Friday the 13th

     Happy last day of high school everyone! I have always looked forward to Springfest as the best day of the school year. All of the attention is on the seniors, you just chi11 all day long, and you get out of school a month early! How could it not be the best day? Well, it was a great day besides a few minor issues. I believe that all the bad things that have happened to me today are to be blamed on by one thing: Friday the 13th. I am really not a supersticious person at all. However, I am convinced that I have been cursed. I never freak out if I see a black cat cross the road and I can open an umbrella in the house without expecting bad luck for the next seven years. My birthday is on March 13th so 13 is my favorite number. Yet, Friday the 13th managed to put a major damper on my day. It all began when I woke up. I was supposed to drive my uncle's awesome electric yellow golf cart, pimped out with monster truck wheels and flame decals on the side. Of course, my cousin put oil where the gas is supposed to go and blew the engine. Next, my back up plan failed me too. I rode a lawn mower which I thought was pretty cool. That all changed when the driver decided not to break and plow right into Marc Golsmith riding in a wheelbarrow. I honestly thought we killed him. Luckily, he did not suffer any major injuries and was able to get back in his barrow and continue riding to school. But the bad luck streak didn't end there. I really wanted to win the ghost game in English. I was one of the last five people and of course I spell "yell." Such a buzzkill. I actually thought I stood a chance against Ms. Serensky. Lastly, I worked so hard on the senior issue of the school newspaper and expected it to be great. Yet, upon reading the first page I found at least ten flaws. Shout out to Meghan Shroyer who is going to attend Colgate next year! I'm sorry I forgot you in the senior destinations section Meggie. Despite the few set backs in my day, Springfest was a memory I will never forget. Seeing everyone with their college tees and reflecting on the strong bond our class has formed since we were little kids made everything worth it. Bye, bye Blogger! Hello college!

My Attempt at Writing Poetry

As little, scared juniors we had no clue how to write,
But with some extra help our papers took flight
Some of us cried when we got a three,
While others thought AP English 11 was a breeze


After Harriet Jacobs and In Cold Blood,
We felt as if we were finally getting out of the mud
So we moved onto AP 12 with each other's support
But some ran away to Honors with Mr. Stuart


Boy, am I glad I stayed with Seren
Even though that meant buying a lot more aspirin
All the late night analyzing was worth it in the end
AP English is a course I will always recommend


Now I can write essays in record time
My knowledge of content and devices will surely earn me a nine
I don't have any worries about English next year
I'm sure I will be giving a lot of assistance to my Miami peers


I will truly miss each and every one of you so much
You are all such a brilliant, young bunch
The memories we have formed are ones I will never forget
I'm sure we will all reunite soon, don't sweat it!

Chaos in the Rec

Ashima, Brabantio, and Lady Bracknell sit in the back of the Rec Center as instucted by Mr. Rydquist. They have been given the simple task of collecting the test booklets and throwing away the plastic wrap that covers them. However, their job becomes much more intense when they realize that someone is cheating off of the tall, blonde haired girl sitting in the middle row.

[The three observe Carley working on her test.]


Ashima: [Frowning] "[I] can't help but pity [her]" (Lahiri 25).


Brabantio: "O unhappy girl!" (Shakespeare 1.1.160).


Lady Bracknell: "I never saw a woman [look] so altered" (Wilde 8).


Ashima: "Only in America" (Lahiri 70).


[Brabantio notices a boy peeking over Carley's shoulder looking at her multiple choice answers.]


Brabantio: [Whispering to others] "O heaven!...O treason of the blood!" (Shakespeare 1.1.166).


Lady Bracknell: [To Brabantio] "What is your [problem]?" (Wilde 13).


Brabantio: "[That boy] hast practiced on her with foul charms" (Shakespeare 1.1.73).


Lady Bracknell: "I confess I feel somewhat bewildered by what you have just told me" (Wilde 14).


Brabantio: "Down with him, [cheater]" (Shakespeare 1.3.56).

Lady Bracknell" [Feeling increasingly angry.] "The fact is that I do not approve at all of [the boy's] moral chatacter. I suspect him of being untruthful" (Wilde 48).

Brabantio: [Calling to Mr. Rydquist] "Lay hold upon him. If he do resist,/Subdue him at his peril" (Shakespeare 1.3.78-79).

[Ashima rushes towards boy and drags him out of his seat.]

Ashima: [Looking at Brabantio] "'Like this?''' (Lahiri 23).

[Boy starts yelling and arguing with Mr. Rydquist, defending himself.]

Lady Bracknell: [Speaking her mind aloud to the other students who are now looking around to see what the commotion is all about.] "This noise is extremely unpleasant...[Children] are always vulgar" (Wilde 52).

Brabantio: [To Mr. Rydquist] "Call up [Ms. Serensky]!" (Shakespeare 1.1.172)

Lady Bracknell: [To the students] "Never speak disrespectfully of [Ms. Serensky], [kids.] Only people who can't get into [AP English] do that" (Wilde 47).

[All exit]

The students "ooh" and "ahh" as Mr. Rydquist, Brabantio, Lady Bracknell, and Ashima escort the boy to Ms. Serensky's room. The students, slightly frazzled, get back to their tests, determined to get a five.


The boy's punishment

Laughter is the Best Medicine when AP English Gets Feverish

     "This is not a novel, a book, or a story. It's a PLAY" (Ms. Serensky). Well, now that I know how to properly identify my favorite work of literature we have read this year, I will reveal which play it is: The Importance of Being Earnest. The main reason this text is my favorite is because it is only 54 pages and we read it in a week. Just kidding! That is surely a plus though. Thinking back to all of the books we have read this year my mind goes to a psycho murderer, a man who watches a woman get raped, a doomed life at birth, resentment towards family, and mental patients. Basically, I liked IOBE because it is the only book that didn't have something terribly depressing occur. "Why on earth do you say that," you may ask (Wilde 3)? Ultimately, I thought this piece of literature was filled with pure humor and light-hearted topics. This is definitely the book that I wanted to end my senior year with for the aforementioned reason. Plus, the fact that we read this play out loud made me like it that much more. "It is a great truth" that smiles are contagious and I feel this play created a very joyous atmosphere in our classroom. It was very easy for me to follow the story unlike other novels where I have felt very confused after reading. The characters, especially Algernon, really drew me into the story with their dynamic personalities. I think Wilde's inclusion of "bunburrying" and placing the baby in the handbag instead of the basinette was so clever. I really like how everything in the story reaches a full circle at the end when we find out Jack's history. More so, I especially loved playing the part of Gwendolen. I looked forward to going to class that week to act her part out. By reading the play aloud, I feel I fully comprehend Wilde's mocking of the aristocratic class that I would not have grasped if I read it by myself. I can honestly say that I learned "the vital Importance of Being Earnest" (Wilde 54).


I feel like the yellow smiley when I think of IOBE.

My Top 10 Most Blogworthy Academic Achievements

     Although I have never officially won an academic award (besides the Principal's Merit Award and Power of the Pen challenge in Middle School), I have had many individual academic achievements that I am proud of. Some, although seemingly small, have made the top 10 list that I am about to share with you. Get ready to have your mind blown away my intellectual brilliance in no particular order...


1. Acceptance to my first college. Opening up that first college letter from Penn State, reading the first line that says I was accepted and nothing else. This was the pivotal moment where my hard work in high school paid off. Although I will not be attending that university in the fall, just knowing that all the late nights of countless homework and hours of test prep was worth it in the end. "The site of it printed in capital letters on the...page" was an exhillirating feeling (Lahiri 89).


2. Receiving an A on my Honors Trig Final. For those of you who don't know me, I am not a math person. Never have been and never will. Math, no matter what form of it, just doesn't click with me. I still challenge myself in AP math classes though to try and form a better relationship with the subject. Last year I took Honors Trig with Mrs. Petite. That class rattled and shook my brain more than any one I had ever taken, but I worked hard all throughout the year and...I got an A on the final! I couldn't believe it, I was absolutly astonished that I had done it. To this day, "there is something in that [moment] that seems to inspire absolute confidence" in myself (Wilde 32).


3. The first 7 I ever received in AP English will go down in history. I still have the paper in my old binder underneath my bed so I will never forget. It was the paper that we wrote after we watched the Hurricane Katrina documentary and read an article on it in AP English 11. To my first 7 paper: "I am bound to thee forever" (Shakespeare 3.3.212).


4. The day my team beat the Dream Team. I have blogged about this experience before as my favorite day in AP English 12. If you would like to know the details of this magnificent day, see that post. Jackie, Katie, Nicola, and I made a great team. I knew we could beat the Dream Team. "And have we not affections?/ Desires for [10 extra credit points]?...as the [Dream Team] have?" (Shakespeare 4.3.108-109). Of course we do!!


5. Passing both my AP tests last year. I waited for what felt like the entire summer to get those test scores in the mail. I studied so many hours for the apush exam it is unreal. "[Those tests], an entity shapeless and weightless, managed nevertheless to distress [me] physically, like the scratchy tag of a shirt [I] had been forced to wear" (Lahiri 76). All that studying means less studying in college now!


6. Maintaining a 4.5 GPA all three quarters of my Senior year. I hope to continue this trend all the way to graduation. I'm happy that I did not/tried not to let Senioritis get the best of me. Lady Bracknell says that "Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone" (Wilde 13). I am proud to say that I did not let ignorance and laziness stand in my way of finishing off my last year of high school strong.


7. Finishing my college essay was an amazing feeling. I feel that that essay is the best piece of work I have ever written. I worked so hard on that paper to impress all the colleges I applied to. I read it and edited it so many times I had the entire essay memorized. I could honestly recite it back to you today if you would like. My essay basically took over my life but thankfully "it no longer looms over [my] life, darkening it without warning as it used to do" (Lahiri 78).


8. Getting over a 100% on the 10th grade research project. Jackie could agree that this was one of the most unbearable things we have ever had to do. I remember sitting in her office for hours at a time staring at the computer screen trying to type this paper. It didn't help that our topic was "does diet and exercise directly correlate with academic success?" I mean, "that [topic] is nonsense," of course there is a direct correlation (Wilde 7). But our group managed to dish out an amazing research paper that scored well above our expectations.


9. Turning in that first 18 page Data Sheet on Othello. I remember thinking to myself at 2:00 a.m. the night before it was due, "Kill me tomorrow; let me live tonight!" (Shakespeare 5.2.80). I never thought that I would get that thing done..or that I would get an A on it!


10. This blog post. "[I] realized there's no need to lie. Not technically" for I honestly didn't think that I would be able to think of 10 "blogworthy" academic achievements that I have had in my high school career (Lahiri 96). But I did and now I feel very accomplished and pleased with myself.

To Say Yes or to Say No, That is the Question

     My favorite poem this year would have to be Elisavietta Richie's "Sorting Laundry." The reason this poem is my favorite is because it is one of the few that I could completely understand. I think the message is very clear that the speaker is contemplating marriage. I liked that because it allowed me to really explore my writing in my poetry paper without worrying whether or not my interpretation of the poem was correct or not. Although this poem is very serious and genuine compared to the play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," I feel there is some connection there. I could imagine Cecily writing a poem like this in her diary, expressing the happiness and joy Ernest brings her. One of my favorite lines that Cecily says is “I like his hair so much. I must enter his proposal in my diary” (Wilde 34). This affectionate tone parallels Richie’s admiring tone toward her loved one, but in a less creepy way of course. I could also imagine Algernon belittling this poem like no other. The woman in Richie’s poem feels a life without a spouse would be entirely lonely and empty. Algernon, on the other hand, seems much more disdainful of marriage: “No married man is ever attractive except to his wife” (Wilde 26). There is a clear theme of bitterness towards marriage in the poem. Another instance of this occurs when Lane remarks, “I have only been married once. That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person” (Wilde 1). It is interesting to me that my favorite poem and favorite novel we read this year have such differing views on marriage. I wonder whether I will take Richie’s view on marriage or the socialites of the play in the future…

Can you redeem yourselves Dream Team?

     The Dream Team: DESTROYED. Yup, I said it. I beat the Dream Team. I'm sure it is very hard for Sam, Alex, Thomas, and John to swallow this fact but they can't deny the truth. It was a day of a terrible blizzard (one that should have definitley been a snow day, might I add). I woke up late because my alarm did not go off. I threw on sweat pants and a sweatshirt and drove five miles per hour to school Tokyo drifting the whole way there. I probably scared kids when they saw me running through the hallway with no make up on, my hair an afro mess, and my back pack half way open. I made it just in time for English class and for the day that Ms. Serensky would reveal the correct answers to the AP multiple choice test. Of course, The Dream Team was already huddled in the back corner, heads pushed together devising their plan. They were laughing and smiling, looking devilishly excited for what they thought would be yet another victory. Ms. Serensky announced the answer to number one: “B. That goes to Teams 3 and 5," she exclaimed. Of course Team 5, The Dream Team, answered correctly and it "made [them] feel, for those brief minutes, the absolute center of [the] world" (Lahiri 129). Yet, something wasn't quite right. Team 3, my team, started slowly noticing the increase in tally marks compared to the boys. They argued with one another after missing more and more questions. I bet Thomas was thinking in his head, "I had rather be a toad/And live upon the vapor of a dungeon" than to lose to them" (Shakespeare 3.3.66-67). John was screaming beating his fists on the table after yet another incorrect answer. The final scores were announced and my team ended up winning the 10 bonus points! We were so happy that our modesty and humbleness put our team at the top.. I will never forget the shocked looks on their faces. The Dream Team coming in second place for an AP multiple choice game is one of the best examples of simultaneous disappointment that I have ever seen. This day was by far my favorite day in AP English 12. “At last! At last! At last!” we put The Dream Team in their place (Wilde 54).

Iago Finds a New Love Interest

     Today was an absolutely wretched day. The annoyingsome Moor suggested that I attend a class on William Shakespeare to help with my speech. Like it needs any assistance. Thou art perfectly perfect the way I am. I yearned to sit in the corner to doth demonstrate my uninterest in this Shakespeare fellow. Yet, right as I walked into the door some woman, whom looked quite much like Desdemona, shoved a scroll in my face. She called it a journal and said I had fifteen minutes past the hour to write an "analytical paragraph." "By heaven I rather would have been [a] hangman" (4). I kept looking at the fine woman and decided that thou art spark a master plan to have her marry thee. She clearly was not wed for no ring covered her finger. "I [wore] my heart upon my sleeve" hoping that she would notice my unconditional love for her. Hark how this woman loved me. She detailed every word I said. I watched her delicate hands furiously scribble my every word. The young wretch next to thee said she 'twas only marking participation points, but what does she know? Ignorant child. A loud dinging noise concluded the class and I marched up to thine lady's throne. I took her hand gracefully and demanded she dine with thee at Othello's home in Venice. "Avaunt! Be gone," said my lady. She concluded to belittle me with the name "creep." I have not no knowlege tis what this means but I do not care. There is no use "to have a foolish wife" (68). Desdemona, my precious rose, I will come back to you once again and never return to the land of Chagrin Falls!

My Newest Pen Pal

Dear Ashima, 
     
     Greetings from the U.S.! I am pleased to be your newest pen pal! I hope you are enjoying your stay in Calcutta. Not much has changed in America since you left for India. I wanted to write you today about your move to America shortly after your marriage to Ashoke. I realize my country was not what you had expected in the least upon arrival. Although I have lived in the United States all my life, I have had an experience similar to yours: It was called AP English 11. My world was turned upside down when Ms. Bobbie Jo Serensky entered my life. The narrator of your story details your first impressions of the American citizens you encountered when you first arrived: "Americans, in spite of...their miniskirts and bikinis in spite of...lying on top of each other on the Cambridge Common, prefer their privacy" (3). Honestly Ashima, I would have been way more comfortable with these half-naked civilians than with Ms. Serensky on the first day of 11th grade English. I head heard the rumors all throughout ninth and tenth grade: "You have to write a 20 page paper in less than a week!" "If you don't get above a 5 on your first in-class essay, you my as well drop." And my personal favorite, "She takes off 10 points if you make a flower out of the hole punches on the side of your paper!" 
     I feel for you completely with your transition from India to America. My transition from Honors English 10 to AP almost put me through cardiac arrest. I really like the analogy you used post move: "For being a foreigner is a sort of life long pregnancy" (49). I can totally relate to this. AP English was a constant burden for me as well. I endured sleepless nights, belittling of my papers by the seniors, and immense anxiety. It took time to get used to this new routine. Yet now, I feel completely comfortable in AP English 12. What was once such a strange and foreign classroom to me has become a haven for learning and success. I really feel as if my AP English class is my family. We started off as foreigners in the classrooms, speaking a completely different language than Ms. Serensky. This barrier was broken down over time and now I am at home in her room. Likewise, you learned to accept America as your home regardless of the inferiority you felt upon arrival: "Pemberton Road, [I] know is home nevertheless" (280). I hope all is well! Please write back! 


Sincerely, 
Carley Mader

Mom to baby Carley: "You are going to be in AP English when you grow up! Aren't you excited?"

How do you live your life?

     One of my favorite days in AP English is the days when we get new books. Maybe it's the crisp pages or the mystery that lies inside. Well, whatever it is, new book days make me happy. I especially liked today due to the interesting cover page of the story of our next read, Everything Matters! The cover of the book with its neon colors, swirls, and outer space theme makes me excited to start reading. From reading the back of the novel and our paper topic for tomorrow, the story is about a man who knows that the world will end when he is 36. I found out alot about the kind of person I am and how I live my day to day life from writing my paper. I have developed a quiz to help my other AP English students figure out how they live their lives as well.




1. What song best describes you?
a. "Waiting on the World to Change" John Mayer
b."Where is the Love?" The Black Eyed Peas
c. "The Rock Show" Blink-182


2. Your friend drags you into a tattoo shop and forces you to get something. You choose...
a. A cartilage piercing. It's no big deal.
b. Not into that at all. I prefer henna.
c. Ink that covers your entire back. You only live once, right?


3. You are at Cedar Point with a group of friends. The first ride you go on is...
a. The corkscrew. It's smooth and not too fast.
b. I don't do rides. You can find me on the bench watching.
c. TOP THRILL DRAGSTER, no doubt.


4. You walk into the popcorn shop and order...
a. A Single scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream
b. A lollipop. I'm trying to watch my figure.
c. Popcorn drenched in hot sauce


5. You're on an airplane and Kim Kardashian unexpectantly sits in the seat across from you in first class. You...
a. Glance at her every once in a while. I mean, she is just a regular person like the rest of us.
b. Start sweating and convulsing in your seat. It's Kimmie K for Christ's sake.
c. Start chatting her up and ask for her bbm pin.


6. You are in a crowded parking lot and late for your reservation to the nearest restaurant. You slightly bump the car in front of you, but no one sees. You...
a. Leave a note on their windshield explaining what happened with your name and number.
b. Start crying and call your mom.
c."It's whatever."


7. What do you want to be when you grow up?
a. A kindergarden teacher, what a fun and entertaining job.
b. Secretary. I prefer to be behind the scenes.
c. A professional bungee jumper. I love the adrenaline rush.


8. What is your favorite kind of gum?
a. Orbit Cool Mist
b. Juicy Fruit
c. Anything cinnamon flavored


If you chose...
Mostly A's: You live your life cool and collected
You are a very chill person. You go with the flow and can make the best out of any situation. You are not the type of person to start drama and do not stress much. You pretty much get along with everyone. You live a very relaxed lifestyle. Life is good.
Mostly B's: You live your life hesitantly
Some people may call you a nervous wreck. In your eyes, you're a prefectionist who puts a lot of thought into everything you do. You think your decisions through thoroughly before making them. You do not like to take risks or do anything out of your comfort zone. Life is scary.
Mostly C's: You live your life on the edge
You're an adrenaline junky. You live every day to the fullest no matter what. You tend to dream big and have a lot of self-confidence. You love to try new things and aren't afraid of anything. Meeting new people comes easy to you. Life is crazy fun.

NP 4 LYFE!!!

      Over the past three years I have been a member of the Tiger Times Newspaper staff and loving every minute of it. Newspaper is kind of like blogging for me. It allows me to write about things I WANT to write about. I especially love the classroom atmosphere with our dance routines and inside jokes. Fellow AP English student, Marc Golsmith, is editor of the paper and he would agree what a great class it is. Newspaper class will benefit me in my future if I decide to pursue a career in journalism as well as the majority of the students in the class.
     However, yesterday, the usually happy and joyous Newspaper class turned into an uproar. My fellow classmates were screaming, arguing, planning riots, and complaining. This occurred after Ms. Beach mentioned the possibility of cutting Newspaper next year. Apparently, the administration does not find the value in the school paper and is considering dropping the class for the 2011-2012 school year. I find this completely ridiculous and I would really like other students' feedback on this issue. Our class works hard to make sure we provide a factual and fun source of entertainment for the students. What school doesn't have a newspaper? I think it is very important to cover significant school events and teacher/student accomplishments. Furthermore, the Newspaper raises the majority of its money itself. For those of you who do not know how the class works, businesses pay us to advertise their store or company in the Tiger Times. We also hold multiple fundraisers a year such as raffles and candy grams. The school does not have to donate many funds to our classroom so that eliminates the expense of the class. I also feel it is the students’ decision whether we keep the newspaper or not. Ultimately, we write it for them. I love watching students open up the newspaper and laugh and point out articles to their friends. This bothersome issue has been pestering me for the past two days. What do you all think? Please be honest. Do you think we should save the Newspaper or let it fall?

   
SAVE TIGER TIMES! SAVE TIGER TIMES!

An Unhappy Camper

Brain hurts. Eyes heavy. Help me.

2011-Out With a BANG

     I never thought the hype about being a senior would hit me until a week or two before graduation. Seniors still have to take eight classes, we still have homework every night, and we do not have any "special" benefits over the other students. The only thing that has been different about senior year thus far is that I can arrive at 1st period commons at 8:00 instead of 7:40 and I can park a bit closer to the front entrance. Yet today, the reality of graduating in a few months hit me like a bus. As I was filling out my senior project packet I begin to think about something that I have never have before: Senior Prank. I have brainstormed a few funny ideas that I think would have students and staff remembering the class of 2011 forever.


-Set two pigs loose in the school. Write "1" and "3" on their backs.


-Replace all of Ms. Serensky's black pens with assorted colors of sparkly, gel pens.


-Hide alarm clocks in the ceiling and set them 2 minutes apart from one another.


-Park our cars around the school close enough together so people would have to climb to get into the front door.


-Order take out from several different resturants and have them delivered to classrooms.


-On every door of the school put a sign that says "DUMBLE" and see how long it takes people to get it (dumbledore).


-Put goldfish in all the toilets.


-Rub vaseline on every doorknob (Simultaneous Dissapointment to the max).

 

My personal favorite.

"Any publicity is good publicity"

     Today in class, Thomas mentioned a famous quote "any publicity is good publicity." I began to ponder this idea furthur and have decided to blog about it. While reading last night, I didn't really believe that the pictures of Garmony would essentially "kill" his image. As an avid magazine reader and E News viewer, I have seen many pictures of celebrities doing things they shouldn't be doing. However, the media has a way of twisting the image so what they are doing doesn't seem so bad. I feel that with all the power Garmony holds, he could say a close friend took a picture of him dressing up as a woman for Halloween to make the pictures out as a joke. If people really are his true fans, than the pictures won't influence their political opinion on him.
     I mentioned in class the famous picture of Michael Jackson holding his baby over a balcony. Clearly, what Michael was doing was completely unsafe and risking his child's life. Yet Michael responded to tabloids explaining the fans down below made him feel overwhelmed with excitement that he wanted to show them his baby. Even after the pictures leaked, the press died down and this mishap was put aside. Even after his death, Michael lives on through his new movie "This is It" and even has a new wii dance game out. Did this incident really put a dent in his image? Currently, Miley Cyrus' image is at stake. A video of her smoking a bong was recently released to the public. Reps immediatly defended Miley explaining that she was smoking salvia, a LEGAL drug in California. Likewise, Michael Phelps had a similar experience. Yet, swimmers still look up to Michael Phelps as an amazing athlete. Miley Cyrus will still continue to write songs and star in movies. All in all, I feel that if the pictures of Garmony are published, he can easily fight back. The question comes down to this...Is the only thing worse than being talked about, not being talked about at all?
    

Body Decorations: Yay or Nay?

     What if you walked into your first day of college classes and saw that your professor represented more of a heavy metal band member than a teacher? He had an eyebrow ring, a bull hook through his nostrils, and a tongue ring that he frequently banged on his teeth for his own entertainment. You can't tell exactly which race he is considering every inch of skin is covered in tattoos. Although this scenario is completely unrealistic and very far-fetched, students come across teachers every day that have piercings and tattoos. I'm interested to know what kids think when they notice their teacher has some extra decoration.     
     Throughout my school years, I've had teachers with nose rings, visible tattoos, and the occasional few who still dress as if they were teenagers. Personally, I am slightly bothered by this. Since our school is public, I feel teachers have more leeway with how they dress and present themselves. I am the type of person who can tell when teachers get a new hair cut or went on a shopping spree that weekend, so when I see a teacher with a nose ring for example; my eye is immediately drawn to it. I find nose rings very distracting. I feel students are drawn to look at nose rings because it’s not something you see very often. Furthermore, I find it somewhat inappropriate for teachers to have visible tattoos. A few weeks ago, my teacher (I won't name names) scratched his back, revealing a tattoo on his bicep. I could tell everyone in the class had seen it by the gasps they quietly made and their facial expressions. I felt kind of uncomfortable honestly. Truthfully, it was weird to see something that I feel should be kept private. In my opinion, I feel teachers should be prohibited from having tattoos, piercings, or wearing clothing that is unprofessional.  
     What do you think? I'm interested to know other students' opinion on this. Do you respect a teacher less if they have a tattoo or piercing? Do you find them to be more on a friendship level than a professional level? Do you think its inappropriate and professional workers should not be allowed to have their tattoos and piercings visible?

Blogger Brainstorm

     When Ms. Serensky announced a new class project, I was very skeptical. I thought this blogger assignment would be just another homework assignment piling up in my planner. Yet, after completing a quarter of blogging, I have both good and bad things to say about it. I like this assignment because it has allowed me to write about what I WANT to write about. There is no essay prompt, no annotating sentences, and my absolute favorite: no active voice. This creative freedom has been a relief for me. Furthermore, I really like reading other people's blogs because they many make me smile or laugh. I have learned a lot about my classmates through blogger. Truthfully, blogger is only fun when I can think about something to write about. When I have a good idea for a blog I can't wait to write it down. But sometimes, I will sit and stare at the blank text box for what feels like hours. I know when writing exactly which posts will go into Bobbie's Blog Banter and which ones will not. I don't like writing about stupid, pointless things so it frustrates me when I can't think of something creative to blog about. i also sometimes feel sad when no one comments on my blog. I try to comment on different people's blogs every time so I can make people feel good about their writing. If I could have made a change it would be that you cannot comment on the same person's blog more than twice. All in all, I really cannot decide whether or not we should keep blogging. I feel like I would be okay with it either way (Note: this is an unusual feeling for me because I am very picky and opinionated.)

Tune In

     Over the past few days in English class, I have heard bits and pieces of songs such as "Thriller" and "Hello, Again." I look around the room and see all of my fellow students either staring off into space or with their heads down looking at the floor. I am not sure whether to dance, sing along, or bop my head to the rhythm of the music. Sometimes I want to just get up and start dancing to make myself feel less awkward, but I know that would end horribly. Off of this note, I have decided to make an AP English 12 playlist which I feel reflects our classroom and English class as a whole. I hope you enjoy!

1. Don't Let Me Fall- B.O.B
*AP English 12 students help each other out when times are tough. We encourage one another to work hard and always lend a helping hand.
2. I Feel Good-James Brown
*This song should be played immediately after turning in a data sheet!
3. Tubthumping-Chumbawamba
*This song goes out to every student who has ever received a 4 or below on their papers. Don't give up! "I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down."
4. Bossy-Kelis
*I dedicate this song to Ms. Serensky. "You don't have to love me. You don't even have to like me. But you will respect me..You know why? 'Cause I'm THE BOSS."
5. Big Girls Don't Cry-Fergie
*This is dedicated to every girl in AP English 12 who feels like they might start crying after a bad grade or a horrible discussion.
6. I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
This song brings back memories from AP English 11. "At first I was afraid. I was petrified."
7. Breathe, Stretch, Shake-Mase
*Think of this song before we write an in-class essay or take the AP test. We all need to “breathe, stretch, shake and let it go.”
8. We're all in this Together-High School Musical
*Cheesy, but true.
9. Stronger-Kanye West
*AP English has made me so much smarter and stronger than I ever thought possible. I think many students can agree with me on this one.
10. Remember the Name-Fort Minor
*Ms. Serensky-Never forget the Class of 2011!

Brainwashed by a Crazy

     I have never been more excited for English class than I have in the past three days. Shutter Island is my absolute favorite movie of all time! I think it is so thought out and extremely brilliant. I remember the first time I saw the movie I was completely lost. I had no idea the significance of Teddy Daniels’ flashbacks or why he always saw hallucinations of his wife with a little girl. When the doctor revealed that Teddy Daniels was in fact Andrew Laidus, I did not believe it for a second. I had my mind set on the fact that they were just trying to brainwash him. I thought it was out of sheer coincidence that the name Edward Daniels spells Andrew Laidus and that Rachel Solando spells Doloroes Chanal. I was rooting for Teddy to kill the doctors and free all the patients who suffered. I remember looking next to me at my friend in the theaters and saying, “This is all just part of their evil plan.” It wasn’t until the end of the movie when the doctors say it didn’t work and he goes back to calling Dr. Sheehan “boss” that I believed what they said was true. I think it is amazing how the producers get into your mind to make you believe the crazy person. This factor really relates to One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I believe one of Kesey’s purposes in writing this novel was to show people that the outside world is just as crazy as the inside world (the insane). Shutter Island makes viewers believe that the patients are not really insane, that the people from the outside world perform surgeries on normal people to make them crazy. Both the film and the novel suggest parallels to show that the “sane” are just as crazy as the “insane.”

Baby Bobbie Meets Miss Trunchbull

     Over this relaxing winter break I seem to have watched a ton of movies that somehow or another relate to AP English. I decided to watch one of my all-time favorites last night: Matilda. We have talked about this movie in class and Ms. Serensky said she has never seen it. For those of you like Ms. Serensky who have never seen this brilliant film I will summarize it a bit for you. Matilda is a young girl who lives with her mom, dad, and brother. They ignore her and belittle her every chance they get. Matilda loves to read and is at a very advanced level for her age. Her teacher, Miss Honey, notices Matilda's intelligence. However, she does not know that Matilda has super powers. Matilda puts her powers to use in order to get back at the mean, horrid principal of her school: Miss Trunchbull.
     I am still waiting for the day for Ms. Serensky to tell us "why she is the way she is." I imagine her having an experience similar to Matilda's with Miss Trunchbull minus the superpowers of course. In the movie, Miss Trunchbull makes all the teacher's rooms as dismal and boring as possible. There can be no fun or laughter in the rooms, the blinds must always be pulled down, and the children should be as miserable as possible.
     I imagine little Bobbie Jo with her hot pink backpack and hair in high pigtails walking into her third grade class. Her teacher is no other than a woman similar to Miss Trunchbull. Bobbie Jo pulls out her summer reading assignment: Moby Dick. She did not understand much of the story at all. The teacher proceeded to walk around the room and check to make sure the students marked their books up. Of course baby Bobbie had no idea she must always have a pen while reading. Her teacher put her in the chockee (a small box filled with daggers) for the next hour. Over the next months, baby Bobbie learned how to anotate books, the proper format of a SOAPSTone, and to only write in blue or black ink. By the time she hit fourth grade, the brilliant baby Bobbie could have easily scored a 5 on the AP English 11 test. Even though she pulled countless all-nighters and went through a pack of black pens a month, she learned an abundance of knowlege from her own Miss Trunchbull that she teaches to her little babies today.