Hope...That I can finish this year

Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

I chose this poem because it is a great way of explaining hope.  Hope is weightless and always happy.  It is hard to lose and it is what you have when you have absolutely nothing.  Hope expects nothing in return, it is just there to help you along.  At this point in the year, I think a lot of seniors are riding on hope.  They are hoping they pass their tests they are no longer studying for.  They are hoping that the homework they didn't do won't be collected.  They are hoping their teachers are feeling as lazy as they are and won't assign work.  They are hoping this last quarter will be an easy one.  They are hoping this last quarter goes by quickly so we can finally receive our high school diplomas and start the next chapter in our lives.  They are hoping for a summer filled with fun and friends before we all depart for college.  They are hoping they transition well at college and make new friends.  They are hoping for their future.  Hope is great and should be held on to.

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Since we never really discussed this summer reading book in depth in class, I have decided to write an end of the year blog on it.  Hands down this was my favorite book I had to read last summer and without a doubt, the best summer reading book I have ever been assigned.  I really enjoyed how the whole book is written.  As the reader, you get to know the characters personally as they grow up through Kathy's memories.  They seem like completely normal children who do normal things and feel and react as normal children.  That's why as I read it, it took me by surprise when I finally discovered why they were different.  The discovery of them being clones and that their ultimate fate was donating their organs was kind of heartbreaking.  You had gotten to know the characters and related to them as human beings, and then you find out that they aren't treated as human beings.  As children, they were all curious why Madam would take their artwork for her gallery.  Later, Kathy finds out that Madam was trying to convince people that these clones also had souls and they were just as human as anyone else.  As the reader, you can relate to Madam's argument because for the majority of the book, you don't know they are clones.  I think this book is written very well, it keeps the reader reading by the mystery and then has the reader finish by feeling sympathy for the characters.  I also think this book is a look into the future and future ethics.  One day, it might be possible to create clones for organ harvesting.  And if that day comes, the world will be faced with the conflict in this book.  Do they have souls?  Should they have basic human rights also?  If they turn out to be anything like the characters in this book; they are able to feel, love, and react, then I believe the answer is yes.  Never Let Me Go was an interesting read that also got me thinking

Versace Versace

Versace by Daniel K. Davis

I read this biography by Daniel K. Davis on Gianni Versace for my research paper.  It was jammed packed full of information on everything Versace.  This was a major source for my paper because I learned pretty much everything about Gianni Versace and his fashion house by reading it.  I discovered where in Italy he was born and raised.  His mother was a dressmaker and that's how he discovered his love for fashion.  He also had a close relationship with his siblings who would later help him build his fashion empire and also continue his work once he died.  By reading this biography, I learned all about Versace's creative genius.  I, myself, am more of a fan of designers such as Armani and Dolce and Gabbana.  So, reading this book on Versace gave me a different outlook on Versace.  Once you learn about Gianni Versace and his fashion house, you have to respect his uniqueness and creativity.  He wanted his clothes to express the individual wearing them and he wanted them to mean something.  He wanted his clothes to be noticed and not overlooked.  He didn't want his clothes to be the kind that you could just reach in your closet and throw on and go on with your day.  He wanted his clients to think about their clothes and express themselves with it.  Gianni Versace changed the fashion world with his colorful patterns, mixture of materials, and sexy cuts.  He broke all the rules which allow fashion designers of today to feel the freedom to design however they want.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

The Wudan teaches their pupils rules. Rules such as friendship, trust, humility, and loyalty. I think these rules are necessary to be a successful warrior. Warriors are unlike other people; they have a special talent and women don't have to be married. Warrior women can roam free which is frowned upon by common women whose biggest accomplishment in life is marriage. So, I can see where friendship is an important aspect of being a warrior. They must join together and respect one another since they are different. Trust is also big. A pupil must trust their master to train them well and correctly. A master must trust their pupil to be obedient and learn. A warrior must trust themselves and their ability to carry out their duty. At the same time, a warrior must be humble. They can not be arrogant or impulsive. They have to respect other warriors with exceptional ability and the chance they can lose. They have to be humble that others could possibly have better abilities. Humility is important in making level-headed decisions in fights. Loyalty is another important value. Pupils must be loyal to their masters. Pupils must be loyal to the Wudan. They have to be able to keep the wudan's secrets and stay loyal to their purpose. I believe these values are what makes the warriors so effortless if they master these values.