Day 22

Today we shall discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. What are you thankful for in your life? Are there reasons that people should be thankful that you are part of their life? (I am). What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Do you have any Thanksgiving rituals?

Day 21

Obviously, I try to keep things somewhat light in class. Some joking etc. I can make fun of myself as well as others and can be the butt of someone else's joke. To me humor is very important to get through the day. Read the following quote and tell me what you think he is saying. Then tell me the role humor plays in your life, with your friends, with your family, etc.

"A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life."
Hugh Sidey

Day 21

The PLAN test....what can I say. Hope you all felt confident afterwards. Personally, I think they should let you go home after the test is over. Who wants to sit and think after sitting and thinking for 4 straight hours. I hope those afternoon teachers were nice to you.

As you took the plan test today, your reward is everyone gets a free 5 points for blogging. So, sit back, relax and have a good night. Remember that for tomorrow you need to have the values sheet completed.

Day 20

Today we shall current event. Remember to pick a good topic and give a brief summary. Once the summary is completed connect it to you, the world, or your community. NO CITE, NO POINTS

Day 19

As I recently completed Communication Camp connecting with people it begs me to think about connections in high school. Oddly, I only keep in touch with about 3 or 4people I was friends with in high school. Honestly, the summer before college I went away to work at a camp, made new friends and many of them went to MSU which is where I was going. I truly wanted a break from most of the people I went to high school with for a variety of reasons. I look back and wonder if that cheapens my high school experience.

With that said, what is your views of friendship in high school? Where do you see you and your group of friends in 3-4 years? What is the importance of communication in maintaining friendships past high school? Do you think technology makes communication easier for you than it was for me and my friends?

Day 18

A year before his death at the age of 59,Hawthorne (author) wrote, "Everything is beautiful in youth- all things are allowed it." Pick 2 out of the 5 characters in Dr. Heidegger's Experiment and tell how they would react to this quote. What is your opinion of this quote?

Day 17

Great job today in regards to discussing the values of Chris' life. Remember that you need to pick one of these values and find two quotes in the book that show the value.

Remember to finish reading Dr. Heidegger's Experiment. Once you have completed the reading respond to the following blog:

If you could be ten years old again, knowing what you know now, would you turn back the clock? Give your answer as the concluding paragraph of a story about a teenager who chooses to become ten years old again. Think clearly about the positives and negatives to going back 5-6 years and show what they would be.

Day 16

We shall current event today. Remember that you must summarize your current event and then connect it to you, the world or the community and the effect that it has on it. NO CITE, NO POINTS!

Day 15

So hopefully you have enjoyed the readings of Edgar Allen Poe. We will read a few more dark transcendentalists over the next few days. Tomorrow we will try again to discuss the ideals of the values Chris McCandless had in his life. Maybe this time, you will all be ready to discuss.

For this evening, pick one value you think exemplified Chris (either good or bad) and give 3 examples of how that value is shown in the book. Then comment on how that value fits into your perception of him.

Day 14

Tomorrow we will finish bubbling and then finish reading The Black Cat.

For this evening, ponder this quote. Tell me what it means to you and how it connects to your own philosphy of life:

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day 13

Remember the vocab quiz on Monday. Sorry about the confusion.

For tonight, FREE BLOG!!!! Make it something that will share something about you that will teach us something we do not know.

Day 12

Today we read The Raven and spoke of the poetic and literary terms. For this evening, and keeping in mind the mood of the story, write your entry as the speaker. Compose a journal entry for a day one week after teh events described in the poem. What does the speaker feel and think now? What has happened to the raven. You must refer to 2 specific events from the poem in your entry.

Day 11

In regards to the vocab, the words are the first five that you received:

apathy
devious
indifferent
integrity
propensity

Today, I tried to discuss the different values of Chris McCandless. These values are the one that makes up his personality and pushes him to make the decisions he makes and to do the things he does both positive and negative. Create a list of 10 values for tomorrow that you think embody Chris (this is not the blog but your homework).

We began our discussion on the dark side of transcendenalism while also discussing realism vs. idealism. Your reminder is:

Romanticism- idealism vs. realism
Transcendentalism- Individuality and non-conformity

So, with that thought, pretend that you could speak for McCandless. What would you have to say to Krakauer, his biographer. To his parents? To any of the people he met along the way?