"I Cry" by Tupac Shakur

My response to this poem "I Cry" by Tupac Shakur is just... wow. The emotion that I felt while reading this was overwhelming. Tupac talks about how hurt he feels and how lonely he is, but the world doesn't even seem to care. In the movie A Cinderella Story there is a quote that says, "I can be surrounded by a sea of people and still feel all alone." This quote explains this poem perfectly. Everyday, we are all surrounded by people, but some of us feel all alone and like no one cares at all.

People have become too caught up in the world itself that they don't even notice, or care to notice, that someone is hurting. Sometimes people don't even know that their loved ones are hurting until it slaps them right in the face. People have become so cruel. When someone you know has a loved one pass away, you don't even bother to talk to them until you hear about the bad news. How do you know that they weren't feeling sad or lonely before that? You would've known, but you didn't care. Sometimes people don't care until it's too late. Look at all of the people who have committed suicide. Maybe if one person had just stepped up and told someone, "hey, stop picking on that kid" or "if you ever need someone to talk to, i'm here." Sometimes that's all it takes, but most of the world has just stopped caring. When something happens to you, you feel the pain and the hurt inside. But what about when it happens to someone else? Do you really care? Tupac says, "I would cry among my treasured friend, but who do you know that stops that long, to help another carry on." I think that what he is saying here is that it feels like his life has stopped, but others are still going on. No one cares to help him through this. They don't care what he feels like, because it's not them that it's happening to.

The point that Tupac is trying to make is that the world has become so caught up in the world itself that no one even seems to care anymore. So next time you see someone upset or hurting, talk to them and let them know that you are there for them, even if you don't know them. Sometimes it's good just to have that reassurance that you'll have someone to talk to. 

I think that the poet does succeed. Tupac gave me a different view on things. Just because everything is going good in your life doesn't mean it is in someone else's. People in the world just don't seem to care anymore. I too am guilty of this. Everyone has seen someone upset or hurt, but not everyone always says something to them. There is not a person in this world who has never felt hurt, sad, or lonely. 

Tupac uses the literary device imagery in this poem. All through the poem, I had a picture in my head of a lonely person crying by his/her self. Tupac also uses personification. He says, "the world moves fast and it would rather pass by then to stop and see what makes one cry." It's almost like he's comparing the world to a car ride. He's saying that the world is moving so fast that it doesn't even care to stop and see what's wrong. He might use these devices to try and make a better connection with the reader. 

I Don't Want to Grow Up

Do you ever wish that life sometimes had a stop, rewind, or fast-forward button? Well I do, all the time. When I was little, I couldn't wait to grow up, but now that I'm older, I just wish that I could go back to being little again. I miss having that feeling that everything is going to be okay no matter what. I would give anything just to go back to my childhood, if even just for a day, but this is life and we always want what we can't have.

I don't know why, but when I was little, the world just seemed like such a better place. I didn't have to worry about people judging me or any drama. My only worry in the world was whether or not I wanted chocolate ice-cream or vanilla ice-cream. My cousin and I were outside together every single day from sun up to sun down. We would spend all day at my grandparent's house and then cry when we would have to come home. Today, we have all of this technology and kids hardly ever go outside to play. I can't say anything though or I would be a hypocrite because sadly, I've given into technology as well. Another thing that I miss from being little is the television shows and music. I mean come on, what in the world are they playing on the T.V. now and the music.. oh my word. What happened to movies like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin or music like Backstreet Boys and N Sync? That is what I would consider good. I honestly feel bad for the younger kids today who have to grow up watching and listening to today's T.V. shows and music.

The thing I miss most is my childhood memories. I cherish them every single day. Recently, two very special people in my life have passed away. I wish I could just go back in time and relive all of the memories that I had with them. I miss them so much everyday and I just wish that I could see them again. If I could go back, I would tell them how much I miss them everyday and how much I love them. You should cherish every moment that you have with your loved ones because there is no promise of tomorrow and that's a fact.

Truth be told, I'm scared to grow up. I'm scared of the thought of losing my parents or my sister, moving out, and being on my own. Right now, I have it really easy. I'm with my parents, I don't have to worry about house or car payments, and I don't have to worry about a job. I'm not saying that being a teenager isn't hard, because it is, but when you think about getting out into the real world when you're older, it gives you a lot to think about. We just have it so easy and so many people don't notice that until they get older. A lot of times, it doesn't hit that person until right then and then it slaps them right in the face. I know that I have it really easy right now, but it's not going to last forever, so I think I'll enjoy being a kid for as long as I can.

Top Ten List of the Things I Love

I'm going to give you a top ten list about the things that I love! Now, I could sit here all day long and keep listing things, but since that would take just about forever, I will give you the top ten.

1. God

I have no idea where I would be without God in my life. I know that some people are very opinionated on this subject. I would never judge someone if they did not believe in God. I would be a hypocrite if I did that. We as Christians are supposed to spread the word of God and tell others about Him, but you should never force a person to believe in anything they don't want to. Everyone has their own opinion. In my opinion, I believe that Jesus Christ is my one and only Savior. When I'm at the point of breaking, I know that He will always be there to pick me up. When I feel like I can't possibly go on anymore, He's always there to carry me. My God is an awesome God and I love him so much. I am so blessed for all of the things that I have in my life. 

2. My Family 

My family always comes first. They are the best people in the world. Now I may be a little bit biased, but I don't care. They are some of the most important people in my life and they mean the world to me; I wouldn't trade them for anything. They are some of the craziest people that you will ever meet in your life, but whenever you need them, they're always there for you. The love that I have for my family is everlasting and I have no idea where I would be in life without them. They have raised me to be the person that I am today. You know another thing that I love about my family? They're my family, so they can't ever get rid of me. :D

3. My Friends 

I have the best friends in the whole entire world. They have been there for me through thick and thin. Most people say, "oh, when you get out of high school, you won't even talk to your friends any more!" I don't believe that's true for a second. I have some of the greatest friends and no matter what, I will always be there for them and I know that they will always be there for me. What I love most about my friends is that they take me for who I am. I can act like a complete idiot, which happens a lot, and they still love me!

4. Music

Music is like my escape. Whenever I listen to it, I feel like I'm in a completely different world. That may not make sense to you, but it does to me. Everyone always laughs at me because in class I ask to listen to music all the time, but it helps me focus. I honestly don't know why. All I have to do is put in my headphones and it's like everything else is blocked out.

5. Band

My band is just like my family. They mean the world to me. I would do anything for anyone in that band! They are some of the most awesome people in the world and they work their butts off everyday. On Saturday, we won seven trophies at our Marching Competition, almost a clean sweep! It was the most amazing feeling in the world! When I'm in band, I feel like I'm at home. Everyone can act like themselves and not care about being judged or being made fun of. I love them all so much. 

6. Playing the Guitar

A lot of people don't know this about me, but I love to play guitar. I have been playing since I was about six years old. My dad, Uncle Donnie, granddaddy, and my cousin Dillon used to go play in my dad's music building all the time when I was little. I loved it! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved the sound of a guitar and how beautiful it sounds. Four little chords can play so many songs. My granddaddy told me when I was little that if I learned how to play guitar, I would be able to have his hummingbird guitar when I got older, so I learned how to play.

7. Singing

Me and my family go crazy with some karaoke parties! Not only did I play the guitar when I was little, but I loved to sing. I wouldn't call myself a good singer, but I honestly don't care. I don't do it for anyone else, I just like to sing to have fun. I remember going down to the music building when I was little in the Winter time and I would sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Me and my dad both love anything that has to do with music.

8. Corny Jokes

Oh my word, I love corny jokes so much. I mean come on, how can you not love corny jokes? They are so funny! They're so corny that you can't help but laugh. Hey, why do golfers wear two pairs of pants? In case they get a hole in one! Do you wanna here a pizza joke? No sorry, it's too cheesy. Do you see what I did there? :)

9. Movies

Movies just make me really happy. Comedy movies are probably my favorite, like Napoleon Dynamite. If you don't like that movie, then I can't be associated with you. I don't just like comedies though! I honestly like any type of movies. Although, my favorite movie in the whole entire world is The Little Mermaid. I actually like a lot of older movies. I'm not saying that they don't make good movies now, but they made better movies back then than they do now. 

10. Soccer

I love playing soccer. I started playing when I was in the seventh grade. Over the years, I have grown to love it more and more. It's really fun to play and it also relives stress. Think about it, you get to go out there and whack a ball. It doesn't just take the physical ability to play soccer though, you also have to think about it mentally. You have to be able to know when to pass the ball, who to pass it to, or if to even pass it. A lot of people don't think that soccer is hard, but it really can be. 

I chose these ten things, because they explain me and the type of person that I am. It tells you about all of the things that I love! There are a lot of things that I love in my life, but those are the top ten. It just explains me! :) 

Just the Best Cupcakes Ever

     Once you try these strawberry cupcakes, you'll never won't any other kind of cupcakes again. They are just like Heaven in your mouth. If you don't try these cupcakes, then I will pray for you because you will not be able to experience the taste of the most amazing cupcakes in the world.

To bake these delicious cupcakes, there are a couple of things that you will need first: You will need:
-a mixing bowl
-paper towels
-a beater or spoon to stir your ingredients with
-a pan
-cupcake paper or pam spray
-measuring cup

You will also need to know the ingredients, which are:
-cake mix
-three eggs
-one and one-third cup of water
-one-third cup of oil
-icing

Once you have all of these things, you are ready to start baking your cupcakes! In order to get them done perfectly, you should follow the directions listed below.
Step one: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step two: Get out all of the things you need and your ingredients.
Step three: Mix all of your ingredients together into your mixing bowl.
Step four: After you have mixed all of your ingredients, start getting you pan ready. You can either use pam spray or cupcake paper.
Step five: Pour all of your mixed ingredients into your pan.
Step six: Once your oven gets done preheating, stick the cupcakes into the oven for about eighteen to twenty minutes.
Step seven: When the cupcakes are done baking, take them out of the oven. Check to see if your cupcakes are done by sticking a toothpick in it. If your toothpick is clean once you pull it out, then your cupcakes are done.

Step eight: Once you see that your cupcakes are done, let them cool off a little.
Step nine: Next, you should icing your cupcakes with any type of icing that you like.
Step ten: And last, but not least, you should EAT YOUR CUPCAKES AND ENJOY THEM!

That is the directions of how to make the best cupcakes in the world. I do hope that you try to make them, because I just know that you will love them!

A Walk to Remember

     A Walk to Remember is such a touching movie and I love it so much. There is a boy named Landon Carter who is a "typical bad boy", I guess you could say. Then there is Jamie Sullivan, one of the sweetest people in Beaufort.  He has known Jamie Sullivan since he was little and has always picked on her, especially since her father was a preacher. Landon gets into some trouble and is forced by the principal to play in the school play, which Jamie happens to be the star of. He starts spending time with her and develops feelings for her. Jamie's father, Hegbert, does not approve of Landon and thinks that he is reckless and nothing but trouble. Jamie starts to develop feelings for Landon as well and they soon start dating. Jamie  opens Landon's eyes. He says that she saved him. He became such a better person after spending time with her. What Landon doesn't know is that Jamie has leukemia. She didn't want to tell anyone, but she finally decided to tell Landon since she fell in love with him. Her cancer was getting worse and she had stopped responding to treatments about two years ago. Landon is heartbroken when he finds out. One of Jamie's biggest dreams is to get married in the Church that her mother grew up in. Landon makes this dream come true. He asks her to marry him and she says yes. They got to spend the summer together before Jamie passed away from her leukemia.

No matter what happened in Jamie's life, she ALWAYS kept her faith. It didn't matter that people picked on her all of the time, it didn't matter that she had cancer, she never gave up on her faith. That is one of the main reasons that I like this movie. It teaches us that if somebody like that can keep faith, then why shouldn't we? Jamie really did save Landon Carter's life. Because of her, he learned to have faith.

This is a picture of Landon and Jamie in the play. It is important because this is when they started to have feelings for each other. If they wouldn't have done the play together, then they wouldn't have got to spend so much time together like they did and fall in love. 

     I would rate this movie a nine. This is one of my favorite movies, but I really wish that Jamie hadn't of died.I can't think of any way that this movie could be improved. Again, I really wish that Jamie wouldn't have died, but it would've most likely happened in real life anyways. Other than that, I loved everything about this movie. I love the actors in it and I love the story line of it. I also love the fact that it was filmed in Beaufort, North Carolina. This movie teaches you that no matter how hard life can get at times, you should always keep your faith. 

The Hunger Games

     The Hunger Games is my favorite book. I really like this book because throughout the whole thing, it kept my attention and there was never a dull moment. I couldn't stop reading this book once I picked it up. In my opinion, it represents the government. If you read the book, you'll notice that the Capitol would represent the government and the districts would represent the people.
    There are twelve districts and the Capitol is choosing two people, one boy and one girl, to go into an arena and fight for their lives. A parent has to go through the tragedy of watching their child fight for their life, while they can do absolutely nothing. The Capitol does this to show them who's boss. It's all about power. What they don't know is that Katniss Everdeen is about to change everything. She is about to start something that she had no intention of starting. Katniss promises her sister that she is going to try and win. Usually, there is only one victor at the end of the games, but not this time. During the game, the game maker makes a rule change. He says that if the person from your district is still alive, then you can pair up with them. In the end, Katniss and her partner, Peeta, wind up winning. He "pretends" to be in love with her. Little does she know, he really is in love with her. At the end of the games, the game maker all of a sudden says that only one victor can be crowned. Katniss didn't like this. She took the poisonous berries and hands them to Peeta. Just as they are about to eat the berries, the game maker announces that they are both the victors of the Hunger Games. You see, Katniss showed rebellion against the Capitol when she did this. She showed that they could be defeated and she embarrassed them. If Katniss can defeat the Capitol like that, then why can't anybody else? Unintentionally, Katniss Everdeen started an uprising.
   

Mockingjay Pin

This is a Mockingjay Pin. I think this pin is important because it represents rebellion. Mockingjays were not supposed to be created. The Capitol invented birds called Jabberjays (all male) to spy on the rebels, but the rebels figured out what the Capitol had done and sent back false information. Once the Capitol figured out what the rebels were doing, they stopped creating the Jabberjays and left them to die. They all did eventually go extinct, but they mated with female mockingbirds, therefore creating Mockingjays. Katniss wore this pin into the arena and in the later books, it becomes a symbol of rebellion. This picture is important because this is basically what the whole book is about- act of rebellion.

     In all honesty, I can't think of a way for the book to be improved. In the very last book, Mockingjay,
I wish that it would have went more into the epilogue. It seemed rushed at the end and I feel like she didn't explain it as much as I would have liked her too. Over all though, they are great books. I would definitely rate this book a ten.
     This book teaches you that you've got to stand up for yourself. All it takes is one person. Look how much of a difference one person can make. Even though Katniss didn't do it intentionally, she still did it. You've got to start somewhere. If Katniss hadn't of started the uprising, then people would still let the Capitol rule their lives. If you don't stand up for yourself, then who else will?




 

The Children's Story

This story shocked me a bit, but then at the same time, it didn't. My first impression of the teacher was that I didn't like her. She seemed to be too nice. More into the story, I figured out who she really was. She was a Nazi. I don't like this teacher because I think that what she is doing is wrong. She is coming into the school and trying to change the kid's way of life. She acts all nice, but she's really evil. When she said that the teacher was going to have a long rest, she basically meant "we're either going to kill you or take you to a concentration camp where you will most likely die anyways." I don't agree with what the Nazi's were doing. Just because someone doesn't believe in the same things as you, doesn't give you a right to punish them. Everyone should have their own opinions and own beliefs. No one should be forced to do anything they don't want to do or be anybody that they don't want to be.