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<channel>
	<title>Life could always be worse.....</title>
	<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org</link>
	<description>.........It could always be worse....</description>
	<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2008 14:30:34 +0000</pubDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.5</generator>
	<language>en</language>
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		<title>A letter to Review the Year</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/28/a-letter-to-review-the-year/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/28/a-letter-to-review-the-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2008 14:30:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/28/a-letter-to-review-the-year/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dear Mr. Sheehy,
This has been my favorite English class, the friendly atmosohere, the caring people&#8230;..man I sound like a commercial for some cafe or something&#8230;*snickers*&#8230;..but anyway seriously I&#8217;ve enjoyed this class&#8230;.I wasn&#8217;t restricted from writting the way I write(with the morbid and totally unhappy stories) I couldn&#8217;t be shy and untalking in this class, everyone [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dear Mr. Sheehy,</p>
<p>This has been my favorite English class, the friendly atmosohere, the caring people&#8230;..man I sound like a commercial for some cafe or something&#8230;*snickers*&#8230;..but anyway seriously I&#8217;ve enjoyed this class&#8230;.I wasn&#8217;t restricted from writting the way I write(with the morbid and totally unhappy stories) I couldn&#8217;t be shy and untalking in this class, everyone had to talk atleast once&#8230;..And when I finally got out of my shell man did I talk&#8230;&#8230;With a bleak outlook on life and on the characters of human kind none-the-less, but still I talked&#8230;And that makes me really happy&#8230;because I used to be that little girl in the corner of the room, too shy to even say her name&#8230;..I would shakily stand up, the floor seeming to shake underneath my feet&#8230;..And my voice would quiver when I would say, &#8220;h-hi, I&#8217;m-I&#8217;m J-j-j-jasmine.&#8221; then I&#8217;d crumble back to my chair and remain quiet for the rest of the class&#8230;..This class has really helped me grow. Thank you.</p>
<p>This year to me was very very c-r-a-double p-y&#8230;&#8230;..Alot of family issues have been going on&#8230;&#8230;Like to the point where I feel I can&#8217;t it anymore and just want to curl up in a ball until all this is over&#8230;..You see, this and last year have been major lesson learning years&#8230;&#8230;and also this and last year made me quiet the cynic, or &#8220;emo&#8221; as Emily likes to call me&#8230;..I learned that I really can&#8217;t trust people&#8230;.and many people have other motives, they are only good if it&#8217;d do them good too(at least in my life thats how it is), and I learned not to let people walk over me(well thats a good thing&#8230;.but the rest isn&#8217;t)&#8230;&#8230;.You see, (remember that Blog 3 thing for Crucible&#8230;.the &#8220;friend&#8221; was me) for this whole year I&#8217;ve been fighting with inner battles so huge and destructive, that I&#8217;m surprised I made it this far&#8230;&#8230;But I&#8217;m a survivor and a winner&#8230;..So I will not let this beat me&#8230;..I&#8217;m going to beat this&#8230;..I have a right to happiness and I&#8217;m not gonna let my mom, my brother, my stepfather, or my family take that happiness away away longer. I&#8217;m done with it&#8230;..I&#8217;m not their easy target to blame anymore&#8230;&#8230;I don&#8217;t deserve that&#8230;..I know better than that&#8230;..I didn&#8217;t ruin the family, I didn&#8217;t do anything that warrants the hell they are putting me through&#8230;&#8230;.I love them, don&#8217;t get me wrong&#8230;..I just so tired of the emotional hell they are putting me through&#8230;&#8230;Well sorry for that rant&#8230;..I needed to get it off my chest&#8230;&#8230;thank you&#8230;&#8230; Have a good summer and Thank you for all the help(even though you probably didn&#8217;t know you helped)&#8230;.</p>
<p>                                                                                                           sincerely,</p>
<p>                                                                                                                 Jasmine Jade  </p>
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		<title>Time to review ze story&#8230;.(OMaM)</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/27/time-to-review-ze-storyomam/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/27/time-to-review-ze-storyomam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 21:25:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/27/time-to-review-ze-storyomam/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
“I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead – because they was so little”

This whole book made me feel sad and almost made me cry. I would hate to live with the mental ability of Lennie…..Especially if I knew that I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>
<p><font face="Times New Roman">“I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead – because they was so little”</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p>This whole book made me feel sad and almost made me cry. I would hate to live with the mental ability of Lennie…..Especially if I knew that I was smart and able and agile before I became mentally “ill.” But I don’t really think that’s a good word for it….I don’t know what a good word would be…….but I just don’t like thinking it as a sickness…..</p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman"><em> </em>“Where the hell is that god damn nigger?”</font></p></blockquote>
<p> I also hate the prejudice and the dislike of people in this book, because it is very sad and disheartening. Because it really happens and so many people are affected by it….some people even kill themselves or just live unhappy lives. And NO person deserves that. No one on this earth deserves to be treated like animals or worse…..everyone deserves atleast some respect.</p>
<blockquote><p><font face="Times New Roman">“He pulled the trigger……Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand.”</font></p></blockquote>
<p>God it must have been hell to have to kill his friend like that. It would kill me. It would be the most agonizing things to do in life. I would probably lose my mind and/or check myself into the psych ward, because I wouldn’t be able to go on. So I feel for George and I cried horribly when I read this…..I just wanted to hug George.</p>
<blockquote><p> “’ I thought you was mad at me, George.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Lennie said this with such innocence that I bawled basically…..Because he doesn’t really understand the severity of what he did…..And he doesn’t realize that his life is about to end, by George’s hand…..It broke my heart……Its like he’s a little kid and he doesn’t know any better…..</p>
<p>I loved and hated this book…..I love it for its well written and its awesome storyline…..But I hate it for the emotions it pulled out of me….This is the only book that has ever really made me cry. So it was that well written….I LOVE/ hated it…….I wish I could go in the book and hug each of them….</p>
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		<title>CHAPTER UNO!!!!!!(lets get rockin)</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-unolets-get-rockin/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-unolets-get-rockin/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 21:14:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-unolets-get-rockin/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote>“The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely”</p></blockquote>
<p>This statement shows the major contrast between George and Lennie&#8230;. Basically George is being described as a human but Lennie is being described as an animal, kinda like a dumb animal. And what else, Lennie kinda fits the description his mind is totally elsewhere&#8230;.like the light is out in the lighthouse.</p>
<blockquote><p>“I’d pet ‘em, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched their heads a little and then they was dead – because they was so little” </p></blockquote>
<p>I kinda feel sorry for Lennie&#8230;..It almost makes me cry. Its like he doesn&#8217;t understand things at all&#8230;Like he doesn&#8217;t understand why the mice die, because they are so fragile and he is too strong and he doesn&#8217;t understand what his strength does. He&#8217;s just like a little kid, I just wanna hug him&#8230;.sigh&#8230;&#8230;.poor guy&#8230;.i guess i pity him&#8230;&#8230;:(</p>
<blockquote><p>“Well, look. Lennie – if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush” </p></blockquote>
<p>This to me is foreshadowing that something bad is gonna happen. Like something horrible is gonna happen and that brush is gonna be used later on in the story. I hope Lennie will remember this&#8230;.Hopefully this wont be used&#8230;.I&#8217;m kinda scared by this statement&#8230;. </p>
<blockquote></blockquote>
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		<title>Chapter Three of &#8220;Of mIcE aNd MeN&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-three-of-of-mice-and-men/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-three-of-of-mice-and-men/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 20:59:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/23/chapter-three-of-of-mice-and-men/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Chapter Three
&#8220;Lennie said breathlessly, &#8216;He&#8217;s brown an&#8217; white jus&#8217; like I wanted&#8217;&#8221; 
I like this Lennie guy, his innocence makes me smile. If a grown man(even if he may be mentally ill) finds joy in a puppy its like maybe life an so bad i guess&#8230;.I really do not know where I am going with this. I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><a href="http://sheehy.edublogs.org/2008/05/15/of-mice-chapter-3/">Chapter Three</a></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Lennie said breathlessly, &#8216;He&#8217;s brown an&#8217; white jus&#8217; like I wanted&#8217;&#8221; </p></blockquote>
<p>I like this Lennie guy, his innocence makes me smile. If a grown man(even if he may be mentally ill) finds joy in a puppy its like maybe life an so bad i guess&#8230;.I really do not know where I am going with this. I just loved this quote because this remind me of my childhood when I could actually find joy in the little things&#8230;.I seemed to have lost that ability&#8230;. Its kinda like the &#8220;take time to smell the roses&#8221; thing&#8230;..kindaish but not really&#8230;..</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Jus&#8217; tell Lennie what to do and he&#8217;ll do it if it don&#8217;t take no figuring&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>This quote shows that George knows Lennie enough to know what he can and cannot do. And he can also know when Lennie is lying and he knows how Lennie reacts to things. It takes at true friendship to have a bond like that. George cares enough to learn all of George&#8217;s quirks and he cares even to live with him&#8230;</p>
<blockquote><p>“But you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him”</p></blockquote>
<p>This made me think about how i am with some of my friends. They grow attached and I grow attached and its  a whole attachedfest&#8230;&#8230; But maybe I feel for my friends in a different context than George probably does for Lennie&#8230;.  </p>
<blockquote><p> My questions are:</p>
<ol>
<li> Will Lennie and George make it to their dream ranch?</li>
<li>What is that one chick gonna do to make their lives hard?</li>
<li>Is something really bad gonna happen?</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
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		<title>STUFF!!!!!!!!and discussions&#8230;.</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/21/stuffand-discussions/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/21/stuffand-discussions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 20:06:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/21/stuffand-discussions/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[INTERESTINGISH STUFF
       1. I find it interesting that they find dreams to be nessecary, sure they can be&#8230;.but what happens if those dreams are crushed?
       2. I love the analogy of George and Lennie being wolves&#8230;.its quite fitting.
       3. I think Lennie lives off of instinct most of the time&#8230;..but he still follows george&#8217;s example&#8230;&#8230;.Like he [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>INTERESTINGISH STUFF</p>
<p>      <strong> 1.</strong> I find it interesting that they find dreams to be nessecary, sure they can be&#8230;.but what happens if those dreams are crushed?</p>
<p>       <strong>2. </strong>I love the analogy of George and Lennie being wolves&#8230;.its quite fitting.</p>
<p>       <strong>3. </strong>I think Lennie lives off of instinct most of the time&#8230;..but he still follows george&#8217;s example&#8230;&#8230;.Like he is still a kid but full of instinct&#8230;.sometimes a potentially daangerous potential&#8230;</p>
<p>EVAULUATION:</p>
<p>        <strong>1.</strong> I find the graphic organizer an interesting way of keeping a record of the discussions.</p>
<p>       <strong> 2.</strong> But I also find it kinda annoying to have to toy around with&#8230;..but maybe its just the mood I&#8217;m in&#8230;..sigh</p>
<p>        <strong>3.</strong> But I like the fact that its technilogically &#8220;advanced&#8221; if you may&#8230;..maybe the correct word would be technilogically &#8220;friendly&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Chapter Two of &#8220;Of Mice and Men&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/19/chapter-two-of-of-mice-and-men/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/19/chapter-two-of-of-mice-and-men/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2008 20:51:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/19/chapter-two-of-of-mice-and-men/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Chapter Two&#8220;used to wash his hands even after he ate&#8221;
This kind of behavior kinda creeps me out. I mean seriously who ever stays that clean, its gross&#8230;.Its creepy in a way&#8230;Like they need to be completely sterile or something&#8230;.it&#8217;s just not right&#8230;.there is bacteria all over&#8230;.in the air, your skin, your body&#8230;.so what&#8217;s the point of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><a href="http://sheehy.edublogs.org/2008/05/12/let-the-big-guy-talk-of-mice-and-men-chapter-2/">Chapter Two</a>&#8220;used to wash his hands even <em>after </em>he ate&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>This kind of behavior kinda creeps me out. I mean seriously who ever stays that clean, its gross&#8230;.Its creepy in a way&#8230;Like they need to be completely sterile or something&#8230;.it&#8217;s just not right&#8230;.there is bacteria all over&#8230;.in the air, your skin, your body&#8230;.so what&#8217;s the point of trying to keep yourself &#8220;clean&#8221; like that&#8230;&#8230;..(now that my slightly off topic rant is done)&#8230;.But in the book, i think the old swamper is just saying this to make the bed and room less dirty and gross.</p>
<blockquote><p> &#8221;Ya see the stable buck&#8217;s a nigger&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>I hate how it just seems like people back then treated people who looked different like animals&#8230; Well not just seems, they did treat them like that. It&#8217;s horrible to imagine what those people went through&#8230;It&#8217;s not right, Just because someone was born with different pigmentation doesn&#8217;t mean they should be treated like crap&#8230;..thank god its a <u>little</u> better&#8230;.not by much&#8230;..but at least they are seen with a little more equality.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Where the hell is that god damn nigger?&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>For some reason I seem to be on a antiracist rant today. See this statement just shows that &#8220;white&#8221; people have no respect for the &#8220;colors&#8221;. They don&#8217;t even say the name. They just act like the &#8220;nigger&#8221; is their property, an object. It bothers me greatly because people are people no matter what. No matter what color they are, what sex they are, what orientation they are. They are just people. Brothers and sisters, if you will. But that view all depends on what your view is on the &#8221;creation&#8221; of the Earth&#8230;.but that&#8217;s a totally different and off subject rant. </p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>This statement makes me think that this girl is a whiner&#8230;..I have no idea why, its just an image that popped in my head. And this girl seems to be a brat and a trouble maker who loves attention&#8230;..She just seems to be the type to be unfaithful. This trait might be the cause of some conflicts later on.</p>
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		<title>A Few Harsh Words</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/07/a-few-harsh-words-2/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/07/a-few-harsh-words-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 21:09:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/05/07/a-few-harsh-words-2/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I sit by the boy who everyone picks on
The lonely boy who everyone hurts
We sit in silence for a bit
My heart pounding, my head swimming
 
He looks over at me and smiles
A weak fragile smile
His eyes drown in sorrow and pain
Yet he smiles
 
I ask him why does he smile
How can he smile
He looks into my eyes
And [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center">I sit by the boy who everyone picks on<br />
The lonely boy who everyone hurts<br />
We sit in silence for a bit<br />
My heart pounding, my head swimming<br />
 </p>
<p align="center">He looks over at me and smiles<br />
A weak fragile smile<br />
His eyes drown in sorrow and pain<br />
Yet he smiles<br />
 </p>
<p align="center">I ask him why does he smile<br />
How can he smile<br />
He looks into my eyes<br />
And says something I will never forget<br />
 </p>
<p align="center">He says, “my dear, there are worse things<br />
then a few harsh words<br />
worse things then a lonely life<br />
There are wars at home<br />
That see no end<br />
There are pregnant children<br />
That have lost the joy of childhood<br />
There are murders<br />
For reasons that make no sense<br />
Like for gayness<br />
Or for jealousy<br />
There are kids out there that have<br />
 no family to fall back on<br />
There are people<br />
Who have no home<br />
No job<br />
No money<br />
There are people who are abused and hated just<br />
Because someone thinks them weird or weak<br />
There are children whose<br />
parents openly hate them.<br />
There are people who can’t trust or love<br />
Because someone they loved destroyed their heart<br />
There are people who know no love<br />
All they ever known was hate<br />
There are kids who feel like<br />
Their world is coming to an end<br />
There are people who kill themselves<br />
because no one cares<br />
There are children who have to hide the bruises<br />
Their parents give them<br />
There are girls who hate touch<br />
Because of what their fathers did<br />
So my dear there are worse things<br />
Then a few harsh words.”</p>
<p align="center">  </p>
<p align="center">When he finished there were tears sticking to his lashes<br />
My own eyes brimming with tears<br />
He smiles, clasping my hand in his<br />
The contact causing me to look at him<br />
His eyes smile into mine<br />
And for a second<br />
The world seems sane</p>
<p>I’ve had people ask me…if this boy is real….To them i would say nope, just a character…..</p>
<p>well in a way he is real……alot of the things  he says have been based off of things that have happened to me and people I know…….the boy is based off of my views on life and the attitude of a few of my friends and I…… but basically the boy is my voice in the form of a young boy(talk about sexchange….haha)</p>
<p>I wrote this poem at one of the lowest points in my life…..where everything seemed to go to Hell in a hand basket…(pardon the use of hell)…….And i’m not one of those people who thinks that i’m the only one in pain……everyone has their own silent(or not so silent) battles that they have to face……I’ve stated quite a few in this poem….</p>
<p>I also wrote this poem for this girl who was talking about suicide because her boyfriend thought some other chick pretty…..OH MY GOD! how selfish and stupid can she be? She is not the only “pretty” girl out there, and who cares if someone is prettier…UGH….now that my rant is over……</p>
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		<title>The Beauty and The Idiot</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/02/21/the-beauty-and-the-idiot/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/02/21/the-beauty-and-the-idiot/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:36:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2008/02/21/the-beauty-and-the-idiot/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[First, I will state my opinion on this book&#8230;. because today I&#8217;m very opinionated&#8230;. Basically this book seems to me like a sappy soap opera&#8230;&#8230;don&#8217;t get me wrong&#8230;..I like this book(it&#8217;s well written and interesting and all) but its just soap opera-y…
&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way….I will tell you about the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><font face="Times New Roman">First, I will state my opinion on this <a href="http://sheehy.edublogs.org/2008/02/13/fitzgerald-was-interesting-now-can-you-be/">book</a>&#8230;. because today I&#8217;m very opinionated&#8230;. Basically this book seems to me like a sappy soap opera&#8230;&#8230;don&#8217;t get me wrong&#8230;..I like this book(it&#8217;s well written and interesting and all) but its just soap opera-y…</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p>Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way….I will tell you about the story. It’s about this young boy(Dexter) about the age of fourteen who has decided that when he gets older he wants the material wealth in life. Perfect well paying job, high class friends, popular hangouts, beautiful wife, and most of all the ability to gloat. He no longer just wanted to be associated with the wealthy people and the “glittery” things, he wanted the “glittery things” himself.</p>
<p> You see, he “started off” as a caddy. Basically everyday he would day dream about the “perfect” life and how he would be the one golfing and rubbing his wealth in peoples faces. So he quit his caddying job so he could live his dream….but really the main reason is this little, wealthy girl(judy) made him feel inferior. She was younger than him and yet she had the ability to boss him around&#8230;..the really rubbed him the wrong way&#8230;..</p>
<p>Off he went to college. He learned the ‘tricks of the trade’ so to speak. At the age of twenty three, he bought a partnership in a laundry. Since he became so well known and he was so reliable in the laundry(he didn’t shrink the woolen golf-stockings) by they age of twenty seven he owned the largest string of laundries in his area of the country.</p>
<p>But at the age of twenty three, he was already living his dream…..kinda. He was wealthy, he was hanging with the “in” crowd, he was going to the popular places, and he had the ability to gloat. What he didn’t have yet was a trophy wife.</p>
<p>By pure luck, the little girl(Judy) who set his dreams into motion was thrown back into his life. And he fell in “love.”…..I believe it was in “lust” more than in “love”. But back to what I was saying. Basically this girl-now woman- was the forbidden fruit. The thing he liked to taste but the thing he couldn’t or mustn’t have. But he did have her. For awhile that is. But she was just using him to make herself feel better…..Cause I think she had low-self esteem……because ego is a sure sign of self esteem issues.</p>
<p>After she was done using him, she threw him away like a boring toy. Finally after the last time he decided to get engaged to a stable person(Irene)…..she didn’t have that fire…that passion that Judy just oozed with. And out of the blue, Judy walked into his life yet again…and destroyed everything for him and Irene.</p>
<p>Judy went off and married a man that was as bad as she and gave her a dose of her own medicine. This slowly took a toll on her and she ended up letting herself go. When Dexter heard news of this he felt like he lost something. And in the end he only could pity himself….no one else.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Long ago,&#8221; he said, &#8220;long ago, there was something in me, but now that thing is gone. Now that thing is gone, that thing is gone. I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no more.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p>This girl-boy situation really reminded me of the off and on again thing between me and a guy&#8230;..after i read this I&#8217;ve realized i&#8217;m being a Dexter&#8230;&#8230;..how sad and or lame is that&#8230;&#8230;so yeah&#8230;.i&#8217;m going to think harder about personal relationships from now on&#8230;..</p>
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		<title>Hate&#8230;..</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/hate/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/hate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:52:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/hate/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[HATE

My heart drowns
In a sea of
Despair and torment
The crimson tide
Washes the Hate
ashore.
Dip your feet
In for awhile
And then maybe
You’d understand
Don’t stay for too
Long
The Hate will soak
Through your skin
And seep into
Your veins

Rotting hands reach for you
From the depths
Scratching and clawing
Digging into your
Skin
They drag you deeper
Deeper into despair
Every last Hope falling off your skin
In a last macabre dance

Your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><strong><em>HATE</em></strong></p>
</p>
<p align="center">My heart drowns<br />
In a sea of<br />
Despair and torment<br />
The crimson tide<br />
Washes the Hate<br />
ashore.<br />
Dip your feet<br />
In for awhile<br />
And then maybe<br />
You’d understand<br />
Don’t stay for too<br />
Long<br />
The Hate will soak<br />
Through your skin<br />
And seep into<br />
Your veins</p>
<p align="center">
<p align="center">Rotting hands reach for you<br />
From the depths<br />
Scratching and clawing<br />
Digging into your<br />
Skin<br />
They drag you deeper<br />
Deeper into despair<br />
Every last Hope falling off your skin<br />
In a last macabre dance</p>
<p align="center">
<p align="center">Your screams of agony<br />
Are echoed by the<br />
Laughter of the corpses<br />
My own laughter ringing<br />
In my ears<br />
Now you understand<br />
Now you feel<br />
But it is TOO LATE<br />
The Hate has<br />
Already made<br />
Its home in<br />
You.</p>
<p align="center">
<p align="center">
<p align="center">
</p></p>
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		<title>Agony</title>
		<link>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/agony/</link>
		<comments>http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/agony/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:21:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>notbackingdown</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[my thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://notbackingdown.learnerblogs.org/2007/11/16/agony/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160;
&#160;
&#160;
&#160;
The wind screams in agony
as the fire from your eyes fade.
The trees shake in terror
as blood spills from your heart.
The Leaves flee in fear
as your body collapses to the ground
&#160;
&#160;
My heart cries in misery
I collapse to the bloodied earth.
My knees soaked in the crimson river.
My hands search for your fading light.
&#160;
&#160;
Your shrieks spread through my [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">The wind screams in agony<br />
as the fire from your eyes fade.<br />
The trees shake in terror<br />
as blood spills from your heart.<br />
The Leaves flee in fear<br />
as your body collapses to the ground</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">My heart cries in misery<br />
I collapse to the bloodied earth.<br />
My knees soaked in the crimson river.<br />
My hands search for your fading light.</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">Your shrieks spread through my veins<br />
They lead me to your fading heart.<br />
I seize your hand.<br />
Your agony jolts up my arm<br />
Causing me to shriek and jump back.</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center">With no connection to the outside world<br />
You fade into the crimson river of despair and sorrow<br />
Your eyes the last to leave<br />
Blaming me for this mess.</p>
<p align="left">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left">I wrote the first stanza after one of the worst days of my life. I was depressed and angry. Then the second day of poem writing made me fisnish the poem I didn&#8217;t want to finish at first. The last stanza is about my family. Well actually the last lines of the last stanza.</p>
<p align="left">This poem is part of the &#8220;H.A.T.E&#8221; series. This is Agony for &#8220;A.&#8221; I will work on Hate for &#8220;H&#8221; the next time. Then Im either going to do &#8220;Twilight Scars&#8221;, &#8220;Torment&#8221;, or &#8220;Temptation&#8221; for the &#8220;T&#8221;. Then I will write &#8220;Escape&#8221; for the &#8220;E&#8221;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.don&#8217;t tell me I need counseling because I already have it&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;Bye!</p>
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