Since we are moving in to grammar, these blogs will be a little more abstract. I'm hoping next week to do a very interesting blog but I want to talk to you before we attempt it. Curious? Good. For this response I want you to pick three favorites. The three will be a book, movie, and song. For each of those you are to give a review and explanation behind why it is your favorite. This might seem juvenile, but I feel that you can learn about yourself by thinking about what my be your "favorite" and why.
The rubric still applies. In this case the quote would be maybe a line from a song, movie, or book.
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ReplyDeleteI like action types of movies and of those that are action I really like air combat movies because I'm a pilot and am training in any way i can so if there is a sudden war I can be able to defend my country. So when I was younger and flew my first commercial flight I felt so alive and free in the air, after that I bought air simulators for computers and trained for years. I studied combat maneuvers on movies and applied them to my Cessena simulator (yeah that didn't work out very well). So when I moved to Abilene I went to air shows and that further intensified my desire to fly. When 9/11 happened and that shock of seeing an attack on US soil urged me to put my desire to fly into modern air combat and try to make the US more protected. So I put my whole heart into air combat sims to learn maneuvers, situations and strategies so that I f ever the time came for an emergency draft I would be ready. So my most favorite air combat movie is Stealth. It is a story about the three best pilots in the US that have been chosen to fight the oncoming war against terrorism. they end up with a new wingman, a drone that is a state-of-the-art war machine. It can identify people from up to five miles away and hack any elite spy satellite. The story is that the plane goes haywire and rouge, it then plans to destroy a secret base in Russia. So a violent chase ensuing the death of on of the pilots. On of the pilots is downed in North Korea and has to go to south Korea for safety. she has part of the North Korean army chasing her and so the main character has to go in and save her after he talks the plane out of destroying the base. They go in and stop the army and the drone sacrifices him self to save them from a helicopter so that they can make it across the border. the movie has a lot of action and yet is touching because you see that the drone develops a personality. It shows peace in the midst of war friendship,loyalty and a whole lot of action.
ReplyDeleteI want to start out by saying that I am terrible at picking favorites. My favorites change constantly, especially in the three categories we will be discussing. Many of these favorite are “one of” my favorites or my favorite “right now.”
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book is a tie between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I simply just cannot pick between the two. I have read Deathly Hallows twice, whereas I have read Prisoner of Azkaban only once, but both of them kept me glued to the pages. The Harry Potter series actually got me into reading, and the books are some of my favorites, but these two stand out above the rest. Prisoner of Azkaban has an incredible story. One of my favorite parts is when Harry and Hermione go back in time. Deathly Hallows is thoroughly exciting. It is different from all of the other books because the trio (Harry, Hermione, and Ron) do not go back to Hogwarts. They spend their year traveling (for lack of a better term) around the English countryside gathering what they must to defeat He-who-must-not-be-named. Both of these books are amazing.
Right now, my favorite movie is “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief.” It is about Greek mythology. Supposedly, all of the Greek gods, goddesses, and myths are real and have moved with the Western world. Now they are all in America. The titular character is the product of one of Poseidon’s affairs with a human, and therefore he is a demigod. He has powers over water. This movie came out in February. It is based on another one of my favorite books, and Fox announced that they would be making the film when I was in 8th grade, so I waited quite a while for this movie. Though the film is very different from the book, it works very well. The book has a lot of information because it explains a lot about Greek mythology. The plot was slightly altered, and it worked a lot better for the screen. One major difference is Percy’s age. In the books he is 12, but in the movie he is my age (17). This worked a lot better all around, because many of the quests Percy has to go on would be very hard for a 12 year old. The film was visually stunning and has an awesome story and concept. I am very glad that this movie was made, and I hope that the filmmakers continue and make the remaining four books of the series into films.
Currently, one of my favorite songs is “Get Me What I Need” from the Jason Robert Brown musical 13. This song is sung by the character Archie. Archie has muscular dystrophy, and desperately wants to get a date with the head cheerleader, Kendra. In this song he tries to get the new kid, Evan, to ask Kendra out for him. Archie does not think that Kendra will give him the time of day. “So it’s hopeless / I can’t walk right up to Kendra and say ‘Hey,’ / She’d run away” Archie tells Evan that since he is new and does not belong to a clique, he will have no problem speaking to Kendra. Evan is not interested in this plan, and Archie threatens him. “So you can help me out and we can both do very well / Or I can turn around and make your life a living…” and I’ll let you be creative with the last part. I like this song because of it’s guitar and piano chords and clever wording. I also like it’s humorous comments on teenage society. “There’s the cool kids / There’s the preps and there’s the skate punks and the jocks / and then there’s me.” I also just like the music from 13 in general. I really wish I could have seen it on Broadway.
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ReplyDeleteQ:Since we are moving in to grammar, these blogs will be a little more abstract. I'm hoping next week to do a very interesting blog but I want to talk to you before we attempt it. Curious? Good. For this response I want you to pick three favorites. The three will be a book, movie, and song. For each of those you are to give a review and explanation behind why it is your favorite. This might seem juvenile, but I feel that you can learn about yourself by thinking about what my be your "favorite" and why.
ReplyDeleteA:This particular blog is a difficult one for me because I have many favorite books, movies, and songs. I will just tell you one of my favorite books, movies, and songs since I have many to pick from.
My favorite book right now is Travel Team by Mike Lupica. This a story about a small town basketball team. The protagonist Danny Walker, is in love with the game of basketball. He knows everything about the game down to the very core. Danny is a point guard or the ball handler who distributes the ball to the shooters on his team. There is only one problem with Danny, he is very short. Since Danny is so short he does not make the town travel team. This is very devastating to him and he considers quitting the game of basketball. One day his father, who is mostly absent from Danny's life, shows up and creates another travel team for Danny and the others who did not make the first travel team. Long story short, Danny and the other kids who did not make the team play very well and become successful players. This book is my favorite right now because it applies to me. I love the game of basketball more than any other sport and hope to play on a college team. There have been many people who told me that I could not play in college because I am too small and short. Although this isn't a true story it gives me hope that I can play in college basketball regardless of my short stature.
Iron Man is currently my favorite movie. This incredible movie was released in theaters May 7th, 2008. I was very impressed with the special effects, actors and actresses, and the accurate story line. Iron Man has been around long before it was made into a movie. It originally started out in comics in the early 60s and later made it on television as a cartoon. Iron Man does not have any natural super powers, which makes him that much more cool. His genius mind and technology are what make him so strong. When this movie was released I was so excited because Iron Man has always been one of my favorite super hero's.
The song that I really like right now is called forsaken by skillet. Here are the lyrics to this song. V1
I’m at war with the world and they
Try to pull me into the dark
I struggle to find my faith
As I’m slippin’ from your arms
It’s getting harder to stay awake
And my strength is fading fast
You breathe into me at last
Chorus
I’m awake I’m alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it’s my time
I’ll do what I want ’cause this is my life
here, right now
I’ll stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I’m awake and I’m alive
V2
I’m at war with the world cause I
Ain’t never gonna sell my soul
I’ve already made up my mind
No matter what I can’t be bought or sold
When my faith is getting weak
And I feel like giving in
You breathe into me again
Bridge
Waking up waking up
In the dark
I can feel you in my sleep
In your arms I feel you breathe into me
Forever hold this heart that I will give to you.
Forever I will live for you.
I really like this song because it reminds me that God gives us strength when we feel like we could mess up at any moment. It motivates me to live better and avoid temptation. I like all Skillet songs but this song in particular is my favorite. I love the sound of the violins mixed in with the hard rock sound. I highly recommend Skillet to anyone who likes to listen to hard rock.
-Drew Martinez-
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ReplyDeleteAn individual hold his or her favorite items very dear to his or her own heart. I am not debarred from this fact. It would be true to say that I have many favorite books, movies, and songs. Favorites are often very difficult for me to decide on, but these favorites are important to me, and hold a special place in my life.
My favorite book is not actually a book, it is a book series. I first began reading the Harry Potter series when I was in the second grade. For anyone who has been in a very remote and secluded place for the last ten or so years, the Harry Potter series is composed of seven books telling the story of the Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, the “symbol of hope” for both the Wizard and Muggle worlds, and Lord Voldemort, He Who Must Not Be Named, the nefarious leader of the Death Eaters and would-be ruler of all. Good versus Evil. Love versus Hate. The Seeker versus the Dark Lord. J. K. Rowling’s monumental, spellbinding epics, 10 years in the making, is deeply rooted in traditional literature and Hollywood sagas — from the Greek myths to Dickens and Tolkien to “Star Wars.” And true to its roots, it ends not with modernist, “Soprano” equivocation, but with good old-fashioned closure: a big-screen, heart-racing, bone-chilling confrontation and an epilogue that clearly lays out people’s fates. I love these books because they have everything in them that I enjoy in a book. There is humor, action, mystery, suspense, romance, and even a little magic. About her writing the series, J. K. Rowling states, “What's coming will come and we'll just have to meet it when it does.” I will continue to read the Harry Potter series for the rest of my life and then will pass on and introduce to my children. They are books that have inspired me to be creative and to think in a way that has brought pure delight to my life.
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ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie of all time is Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”. Lame, yes, I know, but this has been my favorite movie since I was eight years old and I can still watch it with the same enthusiasm as if it was the first time all over again. Dreaming of life on the land as a human being, a young mermaid princess makes a bargain with a sea witch in order to win the heart of a Prince Eric, whom she is love with, only to discover that the witch has a bigger agenda and must save her father's kingdom in a race against time itself. "The Little Mermaid" is based off of a fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince. The tale was first published in 1837 and has been adapted to various media including the animated film in 1989 and musical theatre within the last few years. In the film when Ariel tells Sebastian of how she longs to be with Prince Eric in the world above, Sebastian exclaims, “Ariel, please! Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?” To me, this movie is stronger than just the story of a mermaid who falls in love. To me, it is the tale of finding one’s true identity and making decisions for oneself. This can be a very applicable theme for most teenagers who are anxiously waiting to get out of the house and go off to college. Sebastian nervously says to Ariel’s father, “Like I always say, Your Majesty, "children have got to be free to lead their own lives."
My favorite song is probably the hardest of my favorites to pick because it primarily depends on my current mood. One of my many all time favorite songs is "Hallelujah." “Hallelujah” is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Although it achieved little initial success, in recent years cover versions have been performed by a large number and broad range of artists, both in recordings and in concert. "Hallelujah", in its original version, is a song in "12/8 feel", which evokes the styles of both waltz and gospel music. Written in the key of C major, the chord progression follows the lyric "it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, and the major lift": F, G, A minor, F. The song is played at a tempo of 56 beats per minute; the vocal range is E4-A5. Cohen's original version contains several biblical references, most notably evoking the stories of Samson and traitorous Delilah from the Book of Judges as well as the adulterous King David and Bathsheba: "she cut your hair" and "you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you.” This song will definitely continue to be on my list of favorite songs as I continue to mature and develop an even deeper understanding of God’s Word through song.
Although favorites can sometimes be hard to choose, once one has chosen and understood why they care so much about that special something, that information can then help one move on to have a better understanding of themselves.
Kristina Kiser
Well I find that I must agree with Brantly. Shocking I know--I love you brantly haha. I am absolutely awful at picking favorites because I love so much of what I hear, watch, or read. But for the sake of this blog I will pick out the three favorites out of what I am able to come up with right now.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie is Avatar--yes, the blue people movie. I love this movie because the main character "Jake Sully" is a very appealing man haha but the main reason I love this movie is because it was beautifully made. The graphics are amazing and it's like the imagination of the writer is drawn into life. I love the idea of being one mnd with the animals and being able to fly. The only part I didn't really like is the worship of their Ewa, their spirit tree. That was really weird for me.
My favorite song is probably "Take My Hand" by Shawn McDonald. Whenever I feel down or am just having a bad day I can play that song in my car and it's message and upbeat rythum perks me right up. It's really fast so it's fun to try and sing it with friends while driving.
Why did you feel the need to ask my favorite book?? This is like torture making me pick my favorite book. Well... In the never ending spectrum of books that I love, the most intersting and heartbreakingly sad but yet still amazing book that I have read is titled The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. This book is about a boy that was born mute. He can see and hear perfectly. He was brought up on a dog ranch where he and his mother and father train Sawtelle dogs which is a superior breed of dogs. He trains the dogs with sign language since he can't speak. After his father's sudden and mysterious death, his uncle comes to live an take over the majority of the work for the ranch. He also inserts himself into edgar's mother's affections. He is forced to run away eventually due to mysterious events I cannot describe or I'll ruin the book. Then he comes home to avenge his father and take over his place as rightful owner of the ranch.
I love books, movies, and songs. This was a fun blog.
--Mallory Jean
If I had to choose a favorite book, I would have to choose The Abhorsen Trilogy. I know it’s not one specific book, but a series is basically one story split into several parts. The Abhorsen Trilogy is one the many books written by Garth Nix. It is a fantasy novel that deals with necromancers. A necromancer is someone who communicates with the spirits of the dead. Necromancers often imprison these spirits and force them to do their bidding. Sabriel, the main character (for the first book, that is), is the Abhorsen. The Abhorsen’s job is to help those spirits who are trapped and get them to an eternal resting place. The plot itself is very complicated, and I’m not even sure I could explain it fully. I have always been a fan of adventure, and I find these novels to be the epitome of adventure. This book is, like many books, a struggle between good and evil. It contains several suspenseful moments and it constantly keeps you guessing. Garth Nix puts so much detail and information into this book, that each time you read it you can pull something different from it. To me, that is something that every book should try to achieve. One must also be fully concentrated on the book(s) or they will skim over something that is crucial to the plot. I enjoy this because it allows me to become immersed in a different world.
ReplyDeleteI can often choose a favorite song or book, but when it comes to a favorite movie, I am hopeless. I would love to list all of my favorite movies, but I am afraid that that would take forever. My favorite movies tend to differ from genre to genre. So, I will choose ONE movie, but be aware, it is one of many. For my favorite movie, I have chosen Pocahontas. I watched this movie many times when I was younger, and it is still one of my favorites to watch. I’m sure you are familiar with the plot of Pocahontas, so I will refrain from explaining it. I’ve always been slightly obsessed with this movie. The fact that Pocahontas is based off of a true story makes it even more appealing. The movie itself is not one hundred percent factual, but it is still an inspiring movie. The animation is spectacular for its time, and the themes can apply to many people today. In the movie, Pocahontas risks her life to save a man she barely knew. I am not sure how many people today could do what she did. Society then was centered on men, women were often considered beneath them. Pocahontas refused to conform to this stereotype by being a strong and independent woman. I think that is probably the reason I find this movie so intriguing. Women enjoy watching movies with a heroine because it shows that we are just as capable as men. I would say more on the subject, but I fear that I would start ranting.
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ReplyDeleteLife is often stressful and filled with regrets. These complications often lead to depression and anger. When put in taxing situations, it is sometimes easy to forget that we can “Do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” My favorite song for times like these is “Unstoppable” by Rascal Flatts. This song is one of my favorites because of the lyrics. To me, the lyrics are most important. While the music is also important, I think the lyrics complete the music. In “Unstoppable,” Rascal Flatts tells us to get back on our feet when times are hard, and to never give up hope. “You find your faith has been lost and shaken/ You take back what's been taken/ Get on your knees and dig down deep / You can do what you think is impossible/ Keep on believing, don't give in/ It'll come and make you whole again/ It always will, it always does,/ Love is unstoppable.” The last line, “Love is unstoppable,” probably speaks the most to me. This statement rings truth anywhere. Love is what keeps me going when times are tough; love gives me the strength to carry on when I want to give up. Oscar Wilde once said, “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.” I think this quote sums up what Rascal Flatts is trying to express in their song. If we love each other, we can accomplish anything.
Amy Heath
Ay yi yi! I shall attempt to sort through the countless number of favorite books, movies, and songs I have to try and choose favorites. On second thought, I’ll just choose ONE of my favorite from each category starting with movies. ONE of my favorite movies of all times is Dead Poet’s Society. This epic film, starring Robin Williams (who I will point out is one of my favorite actors since we are one the topic of favorites) as Professor Keating, the new English teacher at a boy’s boarding school. Professor Keating stirs up a wildfire of sorts and leaves burn marks in the lives of the boys who are all dealing with their own problems, whether dealing with the pressures of society or the need to prove that they are someone on this earth. Possessing a burning passion for the English language, Keating pushes the boys to go against the status quo and “Carpe Diem”, or “Seize the Day”. In one of my favorite scenes, Keating spontaneously leaves the classroom in the middle of a lesson, whistling mysteriously and daring the boys to follow. Intrigued, the boys follow suit. Keating leads the group to a glass-case holding class photos from years past, and gives an unforgettable speech. “Now I'd like you to step forward over here. They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? --- Carpe --- hear it? --- Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I adore this movie. The first time I saw this film, it planted a desire to pursue my dreams to be an English teacher. Professor Keating reached a place in the lives of his students that I hope to spend my life working to obtain. (Oh and by the way, this movie would be an EXCELLENT selection to view in class. *cough, cough* hint, hint* Along with a wonderful lesson to be learned, this movies also contains a number of quotes from familiar poets such as Thoreau and Whitman. Just a suggestion.)
Choosing a favorite book is also extremely difficult, so I have decided to share with you my favorite author, Madeline L’Engle. Along with creating a unique and beautiful story line for her books, L’Engle combines philosophy and science into her work. This combination leaves her readers pondering the depth of her writing long after the novel is put away. Just as Dead Poet’s Society inspires me to achieve greatness, Madeline L’Engle’s work opened a door to the wonderful world of creating poetry. Ever since I read my first L’Engle novel, I have been writing poetry thanks to her brilliance. One of my favorite quotes from her work is from her book A Ring of Endless Light. “The sky was purply black, with the galaxies clustered above us and a lopsided moon just rising. If music means a lot to me, so do stars, and I missed them desperately in the city, where the street lights and neon signs take away from the stars so that only the most brilliant ones are visible. If I’m confused, or upset, or angry, if I can go out and look at the star I’ll almost always get back a sense of proportion. It’s not that they make me feel insignificant, it’s the very opposite. They make me feel that everything matters, be it ever so small and that there’s meaning to life even when it seems so meaningless.”
(part 2-Megan)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite song tends to vary, depending on what mood I’m in or how life is treating me. Blackbird by the Beatles has been my life song for quite some time now. The lyrics are brief, but very deep.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see,
all your life,
you were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Whenever this life pushes my face into the dirt, I listen to this song and take back the hope tries to take from me. No matter how many times I am defeated, I can take my broken wings and learn to fly by faith in my Savior.
~Megan~
Wow, I have a million favorite everythings! Movies especially. But if I had to choose right now I would probably say that it would go to "Amish Grace", a movie that I recently watched. It's just a made-for-TV movie on the Lifetime network...cheesy...I know. But, the story is amazing and it teaches a great lesson. The movie is about a community of Plain (Amish) people who suffer a great loss. A man, who happens to be their milkman, enters their schoolhouse and shoots ten girls, and then himself. Most of the girls die. The man does this to make God angry because he had recently lost a newborn daughter. The majority of the movie is focused on one woman, Ida Grabel. Her daughter, Mary Beth was shot and killed in the shooting while her younger daughter, Katie, ran away. The movie shows Ida's struggle with forgiving the man who did this to her family and her community, especially when everyone else around her seems to be forgiving easily. At one point Ida says: "I just do not see how I can forgive a man who killed my daughter! His salvation is not more important than my daughter's life!". "Amish Grace" is based on a true story that happened a couple of years ago. This is my current favorite movie because it really spoke to me, that forgiveness is a very important yet amazingly hard thing to do.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love to read. Although, I don't read nearly as much as I used to because I seem to be too busy. The first book that came to my mind when I thought about my favorite book was "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke. I first read this book when I was in Eighth Grade, and have read it two or three times since then. The book is basically about a group of homeless children/pick-pockets in Venice, Italy. They are led by a mysterious boy, The Thief Lord, who comes and goes at random times. The book reveals a dark secret about The Thief Lord and follows a story about two orphan brothers, Prosper and Bo, who are running away from their aunt and uncle. I really don't know exactly why I like it so much, maybe because it us adventurous and exciting as well as touching, with a hint of suspense.
Hmm...a song. I also love music. I have what I would call music ADD, though. I go through many types of music, and I can hardly ever listen to a whole song. Right now I'm kind of on a Panic! at the Disco kick. I don't really know why. But that's not what I'm going to say is my favorite song. I really enjoy the song "I Run to You" by Lady Antebellum. Part of it says:
"This world keeps spinning faster
To a new disaster, so I run to you
I run to you, Baby
When it all starts coming undone
Baby, you're the only one I run to
I run to you"
This song has a great sound and the words just make me feel better, for some reason.
Anyways, those are my "favorites", even though I really have many more.
Ah, favorites. How hard they are to choose! I feel as if I am choosing a favorite child. Yet, I suppose I can whittle down to one item in each category.
ReplyDeleteI’ll start off with my favorite book. I began reading The Tenth Circle last year and found it to be truly life-changing. In the novel, author Jodi Picoult, also known for her books The Pact and My Sister’s Keeper, tells the fictional story of Trixie Stone. The fourteen-year-old is faced with extremely difficult decisions after being assaulted by her older boyfriend. The incident puts everything into perspective for Trixie—her parents and close friends, both which she had previously taken for granted, suddenly become a life line for her. They cushion her fall and slowly help her back on to her feet. Trixie become more aware of her surroundings and realizes life isn’t about wanting what you can’t have, but rather embracing what you do. Toward the end of the book, she steps back and realizes, "a miracle [is] not something that happened to you, but rather something that didn’t." The book taught me to put things in perspective in a way I never have before.
Though I had a difficult time choosing a favorite book and song, my decision for favorite movie was clear: tWiLiGhT! Ok I lied. I struggled with this decision as well. However, I ended up choosing the movie 21. I was introduced to the movie only three months ago, however, I quickly fell in love with it. The movie tells the true story about six MIT students who win millions of dollars counting cards in Las Vegas. The story is focused on the main character Ben. Though he is at the top of his class at MIT and is accepted into Harvard Medical School, he cannot afford the $300,000+ tuition. Seemingly left with no choices, Ben struggles with deciding what to do with his future. Ben is reluctant when his professor Mickey Rosa, also the coach of the MIT card counting team, recruits him to the team but eventually he decides to play for the sole purpose of funding his education at Harvard. However, after winning $200,000 in his first few trips to Las Vegas, Ben loses sight of why he is there and allows his heart to take over his mind. At the end of the movie, Ben realizes two things: money causes problems and there are no shortcuts in life. The movie is my absolute favorite because it shows how easily sin can be disguised and can take over a person’s life. Ben entered with good intentions, but the sin—counting cards—destroyed his friendships, dreams, and more. One of the most famous quotes from the movie, and a personal favorite of mine, is “Always account for variable change.” Though it is a math term, it can be applied to many facets of life. It is easy to think you have your life planned out; however, God knows the ultimate plan and what he has in store for you. Anything can happen. Anything can change. As one of Ben’s gambling partners says, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.”
Music is a vital part of my life. Its beats pulse through my veins and give me strength to face each day. Whenever I am feeling beaten down or just need comfort, I know that after God, music is my solace. “Believe” by The Bravery is my favorite song, and has been since I first heard it two years ago. The song has immense meaning to me for many reasons. For one, my favorite word is “believe.” The word encompasses so much of what I live for—belief in Christ, belief in my dreams, belief in the impossible, belief in the power of love. The lyrics are especially powerful and speak to me. They convey a strong message of fighting back fears and going after what you want—and believing you can do it. “We sit and grow our roots into the floor / But what are we waiting for? . . . I am hiding from some beast / But the beast was always here,/ Watching without eyes / Because the beast is just my fear.”
Gillian Chant
So I don't read many books, that probably doesn't surprise anyone, but I really do like the bible. Now I know it is the Jesus answer but it is my favorite book. I really enjoy it because no matter what you are feelling it has it. It has science fiction in Exodus and the new testement, war stories thoughout the old testement, poetry ad songs in Psalms and Proverbs. It is just a great book that every time I read it, it tells me something new, also picks me up when I am down, and tells me I can do anything "I can do everything through Crist who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13. I used this verse a lot when I was doing the research paper for Mrs. G.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movies have got to be the Star Wars movies. First off they have Harrison Ford in them and he is a beast. Second they have great themes. One theme is letting go of hate and anger. In the third episode Anikin Skywalker could not let go of his anger and eventually that led to him turning over to the dark side and becoming Darth Vader. But in the sixth episode Luke Skywalker is angry at the Emperor for killing innocent people and settin up his friends for a trap, but the difference is that Luke did not use his anger and fall to the dark side, he killed the dark side by actually killing the Emperor and converting Darth Vader, aka his dad, to the good side. Yoda put it this way "Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the dark side."
My favorite song has to be Monster by Breaking Benjamin. This song pretty much is talking about everyones inner person that they don't show often. It is the part of us that we are ashamed of. We hide this part of us because we are scared of it and don't want people to know about it. This part of us could be there because of a choice we made earlier or it is our reall personality we just choose not to show it around our Christian friends because we don't want to be judged by them. This song hits home for me because the first fifteen years of my life I hid myself from everyone because I didn't know what people would think of the actual me. So I pretended to be someone else I wasn't and ended up hating myself. Then about ninth grade I stopped caring if people judged me and started being myself instead of the fake me. And that is why this is my favorite song. It reminds me of what I did in the past that I don't want to do again.
You ask me what my favorite book is? Well, I'm afraid that I'm going to cheat and give you my favorite author, since her books are so incredible that I simply cannot decide on a favorite. My favorite author is the lovely Lisa Jane Smith. Call me a total sucker for a dark romance (considering I TOTALLY am), but I am practically obsessed with L. J. Smith's novels. The first series of hers that I read was her Night World series. Incredible? Yes, quite. The series is about the “Night People” (vampires, shapeshifters, and witches) that secretly dwell among us. The series is actually about as old as I am, but the books were recently divided into three volumes. There are currently nine novels, with the conclusion to be released this spring. The installments are as follows: Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness, Spellbinder, Dark Angel, The Chosen, Soulmate, Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight, and the conclusion, Strange Fate. Each novel follows a basic plot line – a female protagonist falls in love involuntarily with a member of the Night World (or a human, if she is a Night Person). In the Night World, there is a “soulmate” principle which causes two people to fall in love on an even deeper than what we can understand. But there's a problem with this: Night People are forbidden by Night World law to fall in love with humans! “The laws of Night World are very clear: humans must never know that Night World exists. And members of Night World must never fall in love with a human. Violate the laws and the consequences are terrifying” (this is found at the beginning of each volume). I highly suggest these books to anyone who enjoys a beautiful blend of suspense and romance. Oh, and the vampire lore isn't lame like it is in Twilight. I just thought I would point that out. There are actually two types of vampires in the Night World. There are lamia, or full-blood vampires (these vampires can have children), and “made-vampires,” or someone who wasn't a vampire but now is. One becomes a vampire by sharing blood with a vampire. Yes, this means that the non-vampire must consume vampire blood. It's pretty intense. I love these books!
ReplyDeleteI'll stop talking about my favorite books and try to figure out my favorite movie now. This is really hard, because I'm more of a books and TV person. Movies are great, but I don't love them that much. But regardless, I'll think of one to name as my favorite. I suppose RENT would be my favorite. It's a beautiful film, based on the musical by the incredible Jonathan Larson, about a group of friends living in New York City. All but one, Mark Cohen, are struggling with AIDS. Mark is a filmmaker and he documents the time left he has with his friends before their sickness takes them. The music and acting are phenomenal, and the musical / film carries a beautiful message: “There is no future, there is no past, I live this moment as my last. There's only us, there's only this. Forget regret or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way, no day but today!” Live life to the fullest, without regret. Love it.
And now you ask for my favorite song? Ahh! I listen to a lot of music...I don't know if I can do this. I'll ease into it. That will be easier. See, I'm that kid who listens to those obscure bands. I enjoy indie electronic especially. Outputmessage! “In my dreams, I find you all the time, playing with my broken heart, messing with my mind...” (I Remember). Oh, but then there's singer/songwriter Florence + The Machine! “This is a gift, it comes with a price, who is the lamb and who is the knife? Midas is king, he holds me so tight, and turns me to gold in the sunlight...” (Rabbit Heart). Beautiful, eh? Thought so.
ReplyDeleteBut as for my favorite song, since I should probably answer the question by now, I'll go with a tie between “Marching Bands of Manhattan” and “Your Heart is an Empty Room,” both by my all-time favorite band Death Cab For Cutie! I'll quote some more. “If I could open my arms and span the length of the Isle of Manhattan, I'd bring it to where you are, making a lake of the East River and Hudson. If I could open my mouth wide enough for a marching band to march out, they would make your name sing, and bend through allies and bounce off all the buildings...” (Marching Bands of Manhattan). And the second song, “Burn it down till the embers smoke on the ground and start new when your heart is an empty room, with walls of the deepest blue. Home's face, how it ages when you're away, the spring blooms and you find a love that's true, but you don't know what now to do, 'cuz the chase is all you know and she stopped running months ago. And all you see is where else you could be when you're at home...” (Your Heart is an Empty Room). The lyrics and music in these two songs are absolutely incredible. I'm a sucker for some good music. My favorite Death Cab album, “Plans,” has seen me through some tough times, so the music means a lot to me.
Well, I'm afraid that's all I've got. I do hope you all found my favorite things to be exciting!
Well, I’ve read many books, seen even more movies, and heard even more songs in my short seventeen years on this earth. To pick any three of these as my favorites feels like blasphemy, and yet, I will do it despite the eternal condemnation that may follow. Let the reviewing ensue!
ReplyDeleteI will start by picking my favorite book. My favorite book that I have read (so far) is the Hobbit. This exciting tale of wizards, trolls, and dragons never fails to thrill my imagination and fill my heart with a burning passion to go on quests to far off lands. The story combines action with mystery, humor with dire seriousness, and magic with brute force. One instance of humor combined with seriousness comes in the form of a riddle game which one of the main characters plays for his life. After going a few rounds with his opponent, Bilbo (the hobbit and the main character I just referred to) decides to cheat his way out of the situation. He asks his opponent, “What have I got in my pocket?” his opponent is dumbfounded and guesses wrong, which then frees Bilbo from his opponents clutches. The most important aspect about this book, however, is that it was not a biography, autobiography, or even loosely based on a true story. It’s a fantasy book that is about a hobbit’s journey to a faraway land where a dragon reigns supreme. The hobbit encounters several difficulties along the way, such as being attacked by trolls, goblins, elves, and obviously a dragon. He also gets caught up in an epic war, which he helps to end. He manages to escape all dangers, gain a magical ring, help slay a dragon, and then retire peacefully at his house for the rest of the story. It’s my favorite book because its action packed from beginning to end, with never a dull moment.
My favorite movie that I have ever seen would have to be Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This movie not only has a great story but also a great cast. Harrison Ford and Sean Connery are cast as father and son in this epic movie. Indiana Jones appear to be an every day, ordinary man, but in fact, he is a pistol shooting, treasure hunting, bad guy bashing archeologist, who saves the world on more than one occasion. In this movie he stops the Nazis from retrieving the Holy Grail. He has to fight wave after wave of Nazis, hunt down hidden clues about the Grail’s location, save his father, do battle with tanks while on horseback, and face the challenges that protect the Grail. At one point in the movie, as he is trying to escape Germany, he charters a blimp headed for Austria. The Nazis have wanted posters out for him and his father and one the Nazi goons comes on to the blimp and begins to ask if anyone has seen Indiana and his father. Indiana disguises himself as a ticket counter and then proceed to take people’s tickets. When he catches up to the Nazi goon, Indiana asks for his ticket. The Nazi sees Indiana but before the Nazi can say anything, Indiana punches him and throws him off the blimp and into the luggage below. The startled passengers look at Indiana, and he says in a flustered manner, “No ticket.” Then the entire room clamors to give him their tickets. At the end of the movie he succeeds and the day is saved. Like any classic movie, they ride off into the sunset. This movie is my favorite because I’ve been watching it since I was seven and because of its combination of action and humor, which I’ve come to appreciate more as I’ve grown up.
ReplyDeleteI think that I have heard plenty of good songs in my time, but I can’t remember the names of half of them. I have heard many that I care to remember and some that I remember but don’t care for. I think one of my favorite songs is “Breakfast” by the Newsboys. This song is clever, catchy, and Christian. It’s alternative (I think) and sounds like a light rock song. It talks of how they knew a man who was slightly odd, but was Christian, and when he was about to die, he made this song: “When the toast is burned and all the milk has turned, and Captain Crunch is waving farewell. When the Big One finds you, may the song remind you that they don’t serve breakfast in hell.” Sounds harsh but it’s probably true. That’s not the only part of the song, but it’s the chorus. I really like this song and it’s one of my favorites because (again) I grew up with it and it’s very catchy.
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ReplyDeleteI love all of these categories. I enjoy movies a lot, and I love to read. Unfortunately, reading is one of those pastimes that I never seem to have time for. I absolutely love music. Music is a great passion in my life, so I find choosing a favorite song extremely difficult. I find it to be much more difficult than any of the others.
I shall start with the movie category. My absolute favorite movie is Star Trek (2009). This was such a good movie. The thing that really pulled me into this movie was the characters, especially Spock. The story with Spock involving his family and his planet was really intense; however, I cannot get into too many details about it without giving spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen it. But I loved the added tension added to the plot because of it. I also thought the special effects in this movie were amazing. It was really cool to see the USS Enterprise in battle with today’s available special effects. Also, I really liked the plot of the movie. I liked that they made it for anyone, not just trekkies. I thought it was a really smart idea to make a movie where people who didn’t know Star Trek could see it and understand what’s going on, while people who knew Star Trek, could enjoy it too. Overall, I thought it was an awesome movie, with a great cast and an excellent creative team.
I do not have a favorite book, but rather, a series. As of right now, my favorite series is the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. This series is absolutely fantastic. The books are extremely well-written, the plot is genius, and the characters are well-developed and thought out. The Hunger Games is set in a post-war world where a greatly powerful government known as the Capitol, is in control of a land called Panem. Panem is the home of twelve different districts, the twelfth being where our protagonist, Katniss Everdeen resides. Every year, the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games as punishment for a past attempt at rebellion against the Capitol. Two tributes, one boy and one girl, are selected from each district, and are placed in the Hunger Games. These tributes are from the ages 12-18, and all of the children in this age range are automatically put in the drawing. These 24 tributes then compete in the Hunger Games in an arena as they fight to the death. Suzanne Collins brilliantly finds clever ways to keep you on the edge of your seat with these books. I highly recommend them.
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ReplyDeleteAh, the favorite song. This is a very hard decision, so I am going to go with one of my favorite songs which I am extremely fond of. The song is “Turn It Off” by Paramore. I absolutely love this song. It has such a deep meaning, and I love the lyrics.
“And the worst part is/before it gets and better we’re heading for a cliff/And in the free fall I will realize/I’m better off when I hit the bottom”
Sometimes when we feel like we’re headed in a downwards spiral, or things just aren’t going well, we dread that point when we get to rock bottom. But sometimes, we just fail to see the light at rock bottom. Once we’ve hit the bottom, there shouldn’t be any place to go, but up, right? Logically, yes. But emotionally and spiritually, sometimes it takes a long time to realize that. It can be really difficult sometimes, but it is possible.
“I scraped my knees while I was praying/And found a demon in my safest haven/Seems like it's getting harder to believe in anything/Than just to get lost in all my selfish thoughts.”
I especially connect to these lyrics. Sometimes we don’t realize that there are “demons” that can find their way into what we think are our safe places. It is really easy for us to slip into “standard prayers” that we have, where we just say “thank you for this day,” “please bless this food,” and other things, without really meaning them. There’s nothing wrong with thanking God of course! But I just believe that we shouldn’t just say it out of habit, I think we should really mean it. Also, it’s really easy to just use prayers to ask for things we need, or “…to get lost in all my selfish thoughts.” I just really love the message that this song gives and I also love Hayley Williams’ voice. The band just has a really good sound and they’re one of my favorite bands.
“Live Long and Prosper.”
Rachel Baisden
Hmm…favorites. Well, like Brantly and many others, I do not really have absolute favorites, but have a plethora of favorites. For this blog, I will attempt to pick my more favorite things if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteLet me just say, I don't really read, whether due to lack of time, or maybe just a preference of listening to music instead, I do admit to only reading like four books outside of school…. So yea, out of those four books, I would have to choose "The Adventures of Robin Hood." This is because if I do read, I enjoy action, and of course anything having to do with old England is very much to my liking. I read this book like five or six years ago, so I don't remember the specifics, but it was a very interesting and action-packed. This story tells the tale of the heroic Robin Hood who "steals from the rich to give to the poor." The very essence of England and its nature is brought to life in this book. This culture has always captured my mind and I have a passion for learning about it. I hope to later on in life live in England, but I am getting off subject. I absolutely loved this book, and if you haven't read it, you should.
Favorite movie…this is a hard one. Well, I do love Disney's animated "Robin Hood," but that would be redundant, wouldn't it? I really like the movie "Away We Go" with John Krasinkski, but probably not my absolute favorite…. Another great movie that I enjoy tremendously: "Edward Scissorhands." I just recently got to see this movie, and absolutely loved it. Sure, some (my mom) might say that it is just "too weird," but I do not care. I like it. Not only does it have my favorite actor, Johnny Depp, but it also showcases his amazing talent of portrayed a strange, but honest and charming character. This movie is about a man named Edward who was "created" by an inventor. Now, this inventor died before fully completing Edward, leaving him without hands. Therefore, Edward received scissors for hands. "Edward lived alone in the darkness until one day a kind Avon lady took him home to live with her family." Edward then falls in love with this lady's daughter, Kim, but cannot fit in properly in the city without being misunderstood. Edward has no perception of right or wrong, much like a small child. In this movie, you see pure innocence, and how it reacts with different kinds of people. I strongly recommend this movie.
Ah, for the hardest decision-my favorite song. Well, I'm thoroughly convinced that this question is impossible. Sorry Mr. H, I will have to give you a few of them…. Actually, since adore Ingrid Michaelson and her work, I will name a few of my favorites of hers. She produces incredibly thought provoking and wholesome music."Maybe," "The Chain," "Soldier," and "Are We There Yet," are very good, but my all-time favorite of hers is either "Everybody" or "The Way I Am." The first song song quotes, "Everybody, everybody wants to love, everybody, everybody wants to be loved…" I completely agree with this concept. I do believe that if there were more love in this world, there would be less war, death, and more "good" people. Ingrid's "The Way I Am" quotes "I love the way you say 'good morning,' and you take me the way I am." I also agree with Ingrid, that it feels great to be accept for yourself. I think no one should have to pretend to be someone that they are not in order to be accepted and loved.
-Lil' Hardegree
My favorite movie is bench warmers. It is hilarious. It’s about Clark and Richey who are nerds and a short guy named Gus takes them under their wing and shows them the game of baseball. Clark is a paper boy and rides a bike. He wears a helmet everywhere he goes and he picks his nose. Richey works at a movie store and has a mustache. He has a coconut haircut. Clark and Richey are terrible. They are grown men and they play little kids in baseball games. Gus wins the games basically for them but the nerds get a chance to play something they have never had the opportunity to play because of bullies being harsh and cruel. The moral of the movie is great but it’s very humorous. I love this movie because it reminds me of our baseball team and how bad we are. I think the bench warmers are better than us. Everyone on our team is crazy and acts dumb. This movie really reminded me of our team on picture day and everyone was tackling each other when we were waiting in line to have our picture taken. I was cracking up because the lady that was taking our picture forms was laughing at Clint and Reilly. They were tackling each other and it looked funny because Clint is over six foot and Reilly was carrying him like a baby. I also recommended to the lady that they put Caesar on the front of the forms because he was a cute kid and the lady laughed and agreed with me.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book is a series; it is the series of unfortunate events. They were such good books. They are the only books that I have read the whole series. The series is about three kids. The three children became orphans when their parents die in a fire. Their parents left them a fortune of tons of money and a man named Olaf becomes their guardian. He winds up trying to get a hold of their fortune when the oldest child comes of age. The children get out of the guardianship of Olaf and every where the child relocate, Olaf follows to kidnap the children. The books were just really good and I liked them a lot. I liked them a lot and I hate to read.
I don’t have a favorite song but I have a favorite artist. My favorite artist is Lil Wayne. He has ridiculous flows. I watched an interview on him and he doesn’t write down lyrics for a song, he just goes in the studio and flows depending on the beat. I like that, when people just go out and do what they are good at and just perform. They don’t care what people think or say, they are just themselves.I listen to Lil Wayne before every football game to get me ready to go play. It gets me pumped up.