Monday, March 12, 2007

I am the Champeen?

So I guess I won the writing contest because when I handed in my submission the lady who was running the contest, her name eludes me at this moment, looked at me and said, "let me go talk to peter and see about getting you your iPod." To this I was rather pleased as I finally did something that I can be proud of, though I think I might have been the only one entered in it. On the other hand, the fact that I made an actual blog to put my "blog format" submission in might have won it for me. Who really knows?

Anyways my sweet prize is a 1GB iPod Nano... I am going to go out on a limb to say it is at least 1st generation because it does not have the scratch resistant shell that the previous iPod Mini models had. On the back it is engraved with "Keyano College" and right below that it says "from the SKILLS CENTER". Since I won a prize from there I guess that means that I have skill.




As I name my gadgets, yes I am that big of a loser, I think
I will name this new Ipod... "Apollo"




Friday, March 9, 2007

Entry #5

Well all need some guiding force in our life and I think that it is ourselves that controls that force. People we associate with, our interests and hobbies and also the material we read. Personally I read GQ (American and United Kingdom) to further myself as a gentleman and I like to know what fashions are in and what styles are on the rise. The magazine has many articles on independent movies and musical feature which I would encourage anyone to read. It gives me a distinction among my friends because I am sure I am the only one that knows what a Rosé wine is. I want to be known as the one individual member of my friends as the GQ guy. “Metrosexual”, takes care of my appearance and knows how to present myself, to friends, new acquaintances, potential clients and anyone with whom I come in contact. If someone reads guns and ammo I am pretty sure that they are interested in at least shooting guns and most likely hunting. If your read the news paper and keep up to date on what is going on over seas and politics and celebrity gossip, I would assume you have a very well informed view and set of opinions on those topics. We all choose who we are and I am sure that what we read is a huge part of it.




Entry #4

Reading helps you grow. I don’t know how many times in my group of friends that I have been accused to making up words because my friends are just plain dumb. I know that might be a little harsh but they make no effort to expand the basic vocabulary they already have. I can go into any situation and feel confident that I have a well rounded vocabulary that I will at least be able to impress some people, and if not, at least be able to understand what the people around me are talking about. Also from reading I know many other cultures slangs and common phrases that I can use in everyday life to break away from our culture and societies repetitive and over used clichés.


Entry #3

I am sick and tired of asking my friends if they have read a certain book and all I get is the typical “I’ll just watch the movie when it comes out” response. It makes me sick. The authors have spend time and money to get these brilliant ideas of mythical world across to you or even some brilliant murder plot in the latest mystery murder. All of that is squandered by my friends not taking the time to appreciate great literature. I know that Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal in Hamlet is spectacular but the actually play is superb and by far better then the movie… or any other rendition there of. Harry Potter makes good movies of course but the book involves you and put you in the middle of the action. There is a simple saying that I have and it is… Movies and Television Mini-Series give books no justice. I would like to see anyone read Lord of The Rings and tell me that the movies even painted one sixteenth of the book.



Entry #2

Dune, Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Tales of Redwall, Narnia and Dragon Lance. All of the afore mentioned are amazing, astounding and brilliant pieces of science fiction and fantasy. The authors of these books give the reader a vision of what they themselves have created. To think outside the box is exactly what the authors have done. Reading a J.R.R. Tolkien book might be just a weekend adventure to one person, but to another it could a look at a whole new world that they had never thought imaginable. J. K. Rowling invented a world where the youth of our world wish they were in… with magic and whimsy but also danger and peril. They all had a different idea of what a vampire, elf, dwarf, giant, ogre and wizard were and they all showed us, the readers, exactly what is they saw. Some might just toss this type of reading aside but you must, at least to a degree, appreciate how Star Trek was not only a blockbuster T.V. series but a retrospective look at society at the time. It had a statement, it had a purpose. All this fantasy can be as I said before… a weekend adventure for some… for others it is an escape from their lives. These works also challenge the ideas of our society. Helping people break away from the norm and become a fan of something that they think is specially theirs.




Entry #1

Knowledge is power. The pen is mightier then the sword. I know I know… Both of those quotes are over used and thrown around like dribble these days but the truth to them is astounding. One can learn from watching a film on the subject or even doing it hands on, but that only takes you so far. Reading opens a road to endless knowledge. Anything from the French art of cane fighting called “Savate”, to today’s politics, all the way to ancient civilizations of our world. I am sure that no one wants to put themselves in a situation where they are among people who are talking about subjects, ideas and issues that are completely oblivious to them… but by not reading, nor bothering to even glance at some writing, that is exactly what is going to happen. I am not saying that you should go out and read everything you can, but if one tries there is a very good chance that they are going to learn briefly on many subject commonly discussed, or something that relates to these topics. Now one would look smarter in a social group rather then the uneducated ass. The only thing in life that someone cannot take away from you is your education… so get it, while the gettings good!