7 Habits (#2)

The book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey talks about four basic personality types: the Win-Lose, Lose-Win, Lose-Lose, and Win-Win personalities.

To me, no personality can be into a single, narrow category. People aren't always one way or another. In fact, some people might not even be more of one thing than another.

There are certain situations, preferences and biases, that affect a person's attitude. With some people, they have one attitude, and with others they have another.

I think Mr. Covey was trying to abridge a subject that should have had it's own book into a single chapter. Human attitudes are simply too broad a subject to write a few pages on and then say that those pages have everything there is to know about attitudes and personalities.

Writing this book, Sean Covey seems to have only barely touched on human personalities.

7 Habits (#1)

My English class is reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. While I don't necessarily like the book, some of the things it has talked about have really been applicable to my life.

For instance, "Begin With the End In Mind", the second habit, talks about knowing where you're going before you even get started.

The chapter says that this approach to things can help you get them done faster, more efficiently, and with a better mind-set. I think that that is 100% true.

Sometimes, certain things are harder to do than others. You just don't want to do them and you absolutely can not make yourself get them over with. But when you pause for just a second and think about how you'll feel once you've done whatever it is you need to do, it is suddenly far, far easier to go and accomplish that task.

Also, there is something called a personal mission statement, a motto that states what your life is all about.

To have a personal mission statement is to have laid out the most basic guidelines you want to live by.

I'll be working on my own mission statement, and I'm sure many of my classmates will be as well.

Honestly, people. Whatever happened to good literature?

The things I HATE about the Twilight Saga:

1. That they're called a 'saga'. Why can't it just be called a series? Is it special or something?



2. The 'vampires' aren't even vampires. Call me crazy, but isn't a vampire an evil demon that feeds on human blood, is scared of the Christian cross, burns when exposed to sunlight, and hates the smell of garlic? How is that Edward? He ate pizza. Last time I checked, most pizzas had garlic.



3. Bella. I think Stephanie Meyer decided to make up the weakest minded, most boring, unremarkable character that she could just to see how many people would actually like her. I mean really... the girl is... ridiculous. She's a stereotype MarySue damsel-in-distress. I can't find a single character discrepancy that would make this type of heroine figure even remotely acceptable.



4. The books are sexist. They give the impression that a woman is only important if her man is. The woman is weaker, the woman is always in distress, and the woman is utterly nothing when paralleled by the man.

So, people tell me why these book are appealing to you? Is it the extremely subtle (but very acceptable) eroticism between Edward and Bella? Is the the perfect of Edward's devotion to Bella (or even hers to him)? Is it the fact that some women apparently still like the damsel to be small and helpless, always being rescued by her leading man?

Are these things what have made the series (sorry, saga) so appealing? Have these things gained thousands of followers despite the bad plot line, underdeveloped characters, unintelligent writing, and cheesy, naive romantic notions?

Honestly, I thought the only good characters were Jacob, Jasper. They were the only real ones. They had character flaws, but I had to love them anyway. They were just an arrogant boy with jealousy problems who didn't always know the best course of actions, and a man who loved his woman and had a dark past and evident demons.

Blog Post3: Pres. Letter Summary

When my class was asked to write a letter to the person we thought would be the next president, I wrote to John McCain. Now... I know the senator might not be voted into office. In fact, he probably won't be. But I decided to write to him anyway because he's my candidate, and I'll stand behind him. I want him to be elected, and so will stay optomistic concerning his chances.

I chose to write to (and support) Senator McCain because of several issues. The most important issue I wrote about was abortion. I'm against it. There really is no 'if', 'and', or 'but' to it. A life is a life; a murder is a murder. No more needs to be said.

I wrote to Senator McCain about several subjects I agreed with him on or decisions he made that I liked, but the one thing I spoke of that I really felt passionate about was the issue of abortion. John McCain is against it. I'm for John McCain.

Poem

(Because of boredom and lots of free time...)

I want to die for you,
Just to show how
much I love you.
I want to show you
How I think you deserve
To be alive in this world
With me.
But I'd rather
Live with you
Until we've both withered away.
I would die for you,
But first I'd like
To live for you.

Great Book!

A week or two ago, an author e-mailed me having found this blog and seen that I liked to read fiction. Mr. Andrew Clarke suggested I read his book Outcasts of Skagaray. I messaged my mother to please order this book off of amazon.com. I got it in the mail a few days ago.

I have to say, it's a splendid read. I loved it!

The people on the island of Skagar value strength and prowess in battle above all else. They believe that all things weak and small should be eradicated. It's a gruesome picture that Mr. Clarke paints, but in the middle of it all, young Tarran knows that what he's been taught all his life is very, very wrong. Through certain events, Tarran is forced to make the choice of becoming a respected Skagar warrior, or an Outcast in order to do the right thing. He chooses to leave his family and people to fend for himself.
On the Island of Skagar, there seems to be a bleak hopelessness for the weak, handicapped, or sickly. But through that and the great evil of the Kirkil that hangs over the Island, there comes a glimmer of purity and hope from a boy willing to do what's right, a band of so-called 'weak' Outcasts, and a messenger from the True God.

Andrew Clarke incorporated God into an exciting, gripping story without ever once mentioning God or Jesus. His main character, Tarran, was so very appealing because he was, indeed, an Outcast- so many of us young people can relate to that.
I loved the scenes he set with the evil on the Island completely overtaking those people and twisting their views into something totally opposite from what we think today. He did such a good job of portraying the demonic-ness of the Kirkil. And then he gave the most perfect portrayal of totally drowning him in the will of the One True God.
This book had everything: romance, danger, doubt, faith, suspense, and excitement. And it was all in perfect balance, so that no one thing drowned out the powerful message of the words.
This is definitely a book I recommend to all my friends, or to anyone who just wants a good read with a strong meaning in the words.

SciFi World - Main Conflict Poem

Death of the Amaranth

A world of purple,
Pink, and red.
All was well
And good, they said.
Children laughed
And sang and played.
All was peace
And love those days.
But deadly lies
For centuries lie.
Death comes slowly
To the Sky.
The Amaranth sings
Beneath in ignorant wait.
By the time it knows,
It's far to late.
As darkness spreads,
And flowers die,
The Amaranth learns
To scream and cry.