The Book So Far

I have been enjoying "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime".  I think that it is very interesting being written from the eyes of an autistic person.  I like the way the story is teaching me more about how someone with autism thinks and acts.  The story is written so well that it keeps me interested and I want to read on.  I think it is different the way all the chapters are prime numbers.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

Theme Pressure

Russian anti-gay bill passes, protesters detained

MOSCOW A bill that stigmatizes Russia's gay community and bans the distribution of information about homosexuality to children was overwhelmingly approved by the lower house of parliament Tuesday.

More than two dozen protesters were attacked by anti-gay activists and then detained by police, hours before the State Duma approved the Kremlin-backed legislation in a 436-0 vote.

The bill banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" still needs to be passed by the appointed upper house and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, but neither step is in doubt

The measure is part of an effort to promote traditional Russian values as opposed to Western liberalism, which the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church see as corrupting Russian youth and contributing to the protests against Putin's rule.

The only parliament member to abstain Tuesday was Ilya Ponomaryov, who has supported the protest movement to the aggravation of the leadership of his pro-Kremlin party.

Before the vote, gay rights activists attempted to hold a "kissing rally" outside the State Duma, located across the street from Red Square in central Moscow, but they were attacked by hundreds of Orthodox Christian activists and members of pro-Kremlin youth groups. The mostly burly young men with closely cropped hair pelted them with eggs while shouting obscenities and homophobic slurs.

Riot police moved in, detaining more than two dozen protesters, almost all of them gay rights activists. Some who were not detained were beaten by masked men on a central street about a mile away.

The legislation will impose hefty fines for providing information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, community to minors or holding gay pride rallies. Breaching the law will carry a fine of up to 5,000 rubles ($156) for an individual and up to 1 million rubles ($31,000) for media organizations.

After the bill was given preliminary approval in January, lawmakers changed the wording of "homosexual propaganda" to "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations," which backers of the bill defined as "relations not conducive to procreation."

Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, but anti-gay sentiment remains high. Russia also is considering banning citizens of countries that allow same-sex marriage from adopting Russian children.

Earlier Tuesday, dozens of anti-gay activists picketed the Duma. One of them held a poster that read: "Lawmakers, protect the people from perverts!" while others held Orthodox icons and chanted prayers.

Russian and foreign rights activists have decried the bill as violating basic rights.

"Russia is trying very hard to make discrimination look respectable by calling it `tradition,' but whatever term is used in the bill, it remains discrimination and a violation of the basic human rights of LGBT people," Graeme Reid, LGBT rights program director at Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday in a statement.

Russian officials have rejected the criticism. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended the bill in February, saying that Russia does not have any international or European commitment to "allow propaganda of homosexuality."

The widespread hostility to homosexuality is shared by much of Russia's political and religious elite.

Lawmakers have accused gays of decreasing Russia's already low birth rates and said they should be barred from government jobs, undergo forced medical treatment or be exiled.

An executive with a government-run television network said in a nationally televised talk show that gays should be prohibited from donating blood, sperm and organs for transplants, while after their death their hearts should be burned or buried.

The bill's adoption comes 20 years after a Stalinist-era law punishing homosexuality with up to five years in prison was removed from Russia's penal code as part of the democratic reforms that followed the Soviet Union's collapse.

When I first heard about the anti gay russian law I felt it was so wrong as there are so many young people struggling with their sexuality.   By not being given any information or allowing them discuss there feelings with people in the community.  will make them feel that if they are gay that it is wrong.  The government should not be putting there personal beliefs onto a whole country.  I feel that with the olympics being held in Russia that these laws will make some athletes not feel proud abut who they are.  Every person has the right to be proud about themselves and I believe that it is hard enough for a young person to come forward if they are gay that this law will only push them back more and make them feel bad about themselves.  I also believe that laws like this are prompting bullying to people who are gay.  I think the government should not be allowed to pass such laws.

Pressure

Sometimes is never quite enough
If you're flawless, then you'll win my love
Don't forget to win first place
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face
Be a good boy
Try a little harder
You've got to measure up
And make me prouder
How long before you screw it up
How many times do I have to tell you to hurry up
With everything I do for you
The least you can do is keep quiet
Be a good girl
You've gotta try a little harder
That simply wasn't good enough
To make us proud
I'll live for you
I'll make you what I never was
If you're the best, then maybe so am I
Compared to him compared to her
I'm doing this for your own damn good
You'll make up for what I blew
What's the problem ...... why are you crying
Be a good boy
Push a little farther now
That wasn't fast enough
To make us happy
We'll love you just the way you are if you're perfect

Shakespeare's Opinion of Love

In Romeo and Juliet  Shakespeare’s thoughts on relationships are represented in the relationships between Romeo and Rosaline and Romeo and Juilet.  Shakespeare shows a lot of different relationships in his play but the main relationships are filled with tragedy.  Shakespeare seems to show that relationships are not strong and healthy but full of sadness.  Whether he was writing about love between couples or love between family members or friendships they all seemed to be full of heartache and very little happiness.  In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare shows that he does not believe in happy endings.

Shakespeare’s portrayal of love in the first act shows that love is a struggle and not true and caring.  Romeo is in love with Rosaline but she does not return his love.  Romeo speaks about the pain of love as he says “being vexed, a sea nourished with lover tears”.  This shows Romeo feeling tormented by love.  Romeo also talks about how the sea levels are kept high by the tears of lovers.  This again shows Shakespeare’s opinon on love.

Shakespeare himself was only married once at the age of 18.  He married Anne Hathyway and had 3 children with her.  Their marriage did not seem like a happy marriage.  When Shapkespeare passed away he left most things to his eldest daughter to be given to her 1^st born son.  They say he left only his bed to his wife.  Many of people of Shakespeare time questioned his love for his wife as he seemed more focused on his plays and writing.  There was a lot of questions about Shakespeare's personal life.  He seemed to favor men over women by giving his belongs to his eldest daughter's 1st born son even though she did not have a boy at the time.  (www.wikipedia.com) 

Romeo and Juliet’s love is very tragic.  Shakespeare shows Juliet very much in love with Romeo but their families are in a terrible battle with each other. Their love was almost over powering and was so dramatic that it wasn’t real. "Did my heart till now forswear it, sight! for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night" Romeo and Juliet dying for each other was tragic and shows Shakespeare’s opinion that love can not have a happy ending.  "These violent delights have violent ends and in there triump, die like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume".   He could have had a different ending where Romeo and Juliet leaving the city together but he chose the tragic end which showed his opinion on love and marriage.  "Two  households, both alike in dignity in fair Verona, where we lay our scene from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood make civil hands unclean.   From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life, whose misadventured piteous overthrows, do with their death bury their parent's strife."  The strife between the families did end after their death as each family was building a statue for the others child.  Shakespeare was able to show some compassion between the families and that time which showed that perhaps Shakespeare wanted his own battles to be resolved.

The play Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy representing some of what Shakespeare must have believed about relationships.  Many of the relationships in the play were dysfunctional there were very few representing healthy, normal relationships.  Even their family relationships were shown as a negative which could also represent how Shakespeare might have felt about his own family.  Shakespeare wrote many plays some were humorous, some were tragedies and perhaps somewhere in between the two you could learn more about the man then by just this one play.  Did Shakespeare's plays really represent him?

Mid term

a)  In English I have not missed a class.  I think that I am on task most of the time.  I am  self regulated and try not to waste time.  I try to complete all task in the time given in class.  Although I do not have a twitter account I have regularly checked all twitters.  I have never been late for class and try to listen in class.  I believe I deserve 23% in this.

b)  I have completed all 15 tasks on time.  I have completed the task to the best of my abilities.  I feel I deserve a 25% in this.

c)  I believe my quality of work is the best of my ability.  I feel I have always put in my best effort to get the assignments done well.  I notice that some of my classmates have done longer writing assignments.  I think my work compares well with most of the class.  I am going to try to include more quotes or support for some of my work.  I have noticed comments saying that I should use more examples to support my ideas.  I am including a snap shot of my favorite essay I have written so far.

I believe I deserve 20% on this.



d)  I believe that I participate in class discussions and try to help others with there work.  I believe getting on task helps other do the same.  I have commented on most of the class work although none of my comments stand out.  I know this is one thing that I have to work harder on to supply constructive criticism instead of only the positive.  I am getting used to doing things on line and expressing my self on line but it is taking time.  I believe I should get 20% on this.

My believe my overall my should be around 88%.

Soliloquy

The soliloquy I chose is in act 2 scence 5 lines 1-17.   In the soliloquy Juliet is waiting for the nurse to come back.  The nurse had been gone for 3 hours taking a message to Romeo.  Juliet is thinking maybe she could not find Romeo, she is wondering what could have happened.  Juliet thinks the nurse should be faster delivering the message to Romeo that she should fly back and forth like cupid with wings.  If the nurse had any feelings she would travel fast like a ball bouncy back and forth between Romeo and Juliet.  But the nurse is old and might as well be dead.  She is clumsy and slow and moves like lead.  Juliet keeps looking out the window waiting to see if the nurse is coming back.

I think the significant of this soliloquy is that Juliet is waiting for Romeo's response to whether or not he is interested in her or if she should forget him and go marry Paris.  His response could change the play completely if he was not interested in her.  Juliet is very anxious because she wants his answer to be yes that he loves her.  This is a very important part in the play.

I liked this soliloquy because it was a time that could change the play.  It is an important decision that she is waiting for.  I also liked the way it showed how anxious Juliet was and even though she truly likes the nurse she was getting upset because she felt it was taking so long.  It was funny how Juliet felt the nurse should fly like cupid, and not be so slow like she was dead.

Relationship

The nurse and Juliet have a great relationship. Their relationship is like a mother and daughter.  The nurse has been with Juliet's family for at least 14 years, all of Juliet's life.  Juliet is very formal when talking with her mother even calling her "Madam" but shares everything with the nurse.  Getting advise and opinions from her.  The nurse and Juliet are so close that she is the only one that knows Juliet is getting married and the nurse did not tell Juliet's parents.  The nurse calls Juliet "Lamb" and "Ladybird" has terms of endearment.

A bad relationship is between the two families the Montague and the Capulet.  They have been feuding for years.  Before Romeo and Juliet were even born.  They have been very verbal with their fighting.  "Do you bite your thumb at us sir?"  The whole town knows about their feud.  They argued so much in public that they have both been warned if they fight again in public they will both be killed.

I believe that Shakespeare thinks that it is more common to be feuding or fighting then to be in a normal relationship.  I feel that most of the characters in the play are not in good relationships.  That he portrays   dysfunctional relationships more in the play then he does healthy, normal relationships.

Nurse view about love

(Nurse)

 My opinion of love is I don't believe that there is love at first sight and true love. I believe there is no true love or love in Verona. All the relationships are already decided by parents or family members. The people that I work for lord and lady Capulet do not have any love I'm there relationship. Lady Capulet is only with him because of his money and just does whatever he tells her to, and lord Capulet is looking at younger girls all the time. And for crying out loud Juliet is getting married to an old man chosen by her parents, this is not love at all. I have never had anyone love me, I have no family or children of my own, Juliet is the only person I've ever loved. There is even no love with the Montagues and Capulets, they are always fighting. I think there will be no love for me, and the Montagues and Capulets in Verona. I don't know why Juliet is with Romeo a Monatgue, I am still trying to register what I saw at the party. I don't like Romeo, I don't think there is any love there, if he hurts her he is going to be very sorry.

Ashleigh Interim report

In English 10 I think that I have made a good effort to stay focused in class and having completed all my assignments on time.  I have never missed a class and never been late to class.  I have commented on a lot of people's work, although I should probably be commenting more.   I also need to find more ways to contribut to the class.  I also think that I have to try and make my assignments longer.  The class has been lots of fun. I really like how much freedom we have in this class.  I enjoy being given the assignment and then be able to complete it on my own.  I really enjoyed are essay writing about the pictures we saw.  I chose the house that was flying and I enjoyed writing about it.  I also felt that going out and taking pictures about poetry terms really helped me to understand what our term meant.  I am getting used to blogging and do assignments on line this is all new to me as I do not have facebook or twitter so I have had a bit of an adjustment putting my opinions on line.

Relationships

Relationship

The three poems on relationships were written very differently and about different kinds of relationships.  However when you take a closer look at the poems there is a connection to our relationship theme.  The poems can all relate to the way teenagers are dealing with life.  The poem "Your Heart" connects to the life of a teenager on how some things can be really difficult and yet they are still able to find contentment in parts of their lives.  It can be hard but yet they can still find happiness.  In the poem "To A Stranger" also connects with being a teenager by relating to how they can dream of relationships.  Trying to find the perfect person in your life.  It can reinforce a belief in love at first sight that many teenagers believe will happen to them.  In the poem "Unentitled" although it relates to nature it can also relate to the life of a teenager being content just being where you are.  I feel that the part of the poem about how you can be far away from home and yet feel like you are at home relates to feelings about being content and happy where ever you are.  

All three poems although different and telling different stories can all be related to life.  Each poem give a different view point and different feelings.  However all three poems are about different kinds of relationships and how they can make us feel.  

Being a teenage

I am enjoying being teenager.  I like having more freedom and time to do the things I want.  I also don't mind the responsibility that comes with being a teenager.  I am very lucky that I have family and friends that are great to be around.  I enjoy many family activities.  My family enjoys boating in the summer and when I was a child this was fun, but now that I am a teenager I get to do many more things on the boat that teach me responsibility but are a lot of fun.  They are both fairly strict but fair and try to always balance my responsibilities with fun.   I enjoy school although I must say I like visiting with my friends more then the school work.  I feel that some of my classes are a lot of fun and make me enjoy coming to school and help me through the harder courses.  The best part of school is that there are lots of things to join and do, if you want and lots of activities to do.  The worst part of school at least this year will be preparing for Provincial Exams that I have never had to take before.  I don't have a job as of yet but it is something that over the next year or so I will be looking into as I get my driver's license.  I will need to be able to afford all my expenses.  That is another thing that I enjoy about being a teenager is that I can pick and choose my expenses.  That more decisions are mine to make.  I am learning that some decisions I make may not be the best and I have to live with the consequence of that decision.  There is no one else to blame it on.  Sometimes this can be scary but most of the time I can always turn to someone to help me with the tough choices.  Being a teenager for me is pretty easy and a lot of fun.  I can say that not much upsets me in my life.  I guess I am pretty lucky.

The house that moves

My family loves to talk about going all over the world. Traveling through Europe and Australia. It was fun to dream because my parents always said that it would be to much money to go traveling.  My brothers and I really wanted to go traveling.  We where thinking about all the ways we could save money to go.  We thought of a few things but it would not come close to how much money it would take for the 5 of us to go.  So we all just kept dreaming.

One day my brothers and I went downstairs to our basement and while we were down there, my older brother was walking and he noticed that the floor felt different.   We all went over to where he was standing and we could definitely feel the difference.   We needed to know why the floor felt different.  We went to my dad's garage and got some of his tools to help us raise the floor boards.   When we went back to the to the basement we locked the door so our parent could not come down and see what we were doing.  Then my brothers pried the floor up and we saw a large hole.  My oldest brother, Justin,  got a flashlight and looked down he noticed a ladder on the side.  We were all very curious what was done there so he climbed down and we all followed after him.   When we got down to the bottom it was really dark, and the flashlight did not light up a very big area.  After looking around together we spotted a switch on the wall that looked like a light switch.   I went over and turned the switch on.  The whole area got very bright in the middle of the room was a big table with switches, leavers and buttons.
We had no clue what they all  did or why they were hidden in our basement floor.  Just as my brother reached over to flick one of the switches  to see what it did,  we heard my mom calling for us.  We did not want her to come down to the basement.  So we all climbed up the ladder, my brother Jason and I ran up the stairs to mom while my other  brother put the floor boards back in place.  My mom wanted to know what we where doing and we just said nothing just watching tv and relaxing . She said to come up stairs and get ready for dinner.  We all really wanted to go back down to see what the thing under our house did.  We knew we would have to wait.   We were very busy that night and never got to go back down.

The next day we all got up really earlier and went down stairs before my parents got up.  It was a good thing that it was Saturday so we had all day.  When we when down stair we saw that 1 button said "fly" over it,  others said "right", "left", "higher", "lower".   But we did not know what this all meant.  My brother Justin being the oldest decided the first button to press was the one that said fly.  After he pushed the button, the whole house started shaking, we all started screaming.  The next thing we knew the house started moving up.  My parents came running down the stair to see if we were all right and what was happening.  I think they thought it was an earthquake.   When they looked out the window they saw that we were flying, my mother started to scream and was looking all over for us.  We yelled that we were down in the hole.  Both my parents rushed down.  They did not know the room existed and were very happy that we were all OK.   However the soon realized we were the ones moving the house.   We were all pretty scared.  My dad wanted to know if my brother knew how to get us down.  My brother said it was just like a video game and took us higher and faster and made all kinds of turns.  My dad was getting very upset and told him to get us back on the ground.   My brother landed the house perfectly and my dad started looking around to see how a house could fly.

As my dad was looking under the house to see what was going on he realized that someone had designed our  house so it really could fly with no problem.   As everyone was calming down, I came up with the idea that we could fly over to Europe and Australia and we could see the world in the comfort of our own home.  Since we were flying it, it would not cost as anything to get there and we would have a place to stay when we were there.   I will admit it took awhile for my parents to warm up to the idea but  eventually they decided why not.  The next thing we knew are house was safely landed in Paris just down the road from the Eiffel Tower.  Now we seem to be traveling all the time and we are really having a lot of fun in our flying home.