(S.S.R.R part 2) On Being a Mexican American & How Being an Immigrant Shaped my Life

    After reading all the short stories, poems and articles from What is an American, I've come to the conclusion that "On Being a Mexican American" by Joe I. Mendoza and "How Being an Immigrant Shaped my Life" by Sonia Pressman Fuentes  were the best of my interest. Both articles seemed to grab my attention the most. Even though I am neither a Mexican American nor an immigrant the feelings they portrayed seem to sink into me.

     "On Being a Mexican American"

Joe Mendoza was a Mexican born in the U.S.A. As a young boy he was very proud of what and who he was. As he grew older, he experienced feelings of angry and confusion. He experienced his first time of segregation. Before long, his thoughts about who he was and how people react towards different cultures soon expanded. More things in his life were changing and he later became "anglocized" or "acculturated". The realization and feelings he felt was what a typical ______ (<< fill in some sort nationality) American would go through life. Right? Well, that’s what I think at least. While reading his life story there was many things he said that I happened to agree on. For example, his first sentence “It is important for Mexican Americans to accept the fact that they are a unique group at a crossroads.” True but it’s also for other cultures as well. For me Filipino American’s have a huge fact to accept their culture and especially their language, Tagalog. “But there was always a source to turn to for emotional first aid -- one's family and friends.” This is true for everyone. No one else but your family and friends can understand you the most and how you feel.

There were so many other things Mendoza said that I can absolutely agree on but I believe his voice speaks for everyone not just Mexicans.

Eventually, I became aware that I did not really fit in with this group. And yet, I could not dismiss a new feeling -- that of still needing to be a Mexican. When I returned to my school, I had a different outlook. Although I thought I had been safely "acculturated," I found I could not so easily forget my past.

Today there is a menu of terms from which we may select a label. Should we select Mexican American, Chicano, Latino, or Hispanic? It is interesting to note that recently arrived Mexicans are not confused, for they know who they are. I submit that it is the members of the second or third generation in the U.S. who have problems with having to choose -- or with having someone else choose for them.

     “How Being an Immigrant Shaped my Life"

     I am not an Immigrant but there is one thing I can agree on with this article. While reading Sonia Pressman Fuentes’s story, I noticed I kept nodding my head. Her attitude and voice came to me and I realized I could relate this to Filipinos (I tend to connect my culture with these type of stories). When she had to move from Germany to America she wondered how her life would be different if she never left Germany. When you become an immigrant especially at a young age, you come to think being an immigrant saved your life but it has stolen or striped you away from your childhood. I talk or hear a lot of the feelings my aunts, uncles, or cousins have to say when it comes to their home land and America. American is the land of opportunity and a better way of living. Right? In the end of this story it was the happy satisfaction Sonia realized that coming to America was a good change and that being an outsider is a valuable.  

                  M: "Hey John...."
                  J: "Ya?" (...)
                  M: "Can't wait for that
                  three day weekend huh?"
                  J: "Totally."  

January 17^th, 2011 is not the day we have Monday off but a day no one should ever forget. It is somewhat like a holiday, definitely a celebration, but a day for America to remember the work of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the first national holiday to honor an individual black American. This man helped change America. He screamed to the world and spoke out for justice for colored people, for an end to racial discrimination.

“Everyone knew that the sky is colored blue, that a spring lawn is green. But we have always argued about what to color man. King gave us the answer: Do not color him a yellow man. Do not color him a black man. Do not color him a white man. Color him or her human. It's time for a different hue.”

            Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn't just change the course of EVERY LIVING person in his generation but has changed those born the next generation then the next, next, next generation. He has dramatically made a difference changing the lives of everyone in the US. Thinking about King and the dramatic changes he created is just like thinking WHAT IF us humans never created google or the computer. He will still be relevant in 2011 till the end of the world. His legacy will never be forgotten.  

       .

* S.S.R.R *

“Children of the Sea” was by far the best story I’ve read so far. After finishing the last journal, I felt though it was a too short for a short story. It would be 1000x better if it were a book. I could read the entries forever if there were more. All the suspense I got was crazy after each and every journal the man and the woman wrote. I literally put down the iPad (I was using it to read the story) and just shook my head. I was disappointed. Disappointed that it was over, not because the ended sucked cough* The Great Gatsby. The books I enjoy to read are books\short stories like “Children of the Sea”. The goal in any author is to catch the reader’s attention and this book definitely kept me going. The fact that these journal entries were never send to both the man and female we very fascinating for me. Through all the entries their love and pain they  expressed was so deep and powerful while I was reading.    

       “To be Young Gifted and Black”, “I Hear America Singing”, “There was a Child Went Forth” and “This Sacred Soil” were all decent. Out of them all I liked the second reading “To Be Young Gifted and Black”. I found it interesting to discover the similarities and differences I had with the narrator. Especially the feelings she had once something occurred in her lifetime. I liked how she always seemed curious and asked herself questions and stated her thoughts she didn’t really understand, like what we all tend to do. The other poems were okay as well. They didn’t really grab my attention so much but they were interesting. There was no suspense or deep emotions (or maybe it was just how I felt about it). I’m not into poems or making my own.

  KRICK? KRACK!

Music Review: Gipsy Kings

                              http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24sgr_gipsy-kings-volare_music

 CLICK THAT LINK AND LISTEN TO IT!

    I was so anticipated into sharing this song, I really hope you'd take the time to listen to it and ENJOY it~ I am personally not a music type of music. I don't prefer R&B over classic or rap over country but this. This is...... This is like MYYY song. My dad is a huge jazz fan and he loves a lot of instrumental music so when we were younger, my sister and I, he would play all sorts of music and the song I'd always love to dance to is Volare by Gipsy Kings along with Sade~ I can't even pronounce the song correctly but they are really amazing~ I barely play this song or listen to it every day but when my dad is out of songs to play (which is rare) I always suggest this song my "singing" the chorus. Hopefully this song will keep you moving. It's very uplifting. This song is just "in my blood". For a little more ummfhhhh listen to the remix version that I just searched up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXHdd8vyrFA) <<<Youtube~

OH Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway

Compare and contrast? First impressions? Who do you like better? Is their friendship truly real or fake??? Hm...
So the main characters of the Great Gatsby Jay and Nick are quite fascinating to me. Slowly learning more and more about their characteristics especially Gatsby is very interesting, just like everyone else who wants to know who this wealthy guy is. In my opinion, I really like the character of Nick Carraway. He's seems very quiet, understanding, and I've noticed a lot of people tend to really open up to him and that's how us readers discover every person's secrets. On the other hand, from the very beginning I was quite curious about Gatsby. He is Nick's neighbor, he is known by everybody but few know who he truly is, he seems to love to show off (new money), and over all he holds a very mysterious character. We all know from reading that Jay and Nick's friendship is obviously fake. It really shows Gatsby effort into trying to get to Daisy (♥) through Nick. Since Nick is Daisy's cousin Gatsby could be a few steps closer into seeing Daisy. (I stand correctly)
Fakes + Users, what else will we discover?
                                               

First Draft of Golden Snowflake competition

 

FYI: I am not good at writing poems so you do have a chance of winning the Golden Snowflake…. Here’s my first draft of my poem. Enjoy. (I couldn’t find a certain style to stick with so I need to edit that)

I stand there, gazing at my entire family.

The announcements from Santa Claus,

the screaming, the laughter, the smiles.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

How many gifts are we all going to receive?

Those greedy eyes, those devious fingers.

You want those envelopes don’t you? ($$$)

I stare at the sea of rainbow wrapping paper,

the stack of bows and jungle of ribbons.

You noticed the pile of presents

becoming SMALLER and SMALLER and SMALLER,

but the piles of trash becoming BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER.

An hour has passed and the last gift is finally called...

The bottom of the Christmas tree is bare.  

The tree no longer has any envelopes to share.

It’s time to categorize and clean up.

Now there’s no more craziness, everyone has subsided.

I should be cleaning but I just stop and stare.

The song you’ll never get sick of by Mariah Carrey playing in the background. (You know it)

A short glance at the video camera,

I try to look my best and smile.

The camera is gone,

It’s time to reflect.

Remembering the past Christmas’s,

Thinking about how much you’ve changed.

You have new memories and more memories to come.

The thought of Christmas being over

Is never any fun.

But the kisses and the hugs,

The tears and the laughter.

The tons of money you’ve spent but gained.

It is all worth it when you get to have another year.

  

Dear Santa,

I want a puppy, more Neopets, a giant teddy bear and I want a picture of Rudolf.

Dear Santa,

     Can I have money for a new laptop please?

As Mr. McCarthy said this is probably the most anticipated blog "of the quarter" or whatever... Everyone is going to be reading each others blogs to see if they got picked. We all know everyone will choose who they're friends with. 
Truthfully, I have to be honest. Because I missed the first two\three weeks of school I haven't met all my classmates in all my classes, but I am starting to know everyone in this unique 3rd period class. I'd say I'm thankful for my sister. Rose. My twin. I know I told Mr. McCarthy I wouldn't write about her but I can't be as much thankful for anyone else in the class because first of all, I don't live with them. Nah. But before I came to school she helped me a lot in getting prepared for his class. Considering all I went through, she was really (no actually) looking after me.
When I first went to class I was quite nervous. I was expecting Mr. McCarthy to throw out tons of essays and poems for me to catch up with, considering all the complaints I got from my sister... But he was actually 2 out of the 6 teachers that didn't give me a hard time. I'm thankful for that.
Although after being in his class for about 2 months or so (???) I'm very thankful to be in Mr. McCarthy's class and very thankful for the rest of the people in my class. Everyday I get a good laugh and no worries (but maybe about this HSG book...)
Thanks~
Wait... After thinking about it I really like my 3rd period class. They make everyone laugh and make my mood not so sucky. I'm thankful for a lot of the people surrounded by me, since they have other classes with me. Thanks for saving my life 50x.