New Years Resolution

       New Years resolution are full of broken promises and things people will never realistically do. These resolutions will most likely not be fulfilled. Why have a good thing be broken? I'd rather think of a New Years resolution as a goal a person wants to achieve.
        Good grades are an important factor to get into a nice university. It is critical to succeed in all aspects of life. Colleges look for community service, athletics, and academics. They want smart people who will do good things with their spare time. This means I need to get all A's if not a few B's. I will work harder than I have ever done. I will get my homework done the night before instead of panicking to finish in study hall or lunch. When I'm in class I will focus on what's being said by the teacher and my peers. I will do whatever it takes to ensure I'm successful. It is critical for me to achieve this goal. If I don't work hard and put my all into school, I won't be successful.
         Even though New Years resolutions are normally broken, I can ensure my goal will be successful.No matter what you want you succeed, you can do it by setting your mind to it.

My Birthday

New York, the city that never sleeps. There’s only one weekend besides Christmas that I get amped up for. Turning a year older is always exciting no matter what. You get closer and closesr to being “grown up”. Each year New York seems to be more alive. The rush of the city is what I live for. Under the starry night, Kendall and I stare up at the towering tree in Times Square. The oranments sparkle off the bright sun during the cold winter days. Being in NYC while the wind blows slowly and the while fluffy snow falls doen is like a Hollywood movie. It was something people dream of. We walked down block after block. The stores gradually got bigger, towering over us. As we worked our way into the heart of the city, the stores were three stories tall. Merchandise covered the stores left to right. Our eyes wide, as if we just jumped into an ice cold pool. We observed everyone and everything that went by. In the hotel, we lay ourselves out on the bleach white sheets. We shopped until we dropped. Falling asleep in the city that never sleeps. People rush block to block. All you can this is; where could all these people be going?

Some Nights by Fun

        "Some Nights" by Fun is an emotional song that shows the struggles musicians go through daily. Every song has a deeper meaning. This song has two interpretations. One is about love and the second is about war. Many hidden literary devices are used in the song.
        In the beginning, "Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck. Some nights, I call it a draw. Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle. Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off" has a deeper meaning. The struggles musicians go through, the writer wants to leave the fame but he wishes he could make money. The line "here they come again just to jack my style" could be a reference to how music producers don't let artists sing their own songs and try to change who they are. The line "but I still wake up, I still see you ghost" can be related to his music career. The singer left his family for the fame and he doesn't know what he stands for anymore. He doesn't know who he is anymore. He never knew what the big deal was over the fame but now he understands. "I found a martyr in my bed tonight" represents how he changed once he got famous.
       Many literary devices are used in the song. "Some nights" can be an anaphora. The phrase repeats in four lines. The whole song can be considered a synedoce. The whole song stands for a larger meaning. The line "...I found a martyr in my bed tonight" is a metaphor. It really means that he changed as a person when the fame got to him. He didn't actually find a martyr in his bed.
      The tone of the song is powerful but calming. The beat is slow but then get deep and loud. It has a gospel tone to it.Many people start out singing in the beginning like a choir. The mood set in the song is empowering. It gets the point across the way it needs to. People can relate and portray the lyrics in different ways. It doesn't just have one meaning.
       Some Nights by Fun has more of a deeper meaning than people would think. Everything has a deeper meaning and if you look deep enough into it, you will find it. The real question is, what would any of us stand for if we are willing to risk loving relationships for our selfish actions?

Diary Entry

Dear diary,

My name is Amanda and right now I'm living in Paris with my family.My family has low wealth and we have trouble paying for food. The rich people decided to make the poor people pay higher tax just so they can have more stupid dinner parties. My daddy has been away ever since the French Revolution began and mommy will not tell me why, which makes me worried! The country is split in two since the rich people are taxing us. The fighting is terrible outside. Mommy and I are hiding in the house. I'm worried about my friends that I play with after my mom is done teaching me. I wonder what they're witnessing. It's the same thing everywhere, anyways. This guy Robespierre is starting to take over and it looks like everything is starting to get back to normal. Right now anything is better than the fighting. Robespierre is one of the rich people too. Now, he's beheading all the rich people. If that's his way of getting things "back to normal", he better quit this whole ruling thing. Mom and I are starving since we can't go out and get food. If we left the house there's a big chance of death. Going outside at this point is like suicide.

-Amanda

Epic hero

         An epic hero over comes obstacles, is courageous, intelligent, and honorable. Odysseus carries these characteristics but can be seen as an unheroic figure, also. A hero isn't selfish but Odysseus put his men in danger when they were in the cave.
           Odysseus is a hero at some point but he does get greedy and selfish. During the War at Troy he was protecting his people and being intelligent with it also. In books nine through ten, he is not playing the role of a hero. He makes several selfish acts throughout the four books. Odysseus refused to leave the cave of the Cyclops. He risked the lives of his men which was a selfish act. In book ten, he was unfaithful to Penelope and fell under the spell of Kirke.

            Odysseus would be considered an epic hero since he protected his men through the war. Yet, he was also selfish at some points. He always tried to do the right in order to protect his men which makes him an epic hero. 

Hero Analysis

The characteristics of a good hero are courage, intelligence and pride. Odysseus shows many of those characteristics throughout his journey. Odysseus goes through many obstacles on his journey and how he deals with them determine how heroic he really is.

            Odysseus is wise and strong when he faces obstacles on his journey but every hero has a flaw. Odysseus gets sentimental when he comes face to face with Telemachus. Odysseus proves he’s courageous with his endurance. At the beginning of the poem it says he’s weeping alone which shows bravery. His Hubris or pride is another characteristic he posseses. Odysseus's glory makes him reveal his identity to the Cyclops and bring Poseidon's wrath down on him.

            Odysseus's intelligence helps him out in some obstacles throughout his journey. When he escapes from the cave of the Cyclops or when he hides his slaughter of the suitors by having his minstrel strike up a wedding tune. He is also a convincing and can manipulate his audience easily. When he first approaches Nausicaa on the island Scheria, he wins her trust with his comforting approach.

            Odysseus is a hero at some point but he does get greedy and selfish. During the War at Troy he was protecting his people and being intelligent with it also. In books nine through ten, he is not playing the role of a hero. He makes several selfish acts throughout the four books. Odysseus refused to leave the cave of the Cyclops. He risked the lives of his men which was a selfish act. In book ten, he was unfaithful to Penelope and fell under the spell of Kirke.

            Odysseus would be considered an epic hero since he protected his men through the war. Yet, he was also selfish at some points. He always tried to do the right in order to protect his men which makes him an epic hero. 

Odyssey

The Trojan War has ended and Penelope's husband, Odysseus, is still not back after 10 years.Yet, all the other Greek warriors are home. A group of suitors will work their to her and try to convince her to marry them. The name, Paoyos, comes from the Greek word for "success". Paoyos will take a journey to marry Penelope in Ithica. By beating the other suitors, Paoyos has a large chance in being able to take her hand in marriage. Telemachus, Odysseus' son, told all of the suitors to go home. One of the suitors acted suspicious about what Telemachus said.There was a ceremony the next day where Telemachus would announce the proposition of the suitors leaving. The son said if we wanted Penelope's hand in marriage we would have to go to Icarius and ask him properly. Antinous reminded us that Penelope paid a ruse in order to pay off marriage. He also said that she would be sent to Icarius and he would choose a husband for her. Halitherses speaks about the coming home of Odysseus and says that if we did not leave immediately we would be massacred.