Creativity

Finding yourself is something very important in everyone's life. Maintaining who you truly are can be a challenge for some people. People fall into conformity eventually losing who they are. A way of conforming is by not speaking out against injustice or just not speaking out and giving people a piece of your mind.

Speaking with people and having an open mind about things helps a lot to learning new things. If someone is close minded they will not listen to what other people have to say and think they are always right, they will never learn anything. Listening to people that have something interesting and substantial to say definitely opens up your mind. Maybe it will help you see things in a different manner. Humanities is all about growing in different aspects of life. Whether it'd be art, literature, music, by opening your mind to it, you are growing as a person.

As you progress in life you conquer things with experiences in life. Each experience is a new lesson learned. Either you can take that lesson and apply it to your current life or completely dismiss it and make the same mistake again. Do not sell yourself short, learn, live, and grow.

"What are friends? Friends are people that you think are your friends. But they really your enemies, with secret identities." -Eminem

Since I was in the fourth grade I have been listening to Eminem's music. His music at one point in my life was able to sooth me. He is some one I admire because of everything he has been through. He is not a hero or my idol but in spite of overwhelming obstacles, he was able to persevere and endure in life. When he was about three months old his father left and never came back. Growing up without a father figure and an alcoholic, pill-taking mother is not the kind of life a kid should be living.

He married his wife Kim and had a baby girl named Halie. He has made songs for both his wife and his daughter. The relationship he had with his wife was also a hard one, they couldn't afford many things. In a song he talks about how he was not able to buy his daughter a christmas present and his wife had to buy the presents. He came from barely able to support his family to having a mansion and many albums with songs that hit the top of the charts.

He recently came out with music that sold himself out. It was not who Eminem was when he started. The music he began to make started becoming more commercialized and just a way to make money. His original music had a lot to say about life and many things. Some of it was controversial and he was brought to court for things he said against his wife and his mother.

Some of the songs that I really like from him are Rock Bottom, Stan, Cleaning Out My Closet, 97' Bonnie & Clyde. But those are only three of many songs.

Amazing

Life. What words can one possibly say to describe it? Adventure, knowledge, friends, family, love, doubts, decisions, confusion. These are only some words that do not even come close to describing what life is. Many people take life for granted. There are many things in my life that I do not appreciate as much as I should, but at least I try not to.

People live their entire life not knowing what it means to really live life. But then again, who am I to say what is life and what is not. Life can mean adventure and just living it without any real rules. Some people think that following a religion to an extreme is living life because you will go to "heaven." Honestly, I do have a religion but it does not dominate my life and it is not something I would try to instill into anyone. My private life and the way that I decide to live it is because I want to live it that way. The life I live does not need to be the way others live theirs.

It is crazy how much people just do not let lose and just follow themselves, be who they want to be. You live one life and honestly, if your going to live it under rules, not just religion but just rules in general and take it to such an extent that its not even your own life anymore, that is sad. People should definitely appreciate their lives and what they have to offer. Life is full of amazing things if you just search for them and try to make something of it.

People are always complaining about how boring their lives are, well do something about it! Things will NOT come to you, you have to find them. Most of the time people have to go search for things, some people get lucky. Work hard, have fun, live peacefully, love, and live life.

Childhood

Parents and the way a child is raised has a lot to do with who they become once they are older. Some children grow up to become successful, other children grow up but never move up in society. They stay in one spot for the rest of their lives. These children will most likely not know what it means to live a life style where they really have to work to strive because they'll probably live the same lives their parents did. If their parents' lives are the type where they do not really need to work hard because the government is taking care of them, their children will think its just easy to live off the government.

If children grow up in a home where their parents are always arguing, usually it affects their lives. This is not to say that many people find the strength to persevere and try not to let their homelife affect them. Some people do not even know what it means for their parents to have financial problems or arguments. Are they lucky? I do not know. Maybe they are lucky but financial problems and arguments are a part of a lot of people's lives. Having this type of life style teaches you to work hard for what you have. To see that your parents struggle makes you want to do better than they did, have a better life style. It sounds mean but if you follow your parent's errors and flaws you will end up in the same situation they are living in.

Living life is all about making your own mistakes, choosing your own way. Of course your parents have some kind of influence on you whether it'd be a negative or a positive one. Choosing your own path is something everyone has to do. People's home lives affect their decision in that sometimes they think that by going against what their parents say they are not going to end up like them but in reality they might. One thing that teens nowadays do is when their parents tell them to do good in school and not do drugs, they take it as, if they listen to them they are not cool or they won't fit on or that by going against their parents their choosing their own path. The path their taking is one where they will end up dropping out of school and working in a field that they do not enjoy. Once again, that is only one possibility, maybe they already have their lives planned out and in that path, school is not important. The point is that people should live their own lives and try to not let obstacles affect them in a negative way. Sometimes, what does not kill you makes you stronger.

people are inflicted with pain throughout their lives. Whether it is physical or emotional pain - everyone has been through it. Sometimes it is hard to overcome. Some people let their pain get too into their heads, this can eventually lead to suicide. A question that I was asked once was would I rather live with physical or emotional pain for the rest of my life. The answer to this question is still something I am not completely sure of. I think that I would much rather go through physical pain for the rest of my life. Yes it will hurt to an unbearable extent but at the same time, emotional pain is something very hard to try to overcome. There is depression and emotional pain can sometimes lead to mental illnesses.

This question is one that needs to be well thought out. The person who asked me this question asked me about 2 years ago. I stll am unsure of my answer. Although emotional pain is harder to endure than physical pain, it could also be easier because the physical pain could consist of being on fire or something of that sort. So when you think about, its scary and it may seem like emotional pain would be the better option. So, physical or emotional pain?

Part of the world

Music is in our everyday lives. Music brings people together and brings to the surface many emotions. Sometimes music causes people to remember times in their lives that they enjoyed or maybe unpleasant things. Music is an amazing thing that influences people in many different ways. All music is great, maybe some is not to me or you but maybe to someone else. Music has the ability to calm me down when I'm upset or pick me up when I am down. Music is like a weight is lifted off my shoulders while I am listening to it. Afterwards we come back to reality. It has the power to do so much. There aren't many things that I love, but music is definitely something I love. It brings joy to the world and sometimes hope.

All genres of music have something to offer. We just need to have an open mind in order to experience and maybe enjoy all these genres. Music is music. Just like air is air. We use it and need it to live. Without music, television shows would be boring and there wouldn't be melody or rhythms. There wouldn't be broadway shows like Hairspray or The Lion King. A world with no music is like a world with no air.

The Life of Frida Kahlo

Frida was an amazing movie directed by Julie Taymor. It is by far one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. The acting was amazing, overall a great movie. Definitely a must-watch. Frida Kahlo was a Mexican women. She was an artist and liked to be different. Her mother seemed like she was a bit embarrassed by her because she was different. On a bus with her boyfriend Alejandro (Diego Luna) Frida had an accident that affected her later on life. She spent about a month in the hospital and thought that her boyfriend would stick around for her to console her, but he left with his family to Europe. When he told her she did not cry until he left the room which shoes her strength. Frida was a strong independent woman who never needed anyone but herself.

After Frida was able to walk again she went to find Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) to show him her paintings. She falls in love with him and they get married, Diego was not a man of commitment and Frida knew that before she married him. After being with Diego for a while, he gets a notice that he is wanted in New York to work for Rockefeller. At the time Communism was frowned upon and people were scared of communists. Diego decided to make a mural but in that mural made detailed images of both Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Once he did that people started to feel threaten by him or that he was a threat, Rockefeller asked him to change the mural but since Diego is an artist he did not. Frida becomes pregnant but Diego was not thrilled with the idea of having a baby at the time because of his work and the travelling that would need to be taken, he later agreed but Frida had a miscarriage. Shortly after her miscarriage her mother passed away because of an illness. Frida was a very strong woman because despite the fact that she had a lot going on, she was able to keep her head up.

Diego was not a committed person but he saw something in Frida that made him change, they grew old together and loved each other like they both had never loved before. It is a beautiful love story with hardships like no other and it is also the life of Frida Kahlo an amazing strong independent woman who was able to persevere in spite of overwhelming obstacles. This is a motivating movie that inspires women to take care of themselves and not have to rely on other people. Although Frida did not care much for her body and intoxicated it with alcohol and cigarettes, she is someone to look up to for her strength. It takes a lot of strength be able to take your sister back after she slept with your husband. You have to have the strength to let go of your pride and realize that family is all you have besides yourself.

I loved this movie, it is amazing. The life of Frida Kahlo was very interesting. The fact that she met Trotsky is still something I can not believe. One of the best movies ever made and especially because it is based on real facts and the life of a person. It is not just another movie without meaning. I enjoyed it a lot and hope everyone else has or does too.

Society- Freedom

In the United States we brag about all the freedom we have. What freedom? People are always being censored and we can't always say what we want. On the radio cursing is always censored, so how is that freedom of speech? That is not freedom of speech, yes we have a lot more freedom than people in other countries only dream of having. I'm not saying I'm not grateful for living in a country where I can walk the streets and know I'm safe and not have to worry if today is the day that I am killed. I am so grateful so live in this country. What I am saying is that if we're not going to have all the freedom that the government says we have, why say we have it? Why isn't the government just straight forward, why don't they just tell us that we are not really as free as they make it out to be.
I'm just saying that people should be able to say and talk about whatever it is that they want to talk about as long as it is not something like NAMBLA. People like that do not even deserve to live. Society is so brainwashed to believe that they have all the freedom because they trust the government. Society is just a blob of conformity. The government is obviously not going to tell the citizens the full truth. Maybe its like that saying, "the truth hurts," or "people can't handle the truth." Maybe it is true and maybe the government does not tell us the full truth because they do not want people to start freaking out. When it comes to things like Global Warming, obviously people can not know the entire truth because once we find out what's really going on, we will realize the type of situation we are really in. The effect would be total disaster.
The type of freedom of speech that I am talking about is cursing on the radio and things of that sort. What is the point of making music and having artists if you are going to censor those artists. Well at the same time, those artists consciously sold their music to the radio knowing they were going to be censored just to make money. This is a very hard subject to make a decision on, complete freedom or not?

Kafka's The Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka impacted the world in a way he doesn't even know. Before he died, his last request was for his work to be burnt. His friend Max Brod ignored Kafka's request and published it anyway. Kafka's The Metamorphosis is a short story about a man named Gregor Samsa who turns into an insect. He was a person who worked and that is all he ever thought about. He maintained his family on his own even though they were all capable of working to help him with the load. A probable reason for Kafka choosing for Gregor to transform into an insect is that insects never stop working. They spend their entire lifes building homes for their families or gathering food for the rest. Gregor as a bug is suppose to symbolize the nature of his priorities before transforming into an insect.
This shot story is different compared to the other novels and short stories I've read before. It was very interesting and some of the objects had symbolism behind them. The scene in the short story when Gregor's father throws and apple at him symbolizes Gregor being exiled from the rest of the family. It shows that his family is isolating him. This part of the short story was sad and your heart goes out for Gregor. Although, I do have to say that Gregor did not show any emotion throughout the short story. He showed excitement at the fact that his family couldn't take advantage of him anymore once he realized he was a bug. But other than excitement for the change, there was no other real emotion.
The Metamorphosis was a strange short story. It was a short story that would seem to be written for children because of it's use of simple vocabulary. There were about four words that a child might not understand but can simply ask what they meant. The story makes you feel as if there is no real context and it is just what it is. But since it was written by Kafka, that is not the case. I enjoyed this short story. It wasn't one of those times that while reading what was assigned to me, I'm falling asleep. I was able to enjoy it also, because it was not a long story. The Metamorphosis was an interesting and enjoyable short story by Franz Kafka.

Life.

Life is full of unexpected situations. Most of us don't really know what it means to really have to work for things. I was reading an article in a magazine about children from Mexico who live on the steet. Its something a lot of people know about, a lot of hispanic people, I guess I could say. Its such a hard concept to grasp. There are kids that are homeless because they left their house or were kicked out of their house. The most common reasons for why these children leave their house is because their home life was such a horrible one that they thought it would be much better to just leave and try to make it on their own. The situation at home could be that their parents are alcoholics or they do drugs. The children might be neglected or physically abused.
The age of these kids has no limits, a lot of them live in the streets their entire lifes. The girls who decide to leave start having kids between the ages of 14-17. So the children they decide to have also live in the same conditions as they did. The way these kids make their money is by cleaning the windshields of cars at stop lights. They can also sell candy at stoplights. It is such a horrible thing to think about. Imagine your little brother or sister out on the streets with usually nothing to eat, in the cold being stared at as they walk. I don't think anyone would want to be in that situation.
It's not something that is only going on in Mexico. That could be the situation for anyone, anywhere. Most of us live in a decent home, with decent food and decent clothing. Imagine you had nothing, no family, no one to rely on. Its something kids who are seven years have to endure and try to persevere. These kids can live in the street their entire lifes. The article talked about an interview with an 18 year old boy. It said that when asked about his family he simply lowered his head and changed the subject. He had been living in the streets for eight years.
There are many things in life people just deny or try not to face. Well its time to face the our fears, problems, we are the ones who can change the world..Even if its not the world at least a part of it. We have to stand up for what we believe and not just try to help ourselves but help others as well. I know how this may sound, but we have to make a difference. Its such a hard thing to stress. Hopefully we can achieve something that changes our lifes as we know them.

Meat.org

As humans we have tendencies or ways of life that are hard to overcome. On the road to finding myself and who I really am, I came across something horrifying. Its something we all know about but have yet to really process and realize. Animals are part of our foodchain but they are also a part of Mother Earth. Many people think that being or becoming vegetarian is pointless. The most common responses I have recieved from people are, " Animals are part of the food chain," "You need the protein only meat can provide for you," " If you stop eating meat it won't affect anything, it's pointless," "If you dont't eat meat, animals will overpopulate." Many of these responses are cheap excuses.

Many people don't bother to research what they are basing their arguments on. Protein can be found in many other sources besides meat. Soy products are definitely a good source of protein. Beans, nuts, and things of this nature also have protein. Most people in the world are obnivores. It is a difficult thing to achieve, to be or become vegetarian. What this means is leaving part of your old life behind, a life your entire family lives. A lot of people fail in the process but becoming a vegetarian is definitely worth it. It is the challenge that I am currently taking.

If this site does not move you in any way or it doesn't cause any emotions, it's a disappointing truth. People are entitled to their way of life and their own opinions, just sometimes you would hope that people would have the same point of view as you do. The site Meat.org has a video on the main page, DO NOT watch if you have a weak stomach!!!)



The top picture when clicked leads to the link Meat.org.

The interesting parts of life.

People in your life always tell you to try new things and eventually you'll find that certain thing that motivates you or just makes you feel so much better. Well there are many things that can make you feel that way. I recently befriended a guy who works at an art gallery. About two or three weeks ago i went to check the place out. There had been an exhibition for the art of a artist named Lou Hicks. Her art is comtemporary art, simple but at the same time people can interpret it in different ways. Thats what makes art so beautiful, the different interpretations of people and the different meaning we can all get from it. Learning and having new experiences are always an amazing part of life.
I just wanted to share her art with you guys because i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i did. Another artist who's art is actually completely different from Lou Hick's art is an artist named Joanne Grune-Yanoff. Her art revolves around the human body, either a picture and it would be blurry or the molding of a body part. If you guys are interested you could visit this site Seraphin Gallery. Hope you guys enjoy it and get into it like i have.
Art can be something simple or something immensely complex or even both. Usually the simplest forms of art or designs are the most complex, they have the most meaning behind them. Of course this isn't always necessarily true but it's my opinion, someone else might believe that it's the complete opposite. Well thank you for your time, i hope you all have a great week off and hope you had fun on Valentine's day.