Chew On This: Everything You dont wanna know about fast food.

 "The food we eat has changed more during the past thirty years than during the previous thirty thousand years." People in America are getting fatter by the minute and it's not solely for lack of exercise-it's because of the food we eat. In the book Chew on This by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson there is an exploration of today's fast food industry and how its changed us. Because of the convenience of cars, people can now dine on the go. In today's fast-paced, tightly scheduled culture, time is money and a meal that can be held in one's hand at the wheel on the way to somewhere or one that can be prepared in three minutes or less is better and far more satisfying than a meal that takes up too much time and energy in the day.

This book is an informative young adults book.  It teaches about the health hazards that fast food creates. I was actually hoping that the book would change me more. I wanted it to turn me off of fast food entirely. But a lot of the facts didn't surprise me. The book really drawed me in and I wished it was a little longer.

Bowling for Columbine Review 5/5

Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore

The film Bowling for Columbine was about gun violence in the US vs. other countries. It sympathized the victims of the Columbine shooting and addressed the leader of the NRA, Charlton Heston. In the film, Michael Moore traveled to his own home town of Flint, Michigan and visits a school where a six-year-old boy shot a six-year-old girl in class. Heston inappropriately held a NRA rally only 48 hours after this event. He did the same after the Columbine shooting. When Moore visited his home and asked if he wanted to apologize to the people of Flint and the citizens of Columbine, he heartily refused. I really liked the film and already recommended it to others.

Chew On This Chapter 1 Review 4/29

Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson

The Book Chew On This is an informative book about today's fast food world. The book is similar to a documentary and focuses on McDonald's food and its side affects. I have many friends who have only had fast food once or twice in their lives and it seems bizarre to me. I grew up on McDonald's and Burger King and every other main fast food brand.  Don't get me wrong, my mom cooks a hot meal very often, but no one wants to cook every day. Not ordering a pizza or stopping by Taco Bell after a visit to Wal-Mart would be insane!

Newsletter Project Overview

I have recently read the article The Achievement Gap: Will My Best Be Good Enough? by Andrea Lopez. This article was about Andrea's experience taking an SAT workshop on the UCLA campus. She talked about how she felt insecure and behind the races in knowledge. She felt like she was fulfilling the stereotype that Mexicans don't do well in school. When they moved to the English section, she really felt like her vocabulary was way more limited than the others. Then, she went to past graduates from her school and felt better.

Our 8 Weeks

Over the past 8 weeks, we have all progressed greatly in our writing. I, for one, actually like writing now and have begun to like to do that in my free time.

I have learned to analyze stories better and find the symbolism beneath them. But, I have also learned that you can over analyze things and you shouldn't look into things too much. That's unnecessary.

The Robber Bridegroom by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Symbolism in "The Robber Bridegroom"

 This short story has a lot of symbolism in it. There have been many versions written of it. In this version by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, A bride-to-be pays a visit to his bridegroom's cottage. When, she gets there, she gets two different warnings about her future husband. On comes from an old woman, calling him a murderer. But, even before that, she gets a warning from a parrot. "Turn back, turn back, you young bride. You are in a murderer's house."
 I think that the parrot is a symbol. I think that it represents the girl's conscience about this guy. Even before she arrived, she didn't want to come. But, if it weren't for her curiosity, she wouldn't have saved the old woman's life- or more importantly her life.

Blue Beard

We all have read the classic stories of Cinderella or heard the stories Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. But, not all fairy tales are as light as this one. Some are very dark. One of which is the story Blue Beard by Charles Perrault. This story is really different from The Little Mermaid. I really recommend this story to everyone-who is not a child.  Blue Beard is an intense story about a wife who has to overcome her officiousness.

A lot of today’s fairy tales tell the same moral. But, these stories are to be told to children. It seems like people don’t want their children to be exposed to murder and blood in the storied they read.

The moral of this story is that curiosity leads to trouble if its not contained. Once satisfied, the desire goes away, but it always ends up hurting you.

Why Writers are the Worst Procrastinators

I recently have read an article by Megan McArdle called Why Writers Are the Worst Procrastinators. It was a really good article and I really liked the points that the author used. I liked how she said that many writers have a fear of turning into nothing and failing. She also said that the problem with children and the school system is that children need to learn to embrace hard work.

Why do I tell the stories I tell? 3/17

Why do I tell stories? I mean, what is the point? Telling stories don’t do anything for you. They don’t give out new information. If anything, they confuse the reader so that they don’t know reality from fantasy.  The reader has no way of knowing the truth. 

Is that amusing to us? I think that this is the reason why we write stories. We actually find others’ misperception amusing. We aren’t all evil, but we mentally find this engaging. We like to boggle their minds. We make them try to figure it out on their own with our little clues and hints. Writers are tricky. But, that’s the way we know how to be. It’s the way we like to write.

Another reason that they might tell stories is because it is in demand. People think that they want to be in charge of their own decisions, and they do. But, they still want to be told that if you can relate to this character, then this is how you all feel and this is why you all feel that way. That is why people read stories. Writers write because they are good at it and they know people will read it.

People say that they right because they love to, but they write because there is a demand for their writing.

At Your Best- An Image Inspired Story 3/5

Let me know.

When I feel how I feel, sometimes it's hard to tell you. You may not be in the mood to learn what you think you know. You think you know everything. There are times when I find you want to keep yourself from me. When I don't have the strength; I'm just a mirror of what I see.

But at your best you are love. You're a positive motivating force within my life. Should you ever feel the need to wonder why,

Let me know.

When you feel how you feel, it's hard for me to understand. So many things have taken place before this love affair began. But if you feel like I feel, confusion will give way to doubt. There are times when I fall short of what I say; what I say I'm all about.

Inspired by: Aaliyah's At Your Best

Into the Beautiful North book review 3/5

In the novel Into the Beautiful North by Luis Urrea was a little depressing. I liked the characters and the way he developed them. The book was realistic fiction and it let me understand the stuggles that these people have.I was an interesting book and it grabbed my attention.

An Ode to My Soul- An Image Inspired Story 3/4

 An Ode

 Do you know me? I mean, really know me. Of course, you don't. Unless I can instantly become like all of the others, you  don't see me. Stay original my parents told me. Boys notice that more than the groupies they said. Well, they were wrong. I'm still invisible. But, you can see me. You know Im here. You just don't care. 

I know your name. Do you know mine? Maybe you do. But that is just a title that everyone has forced me to wear. You dont know me, the real me. You only see the outside. You do not know about the soul within, what leads me to act. Get to know the me inside, not just the outside. They're both beautiful.

TBC...

Short Story Book Review 2/26

The Gift of the Magi and other short stories by O. Henry is a collection of 16 stories set in New York City in the early 1900s. In this book, the author writes a lot of stories that talk about fate and the way things are going to be. I liked "The Green Door" because it was about fate and following your gut. It shows that if you had made one decision differently, a completely different outcome would have happened.

To Be Continued....

Short Story 2/24- Biased

Moist tissues littered the floor surrounding the trashcan. Bloodstains pierced her clothes and knuckles. Heavy tears dripped down their cheeks.

“What exactly happened?” Mr. Dennis, the vice principal said to the ragged girls sitting in his office. “Tell me from the top, Jade.”

“That PIG and her friends tried to take over my play,” one of the other girls said with a look of hatred in her eyes. “ Then they jumped us.”

“That is the furthest from the truth.” Jade rolled her eyes and mumbled.

“Let her finish.”  Mr. Dennis said this calmly; but he was searching through his desk for the six clipboards. He knew from the beginning this would happen, but the girls insisted that they were mature enough to tell their sides of the story. They weren’t.

  Jade marveled, “Why don’t you let us tell it separately? The others can go in another room while I tell my side, then we can take turns.”

“Fine by me,” the other girls murmured in agreement, three of them agreed behind snarls. They filed out one behind the other, pushing and shoving on another lightly. If you were there, you would find this to be a very funny sight. The girls were still weak from the fight and beginning to run out of steam- their attempts at revenge were very poor.

Shaking his head, Mr. Dennis redirected his attention to Jade. “You were saying?” As Jade began her story, Mr. Dennis almost felt as though he was there, watching the action. It was pretty surreal.

“Well, “said Jade, deep in thought. “The others and me were all trying out for the school play. Michele wanted the lead role, but she couldn’t get through her head that she could never beat me. But, that’s beside the point. She was doing her solo for the tryouts, and I tripped over one of the chords. It spilled a container of paint- that was fortunately closed- and it fell with a huge BOOM.”

While Jade was rambling on, Dennis could tell that he wouldn’t have a lunch break today. Jade’s story was pretty biased, and after meeting Michele, so would her’ s be. The other girls were obviously unimportant to the story; they just jumped into the brawl.

“Mr. Dennis? Mr. Dennis,” Jade said, looking worried at him. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! Jade continue your story. I’m listening.” Mr. Dennis said.  The rest of the story was as you’d assume: Jade was the hero. According to her, she’d apologized for ruining Michele’s performance, and she was so mean that she yelled at her. Jade asked her nicely to stop yelling, and Michele pushed her. After that, a fight was guaranteed. Whether that was all true or not, Mr. Dennis was not sure. Whether it was stretched or not, Dennis was positive.

After Jade was done, Dennis called Michele in. Then, after a few dirty looks were exchanged, Michele sat down.

“I don’t know what she told you,” the girly girl said as she smacked on her gum. “But, I’M going to tell you the truth. I was at my audition, right? I was blowing everyone out of the water. I was great and the lady said so. Then, all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw that wrecker get up and throw something. She tried to ruin my performance!

To be continued!!!!

Short Story- Smart Art 2/13

Smart Art

The gallery was filled to the brim with spectators and photographers. The sign clearly says:
           

But there are too many violators for the security to stop them. But, I don't mind as long as I get my credit.
 "I call this one Smart Art."

To Be Continued.....

Hint Fiction

Early

She wasn’t due for weeks. She wasn’t ready yet. A baby means sacrifice and change. Why did her mistake still come back to haunt her?

Introduction 2/11

Hi!  I'm Jahde and this is my blog. I am a teenager and I was born on Aug 13. I go to School of the Arts in Rochester, where I take a creative writing course. I am writing this blog to tell people about whatever is on my mind.