Same Love: Macklemore

As I read and analysed the song lyrics of "Same Love", written and sang by Macklemore, is a song about same sex marriage and stereotypes. He starts off the song explaining that in the third grade he thought he was gay. He talks about how our society abuses the word "gay". He says, "Have you read the YouTube comments lately."Man, that’s gay" gets dropped on the daily". The word gay is being used for hate, and thats not what it should be used for. He wants people to know that it is okay to be yourslef and there is no difference between being gay or straight because a person is a person and everyone should be treated the same. He wants people to know that he supports same sex marriage, with one of the lines saying, "No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it".

Today, words that assosiate with same sex marriage are being used to make jokes or say it because because they can. Why is words like gay being associated with bad things? Being gay is not a bad thing, like Macklemore says. People are who they are and society should not bring them down. Macklemore wants us to realize the harm the word can do and he wants us to fight until there is freedom by law. He also wants us to know what it can cause. In his song, he sings, "A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are". People are willing to kill themselves because of what our world has come to in terms of same-sex relationships. Bascially, this song wants to show awareness of same sex relationships. He also explains how passing a law won't change evrything, "And a certificate on paper isn’t gonna solve it all". Although gay marriage was passed, people are still going to fight against it.

It is important for people to stay true to themselves because ultimately, you cannot change who you are and how you feel about certain things. Even if there is controversy about it, there is no reason to stop loving someone just because some one else disagrees on the idea. Mackelmore writes, "Live on and be yourself". I think he mean that keep going in life and don't change who you are because your decision is yours not somebody elses. He says, "Underneath it’s all the same love". This line stood out to me because it really sums up the song. He wants us to know that after all the fighting and contoversy, that love is love and you can love anybody. The ones fighting against it should not be against it because who are they to tell somebody they cannot love.

Although this topic is not relateable to a lot of people, it is an important message to keep in mind. I know some people who are in same-sex relationships and when I see words like "gay" being used for jokes and in daily comments from teenagers, it makes me annoyed to think people would use that word negatively. It should not be associated with the bad. I wonder how people in those relationships feel when they are constantly discriminated by some people of our society.  Macklemore wants us to know, feel, and think that same sex relationships are acceptable, and at the end, it is the "Same Love".

Body Image: a sensitive topic

I recently read an article on NY Times called "BODY AND IMAGE; How to Talk to Teenage Girls about Weight? Very Carefully." This article is mostly about how the topic of weight affects teenage girls (and boys.) Many girls, as they enter and go through their teenage years, are finding ways to become the perfect weight. They are dieting, fasting, or smoking cigarettes to lose weight. Some girls are going the extreme way and taking diet pills, and throwing up anything in their system. But when it comes up to talking about the topic, girls can be very sensitive about it. Parents are trying to bring up the subject in the kindest way, but the reactions can be negative. This article gives some ideas about how to bring up the topic in a polite way without having the teen storm off. So how are you supposed to address a self-conscious teen?

I think the author, Erica Goode, answers this question in a lot of ways. She uses tips on how to talk to the teen politely and addressing the problem without them storming off into their room. One thing that parents have to realize is that the way that they think of themselves can affect the way a teenage girl or boy will judge themself. For example if a mother tries on a dress and says, "Ugh, I look so fat, I need to go on a diet", then the daughter might try on a dress and say, "We, I need to go on a diet, I look terrible in this dress." Also instead of a mother or father just straight out telling their child that they are overweight, they could simply offer them a healthier choice to eat or drink. I think the author wants us to realize that weight is a touchy subject and cannot just be brought up in any way or anytime because teenagers will react, and most likely they will not be willing to easily talk about it. Erica Goode wants us to feel knowledgeable about the topic, and make us realize how teenagers feel when they are going through rough times (losing weight.)

I agree that weight and weight loss is a very sensitive subject. Although I feel like that, I think it is necessary for teenagers to talk about the problem. Some people are very self-conscious about their weight and will do anything to lose a couple of pounds. I think that if some girls are willing to do extreme things, they should be able to have a conversation about it with their parents. I agree with Erica Goode, when she explains that there are certain ways to bring up body image and weight loss. I know that the topic can be sensitive because sometimes I get annoyed when people bring up my body weight. A lot of people say I am too skinny and hearing that over and over can be annoying, even if I'm not dealing with dieting. So many teenagers around the world have to deal with the subject of weight and body image. It is a topic that people take seriously, so it should be addressed the right way.

Criminals as teenagers: Deserves a second chance?

The article "Lifers as Teenagers, Now Seeking Second Chance" from the NY Times is about a 14 year old girl who planned to murder 4 people, and killed 2. Now, court is deciding whether she deserves a second chance or not. According to NY Times there are 73 Americans that are now serving time for a crime they commited at the age 13 or 14. Some people believe that they were young, and did not have a conscience. But others believe that they knew what they were doing, and they made the wrong decision, therefore they have to do the time. Do teen criminals deserve a second chance?

I believe that they do not deserve a second chance. It was their choice to do the bad things they did. They deserve the punishment. I think that by the age 13 or 14 you are old enough to understand what it means to commit such crimes. It's not like they are 5 years old and they accidently shot their victim. No, they planned to do it. I feel like anybody that put someone's life at risk, or hurt/killed them does not deserve a second chance at being free. Although some people might learn their lesson during their time, I still think that crimes are unforgivable. You cannot escape from something you caused, whether it was as a child or as an adult, you still caused damage to someone or something.

Some teens might commit a crime because of peer pressure, or the feeling of power, but really, where you are going to end up, it in jail. And once you are in there, there is no going back and erasing what you did. I feel like in our society, teens feel like they can do what ever they want and then they decide one day that they are going to go and do crimes. In the past couple of years, there have been about 2 fairly big shootings by teenagers. As much as this has to do with kids and thier decisions it also has to do with our security, but that is a whole nother topic.

I think that if you do the crime, you do the time, no matter what age it was commited. I do not believe that teen criminals should get a second chance because they ruined their lives for themselves.

Princess In the Spotlight: Spoiler Alert-ish...

I recently began reading the second book in The Princess Diaries series, called Princess in the Spotlight. The title of the book pretty much explains the situation the main character, Mia, is going through. Like the beginning of the first book, nothing in Mia's life seems to be going smoothly. When Mia finds out her mother is marrying, and even worse, having a baby with her math teacher, she struggles to keep it a secret. But some things in life are not as bad as she thought. Mia has a secret admirer, and is trying to figure out who that could be. I think it is important for Mia to look on the posative side of things to take her mind off of the negative things.

For example, Mr.G, her Algebra teacher, is moving in with her. She believes this is probably the most embarrassing, horrifying, worst thing that can happen. What can be worse than randomly finding out that your Mom and Algebra teacher are pregnant, moving in together, and will be married soon. When I first read this, I thought about how horrible Mia's life is. But later I realized, hey, maybe Mr. G will raise her grade, and help her with work. Maybe he won't be as hard on her and maybe, he won't be such a bad stepfather/algebra teacher. Mia has a way of turning posative things into negative things, and if she keeps doing that, she is going to get herself into some trouble.

I think I have a similar problem to Mia. I worry a lot, and I also think of negative things instead of realizing how they can benefit me. As a runner, I sometimes race with older people, like ninth graders. Recently at Nationals, I remember going through the list of girls and seeing how a lot of them were in the ninth grade. Of course, the first thing that comes to my head is "thats not fair, they are a whole year older. They have a full year of more training." But really I could say how they could make me run faster, and be stronger. I realized how they can help me throughout the race. Mia needs to realize that some things are benefitting her, and making her life a ton easier.

Anothing thing that Mia is thinking too negativitley about is being a princess. Mia finds it totally unreasonable and terrible that she is the princess of Genovia. She thinks that her life is ruined. She will never just be a normal girl again, and she won't be a normal teenager, and do  normal teenage stuff without having a bodyguard following her every step she makes. I think there are some posative parts to being a princess. Mia already has her future picked out. Although it may not be the one she wanted, she still doesn't have to worry about what she has to do in the future. Also, maybe after Mia learns how princesses act, it might be a little fun. I think it is imortant for Mia to turn negative things in life into posative things.

Princess Diaries: Theme of Book--Spoiler Alert!

I recently finished reading the book Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Towards the end of the book, I picked up  on the theme of the book. I learned that things aren't always the way they seem. In the end of the book the main character Mia finds out that the most popuar, most handsomist, most amazing "love of her life" Josh Richter, turns out to be the complete opposite of what she ever wished for. She found out he was only using her for the fame. Mia realized maybe she isn't made for Josh Richter, and he isn't the perfect boy like she thought.

Realizing Josh Richter was not like what he seemed like was good for Mia. She was able to see the real Josh under the perfect face. If Mia never noticed how rude and self-centered Josh was, she maybe would have stayed with him longer, and she would never know that Josh did not actually love her for her. This kind of remindes me of when people say "things happen for a reason." It remindes me of that because it was good that Josh was showing off to the public about their relationship for the publicity. It also benefited her because it saved her from later humiliation, if she realized later, or if something happened.

There have been times in peoples lives where they might have learned the same message. I know that plenty of times I have looked at people and from what I have heard from rumors, I autimatically think one way about them. But as I got to know people, I have realized that they are not the person I thought. People who I thought were stuck up girls, ended up being nice, funny girls and great friends. But also on the other hand, I always think people are nice, and outgoing, and they end up being mean, and not the person they seem to be. I think people should get to know the person more before they think they can have any sort of relationship with them.

Another example of things not always being what they seem, is Mia's grandmother. To Mia, Gradmere is annoying, mean, rude and unloving. But at the end, Grandmere is loving towards Mia and shows her that she is a very caring Grandmother, that supports Mia's ways. In these examples, they show that people are not the way they seem and they are different when you get to know them.

The Lorax Mentor Text

In class, we read the book The Lorax by Doctor Seuss as a mentor text for our picture book unit. What I want to talk sbout is the messages from this book. As a group, we gathered many messages from this book, such as being greedy can be harmful, never give up, and the message that i made myself was once you make a big decision, you can never go back. This book is about a creature called onceler that sort of took over and cut down all the truffalo trees in this fantasy world of Doctor Seuss's book. In the fantasy world, the onceler uses all the trufflao trees to make his new product called thneeds. He makes a big decision to get rid off all the truffalo trees, which causes global warming, to create a new company. Not only do I find this greedy, I find it a big mistake.

I believe the message of the this story is that once you make a big decision, you can never go back because he made the decision to cut down all the trees, andhave a mass production of thneeds. Instead he could of left the world a bright colorful place with the truffalo trees. At the end, he felt regretful and sad when all the trees were gone, and he couldn't go any further with his company. It also shows how greedy he was to take away all these trees.

I think Doctor Seuss shares this message with little kids in a great message. Although little kids may only think of the message in terms of that certain situation, it also applies for other people in life. Some people have made some decisions in life, and later on regreted it. People also do not realize that their decisions in life, or maybe their greediness may also affect other people, like the oncelers decision. If you think back, what would happen if the onceler decided to not cut down the trees, and maybe if he realized the destruction he caused, he wouldn't have done it. To connect the two messages between messages and greediness, some people make greedy decision, and regret it later on, not realizing the effect it had on them. The oncelor made a greedy decision that effects others.

I have never made a big greedy decision that effected others, besides eating the whole pack of cookies, and not leaving any cookies for anyone else, but I don't think that counts. But what I am mostly trying to say is that not that I ate the whole pack of cookies, I can't go back, and not eat all the cookies, because I aleady ate them.  Comparing that to The Lorax , the onceler cannot go back and keep all the trees, because he already made his decision and cut them down. I believe Doctor Seuss has a great way of showing a very large meaningful message through small, childish ways.

The Princess Diaries

What kinds of things are preventing your protagonist from getting to the resolution? Why? Do you think conflict has an impact on emotions? How?

The book Meg Cabot is so far about a young, clumsy, nerdy girl who is shocked to find out that she is the princess of Genovia. Her name is Mia. Mia seems to hate the idea of being a princess because she is pretty much the opposite of a princess. She cannot dress like a princess, walk like one, wave like one, and she does not look like one. She is attempting to balance out being the Princess of Genovia with school, and her friends, and her difficult grandmother.

I think the main thing that is preventing Mia from getting to the resolution is her best friend Lilly. Lilly does not know that Mia is a princess yet, and I do not think that Mia is planning on telling her anytime soon. I also think she is scared to go to school dressed like a princess becasue people do not know her as a princess, they think of her more as an outcast. I think the main reason why she does not want to be a princess is because she does not want Lilly to find out. The whole process of changing into a different person is greatly affecting Mia emotionally. She says she wants to be plain old Mia, not the Princess of Genovia. Another thing that is preventing Mia from wanting to be a princess is the fact that she has to move with her dad and grandmother to Genovia, and leave her mother and her best friend. She does not like her grandmother either, so she hates spending time with her.

The conflict definitely has a great impact on Mia's emotions. She has been stressed, and sort of depressed becuase she knows there is no way for her to get out of the situation she is in. She is most likely super overwhelmed. I know I would be overwhelmed if my father just told me one night that I was a princess. Most of all, she is in shock. I still think she is trying to understand everything that is happenning in her life. Her mom is dating one of her teachers. Her dad is the Prince of Genovia, adn her grandmother is the Queen of Genovia. Her best friend doesn't know she's a princess, and she is moving to Genovia. Her life is pretty complicated. She is also furious that her parents hid such a big secret from her for so long.

There have been times in my life where I felt like nothing was going right, or too many thing were happening at once. Like this past couple of months have been hectic. Balancing highschool open houses, and insterviews, running, nationals, homework, family, friends. Everything seems to be difficult, and overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like hiding in a hole far, far away and wait until life slows down. While I read this book I wonder what it must feel like to be a Princess, and how easy our life is compared to theirs.