• 1 pound beef oxtail, cut into pieces

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 scotch bonnet chile pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup canned fava beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons water

            “Wazzup man, I aint seen u in a while. Hows life?”

            “Life is up and down. U know how life is. Mine could be better, nam saying?”

            “No,” I sent back.

            “Well thas 2 bad. U need 2 pay more attention 2 ppl since u cant understand no body.”

            “……,” Was what I replied.

            “Nam saying?”

            “Watev man.”

            “Imma tlk 2 u later. Dueces.”

            “Ard. Dueces.”

            I don’t understand how we became friends because he never wants to talk about what I want to talk about. That is because we have very different versions of the world we live in. It makes it difficult for us to talk about anything because we don’t have much in common. When people speak about different topics then it’s harder for them to communicate because they are talking about different things. A person who is familiar with a topic will find it easier to communicate with someone who is also familiar with that topic. When two people are unfamiliar with the topic, it could be language or interests; you will find it hard for you to communicate with each other. Now we all know that the way that conversation went are not how all conversations go. However, we do know that I am talking to someone about things of similarity and therefore have similar interest. It is my understanding that people who have similar interests and/or ideas can be able to communicate even if they are speak different languages.

When people are confused by what another person is saying it is because they either: 1) Don’t know the language. 2) Have different interest. Or 3) Have different opinions on these interests. If everyone was a “Common Joe,” as Mike Rose out it in page 3 of his essay titled “I just want to be Normal.” Then we could all communicate even if there was a language barrier. At the same time, Mike Rose must realize that if everyone were this “Common Joe” that then everyone would be a little less individualistic. People sometimes think that it has to do with race, like Richard Rodriguez did in “Hunger of Memory.” He said that, “An accident of geography sent me to a school where all my classmates were white…” and he made it seem as though he could not communicate with them and vice versa because of where they had come from. And yet, the story that I will tell you next completely contradicts that point.

There was a time when I visited Mexico and only knew how to say hi in Spanish and count to ten. There were some people who I started talking to because they had a soccer ball. I had kicked it back after it came to close to me. Then they asked me do I want to play in Spanish. I only knew one word. “fútbol.” So I walked over. It was five of them. Then I made a suggestion that we have a 3v3 game, but nothing happened. I was scared because they were unfamiliar to me, and I to them, therefore I wouldn’t be able to communicate with them. Then one boy said, “equipo” over and over again. Then I said, “tres and tres.” “¡Si!” he responded. He then pointed to three people and put them on one team and then pointed to himself, another guy and me and said equipo again. I instantly understood that equipo meant team and that I was on his. I said, “What is your name?” “Como” was his respond. Once again I thought that we were at a limit and didn’t think this game would go so well. Then he said, “Objectivo, aqui y aqui.” He placed a stick into the ground a then took another one and place it about 5 feet away from it. That was the goal post. I could tell because I knew the game and because they knew it as well. Our similar understanding of the game allowed us to communicate even thought we didn’t speak the same language. After he placed the second goals we started. There were no actual positions, we just kicked the ball around and tried to score. It was a lot of fun. The score was 6 to 6 and I had to leave soon. I said, “I go adios, soon.” and “¿Como?” was his response. Again I felt like there was a language barrier. It was really starting to become a nuisance. So I simply said, “Never mind.” I didn’t want to waste time trying to make them understand what I was trying to say when I had a limited amount of time left. We continued to play. Then one of my teammates yelled what I assumed to be timeout. We had a conference about how we were going to win. I have no idea what he was saying but I knew that he wanted me to kick the ball far to him on the opposite side of the field while the other person ran through the middle and distracted the other team. In short, we won the game because of that play and then when my Dad was calling for me to leave I yelled “Adios,” and they responded by saying “Good bye”

Language is a very complex thing. There is a lot more to it than the words that you use to communicate. The way you talk and what you talk about are more important than the actual language. If you talk in a way where you are constantly going off topic, then you will find it difficult to communicate with someone who stays focused on the task at hand and vice versa. Speech is a kind of understanding, like when you look at someone and know what they are think. Sure, language is a barrier, but in cannot always stop someone from conversing with another being. But the kind of thing that I am trying to describe is not something that can be written down. It’s a kind of understanding. Do not let your language keep you from making a bond with someone else just because you cannot speak the same language. When you act natural and act your self you will do just fine. Once this occurs you will never have to worry about language again.

I was frozen in shock. No one I knew personally had ever died before. I always heard about it on the news, but it had never been anyone I knew. I was devastated, I had never really thought about people dying. It scared me. After a few days my initial shock disappeared, replaced by a deep feeling of how fragile life is. For the first time I thought about every time that someone had died and everyone around them who had been affected by it. I began to think with a sense of purpose and sympathy.

The day my neighbor died I matured, the day my neighbor died a lot of things started to change in my head. Things can happen so unexpectedly that you don’t know how to handle it. We were in the middle of a game of chess (he was winning, but I had a better set up for later). You have to be prepared for as much as possible even though you have to live your life to he fullest.

When people die, their life on this planet ends. They no longer exist in this world and the only thing left behind is their memories and their legacy. What you do with your life is vital because I believe that you don’t get a second chance.

I never thought so deeply about a subject before. This must be what they call, a “revelation” because I have never felt like I felt right then. I started to look at the world differently and thought back a lot on the best and how horrible an unexpected death is.

One of the first things that crossed my mind is the day of 9/11/01. So many people were killed during this event. None of them had a say and the majority of them probably never got to live out a full and happy life. It is terrible to think of a life as wasted but dying unexpected makes me think exactly that. Especially when it is someone who hasn’t reached adulthood yet. You have to have a purpose in life, something to strive for, to hope for, to dream for. Without it your life is truly meaningless. If you have never had anything like that then your life goal should be to find one and find it quick. Even if you die before you achieve it. That won’t mean that your life was wasted but that it was a constant struggle for that sense of ultimate achievement.

I know exactly what I want to do with my life and I have been striving for that goal since about 7^th grade. I have always loved to take apart and build things. I want to be an engineer and possibly even run my own company. I want to have a name people know for a having a vast intellectual capacity. I would like to invent things that help the world and not just weapons to “protect it” That is what I want out of my life. That is my personal goal.

I have a great amount of sympathy for everyone who has wasted there life or has had it stripped from them unwillingly before their time. It is a crime even if it is an accident.

A life is important, not only what you do but also what you leave behind. What will you leave behind for the next generation? People mostly learn from those who are older and more experienced. What you leave behind for someone else is what the next generations will be like. You should leave behind a positive message so that you can continue to make the world a better place even after you die. Sort of like Martin Luther King, he is the leader of the non-discrimination in the world (my opinion). He did what he believed was right, and even though he died prematurely, his legacy will live on until all racial barriers are gone. That is a life well spent.

In conclusion, I know that I have said a lot. I know that there will be someone who will read this paper and not get my message. I know that for the people who do, it will hopefully change you. I hope that you will make your life worth something more than just getting through to the next day. You have to have a life of meaning. You have to have a purpose in life, something to strive for, to hope for, to dream for. Without it your life is truly meaningless.

This year has had ups and downs as far as my work goes.. I put effort into a lot of my assignments but didn’t always follow up on the next one. I know I can do better, ad I will do better. Sophomore year is going to be a year a trials and tribulation, but also a time of great success. Freshman Year of English has showed me a lot about SLA and the work ethnic level here. I will have to put all of my attention into my work and worry about videogames later. I still did pretty well this year.

            Lady Macbeth has a lot of character change in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. In the beginning she is greedy and ruthless although she didn’t think everything through and did not know the full consequences of her crimes (physically and mentally). Lady Macbeth is greedy and ruthless but has a vast and intriguing conscience.

            Lady Macbeth has just read the letter that Macbeth has sent to he. In Act 1, 4 lines 15-18, Lady Macbeth says, “Yet do I fear thy nature is to full o’ th’ milk of human kindness.” Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth does not have the mental strength to kill Duncan. There is no way for her and Macbeth to obtain their ultimate goal. She wants nothing, but to achieve the ultimate goal and will help Macbeth accomplish this.

            In Act 1, 7 Macbeth has second thoughts about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth wants him to stand up and act like he is a man. Then in lines 59-61 Lady Macbeth says, “But screw your courage to the sticking place”. If she wants Macbeth to get his courage to a greater level so that he will have the strength to kill King Duncan after he tells her that he is scared. She knows that the only way they will ever get to the throne is to kill King Duncan; she has a whole new plan in mind.

            In Act 2, 1 Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have just committed murder and Macbeth is sad and ashamed and can’t even look at his own hands with out showing signs of disgust. Then on line 19, Lady Macbeth says, “A foolish thought to say a sorry sight.” When she says this she refers to when Macbeth says, “A sorry sight” The blood on his hands made him thinks to say this. When Lady Macbeth says her line she means that you had know reason to say that and it’s not important. She finds it unimportant and decides to stay focused on her one goal of becoming queen.

In Act 2, 2 Macbeth ahs just killed Duncan and has the bloody daggers in his hand. He is so shook up that he can’t even put them back at the scene of the crime. Lady Macbeth needs him to focus or they will get caught. In lines 45-52, Lady Macbeth says, “…infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers, the sleeping and the dead are but as pictures.” She says this when Macbeth brings back the daggers from his killing of King Duncan. She believes that he is not focused and needs to stay focused if they are to succeed and not get caught in their scheme.

            In, Act 5, 1 Lady Macbeth is raving and has fits where she begins to act in her sleep. She also begins to give away secrets that Macbeth wanted to keep. In lines 36-40, Lady Macbeth says, “Out damned spot, out I say!” Lady Macbeth is driven mad. She continually seen images of blood on her hands that was washed off days ago. She thinks it is still there because she has been compromised by her conscience. She now has broken down now that she has become queen. Her conscience caught up with her.

            In Act 1, 6 Lady Macbeth is thinking more what is going to become of this prophecy, she realizes that the only way for Macbeth to become king (and more specifically, her as queen) she needs to have a stronger mind in order to do what she believes should be done for them to become the royal family. In lines 38-43 Lady Macbeth says, “Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts. Unsex me here.” Lady Macbeth needs to, not be a weak female, but act as that of a strong man and so she wishes that a supernatural force will allow her to become this. She needs this strength to help Macbeth get them into the royal family.

            In Act 1, 7 Macbeth has just had Banquo killed and does not take it well. He is about to break down over the matter. Lady Macbeth tries to continually persuade him on page 2, she says, “Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, Letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would.” Lady Macbeth is saying that he needs to not pull back and go forward with everything that was planed and not pull back because of weakness. Lady Macbeth knows that if Macbeth does not kill Duncan than this chance will never come again and they will never get to earn the crown.

            In Act 2, 2 Lady Macbeth goes to lay the daggers on the guards to frame them of the crime. Lady Macbeth feels stronger now and says, “That which have made them death have made me bold.” She is referring to the drunken guards; which have passed out because of an overdose of wine. With them knocked out, Lady Macbeth has a lot more courage. She only became strong because she can easily accomplish her goal now with the help of Macbeth.

            Near the end of the play in Act 5, 2 Lady Macbeth has just had another fit. She also gave away here secrets about how they got in the throne. After Lady Macbeth leaves in lines 70-71 the doctor says, “Foul whisp’rings are abroad. Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles.” The doctor knows that only these fits made her reveal these deeds and that she revealed these deeds because her conscience plagued her to do so. Lady Macbeth has broken down completely now because she already has exactly what she wants and has nothing other to think about.

            Lady Macbeth has gone from mean and greedy to soft. In the beginning of the play Lady Macbeth wants nothing but to get into the throne; but by the end of the play she wants nothing but to be rid of the guilt. Thesis: Lady Macbeth is greedy and ruthless but has a vast and intriguing conscience.

            This benchmark was a bit of a difficulty for me and in the beginning I was having trouble finding a topic. Once I found my topic, I wasn’t sure how I would go fourth with it. Once I was positive of where I was going to take this benchmark, I started to lose focus of my topic. I think that over all though, once I got past all of the complications, I turned in a product that didn’t need a ton of improvement. I did very well on this assignment. I had a solid opener and I included points of humor and sarcasm, important dialogue and vocabulary. My benchmark was also of proper length and didn’t run over. As part of my improvements, I improved the second paragraph by clarifying on some things that seemed a little abstract.

What a coincidence?

             I prayed to God one day last year (Opener).  I had just started to search for high schools, and I discovered Science Leadership Academy. I probably wouldn’t have found it, if I hadn’t looked through the entire high school book for 2010. I wouldn’t have looked through the entire book if my mom hadn’t told me to. Coincidence? I don’t think so! This happened for a reason. I am not at SLA because of a chance incident. Life is not full of things that just happen to happen until the height of your life. A greater force plans life out. Life just isn’t supposed to be for something spectacular to happen, but for something meaningful to occur.

If you followed that entire first paragraph then I am proud of you (humor). See most people don’t see things that way. A lot of people don’t want it to seem like someone is messing with their life and screwing things up for them to show them a truth they don’t want to see. Take one day in my science class in my 7^th grade year. I was planning today to ask my science teacher to write a letter for a recommendation for me. I am well behaved in her class and since science is my favorite subject and I thought it would be a good idea to get her recommendation because she is a science teacher and could help me get into a science based school (sarcasm); but “what a coincidence”. I got into trouble for telling the student next to me the agenda because he couldn’t see it. I guess it just wasn’t a good day for her. So I waited until the end of class for her to cool down then I gave her the envelope and she smirked and said, “After how you acted today? You come and ask me for a recommendation?” I stared at her then said, “Yes” (dialogue) She laughed and acted like the entire recommendation will be based off of one day. So I asked her with a shrewd (vocabulary) look on my face, “What is so funny? I know that with your level of intelligence that you will not base the entire recommendation off of one day.”

She stopped laughing.

            “Have a good day Ms. Peddle,” I told her then walked away.

            By doing that not only did I increase the positive things that she would put it into the recommendation, but I also helped change her conscientious (vocabulary) view of the rest of the class. All of this occurred because I changed her point of view. For the rest of the year, things were a lot easier to deal with in her class as far as relationships with students and teachers in that class.

Now I’m not going to get real deep by telling you that there are some mystical forces out there. It’s pretty simple actually. Life has been planned out. Not every detail but small goals and plots that are here specifically to show you something meaningful that you may never have known otherwise. All you have to do is fulfill it. It teaches many people valuable lessons. It will help you to grow and mature inot an adult, and even after that.

So it is near the end of 7^th grade year and we are all ready to leave. We have about 6 days left and some people decided that it would be smart to bring some knives to school and sell them between classes. They got busted before lunch.

They apparently wanted to try their luck and decided to show off the knives while we were walking up the steps to our next class. They didn’t act very wary (vocabulary) about it either. All three of them were suspended and later afterwards two of them were expelled. What’s the point; that had a sad ending? Now one of them is at SLA with me and is even in my advisory class. The other goes to a private school called LaSalle. They both made off better by leaving Overbrook Educational Center (OEC) for a year. Another coincidence? Yeah right! They both have told me that if they hadn’t done that that they would have never been where they are today. All of this is because of a mistake they decided to make. Coincidence? I don’t think so! It happened for a reason.

Life may not have an ultimate plan but there is always cause and effect. There is always some small plot to teach a lesson. In fact I would not be telling you my story if I didn’t have this assignment. I wouldn’t have had this assignment if I hadn’t gotten into this school; and I wouldn’t have gotten into this school if I hadn’t seen it listed in my search. That wouldn’t have happened if my mom hadn’t told me about this school. So thanks mom for allowing me to tell this story.

            This is probably my best work of the year. I put the most effort possible into this assignment. I worked on it even after I was already done and enriched it multiple times. In this assignment I had to compare The Odyssey to some thing modern. I compared it to some thing that used to be one of my obsessions. Star Wars! I loved watching Star Wars reading and listening to it. When we got this assignment it came easy and I did a ton of work on it. The problem was, I did too much work on it. I had too much information and my thesis wasn’t very focused. I actually felt kind of upset over this assignment. I believe that I did a good job on this assignment. I decided that I would mainly focus on focusing my thesis and narrowing it down. That was my goal in my improvements.

“The Star Wars Saga” (By George Lucas) and “The Odyssey” (By Homer) are both great stories to be told. They both have interesting plots that show a lot of determination. The stories of “The Odyssey” and “Star Wars Saga” are very similar; they are built off of each other. They have different plots that are meant to get specific ideas across. Obi-Wan and Athena both act as mentors but also have some differences. Anakin and Odysseus both have similar goals to accomplish, but have limits to how far they will go to accomplish them. Luke and Telemachus are confused about their very existence and who their father is, but want different things out of their life.

Obi-Wan and Athena both act as mentors to Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Odysseus and Telemachus. When Odysseus was getting through the war, he had assistance from Athena that helped him plan battle after battle. When Anakin Skywalker was using bad judgment on battle strategies to take down the Separatists Leaders, Obi-Wan showed him the errors of his ways and guided him in making the right decisions. Obi-Wan guided Anakin even after Anakin betrayed him, he helped his son, (Luke Skywalker) later to help bring Anakin back from the dark side after he had already died and then figured out a way to come back. In the Odyssey, Athena helped Odysseus win many battles over his enemies even when he began to lie and think dishonest thoughts. She also helped Telemachus bring his father back home and get him prepared for when it was time to rid the house of the suitors, without him even knowing that she was there. Where Obi-Wan was a good friend and Master to Anakin Skywalker, and also a positive mentor to Luke S., Athena was a mentor to Odysseus when he struggled in battle and then Telemachus when he didn’t know what to do with his life.

Now even though Obi-Wan and Athena are a lot alike, they still have many differences. Obi-Wan had his life threatened by Anakin and was only able to return from the netherworld for short periods of time, whereas Athena is immortal and cannot die. Athena also never actually fought along side Odysseus because she would get to involved with mortals whereas Obi-Wan battled along side Anakin many times and even saved each other’s lives. When it came to life and death situations, Athena only gave Odysseus hints instead of just bluntly doing it for him. Obi-Wan also had his life saved by Anakin many times and Athena rarely asked for assistance from Odysseus. Athena and Obi-Wan are both wise and powerful characters that play a great role in the Star Wars Saga and The Odyssey.

While Anakin Skywalker and Odysseus are extremely similar in their conquests for power and justice and also their cockiness, they also have differences that make each of them unique. Every mission Anakin went on, he took unnecessary risks to prove a point to himself. In II, Anakin flew straight threw a set of power couplings, (which could kill anyone connected to machinery if they were to get hit. When Odysseus defeated the Great Cyclops Polyphemus, he risked his entire group and his own life just so that he could get glory and feel good inside. Almost immediately after him and his crew left the island Odysseus yelled back in triumph, “If anyone asks you who gouged out your eye, which stripped you of sight, it was I, Odysseus, Raider of Cities, who did it.” There is no real reason for Odysseus to do this; he was simply being cocky and dangerous. Anakin also has many great interests in obtaining as much power as possible. In II Anakin stated that, “I will become the most powerful Jedi ever… I will even be able to keep people from dying.” Anakin was so power hungry that he wanted to do the impermissible. A while before he had said this he had slaughtered an entire tribe of SandPeople. He was mad because a few of them had just killed his mother. In the Odyssey, Odysseus slaughtered everyone in the house because he had been away from his family for so long.

While these two characters are very similar, they are also very different. Anakin killed his wife because he believed that she was working with his enemies. Odysseus would never kill his wife no matter what. Anakin had also gone so far into his evil that he eventually joined “The Dark-Side.” Prophecies were made about both Anakin Skywalker and Odysseus. Anakin was “The Chosen One” and was supposed to bring balance to the Force by ridding the galaxy of “The Sith.” Odysseus had several prophecies made about him. There was one where Ithaca would not be able to destroy Troy without his assistance. Another prophecy stated that he would not be able to return home except for under specific circumstances. Anakin and Odysseus did many great works and in the end they both lived for what is right.

Luke Skywalker and Telemachus are both cunning characters who want justice and to (in Luke’s case) avenge their father, or (in Telemachus’ case) to find their father. Both of these characters are very skilled in many different things. Luke can build or fix almost anything. Telemachus was a great warrior. They both were relentless in finding or avenging their father that they never knew. While Luke and Telemachus are both good at many things they were also clouded from information that meant a lot to them. Luke fought his father (IV) unknowingly and at the end of the battle Luke still wouldn’t believe. It wasn’t until later when Obi-Wan showed him the truth did he believes.  Telemachus was housing his father-in-disguise in his own house and didn’t know.

While Luke and Telemachus are very much alike, they also have some differences. Luke wanted to kill his own father even after he realized whom it was he was battling. Telemachus would help his Father to the very end. Luke is more careful than Telemachus. When Luke first realized that his father was Darth Vader he wouldn’t believe it, and it took a lot more time for him to trust what his father had said. Telemachus believed that a homeless guy in rags was his father without a second thought. Telemachus and Luke both have many skills that often come in handy.

 In conclusion, the plots of Star Wars and The Odyssey are similar in plot and also were built off of each other. The stories are not exactly alike but the stories seem to be a slightly distorted reflection of each other. Anakin was brought back from the dark side despite what he believed just like Odysseus was able to get back home. Luke wanted more than anything to avenge his father just as Telemachus wanted nothing more than to find the father he never knew.

            This assignment worked out pretty well for me. I explained Lady Macbeth well and had an interesting way of showing it. When we did this assignment I wasn’t keen on grading other peoples work. I personally believe that I deserved a better grade than what I got. I graded people on the effort it looked like it took then to do the assignment. I think that I was graded on if they liked it or not. I also think that it may have been repetitive. Part of my improvements have been to put a little more rhythm into the song and also to use less repeats so that the song fades out at the end.

            The book I read for this assignment was awesome. When I wrote this assignment I knew what I was going to say and exactly how I would say it. I pulled threw with a large amount of effort and I think I got a great grade on the assignment even though I didn’t see what I got for the assignment yet. In my improvements I elaborated on some points I made that were unclear.

            The second book in a new series by Rick Riordan “The Throne of Fire”  is a fast paced book based off of Egyptian Mythology. Two children have the blood of the Pharaoh within them. This makes them extremely powerful and also extremely dangerous. These children control the fate of the world.

            A couple millennia ago, The Egyptian Gods would come to earth from a place called the Duat. The Duat is where the gods could roam freely. It is also the place where mortal souls go after they die. Two kids named Sadie Kane and Carter Kane. Two gods of Egyptian Mythology once possessed them. Isis, a goddess of magic possessed Sadie Kane and gave her awesome powers that no other magician could do. Horus, the Falcon Warrior god, possessed Carter. Carter was able to be anyone with his combat magic. Towards the end of the first book they gave up the power of gods and now have to train a lot harder to do the simplest spells. Later, they sent out a beacon of magic to help other magicians find them and get help.

            Now they are back in Book #2. Carter and Sadie want to summon an ancient diet of Egyptian Mythology. They want to summon Ra, God of the Sun. According to ancient Egyptian Mythology, Ra went up into the heavens permanently after Isis used Ra’s secret name (which is like a magical social security card number) and forced him into doing what she wanted. They wish to re-summon Ra so that he can become King of the Gods once again. They have to go on a quest threw the Duat and find all three parts of him.  In the morning, he is Khepri, god of the rising sun to symbolize birth and creation. In the middle of the day he is Ra. Then at the end of the day he is Atum, God of the sunset. Carter and Sadie also have some opposition. The House of Magic (Egyptian’s underground society) doesn’t think they are doing a good thing. They try and stop them multiple times. Carter almost died at least twice. Sadie was about be suffer from a curse that would leave her with out a will of her own. Eventually they get all three parts of Ra, but he isn’t exactly himself. Ra acts like someone who is 6 years old. He is brainwashed and doesn’t remember a thing. The Head of the House of Magic also has been killed in the efforts to stop them from awaking Ra. Their uncle Amos Kane now takes over the job since he is the most powerful magician in the world.

Horus believes that Carter is a fool for putting Ra back on the throne. Many of the other Gods agree that it might have been a mistake. Now Carter and Sadie have sent out another magical signal for more people to come. They want to become strong and take down the Lord of Chaos, Apophis. They will still need Ra’s help. But how can they when he barely understands the simplest things.

            Sadie and Carter are also both experiencing mixed feelings about other people. Sadie is stuck between Anubis (God of Funerals) and a guy named Walt who is suffering from the disease that killed King Tut. Carter found the girl of his dreams then found out she wasn’t really there with them. Now he has found her again and she isn’t sure if she likes him like he like her.

I can’t wait until the third book comes out. “The Throne of Fire” and “The Red Pyramid” have been great books and I love the level of action that hey present. The suspense is killing me though. I want to know if Ra gets better and if Zia (who Carter has a crush on) begins to remember the past that Carter and her shared when Zia was a Shabti. Rick Riordan, a great book writer of mythology and action. He has a great imagination.

The journal entrees are simple assignments that we do every once in a while to clear our head. The topics are very simple things even though they are extremely important things, some of them. The four I chose were “Fitting In”, “Expectations”, “Adulthood” and “Heroes”

Heroes

A hero is someone who simply did the right thing. They didn’t go with what people around them said and they have a large sense of what justice is. Heroes can be the most hated people in the world sometimes. Some people just don’t have a good sense of what justice is, so they antagonize those of us who do. I think that any one who does the right thing against what is known to be wrong. Of course there are other definitions of a hero for me. I believe that fire fighters and police officers are heroes because they do things that show acts of courage. I am not against them, but all they do is step outside of their comfort zone. Anyone who has the courage to go way outside their comfort zone is courageous to me and therefore is a hero in my book.

 Adulthood

An adult is when you reach a level of maturity that makes the world seem different. A “child” sees the world as a place to have fun and be carefree. An adult sees it as an opportunity to prosper. I personally believe that an adult can be any age. Legally though, adults are 18 and until then you are not allowed special previleges.

People expected me to go to college at 15. I was expected to keep watch over my sisters and help my parents in their old age. I am also expected to have a ton of kids. This is because I am the only Spencer male left. Every one of my family members who live on the West Coast expect me to do something great because I am the only Spencer left of my generation that is male. I think that it is natural for people to expect things of you. Even though none of it is guaranteed. I have also made expectations of myself. I have always expected my self to run a company call “SpencerTech” Industries. I think that when you set expectations for yourself that you tend to find them easier to fulfill. No one should know you better then you unless they are stalking you and recording your every movement, which would be weird. If you set the expectation for yourself then it shouldn’t be really difficult unless you want to challenge yourself. When other people set expectations for you, it is usually what they want, and not you.

These are my screenshots.

Este es el mi espacio de Jonathan Spencer.

The original slide is not as eye catching and at a glance you couldn't consume all the information. So the new slide has all the new things in it. I had everything in a decent organized form so it wasn't really eye catching. There also wasn't a lot of bleed effects. 

The first picture of me had many things in the back round that would distract you from me. The new picture has a simple back round.

The original slide is not as eye catching and at a glance you couldn't consume all the information. So the new slide has all the new things in it.