Garda's English Blog

 Today in class we worked on making storyboards of our lives based on events from the life of Jing-mei from "Two Kinds." I reflected over my life, and what events shaped me. I don't really like these types of assignments because they have the expectation that you have some sort of "culture." Admittedly, I do, but it's not the kind you're looking for. My family doesn't celebrate anything cultural, religious, or family traditional. My dad's father kicked him out of the house whenever family visited, and my mom's family was just trying to just live a normal life after the war. I can also hardly remember anything from my childhood, and the things I do remember I am not comfortable with sharing. Tomorrow is dragon con, which I march in the parade for, I am very excited!

Perhaps it was the military that made my dad so grumpy, or maybe it was his poor relationship with his own father, but my dad was hardly ever soft with me. Laugh too loud and you'd get yelled at, argue too long with your siblings for something as silly as passing the butter knife and you would be grounded for a week. He was harsh, and stubborn, and easily angered. Now that I'm older and I look back at it, I've realized that although I was well taken care of physically by my parents, my emotional needs weren't met quite as well. I have grown distant from my dad particularly, and in recent years I think he's come to realize this too. When I visit him over the summers now he's become more lenient, and his rules are less restrictive. I do appreciate it, and I think things are getting better, but I don't think I'll be able to ever truly open up to him.

 Today in class we read Two Kinds. We talked about expectations, especially ones from your parents. I have had to deal with parental expectations all my life, especially since I have bad ADHD and am not too good at school, so I can relate to the story. I like lessons like these, and even if I don't speak much I'm usually thinking about my own answer in my head. I went to the media center again today, and this time the intern knew where I was supposed to go, yay! I met with a newly hired senior advisor.

 Today in class we each individually worked on an assignment that helped teach us our vocabulary words for this week. I knew all of the words at least vaguely beforehand, but I definitely know some better now. I don't particularly like or dislike assignments like these, as while they are straightforward and simple they are also time consuming and repetitive. Today in 3rd period I got a note from an intern to go to the media center at a certain time, but when I went I didn't know who I should go to or where. There wasn't anyone waiting to receive me, nor did I learn any more information than "be here at 11:30," weird right? I heard this happened similarly to a few other students too.

 Today in class we presented the I'm nobody slides we made Wednesday. I learned more about how self identity stems from the outside pressures of society, and that to be "somebody" is to seek others' validation. I usually dislike slide group projects, but I enjoyed this one. Later today I have to perform at the football game with the marching band, but I wish I could just go home. I would appreciate a nap.

 Today in class we went over the poem "I'm Nobody! Who Are You?" by Emily Dickinson, and we presented our identity masks. Reading poems in class is always a good chance to reflect and reconsider what I know, and it was fun seeing everyone's masks. I learned that it's okay to be weird. I liked today's lesson, it was pretty straightforward. After school I will be going to my step-aunt's house so that she can help me make salad fingers gloves, because I will be cosplaying him to dragon con!

 Today in class we read about future predictions on immigration. I learned that it is expected that Asians will become the largest immigration group in the next 30 years. I thought it was neat that one of the reasons for this is because 50-60 years ago women in Latin America had an average of 7 kids, but today they have an average of 2. I personally would go crazy if I had to raise 7 kids. I liked today's lesson because it was more statistical and logical than creative thinking. Today I had a very stressful morning. I would really like a nap but I have marching band practice today.

 In class today we went over the poem "I, Too" by Langston Hughes. The poem taught me that it is important to stay positive, and to believe in yourself. I thought the lesson was alright. I do like poems, and the guided "discussion" always helps me understand things better. Today I was very sleepy, even though I got my normal hours of sleep it was hard to stay awake.

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 awesome