Fictional Character, Fictional LIfe--Lucy Whitman Sandmeyer

 I think if I’m being realistic, which this prompt is, of course, not, I would most like to be Milo from The Phantom Tollbooth. Okay, here me out. So Milo is this boy that’s just disinterested in everything. He’s very detached: he doesn’t like school but he doesn’t like home that much either. But nothing is actually wrong. Milo is not forced to fight to the death and he doesn’t have a tragic backstory that has to be reveled right before the climax when he’s trying to save the world. His parents are alive and that’s super rare in the things I watch/read. Like, incredibly rare. Both of them are alive! It’s practically unprecedented. The great thing is, even though he’s bored and pretty unhappy, Milo’s life doesn’t suck. AND THEN, a tollbooth shows up in his room. And this phantom tollbooth takes him on a crazy, incredibly punny adventure that restores his faith in humanity and doesn’t give him PTSD. It’s ridiculous. Did you know that for a good book to have a conflict and resolution no one actually has to die a heart wrenching death? 

            Of course, what Milo doesn’t have/get isn’t the only thing that attracts me to his character. Milo’s trip through the Kingdom of Wisdom is incredible. He gains two best friends, one who is a literal humbug and the other a literal watchdog; who doesn’t want that? He constantly outsmarts his opposition. Continually using his brain and not brawn to tackle his problems, Milo uses logic and creatively to deal with a bunch of literal idioms. It sounds like the best thing in the entire freaking world. AND THEN, bam, personal development. He comes home with renewed appreciation to for the world and all the opportunities that it presents. And, in the end, a respect for the world (and all it provides) on a daily basis is what I really want. It’s sort of the ultimate happy ending.

Right Now--Lucy Whitman Sandmeyer

Right now, at this very moment, somewhere in the universe, some country on some planet in some galaxy has just established capitalism (as it’s called on Earth) for the very first time. Or, for the very least, the first time they know about. Of course, just as we thought every new liberal social system was new, liberal, and social, so thinks this country—lets call it, as the closest earth translation, Poharoe—of capitalism. In Poharoe the supreme leader is a woman named Drusilla because, you see, long ago they discovered the minds of women far surpassed the minds of men in ability, and from then on always insisted upon electing them into power. Ridiculous creatures these Poharoens but they did just successfully implement capitalism so we have to give them some credit.

Anyway, Drusilla and her minions (or, as we call them, cabinet members) are followers of this man named Tesyen. Tesyen was pretty cool. He decided a long time ago that everyone on the planet, including the Poharoens, were screwed. “Truly and utterly screwed” is specifically how he articulated it in his famous book Here’s the Thing. And, as an offset of that, Tesyen casually threw off the suggestion that the Poharoens implement what we know as capitalism and, as it turned out, a lot of other people agreed with him. So, pretty soon after, Drusilla decided that, as supreme leader, the best thing she could do is just go with it.

That brings us to today. Today, as the first day of this new capitalist society, Drusilla has ordered the mass construction of a giant building called Triumph. It’s golden and pointy and really just incredibly impressive. So impressive, in fact, that psychologists have predicted that all the anti-capitalists, of which there are quite a few, will forget their opposition as soon as it is built. This conclusion, of course, might mostly be because, as the sole (semi to fully forced) benefactors of Triumph, these ATCs will probably become proud of their contribution and, by default, the tower itself. Then again, ATC’s are not very susceptible to basic logic or fact.

And yet, since I do not know even how we Earthlings will fair in this ever changing universe of ours, I can in no way conclude how the ATCs, or Poharoens in general, will. In fact, the only thing I can tell you for sure is only thing I really wanted to tell you in the first place: Tesyen is on his way to Earth right now. A convert to his own beliefs, Tesyen comes to spread his knowledge with anyone who will listen. I just wonder how we receive him.

To all who actually read this: I'm not really sure what's going on here. I am sorry. 

Right Now - Kyle W

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe…

Well there’s a lot happening. There are people curing cancer, people exploring new places, people performing in front of thousands of people, people sitting in a jail cell, and also there’s (somewhere out there.. probably) another planet with little green men. Or maybe it’s a planet with tall purple women. We may never know but for now all we know is that at this very moment they could be thinking about a race of people somewhere that are fifty shades of skin tones. And as far out as it may be there might also be a cannibalistic space cow floating around eating all his space cow friends. I mean as weird as it may be…  there are also people sitting in a movie theatre waiting for superman vs. batman to start and then there’s me wishing I was them instead. So there’s all that happening in the universe right now and that’s hardly anything at all.

The Game Called Life by Brooks Spears

At this moment somewhere in the universe there is some unsuspecting being quietly charming its way through existence, believing, however dangerous, that there are no permanent consequences to its actions. It, however, knows too little of the outlandish effects its nonchalant being will have on this unprepared space we call the universe. Or perhaps, the universe is too big to call this creature's home, far too expansive, so we'll call this home earth. And while we're at it it, maybe we ought to give this creature a name as well. We'll call it a human, it sounds like it knows everything, all presumptuous and pompous, doesn't it? Matter of fact, it sounds darn arrogant. So, of course it's fitting for this creature, who, in its free time, makes short work of the planet in which it resides by eating it and building over top of it because it knows. It knows that it won. It knows that it hasn't only won the  ability to say that its above everyone else, but it has also beat nature. It conquered it. It's used medicine, weapons, disease, emotion, and all sorts of things to scheme and maneuver its way through this game called life, along which it has beat a multitude of other players. But in this game called life, life has the ultimate cheat code. It's called death.

Right Now- Spencer Parsons

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, wierd things are happening.

There is a drastic dip in the ocean near Mauritus and it creates the illusion of a giant, never ending, waterfall that is under the surface of the ocean.

Blue lava is forming in a volcano in Indonesia due to sulfuric gas combustion. This would look so cool and kind of scary at the same time.

Where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Amazon River there is a wave that travels every 20 seconds through the gap and it never ends. It sometimes goes on for 500 miles. That wave is traveling right now.

There is a migration of monarch butterflies in the US and mexico right now that is estimated over 600 million in number

there are crop circles being made under water in Japan by male pufferfish. Whats weird to think about is that marine biologists estimate that less than 10% of oceans is explored. meaning we dont know a whole lot about the ocean and deep secrets in it.

There are currently calcified animals that have frozen in place on Lake Natron in Tanzania and they look very creepy.

There is an extremely rare occurrence of a neon green sunset somewhere in the world every night.

There are boulders washing up on a beach in New zealand that are the shape of perfect spheres. They are crafted by coastal erosion.

Fictional character- Spencer Parsons

One of my favorite movies of all time is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. i often get compared to Ferris in my way of talking to adults and sometimes flying a bit under the radar. I dont know if this is meant to be a compliment, but I definitely get through a lot of things by use of charm.

If i could be Ferris Bueller, life would be awesome. Of course, my parents would have to be dumb, but his sly way of getting around all trouble sounds so thrilling and his care-free attitude is stress-free. Also, i would be able to skip school, and never get caught. my parents would be completely oblivious to my actions and I would run around a big city whenever i didn't want to attend school.

Another fictional character I would like to be is Harry Potter. Now, the first ten years of my life would suck, but once you get to Hogwarts and become a powerful wizard, that would be awesome. I would like this life, but inly if my existence at Hogwarts wasn't filled with constant villainy. Just take out the whole Voldemort part and I would love to be Harry potter. Now i know that ruins the story, but living in Hogwarts and taking classes about magic sounds like the life. Also the food at Hogwarts sounds really good in the books and looks good in the movies.

The perfect playlist- Spencer Parsons

This is definitely my favorite blog we have done all year.

This is very fitting considering I leave for Florida tomorrow, but this playlist is perfect to play as soon as you step off of the plane into a warm vacation spot where you know nothing can go wrong.

1- Half Full glass of Wine- by Tame Impala. This is my favorite band, and one of my favorite songs by them. it starts out with a speedy guitar riff accompanied by a steady hi-hat then it slows down and plays an opener that is two minutes long of a fast-paced on-the-move rhythm. This song will get you so hype as you are walking through the terminal to baggage claim and you can smell the saltwater already.

2- Catfish Blues (live)- by Gary Clark Jr. This is the perfect song to play while you are in a taxi cab on the way to where you are staying at the beach or warm vacation spot. You can focus on a beautiful drive and still listen as Gary Clark Jr. plays along to your journey with three 2 minute long solos.

3- Animal- by Miike Snow- This is the song to play once you get to your hotel or condo or house and you begin walking around looking at the place in which you will be staying. The off beat bass drum makes you shake your hips and want to dance as you forgot about all your problems.

4- Eventually- by Tame Impala- I know again, but they are so good. This is the song to play as you are walking on your way to check out the beach. its a perfect build up song and ends very climactically before you get to the beach and see what you have been waiting for.

5- Midnight City- This is the perfect song to play once you can see the ocean. it is so accomplishing and you will know that you get to relax and enjoy yourself.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life -Hope Reed

If I was any fictional character, I would undoubtedly pick Margo Ross Spiegelman. I don't read as much as I'd love to, but this character has stuck out to me more than any character I've ever seen in any movies or read about in any books (though it's one of those basic 'everybody has read it' books, I actually really enjoyed it, in fact I've read it four times, and it has truly inspired me).

Margo is a soul full of energy, motivation, spirit, and confidence. She's also just incredibly genius. She stands out in a crowd shamelessly and would not change for any circumstance or person. Normal is boring.  I used to try to fit in with the status quo in middle school and even a little into high school, but then I realized how uncool being cool was. Margo is her own spunky, weird self. And she inspires me to do the same. I shouldn't have to change who I am for other people to accept me; if they don't accept me for who I am then that's their problem.

Another reason I would want to be Margo is because she is very spontaneous, and she fearlessly pursues what she wants in these incredible adventures.  Like she breaks into Sea World... that's just awesome. I love going on crazy adventures; one day I hope to be as brave and independent as she is.

Margo has is incredibly smart, thoughtful, free-spirited, adventurous, and brave. And I'd love to be all of these attributes packaged into one human.

P.S. the book is 500% better than the movie. Read it; don't bother watching the movie.

Help! - Harrison Broyles

I went through some of my scored essays recently, and some of the commentary I saw seemed rather basic. I had a few I immediately threw away because all I got was a few underlines. I love the huge group discussion setting, but there just isn't enough accountability for detailed review because of the large mass of essays we have to grade. I would like to be told that my paragraphs had limited diction instead of being given an 8 because it was the third longest one in the packet and no one wanted to really read it. I mean, I didn't really want to either.

Should I go through this again, I would have liked to have done a two staged review session (for at least the first for each type of essay)- after we type up our essay, we give it to a partner. The partner takes home just our essay and spends a good amount of time revising it, showing us our flaws and helping us achieve our nine. We spend the next day in class working out kinks, and then print out our revised copy and give it to you for grading. Not only will the class' average increase (something that has put my grade in jeopardy before), but we will receive a more individualized and specific feedback in addition to the overall general one we were receiving anyways. I did this with a few essays my first time grading and loved it. Many essays were so wordy I crossed out whole sections of the essay and wrote my ideas to make it more concise and effective. It may not have helped the author, maybe offended them a bit, but it certainly helped me recognize the same patterns in my own writing and to eliminate those.

The Future - Harrison Broyles

Junior Year absolutely reeks. I'm procrastinating doing my APUSH unit assignment by finishing out blog posts and cleaning out my closet of things such as bank statements from 2012 and articles of clothing I don't remember buying, but they still have the tag on them. Failure? Still haven't learned how to stop procrastinating, but at least I've gotten more productive while doing it.

One thing I've definitely learned is to always sleep as much as possible. You need it or you're done when it comes to important stuff. I've worked school weeks this year approaching 40 hours- and both my grades and sleep have suffered because of it.

Next year work will be a bit more manageable. Of course I'm using ChickFilA for my senior mentoring project. I'll be there from 6-9 in the morning, removing the possibility of me working at night during the week due to child labor laws, a huge plus to maintain much needed sleep while keeping a decent paycheck (and free breakfast!).

I'm also looking forward to moving up the ladder to own one or five ChickFilAs very soon. I had an interview for a management position recently, and I'll be the second person under 18 to earn it if I get the position (the other was Weiran Liu, so any time I can be in the same category as her I feel phenomenal about myself). I'm hoping to do well enough next year and through college to be catapulted into ownership right out of the gates, however I realize the chances are slim of that happening.

The Perfect Playlist - Harrison Broyles

I actually stole this from my Spotify account, and it's a playlist I use at work frequently. I'm demanded to move fast and work hard, so none of the songs can have breaks in their motivation or upbeat rhythms.

Bailando- Enrique Iglesias

I've finally achieved the point in my Spanish journey where I can actually understand a general amount of the words in the song. The song is actually pretty motivating, and usually incurs a good work ethic among myself and the Hispanic population in the kitchen.

Timber- Pitbull

If there was any song to create a hype atmosphere, it's this one. If I could actually rap it may be even better, but I'm white so it hasn't happened.

Honey, I'm Good- Andy Grammer

My hands down favorite song. Catchy enough, simple, fast paced, easy to comprehend. I'd be singing it whether it was on my playlist or not, but I don't usually sound too good without music to cover up my atrocious attempts at squawking.

Brave- Sara Bareilles

This is a "guilty pleasure" song, because I don't readily admit it, but I do like this song and its overall positive message. A lot. And it invokes a bit of good feeling about myself when work gets stressful and I don't feel like I'm doing well enough.

Happy- Pharrell Williams

Honestly I'm still five and think of Despicable Me every time I hear this. Great movie, superb song. Brings a smile to my face every time I think of it.



As for the order of the playlist, my nights at work usually start off great and chill, but when closing starts I need a little extra boost- often I'm the only person doing a 3 person job while attending to other needs and running drive thru. I often go nuts. I need the first three songs to build up some excitement, the fourth to make me feel good about myself, and the final to top it all off and power me through my night.

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life - Harrison Broyles

If I were to be a fictional character, I would be Walter White from Breaking Bad. He may not be the best example to follow (but no one really is anyways), however, he exemplifies strong, positive traits in the face of the travesties of life.

The first trait he exemplifies is selflessness. Once diagnosed with cancer, his first thought was to save his family once he was gone. He compromised his morals, stole from his school. saved a suspect from arrest, and cooked meth for goodness sake all for his family. He gave up everything in life, including several relationships, in order to provide for those he loved, even if they didn't love him.

Another trait he exemplifies is compassion. Throughout all the killing and death he caused, he relentlessly sought to rectify his mistakes, albeit usually with more death. He achieved a revenge style justice for the pain and suffering of those he loved and those who didn't have a voice. He directly opposed those who were in the wrong, and stood up for what he thought was right

A final trait he shows is defiance. Even while he is sick and dying, shot, or on the run with no where to turn to, he constantly defies nature and foes in a battle for self preserverence. He doesn't let cancer take him until he's ready, and while he's on the run fights to make contact with those he loved without regard for his safety, as he would weasel his way out of whatever circumstances arose.

The Perfect Playlist- Jordan Strange

The Perfect Hammocking Playlist. 

Hammocking brings lots of joy to life, but it's not complete without a solid playlist. 

For me, this playlist includes sweet Jesus tunes. Exciting, lively, and full of lyrics that have strong meanings. But also, I love alternative and Indie music. But, if I had to choose, Jesus music is my go-to music. These five songs are probably my favorites, and probably represent a lot in my life.

1. Multiplied- Needtobreathe

This song is probably one of favorite songs in the entire world. It has a super catchy tune and is just a beautiful song. It also talks about love. Jesus' love, too. It doesn't get much better than that. 

2. Come Thou Fount- Kings Kaleidoscope

This. Song. Is. Beautiful. And has such a pretty melody. Not to mention the dude who sings it has a incredibly strong voice that just radiates through the lyrics. It's one of those songs that has a lot of different versions, but this one is by far my favorite. 

3. How He Loves- David Crowder (& the version by John Mark McMillan,too.)

This song evokes lots of emotion. And it's SO powerful to say the least. It's one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard, actually. It tells about us as sinful, broken, hurting people, who are still SO loved by our Creator and who are given mercy & grace & love, all of which are undeserved but so beautiful.  

4. Okay I have to add in some nice dancin-in-the-kitchen-sing-as-loud-as-you-can-even-if-you-suck songs. 

Ophelia- The Lumineers

This song is just really mellow and chill and fun to listen to AND to dance to. 

5. Follow the Sun- Xavier Rudd 

This song is really great. I mean seriously the name of the song is really nice. I mean its like a mini life motto. Follow the sun. Just follow bright, joyous, beautiful things, and life will be good!!! 

There's so many great songs and it was super hard to pick just five. But there they are. :)):))

The Perfect Playlist- Lauren Spivey

  I am a music junky. I am always listening to some form of music whether its pop, rap, country, R&B, you name it I probably know the song. My favorite type of music is slow/sad music. Whether I'm happy or sad I always tend to go towards my sad music. I also love when these sad songs can also, at the same time, make me feel empowered and unstoppable.

1. Hopelessly Devoted To You- Olivia Newton John
This song is probably the most played song on my phone. I love the emotion that she puts behind her voice when singing it. It makes you feel like you are in her place and going through a breakup. This can go under the sad/slow category while also making you feel good because of the passion that she shows while singing.

2.  All Comes Down- Kodaline
 First of all I'm obsessed with this band you should definitely look them up. It's a slow song until the chorus. There's a build up towards the end that reminds me a lot of a Coldplay track where the instruments make you feel like you are on top of the world while the lyrics are still very emotional. The story behind it is that you're in a struggling relationship and losing someone you care about. It makes you feel so sympathetic about the situation.

3.  All Through The Night- Sleeping At Last
 This bands sound is not for everyone. They don't have Adele level voices they're more of a Mumford and Sons type. This song is also very slow and makes you feel good. "We have no past, we won't reach back, keep with me forward all through the night" this is part of the chorus and it just emits the love that this guy has for his significant other. This song also has the Coldplay kind of build up.

4. Just A Little Bit of Your Heart- Ariana Grande
 First thing is that this song was written by Harry Styles which is even more reason to love it. I am honestly not a fan of Ariana Grande as a person but she is an amazing singer. The vocal range that she has on this song gives me chills every single time. It is also showing the strong emotion that she is also feeling for her significant other. "I know I'm not your only, but at least I'm one, i heard a little love, is better than none." The pain that she has and is going through and the feeling that even though he likes other girls, she doesn't care because even a little bit of love from this guy is enough. It's very emotional.

5. Say You Love Me- Jessie Ware
 This was my favorite song for a while but i used to listen to it on repeat forever so it became a little old but it doesn't take away for the pure genius behind this song. It also helps that Ed Sheeran co-wrote this song which just adds to the sentimental feeling behind it. "just say you love me, just for today, and don't give me time cause thats not the same, want to feel burning flames when you say my name, want to feel passion flow into my bones like blood through my veins". This song also gives me chills every time the message behind it is heart breaking which is why I find it so compelling.

Jordan Strange: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

I don't read many fictional books, nor watch many movies, but as a child, my Dad used to read us part of a book every night. Every night, he would read us a part of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and other books from the Chronicles of Narnia.

So, I remember those characters very well. 

All that to say, I would probably want to be Lucy Pevensie. She is quite stubborn, but very gentle. She loves people, and is portrayed as the healer throughout the book. She is also very strong willed and honest, and she acts in a way that easily reflects her thoughts. She is very humble, and very honest. She respects many and in return is very respected. 

But through these qualities, she is very enthusiastic and finds a clear purpose in her life while enjoying the people around her. She lives her life in a way that reflects a larger purpose, one of love. 

Although Lucy is younger and perhaps not as mature as her older sister, Susan, she is bold and her heart is one more genuine than most. 

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Lauren Spivey

   If I could be any fictional character ever created, I would be Hermione Granger. She is full of wit and excellence. I have always struggled a bit with motivation and school work unlike Hermione. She was focused on her studies (besides the times she was helping Harry) and was a hard worker. I have trouble with procrastination so her drive to be perfect could be very very helpful in my life.
   Also, how cool would it be to be a wizard. She was born a muggle and then excelled into being a wizard unlike any other. Due to her book smarts and experience, she was a magic enthusiast. Like when Ron, Harry and her all got trapped in the Devil's Snare, Hermione was the one who knew that the trick to surviving it was to be still and the more you moved the quicker it tightened. She knew that due to studying and being the top in her class. It would feel amazing to be able to know things like that, that could save someones life.
   Hermione is brave. She faces her fears with the help of her trusty teammates Harry and Ron. There have been numerous times where she has saved their butts. I would love to be known as the girl who knows everything and can always help someone when they're in need.

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 3rd at 11:59 pm

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

entry inspired by John Cowgill

Fictional Character - Elle Ogden

If I'm honest, I don't read many books, nor do I particularly like fictional things. I'm a realist, make-believe is almost annoying to me, but one series that I did actually read, and actually enjoy was the Hunger Games. So, I guess I would want to be Katniss Everdeen.

Katniss possesses all things that society says a woman can't. She is strong, intelligent, determined, independent, and a pretty good leader if I do say so myself. She finds new ways to accomplish things and she outsmarts people. Though I would't want to actually be her, I would want to be like her. I have no interest in fighting people to the death for fun; that just seems ridiculous. But then again, at the rate we're going with presidential candidates, there's a possibility the Hunger Games could become a thing. 

All jokes aside, I think Katniss' character was developed well and she shows how strong an independent female can be. 

Fictional Character- 22: Evan Hays

Ender Wiggin

Ender Wiggin lives the life I would like to live, having at early age wielded that might of an entire species to his name, he catapulted humanity into the stars. He destroyed a species, and then through his exploration of planets to colonize simultaneously explored the fundamentals of human consciousness. Realizing how futile the idea of existence is, he revived the very species he destroyed earlier, then becoming a steward of human colonization across the galaxy.

And that's just book one

Yes, Ender's life is very troubled. He has seen much strife, and in the end the only real lesson he learned was that innocence is just a farce used to make life more bearable. But lets consider what his life is. He, being the foremost person on interstellar species and ethics, is tasked with setting up human colonies to ensure our survival. It is my belief that if human nature is to explore, we cross the alps, we sail the seas, we take to the stars and dream. Earth is very bare. We have mapped all of the mountains, the seas are in the clutches of nets and garbage, around our earth is a coat of junk, floating in orbit through near space. I long for a life like Ender's, where mortality is just dream. Where time itself serves no other purpose than to allow for exploration, of thought and galaxy alike. I want to save humanity, make us invincible by making us invariably relevant in a universe predicated on absurdity. His life is that of a search unending. And I hope mine shall be as well.

21-At this very Moment: Evan Hays

At this very moment nothing is happening.
I say this not out of apathy or contempt for the consideration of all the beauty our world offers, but out of the realization that an action is only as good as it yields. To get this prompt I read a few other blogs on the same subject, the one that stuck out to me most poignantly being Catherine Van Tatenhove's (Thanks for the insight by the way, if you are reading this). She mused very inquisitively that for every good thing happening, for every girl celebrating a beautiful fifth birthday, there is also a girl who's birthday is slipping by unnoticed. The world is in complete balance, and what I concluded is that seeing as how an action must be weighed not by its cause, but it's effect, then nothing is happening. Yes, one million people are in joy right now, one million dinners are being enjoyed, and for that one million serotonin receptors are stimulated. But on the contrast there are one million equally empty stomachs, and one million bloodied hands of war and strife, and perhaps even more struggling who have not changed their action, but learned to cope with it. The poverty of our world isn't changed, merely relegated into the shadows of the globe, shadows inevitably cast by the light of joy. So no, nothing is happening, the world turns and changes by every second, but all is for not. And the moment somethings starts, it also begins to end.

Alexis Kirkland: Fictional Character- Greg Heffley

The moment I read this prompt, I knew who I wanted to be, if I was a fictional character. The Wimpy Kid himself, Greg Heffley. I had all of the books surrounding his life, even the "Do It Yourself" book where you could create your own Wimpy Kid diary. Just something about him made me want to be him. Perhaps it was the simplicity of his life. Maybe it was how stereotypical his story played out, giving a sense of normalcy that I lacked at the time I first read the books. Something about it kept me up at night reading those books with the light on my track phone when I was supposed to be asleep (yes, I used to actually read). I think I might go back and re-read the books again, now that I'm thinking about it. It was the only whole series I read from cover to cover.

It got to the point that I would have dreams about me being in the book and living through the storyline the series portrayed. I wanted his normal room, his normal family with a mom and dad and two siblings, I wanted his normal school and his normal best friend. That's why I would chose Greg Heffley, from Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Fictional Character, Fictional Life- Braeden Bowen

It's probably cheating, but I would have to chose the main character from my TV show pitch, Entity. His name is Connor Del Rey, and though he endures many hardships throughout the story, his life is infinitely cooler than mine.

Through a multitude of many complex and precarious situations, Connor discovered that the universe is not alone; in fact, an infinite web of parallel realities accompanies the universe we call home. What's even more special about Connor is that, through laborious scientific processes, he engineered a way to travel between these realities, giving him the chance to visit each one (but only once, otherwise you're going to have a bad time). Connor, henceforth tasked with visiting realities and altering their outcomes for the better (and sometimes for the worse, but accidentally), travels the universe for over a decade.

Of course, Connor's life isn't just traveling to all possible timelines of human existence at all points in time; he faces his own share of hardships throughout the story. Drug addiction, near-death experiences, the death of friends, companions, and a fiancé, identity crises, power struggles, oppression, and even mental instability plague Connor his entire life. Through it all, though, he continues his mission of bringing peace and stability to every human being on every version of Earth that he can.

And since I'm in charge of the story, I can just re-write some of the bad stuff out if I don't want to mess with it. Being the writer has its perks.

Right Now- Braeden Bowen

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, something big is happening. Supernova explosions and black holes 200 billion times the size of the Sun rupture the gravitational fields of nearby galaxies. Rouge Planets bigger than Jupiter rocket through space, following no path or orbit. Unstable black holes erupt into quasar jets, spawning thousands of galaxies and tearing across the universe. Somewhere else, perhaps in a different corner of the near-infinite expanse, something big is happening. While microscopic, it's bigger than quasars or supernovas. Somewhere in the universe, perhaps on a planet similar to Earth, life is growing. This life is almost nonexistent, still only a tiny collection of proteins only a few atoms long floating in the planet's thin atmosphere, but it's there. Statistically, it has to be: the whole universe is made up of the same 110 (stable) atoms, and there are only so many combinations those atoms can be arranged in. This process has happened on three bodies in our Solar System alone (Earth, Mars, Ganymede); there are 200 billion stars and 30 billion planets in the Milky Way, and 1 septillion planets in the observable universe. Somewhere, somehow, there are atomic protein structures floating high above the watery surface of a planet. Perhaps one day two of those protein structures will collide in the upper atmosphere and develop a symbiotic energy relationship. Perhaps then there will be a new life somewhere in the universe.

Note: If this post interested you, I'd encourage you to learn about the Fermi Paradox; it's a fascinating topic to explore.

Katie Demetriades Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Hannah Montana was my IDOL growing up. I tried to fill her shoes then (literally, her shoes were bomb), and I still wish to fill them now.

Although, I would like to make more of an impact than Hannah Montana. I would want my music to have a little bit more meaning. Don't get me wrong, "The Climb" is definitely a tear jerker, and I still jam to "This is the Life", but I don't think most kids today know what any of those songs are...

If I were Hannah Montana. I would get to experience the luxuries of being famous, like performing on stages all around the world, having millions of fans, and making more money than you know what to do with. And I wouldn't have to deal with the downfalls of being famous, like having no privacy, having the paparazzi invade my home, or getting mobbed everywhere I went. I could just pull my handy dandy blonde wig off and continue living life as normal old Miley Stewart. I could live out every person's dream without giving up my entire life and every inch of my privacy.

I'm sure being Hannah Montana has its downfalls. As she said, "Nobody's Perfect." How could they make a whole show about her if she never ran into any problems? She was always getting into trouble! But I think those moments would make funny stories in the future. I'm sure Miley Cyrus hasn't stopped laughing about her time as Hannah Montana! Even so, I would love to make the best of both worlds…

fictional life -catherine van tatenhove

"Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case." 


To Kill a Mocking Bird is and always will be one of my favorite books. And yes, Atticus Finch is a dude, but the qualities he poses are qualities I want my children to observe and acquire from me one day. In a time where oppressing and even lynching African Americans was acceptable behavior Atticus set an example for Scout that was unprecedented for that time. He never discounted the hardships of any man without first knowing exactly who they were or what the had been through. He begs Scout to delete the adjectives, and find that what will be left are the facts. So, I guess I don't necessarily want to be Atticus Finch who did everything in his power to stand up for justice, but failed at the hands of racists as brought to light in the aforementioned quote. However, I do want to be like Atticus. Slow to judge and quick to take a position that isn't popular but is just. 

right now: the good and the bad -catherine van tatenhove

At this very moment somewhere in this world someone is riding an elephant in Thailand. The elephant swaying though the jungle in the heart of Chiang Mai heading towards the nearest water source where he baths after trekking through the sticky humid air. He then curls his rough tucks over his muscular body spewing water. Refreshing. The elephants master and friend, called a mahout, meticulously watching the elephant to keep him in check.
At this very moment somewhere in the world someone is starving in Thailand. Thrown into abject poverty because of uncontrollable elements in his life he's desperate. The pang of hunger hanging over him until it becomes too much, and he's forced to turn to his beloved family and confess he had no luck today. He sees them sitting on the dirt bug infested floor and wonders why the universe can be so cruel.

At this very moment somewhere in the world someone is celebrating their 5th birthday. She is sitting, waiting to sink her small teeth into her favorite cake while smiling ear to ear as her family snaps pictures desperate to capture the pivotal moment. She consumes her cake anticipating the new barbie concealed in the shiny pink paper. She has no concept of hardship yet. She is innocent and happy. And, her parents couldn't be more proud of their gorgeous growing girl.
At this very moment someone is crying. Today she is five. It's her birthday, but no one knows. Her family hasn't seen her since she couldn't even form coherent thought or words. She cries because she was told she was going to get a birthday gift from the nice man who lets her stay with him. But, when she inquired about her gift he looked at this helpless girl with a furrowed brow on his head and a beer in his hand, furious. This five year old girl didn't think bruises were presents, but I guess she was wrong.

Right Now: Jordan Strange

In the entire universe right now, millions of things are happening, both good and bad.

At this moment in the universe, people are loving and people are being loved. Someone is meeting a stranger and offering to buy them coffee. Someone is giving money or food to the homeless. Someone is adopting a child.

 People are hurting, but people are helping.

Right now there's people all over the world who are searching for hope. Trying to find meaning in this thing called life. There's also people who are giving up their lives to serve these people. People sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Right now, someone is sharing the Gospel. Someone is bringing hope. People are dying, but people are being born again into the Kingdom of God. People are loving and people are being loved. We can all love. Through the pain and through the hurt, all the time. Don't ever stop loving, because you won't ever stop being loved.

Right Now-Matthew Telfer

Right now in the universe people are scuba diving in the Great Barrier reef, or snapping pictures of the Eiffel tower, or sitting on a secluded beach in the Caribbean. And I'm here. In Central Kentucky. But that's the beauty of traveling. Experiencing new ways of life you had no clue ever existed. Meeting new people, eating great food and going on exotic adventures is the reason I love traveling. I almost feel bad for people who haven't traveled out of the country yet because American culture is unlike any other culture in the world. I'm not saying move to a foreign country but just experience it. The greatest memories of my life have been from traveling. Riding a mule up a narrow path to the top of a mountain then ziplining down in Mexico. Or swimming in a coral reef in Hawaii. Or visiting the Colosseum in Rome. Right now I wish I was traveling.

Right Now - Elle Ogden

At this very moment somewhere in the universe, millions of teenagers in the world working on school assignments. Some are sitting in class at this very second, while others are sitting in their bed, typing away on their computers, attempting to finish the mountain of homework that sits in front of them. As teenagers, we focus so much on school that it leaves little time to focus on ourselves and our families. 

However, there is more to this world than finishing homework assignments and getting an A on your physics test. Yes, those things are important and must be done eventually, but right now in the world there's also someone dying, or being born, or being proposed to, or proposing. There are people discovering cures to diseases, while others are dying from that same disease. People are entering and leaving our world at such a fast rate, that it's important to slow life down sometimes and "smell the roses." 

Assignment 21: Tyler Rosenkrantz

Somewhere in the universe right now, in a planet very similar to ours, with people very similar to us, an aspiring alien musician, very similar to myself, was stuck in his alien history class, working on his assignment for his alien language class. On this alien planet called Htrae, the young alien Relyt was a very stressed and tired young alien, but with the support of his alien peers and teachers he knew he could do it. Relyt was aspiring to do big things. He was gonna go to Alien college and he was gonna make it big. He knew it. But he was worried, he had a very important interview coming up with the head of the alien college and he didn't know If he was ready. He hoped he made it...
But that's far away in the universe and doesn't affect our planet, so I suppose we'll never know what happens...

Assignment 22: Fictional Character, Fictional Life

Out of all of the books, all of the movies, and all of the television shows you have watched, consider your favorite characters. Then, answer the following:

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 20th at 11:59 pm

(Last day to submit Blogs 21-23 is April 3rd)

Right Now -Hope Reed

Right now somewhere in the universe, an idiotic girl is doing her blog last minute while trying to finish two days of calculus homework, physics, and a million unit assignments for her US History class. She's downing caffeinated coffee, listening to "Tear In My Heart" by Twenty One Pilots, and wrapping her writing fingers in bandaids. She's telling herself how dumb she was to procrastinate so much on these assignments, especially the ones she received weeks ago. But she'll get through the night as usual.

But right now somewhere in the universe, someone is doing a lot bigger things than the girl scrambling to get her self together before Monday rolls around. Someone is dying. Someone is being born. Someone is learning. Someone is singing. Someone is riding their bike without their training wheels for the first time. Someone is running. Someone is looking for a cure to cancer. Someone is laying on the beach licking an ice cream cone. Someone is getting married.  There are 7.125 billion people in the world all doing their own thing.

Right now in the somewhere in the universe, people are living. And people are dying. Make sure that you make every "right now" moment worth your time, because we don't know when our time runs out.

Alexis Kirkland: Right Now

I'd first like to make the comment that 'Right Now' is a One Direction song from their third studio album Midnight Memories. They practically invented music with that song. It's my all-time favorite of theirs, out of all 80-something songs they have. I will link it below.

 Moving on.

Right now, somewhere in the universe, someone is growing up. Whether it be through the terrible time of puberty, or coming into their own, or accepting themselves for who they are, each little bit of the changes in your life are part of growing up, I think.

I don't want my thoughts to be discredited by the fact that I'm still growing up myself. But I think I have a decent understanding of how some of it works.

For me, growing up meant hurting some feelings. As a child, I never wanted to make people upset. It was awkward and I was always made to feel selfish and guilty whenever I spoke my mind. This is the reason why while I longed to live with my mother, and told her so as often as I could, I was kept away from her. I couldn't bear to tell the other half of my family that I wanted something other than what they wanted for me. So I suffered in silence. That changed in seventh grade when I made the decision, on my own, to leave. I moved with my grandparents, took on a whole new life. I've never been happier with my at-home situation.

Growing up also meant losing people. I think of it this way: "If you're not losing people, you're not growing up." I lost my childhood best friends throughout my years, I've lost the family I was closest to for most of my life, and more... in exchange for an even better circle of friends and family who cares about me and who I am. Sure I lost people, but now I'm happier with the people I got in return.

Growing up means adjusting to changes, being flexible, adapting to your surroundings. It means letting go, it means learning to budget your energy and not waste your time. It means being grateful, being kind, and being true to yourself. It takes time to learn what all that really means. It could be months, years, or even a lifetime. Honestly, I don't think you ever stop growing up.

Katie Demetriades Assignment 21: Right Now

At this very moment, somewhere in the universe, billions of creatures are making decisions. That ant decided to grab that crumb of food for his family. That spider decided to sneak her way inside your warm home. That squirrel decided to run out in the middle of the road. That baby duck decided to jump in the lake. That grizzly bear decided to eat fish for dinner. That fish decided to swim as fast as he could. That dog decided to play with his ball. That baby decided to crawl for the first time. That boy decided to try out for the basketball team. That teenager decided to get a new job. That man decided to quit smoking. That mother decided to take a nap. That grandfather decided to go on vacation. That alien (ET, we know you're out there) decided to travel through the cosmos.

And that girl, sitting at home, reflecting on her life, decided to write the blog post she has to do by Sunday. And one of these days, that girl will decide that big decisions can't hold her back. That girl will decide that "the big picture" isn't the scariest thing out there...