Ritual -Christmas Eve

Every Christmas Eve my family goes back to First Press Pberterian School for church service. My brothers and I all went to pre-school there so we love to go back and see familiar faces. We always get dressed up and drive together to service that we love. It always starts the same; we open with a welcome and then sing traditional Christmas songs. Then we hear a message and we always light candles and they turn off the lights and the candle light lights up the whole room while we sing “Silent Night.” I remember this because my brothers never blow out their candles when they are supposed to and ours are always they last to go out. When I was little, they would call all of the little kids up to the pulpit and I would get so scared and cry and hide behind my mom. I love our tradition of going to church because I don’t get to see my brothers as much as I would like because they travel a lot and I know they will always be there on December 24. Going to church reminds me of being a kid again and how I used to play hangman during the service with my brother Garrett, sometimes we still play it just for old time sake during the service. After service we go around the neighborhood and look at all the Christmas lights and go have donuts.

Versus: Loss of integrity

In my view, the world has changed immensely in the past few decades. Inventors were discovering new ideas that blew us away. Writers and poets inspired people to read and learn and channel creativity. Now I can’t go anywhere without seeing headlines or hearing about the latest celebrity in rehab or divorced, and yet we glorify these people. Most celebrities don’t even go to college and yet people praise them for their status. I think that we need to glorify scholars and people making a real difference in the world. The norms that I grew up with are admiring people who have put hard work into something and have set goals and reached them. A lot of teen aged girls that surround me idolize talentless drug addicted girls who have done nothing for the good of society. Most of the popular singers now lip sync, drown out song with synthesizers, don’t play instruments or write any of their songs. My music taste is different from most seventeen girls. I admire people like Ryan Adams, Mason Jennings, Shocking Blue and older less recognized bands. I think singing for the sake of music and joy is more fulfilling than for the fame and notoriety. I read an article on Ryan Adams once and he said he was angry when his songs got too popular, which is intriguing. He said he does not want people to listen to his songs over and over or only know him for one song he wrote. I admire this perspective because it stays true to who he is and differs from the majority of mindless, meaningless music followers.

"Reality Check"

This show was about a man with a bull for a pet who dies. The owner, feeling depressed and remorseful, clones the bull to make another one "just like the first." Charmingly, he is named second Chance after number one Chance. He believed the bull to be the exact same bull even though he attacked him twice. He refused to believe the truth because it hurt too much.

kids and money

In this video, we saw different kids with various backgrounds and their experiences with money and status. They are all trying to be accepted within society and groups for popularity. Even if they dont have money, they spend it on material items. People have become so shallow just to have a space in society and have people like them. Society has transformed their values and places so much emphasis on status and money.

"Bikinis and Tiaras;Quinceaneras"

Wow, people have completly disregarded tradition and meaning and have manipulated it into fiesta, money, competition and money! Girls have been given everything for their family to prove their love. I think we have gone off the deepend here and have lost meaning in alot of things we do today.

"My Brown Eyes" -Alexander Amador

Alexandar was born in the "barrio" of the Eighth street locos 13 gang. H eloves his neighborhood and cares deeply for his Jefita. He writes about how wars within their own kind is wrong. They come to America for a better life and just end up going "Wrong." He writes about how they should unite and stand together as one community.

Red- Alison Smith "Curve"

Alison always had the opposite problems than everyone else. She was too skinny. She always felt akward and different. All the girls in her class complain about their curves, but alison wants them desperatley because she feels like it shows growth into a lady. She is stuck being treated like a kid and she wants to look her age, not younger.