Currently

Pages read this week: 96+55=151
Semester total:1083

"There was nothing to do, Jimeno thought, except wait until they send out rescue parties in the morning. If they lived that long."
That's such a hard thing to grasp, for those trapped to accept the fact that they might not make it out of this.
"His old paramedic shirt torn, he plodded north in the late-summer night, alone, scuffling down streets blanketed by the dust that had been the World Trade Center."
Even though this sentence has a sad connotation, I love how the author phrases this statement; it kind of hits you right in the gut.
"...I realize why dawn is called mourning."
This is from my new book A Million Little Pieces by James Frey about a serious drug addict in rehab. Frey says this statement during his first days of detox and when he is feeling his worst; I love his use of words.

A Million Little Pieces

Holy cow this book is so good! A Million Little Pieces is a personal memoir of a serious drug addict, James Frey, who is heading down a path to his death. James has been an alcoholic for ten years and a crack addict for three. Most of his life is a blur. He can't go a day without waking up to some sort of alcohol and blacking out multiple times during the day.
James wakes up on an airplane. Confused and terrified, he realizes he is in awful condition. James had a broken nose, four missing teeth, and a hole in the side of his cheek. This was his wake up call. James was then greeted by his family who took him home for the night, but he couldn't get through without a bottle of wine.
The next day James Frey started his journey to recovery. James was admitted into rehab that would  test his soul and strength in every way. He is under strict orders to begin detox, do simple tasks, regularly meet with a psychologist, and his hardest talk, not talk with women at the facility.
The craziest part of the book so far that I noticed is that James was so disgusted and embarrassed of himself, that he did not look at himself in a mirror for five days. He could only imagine how awful it would be until he finally looked to find this true. It was also really interesting that James had an extremely vivid dream about alcohol and using drugs. In his dreams, he coke feel his nostrils and throat burning and even felt relief from the drugs. In a meeting with his psychologist, he informed that these dreams were very common and could occur often for more than a year.
I am so exited to continue with the book and to hear all of the unimaginable struggles James will have to go through. However these struggles will ultimately save his life.

Epilogue to 102 Minutes

Well this weekend I finished 102 Minutes! It's interesting how many different emotions I felt while reading this book. Sometimes I was a little frustrated learning about all the poor communications and improper protocols, but then I would feel sad reading about the personalities and lives of innocent workers who died, followed with great appreciation for those that risked their lives. It was such a humbling book to read and I definitely encourage others to get it. It's not a book that follows a traditional climatic plot but it's about real life, which is so much better. I commend the authors of this book, Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, for doing their detailed research and interviews. They make you feel like you're really in the event.
The epilogue at the end was a helpful addition to the book. It somewhat clarified why certain events happened. It was titled 11 Am Ground Zero so it showed only a small portion of the aftermath this attack would lead to. It starts out taking about a Port Authority police officer trapped underneath cement and debrie after the collapse of the towers. Since he had previously worked with elevator rescues at the WTC, he knew rescue operations wouldn't occur until a day after when everything was stable. He was stuck in a 45 degree angle, trapped, pinned down, and waiting to day. Reading about this man reminded me about the movie 127 Hours. Oh man is that an intense movie or what, at least for me. Like the police officer, a hiker, Aron Ralston, is trapped in a canyon's crack underneath a large rock. The movie shows the mental and physical struggles Aron faced for 127 hours until he finally amputated his arm to find help. I can't even image that. Just even the solitude would drive me crazy. I think its incredible to hear stories about victims caught it strange innocent and their stories of survival. (Speaking of, you know how people ask, "If you were stranded on an island, what one item would you bring?" Well I definitely would choose chapstick. I am so addicted to that stuff. I think I put chapstick on at the very least 20 times a day. I just bought a new exotic scented eos lip balm today and I am so pumped!) Luckily the officer was found by a US Marine who could direct rescuers to his location. Semper fidelis, always faithful. What a great story.

Sentences of the Month

"We all choke. Winners know how to handle choking better than losers -John McEnroe."
"...So I'm really good in math class, but I don't announce it because I'm a girl."
"Christ lived on cheeseburgers and Coke, for all we know."


I like the first sentence the best because it's such a true statement about sports. I'm all about sports and overcoming challenges so reading Mind Gym was good for me. All athletes are scared to fail or even if they don't admit it; the great athletes are those that train their minds to overcome this obstacle and have confidence, which is something I'm trying to work on this swim season. 

Currently

Pages read this week: 167
Semester total: 932

Favorite Sentences-
"Rubbing his hands together, Savas appeared exhilarated, possessed of a sudden burst of energy,"
I love how this sentence points out the adrenaline running through victims bodies; they were able to tasks they probably wouldn't have been able to normally.
"He did not want to die. Suddenly, his words were drowned out by crashing noises, a terrible scream, and even worse silence."
I know this is a disturbing quote but I really like how real this makes the book seem. It allows readers to remember that trapped victims were real people that never thought a day at work could end their life.
"The doctrine-or reflex- of telling people to stay put during evacuations was not universally applied."
It's awful to think that people in WCT2 were told to remain inside, yet most people did not know any better of how to handle the situation.

Panic

The one thing I've noticed every time I start to read 102 Minutes is that somehow I tense up. Well of course this happens because the book is written in a style that makes you relive those 102 minutes while getting the full inside story. I'm one of those people that gets really into books and movies because I put myself into certain situations given. That's why I can't get through Titanic without sobbing; it's hard imaging thousands of lives lost due to one accident. However, I think this is kind of a cool quality about me. Putting myself into the roles of characters I watch or read makes my literary experience much more exciting and real.
I can't even imagine what I would do in a high-stressful situation like this. I already stress and worry way too much that I think I would just freeze up. Luckily, and for many victims' advantage, my adrenaline would kick in and allow me to make quick judgment actions to get myself to safety. This reminds me of a time this summer when we ran into a little bit of trouble at the pool (remember I lifeguard). While I was on my shift guarding the baby pool, there was a birthday party cookout nearby in the eating area. As I'm sitting there watching siblings tackle each other and cute little kids float around in a floaty as big as them, I see the grill catch on fire. My natural reaction was to run over to help. However, I couldn't abandon my shift and I had to trust that the other lifeguards would follow the pool's safety procedures. It turns out the fire was only a small grease fire and was extinguished fairly easily. It's really nice to know that I work at a place that had particular safety protocols, especially since safety in our number one concern. Thinking of that instance makes me realize just how important protocols are along with making smart choices in fast-moving situations. If only 9/11 could have been fixed that easily.

The North Tower

So far this week, I've been really interested in reading about the inside of the North Tower of the WTC in 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn.  Fire departments said they could have attempted to put out a fire that only covered one or two stories; however, the plane crash completely engulfed five floors into flames. Firefighters knew their mission was not to extinguish the fire, but to rescue as many victims as they could. Although they were trying to the best of their ability, firefighters measured the time it would take to reach the floors above the fire in hours instead of minutes. With nearly all 99 elevators stuck and many staircases in flames, it would be a difficult task to reach the top. To add, firefighters were literally carrying another on their back. Their uniform and equipment weighed about 56.5 pounds and some engine ladders brought along a 30 pound hose.
A lot of poor communication and failed protocols hindered the rescue attempts of 9/11. For example, after the 1993 bombing, the city approved firefighters to ride in police helicopters in case of high-rise fires. After the attack, the city's police and fire departments went along with their own missions and did not communicate at all.  Therefore, police helicopters lifted off and at 8:52 could clearly see the damage of the building. It would have been beneficial for firefighters to accompany them and get a first glimpse at the source of the fire and collapsing floors.
It's crazy to think of all the minuscule errors were made during the rescue of 9/11, but also the numerous amount of workers that risked their lives for others. A lot of times I tend to only remember those working in the WTC whose lives ended that day. But in fact there were firefighters, policemen, and even fellow co-workers who reentered the burning buildings to save more lives. I would love to be able to visit Ground Zero when it is finished in 2013. Although it would be a sorrowful place of memories, it also serves as a reminder to our country's heros and unity.

Claims of the Day

I need a Nap?
The majestic, distinctive color with the deep, wild detail add to the heavy contrast and proud focus of this lion, a dignified and appreciative beast who hunted his prey out of resigned necessity, and for a disgruntled, hungry family.

Less Than Three.
The interior decorator's use of strange, modern furniture, simple color, a careful use of space, and distinct, quirky architecture express an energetic confidence and absurd frivolousness of the inhabitant.

XC Hoosier 3366
In the music video “The Adventure,” by the band Angels and Airwaves, resonant and alive music, roaming and adventurous surroundings, and powerful, real energy convey that a man’s life should be lived with passion and adventure, as long as his true love is by his side.

Running In Circles
Catherine's use of goofy clothing, fierce jumps, and precise gracefulness express a sense of energetic and explosive dance that has a playful attitude. 

Golb
In this scene you see Blake Griffin dunking a basketball, his expressions show his immense, powerful, and colossal body floating in the air, putting the extravagant crown into a short time of faint, quiet, and peaceful time before they erupted into a thundering and noisy crowd.

I really liked the first claim the best concerning a lion attacking a zebra. His claim portrays how fierce and wild the image is.http://eryday.blogspot.com/

Solo Creative Writing

When I sat down to do this assignment, I couldn't think of a genre to explore. Then my creative side kicked it and said, "Hey, you love fashion and clothes, let's describe a runway outfit." So here I go, thinking of a creative claim for this particular runway look. This is a gown designed by Versace.

Elements:
Color-fading, contrasting
Shape-flowing, tight, clean, curved
Texture-rough, fragile, light
Line-elongated, smooth, lean

Inferences:
complimentary, romantic, whimsical, dramatic, soothing

In Versace's purple ruffled gown, his fading colors, smooth lines, and rough and fragile textures along with a flowing and clean shape create a complimentary and whimsical sense of beauty in fashion-art.

Poet of the Month

My favorite poem we have read in class so far is "September Twelfth, 2001" by X.J. Kennedy. I loved how he expressed emotions from the terrorist attack through the eyes of grateful survivors. His one of those poets that takes an unexpected approach to writing which makes his poems interesting. He also picks unusual topics to write about. Here is a poem I found on Poetry Foundation that I also like by X.J. Kennedy:

Nude Descending a Staircase

Toe after toe, a snowing flesh,

a gold of lemon, root and rind,

she sifts in sunlight down the stairs

with nothing on. Nor on her mind.

We spy beneath the banister

a constant thresh of thigh on thigh;

her lips imprint the swinging air

that parts to let her parts go by.

   

One-woman waterfall, she wears

her slow descent like a long cape

and pausing on the final stair,

collects her motions into shape.

102 Minutes

There have been several books, TV specials, and articles regarding the terrorist attack on 9/11. However, 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn go deeper than ever, they relay "the untold story of the fight to survive inside the Twin Towers." This book contains factual information based on interviews, phone calls, and the buildings recorded conditions before the attack. It's neat to see this story told from the eyes of the people stuck in the middle.
This book helps to point out just out clueless workers inside the building were. Most people thought it was another bombing attack like in 1993. Even workers in the South Tower who could see the damage were unaware of its cause. One of the biggest problems these victims had was no preparation. Most private companies the the WTC didn't have evacuation or emergency plans; if they did, no one took them seriously. A company in the South Tower (before it was hit) continued to prepare for a busy day of work after witnessing the attack. Most people were oblivious to the severity of this act. The ones who know what a great danger they were in were the people trapped above the impact sight, breathing in toxic smoke and unable to reach any stairs.
I think it's great to read a book like this. It helps to get the real information from real people. Not only does it open my eyes to all the events that actually occurred on that day but it makes me appreciate those who risked their lives to help save lives, like Abe Zelmanowitz who stayed behind to help his wheel-chaired friend evacuate.

Currently

Pages Read This Week: 121+45=166
Semester Total:765

Favorite Quotes of the Week:
"Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can."

"We all choke. Winners know how to handle choking better than losers -John McEnroe."

These quotes came from Mind Gym by Gary Mack. I really liked the first one because it points out that the true winners are the ones who believe in themselves and tries to be the best; he doesn't simply expect victory. I also liked the quote from McEnroe since it was pretty unusual to say about all athletes; when you think about it, it's true. All athletes are nervous and scared going into competition, winners are trained and able to handle their nerves so they may overcome them.

I just stared 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn and I'm already so intrigued. Here is my favorite quote from the book so far (it's the thoughts of Greg Trevor, a PR worker in the North Tower, after receiving a call from NBC during evacuation): "Apparently, Trevor thought to himself, it was okay to save yourself from a burning building if only a local affiliate was calling." It's crazy how people at first did not realize the severity of the 9/11 accident. Although Trevor was baffled that an NBC worker would battle for an interview during the North Tower's evacuation, the worker had no clue of its seriousness.

Mind Gym

Wow, this has been such a great book to read. Being an elite athlete, I could definitely relate to the book Mind Gym by Gary Mack. It's considered "An athlete's guide to inner excellence." Mind Gym is somewhat of an inspirational and sports pyschology focused book. Gary Mack is a noted sports psychologists that shares lessons and techniques for athletes to build their mental "muscle." It was helpful to have words from such a highly recognized name that gave many experiences from his clients, especially famous athletes. I also really enjoyed how each chapter was short and sweet; it got straight to the point. The book was extremely helpful giving tips concerning mental aspects and was motivational without being too cheesey.
My favorite part of the book was that each chapter began with 2 quotes from 2 famous athletes. One of my favorite quotes was "You have to train your mind like you train your body," from Bruce Jenner (I'm also kind of obsessed with the Kardashians so of course I'll like anything he says). Most of the time, players focus on doing extra work, lifting extra weight, putting in more hours to build their bodies to be the best. Jenner's point helps athletes to realize that you should train your mind just as much. In swimming, my coach always likes to make tough "challenge" sets that are supposed to tear you down physically but build you up mentally. I love those sets. While I'm killing my body, I know I'm still growing stronger and gaining confidence because I am able to say I got through it.
There's another quote that caught my eye by Knute Rockne, and he said, "Build your weaknesses until they become your strengths." This is such a great quote to say to a swimmer, and my coach would agree. He's always stopping us during practice to remind us of the silly errors we all make that affect our swimming so we can correct it. This may include breathing out of a turn, no streamline, breathing too much and so on. The more he reminds us and the more we work on those weaknesses, obviously that better we will be. For me, I have a tough time breathing out of my turn (this means as soon and I flip turn and take another stroke, I breathe right away.) Taking this breath breaks your streamline sooner and can therefore slows you down, so it's best to just hold your breath. One of the goals I have set for myself this season is to work every day to hold my breath for that much longer after each turn until it becomes natural and I'm actually good at it.
I would highly suggest this book to any athlete that wants to grow. Reading this book came at a perfect time for me since swimming has just started again and you always to that extra push to get you motivated for a great season. My coach is pretty pumped I chose to read this as well.

Dear Mr. Hill...

BTW since I joined your class a week and a half late, you said it was alright to only make a "Friday" and "Currently" post for the first week. That's why I only have 4 book response blogs so far :)

Currently

I had a great week of reading!! I finished 2 books I had started (Palo Alto Stories and Blink) and now I'm booking through my new book (Mind Gym), haha get it?

Page Count This Week: 177+100+100=377
Semester Total: 599

3 Favorite Sentences:
"Nothing stands between us and success but our will to win -Mia Hamm"
"The good news is that attitudes can be unlearned and changed."
"Goal setting is a way of bringing the future into the present so you can take action now."

I chose these quotes because I'm that sappy person who loves motivational quotes and such. That's why I'm in love with the book Mind Gym. Each chapter starts with 2 inspirational quotes from famous athletes, that's my favorite part of the book.

Blink

During the summer, I met with a career coach you could say, and he helped me to try to decide on some future career options by taking multiple personality and interest tests. We came to the conclusion to explore the option of psychology. He encouraged me to read Blink and Mind Gym. So during my vacation in Florida I was able to get through half of my book, however the busyness of summer caught up to me and I couldn't finish my book :( Since practically no one came to the pool today I got to finish my book!! It was so interesting. Under the title of the front, it says, "The Power of Thinking Without Thinking." And that was exactly what it was about, intuitive thinking, first impressions, snap decisions and so forth.
The author really did his recent and presents numerous psychological experiments, their results, and what those mean. One fascinating research I read about was the Coke vs. Pepsi challenge. The Coke company was frustrated and concerned that their competitor Pepsi were starting to make more business. Researchers completed blind tests (Coke vs Pepsi) on thousands of tasters. The problem researchers found why they were losing the contest was due to only having a sip test. The sweet taste of Pepsi often satisfied more drinkers with one sip, but during an at home and full can survey, Coke won. Therefore Coke scientists worked to create a sweeter and smoother version of Coke called New Coke. However, New Coke sales was a disaster and the company soon switched back to Classic Coke. The research and story of New Coke showed a good illustration of how hard it is to find out with people really think.
In early chapters, the author talked a lot about first impressions and presumptions. There was one study that showed that when black students were asked to identity their race before completing a test, they scored significantly lower than other black students who weren't asked this question before. The interviewed afterwards, the lower scoring students said that this question but the stereotype of "uneducated" in their head and they didn't feel the need to try or impress anyone. There are lots of controversial studies and research about people and their reactions and behaviors towards others. Blink was not a typical book with a plot, instead it was basically composed of research and interesting stories about non-cognitive thinking. I'm glad a got to read such a non-traditional book that actually made me think.

Can You Get It?

There's a riddle in Blink that sadly stumped me at first. Can you get it?
"A father and his son were in a car accident. The father died. The son was taken to the hospital. The doctor came in and said: I can't do surgery on him, because he's my son. Who was the doctor?" 

Palo Alto

It's crazy how much time I've had to read this weekend. I managed to finish my book by James Franco called Palo Alto Stories in one day. I liked how the book was a collection of different teenagers stories, although most are pretty inappropriate to discuss. In general, most of the teens were struggling with drugs, alcohol, and sexual abuse. It's a pretty intense book with lots of strong feelings, including hatred, jealousy, and lust. In the first chapter, a character describes a drunken night he had a long time ago when he accidentally ran over a woman with his car and abandoned her. Most of the experiences these kids went to (some were even in 7th grade) were disturbing and shocking. It's crazy the amount of trouble and bad choices they all made. I really loved the style of the book and how raw it was, but I would Franco could have focused a little more about positive events in their lives. Although I think that was his intent in writing such a powerful book. Franco wants readers to realize the roughness teens can go through. Maybe he wanted to reach out to troubled teens to let them know they aren't alone, and to make the lucky ones aware of disturbing circumstances that exist. Palo Alto was one of the most interesting and in the raw stories I have read and I think that's why I couldn't put it down all day.
The picture above is the beautiful portrait of James Franco I got to look at every time I opened my book, how lucky am I?

Currently

Pages Read This Week:100+19
Semester: 222

I finished reading Franny and Zooey, and now I'm starting to read Palo Alto Stories by James Franco.
Overall Franny and Zooey was pretty interesting, I liked how odd the Glass family was and their awkward and tense interactions. I wish the book would have moved a little faster.

My favorite sentences this week are as follows:
1."Then, on a sudden but apparently pressing impluse, he stretched out supine on the carpet."
I like this because it has a vocab word from last week in it; it's kind of cool to see the words we learn being used.

2. "His apology had been genuine, and Mrs. Glass knew it, but evidently she couldn't resist taking advantage of it, perhaps because of its rarity."
This sentence shows just how stubborn and rude Zooey can be, especially towards his family.

3. "...So I'm really good in math class, but I don't announce it because I'm a girl."
This quote is from my new book, Palo Alto Stories, and it shares how teenagers in this tough area felt they had to fit a certain stereotype or behave a certain way.

Week 2 Blog Tour

In class today, I visited these blogs...Amanda, I Need a Nap?, Running in Cirlces, j_Parker, E-dubs, The Chief, Blogs with Friends, Outspkoen Silence, Squrrielmonkey, and Purple Moments. All varying and creative!