Act 2 Aside: Juliet

Juliet:
To think that he has been here all this time
Listening to all my inner thoughts
As though a god were he, inside my mind
Peering in with no thought to my heart.

Alas, if he were not my Romeo
I would be free to smite him hard a blow
But it is he, my one and only love
And so I stop and look to God above.

But…Who is he? This stranger with my heart
Who is he? who stole my soul away
In what way did he move my doubts aside
In what way does he steal my breath away?

I know not of his past or future ways
But I do not fear that he will cause me harm
For some unearthly, blinded, wicked reason
I’m too far gone to even be alarmed!

If death be brought on by my Romeo
To death then, I should more than gladly go.

Blank Verse Diary Entry: Benvolio

Character: Benvollio

Time: Frustrated at Romeo

If Romeo could stop to think then he

Would surely see that his dear Rosaline

Was not the angel that he claims to be.

Can beauty be contained in one lone soul?

I know the world enough to safely say

That not the perfect, flawless, sweetest girl

Could ever surpass love of many women

Dear Venus, if that [Capulet] her were she

Would never stoop to a low Rosaline.

And I, this dear friend of our Romeo

Have no choice but to end this tale of woe

By sending a fair maid of highest talent

To steal the heart of my friend, son of [Montague]

A hero of my choice

I think that the person who invented the calculator is a hero.

It's obvious that their call to adventure was after countless hours of solving math problems by hand or with an abacus (which is almost equally as slow). They wanted to find a way to solve math problems accurately and quickly: so they invented the CALCULATOR.

The obvious set of trials that this person had to go through was the actual brain work that goes with inventing things. He had to think about how to invent a calculator, and how to do so flawlessly. The calculator is meant to do simply math problems for us perfectly. It would probably have taken multiple trials to make a calculator, and tons of time would have been applied. People would have told him he was crazy and to give up and he would have had to concentrate and complete his masterpiece. (muhwahwa.)

Finally, he is able to sucessfully invent a calculator. This by far is one of the most amazing achievements (in my opinion). He probably would have been quite grateful to himself and benefited from his hard work.

After this, he spread his wisdom and his invention to the world. This was a blissful treat for students, teachers, and mathmeticians worldwide and continues to benefit people today.

My story as a shipwrecked Sailor

If somebody asked me today how I managed to survive being shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere, I smile, nod, and say, "I didn't." Because that's the truth. I DIDN'T survive after being lost at sea. When I think back to that brief period of time where I was stranded in the middle of the all consuming ocean..I think it's safe to say that I was terrified.

I never meant to become famous after returning home as the lone surviver off of the Brilliance Cruise ship. I only boarded it because luck decided to take pity on me , and let me win the ultimate cash prize of 1,000,000.00 US dollars from a lucky lottery I participated in a few weeks ago. The price of the cruise was, of course, free, and I enjoyed free luxurious meals as well as the best room of the house, second only to the Captain's chamber.

There was a sudden storm. Nobody was prepared for it, and as there's no cable on deck (extremely regretfully I might add), even VIP passengers such as myself were caught completely off guard. To make a long story short, I was flung over deck by the other members of the Cruise when they realized that the only way to save themselves was to throw cargo and other "unwanted items" (including me) over board. I would have protested if I wasn't half asleep through all this. I could have sworn it was all a dream except that the next second I found myself underneath a dark swell of a wave, coughing and screaming internally for my life.

I woke up: drenched, scorching, uncomfortable, with a mouthful of gritty sand. I was tired, and a little scared. I didn't know the tiniest bit of what to do when deserted on an island. Or peninsula. Or wherever I was stuck. I had absolutely nothing with me, except for the bath towel that was still wrapped around my head.

I huddled underneath a shade of some tall trees nearby, and cried.

When I woke up next, I was lying in a hospital bed. And that's how I survived.

I didn't.

PICTURE OF HOW I WANT TO PORTRAY MYSELF

Don't be too jealous. ^^

What hope means to me (Photo Essay)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zRxvg9DHg_CNwRfU8v3PkDKnjRoO6ifqT5K7-yMp7P0_UmuAsPRHSNJgo-d5tcU7G_FA5_IGdnAkjcS2d9sC7f_xJ8f6o02r_wC9Uuzj8V4F9LPvx7FPf8SXDT6pUQKp9aYiLOyoFrRx/s400/Glass+of+water.jpg

http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens1771991module7084415photo_tiny-candle.jpg

http://www.liberator.net.au/js/tiny_mce/plugins/imagemanager/files/helping-hand.jp

http://lh6.ggpht.com/pollycatster/R-cjUob059I/AAAAAAAAAlA/KsRkKM88MjE/moon_clouds+(Medium)[7].jpg

Poetry Slam Poem

Poetry Slam

(English POEM)

“Sometimes”

Sometimes,

People we trust

Are the ones we need to

Separate ourselves from.

Sometimes,

When we want to stay,

It’s just the time to pack up,

Turn around, and

Walk away.

Every time,

We don’t guard our hearts,

Every time we let our feelings overpower our emotions,

It’s just another excuse,

For sugar-coated heartbreak.

Sometimes what we have to do

Sometimes what we have to say,

Is the only way

To save ourselves from the same old mistakes.

Reflection:

I believe that my poem wasn't the best poem to use in a poetry slam. Maybe next time if we have to write another poem for a different poetry slam, I will write a poem with a stronger emotion running beneath it. It was a unique experience to be able to stand up on top of the table and use the podium and be the center of attention. Although it was weird and I could feel the pressure that came from that, it was good to feel that people were paying attention to what I had to say. I wrote my poem based on a feeling of heartbreak and regret; it wasn't a poem with a feeling of anger and hate within it. I feel like it didn't quite match the mood of the other Poetry slam poems. However, I still think it was a pretty good poem. I really liked how You-Kyoung's poem was long but full of figurative language and a bit of irony. Her poem was also unique to see because everyone in the room could really connect to it.

Where I'm From poem

I am from love at first sight,

from Hakunamatata,

from voice stealing villains and the sea.

I am from bright green turtle sandboxes,

shoved into unsuspecting sisters mouthes,

and wide-eyed innocent expressions.

I am from the cold souls of airplanes,

from the sound of hellos and goodbyes.

I am from tears over a thousand mile gaps,

and from sighs breathed across the vastness of the Pacific.

I am from late night chugs of Dr. Pepper,

from heart bled songs in the darkness.

I am from flashlight held life-or-death endings

to the dark circles etched onto next morning cheeks.

Inside the door of the house in my heart

spilling with whispers of smoke filled dreams

Lies a box with a scrawl,

Lies a poem that shows you a small part of

me.

Written By: MeeSoh Bossard

One stanza for the chosen image...

Image selection: A Broken Cup

Title: Not Broken

Once broken, never whole.

Pasted together with words of

Apology,

excuse.

Taped over with

calm,

rationale,

logical,

explanations.

Our relationship now whole,

as before

To the outside world

who don't see the

thin slivered crack of

Doubt,

hurt,

Guilt,

Betrayal.

Side-ways glances of awkwardness

smoothed over with empty smiles,

soft pats on the shoulder.

A rare hug here,

a rare hug there,

and empty compliments

that show us

Once broken, never whole.

Once broken, better left alone.

An everyday news-article connected to "The Pearl" and it's theme...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/technology/21hayden.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

In this article, there is a man whose wealth causes him to suffer many trials including

-negative comments from the public

-divorce with his first wife

-extravagant spendings to try and please his second wife; most of his money is loaned from others

- he suffers "sudden wealth syndrome"

“At what point does the person with the money have some responsibility to know something about what he’s doing?” Mr. Resnick asked. “If you’re smart enough to have made the money, you should be smart enough to figure out something to do with it.”

(quoted directly from the above article; the link is given for in purple).

I think this quote can be used to describe one of the themes in "The Pearl" as well. Responsibility along with decision making and knowing your priorities is one of the main themes that runs throughout the story. Being able to acquire wealth (money-wise) is one thing, but taking responsibility for it and using that money out of love for the right reasons is an entirely different thing. I think both Mr. Hayden and Kino lacked the proper decision making skills, because both of them were lost. I don't think that Kino realized what he truly needed until after the death of his son. He knew he was satisfied and content in the beginning of the book, but he was also ignorant and innocent.

Reflection on "The Pearl"--> Parable in my life...

“If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it In any case, they say in the town that…”

The story of “The Pearl” can relate to my life in the following ways. First of all, John Steinbeck lets us know from the beginning that the story of “The Pearl” was meant to be a parable, or a story that teaches us a lesson through its moral. I believe the moral of this story is not to let greed overpower your love for what is truly important.

This can relate to my life because sometimes I get so caught up in thinking about myself, and how certain things benefit or don’t benefit me that often times I lose sight of what is important. For example, one morning I found myself muttering and complaining about how I didn’t have enough jackets. But when I truly began to think about it, I realized that I had more than enough jackets! In fact, I had over 6 (probably more, now that I think about it…). This made me realize how selfish and pig-headed I was being in wanting more things for myself. One was plenty, and if a jacket was warm then of course it wouldn’t matter how many I had! I now know I am concentrating too much on my outer appearance. Of course, I know my friends have loved me through thick and thin, so of course it doesn’t matter how many times I wear a jacket to school! They loved me before, and they’ll love me the same now. And if they don’t, then maybe it’s time to find some true friends.

The second way this story can relate to my life is because I think sometimes like Kino, I am extremely stubborn. The moral of this story warns us against being greedy but I think it also wants to tell us that maybe we should listen to the advice of others instead of dismissing them because we think we are better than them. I understand that Juana is on a “lower station” than Kino but in all reality they’re husband and wife—If Kino had listened to Juana in the first place, then baby Coyotito might still be alive. When I was reading the book, I wanted to scream at Juana at first because she actually considered throwing away the precious jewel but when I re-read the book again, I wanted to scream at Kino for not listening to her. In my life, I’m sure my mother feels the same way towards me. I think that to become a better person, I need to stop thinking about what’s wrong with my parents but to actually listen to them and prevent further danger from happening to myself and others.

In conclusion, I think this story can show us lots of valuable life lessons!

Lets play the game of...What's the tone??? :D

"Yeah mom. I know."

She plopped down tiredly on the couch, her hair falling to shield her eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah. I know, I'm sorry."

Her mother's voice on the other line turned shrill, then soft, then shrill again.

"Yes, I knew what I was doing. I mean, I thought I knew what I was doing. No, I didn't think through to see the effect it would have on you and dad. Yes, I DO realize what effect this could have on my future."

She lay flat on the couch now, stomach pressed to the soft cushion as she closed her eyes to stop the tears.

As hard as she tried, no more words came into her mouth. Only the aching feeling of emptiness, weariness, and some other uncontrollable hunger filled her heart and mind.

After the bitter one-sided conversation ended, she pressed her shaking finger on the call END button. She lay there, silently, alone in the quiet room, and waited for darkness to slip over her.

"This is it then," she whispered, just before her last moments. "This is the end."

Emotions and mystery MOODS!!

whats the mood! :D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He stepped into the room, silently, his face covered by his dark hood, hair still dripping from the rain. He was dressed all in black, naturally, expression covered in the shadow of his clothes so that we were left to guess at his expression underneath. I could hear Doctor 7 shuffle his feet behind me. I frowned.

"Does this one look promising?" I whispered to Doctor 7, knowing the uneasy feeling coming from this passerby wasn't a coincidence.

Doctor 7 cocked his head, and paused for a moment, rearranging a single flower in the vase near his hand. Although it appeared like he was straightening the pot I knew better--He was actually looking over the handsome young man from the corner of his eyes.

"Hmm..."He mused. His black eyes twinkled in the low light. "Appearances can be deceiving, I'm sure...But, in this case..."

I winced as the young man stalked slowly over to the counter, his boots dragging roughly against the floor. Doctor 7's calm voice continued on.

"Bring him to me. I'll question him from my office."

I turned to give my OK to Doctor 7, but he was gone.

The young man leaned over the counter, and he looked straight at me.

Neither one of us spoke.

Then, the young lad took off his hood, and I found myself looking into a pair of the most gentle and kind-hearted looking eyes I had ever seen in my life. His soft blonde hair fell free from his dark hood and the smile he gave me moved my heart. He flashed me a wide, perfect smile.

"Hello," he said.

My heart melted.

When I blinked again however, I caught the sharpness of some hidden emotion behind his eyes. The way he kept shifting uneasily from one foot to another, the way his one hand had never left his pocket...

"This way," I said leading him to Doctor 7. "Welcome to the Post Office. I'm sure we have something for you in the back."

Happy Song lyrics

Title: Better Together

Artist: Jack Johnson

There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard

No song that I could sing

But I could try for your heart

Our dreams, and they are made of real things,

Like a shoebox of photographs,

With sepiatone loving,

Love is the answer

At least for most of the questions in my heart,

Like why are we here? And where do we go? And how come life is so hard?

It's not always easy,

And sometimes life can be deceiving,

I'll tell you one thing,

its always better when we're together.

MMM, it's always better when we're together

Yeah, we'll look at them stars when we're together,

Well, it's always better when we're together,

Yeah, it's always better when we're together...

(There's more to the lyrics, but i'll stop here..)

* This song is about happiness because obviously, the writer of the song is telling us that when he is with a specific person, life seems better. He is happier with  that person. It is not directly connected to happiness, but in this song it shows us the feeling of love this person has towards his love. Whenever I am in a sad mood, I listen to this song and Jack Johnson's soothing voice and I feel happy too. It makes me wonder...God is always with us, and with him in our lives we are happy too. 

$259 Million Dollar Prize win...?

I just won the lottery.

I just won the lottery?

Wait...

I JUST WON THE LOTTERY?! *SCREAMS*

*faints*

~*~

If I had won the lottery, I don't think rational thoughts would reach my mind until a long time after. First of all, I would need to seriously calm down and accept the fact that I really had won. I wouldn't be sure at all of what to do WITH the money, and little items that I have wanted for a long time would probably dance in front of my eyes. Since I'm only 14 I'm sure my parents would take my money from me, or persuade me the best thing for me to do was to give them control over the money...Which I don't completely agree with and probably won't have much choice over..*sigh*.

My grandmother lives all by herself near Seoul, and although she says she is happy there among her church-family, I know my parents have wanted to buy her a new house for a long time. They haven't been able to do this however because we don't have enough money. I would make sure that my grandmother had a really good house to live in. I would also want to save most of the money into my personal bank account for the future, hehe.

QW: A person who left an impression on me...

Yesterday, me and my sister were walking to our home after delivering a present to little baby Jacob. We were heading up the stairs to the door of our apartment when we saw a hunched over elderly woman who was as shriveled up as a prune. She was holding a cane shakily in her right hand and she stopped to stare confusedly up at me and my sister. She hobbled over to the first floor apartment room with the number 104 on it and knocked impatiently on the door. When nobody replied she rang the doorbell and yelled, "IS THIS MY HOUSE?" And the freaked out young lady inside replied, "No. No, please. Please move along now."

And the woman frowned at me and my sister and asked us, "Is this my house?"

My sister looked at me for guidance. I shrugged half-heartedly. I had honestly never seen that woman ever before.I frowned and quickened my steps. After a few seconds she followed us and started to make her way towards the elevator door. I panicked. This woman was obviously confused and wacked. She had no idea which house she lived in, so was she planning on stopping at each floor to yell "IS THIS MY HOUSE?" I decided then and there no, she wouldn't be doing that when I was on the elevator. So when she yelled "WAIT!" as the door to the elevator began to slide slowly to a close, I pressed the "><" button to clang the door shut.

My sister stared up at me with her mouth wide open.

"Why-" She began to say. I cut her off with a twist of my head. "I'll explain later."

Although I tried very hard that day to get the image of that old woman out of my head, I found that I couldn't. The picture of her dumbfounded expression as the elevator doors began to close kept haunting me throughout the day. She was, a "deer caught in the headlights" as they say. Her child-like expression on her aged face was something I will never forget.

clue #5

1. Who is Effie waiting for?

I have read the story "About Effie" 3 times and I am still puzzled by what the author is saying. When I first read the story, I was convinced that Effie was just another crazy girl who was good at doing her job. But after thinking about it for a few moments, I began to think about the possibility of the existence of the man. If he was real, then how could he come on a cloud? And why would there be music? And plus, what was the whole big deal on lightning and thunder? When the part in the text came up about the man riding on a cloud, it reminded me of the short superhuman guy from the movie The Incredibles. It also reminded me of Jesus. But I soon discarded this idea after I realized that we as people don't exactly know how Jesus will return to earth. But when the part about there being music came into the text, I began to suspect that somehow the man was related to Jesus.

2. This story contains a lot of Christ imagery. Write down three seperate sentences from the story that might symbolize Jesus and explain why Timothy Findley might have written these into his story.

1) "Will he take you away?"

"Of course he will. That's why he's coming. That's why I'm waiting."

2)"On a cloud," she whispered. "A big black cloud. That's a rule."

3) Then she looked at me and all of a sudden I felt it. That it wasn't just some knight in shining armour she had in mind. Or some crazy man on a black cloud, either. No, sir. Whoever he was, he surely was coming. You could tell that just from the way she looked.

--> In the first example, it seems as if the "man" could even be death. Everybody is waiting for death whether they like it for not, and in a sense death does "take you away." On the other hand, when Jesus comes back, it says in the Bible that he will take his children with him to heaven, and we will have a place that is prepared for us in heaven.

-->In the second example, it states that the man will come on a cloud. I am not sure about this one but whenever people draw Jesus going up to heaven, they always draw him on a cloud (actually, I think this is somewhere in the Bible, at the end of one of the Gospels I think). I think this is some sort of key connection as well.

--> In the third example, it clearly shows that whoever is coming is clearly coming. So I don't think it is just some physical man. I believe it is something that she can't avoid, some sort of inevitable thing coming closer and closer.

3. Can non-Christian authors reveal truth about God's World?

I believe that yes anybody can reveal truth about God's World. God's World is the Earth that we live in and what others believe to be true is in line with the Christian faith. God's World has many different aspects to it and something as simple as a reference to a higher being having created the Universe still reveals truth about God. Revealing of truth doesn't always have to be direct; it can be indirect and still be true.

Mini Question

1. What is the theme of "About Effie"?

I'm not sure what the theme of "About Effie" is. If I had to make a theme statement I think it would have something to do about "the man" Effie is waiting for, and some idea from the scene where Effie is crying amidst the thunderstorm. A theme statement might be the following: Everybody is waiting for death and the acceptance of death can give you peace.

2. Find a verse from the Bible that relates to the theme of "About Effie" and include it in your written response.

Well, I'm still not exactly sure what the theme of "About Effie" is, but according to the answer in which I put in for question 1 (Mini Question) here is a verse.

Romans 6:23 (New International Version)

²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Maybe Effie wasn't ready to accept this fact yet? I'm not sure, but in the end of the story it seems to me that she has accepted the coming of the man, whomever he may turn out to be.

clue #3 (continued)

(im sorry i forgot to post this up ms. lillo!)

1. How can you figure out a theme in a short story? Describe the process.
-First, you should look at the title of a story. Why would the author choose this specific title? Try to find the main idea of the title.
-Second, consider the main character. What are the major conflicts that the character has to go through? Think about all of the conflicts, including internal and external. What struggles does the main character have to face that later on changes who they are?
-Third, find the climax of the story. What decision does the main character make that forces them to change as a result? Try to think of ways this relates to the original conflicts that hinder your main character. Is there a similarity between these two?
-Lastly, consider the resolution. How does the story come to a close? How has the character changed now that the conflics have been resolved?

2. What is the theme of "The Utterly Perfect Murder" and how does this theme relate to your own life?
I am not sure what the theme of "The Utterly Perfect Murder" is. However, if I had to put it into a theme statement, I think it might be something like this.
Theme statement: Its best to leave the past in the past.
I think that this can be a universal theme as well. I can sit here and think of many occasions where I did something wrong to some one or I was wronged by some one else. However, I know that it doesn't help you to think about things you can't change. Its better to tell the person something then and there instead of keep your emotions inside yourself and never get them out. Thinking about something that happened a long time ago and being angry with something that happened or that you did won't change anything. If there's something you can't change, then why waste your time trying to do something futily? The best thing to do is to come to terms with yourself and either forget the past or try to learn from your experiences. I think this is something that Doug couldn't do. His negative emtions overpowered everything else that he had shared with his friend/bully.

3. How is a moral of a story different from a theme?
A moral of a story usually teaches something. It is like the daily lesson learned in a classroom. The whole story is created for the purpose of teaching the reader something they should or shouldn't do. The moral of the story is also usually simple and concise. It is usually direct to the reader and can be easily identified. The theme of a story however is different from a moral in many ways. While both the theme and the moral of a story send a message to the reader, the theme is broader than a moral. The theme is the central idea behind the story and it is the author's message about humanity to the reader. A story can have both a moral and a theme that is completely different. A story can also have a moral and a theme that are similiar in some aspects.

4. Read John 3:16. Is this a theme statement for God's story? How does this relate to the truth you might find in literature?
I personally don't think that John 3:16 is the theme statement for God's story...Wouldn't the theme of God's story be to have humanity love him and fulfill their purose on Earth and later on in Heaven in worshipping him? John 3:16 would be God's theme in how humanity can achieve eternal life...(I'm not sure but I think I need some help on this question)

clue #4

(i'm sorry i forgot to publish this ms. lillo!)

1. What specific clues can setting reveal about the theme of a short story?

Setting is one of the things that influences your character the most. An author also has complete cotrol over what is or what isn't in the setting of a story. The time, place, and background history that the story takes place in is completely munipulated by the author to serve their own purpose. Setting can tell you what type of conflict the main character will most likely be involved in. The time the story takes place influences the type of government and rules that the people of that story have to follow. For example, if the setting is 1800s in England, the character will have to be under the rule of the Queen or other Monarchy that is ruling at the time and will be subject to their rules. Setting can reveal to us how many of the conflicts the character faces will be historical, or simply a part of a bigger picture in a fantasy land.

2. How does an author drop clues about characters and how their actions lead you to the theme of the story?

Looking at what the main character's conflicts are, you can find a point in the story called the climax. The climax can be identified for its intense part in the story and because through it the character is forced to make a choice that without would change the story dramatically. After the main character makes this choice, they are changed for either good or for worse. Depending on how this choice affects the main character and why the character made this choice can be a huge clue to what the central message the author is trying to tell the reader.

3. What is the strongest setting you have ever encountered in your own life ( the place that has impacted you the most). Describe this place and ponder if God revealed anything about Himself or his truth in this place.

The strongest setting that I have encountered in my life would have to be either Mr. Gray's classroom, Ms. Secrest's classroom, or walking down the halls of Rice University with my friends Michael and Tito. This entire summer at Rice University was one of the most memorable moments in my life that I know I will never forget. The friendships that I have been able to make in just 2 months are incredible and I would give anything to see each of my friends one more time. I know that these friendships were only possible through God and him letting me be in Texas at the right time in my life. Mr. Gray was my 4th grade teacher, and Ms. Secrest was my 5th grade teacher. In their classrooms I learned a lot. In Mr. Gray's classroom I improved greatly academically but in Ms. Secrest's classroom I feel like I really opened my eyes as a Christian and to the whole concept of Christianity.

Mini Question

1. Who is a "character" in your life (a real-life person)) you admire? Why do you admire this person? (be specific and name the traits you admire).

I admire many people in my life. I admire Taylor Swift for her beautiful voice and her ability to become USA's most downloaded Country Song Artist Ever at the age of 16, and her stubborn persistence to pull herself up from a simple country girl to a star. I also admire Orlando Bloom for his excellent acting skills, and Robert Pattinson for his sheer will to keep going with his acting in Twilight even after the numerous anti-fan comments against him playing Edward in the Twilight Movies. I admire Stephenie Meyer for her ingenious idea on real-life vampires and for making characters like Edward, Jacob Black, and Bella come alive for millions of readers world-wide. But probably most of all, I admire my dad for growing out of poverty, discrimination, and hurt and becoming the confident and fun-loving man he is today.

"Two Kinds" Connections and paragraph reflection

1) This idea of how only obedient daughters can stay under a parent's roof is one my mother uses on me all the time. If I don't immediatley obey what my mother says, she automatically uses the "Get out of the house" card.

2) This entire story reminds me of the movie Hairspray. In that movie, the young girl has a talent that she yearns to show others to become famous. But it is her mother who tells her to stop daydreaming and concentrate on schoolwork and studying. In this story, it is the exact opposite. Jing-Mei's mother wants her to use her talent (any talent actually) to become famous, while Jing-Mei just wants to give up.

3) My mother also made me and my sister take piano lessons at a young age (for me when I was in pre-school). I think this is just an average way of Asian family thinking.

4)Sometimes I want my mother to yell at me so I can have an excuse to yell back at her too. I know its not a good way to think about things and to take things, but honestly sometimes I just need to yell and get all of my thoughts out.

5) Just like the main character in this story, sometimes I do something entirely different in my head and do a different action on the outiside. For example, when I am actually playing piano, I am picturing in side my head a scene that matches with the type of music that I am playing. I usually imagine myself twirling in through the scenes and dancing or singing along with the music.

6) Like Jing-Mei, I am always nervous and most of the time unprepared for most (if not all) piano recitals. However, unlike Jing-Mei I actually try my best during practice time to perform my ultimate best during the actual performance.

--> Paragraph Reflection

While reading the short story "Two Kinds" I felt like every two sentences I could either say the words "AHA! EXACTLY MY SITUATION!" or "Aww...poor Jing-Mei". Throughout this whole story, I knew that there were many confucianist ideas swirling around in the story. I could tell that this particular Chinese family was heavily influenced by Confucianist ways of living. An example of this is a) respect for others b) having to study to become important (well this is more of an asian idea..sigh..) c) Obedience to elders and respect to others above you whether that be in age or status. In the areas where similar asian ways of living popped up I felt like I was watching a movie of my family that was unfolding throughout the story. However, in the parts where Jing-Mei forcefully rebels and doesn't practice piano contradicted sharply with my own way of growing up. I obeyed my parents with little or no question. I feel like "Two Kinds" was a story that I connected very easily with.