Harsh and Long Path

          I've realized that everything I have done in my life has been a harsh and long path. Most of time I don't realize it, but looking back now, it was really rough for me. As time passes, my memories fade leaving my mind empty of my past. It seemed like that harsh and long path never existed in the first place, but it did, at the time.Why do my/our memories fade so easily? Is it just me? I feel like my dedicating myself to school work too much, I don't have time for life itself. Will my long and harsh paths ahead also be erased someday by something overwriting it?

            I remember one time I was really struggling with my eyesight. I couldn't see the board very well in my classes and asked my teachers to move me up to the front seats of the class. It was all burly and frightening at the same time. One time, my math teacher picked on me to give the answer to the question on the board. To my horrible luck, I couldn't see it due to being in the back seat, last row at the back of the class. I squinted as hard as I could hoping to see it, and I did see bits and pieces of the writing. So I answered the question, but obviously I took forever. These may not be the "harsh" and "long" paths you think they were, but to me it's different. I talk and realize the smallest things, because I believe the small things are the most important things in my life.

             Another time I remember myself struggling is when I first started to play tennis. I remember myself struggling to even hit the ball and moving around the court. I worked really hard, and I believe I've gotten better somewhat. I at least can hit the ball correctly now, and I've worked on a lot of my weaknesses in the game. It was a long and harsh path to get here, due to losses during the season, but I'm glad I made it this far. Without the losses " harshness's" I received, I would have never made it to this long path.

            Even though the paths are "harsh" and "long" , I love the end. I love reaching the ends of the paths and it's more worthwhile if it's hard to get there. The greater the challenge, the better the prize. No matter how many paths I have to walk and run though, my goal is to make it to the end, so I can prove something to myself and everyone else around me.

Word Count: 440

Shouldering Everything

             Everyone has their moments of having to shoulder everything on their own. Sooner or later, it's bound to happen.  Shouldering everything means to do it by yourself, whether it means protecting everything and everyone else or just yourself. It's an act that I think very highly of because shouldering everything is not something everyone can handle. To walk on the path alone, with no one else near you, can you do that? How much can you hold on those shoulders of yours? Can you let everything ride on your shoulders with everything at stake?

             At times in my life, I remember myself shouldering everything I could. It didn't matter to me how small or big the weight. As long as no one else would get hurt, I'm more than willing to be the sacrifice. I would let my shoulders fall to the extent of to where it could hold. Sometimes even going further. To shoulder everything by myself soon became one of the most natural feelings I have to this day. When I see someone else shoulder everything by themselves, I can't stand it. It doesn't matter if it was in real life or some movie I watched, I wanted to do all I could to ease at least some of the pain. To shoulder everything means to be the only person left standing in this world.

            I'm not a good person. You as the reader might have thought for at least a bit that I was a good person for shouldering everything and helping other people by easing the overall pain. I'm not. I'm a selfless freak. I don't help other people for their sake, I help them for my own good. I can't stand seeing other people shoulder everything, so I do it to ease my own pain and to help myself out. It's a contradiction. I have look like a good person on the outside but on the inside, I'm only a selfless freak, helping himself.

           Even though shouldering everything does most of the time mean that your alone, it could not be as well. Endure the suffering with your friends or family. People in our lives aren't in our lives for nothing. Ask them to help you out, there's no need to shoulder everything, unless your a selfless freak like me. But even if your a selfless freak like me, we, since we're the same, need to learn to trust others more than anything else.

Word Count: 509

Question on Miss Representation

               I'm researching Caroline Heldman, since she appeared in Miss Representation. In the documentary, when the people talk, they show their name, titles, what they acheived, etc. Caroline Heldman has a PhD,  and is the Associate Professor of Political Science at Occidental College.  From here, she is also a commentator for FOX news and many other famous news places. She is also known for her contribution on Ms. Blog and Sociological Images.  I was also hoping to find a female related thing that she did and I did find one.  She co-edited Rethinking Madame President: Are we Ready for a Woman in the White House? Caroline Heldman being the one example Mizzay pointed out, I'm wondering why Caroline Heldman appeared in Miss Representation.  I'm wondering what related work to Miss Representation she has done and her qualifications for speaking in this documentary.

                   From what I found from my research, this site states that Caroline has been on the Katie show. Katie Couric was also on Miss Representation. They talked about beauty culture and their daughters. From what I see now, I feel like Caroline Heldman is interested in these female problems that society is having. Caroline Heldman is obviously a very good person to have in Miss Representation to state her opinion and thoughts for us in the documentary. 

                   Overall, I couldn't find too much information on Caroline Heldman, but I think I found a suitable amount. She's a very powerful woman, with many eye-catching titles under her name, she's very successful. She was on the Katie show with Katie also being in Miss Representation, so she did do related work outside the film. I can see why she appeared on Miss Representation. 

Word Count: 282
              

               

               

Miss Representation.

     Right now, in class we are watching a movie ( documentary) called Miss Representation. I personally, am really liking it so far. I've been video editing for a while now, so looking at the effects and hard work they put into Miss Representation really stands out to me. For example, like the way they made the intro. I think it was, successful women in the past, in black and white, while the famous, sexy women currently, in color. So far this documentary has already made a impact on me. Even though I'm male, and I don't understand the things females go through everyday, watching the documentary somewhat helps me relate. Like the film's name, I believe that females are miss represented.

      This movie has so many people and "evidence" so far, it's insane. Well, yeah I guess, IT IS a documentary, but that's not the point. The movie has many famous people talking about the subject and many normal people as well. It pretty much has everyone's view, from what I'm seeing so far. It also shows facts and quotes every now and then, which are really interesting to know and read. Not only do they show the quotes and facts at the right time, they show it amazingly. Again, back to the video editing part. They showed the quotes and facts sometimes on a pure white screen with black words. An editor does that so the watcher can solely focus on the quote/fact. Another amazing part of the movie so far, is the speedy movie part. Miss Representation showed a whole lot of movie scenes and a really fast pace. I didn't find out the purpose of that, but I'm sure there is one.

Word Count: 288

Setting Goals

            In the past, I was horrible student. I didn't pay attention and was always the bottom of my classes. I put hanging out, video games and just about everything else in front of school. I thought that school was pointless, that it just takes a lot of time away from life. Schoolwork and school itself were at the bottom of my list. But in 7th grade, everything changed, my life changed. From the shock of realization, I started to move school up on my list. I set goals up for myself. With those goals that were in my mind, I am who I am today. 

      Goals help me grow as a student and as a person. Without a single goal, I don't know where I would be today.  I wouldn't have had motivation to keep working harder without them. If I never set goals for myself when I was in middle school, I most likely wouldn't still be in high school today. Yes, I was that bad of a student. But without knowing the true facts and everything, even if I was in high school, I definitely wouldn't have grades that I do now.  Without motivation, we are weak, nothing to run towards and nothing to gain. But WITH motivation, there's nothing stronger then us.

       No matter how small the goal, as long as we have something to run towards, I feel like things will turn out okay. For example, here's a scenario ( story) I thought of : Character 1: Setsu, Character 2: Sekai. 

(This is not a true story of anything of the sort, it's just meant for better understanding on the subject.) 

Sekai injures her body and goes to the hospital. Setsu then visits Sekai at the hospital wondering how's she doing. She tells him she's okay and that the doctor told her she won't be able to do any kinds of sports anymore. They haven't found a cure for her illness. So she has to give up her dream and find something else in her life. Setsu wonders what HE can do for her. He then decides without thinking. " I'm going to study harder then I ever had, and become a doctor to cure you!" With that goal in mind, nothing stops him. He becomes the top student in his grade and becomes a doctor in the future. He cures Sekai's illness, Sekai starts playing the sport she loves again, and they live happily ever after, together. - Sorry, I just had to give a happy ending! :) 

Setting goals can help all of us grow as an individual. No matter how pointless it is, set it. Motivation is something that all of us should have. Only when we have motivation, is the only time we pass 100%. 

Word Count: 461 

Different Story

         What if everything turned out differently? What if we chose the wrong path on our way to the end? What if we started a different story?  From when I was a child until now, I've always wondered if I made the right choices. I don't want regret in my life; I want to live life to the absolute fullest. But what if I chose the wrong paths that lead me here? I'm completely satisfied with who I am now. Although the me right now isn't exactly what I imagined myself to be, the choices I made before this day are all special to me. Every route I took, every route I succeeded and failed, these are the paths that make up me. If we think of it specifically, we should be careful with the choices we make in life, instead of acting hastily.  But what If we chose to do it hastily on purpose?

         If I had one chance to start a different story, then I would take it, or so I thought. I’m satisfied with my life now, but I’m being greedy.  Being “greedy” is, in fact, part of human nature. We always want more, no matter how much we get.  To start over everything is maybe one of the greediest things I have ever heard.  

                I wanted to be born and raised in Japan.  I wanted to go to school there and enjoy it there. Learning about Japanese in Japanese Class always gives me the feeling of wanting to go there.  I know how to speak Japanese and know how to write it. Japanese is by far, my best subject because I’m dedicated to it and I’m always happy to learn more material. To me, Japan is the place I want to be in. But if I wanted all of that, then I would have to give up everything, and I’m not so sure about that.

                I'm sure all of us have thought this way, and from my perspective and view, we only think this way in our moments of suffering. But deep down we know, that nothing will change if we wish for it. Instead of asking of a different story, let's change this story instead. A different story just won't happen. So lets change this story according to the way we want it. Don't stop running to change, there's always tomorrow. 

                   
Word Count: 400 
               

              

Touching Reality

           There have been few days in my life where I believe I touch reality itself. It's hard to explain, but when I separate myself away from technology, it's a feeling that I won't ever forget. I feel like I'm finally myself when I do things like cleaning up, doing homework, driving, hanging with friends, etc. All of these things, make me feel like I'm touching reality. When I'm on computer, most of  the time, I feel like I've escaped it. I've been on a computer more times than I've been touching reality. But that's what makes touching reality so beautiful and memorable. Just the thought of being alive right now, doing the things I want, is enough happiness for me.

           Even though technology brings me out of reality, doesn't mean it's the villain. Without technology I wouldn't be who I am today. It's helped me out numerous amount of times. I've learned so much and experienced just as much as myself touching reality. You can say technology brings out the best in reality, while reality also brings out the very best in technology. It just goes to show how everything in this world, no matter how different they are, have a purpose. Whether I balance the technology and reality in my future, I hope that these two special parts of me will stay with me forever.

            Looking at the small, unnoticeable things help me touch reality. For example, say you have a laptop. It looks very plain and all, but if you move in a little closer, your bound to find something you have never noticed before, even though you had the laptop for years. Just this method helps me touch reality. My mindset changes, and I feel like I'm human after all. Next time when your down, or forgotten who your are, look at the small things, and hopefully you'll come in contact with reality once again.

          Touching reality shows us there's more to life than just our daily usual lives. Instead of keeping a solid schedule of doing the same things day by day, change it up a bit. Add new things to do and maybe add a few breaks where you just lay on your bed and think about life. Stand up, and just start running and screaming!  Touching reality is something all of us should do, because time travels way too fast.

Word Count: 402