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I enjoyed writing these blogs although I will admit that I did many at the last minute. It is nice to have because it is an account of my life at one point. I had a chance to vent about the stupid, obnoxious people at St. John's and it made me feel a lot better. It was a place where I could release my anger and stress and I'm thankful for that. It is also therapeutic to have something to write in.

Teen Wolf

Teen Wolf is a fun movie for people of all ages. Michael J.Fox plays a young boy in highschool that turns into a werewolf. As himself to others he is a nobody, but everyone loves the wolf. The wolf is excellent at basketball and good with the ladies. This movie is very funny and I would recommend it to anyone who is in need of a good laugh. The script or acting isn't anything fantastic but it is a movie for people of all ages and there any many of those left.

The Boston Red Sox

I have a genuine hate for the Boston Red Sox. The fact that they have won the World Series two times in a row really gets under my skin. I still remember the playoffs, when it was the Red Sox playing the Yankees. When Pedro threw Don Zimmer on the ground, at the time a 73 YEAR OLD MAN, I was mortified. You truly have to be a piece of garbage to do something like that. The team also started a bunch of fights and conducted themselves like barbarians. They never shave and look like trash most of the time. It truly sickens me that they won the World Series, and next year I'd love it if the Red Sox were up three games and then lost the next four to the Yankees.

Why I Want to be a Teacher

I want to be a teacher because I love children. I do not want them to feel uncomfortable in school like I once did. Children go to school to learn, not to constantly feel nervous and on the spot. I will not be one of those teachers that the children dread but one that they enjoy getting taught by. I will also not let bullying and calling out go on. I feel bullying goes on too often and the teachers don't say anything because they are intimidated themselves. I will also not be a permissive or authoratative, but somewhere in the middle. I can't stand teachers that get sick pleasure out of embarrassing their students and calling on them. They use their power for different purposes that what it is meant for. I had a philosophy teacher IN COLLEGE who loved doing this. These people shouldn't be professors, and I can't wait until I can teacher so I can prove to children that there are good teachers out there.

Fishing Weight

My dad told me a story the other day that fascinated me. He was always very close with his father, and when he died it devastated him. They did everything together, their favorite hobby being fishing. One day when my father was in the basement, he was walking to the bathroom when a fishing weight dropped onto his head. This could not be explained because the fishing weight came out of nowhere. He figured it must be his father sending him a sign that he was watching over him. This story made me feel great because it is a palpable sign that spirits do exist, and are still among us after death.

Strange Occurences and Deaths

I know this might be a little personal, but all of my grandmother's brothers and sisters have died in strange ways. My grandmother grew up in Germany, and had four siblings. Her father was evil and liked to play mindgames with his children. My grandmother has a rabbit, which she loved very dearly. Her father knew this and took the rabbit one day. He asked her if she loved him, and when she replied yes he snapped its neck. He also held his daughter out of the window and threatened to drop her if his wife did not have his dinner on the table in five minutes. When he refused to help the germans during WW2, he was thrown into a concentration camp. My grandmother never heard from him again, but knows he survived because people said they saw him from time to time. Her brothers and sisters also died in strange ways. Two of her sisters were hit by trains, and one of her brothers was in the shed after working one day. He went to drink his milk, but it turned out to be poison and he died. Her other brother was hit by a tractor. I do not see how all of these deaths can be coincedences. They all happened in freaky ways. Even though this story is sort of personal and horrible, at the same time it is interesting.

Ouija Boards

Ouija Boards are boards with the alphabet, numbers 1-10, and the words yes, no and goodbye. This is sold as a boardgame to children as old as seven, but is this really an instrument children should be playing with? I have had a first hand experience with one of these "toys" that turned me away forever. Me and my friend were really bored one day and took the Ouija board into a cemetery. This was really stupid and I will acknowledge how stupid this was. Anyway, we went into the cemetery and sat down among the tombstones. We started asking questions, and at first the board didn't work. When my friend asked the board for a sign that something was there, a tree branch broke. This might sound crazy but this actually happened. We were a little scared but thought this was amazing at the same time. My friend then asked the board if it was good or bad. I thought my friend was moving the triangle but I could feel the force it was moving and I am pretty sure he wasn't! The board answered "my name is fred". It then said "i am evil". I have never ran faster than I have that day. Ever since then I will never pick up a Ouija board again. I truly think it is an instrument of the devil, and can only bring bad fortune.

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice is the true story of a young girl who was pulled into the drug world. It is the actual diary of a girl who was once a good kid involved in her studies until she gets involved with the wrong crowd. This story is so descriptive and horrifying it would drive anyone away from even the idea of using drugs. Towards the end of the book she doesn't even know what day it is and can think only about drugs. "After you've had it, there isn't even life without drugs..." This is a direct quote said by Alice after doing every drug possible. This book shows you how far people will go for drugs and what they will do to get them. This is definitely a good book to read to enter the mind of someone enslaved to addiction.

Christmas!

When I hear Christmas I think of many things. I actually like the Christmas season better than the actual day. I love decorating my house and cooking before hand. On Christmas Eve, we all go to my father's mother's house. All of my cousins are usually there, and we eat fish and open our presents. After that we go to midnight mass. Even though this might sound immature, I love going to mass so late at night. After mass, we all go back to the house and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I love spending time with my family because we don't get to do it enough. On Christmas day we all go to my aunt's house on my mom's side. We basically do the same thing we do at the grandmas, except with different people. This day is also extremely fun. The day after is horrible though. I hate waking up and realizing that it's all over, but it is worth it for the fun I have.

The Lovely Bones

I would definitely recommend everyone to read the novel "Lovely Bones". This book is about a young girl who is brutally murdered by the hands of one of her neighbors. The book shows the effect it has on her family and the gut feeling her father has about who killed his daughter. The young girl is telling her story from heaven and watching down on her family and her killer. The girl talks light heartedly about her death, rather than having such a negative view. I couldn't put this book down. It held my attention the whole time because it was such a unique story and written well. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fantastic story!

My Favorite Movies

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
All the Rocky movies
The Lion King
Good Will Hunting
The Karate Kid Movies
Teen Wolf
Braveheart
Gladiator
Cinderella Man
Dirty Harry
Million Dollar Baby
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is about a young hobbit named Frodo who goes on a year and a half quest to destroy the one ring. This movie is stretched out into three movies, and is done beautifully. It is very well made and took four long years to make all three movies. Even though these movies are extremely long being three hours each, it is worth it to watch. Not only are the graphics beautiful, but so are the costumes. Each costume was hand crafted, and even the insides of the costumes were hand crafted so the actors felt like they were really the character. Since the movie was shot in New Zealand, the scenery is beautiful. The actors were also amazing in this movie. I would definitely suggest buying this movie and watching it if you haven't seen it already.

Rocky Balboa

A film review by Joseph Orisino, my brother, on the movie Rocky Balboa

First, let me start out by saying I consider the original Rocky to be one of the finest american films of all time. Although Rocky 2 & 3 are really good movies, they don't come close to the first film. I also like Rocky 4, because even though the premise is awful, the execution is fun. However, after watching Rocky 5 I became horribly disturbed at how truly awful it was, and I wondered how something so good could become so bad. When I found out Stallone was making another Rocky film, 16 years after the atrocity of Rocky 5, I couldn't help but cringe. Now, after having seen Rocky Balboa, I can say with absolute certainty that the film is an absolutely fantastic and appropriate sendoff to the Rocky Saga. THIS FILM IS WHAT ROCKY 5 SHOULD HAVE BEEN. Rocky is now retired and owns a restaurant named for his beloved wife Adrian, who passed away from cancer. Adrian's death has taken a lot out of the former champ, played gracefully by an aging Sylvester Stallone, who shows acting chops we haven't seen since the 1976 original. After seeing a computer simulated boxing fight on ESPN, Rocky's spirit is stirred and he considers a return to the ring. The computer simulation showcases a boxing match between Rocky (in his prime) and the current champion, Mason "The Line" Dixon. At the end of the fight, Rocky comes out on top. Even though he has not been in the ring in years, Rocky starts to believe he still has "some stuff left in the basement," and decides to start fighting again. The boxing simulation, which causes a publicity explosion, gets Dixon's camp talking. Dixon's promoters convince him to fight Rocky in an exhibition match. Complete with a training montage, the film brought back those same chills that I got when watching the original. Originally I thought that Stallone was making this film for the money. That may be true, but he did it with respect to the art of storytelling. Considering Stallone hasn't directed a major film since 1985's Rocky IV, the story of the film is executed remarkably well. Stallone brings back supporting characters we all know (Rocky Jr., his brother-in-law Paulie, Spider Rico) and makes the audience feel like they are visiting old friends. Fans of the Rocky films will spot many references to the other films of the saga, now two decades old. Instead of beating us over the head with corny revenge-driven plot lines and killing off characters for the hell of it, he recovers the original film's charm and, most importantly, its heart. I haven't heard cheering and clapping like I heard watching Rocky Balboa in a long time. If you were listening from outside the theater, you would have thought that the fight was going on live. In the lobby I didn't hear one gripe about the film, which is a damn rare thing these days. While I walked out of the theater I noticed that I couldn't stop smiling. The tagline for the film says it all: It ain't over 'til it's over.

I completely agree with my brother's analysis of the film. The reason why I used his critique is because I could not have written a better one myself. I am extremely happy that this movie was made because it was a good ending to the saga. Rocky 5 did not do the movies justice, and this one certainly did.

Movie Summaries and Reviews

Since I enjoy movies so much, I figured I would write about my favorites, giving a summary about each and telling what each means to me. I feel movies are a great way to escape from your life. You can forget about your troubles and get immersed in the "life" of another. Movies are also extremely entertaining and informative. Movies take up a big part of my life which is why I decided to write about this topic. For example, the movie American History X really opens your eyes to racism and how useless it is. Since the movie is so extreme it really gets the point across. Now when I say I will be writing about movies, I do not mean crappy ones such as the ones made today, for example movies like Hostile and the Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift. These movies are jokes and complete crap. These movies shouldn't even be on the big screen, but they make these movies cause they know that idiots will go and see them. I will be writing about the good movies. You may say what makes a movie good? Isn't that a matter of opinion? The answer is yes and no. When watching a movie, you have to know what to look for. Character driven plots are what make a good movie, not gore and violence. Movies that you can relate to are also ones to look out for, not ones where everything turns out perfect in the end. Since I enjoy writing about movies so much, this will be the topic of my upcoming blogs.

Time Flies By...

It is practically December, and I have no idea where the time went. I remember the first day of school freshmen year, and now the first half of sophmore year is already over. This semester has been very hectic for me. With 18 credits, I feel like I am overwhelmed with work. Since working at my job and taking care of the house takes up most of my time, I feel like I hardly have anytime for what should be my first priority, SCHOOL. I have found life to be extremely stressful lately. I am not even looking forward to Christmas break because I know I'll have just as much if not more to do then. I am just waiting for that time when I can enjoy being a kid without everything I have to worry about.

In the Dark of Night on Halloween!

Halloween is one of the scariest days of the year, and also one of the best. I love Halloween because it allows you to dress up as anything you want and become that for the day. I also love the Halloween season. Watching scary movies, picking out your outfit, putting up decorations, and pumpkin picking adds to the hype and excitement of the day to come. I also love Halloween because each year my whole family goes pumpkin picking. It is a lot of fun because we usually go to a big pumpkin patch, and there are usually a bunch of old, rotten pumpkins. We throw and kick the pumpkins at eachother and become a big mess. Although this sounds immature, it is a lot of fun. I like watching the adults act like children for once. After pumpkin picking, we go to my Aunt's house and carve out the pumpkins. I usually watch scary movies around Halloween too. Some of my favorite Halloween movies are "The Exorcist", "Misery", "Casper", or basically anything that is scary. I also like to watch the Charlie Brown special every year. This Halloween was fun, even though I didn't get much candy. I can't wait until next Halloween!

USELESS MATERIAL

I've had enough of useless classes and assignments given to us at St. Johns. People can say all they want that " THESE CLASSES WILL HELP YOU DOWN THE ROAD IN SOME SORT OF WAY!" "THESE CLASSES ARE TO MAKE EACH PERSON WELL ROUNDED". Do not listen. These classes do nothing. Depending on how we do in these classes dictates our future. That is pretty sad. Sure, doing your work and getting good grades shows that you invested the time into something and showed dedication, but look at what your time is getting invested in. Learning how to calculate the exact side of a triangle, real useful. We should have classes on things that are actually needed, such as on kindness or manners. It sounds stupid, but is needed.

The Nature of Memory and Memoirs

After reading "Researching your Own Life", I have come to many conclusions about what reflecting on your memories and memoirs means. Memories are events stored in your brain. You can go back or retrieve these memories at anytime you'd like. Since memories are your opinion, doing research can make your memories more tangible and more complex. Memory also ties into writing a memoir. Since memoirs are writting solely from reliving and revising past experiences, going back to specific memories can help you to do this. Writing a memoir is a process of researching one's own life, or thinking over past events. It does not involve just thinking and recording, but also revising past events, whether it be adding or omitting certain material, "because to see the past anew is often to view it, even at a great distance, more clearly". You must do extensive research into yourself to discover or change facts, theories, or opinions. The story states that "many of the best memoirs demanded that the writers engage in the wonderfully tedious necessities of research". This involves looking for evidence to confirm your opinion and expand your past experiences. Writing a memoir is like reliving past events, where it does not just explain the past, but also presents a chance to stimulate your memory of the past. Research can expand a story and bring out many new details not yet discovered.

Midget in Circus Gets Eaten By Hippo

Hippo Eats Dwarf

A HIPPOPOTAMUS has swallowed a dwarf in a circus accident in northern Thailand. "A dwarf, nicknamed Od, died when he bounced sideways from a trampoline and was swallowed by a yawning hippopotamus, which was waiting to appear in the next act", the Pattaya Mail reported. "Vets on the scene said Hilda the Hippo had a gag reflex had automatically caused her to swallow." The vets said it was the first time the hefty vegetarian had ever eaten a circus performer. "Unfortunately, the 1000-plus spectators continued to applaud wildly until common sense dictated there had been a tragic mistake. "Police said the trampoline had been sent for forensic analysis."

I found this article funny haha.

Stupid People

I am usually an extremely patient and easygoing person. Unfortunately, my patience with today's generation, especially most of the population of Saint John's, is wearing thin. I am not saying that there aren't nice kids at St. John's... there are many nice people who attend this school, but there are a few that truly sicken me. You might say that is a little extreme to say, but I've had it with immature, materialistic, ungrateful people. This is college. If people actually took the time to look out of the mirror maybe they would realize it's time to grow up. I especially cannot believe the number of people who take what they have for granted. Most students here have a family, a home, clothing, a nice car, so what is there to complain about? It always amazes me when people crash the car that daddy bought them and the next day they arrive to school with a brand new car. How about working for what you own instead of having mommy and daddy pay for everything? This generation also lacks respect for people in general. If someone says "thank you", the appropriate answer is "you're welcome", not "mhmm". If you are in a classroom, don't talk back to the teacher. If a "popular" person makes a joke that isn't funny, you don't have to laugh. The main problem these days is people don't know how to be nice anymore. You're no better than anyone else just because you have an expensive car or wear your hat to the side. You're no better than the person next to you just because you wake up at 5am and take four hours to plaster your face on and curl every strand of hair on your head, just to come to CLASS. Mean people are "popular" or "funny" because there is that element of intimidation. No one wants to go against the "popular" people who come to class. They want to be accepted. What these people have to realize are the "popular" people are usually pieces of trash. They are mean spirited people who get enjoyment out of making other's lives a living hell. They are IN COLLEGE and still take the time out to make fun of someone just because of their physical appearance or because they don't have an aggressive personality. SICKENING. I was actually speaking to someone earlier and they told me they were bored. I responded with read a book and the person writes "yeah okay". Since when did reading become such a horrible thing? I guess people are too cool for reading these days. I'm sure they have better things to do with themselves, such as tune in to "My Super Sweet Sixteen", or go tanning. People need to get out of that high school mentality. People need to grow up. I am aware that this blog was extremely negative which in turn almost swayed my decision to write this, but I've had enough.

Why I Write

I have never enjoyed writing. It has never been an easy task for me and I often find myself having major difficulty getting my ideas across. Even though it isn’t always easy writing, there are definitely many benefits to it.
§ I write to express my feelings. Sometimes when things get a little rough, I sit down and take the time to write my feelings down on paper. It releases the emotions and is a great way to calm down and relax my nerves.
§ I write to communicate with people. Writing is sometimes easier than saying something face to face. Writing is also a way to communicate with someone who lives far away or to a person who lives nearby.
§ I write to be in another place. When writing, you can let your imagination go wild. I could be a bird soaring over the ocean. I could also live in another country. If living conditions are bad, it might feel better to write about a better life for yourself.
§ I write to keep events or tasks in order. If you have a number of thing to do one day it is easier to write it all down and have what you need to do right in front of you.
§ I write to remember. If someone has said something to me that touches me or something I’d like to remember, I write it down. If I do not remember the event I can always go back and relive the memory.
§ I write because I have to. You will constantly have to be writing, whether it be in school, the workplace, your home, or at school.
§ I write to remember my goals and plans for the future. I often get distracted, and seeing my goals on paper reminds me what I am in college for and what is really important in life.