Fictional Character - Charlie Grimes

One of my favorite stories of all time is that of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." This particular short story centers around a man who escapes the tedious reality of his life through his own day dreams of confidence, heroism, and adventure. I have always been so fascinated with the portrayal of Walter Mitty in the story, and have always loved the way reality and dreams are seamlessly blended together in the writing.

Now, I would not like to have the uninteresting "real" life of Walter Mitty, but rather I would love to be my own version of Walter Mitty, able to escape the dull monotonies of my life through adventurous, breath-taking dreams that seem to be reality to me. I often find myself unhappy with the monotony of life, and I believe the ability have such elaborate and fulfilling dreams like Mitty would be the ultimate cure. Although I was somewhat disappointed with the turnout of the movie (directed by Ben Stiller), the initial magic of reading the short story will never die in my brain. The mental images of Walter amongst a ship crew before an impending hurricane, or facing a firing squad with a confident demeanor cannot be erased from my mind. All I can say is: thank you, James Thurber.

Perfect Playlist - Charlie Blondell

There a few things I enjoy more than listening to music. Maybe in the car, maybe while mowing the lawn, maybe even when making a sandwich (never at the same time as homework, because all focus must be on the school subject matter). When I wish to really, deeply think about the world and its strengths and weaknesses (mostly weaknesses), music gives me this bridge to an imaginary sauna, where the warm steam is the harmonies and beats of artists who actually attempt to convey an important message, which is somewhat unheard of in a lot today's music, unless you're interested in fat bills and fast cars. The following is the perfect play list to simply lay in your bed and listen to every lyric, thoughtfully and decisively.

1) Imagine - John Lennon
Being one of the most popular Beatles/John Lennon songs, it's hard to find people who haven't heard this masterpiece. Condemning the tendencies of people around the world, Lennon attempts to disregard the world's countless ways that we separate ourselves, may that be race or religion. Through this song, he tries to get the listener to look at the world as one, beautiful Earth, as it should be, instead of states, nations, and continents divided. It's the perfect song to open ones mind.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yRhq-yO1KN8

2) The Art of Peer Pressure - Kendrick Lamar
Being one of the King of the West Coast's more overlooked tracks, this ballad tells the story of a younger Kendrick, in a time when bad decisions came easily. At the beginning, the misguided teen starts off by experimenting with some new substances, Marijuana and alcohol included. Seemingly harmless, right? As the song goes on, a reoccurring pattern of unfavorable choices develops, and Kendrick eventually is a familiar face in a rough crew. The story ends with the narrow escape of the gang members from a robbery, almost being caught and arrested by pursuing policemen, as they took a wrong turn while chasing them. As a teenager myself, this song hits home a little bit, reminding me what bad influences and decisions can lead me to.
https://vimeo.com/52175677

3) 2112 - Rush
Probably the longest rock ballad ever composed, Neil Peart creates a dystopia in this song, most likely attacking overpowering systems of government. The story follows a man who has been taught that the confederacy of the "red star" is the only way that his world can prosper, through order and obedience. Everything has been created for him and his fellow citizens: movies, shows, music, games, novels. Created is the wrong word because there is no creativity in this world. Anyway, eventually this individual finds a guitar; any instrument used to develop ones own music is unheard of. The song follows his adventure of attempting to reinstate creativeness in this unforgiving world, being shunned and let down by the officials of the confederacy, and eventually to his dreadful suicide.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7zrtbG4ZJrE

4) Lost Ones - J Cole
Going back to a hip hop tone, this song describes the troubles and tensions that come with a newly discovered pregnancy. First through the eyes of the male in the situation, Cole describes the thoughts of this person, showing the strengths and weaknesses of a man who wishes to be there for his child, but doesn't wish to bring him into a world that doesn't seem fit. The second verse is through the eyes of the woman, and it depicts the anger and disappointed she has with someone else attempting to make decisions for herself; claiming that her body is her body, her baby is her baby. The third and final verse presents the entirety of pros and cons with the entire situation, the blame game being played on both sides, but both participants having good intentions in the end. This song represents one of the very puzzling situations for young partners.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y-vQ_VsTkn0

5) Vitamins - Mac Miller
I'm ending the playlist with one of my favorite songs, that not only shows one of the tendencies of most people to be drawn into something they were not expecting, but also creates a short and almost humorous skit along with it. It starts off with our protagonist being drawn into the apartment of a coworker to just smoke some harmless weed, but is seduced into trying this pill that will "make my (his) problems go away." He falls into a surreal vortex of colors and shapes that make his old world seem like the imaginary one. It's a pretty subtle and charming tale that can actually be taken in a much darker light.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Z5YfErKKY

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional LIfe; Walt Finch

If I could be any fictional character, I would be James Bond.  James Bond is a legend.  He speaks multiple languages.  He is very physically fit.  He gets to shoot all kinds of kids, all the time.  He drives fast cars.  He jumps out of planes and helicopters.  He is also has a knack for bedding beautiful women.   But at the same time he has the best job in the world.  He gets to travel the world, and above all he is working for something greater than himself.  He isn’t just working to make money in order to pay for a house and his kids to go school, doing the same thing all the time.  No, he goes off and protects the world.  He protects people that aren’t capable of protecting themselves.  All the horrible things that most people can’t handle, he stops.  He protects people from all the evil in the world and that is exactly what I want to do.  He doesn’t just do it on a small scale; he isn’t a local cop, something that most people could do.  He does something that most people can’t do, only a very select group of people can do what he does.  I want to be that guy.  The guy people can count on to do what they don’t want to talk about, but want to know is being done.

Assignment 21: Right Now: Walt Finch

Right now in the world, someone is bettering themselves.  They are learning a foreign language.  They are studying math.  They are working at a job in order to advance further in life.  They are working out.  They are striving to some goal.  For a lot of people, this goal is probably the same as yours.  And only so many people can accomplish that goal.  So what are you doing? Are you bettering yourself in order to accomplish the same goal? Or will you watch Netflix? Watch Youtube? Are you going to waste time on twitter?  You need to make sure you are doing everything you can to accomplish your goal.  Take complete advantage of all of your opportunities.  Whether that is doing your absolute best in school, or just applying for every internship or program that you can feasibly go to.  Sometimes you might not want to do something, you might just want to lie down and watch Netflix.  But would you rather lay out and watch Netflix for an hour, or accomplish your life goals?

Assignment 23- Jacob Young

This will be a playlist for one of the most depressing events that a sports fan might go through in his or her entire life, one that I can personally relate to at this very moment. It is a playlist for that awful feeling when you lose your first game in your NCAA tournament bracket. You're staring at your TV screen in utter disbelief because Iowa State lost in the first round and you had them in the final four. You hadn't lost a game yet in your bracket until that dumb Georgia State team had to go and screw you over. I picked the following five songs for the stages that I went through and I'm sure others did as well before they lost and then when they lost their first game. 

The first stage is right before you set your bracket. You think it's finally your year to win. To beat all of your friends. A song to describe this feeling is "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons, because you think it's finally time for you to win. 

The second stage is cockiness. You are so confident in this 3 seed to win their first matchup. A song that describes this feeling is "Big Balls" by AC/DC because you are so confident in your team to win.

The third stage is when your team is down 4 points with only a minute left to go. You're nervous, anxious that your team might actually lose. A song that describes this feeling is "Fever" by the Black Keys because it almost feels like a fever you're getting because you're so nervous.

The fourth stage is when that buzzer sounds and the clock hits zero and you've lost. Utter shock. A song that describes this is "Lightning" by Alex Goot, because you're in such a state of shock that it feels like you've been struck by lightning. 

The fifth and final stage is sincere acknowledgement that you suck at picking upset games and you can't ever set a winning bracket. A song to describe this depressing feeling is "Shadow Days" by John Mayer because the rest of March Madness will feel like the worst days of your life; your friends make fun of you because your bracket is awful and you end up losing 10 bucks on top of that. 

And there you have it, my playlist for the NCAA tournament and losing your bracket. 

Assignment 22-Jacob Young

The first thought that struck my mind when I read this prompt is that the fictional character would be someone like Harry Potter and be able to use magic or someone insanely rich like Jay Gatsby. However, as I considered all of the things that make a character cool, smart, strong, and courageous, I decided on one particular character that I believe there is no dispute that it is superior to any magic or money or strength. It is the Hulk. Think about it, nothing beats the Hulk. He's much too strong to be physically defeated by anything and as Bruce Banner he is also incredibly smart. If we're going by the Hulk from the recent movies, then he is able to turn into the Hulk on command and not just whenever he happens to get angry and he doesn't even want to become the Hulk. If you consider everything that makes a fictional character great the Hulk is all of them and more. He even has the added bonus of getting stronger the angrier he is, aka the more he gets hurt. He can't be beaten by any other fictional character you can think of and that's why I would choose the Hulk if I could be any character.

Assignment 21 - At this very moment, someone in the universe - Beck Michul

     At this very moment, someone in the universe is on their computer doing various activities as they watch the film "This Is 40." Half of the people in the house are sick and this certain person is trying to avoid contact with those certain people as he smells the wonderful smell of a big pot of vegetable soup being cooked up. Now this certain person may sound a lot like a human, maybe even me (:O), but it's not. This person is different. Instead of listening to terrible(ly amazing) on Pandora and this vegetable soup containing beef and corn, this person is listening to amazing(ly terrible) music and this vegetable soup contains human meat and human organs are now being categorized as vegetables. Corn is now replaced with a human appendix. So somewhere in this universe, this is happening. Yes, this sounds gross, but think about what we actually do sometimes. I'm not going to say some of the grody and disgusting things that us humans on Earth do at this very moment for the sake of your innocent minds. Basically, I'm saying that nothing is impossible and that anything could be happening anywhere in this endlessly expanding universe.

Assignment 20 - How to find good music- Beck Michul

How to find good music to listen to!!11!!

     Okay, so finding new music for us to connect to is a big mystery for people these days. But I have come up with the best step-by-step solution to this problem. One day, while listening to All The Small Things by Blink-182, I had a revelation. I said to myself "Self, good music doesn't necessarily have to be new or undiscovered music." So here's my secret to finding the greatest music of all time. Listen very carefully and don't skip any steps!! So first things first (I'm the realest(LOLOLOLOL)), you're going to need a Pandora account. Pandora is gold mine of music, from good to bad. The secret is in two of these many stations. What you're going to want to do is create a new station. Click on the browse genres option. One of these absolutely amazing stations is under the hip-hop sections. Now you don't want to click on underground hip-hop or even west coast hip-hop. Completely just forget that those exist. You're gonna want to click on 2000s Hip Hop Radio. Now this station is godly. Enjoy every song that is on this. The second absolutely amazing station, which is equal or maybe even better than the first, is under the Pop genre. No one needs Indie Pop. Don't even look at it. Forget that I said that there's an Indie Pop. There's not. It's gone now. Poof. Click on 90s, 2000s, Today's Hits Radio. WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW WHAT A BLAST FROM THE PAST AMIRITE??!! Blink 182, Third-eye blind, Smashmouth, The Fray, Nelly, Usher, R Kelly, and trillions more.  Jesus made this station. Now you've done it. You've found not only good music to listen to, but amazing music to listen to. ENJOY :))))!!

P.S. If you come across a band named Creed, SKIP AS SOON AS POSSiBLE!!

Assignment 19 - Plastics Beck Michul

     Now I don't necessarily remember the exact moment that I heard this wonderful piece of advice, I've actually heard it multiple times from random and different sources, but it has changed my view on everything. That advice is the extremely simple phrase "you do you". I know. It seems way too simple and non-impactful to be able to change someone's view on life, but I guess it just hit me at the right time. Ever since I heard this, I just took it to heart and started caring less and less of what people think of me. I mean I still care what certain people think of me, but that anxiety of how I'm seen in other people's eyes is just completely gone and hopefully won't come back. I just do me. Confidence has risen, even though I've overdosed on confidence a couple of times, I can still find a happy medium between humble and cocky. By me doing me I'm way happier, and I'm definitely not afraid to dance in public ;).

Assignment 18 - Buckets and Buckets Beck Michul

     The number one item on my bucket list for high school is to pass all of everything that I take from here on out. This not only includes my classes, which are very important to pass, but also all of the AP Tests that I take from here on out. If I'm able to achieve at least a 3 on all of the AP Tests that I take in the future, I will be able to get into the classes that I want to get into with ease.

     The number one priority on my bucket list for college is to be able to maintain all of my grades and classes while simultaneously being able to do what I want to do, which is make music and travel. I want to be able to have a stable music career, while being able to fulfill my life. I want to travel to places such as New York (City... mainly for the shopping), Colorado, California (all over it), and maybe even Paris.
   
     My number one priority on my bucket list before I finish living would be to die happy. Whether that means to complete my goals in life, become a somewhat prominent musician/producer, travel the nation and the world, be fly af, ya know, or if it means to be surrounded by the ones I love when I die. Both would also be great., Yeah, I think I'll take both. My number one priority is to do all of what I just said. :))

Assignment 23: The Perfect Playlist - James Apo

I love music. Listening to it is a great way to connect or disconnect from a certain feeling or group of feelings. Personally, a mood I get into from time to time is one reminiscence. I start to think about things that have happened and evaluate life, sometimes getting regretful, but never depressed. It is not a mood of sadness, but uneasy content. That is an oxymoron, but without further a do, here is a playlist for when I am deep in my thoughts, wishing a certain situation(s) had turned out better in the end. https://open.spotify.com/user/1210010817/playlist/6cfUDP1LOCbC9Jzzm8gvG8

Hurt by Johnny Cash: This song is very slow and doesn't overwhelm you with the vocals, but the lyrics are truly special. The low, soft-spoken voice of Cash accompanying his confidence that he will let others down allows for the listener to relate to the fact that failure is inevitable and we can't get those failing thoughts off our mind; "full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair."

Wish you Were Here by Pink Floyd: This song doesn't have lyrics for the first minute and a half, and I like listening to that part with my eyes closed thinking about people I have lost and wished I could've said one more thing to before they went. The path we are on can be changed unexpectedly, and when you lose someone close, the line "we're just two lost souls living in a fish bowl" is true.

Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.: The lyrical message in this song is uplifting. It is pretty much making an effort to encourage people to hold on and not let themselves go, because "everybody hurts sometimes." It isn't unusual to have low points in life, but you should never contemplate suicide, which is overall what this song says. Like I said, I don't get depressed, but that song is very thought-provoking nevertheless.

Nothing Stays the Same by Luke Sital-Singh: This song offers the truest statement of them all, that "nothing stays the same." Rather things be going great or things be going poorly, we are all looking for a purpose. With that being said, change is never-ending, so when I get to thinking about things I wish would've turned out differently, I remember that change isn't a bad thing.

I Miss You by blink-182: If I am contemplating a relationship with a girl, this is a nice song to listen to. It's pretty simple, this song doesn't elicit many other thoughts.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life - James Apo

I am a big movie fan and have several tv shows I enjoy watching. I do not read books very often, but regardless I have favorite characters for each of these. I really like Greg Heffley from the book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I also like Jay Gatsby from the book The Great Gatsby. Now for my favorite tv shows. My favorite show of all time was Breaking Bad. My favorite character was Walter White. Although he became a power hungry maniac without boundaries, in the end he complete his goal which was helping his family, so I like that character a lot. My favorite movie is Pulp Fiction, and my favorite character from that is Butch. He has some unlucky things happen to him but ultimately perseveres. He has the opportunity to leave his biggest enemy for dead, so to speak, but he doesn't leave a man behind, which I respect. Some other characters I like are the vigilante Dexter from the show Dexter, Lorne Malvo from the tv show Fargo, Michonne from The Walking Dead, and etc. With all that being said, if I could be a fictional character it would be Walter White. In the real world obviously I would never murder people or make meth, but we are talking fiction. He does what he has to do to provide for his family, and that is why I would want to be him.

Assignment 21: Right Now - James Apo

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, life is continuing to go on. There are people living this life, large animals living it, small insects living it, and even plants living it. Although those things are different in their own way, the one thing that they all have in common is that they are living life. Some people might be asleep, others might be awake, but rather conscious or unconscious, life is still ongoing. The force that counteracts this continuous life, is death. It too, is happening, as I type this and as you read this. People are leaving our Earth, effecting their friends and family. In the grand scheme of things, though, each individual life will end up being insignificant after a certain period of time. That doesn't stop us though, and no matter where you are in the universe right now, the primary thing that will remain true is that everyone live while they can and enjoy it while they can.

The Perfect Playlist- Rena Childers

Motivational songs:

Although a few of these songs may not be the traditional idea of motivational, to me they are very much so. The songs in this list do not all belong to one genre of music, but I believe they work very well together.

Apparently-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7j5UZUkB40

            Being a big fan of J. Cole, this song was one of the first that popped in my head. It has a motivational, upbeat tempo that immediately pulls the audience in. I love the way this song sounds/makes me feel so I felt it necessary to add. It fades out, leading straight into the next song.

I Can Ride my Bike with No Handlebars - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUX0y4EptA

            I added this song not only because it is a fantastic, underrated song, but also because I think it fits nicely with this playlist. This song adds a soft beginning so as to allow time for the playlist to build. It starts out softly then crescendos to a loud motivational peak and finally ends softly. The end mends nicely into the next song.

Doses and Mimosas-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfTje59G-4I

            This is one of my all time favorite songs. It is not a typical motivational song but for me it is quite effective. This has a nice easygoing but fun tune that works perfectly in the middle of this playlist. It adds a bit of an electronic sound to diversify this list.

Rigamortis-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Niu9KMEGsx4

            This has been a long time favorite of mine and brings in Kendrick Lamar who I think is incredible. Kendrick’s flow in this song is incredible and ends on a positive note. The upbeat sound moves perfectly into Kanye’s masterpiece.

Jesus Walks-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmHp3ZTAbH4

            Jesus Walks was my favorite song all throughout my childhood and continues to hold a place in my heart. Kanye’s confidence illustrated by the fact that he refers to himself as Jesus is inspirational. I feel like this song completes the short journey this playlist hopes to create for its listeners.

And just a side note: this song does not go along with this particular playlist, I would highly recommend everyone listen to Zeds Dead & Omar LinX - No Prayers!!

The Perfect Playlist - Beck Michul

Ehemm...*pops fingers, cracks knuckles* Here we go!

Today I bring to you the perfect playlists (which are in every way flawed, but what're you gonna do?) The first one contains songs with the fastest rapping that I could think of. I'm sure there are plenty more songs with even faster rapping, but I couldn't think of them. Trust me, they're ridiculously fast, like, that ____ cray.

Fast Rap: http://open.spotify.com/user/greatnokid/playlist/5nth6hfxxowcnyNBWv3qXd
This playlist consists of these songs:
-Alphabet Aerobics - Blackalicious
     -This is not only a fast rap song, it also contributes to the playlist by being a solid intro. This is because the song starts of slowly and gains in speed as the song goes on. It also is a very hard song to rap along with.
-Slow Jamz - Twista, Kanye West, Jamie Foxx
     -This song is kind of ironic because you wouldn't expect a song named "Slow Jamz" to have fast rapping, but this song proves you wrong. Twista slays in the second half of the song. Again, very fast, but a speed between the previous and the next song.
-Look At Me Now - Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes
    -:O BUSTA THO!!!!11!!!1!!! I consider this the climax of the playlist, because every artist can rap insanely fast and it's probably tied for the fastest rap song of the playlist.
-For Free? (Interlude) - Kendrick Lamar
     -Okay, so this isn't necessarily one of the fastest rap songs ever created, it's more of a tribute to Kendrick and his new album To Pimp A Butterfly. (Attention. Mr. Logsdon. Do. Not. Listen!) He does spit or whatever he does. This is also a nice pace down from the last song, but what's coming next you might not be ready for.
-Worldwide Choppers - Tech N9ne, and many others
     -Everyone on this song...just crazy....Twista again...I don't know what to say

Okay that's the first playlist        w OAH
Now it's time to slow it down a little bit. You're probably exhausted after that so we're gonna do our second playlist flowing off of that. I call it "chilaxxx". Completely original amirite?

chilaxxx:
Track 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cuOAN80iSE
Tracks 1,2,4,5: http://open.spotify.com/user/greatnokid/playlist/0BrXLZ0OfSKw9ObG6OQLhq
These songs tho:
-Lovely Bloodflow - Baths
     -Since we just came off of a fast beat, we can't slow it down completely. So we'll throw in a little more upbeat-ish chill song. Very abstract, but a sweet beat.
-Avril 14th - Aphex Twin
     -We're starting to slow it down more. Very chill. How long you play piano? All day.

-Track 09 - Macintosh Plus

     -So we've come to a complete and utter halt. Probably the chillest you'll get. Besides the sound of nothing. Just close your eyes and sink into the sounds. Pure ecstasy.

-I Mind - James Blake

     -Okay, that last one was relaxing, but we're not tryna go to sleep. Let's speed it back up with this trill song by James Blake. Weird, but really good.

-Wait - M83

     -Okay the last song. Starts of quiet and relaxing. Piano starts to build up. Vocals start to build up. Noises build up. "NO TIME!" Love it. Comes to a calming and smooth end. Wraps up everything, especially the playlist.

                            

So That's Me.

Assignment 23: the perfect playlist

A Blast From the Past

"High Fidelity" (2000) was a film that was remarkably ahead of its time. The film tells the story of Rob Gordon, a washed-up music junkie (played by the fantastic John Cusack) who spends his days creating perfect 5 song playlists. There's his playlist for his worst break up ever, his playlist of the top 5 soul tracks released between 1955 and 1965, and his playlist for his ex-girlfriend's dad's funeral.

Today, thanks to Spotify,  Limewire, iTunes, the "genius" Itunes feature, and Pandora, creating a "perfect" playlist has never been easier.

On the other hand, Rob probably would be appalled by the slapdash way some of us throw together any group of songs above a certain tempo before we head to the gym, or take all those below a certain tempo and thoughtlessly label it “chillaxxx.” As Rob forewarned, “The making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do’s and don’ts. You’re using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.”

So for this blog assignment, create a "perfect" playlist for something. It could be your perfect playlist to listen to at the gym (boring!), perfect playlist for a rainy day, perfect playlist for anything. . . be as creative as you can. Once you have chosen a topic, select 5 tracks for this playlist, noting the song and artist, and write a few sentences explaining why you chose this song, what this song adds to your playlist, why you put it where you did, and how it works with the other songs you selected to create a cohesive perfect playlist.

If you want link it to a spotify playlist and share a link.

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, April 12th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to turn in make up assignments 21-23)

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Fictional Character - Charlie Blondell

Any fictional character... Well, there's many options. I could go with the classic Luke Skywalker, fighting off the evils of the Empire. Maybe James Bond, the ruthless but wooing spy. I could be Ricky Bobby; Shake 'n Bake baby. Many fictional characters portray one role, one emotion, one persona. I'll have to go with a character I believe represents the good and bad in all of us: Mr. Walter White. For those who don't know, Walt is the leading actor in the beloved AMC drama Breaking Bad. As a high school chemistry teacher, Walt pursues life on the basic, grounded American pattern of stability, comfort, and assurance. However, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes a turn for the, some might say, worse. Realizing that he doesn't have the money he would like to leave his wife and son, Walt needs to find a new, quick, and easy source of income. After going on a meth-lab bust with his brother-in-law, he finds an interest in this "field of study," and when he learns how profitable the business can be, he aspires to be one of the top dealers in the region. The show illustrates how a normal nobody can completely change their way of life and what leads to these rational decisions. It shows how anyone can be drawn down a dark path for what they believe are valid reasons. Walt has good moments, loving his family and using his "hard-earned" money towards their best interests. He also has bad, becoming so consumed in his new hobby that his fondness of the meth business quickly develops into harsh greed. Walter White is one thing: a man. Just like all of us, we have our struggles and our successes. He shows us what we already know, that sometimes, even when it seems like all hope is lost, life will have meaning. You will find it and make it worthwhile (This doesn't mean go start a meth business).

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Ji-Hae Kim

If I could be any fictional character, I would want to be a character in a Korean drama. Maybe Jan Keun Suk from Beethoven Virus. Why? Because their lives are interesting. Their lives aren't like the typical going to school and getting a job. Drama and conspiracies interweave in their lives. Jan Keun Suk's character is the underdog who overcomes all obstacles. He became what others told him he couldn't be. He got to live a life of devastating failure and amazing success--not just a boring everyday straightforward life. The world of Beethoven Virus is extremely competitive and success leads to a life of fame. I wouldn't want to live in that world if I were just me. That would be stressful and terrifying. But if I were Jan Keun Suk in that world, I would stand on top at the end. If I could be a fictional character in a fictional life, I would be him.

Assignment 22: Lucas Soard, Fictional Character, Fictional Life

If I could be any fictional character, I think a good choice would be Ron Burgundy from the Anchorman movies. Burgundy has it all. He’s has great hair, a great sense of style, and is “kind of a big deal.”  His best friend is Baxter, the dog. Baxter speaks, but Ron is the only one who understands. Ron Burgundy is co-anchor of the San Diego Channel 4 news, sharing that title with his wife, the gifted Veronica Corningstone. If I could be San Diego’s greatest News anchor, I would have Brian Fantana, Champ Kind, and Brick Tamland on my side. Those 3 coworkers support Ron even when he curses on live television and turns to milk to drown his sadness. Even Ron’s enemies, led by Wes Mantooth of Channel 9, respect him. Ron Burgundy lives the American Dream, and I don’t know what could be better than that.

Assignment 22 - Aislinn Langley

What fictional character would I be? This is a difficult question since the vast majority of my favorite fictional characters end up dying in horrible, depressing ways. But of those that survive mostly intact, it comes down to Pippin from Lord of the Rings. Frankly, a large part of my reasoning comes from the fact that I would honestly give my ring finger (too soon?) to live in Middle Earth. And I want not just to live in Middle Earth, but to be able to travel it and take part in an adventure as grand as Pippin's. Why not another member of the fellowship then? What I really admire about the little fool of a Took is his innocence and growth. Through his travel with and without the rest of the Fellowship, he grows out of his tendencies to be curious to a fault and learns about honor and sacrifice and friendship and all those other life lessons one learns on adventures and quests. I appreciate the way Pippin learns to be a hero by himself and discovers he can function without Merry or others. He redeems himself for at first being somewhat goofy and careless and garners respect for his actions. I would want to be Peregrin Took because he manages to have one of (in my opinion) the most interesting stories in the series and grows the most while still maintaining his optimism and status as a fan favorite.

Assignment 22: Beck Michul Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Considering the vast amount of fictional media that I have either read or viewed, this choice is a hard one. Out of all of the fictional characters, I think I am able to narrow it down to Finn from the Cartoon Network show Adventure Time. The reason that I have picked such an unusual character is because of the life he has. Finn and his dog/friend Jake have massive adventures nearly every day and their life never seem to get boring and that is something I would like to achieve. Not only can they travel to many different lands and environments, they can merely stay in the comfort of their own treehome and acquire maximum happiness and fun. Ain't that the life. Additionally, Finn's imagination is beyond explanation and therefore he is always able to conjure up some activity to indulge in, and I find that trait admirable. So out of all of the fictional characters I know of, I would choose to be Finn from Adventure Time.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life

If I could be any fictional character, I would be Phoebe from Friends. I love her weirdness and her perception of the world, but those aren’t the reasons I chose her. Phoebe is incredibly good at being happy, even when terrible things happen to her. Her mother committed suicide and she had to live on the streets for a while but she isn’t bitter about it. She doesn’t complain all the time or walk around moping for her whole life. She remains a genuinely happy person despite all of her struggles. She doesn’t waste all her time wondering why these terrible things had to happen to her of all people; instead she just lives her life happily with her best friends in New York City. I do have to say, though, I also want to be her because it would be so interesting to have all of her thoughts. Based on the things she actually says out loud, it would be fascinating to see what else she thinks.

Right Now- Jamie Smith

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe a star is being born. Somewhere else another star is falling and somewhere else two asteroids are colliding. Somewhere in the universe living beings are going about their daily lives, not thinking about the stars being born or falling or the asteroids colliding. But somewhere in the universe these living beings are thinking about the stars and the planets and the asteroids. So many things, so many thoughts, and so many lives are happening in so many places in the universe that comprehending them all is impossible. Even trying to just makes you realize how small and insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things. It doesn’t matter, though. We humans are too focused on our own tiny, inconsequential lives to realize how tiny and inconsequential they really are. That’s why it doesn’t matter. We don’t care enough to make it matter. But that doesn’t change the fact that somewhere in the universe a star is being born, and somewhere else a star is falling.

Assignment 22- Sam Vandiver

     This is a tough question for me, because most of my favorite characters are ones that face great amounts of adversity and hardships. I know that I, however, would not last a single minute in any of their shoes. This is why I am going to be boring and say that I would be Batman. Or, rather, I would be Bruce Wayne. Batman was trained to be a ninja and is in nearly superhuman physical condition, but how often would this be useful to me? No, I would give up the cowl and cape and become a billionaire instead. This may be seen as irresponsible, as it would mean abandoning Gotham to the clutches of the many supervillains that plague it. However, I believe that with his resources, Bruce Wayne could create a number of institutions and organizations that would combat poverty, mental illness, and general crime. The supervillains could be easily handled by Superman, as Metropolis is not far at all from Gotham. This would leave me to live the life of ease as an incredibly rich, smart, and successful person. Plus, Alfred is really cool.

Afterthought: I completely forgot that Batman's parents are dead. I'll just pretend I'm choosing a Batman that became a superhero after being really into flying mammals as a kid, and not because of the whole origin story with the dead parents.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Rena Childers

This writing prompt is especially difficult for me because the more I read in a book or watch in a movie, the more attached I become to the characters. After careful contemplation, I have narrowed it down to two characters: Phoebe from Friends and Sophie from Mamma Mia. I chose these two because both characters portray a sense of freedom of the mind and the heart. Phoebe and I are similar in that we both believe very strongly in “signs” given by the universe. I am not religious, but I strongly believe in the relevance of horoscopes and magic. I envy her confidence and relaxed approach to life. On a different note, Sophie lives the life I wish I could. She lives on an island in Greece with her mother and fiancée and spends her time singing and swimming. At the end of Mamma Mia, she sails into the night with her fiancée to explore the world, something I have always dreamed of. Both characters encapsulate everything I wish I was. 

assignment 20- how to... Vincent Pisacano

today i will be teaching all of you how to play a game called water pong (not to be confused with the very illegal and very irresponsible game of beer pong, instead exchange the beer with water and you have a friendly responsible game.) so here is how us responsible academy children play. each team has two players, and are on opposite sides of a ping pong table without a net. on each end there are 10 plastic cups arranged in a triangle. each team gets a shot per person to make it in the cups. if both teammates make a shot on the same turn, they get another turn. if an individual player makes 3 cups in a row or more, he is then "on fire" and after he states this he may get another shot. bounce shots count for 2 cups but can be blocked by the opposing team. also, if both teammates hit the exact same cup on the same turn, it is known as a "dead cup" and that team wins the game. whichever team hits all the 10 cups first wins the game and stays on the table to face another two opponents and the game goes on and on. substitute the water for fruit punch to really get the party going!!!

assignment 19- plastics Vincent Pisacano

i am not much of a person to take advice unless its from a sports coach. i am a stubborn individual i know that and the people who know me know that. but one piece of advice that really stuck with me, if there is any, would be my dad saying "worry about yourself." every day when i was young i would see that my sister just got a new bike. both my brothers just got new ipods. where is my ipod? where is my bike? how come martha (my sister) gets to sit there and watch me and my brothers clean the kitchen while she does nothing? that isnt fair. "because i said so," he would say. but from then on i was raised to only worry about myself and what i had, rather than what everyone else had compared to me. so i grew up with the attitude that nothings going to get done for me, that i have to take control of my own life if i want to change it. it ultimately led me to become a more individualistic and self-reliant person.

assignment 18- Buckets and Buckets Vincent Pisacano

first bucket list item before high school:  This is a tough question.. if there was one thing i could do before i am out of highe school it would be to go skiing out west again. ive been once before, to Colorado with my family, and it was an amazing experience. i had gotten good enough to where i was going on black diamonds on west Virginia slopes, which is not that great of a feat. but after going out west i realized it was a whole new experience. the snow was fresh and powdered and there were multiple feet of it. the slopes were as wide as they were long. after a couple of days i adapted to the new style of skiing and had the time of my life. going again would be amazing.

before College: this is kind of cliche so sorry but all i can think of would be to be on a path to a career that pays well and that im actually interested in. 

Before I die: if i could do anything before i died it would be to become a world class ping pong player. i dont know why to be honest it just looks so fun. and i love ping pong.