California Wildfires

California is known for its huge wildfires.  This season, however, has been and is expected to continue to be the worst wildfire season ever for California.  I just read an article published by Fox News entitled California is Bracing for Worst Wildfire Season Ever.  I want to share this crazy news with you guys.

There has been about one dozen wildfires in California this year.  The damage has cost the state about $20 MILLION dollars!  These fires are quickly crippling the state of California's economy.   The state has set aside $600 million dollars just to fight these fires, but the California government officials are worried that it may not be sufficient.  It's not just an economic issue, it's a safety issue obviously.  Homes and basically families' life earnings are being destroyed.  One firefighter of California stated that they're still working on repairing damage done in 2013, it's nearly impossible to catch up.

There's not really anything we can do about this.  We can't effectively yell at Mother Nature even though we all wish we could.  For now, we have to trust the plans of the government which isn't the easiest to do.

Final Blog Assessment

The blog post that I view as my strongest is entitled Rags to Riches. I believe I sprinkle in a little bit of humor in my writing, which is what ultimately brings out my true voice.  It's not the type of humor that gets you rolling on the floor, unable to control your laughter, but the type of humor that's satirical and somewhat witty.  In the second paragraph of Rags to Riches is a great example of the satirical elements that I include to demonstrate voice.  This line states, "They've had horrifying seasons for a slong as any golden-ager still living in the town can remember."  This is satirical because I'm ridiculing how old the oldies in the town really are.  I think the heart and soul of my voice/personality on the page is satire. 

The diction that I include is informal for the most part, but I do include some elevated diction as well.  An example of the rare elevated diction in my blog is found in the first paragraph.  The sentence reads as the following: "This story is purely about baseball, so it would be absurd not to enjoy."  This formal/elevated diction enhances the piece because it stresses the point I'm trying to make.  It shows how serious I am that it would be nearly impossible to not enjoy the book.  If I replaced "absurd" with "impossible" or something even more casual such as "crazy", then the reader would think I wasn't too serious about the point I was bringing across.  I know this because I've had experience with the effects that casual vs. elevated diction has on me, as a reader.  One of the syntax techniques that I incoorporated is anaphora.  I used this technique in one line and it states, "They didn't just win the league.  They didn't just win the city tournament."  This enhances the piece because it sets up a lot of tension.  The reader, while reading that line, really wants to know what they won.  The anaphora gradually builds the tension.  I didn't just flat out say what they won because there would be no tension build-up.  With this anaphora, the tension is taken to a high level. 

My blog posts have significantly matured as the trimester has gone along.  The reasoning behind this is due to the great advice given by Mrs. Bross during the blogging conference (no, I didn't just say that to get brownie points), and the "knock your socks off" criteria that we were given.  A big part that I learned from both of those things was to incorporate more voice, and more technology.  I've been taught in the past to incorporate voice, but I haven't been taught exactly how to do this.  Mrs. Bross gave me a lot of detail on this during our blogging conference, and my blogs have significantly improved and matured as a result.  Also, I've began to try to include at least one piece of technology to each blog to enhance the readers' experience.  I don't want to overdo it though, which Mrs. Bross also told me.  In the beginning of the trimester, I wouldn't have been able to say that my blogs had a purpose.  I was just writing two paragraphs because that was my assignment.  Towards the end, however, I didn't have any problem with blogging.  I wanted to write for a purpose.  I wanted the reader to enjoy what he/she was reading, and also get some use out of writing it so their five minutes wasn't just another five minutes wasted.  Overall, thanks to the "knock your socks off" criteria, and Mrs. Bross' advice during our blogging conference, my blog has slowly but surely strengthened. 

Columnist: Sheila Moss

I recently discovered the columnist Sheila Moss.  I was reading humorous columns and came across one of hers.  It had a very interesting title, Interviewing Siri.  After reading this column, I continued to read many of her other columns.  I like a lot of things that she does with her writing: unique syntax, word choices (diction), and the topics she writes about are kind of...interesting.

Sheila Moss incorporates a lot of sarcasm and irony in her pieces.  No one of her columns is even remotely similar to the other.  Their formats are completely different, and I admire the fact that she can almost change as a writer for each topic she's writing about.  I think it would be cool if I attempted to do this myself, even if I don't succeed, it's worth a try.

The main reason that I chose to take this time to review Sheila Moss over the other thousand columnists out there is because I believe she sets her self apart from the boring, bland, consistent columnists.  By consistent I mean flat, unable to change their styles and formats of writing.  I've taken a lot away from reading her columns.  I have a to-do list now of things that I really want to try to include in my writing.  Whatever Sheila Moss does, she does it well.  I highly encourage you guys to at least skim some of her columns, it won't hurt. Below is a link to the column that I mentioned in the first paragraph.  It's a very humorous, light-hearted column by, entitled Interviewing Siri.

http://www.humorcolumnist.com/siri.htm

Dave Barry Review

If your main goal in life is to become a humorous columnist, look no further than Dave Barry.  Noone even compares to him-he's hilarious, sarcastic, but somehow, at the same time, he teaches a lesson.  His columns are very entertaining to read.  I want to take this time to review him as a writer, as well as one of his columns.

The first column I read by Dave Barry is entitled "Blowing the vuvuzela is the new World Cup Tiebreaker."   Just from reading the title, I could tell his writer was going to be filled with satyric elements.  The title just sent me a sarcastic tone before I even began to get into the actual column.  My prediction that he was going to be a sarcastic writer couldn't have been more correct.  This piece written by Dave Barry was hilarious, extremely entertaining.  I legitimately laughed while reading this column, it was great.  The reason that it was so entertaining and humorous is due to the fact that he, to a great extent, mocks everything that even relates to the topic of vuvulzelas!  Here is a great quote that perfectly demonstrates his mocking personality: "It's going to be a tough challenge, as we learn from this insightful analysis by ESPN soccer experts during a recent broadcast: BWAAAAAAAAA!!"  And the "Bwaaa's" of the vuvuzelas continue.  And they continue. I just think the ways he incoorportates humor are very original.  I'm going to do my best to start modeling his style in my writing.

I reccomend reading Dave Barry's piecing to anybody that wants to be able to kick back, read something casual and light-hearted.  If you're not in a good mood, read one of his columns.  Dave will cheer you up. 

Krista Ramsey

Our English class recently had the valuable opportunity to listen to a great speech by Krista Ramsey, a columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer.  I was actually pretty excited to hear her speak because I'm interested in pursuing a career similar to hers.  I wanted to get some advice, hear how she got to where she is, and what her job entails.  What I expected is not what happened.  What actually happened?  She discussed some stories that she has found and resarched.  She showed how her job has a legitimate influence on society.  Now, you're probably thinking I wasn't satisfied and somewhat dissapointed that her speech wasn't what I was expected.  You're 100% wrong.  That was the first time I have paid attention to someone speaking for 72 straight minutes.  It's a new personal record.  I was more than satisfied with her speech.  I loved it.  It moved me, motivated me.  The speech was very powerful.  I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, dying to know what her next word would entail.  I believe that I know what I want to do in life just because of her speech. 

I would like to share a couple points that she made and some things that I found cool, so readers that didn't have the opportunity to hear her speak can get some of the important parts.  First of all, she stated that she has more interest in the ordinary human being than she does in a criminal or someone very successful.  I found that crazy!  I've never heard those words come out of someone's mouth in the 14 years that my heart has been beating.  A second thing that I found interesting was how much of an impact her job has on other people and society in general.  For example, she found a story about one man, a single father who had the difficult duty of raising 6 kids on his own.  He had to bike to the store every morning to purchase food to keep these kids alive.  She found this man, and his life hasn't been the same since.  After people read the column she wrote about him, people began to offer him rides to and from the store, food to feed his family, cash, you name it, they offered it.  And guess what.  Cincinnati State read her story and now he is attending that college...for free!  He's getting an education and is on a path to become a chef.  All because of Krista Ramsey!  What amazed me the most, was the fact that through all of this, knowing that none of that could've been possible without her, she says, "It's not about me, it's about him!"  She was very humble, which I respected very much. 

Summed up, Krista Ramsey's speech moved me in positive directions, and I'm very thankful that I received the opportunity to hear her words. 

Article: The Season Tommy John Took

I just read an article about, well, a baseball player's worst nightmare: Tommy John surgery.  In case you aren't familiar with this, it's an elbow surgery typically performed on pitchers, that essentially reconstructs the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).  This surgery used to be very rare.  It was a highlight news story every time a player had to receive the surgery.  Now, it seems to be an epidemic.  As quoted directly from the article, "Tommy John is all too familiar."

Dr. James Andrews, who is viewed as the "king of elbow repair" shares his view through a radio broadcast.  He states that the problem is simple.  Baseball players, from teenage players to professional, are playing year around.  They aren't just playing from January to December, they're competing from January to December.  Doc says that they have no time for recovery, which couldn't be more true.  Also, he says kids are trying to take advantage of every opportunity for college exposure.  They think they have to participate in every showcase, summer tournament, camp, etc.  They think baseball is a sprint, when really it's a marathon.  "These players need to learn how to pace themselves,"  Dr. Andrews says in his radio broadcast.  "They need to find the proper balance of playing time and recovery time."  

In a nutshell, the once rare Tommy John surgery is becoming much too widespread.  The article perfectly sums it up.  If you're interested, I've provided the link below.  

 http://grantland.com/the-triangle/matt-moore-baseball-tommy-john-surgery-historic-rate/

Fahrenheit 451:Reflecting

No, I have not finished Fahrenheit 451 quiet yet, but I would like to reflect on what I have read up to this point and also on my previous predictions.

So far, Fahrenheit 451 has been an ok book-not my favorite, but it could be worse.  It has some good conflict, but the book is extremely indirect.  The author, Bradbury, uses a surplus of allusions.  Some of these do serve a significant purpose, but in my opinion, he uses so many that they lose their purpose.  It's like talking to someone that uses too many analogies or similes, it gets old after a while.  I do like the conflicts, though.  The book is very suspenseful at times, leaving me "on the edge of my seat."

Some of my predictions have been 100% correct, others not even relevant.  I predicted that Guy Montag was going to be a man that enjoyed his job: burning illegal books and the houses in which they were hidden.  This is half correct.  The reasoning for this is because he originally did love what he did, but about a quarter way into the book, not so much.  I predicted he is going to be somewhat cold-hearted and not have much emotion.  Again, I would consider this prediction half correct due to the fact that in the beginning of the book, he really had no emotions.  Nothing phased him.  Towards the middle, he started to transition into a very emotional person.  Some of my other correct predictions were that Clarisse was going to open his eyes to the world, change his views of the world, and start questioning his work.  Also, a different correct prediction I made was that he's going to become a very deep thinking man.  I believe he has become this because his thoughts are somewhat philosophical now.  I was incorrect with the prediction that he was going to choose books over his wife, and they were going to get a divorce.  They have gained some tension in the marriage, but they're obviously still married.  I was not expecting Mildred to just decide to not care and not pay attention to his work...that was very out of the ordinary.

So far, the book hasn't reached my expectations, but I'm still not finished with the book!  I'm excited for the ending.

New Pick Up

I recently picked up the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  I am not a big fan of fantasy books, but I wanted to step out of my comfort zone so I picked up a book that is essentially the opposite of my normal reads.  I'm hoping I develop some sort of a liking for fantasy books so I can broaden my reading.
I have some hopes and expectations for this book, judging from the cover (even though you're not supposed to do that).  I hope to read a very intriguing, action-filled novel.  Another reason I picked up this book is because I know the author of the Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling, uses some interesting ways of writing.  I'll be able to use some of these cool writing techniques in my writing, or at least attempt to...Ultimately, I hope this book interests me and isn't just one of those books that I put down after the first chapter.

Yes, I have my hopes, but what do I actually believe will be included.  Well, it's not a very easy task to form accurate expectations for a fantasy book.  They can go in so many different directions.  Based on the synopsis, I'm expecting lots of conflict to come up throughout the novel, which will keep me reading.  It seems a bit confusing, so I'm not expecting it to be an easy read.  The synopsis mentions dreams that Harry is going to have, so I believe these dreams are going to have a big part in the novel.  I think one of his main struggles is going to be trying to decipher the difference between dreams and reality, and which dreams are soon to be realities.

Predictions for Fahrenheit 451

To be completely honest, I was very confused when I first read the synopsis of Fahrenheit 451.  It seemed like a lot going on...too much to track.  I kept reading over the synopsis and I believe I have some fair predictions for the actual reading of the book.

Obviously, the main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman.  I believe he is going to be a very strong man that enjoys his job.  His job, in my opinion, isn't just going to be to fight fires.  Judging from the synopsis, my prediction is that he is going to attempt to burn all books and possibly other things that aren't legal in society. It seems very odd, but it actually makes sense.  I'm excited to see where this leads him in his interesting life.  Due to the fact that it apparently doesn't phase him when he burns books and homes, I'm almost certain that he's going to be a cold-hearted guy.  In other words, he's not going to have much emotions.  He's just going to do what he's gotta do.

The synopsis states that Guy Montag will meet a young girl named Clarisse. She will defiantly have a big role in the novel.  She's going to open up Guy's very bland mind.  Guy is going to begin looking at the world very differently and change his views on his job.  He's going to start questioning whether his work is valid, and if he should change his ways of life.  I believe he's going to put a halt on burning all the commodities.  I'm not sure what he will do with himself, though.  He's going to become a very quiet man, a deep thinker, and he's going to struggle with life.  I believe all of this will cause him to part ways with his wife.

I can't wait to begin reading, and I hope you enjoy reading my posts along the way!

Rags to Riches

My favortite book from the first trimester, without question, was One Shot at Forever. 

 



I chose this book because I prefer non-fiction over fiction and multiple people had reccomended it.  I was positive it would be easy to relate to due to the fact that I have a background filled with baseball.  This story is purely about baseball so it would be absurd not to enjoy (for me atleast).  I idolize stories about the underdog coming through.  My favorite  book of all time is The Blind Side.  Skimming through the synopsis of One Shot at Forever made me have some flash backs of the The Blind Side.  There's a surplus of similarities.  Both stories are about conquering obstacles and getting from the worst of the worst to the best of the best.  Both stories teach the same lesson: with teamwork and faith, no obstacle is strong enough to put a fault in your path. 

In a nutshell, One Shot at Forever is not your typical underdog story.  It's about a baseball team from the small town of Macon, Georgia.  Small is an understatement, by the way.  They've had horrifying seasons for as long as any golden-ager still living in the town can remember.  It was a miracle for them to just win the league.  They didn't just win the league.  They didn't just win the city tournament.  What did they win?  Thats' for you to discover.  I strongly reccomend this book to anybody, not just baseball players.  It teaches life lessons.  It provides inspirtation and motivation to all parts of your life.  Hey, what's it going to hurt?  Give One Shot at Forever a try. 

Below is an excerpt from the book to give you a sneak peek of the miracle.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/chris_ballard/05/17/oneshot.excerpt/index.html 

Also, if you're not the reading type (like me), here are two videos that serve as trailers of the book.