Masterpiece Academy Essay

     

Miranda 1

Chance Miranda

Dr. Preston

Expository Composition

2 June 2014

The Change

          My change from "traditional learning" to "Open Source Learning" started last year and has carried 

over into this year. I feel like I've always been a good writer, but through taking this course I've learned to 

include the necessary elements to reassure my points and help my writing flow better. We were also taught 

to write on a personal basis so it doesn't feel like a traditional five paragraph essay written just to get a grade 

and that has also helped my writing improve. 

          In a traditional English class teachers would be the leader of the room and the students would just sit 

back and listen. In Open Source Learning the teacher treats the students as colleagues and gives them some 

decision in how the course is run and what processes they take throughout. This comes with a great deal of 

trust. There were times this year where we were trusted to do something, but ultimately did not get the job 

done and that happens sometimes. Although trust in us may have been altered, Dr. Preston stuck with it and 

in the end it led to a better learning experience for everyone. The good thing about trust is it can be earned 

when lost. 

          Another great thing about this course is it has made my passion for baseball grow immensely. 

Through research I was able find information that makes me a better player. What I mean by that is I had a 

basic understanding of the information, but by looking deeper into it I became more confident in my 

knowledge. When it came time, I applied what I learned and my confidence in my knowledge translated into 

a good performance on the field. The masterpieces served as a catalyst for us to begin researching what we 

plan on doing with our lives and I am grateful for the process.  

          Maybe one of the funniest parts of this course occurred after some of the students presented their 

masterpieces. At the end of each presentation the class had the opportunity to ask questions. The questions 

drew valuable information out of people and I thought the way Dr. Preston asked why they didn't include 

the information in the presentation was funny. It wasn't about what he said that made it funny, it was the way 

he said it. 

          

          Referring back to the masterpieces I noticed that the common theme between most of them was 

passion. The most interesting ones to me were the ones where you could hear the burning passion in their 

voices. The top five people who did this were: Jacob Caldwell, Malik Pope, Robert Rucobo, Daniel 

Alvarez, and Matt Reynolds. I could tell they were one hundred percent committed to their topics and it 

really reflected in the quality of their presentations. Hopefully others saw the same in my presentation. 

          The Journey from the beginning to now was not always easy. It's the times where I have been 

successful along the journey that let me know I have conquered it. Open Source Learning has been an 

adventure and if you ask anyone if they regret being a part of it, they will say, "no". 

Masterpiece Presentation

http://prezi.com/4-_kxfougnov/baseball-more-than-a-game/

Beginnings

My masterpiece is making a big difference in my life right now. I think the biggest thing I've gotten from it is confidence. When you are unsure of something, that's when you have a lack of confidence and that's where I used to be. Now that I've done research and worked on areas of baseball that I needed to become familiar with, I feel confident with my skills. This really is starting a new chapter of my life and has thrown fuel on the fire of passion I have for the sport. These next couple months are going to be very important for me and if I don't take advantage of the opportunity I could be in a difficult spot heading to college. That's why I will do everything I can to avoid that situation.

My Performance (4/26/14)

Scroll down to "Righetti" heading

http://santamariatimes.com/high-school/dhs/everett-chenault-named-athletes-of-the-week/article_6d699de2-cf71-11e3-bbc9-001a4bcf887a.html

I Was In The Newspaper! RHS vs PV (My Complete Game Shutout)

http://m.santamariatimes.com/high-school/aghs/miranda-helps-warriors-clinch-series-over-panthers/article_46345fa0-d0ed-11e3-948f-001a4bcf887a.html?mobile_touch=true

My Scouting Profiles

ncsasports.org
My Profile--- http://recruit-match.ncsasports.org/clientrms/profile/recruiting_profile/1444637

fieldlevel.com
My profile--- https://athlete.fieldlevel.com/Summary

maxpreps.com
My profile--- http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/chance-miranda/ERPkgvTuEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm#year=13-14

Look At My Brain

My blog can show a lot of qualities that are necessary to get a job. It shows that I can work with others, solve problems, and critically think. You can look at my network or other posts to see the times I collaborated with others to get a job done or solve a problem. Sometimes I ask others to solve my problems, but a majority of the time I figure things out myself. Lastly my blog shows that I critically think because almost every single post is well thought out and organized in a way that shows my diction.

Raising Digital Awareness

It's important to draw visitors to your site because you want the information you're providing to be seen and used by others. The problem I have right now is I'm not effectively providing the information I want to the targeted group I want to draw in. If I want to give my viewers the most value I think I should improve my design and add more original information about my topic. It's important interact with others who view your site because they are the ones who can help you improve.

Literature Analysis

General
1. The first story, "1922" in the book Full Dark, No Stars by Stephan King is about a man named Wilfred James, his wife Arlette, and his son Hank. Arlette wants to sell the 100 acres of land that they live on and move to Omaha, but Wilf (as he was known as) and Hank want to keep the land. They come up with a plan to kill Arlette so they can stay on the land. Wilf gets Arlette drunk, slices her throat, and throws her down a well on their farm. After the deed had been done, Wilf and Hank have a guilty conscience. Throughout the story they feel like their lives are being haunted. Hank ends up getting Shannon Cotterie, the love of his life, pregnant and running away with her. The couple became fugitives because they needed a source of transportation and income. Living their lives like that did not last long. Shannon was shot in the stomach while they were robbing a bank and to make it worse while they were driving away she went into labor. They stopped at an abandoned building where Shannon begged to be shot to escape the pain. Hank shot her and then killed himself. Wilf was devastated when he heard the news. He had to sell his land and move to the city because of money issues. He became a librarian. One night in a hotel he practically went insane, maybe because of Arlette, and felt like he was being bitten by rats all over his body so he committed suicide. His body was found with his own bite marks all over  it.

2. The theme of the story is if you make a bad decision in life it can lead to a guilty conscience and a life of despair.

3. To me the tone of the story was suspenseful and nervous. I was always wondering what was going to happen next and I was nervous about what would happen. Wilf and Hank also felt suspense and were nervous throughout the story. They were always afraid they were going to get caught and got nervous every time someone came to their farm.

4.

• Conflict- Wilf and Hank killed Arlette and they had to keep that secret to themselves. Also Hank and Shannon had to avoid being caught when they became fugitives.
• Protagonist- Wilf was considered to be the main protagonist in the story.
• Antagonist- The antagonist was Arlette as well as Wilf's own mind because although Arlette caused the conflict, Wilf's mind played tricks on him because of his guilty conscience.
• Dialogue- The story was a combination of narration by Wilf and dialogue between the characters.
• Didactic- There were multiple references to God in the story. Wilf and Hank wondered if Arlette went to heaven with God and they also wondered if they would.
• Flashback- The whole story was Wilf flashing back on his life.
• Foreshadowing- Arlette's ghost, or Wilf's mind, said that Hank and Shannon would kill themselves and then later on hit ended up happening.
• Narrative- The story was a collection of events in Wilf's life that made up a story.
• Setting- The main setting of the story took place on the farm in Hemingford Home, Nebraska. This was where Arlette, Wilf and Hank lived.
• Character- The main characters were Wilf, Arlette, and Hank. There were also many other sub characters who also contributed to the story.

Characterization

1. Direct- "My son, Henry Freeman James, aided me in this crime, although at 14 he was not responsible;"

                "Arlette was a warm-natured woman."

    Indirect- I couldn't find any indirect characterization.

2. Stephan King did change his syntax and diction when he would focus on different characters. For example, he would have the characters speak different to portray their different personalities.

3. The protagonist (Wilf) is definitely dynamic. His appearance, thoughts, and actions changed throughout the story. He was forced to do some stuff that he never thought he would do. 

4. After I finished reading the story I felt like I knew Wilf. It kind of felt like someone I knew had been lost when he committed suicide at the end.

Is There an Expert in the House?

An expert in my masterpiece field has certain qualities that make him an expert. To be considered an expert in my masterpiece field, I think they should be able to coach me both mentally and physically and they have to have passed the test that I will be faced with. If he can coach in a way that shows results, then he is definitely an expert in my book. Also if he has passed the masterpiece test, then he should be able to mentor me through it and help me study for the test.

This is Only a Test

My masterpiece test takes place on the baseball field and can be completed over time. I elaborate more in the post below.

Masterpiece Test

My masterpiece test can't be completed in a classroom it has to be completed on the baseball field. The test is the opposing team and each question is a new batter. If I get the batters out, I get the question right and if I don't, I get it wrong. My performance will determine whether or not I passed or failed the test. This test is similar to every other test because I have to prepare and then be able to perform when it's go time. All in all, I will be faced with many tests this season and if I pass those tests I can be considered worthy of my field.

Unrecognized Entrepreneur

The essay I wrote in class on Friday was one of the easier essays I've written in a while. I understood the topic well and I was actually prepared because I had read up on the topic. The essay helped me realize that my masterpiece topic, in a way, makes me an entrepreneur. Now I know that I am a product that I'm trying to sell to others. It's a strange way to look at it, but I think it will help me because I will want to try to make myself the best product in the market so that people and colleges will want to evaluate me more. Overall, Friday's experience was a positive one.

I, Entrepreneur

(a) The person I designed my 10 questions for is an entrepreneur according to how we described it in class.        He himself is the product that he built to show off to others. It was a risk he was willing to take and it paid      off.

(b) With that being said, I am also an entrepreneur. The only difference between me and him is he is more           accomplished, but I have many opportunities ahead and I need to be ready for them. Some day we will         be the same.

(c) Society thinks that you need to be an expert on something to be an entrepreneur and this isn't necessarily      true. The simplest idea can make someone an entrepreneur. Someone just has to be willing to stand              behind that idea 100% and make it into something great. This is why entrepreneurs are getting younger          and younger. People don't need to become experts, they just need think differently than everyone else.

10 Questions

1. What does your diet look like?
2. Who inspired you?
3. How did you become well known?
4. What do you think the best pitch is?
5. What college did you go to?
6. What are the best exercises for a pitcher?
7. What keeps you motivated?
8. What is your favorite quote?
9. How do you deal with adversity?
10. In your opinion, what is the number one thing to focus on while reaching for your dream?

Benchmark Project

The topic I chose for my senior project is baseball, specifically pitching. I have a ton of resources surrounding the topic and so far everything is going smoothly. My network in class has been extremely helpful and I'm glad I have people to go to when I need help. Not only do I have a network of friends inside of school, but I also have professionals of my topic helping me outside of school. When things don't feel right with my mechanics I can go to these professionals and get their insight. With the addition of professionals to my network I am able get the help I need for my on the field experience as opposed to the educational help I get from my in class network. As for my public network, I haven't really utilized that aspect of my project yet. I'm not sure how to start my public network at this point in time. This year's baseball season has just started and it's time to start that part of my senior project. All the resources I have all acquired and the help I have gotten will have to be implemented into my game if I want to be as successful as possible. As the season goes on I will continue to consult with my networks and continue collecting resources to make sure that I have no regrets at the end of the year.

Resources: 4

16. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_confidence.htm

-Importance of confidence while pitching.

17. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/left_handed_pickoff_move.htm

-Left handed pickoff move.

18. http://www.ericcressey.com/the-1-cause-of-inconsistent-pitching-velocity

-How to keep a consistent velocity.

19.

Resources: 3

11. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/running_poles.htm

Conditioning for pitchers.

12. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_control.htm

-Working on control

13. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_arm_care.htm

-Taking care of your pitching arm.

14. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_strategy.htm

-Strategies to pitch against batters.

15. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_strategies.htm

-Situational pitching

Resources: 2

6. https://www.competitivedge.com/catalog/baseball

-Baseball/Sports psychology to help succeed.

7. https://www.fresnostate.edu/chhs/kinesiology/degrees-programs/sport-psychology/

-Something I'm interested in for college.

8. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/baseball_nutrition.htm

-Proper nutrition to let pitchers perform to the best of their ability.

9. http://www.active.com/parenting-and-family/articles/3-ways-to-improve-focus-in-sports

-How to have better focus.

10. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/cutter_grip.htm

-How to throw a cutter effectively

Spring Vocabulary #8

arsenal- collection of weapons
It's good to add new pitches to your arsenal.

skimp- expend or use less time, money or material on something than is necessary in an attempt to economize.
Don't skimp on insurance.

consultation- process of formally consulting or discussing
Tomorrow I go in to finish my consultation with the teacher.

flair- special ability to do something well
She had a flair for languages.

inclusion- being included in a group
Some schools demand the inclusion of students in sports.

notorious- well known
John is notorious for lying.

impose- force to be accepted or put in place
I don't like the new rules that are being imposed.

culprit- person responsible for a crime
We need to find the culprit

threshold- intensity that needs to be exceeded to get a reaction.
Some people have a high pain threshold.

niche- activity that suits someones talents.
Pitching is my niche.

pulmonary- relating to the lungs
Baseball players need pulmonary conditioning.

foresight- the ability to predict what will happen or what will be needed in the future.
He had foresight to make sure he had an escape route.

candid- truthful and straightforward.
The coach was candid when speaking to us.

fluctuate- rise and fall irregularly
The pitchers velocity fluctuates.

vulnerable- susceptible to physical or emotional attack.
The kid was bullied because he was too vulnerable.

Super 5

Bryn Smith- Played major league baseball.
Ray Morowski- Played minor league baseball
Clayton Kershaw- Currently playing major league baseball (role model)
Vince Sagisi- Professional baseball scout
Chris Stevens- Allen Hancock College's baseball coach.

Masterpiece Essay #1

     There are so many career paths to choose from and as of right now I am choosing to pursue my dream of playing baseball in college and beyond. Most people will say it's a long shot, but it is a risk I am willing to take. I have chosen to take this path because I have played for twelve consecutive years, I have the ability to compete at the next level, and most of all I enjoy playing.

     At age six I started playing baseball competitively and to just quit now would leave me with feeling empty. Over the twelve years I have played I have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. The highs are what I keep chasing and the lows are something that I have learned to cope with. Baseball is a game of failure and you can't spend to much time dwelling on the negative aspect or it will effect your performance. I will continue to chase the highs of baseball because I have already invested so much time into the game that it would wasteful to give up now.

     Because I have played for so long, I have developed the skills necessary to compete against almost everybody. During the past few Summers, there were times where I pitched against college players. Some of the time I was successful when pitching against them and other times they got the better of me. The fact that I was occasionally successful against them means that I do have what it takes to compete at that level, I just have to refine my skills. My coaches always taught me that it is better play against tougher players and sometimes lose the battle then to play against mediocre players and always win the battle. They said this because if you always win you will think there is no room to improve, but if you lose you will try and get better so that you will succeed more often. For that reason I love to play against top notch competitors.

     Lastly, baseball is the path I have chosen because it's what I enjoy doing and I can see myself doing it in the future. I have heard plenty of stories about people that hate there job and wake up every morning dreading driving to work. Personally I want nothing to do with a job like that and I will do everything I can to avoid ending up in that position. As I look ahead to the future I can see myself climbing out of bed and heading over to a baseball diamond to play some ball and that is why I ignore the people who doubt me and just focus on improving my game.

     Overall I think my reasons for choosing this path are now clear. Life without goals is a dangerous thing and my goal of playing baseball in college and beyond keeps me in check. It keeps me motivated to keep up my grades and continue working hard. We all have something in life that defines us and baseball is what defines me.

   

   

Spring Vocabulary #7

composure- the state or feeling o being calm and in control of oneself
Bob kept his composure when things got crazy.

index- an indicator, sign, or measure of something
A team's record may serve as an index of a coach's effectiveness.

recuperate- recover from illness or exertion.
It took a while to recuperate after running 10 sprints.

brisk- active, fast, and energetic.
I briskly jogged to the store.

contrary- opposite in direction, nature, or meaning
Contrary to popular belief, I am a hard worker.

urgency- importance requiring swift action.
As the season goes on, the urgency to win increases.

determination- firmness of purpose
My determination to be successful keeps me positive.

endorse- declare support of something
I would endorse the company who made my glove.

paramount- more important than anything else
Don't walk around as if you are paramount.

comprehensive- of or relating to understanding
You have to be comprehensive in the classroom as well as on the field.

refine- remove impurities or unwanted elements from
Refine your skills to become the best player possible.

poised- having a composed and self-assured manner
It's important to stay poised in hectic situations.

implement- put into effect
Have the new rules been implemented?

tendency- an inclination toward a particular characteristic or type of behavior
Some pitchers have a tendency to throw a curveball with two strikes.

deceptive- misleading
It's good for pitchers to be deceptive.

Spring Vocabulary #6

Colleague- a person with whom one works
John is going to be my colleague for this project.

Proverbial- referring to something well known
He stuck out like a proverbial sore thumb.

Methodically- arranged or proceeding in regular, systematic order
Jim methodically goes to the gym and then goes swimming.

Goading- provoke or annoy someone to cause a reaction
I always goad my brother.

Paralysis- the loss of the ability to move and sometimes feel anything in part or most of the body
Paralysis can be the caused by illness.

Tentative- not certain or fixed
Take a look at the tentative lineup.

Desperate- feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
I'm desperate for money.

Lousy- very bad or poor.
We had to use lousy equipment.

Nourish- provide with food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.
My parents do everything they can to nourish me.

Adequate- acceptable in quantity or quality.
I pitched adequately last weekend.

Optimal- best or most favorable
What is the optimal decision?

Void- no valid
The contract was void.

Diuretic- causing increased passing of urine
Drinking a lot of water causes people to become diuretic.

Maximize- make as large or as great as possible
I'm trying to maximize my potential.

Lethargic- feeling sluggish
After eating a big meal I felt lethargic

Stimulus- causing something to happen
The electricity acts as a stimulus to light bulbs.

Ballistic- relating to the flight of a projectile.
The birds flight was ballistic.

Regimen- a medical or dietary way of life.
I need to change my eating regimen.

Hinder- create problems for someone resulting in delay or obstruction
The injury hindered the mans abilities.

Mimic- imitate typically in order to entertain or annoy
It's annoying when people mimic me.

Welcome to the Interdisciplinary

Studying psychology is interdisciplinary to playing baseball. Baseball is 90% mental so it's definitely a good idea to basically become your own psychologist. You have to know how to deal with failure and be innovative in figuring out ways to be successful.

Resources:1

1. http://www.ncsasports.org/recruiting-tools/college-baseball-recruiting/baseball-recruiting-guidelines/baseball-pitcher

-Requirements to play at different levels of baseball in college.

2. http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pitching_workouts.htm

-Different pitching workouts that will help me gain more velocity on my pitches.

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryn_Smith

-Bryn Smith played 12 years of Major League Baseball and is an expert I personally know.

4. www.umpirebob.com/data/scouts_pitching.htm

-What baseball scouts look for in pitchers.

5. http://www.active.com/baseball/articles/baseball-player-mental-toughness-guide

-The mental toughness it takes to play baseball.

Launch

What do you really want to do?
-Play baseball and improve everyday during the season.

How can you use the tools from Fall?
- I can use social media to contact people who can help me fulfill my dream.

What will I need to do so that in June I have no regrets and feel awesome?
-I need to have the best season of my life and become a league champion.

What will impress/convince others?
-My performance on and off the field.

What are you doing to make your idea a reality?
-I'm working harder than I ever have in my life to make this a reality.

Building a community.?
-I have a lot of peers pursuing the same dream as me. There are a ton of public facilities and people who are there to help (camps, showcases, etc.). Lastly, I'm in contact with experts who have played at the highest level and who are there to help guide me.

Spring Vocabulary #5

Intangible- not having physical presence
You can't be intangible as a pitcher.

Potential-showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future
He may not be that good right now, but he has potential.

Stamina- the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort
It takes a lot of stamina to do cross-country races.

Consistent- unchanging in achievement or effort over a period of time.
You need to be consistent if you want to be successful.

Prototypical-a pattern of similar things.
Exercising is prototypical.

Repertoire- a supply of something
Pitchers have a repertoire of different pitches.

Aspiration- hope or ambition to achieve something
I have aspirations to be successful.

Ethic- a set of moral principles
I sign an ethic code of conduct every year.

Misconception- an opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty understanding
It seems there's been a misconception.

Plyometric- a jump training exercise that exerts the most force in the shortest amount of time
Today we are doing plyometrics.

Emphasis- special importance, value or prominence given to something
My mom put emphasis on the fact that I had practice to do.

Precaution- a measure taken to prevent future danger, or harm in the future
Take the proper precautions to ensure prolonged health

Isolate- cause something to be apart from other things
Isolate your muscles during workouts.

Oscillating- move or swing back and forth at regular speed
The swing set was oscillating.

Stabilize- make unlikely to give way
Doctors stabilize patients when they are sick.

Maintain- cause to continue
I maintain my above average GPA.

Inform- give someone facts or information
I informed the man of his punishment.

Debut- a person's first appearance in a particular role
The man debuted on the first week of July 2015.

Implement- put into effect
The new law was implemented last week.

Innovate- make changes in something by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.
Society needs to innovate if they are looking to improve.

Hafta/Wanna

There is a big difference between life during high school and life after high school. To me the significant difference is responsibility. For most people in high school parents do a lot of the work such as paying bills, doing laundry, and making sure food is on the table. After high school all of these things fall into your lap. You have to become responsible and make sure all of those things and more are complete. Don't think you'll magically transform the day after graduation either, because you won't. You will be used to you're routine that you had while going through high school so it will take some time to change it. Another thing that happens after high school is you have to learn how to manage your time. No one will schedule make you a schedule so it's something that you will have to do yourself. Overall I think that life after high school will seem overwhelming at first, but once a routine is constructed I think it will become "normal" again.

Vocab Spring List 4

accolade- an award acknowledging merit
I received an accolade from the president.

acerbity- a sharp bitterness
I showed acerbity when I didn't get my way.

attrition- process of gradually reducing strength of something or someone through sustained attack or pressure.
Conditioning is a form of attrition.

bromide- an unoriginal idea or remark
Bromides don't help solve problems.

chauvinist- a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism.
I laugh at chauvinists.

chronic- (Illness) constantly reoccurring
Some people have chronic bronchitis.

expound- present and explain in detail
We are required to expound our final projects.

factionalism- conflict within an organization or nation
I'm getting tired of the factionalism in my group.

immaculate- perfectly neat, clean or tidy
My room is never immaculate.

imprecation- a curse
Don't speak of the imprecation!

ineluctable- inescapable
The truth is ineluctable.

mercurial- unpredictable changes of mood or mind
Your temper is mercurial.

palliate- make less severe without removing the cause
Medication helped the cut palliate.

protocol- official system of rules.
I would, but it's against my protocol.

resplendent- attractive and impressive through being richly colorful.
That car is resplendent.

stigmatize- describe as worthy of disgrace
My pitching was stigmatized.

sub rosa- done in secret.
The CIA operates sub rosa.

vainglory- pride in oneself or one's achievements
Be successful, but don't show vainglory.

vestige- a trace of something disappearing or no longer exists
I found the last vestiges of Twinkies on Ebay.

volition- the power of using one's will.
Using volition, I stepped away from the pizza.

Vocab Spring List #3

apostate- person who abandons a religious or political belief or principle.
My friend is an apostate.

effusive- expressing feelings of gratitude in a heartfelt manner.
I walked in the room and got an effusive welcome.

impasse- a situation in which no progress is possible because of a disagreement.
I hope we don't see another impasse in the NFL.

euphoria- a feeling of intense happiness or excitement.
The euphoria of getting better is what keeps me going.

lugubrious- looking or sounding sad
Lugubrious people bring down the energy level.

bravado- show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.
His show of bravado made people like him.

consensus- general agreement
The jury is all in consensus. Guilty!

dichotomy- contrast between two things that are entirely different.
There is dichotomy between baseball and soccer.

constrict- make narrower by encircling pressure
The snake constricted my neck.

gothic- relation to darker elements.
Have you seen the gothic castle?

punctilio- a fine
I received a punctilio for littering.

metamorphosis- transformation from an immature form to an adult form.
Joe's metamorphosis still hasn't taken place.

raconteur- teller of tales
I stopped to listen to the raconteur

sine qua non- a thing that is absolutely necessary
Food is the sine qua non of me living.

quixotic- very unrealistic
The book was quixotic.

vendetta- a feud between families or groups
I have a personal vendetta with friend.

non sequitur- a statement that doesn't follow the previous argument or statement
Nice non seuitur bro.

mystique- mystery surrounding someone or something.
The area has a weird mystique about it.

quagmire- a soft boggy area of the land.
You can't build on the quagmire.

parlous- full of danger and uncertainty
Don't be afraid of the parlous area.

Life After...

I see life after high school as a time of struggle followed by success. After high school I plan on going to college which is where the struggling begins. College for me means I have to start taking care of myself and I become 100% responsible for all my actions. It's going to be a maturing process and along with that I have to keep up my grades, get a job, and continue pursuing my baseball career. I'm going to have to become much better at managing my time and like I said, at first it's going to be a struggle. It's a struggle until a routine is built and then that routine becomes your new lifestyle. From there things start becoming easier. I still don't know what I want to major in which makes things complicated, but ultimately I want to play baseball as my career. I know it's a long shot so I need to have a backup plan, but so far I'm not sure what that backup plan will be. Anyway, after college is over, and if everything has gone as planned, success can begin to take place. Then is the time to start chipping away at debt and hopefully begin my career. From then on, who knows what life will throw my way, but I can only hope that I'm happy doing whatever I choose to.

Visual Storytelling

One technique they used in the movie to make it more effective was add sad music when the people were either reflecting on their past or after they lost a game.

A second technique they used was adding hardcore music during the games. It made the scenes more intense and therefore more effective.

The third technique they used that I thought was effective was when the camera started on Keith's scars from the accident and then panned over to his dirt bike that the accident occurred on.

Spring Vocab #2

Accoutrement- additional items of dress or equipment worn by a person or used for a particular activity.
Accoutrement comes with being a construction worker.

Apogee- The climax
The last scene was the apogee of the film

Apropos- with reference to
I spoke apropos to the book

Bicker- argue about petty and trivial matters
I hate when couples bicker.

Coalesce- come together and form one mass or whole
The liquid coalesced into a puddle.

Contretemps- an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence
Contretemps always occur when I'm on vacation.

Convolution- a coil or twist
I saw the convolution in the tree branches.

Cull- select from a large quantity
The lottery winner is culled.

Disparate- essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison
Our thoughts are disparate.

Dogmatic- expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are correct
I hate dogmatic speakers.

Licentious- Lacking moral discipline or ignoring restraint
My dog is licentious.

Noxious- harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
Boats make me noxious.

Polemic- a strong written or verbal attack on someone
My polemic caused changed attitudes.

Populous- having a large population
China is one of the most populous places on the planet.

Probity- the quality of having strong moral principles
He was a man of early American probity.

Repartee- conversation or speech characterized by quick witty comments or replies
Talk show hosts are experts at repartee.

Supervene- occur later then implied
The party supervened.

Truncate- shorten by cutting off the top or end
I truncated the wood so it would fit.

Unimpeachable- not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized..
People consider me to be an unimpeachable genius.

Profile in Courage

When you look deeper into the movie we watched today you realize that there is much more to it. You see that it is more about courage and overcoming adversity. Not everyone who gets in a serious accident can stay positive, but the people in the movie did. They were able to accept their new life and it took courage. It took courage to put themselves back in public and to not just sit around and basically rot in their houses. It's refreshing to see people who are less fortunate than most of us, living a good life.

The Choice

New Years day I got in trouble and was being told to go rake leaves in my backyard. I committed to being stubborn and refused to do the job. Part of the reason I refused to do it was because I woke up to my mom yelling at me and that put me in a bad mood. Had she been telling me to do the job in a calmer fashion, I would of put up less of a fight. In the end I eventually did the job. It was the wrong choice to argue, but my emotions got the best of me. Needless to say, 2014 started off rough.

Vocab #1 Performance Review

It's simple, I studied the vocabulary and I got 100% on the test. Put in time to get what you want.

Vocab: Spring List 1

Adumbrate: Report or represent in outline
I adumbrated the necessity of a positive attitude

Apotheosis- climax
His last touchdown was the apotheosis of his life.

Ascetic- the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence.
Monks tend to be ascetic.

Bauble- small trinket or decoration
I found a bauble in the junkyard.

Beguile- trick
The magician beguiled me.

Burgeon- begin to grow or increase rapidly
My luck began to burgeon.

Complement- a thing that completes or brings to perfection.
My hat complemented my outfit.

Contumacious- stubbornly or willingly disobedient to authority.
I'm getting tired of my contumacious brother.

Curmudgeon- bad tempered person.
I'd hate to become a curmudgeon.

Didactic- intended to teach.
My teachers speech was didactic.

Hacking My Education

I would like to hack the course in a way that helps me connect with classmates better. I think we should do more activities that involve the entire class as opposed to small groups or individually. I think it will help to improve interaction skills for me as well as others.

The Choice

1. The choice is whether the parents give their daughter the "poison" or she does it herself.
2. It is a real choice and it belongs to the daughter. If she doesn't willingly poison herself, her parents are forced to do it.
3. The author used the word poison in the first line to bring to notice the fact that the medicine is not good for the daughter.
4. The author's daughter doesn't think she will live to be eight years old so she feels it's necessary to play with it now. Even though it is harsh, I believe the daughter had a good point.
5. If I knew I wouldn't live to be 30, there would be no more procrastinating and I would do the things I wanted to do.
6. It's necessary to endure or inflict discomfort on someone if it's to fix or improve a part of them.
7. Suffering is a condition of life and love because you have to suffer through the tough things to get to the good things.
8. Emotionally we are responsive to his words because mentally we picture how tough it is and in a way think about ourselves having to go through that situation.