last blog

As a tear drips onto my keyboard, I reminisce on all the memories Blogger.com has provided. But I'm sure no one really cares so I'll just cut to whats going on this week. Basically I really need to work on my other blog. I have a while until I present but I want a bunch of different entries and categories, so I best get moving. Also I need to prepare my oral presentation and how I am going to involve the class. Bell just rang, times up. No more blogging for two eight. Its been real.

kids back

First of all I would just like to apologize to all the daily readers of Matt's Happy Trail for the delay in posts. This apology however is not extended to Drew Herzon. "Dueces" as they call him, is a legend in the blogging community, known for his 3rd grade grammar mistakes and unwitty sense of humor. So mentally weak and insecure, "deisel" is forced, by his own nature, to take these blatant personality flaws out on someone special. But I think he hit the nail on the head, two eight is a young man with so much raw talent and infinite potential, but where is the work ethic? So no, I do not apologize to you deisel fuel, in any way shape or form. Sir, I thank you. I thank you for being so mentally weak that it makes me realize how much better I can be. The blade of a sword always looks sharper next to a dull butter knife, right guys? You keep working Rocket, and someday you will over come your insecurities.


Uhm, I got this number I been meaning to show you, thought it would be cool for you to check out. Its the success hotline.. 973-743-4690.. just some number I stumbled across a few years ago. Might want to give that a ring for some inspirational motivation to improve. I know I've been a regular caller since sophmore year, and let's be honest its paying off.


Anyway, I need to go get started on my project. Spitball some ideas around. I want this to be dynamite.


(hey dueces, when the ball is dropped into your hand this Friday vs Valley in the biggest game of our lives, through all the chaos, emotion, and confusion, try to always remember one thing- two eights at third, and batting leadoff, and a Marini Piece team is never desperate... so trust what got us there, reach back, and Make It Home. I love you)




-28

this week

Today is Monday and I have not yet technically started my research paper. I have brainstormed some ideas and discussed many things with Mr. Saxon, but today I would like to finalize a thesis and begin writing. Once I get my thesis down my papers usually flow and I am able to get alot written. If I write my paper today and Tuesday, I will have a good bulk ready to review and edit with a classmate on Wednsday. After that session I should have my opening completed, and being that the final paper is not due until next Friday, on Thursday and Friday of this week I want to continue to read the two books that will help me with ideas for my paper. And hopefully on Friday someone brings in something to watch to help them in their research that distracts me.


I just want everyone to check out Drizzles Blog. The kid has some great ideas flowing, and is well ahead of the game. Must be putting alot of extra time into his work, right? We can all learn something from that young mans work ethic.

In order to complete my research paper on young gifted athletes and their struggle to remain focused and deal with outside distractions, I want to first finish a book or two that focuses on this idea. I think two books that would be good to start off with are The Jump by Ian O'Connor, and Hoop Dreams by Ben Jaravsky. The Jump chronicles the life of Sebastian Telfair, a Coney Island basketball prodigy who was recruited since the age of 13, and ended up making the jump straight from Lincoln High School to the NBA. To contrast his triumph, the story of William Gates and Arthur Agee's hardships in Chicago, and failure to succeed will help me understand both sides of the spectrum. So many athletes are given the talent and physical ability, but only few can make the best out of their opportunity because of the situation that surrounds them.

4th marking period

With basically the freedom to pick any topic to study for the final marking period, I unfortunately came to the realization that the only subject matter that could hold my attention is sports non fiction. My favorite books are those that chronicle gifted young athlete's through their teenage years. The subject that appeals to me most is young men growing up in the projects, and using basketball to fight their way out. This is the true struggle, and grabs my attention because, as shown by the books I will read, some make it and some don't. Gang violence, drugs, and school all play a part in so many young athlete's down falls. As I will read in "Hoop Dreams: The true story of hardship and triumph", judging who to trust once your name gains value also becomes crucial. It is a tough road, but as portrayed by Ian O'connor in "The Jump", entire cities root for their prodigy to make it out. When they do make it, it is a feel good story, but do not be fooled, many do not. For my research paper I will need to study the process of documenting these young athletes. It is a long and vigorous process I would assume. As a project I want to find my own athlete, and chronicle his.. or her... life through high school and teenage years.

Put yourself in the position of a prisoner in a concentration camp. A dying Nazi soldier asks for your forgiveness. What would you do? In The Sunflower, Simon Wiesenthal raises that question for readers to wrestle with, and gives the responses of very distinguished men and women.

Before I even started reading this novel the first thought that came to mind was that in this test of the possibilities and limits of forgiveness, I would not have stayed silent like Wiesenthal. When given the opportunity of a Nazi soldier's confession, Wiesenthal chose to remain silent. Most would say they would do the same, which is completely understandable, and at first I thought the same about myself. But taking a deeper look, I have always forgiven people for everything. Not necessarily because I wanted to, but because its just how it works. Obviously I have never experienced a situation as drastic as Wiesenthal's, but I have always been a kid who feels compassion and sympathy for everyone (I felt bad for Alex in A Clockwork Orange).


It will be interesting to see how realistic Wiesenthal can make this situation for me, and how well he can pull me into his character. If he is able to do a good enough job, maybe my opinion on forgiveness will change due to the severity of the situation.

finally

After weeks of unbearably slow reading I finally finished A Clockwork Orange. My sluggish reading, mixed with Burgess unorthadox Nadsat language, led to, at times, a painful read. I enjoyed this novel, but not as much as I thought I would. The reason I chose it as my first read is because I heard so much about it. It was recommended to me by several people as "a book I would like". Its not that I didn't like it, but something about the whole nadsat language threw me off. I was able to understand the basic meaning of almost all the words, however I just feel it would have been better without it. While it gives good insite into the character's lives, I came to the conclusion that it was unnecessary.

In one of my earlier posts I stated that I sympathized with Alex. I could not explain it at the time, and can't really now either, but for some reason I feel bad for him. How could you show any compassion for a rapist murderer? I really do not know. Maybe it is his honesty and willingness to share the detail of his crimes, and his thoughts surrounding his actions. Chris Semansky's criticism of Burgess's novel is an excellent criticism and shares great insite into Burgess, and his protagonist Alex.


For my project on this novel, I plan on watching the movie again, and writing a comparitive essay. I have seen the movie once before, but at the time had not read the novel, and really was not paying much attention. All I remember is the movie is as brutal and terrifying as the book.


Don't forget to check out Drizzle's blog. Kid really works hard on that thing. Believe it or not.