Hokkaido Mountain Huts- The Rusksack Wanderer

I read a short story about a man's experience in Japan. His name is Tim Patterson and he was staying in Hokkaido with his friend, Ryan. Hokkaido stays freezing, and even in April there is blizzard-like snow. Tim and Ryan find a shelter in between the mountains and stay there for the night. Before they get inside they actually have to dig in the snow to get to the upstairs window.

I believe the point of the story is that the people in Japan are so much different than Americans that it is almost unbelievable. The Japanese in the Hokkaido Mountains actually keep up shelters for travelers because it stays so cold there. Not only do the Japanese keep up these shelters, but they provide unnecessary conveniences for the people that stay in them. There are morels to be learned from the story, and they involve the concept that you should always repay respect and kindness with even more respect and kindness. Tim talks about how the shelters are kept in such good shape, and how it is so important and honorable to leave these shelters in even better shape that they were found in.

The setting contributes to the story because if the weather was not so unbelievably cold then the shelters would not even be needed. If there was not a need for the shelters then there would be no point in the story because Tim would have to find another reason to express what he is trying to say about the Japanese. I believe the whole concept of the story revolves around how thoughtful people can be, and how you would not find shelters randomly spread throughout America during freezing weather.

I believe that travel writing helps to clear away cultural stereotypes because it can disprove believed ideas about cultures that are usually not true. In this case, at this time, many Americans do not respect the Japanese because of the ordeals that happened throughout WWII. However, because of travel writing and this story, people that have no respect for the Japanese can start to see that they ARE wrong, and that the Japanese are very compassionate people. Nothing says that they have to provide shelters for travelers, but they still do. I think the point of the story is to show people that everyone has concerns and that everyone can be generous.

Pangea Day!

The point of Pangea Day relates to the ability to really start to understand what life is like in different parts of the world. Personally, I believe that the idea to start celebrating the day was very good. On Pangea Day people from all over the world basically have an online video conference through videos taken of everyday life. No matter who you are, or where you are from, you don't have to speak the language that the documentary is broad casted in, as most of the actual footage speaks for itself. Everyone understands emotions, and no one should say that someone can not feel something because they have differences in beliefs or lifestyles. Everyone feels love, dislike, desperation, happiness and sadness. Emotions are basically a universal language, and Pangea Day helps people to understand that.

Pangea Day is not NECESSARY, but it helps the world a lot. People should understand that everyone shares something in common and that all people have emotions. If Pangea Day were to become more popular, many more people would watch and contribute to the activities involved in the day. If EVERYONE in the world were able to watch the Pangea Day videos, I believe that a lot of misconceptions and prejudices would be cleared away and forgotten. Many people do not understand where their prejudices even come from, and fail to realize that everyone lives differently. Just because someone is different from other people, they should not be criticized or shunned. Pangea Day represents Global Alliance and friendship. Everyone should be able see the Pangea Day videos, and no one should turn down the opportunity. People that have prejudices against people that are different than themselves are shallow-minded, and something like Pangea Day should help everyone to see that no one is a horrible person just because they are different.

Boxes And Self-Betrayal

Being in the box applies to everyone, even though not everyone is racially prejudiced. Being in the box IS unavoidable, but making the right decision WHILE you are in the box is an option. There are two choices to choose from while in the box, one is the right thing to do and one causes misery. I am far from a racial person and I am faced with thousands of boxes everyday, especially in the school that I attend. I have many different friends that are racially and religiously diverse from myself and others. I face no issues that concern prejudices of any kind, and I always try to be outgoing in situations that I am not comfortable in myself. Not only do my actions educate me more, but they allow other people to follow my examples and start trying to be uncomfortable, too. Humans can not learn if they do not face issues, make mistakes and become uncomfortable with new situations. I love people that are diverse in every single way to me just as much as I would love someone that is extremely similar to me.

If two races are in the box towards one another the right choice to get out of the box would be clear if both of the people really thought about what the actual right thing to do was. Each race's view of reality can become distorted when they mix the actual right thing and the lower comfortable thing to do together into one idea. People tend to lean towards the things that they have been doing all their life and become comfortably accustomed to rather than anything else, even if the other option IS the right thing to do. I was raised to be myself and see people as they are, not as people label or judge them. I would see a Jewish person no differently than I would see a Japanese person. I would see a homosexual person the same way I would see a heterosexual person. I would see an African-American person the same way I would see a Caucasian person. Some people were raised with different ideas about what is right and how things should be seen. That blame falls on the parents and not the children, but as children grow older they should develop their own morals and ideals.

All of the characters in "Crash" were in a box at some point and most of the characters did not choose the right thing to do. All of the characters had choices about what to do, and none of the characters really had reasons to be racist in the first place. Due to the racism in the story, people started facing consequences and being hurt. All of the events that happened related to each other and all of the racism caused those events to take place. If the characters would have evaluated their decisions and the effects that they induced upon other people and their FAMILIES, they would have made the right choice instead of causing pain. All of the tragic events that were caused simply by prejudices could have been avoided with consciences. No one has the right to hurt someone just because they don't like something about them, and as a step further, no one has the right to judge someone and say that they think someone is wrong for the way they live, the things they believe, the ideals they follow and the ways they think. Racism and prejudice IS NOT NECESSARY and neither are RIGHT.

Leadership Qualities- 3-20-08

There are many qualities that I look for in a leader. For example, I look for a leader to have understanding and authority. However, I believe that the most important qualities for a leader to have are maturity, responsibility and respect. In this essay, I will talk about why leaders should have these qualities.

Maturity is an essential quality for a leader for many different reasons. Maturity shows a level of understanding and compliance, I would not follow a leader that was immature. If an immature person tried to lead people they would fail because the couldn't handle the burden.

Responsibility is another required quality for leadership because if people are unable to handle themselves, they will be unable to handle others as well. Irresponsibility is a bad quality for a leader to posses because leadership has many issues that need handling and solving. Responsibility is important to leadership because without responsibility then people would have no accomplishments.

Respect is an important quality for leadership because if people are disrespectful then no one will listen to what they say. If someone respects other people and becomes a leader then they set a good example for other people. Leaders should be respectful because they have to know their place and they have to understand that they are not better than other people. Respect is an essential quality for a leader because if leaders are not respectful then no one will want to be around them.

In conclusion, all leaders should be responsible, mature and respectful. If a leader didn't have all three of these qualities (and some other specific qualities) then I would not follow them. Leaders have to have certain qualities and without them then they are not complete. Anyone that is trying to be a leader should learn about characteristics that are capable of helping leaders before they try to succeed.

Who Would I Like To Talk To?- 3-19-08

There are a few people that I would like to talk to. For example, I would like to talk to Jennifer and Jeryn. However, I would like to talk to Danni more than anyone else. In this essay, I will talk about why I want to talk to Danni.

The first reason that I would like to talk to Danni is that she always listens to me. No matter what my problem is, Danni never turns me away when I need someone to talk to. When I talk to Danni, I know that my voice is heard. I know that Danni hears everything I say when I talk to her because she pays so much attention to me.

The second reason that I would like to talk to Danni is that she understands everything about me. When I tell her that I feel a certain way, I don't have to explain why. Danni knows how my mind works and she understands why I make the decisions that I do. I never feel misunderstood or mistaken when I am talking to Danni.

Another reason that I would like to talk to Danni is that there are times that I would like to learn more about her. I learn something new about Danni everyday, which always makes me feel closer to her. By talking to Danni I can understand her ideas and actions better and i can understand her thought processes. I would like to talk to Danni so I can listen to what she has to say.

In conclusion, there are a few reasons that I would like to talk to Danni. the facts that she listens to me, understands me and allows me to learn more about her make me want to talk to her. i always feel drawn to talk to Danni about everything and I always do. I would like to talk to Danni more than anyone else.

Interesting People- 3-18-08

There are many people that I consider to be interesting. For example, I find my mom's boyfriend and Joe Cool interesting. However, I find Danni Brannon, Jennifer Halmi, and Mr. Doyle more interesting than any of the other people I know. In this essay I will elaborate about why I consider these people interesting.

I find Danni Brannon interesting for many reasons. She is like a sister to me and she will always be my best friend. She has some very strange hobbies and obsessions, such as avoiding snowmen and collecting rubber ducks. Danni has many personalities and she is beyond random. Danni is someone that I can always look up to and count on, and she is one of the most interesting people that I will ever meet.

Another one of the most interesting people that I have had the pleasure to befriend is Jennifer Halmi. Jennifer is a very interesting person to me because we have a lot in common and we share many of the same views. Jennifer is like no one that I have ever met before, and she is one of my best friends. Even though she crucifies purple teddy bears and tackles her cat at random times, Jennifer is one of the most caring and determined people that I know. Jennifer Halmi is by far qualified for the title of "interesting" when it comes to the things that I have thus far learned about her.

Mr. Doyle, my English teacher, Drama Club instructor, and inspiration, is yet another one of the most interesting people that I know. Mr. Doyle is interesting because he is extremely intelligent, very outspoken and he isn't afraid to make a difference in the world. Mr. Doyle doesn't judge people or care what other people think about him and he tries his hardest to be polite to everyone. Mr. Doyle is a very outgoing and loving person, and I look up to him in many ways. Mr. Doyle is interesting because of his morals, personality, intelligence and open-mindedness.

In conclusion, Danni, Jennifer, and Mr. Doyle are the most interesting people in my life. They all effect me in serious and optimistic ways. Danni, Jennifer, and Mr. Doyle should all know how interesting they really are, and they should certainly know how they all affect me, In various ways, from love and care to inspiration, all three of these people are truly interesting to me.

Message to the Future- 3-17-08

If I were given the opportunity to deliver a message for the future, there are a few things that I might say. For example, I might tell the future to avoid pollution and to do what they can to help the Earth. However, the message that I would definitely tell the future would be a reminder to learn from the past. In this essay, I will talk about why I think that it is important for the future to hear my message.

The first reason that I would tell the future not to forget what the past learned involves the fact that if someone were to make a mistake that was made in the past, it might yield the sane results. Our generation has gone through the effects that some very bad decisions caused. If the future was reminded not to follow the paths of the past, things might be better for their generation. There are more reasons than possibly creating a better generation that mine for the message that I would deliver to the future.

Another reason that I would tell the future to learn from the past is that if they encounter problems that seem impossible to resolve, the past might have already solved them. Even though every generation is different, some of the same global problems still exist. If the future pays attention to the things that we are resolving now then it will not be as difficult for them to solve some of their issues. If the future learns from our resolutions then things might be much easier for them.

Yet another reason for the future to hear my warning is that the past can teach many things. The best source of information is that of endurance and experience. Nothing can teach better lessons than things that have already been learned. I hope that one day, I will be able to tell every living person that they should pay attention to the past to discover their future.

In conclusion, I would tell the future to remember and learn from the past, if I got the chance. I believe that the future could benefit from past mistakes because they would learn what to avoid and how to succeed in life. The future would be better off learning from the past to live an easier life and overcome more obstacles.

NEWS!!!!!

The Cure for Exhaustion? More Exercise

Fatigue is a very common health problem that can be a side effect of many illnesses and medications. To the contrary of this statement, about twenty-five percent of the people suffering from fatigue do not have a fatigue-causing illness. Scientists in Georgia decided to experiment on the idea that exercise can help reduce fatigue. After the experiment took place, the scientists came to the conclusion that people using low-intensity exercise had a sixty-five percent drop in feelings of fatigue while people using high-intensity exercise only had a forty-nine percent drop in feelings of fatigue. Exercise may help fatigue because exercise acts directly on the nervous system and that increases energy, however, the cause is not completely clear yet. Scientists believe that exercise is not only healthy for the human body, but it is far better that energy drinks and supplements.

The Alchemist (Pages 1-47)

I believe that the payment that the gypsy woman asks Santiago for could be considered false hope because she does not know if the boy is going to find his treasure or not. The idea that she will get payed is not definite, however she still tells the boy what she thinks he needs to know. The payment that the old man receives is definite because the boy already payed him and the old man knows exactly what the boy is going to do. The boy knows why he payed the man, and he is obviously going to follow his path. The boy might not have followed his path if he was not sure that the information he received was correct, and the old man made the boy trust him by the things he showed him.

There have been a few times that I thought a price was too high to follow a certain ambition or dream that I desired with all of my heart to accomplish. The great thing about dreams is that they give back to you when you give all you have to them. I never give up on my dreams and I understand that no matter how high the price is, dreams are worth it. If there is something that you desire more than anything else, there is no reason not to try to obtain it. If there is something that you say you would do anything for, don't just say that, do it. There have been many times when I thought a certain dream was not worth the trouble that I was putting into it, but now I see that I did do the right thing by not letting my dreams escape me.

One dream that I had when I was younger was to help all animals and flowers be healthy. The sacrifice I made for this dream was my friends. I never spent any time with other people because I was always so busy helping puppies without a mother or flowers with brown leaves. I tried as hard as I could to help every living thing that I came across. I gave up having friends when I was little so I could accomplish this dream. The dream gave back to me because I was rewarded with all the beautiful life around me. I was able to sit and stare at the petals of flowers on a plant, and be fascinated, because I was the one that saved it. As I got older, I was able to manage more things, so not only was I able to help nature, but I gained friends, as well.

No matter what your dream is, there is no price too high. No one should give up on their dreams because they decide not to work for them. Everyone is able to accomplish their dreams some way or another. The only tricky part of the process is finding ways to accomplish the dreams. People complain because their dreams are so hard to accomplish, but if they are going to complain about the work, then they should not complain that they do not accomplish their dreams.

The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of time when African-American art progressed and expanded. Many people began to listen to, watch and appreciate arts written and preformed by African-Americans. The Harlem Renaissance started after WWI and lasted until the middle of the Great Depression in the 1930s. There were a few main leaders of the Renaissance and they made great impacts on the way African-American arts were seen. Everyone, even Caucasians, began to listen and appreciate African-American arts.

Some of the main leaders of the Harlem Renaissance were Counter Cullen, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James Weldon Johnson, Duke Ellington and Jack Johnson. All of these people changed the way that America saw African-Americans and their creativity in art. Each of the people that lead the Harlem Renaissance was not looking for someone to pity them, but someone to simply listen to them. Each of these people showed things about their emotions and feelings in their literature.

Langston Hughes' poetic works seemed to be designed with support for the African-American race and hope for the race's problems. Other poems of his were somewhat written with sadness and urgency for the African-American race to follow their individual dreams. The work of James Weldon Johnson showed people that no matter who you are, you might worship the same God as someone that you sincerely dislike. He showed people that religion might not have anything to do with race, if he meant to or not. Jack Johnson's work seemed to explain the point that everyone has emotions and anyone can write about then. His work showed that anyone can find a certain thing beautiful and that race, or any other factors, have nothing to do with that.

The leaders of the Renaissance changed the way that American Society saw African-Americans for the better and they would have not been able to do it if they were not united. The leaders of the Renaissance made success available for other African-American artists. The leaders of the Harlem Renaissance began preforming in underground clubs in front of both Caucasians and African-Americans. The few people that enspired all other African-Americans to show their creativity and true feelings really changed the way that African-Americans were seen. If it were not for these people the Harlem Renaissance would have never happened and some things might be different today. Anyone can express themselves some way or the other. The Harlem Renaissance was the event that broke through the wall holding African-American arts back.

A Dream Within a Dream:: Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet if hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it therefore the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of the golden sand

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep - while I weep!

O God! can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?

Politics. Ick. =(

So the assignment is to write about how I group myself between Liberals and Conservatives. Honestly, I didn't know any specific details about the two affiliations before today, and I am neither. Out of ten different issues, I was with the Conservative side for five and I was with the Liberals side for the other five. This is why I hate groups. I am neither Conservative or Liberal. I could be considered a little bit of both, but I don't want to be a part of either.

Conservationists apparently believe that abortion is wrong. In general, after weeks of research, I came to my personal conclusion that abortion is wrong, too. Liberals apparently think that abortion is fine, and should be supported. Conservationists apparently think that the death penalty is great. After watching videos and researching the death penalty a little bit myself, I believe that it is hypocritical and pointless. Liberals apparently think that the death penalty is wrong, so I side with them there.

Conservatives are supposedly aiming for a healthy environment and a clean world. I agree with them on this issue. I also agree with Conservatives on the issue of immigration. They apparently support LEGAL immigration, but do not support people that immigrate illegally. Conservatives apparently believe that taxes should stay at the rate they are and I agree with that. Anyone of age can get a job, unless disabled, which there are help programs for. The last thing that I agree with Conservatives on is there opinion on welfare issues. Conservatives apparently think that long-term welfare is unnecessary. I agree.

This is not all that I feel on the issue but I don't have access to a computer at home, so this will have to do until I get a chance to finish. All in all, I am independent. Not Conservative. Not Liberal. I am Heather and I believe what I think is right.

My Views on African Apartheid

The South African Apartheid reminds me of America before the Civil Rights Movement because of the segregation. There were many things that Colored people were unable to do in America that the South Africans were also unable to do. There were certain spots and businesses designated for a certain race only and if the colored people were to violate those designations they would be punished. The laws that were in place in South America were just in-human, as were the laws that were in place in America.

I think that segregation occurs naturally, but if the people doing it would have thought about what it causes and prevents they wouldn't do it. To be a good person and not segregate or abuse you must have a conscience, but some people obviously think they are too good for that. The South African Apartheid relates to America in the segregated state because the same type of people caused both of these events and unjust things to happen. Some people who thought they were better than everyone else decided to take action and show how they felt. Not only do I think that it is wrong for anyone to consider themselves better than another person, but I know that it is wrong to treat people the way that these people were treated during these times.

No one should be neglected, mistreated or abused. In every way possible, every person that was not Caucasian was treated horribly. This should have never happened and every part of me hopes that it never will again. Yes, people did these things in the past, but people have to stop living the past and the future and start living the present. Segregation will never be over because a lot of people still live in the past, and we have to get over that and become a global generation. We have to cooperate with every person on Earth.

My NEW old Self (again). =)

My New Year's resolution is to become my old self all over again. Over the past year and a half I let my life change course and I gave up most of the things I loved about life. It was a very stupid thing to let happen because I so easily could have stopped it. I was just afraid to. I wouldn't take the stand for myself that I needed to keep being who I really am. I let someone change me and finally I got sick of it. Now I am determined to become myself again.

Before I changed I was not only a very talkative and loving person, but I had about ten personalities. Slowly, but surely, I see everything about my old self starting to come back alive. Some things, like being a tree-hugger, stuck through the bad changes with me. I used to have a lot of friends, and I became very anti-social, but now I am getting all of my friends back without even trying and I absolutely love it.

I am becoming my old self again. I will let nobody stand in my way and if they try then I will stop being their friend. I am becoming more confident and talkative every day now. I surprised myself when I realized how I let one small thing corrupt me like it did. All in all I accept the fact that it is my fault and I understand that I HAVE to fix that. I will be any one's friend as long as they have qualities that I can trust and be sure of. I am becoming my old self all over again and the process is quite amusing.

Another New Year's Resolution for me is to become more collected and open-minded. I am growing up and I will allow my mind to go with me. I am organizing my brain and I highly encourage it for other people. These are my New Year's resolutions and I am going to accomplish them. I am who I want to be and no one will change that again.