

She finally said, “PLEASE” because she realized that was the only edict she’d be successful in using to reach her requested destination.

The question that I ponder about is, will teenagers be successful in the future having no common knowledge of how to be courteous or will they fail to get jobs and have prosperous lives? Should etiquette be taught in schools or is it the responsibility of the parents or even use common sense?

With the challenges being faced by the United States as a whole, maybe there isn’t any time to spare on teaching our youth manners and we have just accepted this form of attitude about being polite.

There is option to rely on the future to bring common etiquette, but without the past giving the future a push to educate their children with courtesy, will there ever be the proper assumption that manners matter?