Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
THIS MUST BE POSTED BEFORE SUNDAY NIGHT!WORTH 20 POINTS, SO DO A GOOD JOB.
Joyce Carol Oates's story provokes thought on many levels, but for this blog, I'd like you to focus on how you see "your" world.
Choose one of these prompts.
1. Share with us an incident in which you lost a little of your childhood innocence and you learned the ropes of the real world.
2. Share with us parts of your “faith life.” Do you attend Church weekly? Read the Bible? Belong to a Church group? Etc. Discuss how this has benefited you and others.
3. Discuss a musical artist or group that promotes aberrant or immoral behavior.
4. Tell me about a musical artist or group whose songs promote meaningful thought or messages.
5. Read what Joyce Carol Oates says about "imagination" :
"For the writer, the serial killer is, abstractly, an analogue [something that can be compared with something else] of the imagination's caprices and amorality; the sense that, no matter the dictates and even the wishes of the conscious social self, the life or will or purpose of the imagination is incomprehensible, unpredictable."
In other words, she compares the imagination to a serial killer--it's incomprehensible and unpredictable.
Your prompt? write about work of art [fiction, film, painting, etc.] where you believe the artist's imagination was either [or both] incomprehensible or unpredictable, and maybe even a little on the dangerous side.
posted by JTF @ 10:51 AM
42 comments
42 Comments:
1. I was around twelve or eleven years old when I had my first glimpse of how some of the world is different from how people I had been exposed to act. A few friends and I had met together at the neighborhood pool and then had plans to go to our local Little League, Newark American Little League, to play some pick-up baseball. On our way over to the field one of my buddies asked us if we would like to take a shortcut to the field that his older brother had shown him. We all eagerly agreed due to the thrill of a new secret shortcut, or so we thought. This pathway was a small trail behind a lower housing development, hands down the worst and possibly only bad area of Newark. This area is called Madison; it is an area of old, beat-down row homes, mainly lived in by lower class to poverty level citizens. There is a reputation for violence and drug related actions in this area, I had no idea at the time. Once we had reached the trail we found it was almost impassable, due to large sticker bushes and trash blocking the way. We had made the decision to turn around when two large black males spotted my friends and me and unleashed their enormous pit bull dogs on us, as they laughed and yelled curses at us I had never heard before this time. We quickly turned around to the trail and high-tailed it through the path. We managed to keep our distance from the vicious, beastly dogs, but got extremely sliced up in the process from random metals and sticker bushes. At the end of the path we found a large fence in between us and our baseball field, our safety zone. We managed to toss our BMX bikes over the fence and the quickly hop it ourselves before the utter destruction of the dogs reached us. We were a few mere seconds from being slaughtered by these animals, but thankfully, we reached the field safely.
When I was young, I never really saw my life as unfortunate in the slightest. Nothing had ever gone extremely wrong. I had a good home life, good family, and good friends. Everything was perfect and innocent. That all turned around in 7th grade. My best friend, Alex, had suddenly gotten very depressed and he didn’t really want to talk to anyone. We would usually talk every day for hours on end, but he had gotten sullen and silent. I just kept telling him that whenever he wanted to talk, I’d be here. After a few weeks of ignoring the subject, he finally told me his parents were getting a divorce. It shocked me. People actually do that? I had heard of it, but thought of it almost as a myth because I had never experienced it first hand or second hand. It was just a mystery to me. I thought people who loved each other would always last forever. I think he and I both thought some miracle would happen and they would change their minds and live happily ever after. But the divorce did happen and he and his mom moved to an apartment while his father and sister stayed at their old home. I realized then that everything may not always last forever. We should take each day as our last and treat the people we love like it’s the last day we’ll ever see them. I lost some of my innocence that day. I lost my perfect imaginary happily ever after scene.
My faith is Catholic. With being Catholic I attend mass on Sundays and act morally. After attending mass, my family and I discuss the meaning of the gospel that is read at mass, and figure out how we can live and act more like how Jesus tells us to be in our everyday lives. Besides church, my parents are my source of faith. I see a strong faith in my parents everyday. My mom prays the rosary on her way to work every morning and on the weekends reads the Bible. Both of my parents pray to God for guidance and always tell me to trust in God and keep faith in him. Keeping a strong faith has helped my family in everyday situations, by giving thanks to God for what we have and love we share. Also, my family has taught me that all good things come through God. Once in awhile, my family gets together to pray the rosary as a family. This always brings our family together and brings us out of our daily busy lives. I have attended Catholic school all my life, and this has helped me mold into the faithful person I am today. Being faithful to God helps me to spread the guidance that my parents bestow upon me to others. When others, like my peers, feel stressed I tell them of the importance of keeping a strong mentality and being faithful to God. God will always show his love and help the faithful. Trusting in God and going to church with my family has kept my faith alive and made it stronger. My faith has benefited me by bringing me closer to God and living more like he did. By acting morally right and how God wants us to be, helps people to better themselves for oneself and set an example for others.
My faith life, is an interesting one, I do not go to church every Sunday, and when I do you will not find me being an alter server, or one of the people who reads the gospel. Instead you will find me sitting in a pew, most likely not doing much but sitting and standing when appropriate. Even though I do not go to church every Sunday, I believe that I am still a good catholic. I say a prayer every night before bed, I pray in school, and I was once part of a youth group. My faith life, though not a strict conventional one, has shaped me into who I am today. I believe that if it was not for the facts that I went to Catholic school my whole life, went to church every Sunday when I was little, or had been part of a youth group; I would not see the world from the point of view I see it from now. I think that by being in a youth group and going to Catholic school, I was exposed to charity in a different way than people who were not. Others though they are involved in charity work, don’t necessarily see it as a growing experience, but as just something that society says is the right thing to do. Being exposed to it through a Catholic point of view has made me realize that charity work, and giving back to the community is more than just something that society says is the right thing to do. Through charity work you don’t just don’t give someone a basic necessity; you give them much more than that. You give them hope, joy and in return they give you the moral satisfaction of knowing that you helped someone, and also they can teach you things, about yourself and the world, that you didn’t know before. Like I said in the beginning my faith life may not be conventional, but it is a strong one in it’s own unique way.
Joyce Carol Oates says to describe imagination as a serial killer explains the unpredictability and inability to comprehend it. A story that shows much of this type of imagination is the story we just read, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. In this short story it starts out slow and quiet which completely makes the end very unpredictable. Although there are hints throughout the story that foreshadow the end, to most readers, it is shocking and surprising. The end is not only astounding to many but at the same time it is not able to be understood. Since it is also incomprehensible it leaves the reader with many questions the biggest one being Why? Shirley Jackson wrote this story with an imagination that much represented a serial killer ending her story in an unpredictable manner and leaving her readers in perplexity. This story can also be considered on the dangerous side because she wrote and published this story not be positive of the reactions by the readers. Controversy arose.
Where does faith intertwine in my life? Well actually it’s part of my actions everyday and has become ever more apparent as I mature day to day. Faith isn’t just a key role on Sundays in my life, but rather a culmination of each day of the week. It may be more apparent on Sundays do to my call of service as a Eucharist Minister, but sometimes my faith isn’t always about showing others my strength of faith in God. Sundays are the highlight of the week because it’s a chance to engage in family time at church. It brings us together as a family in the image and likeness of God and allows us to deepen our faith together as family. My parent’s choice of providing me with a Catholic education has allowed me to strengthen my knowledge of the Catholic teachings. Along with Saint Mark's integrated curriculum, I have grown through my acts of faith that have become challenging in recent years. Sometimes it takes something really tragic to test your faith and that is true with my faith journey. When my grandfather passed away when I was in second grade, I was too young to really come to the realization that he was gone, but when it came to my dad’s parents passing away, it was different. It came during a difficult time in my life because it was a time in my life where my faith in God wasn’t strong at all. I grew from this experience, however, and it allowed me to become the person that I am today. Today I help the youth of my parish strive in their faith by representing them as a representative at the Diocese of Wilmington Youth Leadership Team. It’s nice and refreshing to know that teenagers are able to grow in their faith when they are drawn and pulled into violence, drugs, and sex. Faith in God allows them to retreat to a spot where they can engage in a healthy form of drugs, faith.
Popular music today is abundant with messages of illicit behavior. In particular, rap music broadcasts the promotion of drug use, casual sex, and disrespect for the law. The loudest voice in this broadcast is that of Lil Wayne. Every song he produces has a message of degrading women into sex objects. He makes it clear that he only wants to “smack that ass” and all women are “gunna be hoes.” His music has only two themes: getting money and having a lot of sex. Lil Wayne promotes promiscuity, but is too drunk and egotistical to care how it will affect younger listeners. He says he would “leave a bitch stuck like a kite in a tree.” There is no message of hope or love, just an endless greed for money and lust.
One band I know of that have an inspirational message in their songs would be the Jonas Brothers. They are not my favorite type of music, but they do bring across the awareness of diabetes. Nick Jonas has diabetes and he explains his experience through it in his song A little Bit Longer, and what it felt like not only learning he had it out of the blue, but the trouble of living with the disease. I feel like it is a good message to express because most people don’t really realize the trials and tribulations diabetes brings into your life. In the song, he explains how he was so scared about how the disease would affect his life, but with the support of his family and brothers, he realized he didn’t have to go through it alone. He sends the message mainly to kids also younger or around his age living with diabetes to let them know they are not alone as he had felt and lots of children have to live with the disease. He also started an organization helping and spreading the word about the awareness of diabetes. Nowadays, you always hear about raising concern for cancer, but rarely do you ever see an organization supporting those with diabetes in the media. Their music helped raise concern for the cause and helped bring the awareness of the disease out of the dark.
My faith life is very strong; I can attribute most of this to my Mom. Religion is very important to her and has made it an important factor in my family’s life. I go to church every Saturday night with my Mom and sister. This has made a profound impact on my faith and view on religion. Even though most of the time I go just to appease my mom because I know that it is so important to her, also I just want to avoid a fight. My mom feels that there is no point in my sister and I getting a catholic education if we are not going to practice our religion. I have taken a lot from this experience. It has taught me to have faith in God in situations that are very difficult and the power prayer has. And even when situations don’t work out in my favor I have learned to accept that god has a plan for everyone, and that everything happens for a reason. Going to church has benefited my faith life in many ways. But I feel hat the most important is the time that I get to spend with my family. Going to church once a week with my mom and sister gives us time to spend together on a spiritual level. During the week we all have our own hectic schedules, and slowing down to go to church with each other gives us time to appreciate each other even if it is just for an hour.
When I was 13 years old I feel that I lost quite a bit of my childhood innocence. This was one of the most difficult years of my life, yet at the same time, it was a year of immense personal growth. Looking back at this year, I could point all of the negative things that happened. My parents got divorced, we sold the house I grew up in, and my mother, my sister and I had to move out among other things. However, when I look back at all of these seemingly negative events, I see the positive affects it had on my life. This is not to say this year was easy; it was painful, filled with a lot of tears, and a lot of confusion. However going through this year made me who I am now. I am one of many children who experienced a parental divorce in their youth. However, I believe that I am one of few children who now view this experience as one of the most beneficial events in my life. Being in a household exposed to a dysfunctional marriage takes a toll. Although I was comfortable in my suburban house and familiar neighborhood, I didn’t realize how much I was suffering. I lived in this house for 13 years. Yet when my parents made the decision to separate I can’t say I was surprised. Prior to this decision I found out some disturbing information, that my father had been disloyal to my mother, and had numerous affairs. Finding out this information turned my world upside down. I knew my parents weren’t happy together, however this information enraged me. Finding out someone you trusted and loved isn’t the person you thought they were almost forces you out of your youthful utopia. Up until then I had seen the world through rose-colored glasses. This caused me to be quite cynical and bitter. Eventually we sold my house, and my mom sister and I all moved into a one-bedroom apartment to sort out our lives. I did some of the most growing I’ve ever done the six months we lived here. Finally out of the dysfunctional household, I was able to be free. I also began one of the hardest, most difficult tasks of my life: forgiving my father. When I look at this year I don’t see a string of negative events; I see a blessing that caused me to lose my childhood innocence, but gain some of the most important lessons of my life.
Mac Miller is a new kid on the rap scene. I’ve listened to his songs a million times before, and I know many people who have went to see him in concert. Although his songs are very catchy, up beat, and very popular among teenagers, they also promote ludicrous and unacceptable behavior to his listeners. In every one of his songs smoking weed is mentioned. Whether the teenagers are smoking it or dealing it, marijuana has become very popular in the teen generation. Alcohol is also mentioned a lot, drinking it, getting really drunk or trashed or wasted. The music in question is directed towards teenagers and young adults, most who haven’t reached the drinking age yet. Another hot topic is sex. Although it isn’t illegal for young people to have sex, in most cases, it’s not widely accepted in society, especially under the age of eighteen. Mac Miller didn’t start the craze. Teens have been partaking in these acts on their own, making their own decisions, even though they know most of it is illegal. Mac Miller does promote the use of marijuana, alcohol, and sex, but one may argue that he is just fulfilling the demands of the public, singing and writing songs about what they are truly interested in.
One of my favorite feelings in life is the sound of country music and the wind blowing through my hair as I drive my car through the summer heat. I love country music and the feelings it emits. Montgomery Gentry is one of my favorite artists, I have seen them perform live at a concert in Philly, and they were one of the bands that you can truly say are one hundred percent better in person. They sing about the meaning of life and everyday people, but they do so in an interesting perspective. One of my favorite songs they sing is “Something to Be Proud Of”. The opening lines sing a story that every child has heard recited religiously by their grand fathers;
“ It was harder times and longer days
Five miles to school, uphill both ways
We were cane switch raised, and dirt floor poor
'Course that was back before the war
Yeah, your uncle and I made quite a pair
Flying F-15's through hostile air
He went down but they missed me by a hair”
The chorus of the song is one of those feel good, think about your life, lines. It makes you assimilate between what you have lived and what the song is singing about. You may not have lived through what the song is singing about, but you most likely have something very similar.
“That's something to be proud of
That's a life you can hang your hat on
That's a chin held high as the tears fall down
A gut sucked in, a chest stuck out
Like a small town flag a-flyin'
Or a newborn baby cryin'
In the arms of the woman that you love
That's something to be proud of”
If I could quote every line of the song I would, just because every word emits a great feeling of happiness and thankfulness. It really makes you feel what the singers are feeling, and smile at the events of your past. It makes you want to live the greatness that is within your potential, it makes you want to work hard to achieve your goals, so that you can share them with your grand kids. I hope that when I am older I will be able to look back on my life, just like this song does. I hope that I will be able to look back when I am aged, and smile about my past. This song sums up the goals and standards that I wish to live to.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/montgomerygentry/somethingtobeproudof.html
Another “feel good song” by Montgomery Gentry is ‘Lucky Man’. It sings about the day-to-day feelings of stress and tire, but how those feelings are overcome with the things to be thankful for. It sings how blessed we are to be alive, and that we all have a purpose and are lucky for each blessing we are given. Montgomery Gentry sings about the things they curse, the things that make life harder, and the things they don’t think that they can pull out of, and then they cut to the chorus and sing about their blessings.
I have moments when I curse the rain
Then complain when the suns too hot
I look around at what everyone has
And I forget about all I've got
[chorus]
But I know Im a lucky man
Gods given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and piece of land
A few dollars in a coffee can
My old trucks still runnin' good
My tickers tickin like they say it should
I've got supper in the oven
A good woman's lovin
And one more day to be my little kids dad
Lord knows I'm a lucky man
I love this song because it makes you more thankful for the things you have. It makes your realize that the events that don’t kill you will make you stronger. It makes you fully appreciate what you have, and how you use it. It makes you more thankful for the ones you love, and how long you have to love them. It makes you smile about the hard times that bring you happiness in the long run.
I feel that I have a strong church life compared to most people my age that I know. I attend church almost every Sunday. The only times that I miss church is when I am sick or am overloaded with schoolwork, which is pretty rare. At the age of eighteen, the Catholic Church does not offer many activities to be a part of. However, I am involved as much as possible. Since the age of ten, I have been an altar server. An altar server is someone who helps the priest during the regular weekend masses, weddings, and funerals. I feel that I have somehow grown in my faith by doing this; I feel closer to God and find myself praying more frequently than I ever thought I would. I pray at least once a day, whether I am in school or not. Another church activity I participate in the Via Crucis, or the Way of the Cross. The Via Crucis is a reenactment of the living stations from Jesus entering Jerusalem to the fourteenth station. I have participated in this since I have been four years old. I have played numerous roles from a small child in the crowd to the Blessed Mother. I truly believe that this has had a great impact in my life; it has brought me to a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith. I also feel that those that participate in these activities with me, have a deeper faith and greater respect for the religion.
An incident in which I lost a little of my childhood innocence and I learned the ropes of the real world happen at my first job. My first job was at a local clothing and accessory store. My duties were to restock merchandise, help the customers, clean, and check the customers out. I had been there for about two weeks and everything was going well. My boss had not gotten mad at me and all the customers were very nice to me. The holidays were approaching and the store was getting busier and crazier. I didn’t think that anything bad would happen because those first two weeks went so well. Until one day a woman came into the store looking for a specific necklace that she special ordered. She asked me if we had the necklace yet but we did not. When I told her this she started yelling at me because she had to have the necklace by Christmas. She was getting angry with me for not having the necklace when I had no control over what was and was not ordered. After she left I was upset because this woman got angry with me. I quickly learned that not all customers are as nice and understanding as others. Now I know to just put those customers behind me and not let them get to me.
Prompt 4:
I think a group that really speaks out and sends good messages through their songs is U2. They are not afraid to speak out about REAL issues and they don’t just sing about meaningless things. Take for instance the following songs: Sunday Bloody Sunday, One, Beautiful Day, or Walk On. U2 is respected for the way they speak out and the way they address issues happening all over the world. Walk On was played at a tribute concert after the tragedy of 9/11. Their song “One” has many different purposes and meanings. It can address the AIDS epidemic or the horrible conditions in Africa. Beautiful Day is an uplifting song for us to all listen to and let us realize how BLESSED we are. Things don’t always go our way, but you were given the ability to breathe and live. That is the biggest and greatest gift in and of itself. “It was a beautiful day, don’t let it get away, it was a beautiful day/ what you don’t have you don’t need it now.” Find the good in what you have, and don’t focus on what you DON’T have. Today, singers get contracts to sing about absolutely anything. People sing about “peanut butter and jelly” and become millionaires. You want real music, a real role model? Look to U2. They aren’t afraid to speak the truth. They realize that they are role models and they address real life issues.
At some time or another we all become adults or at least lose some of our childhood innocence. An instance where this happened to me occurred about a year ago around the New Year. I had just broken up with my boyfriend so I decided that I really needed to have some fun. This may have not been the best decision I’ve ever made but I did and I can’t take it back. My friend talked me into having a party of my own at my house. I was a little shaky to say yes because my parents are very strict and thought that I was an angel. But then again I had a huge party before and they never found out about it so I figured I would be able to get away with it once again. So I gave in and decided that I was going to have just a little party that was no big deal and my parents would never have to know. Of course I was seriously mistaken. A couple of my friends thought it would be okay to invite some of their friends who showed up at my house before my parents had gone to sleep. My mom thought she heard guy voices so she walked down to the basement to find us all playing pong and such. I was so scared that I didn’t even know what to say. I just stood there like a mute and frozen statue with huge bug eyes. Not only was I absolutely horrified at what my parents were going to do to me but I was completely embarrassed in front of all of my friends. I learned a big lesson that night and grew up a lot. I realized that no act goes unpunished whether there was harm intended or not. From that night on, in my parents’ eyes, I was the devil and not their innocent little girl anymore.
4. There are so many artists and groups that write about their life or try and incorporate some sort of message into their works. One that really stands out to me though, is Taylor Swift. Every single one of her songs has some meaning or message behind it. Whether she’s expressing her feelings about her latest breakup or just talking about growing up, there isn’t one song she’s written that is meaningless. It’s so easy to know how she’s feeling through listening to her lyrics. And because she’s only a few years older than all of us in high school, we’re going through the same kinds of things as her, which makes it even easier to relate. All girls know that when they go through a breakup, fight, or anything with a boy, there is a Taylor Swift song that they can go listen to that will most likely make them feel at least a little better. She has the kind of songs you can just put on and cry or even scream to. You listen to her lyrics and think “wow she really knows me” or “that’s exactly what I’m going through”. Even boys could listen to her songs and substitute the boy Taylor talks about in the song for whatever girl is on their mind. I’m sure they would never admit to it, but some boys probably secretly love her music. It’s so cool to listen to songs that are actually about real life problems and situations.
There have been a few incidents in my life where a certain experience enabled me to mature and become less childlike. One in particular comes to mind, however only reading this story; one may not think that it’s all that big of a deal. But having gone through this ordeal, it truly was a growing up experience. Last year was a big year for snow, with three big storms walloping us with close to six feet of snow. When the very first storm hit and I was really excited because I knew that there was going to be no school the next day. When I woke up I saw just white while gazing out of my window. Unknown to me my, dads back had been hurting him and my mom had caught the flu. What did this mean to me? Nothing at first until my dad said that we needed the driveway shoveled. And we have a huge driveway. I begged and pleaded my dad to let me pay the plow man, whom was plowing everyone else’s driveway, to come plow ours as well. My dad wouldn’t give in and insisted that the experience was good for me and it was a great moment for some character building. I was beyond mad while I stepped out of the house, I didn’t even know where to begin shoveling. I spent the first thirty minutes complaining to myself and just acting mad. Eventually I decided that I mine as well start. After a while I didn’t even think about the work I was doing, I just kept going. Just About six hours later the driveway was done. Since that moment I have never once complained about housework, and whenever I feel I have so much work and I just don’t know where to begin, I don’t think about and just do what I have to do. Just do it and keep going. That’s my motto, and I wouldn’t have it if I never shoveled that driveway.
In my Faith I feel that one must attempt to live a spiritual life with God. This means sometimes going through meditation and moments of silence for you to gather your thoughts to focus on what is important. Keeping God present and active in one’s life should be a priority. It makes no sense to say that you live a life of faith, unless you do what is necessary to better your relationship with God. I do not believe going to mass and going through the motions is being spiritual. I have been raised in a family where going to weekly mass is important and you must truly believe what it is that you are worshipping. Though I do try to go to mass every Sunday, I sometimes can find it very distracting by kids crying and people constantly walking around. It is because of this, that I believe that meditation with God is important for one's spiritual and physical health. I also sometimes help out with ushering in mass so that I can give back to the religious community that I am apart of and to help focus during the mass. Having a common faith that my family and I all believe in helps us all become close and continue to come together. This can be through prayer, or simply visiting the person. Faith is one of things that unites all people and keeps us believing in each other.
A powerful artist that truly sings from her heart is Taylor Swift. Her powerful messages about love and friends leaves every listener wanting more and more. She talks about stories that have happened to her and also what has happened in the real world to other people. Throughout the world she is a role model for all kids and teenagers. Through her one song, “Fifteen”, she sings about how we are all still young and we have our whole life ahead of us. In the song she sings:
“Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you
You're gonna believe them
And when you're fifteen feeling like there's nothing to figure out
Well, count to ten, take it in
This is life before you know who you're gonna be
Fifteen”
Just her lyrics alone teaches us that everything will be okay and to keep on living. There has been no instance where she has disgraced her own name or done anything to hurt anyone’s feelings. She was wrongly attacked by Kanye West just because she was won the VMA’s award for best female video. He tried to beat her down by saying that Beyonce should have won the award but when this scene happened everyone stood up for Taylor and supported her. Even Beyonce and the President even stood up for her. Obama came out the next day and talked about how wrong it was for Kanye West to call out Taylor. She did not even retaliate against him and tried to call him out for anything. She is a pure girl that sends a meaningful message to not just teenagers but also to everyone in the world.
Young girls are delicate creatures. Girls especially between the ages of 11 and 13 are developing their personalities and their own way of thinking. The last thing they need is to be bombarded with trash on the radio that some consider catchy. A prime example of this trash would be Kesha. Kesha is an “artist” that glorifies sex, drugs, and drinking. That’s about all she sings about. Indeed, her songs are catchy. However, when an 11 year old is seen singing along to “I’ll brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack” then it should be a debate what is and isn’t okay for kids to listen to. Some artists are different people than what they are portrayed as by the media. Kesha is exactly how she is portrayed by the media. If desired, you could find pictures of her naked on google. It is understandable that kids should listen to whatever they want. They shouldn’t be sheltered for their whole lives. However, when their personalities and morals are being formed, they shouldn’t look up to someone who can’t distinguish the difference between right and wrong, or right and left for that matter. Kids forever have internal conflict over how to respond to “but everyone is doing it.” If their favorite singer is doing it, why shouldn’t they?
I am a huge fan of country music and one of my favorite artists is Craig Morgan. He is a country singer and sings a lot of songs that always portray special certain messages to his fans. I love listening to his songs, especially his most recent song called ‘This Ain’t Nothin.’ This song starts out with an old man staring around him at the rubble left over from the tornado that just hit his town, and news reporters are around him asking him questions. the reporter asks what the old man is going to do now that everything has been taken from him.
“He said I lost my daddy, when I was eight years old,
That cave-in at the Kincaid mine left a big old hole,
And I lost my baby brother, my best friend and my left hand
In a no win situation in a place called Vietnam
And last year I watched my loving wife, of fifty years waste away and die
We were holding hands when her heart of gold stopped pumping
So this ain't nothin'.”
This song just shows people to not get upset over the little and material things that they have lost, because there are always people out there who have lost a lot more then them. It means a lot to me because it reminds me whenever I listen to it to not miss the tiny things in my life, because I could lose the closest things to my heart any time.
‘That’s What I Love About Sundays’ is another song by Craig Morgan. This song talks about Church and Sunday football and how everyone is relaxing in their blue jeans with their families. It just makes me feel relaxed. I think it shows that people should just rest on Sundays and go to church, have fun with the families and neighbors around them. Also, Craig lets his fans know what he loves about Sundays.
Another song that Craig Morgan has written is ‘Tough’. It talks about how he thought he was tough before he met his wife, and he explains that she can do anything that pushes her back and she gets up to make breakfast before he’s even up. Before she was his, he thought he was tough, and she gets sick later in the song, and how she was still strong. It portrays a strong meaning that you never really know how tough you are or people around you until you experience situations that require mental and physical strength.
“She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough.”
It just so happens an incident occurred today which I will never forget and I will certainly take it as a lesson learned. Around 5:30 in the evening today I drove to the Capriotti's in Hockessin's Lantana Square shopping center. It was pouring outside so I ran from the shop door to my car. I stopped to pick up the mayonnaise container which had fallen out of the brown bag. In doing so my wallet fell out of my pocket. First of all, I was wearing a pair of those lounge basketball sort of shorts which don’t have really deep pockets. In my haste to get back to my car I didn’t realize I had dropped my wallet. I drove home without it. I got inside my house and out of the rain. I was about to head down into my basement with my sub, and I realized I left my wallet out in my car, so I thought. I told my mom I would get it later and she flipped out and said I needed to get it right there and then. I went out to my car and I couldn’t find it. My mom started freaking out. Since she works in a bank she started thinking about fraud and stuff and my debit cards. She got me feeling pretty bad but I thought I deserved it. I called Capriotti's and no one has seen my wallet. My mom drives me back to the parking lot to look for it. I go into the capriotti's and the Verizon store and still no one has seen it. We are on our way back home and my stepdad calls me on my cell phone and tells me some man had stopped by the house while we were out. He had found my wallet in the parking lot and had driven to my house to return it. It really hit home how there are some very nice people in the world. I never expected to see my wallet again. I wish I had got a chance to thank the man but he didn’t stick around. I reflected on how lucky I was, and I knew I can’t be so careless with my important belongings in the future.
The song that I think is the most immoral and aberrant is called “Kim.” The song is by Eminem. In this son, he is expressing his hatred for her, which is immoral in itself. A quick summery of this song is simple. Kim cheated on Eminem and now he is going crazy and trying to kill her while also beating and abusing her before she dies. By writing about something like this, he is promoting cheating, women battering, and murdering. In this song he cusses at and about Kim, his ex-wife. He calls her the “b word” in almost every other sentence. He treats her with a great deal of disrespect. On top of that, he makes her leave her kid at home alone, he swears to God and uses way more curse words then the “b word.” In the end, he kills the guy she cheated on him with, the other guy’s child and then kills Kim so it looked like double-homicide and suicide. This is all completely immoral and by his writing songs like these he is promoting murder, cheating and wife beating. This isn’t Eminem’s first song like this. He just recently made a song called “love the way you lie” where it’s about killing and beating up on his girlfriend. Some of his old songs, even if they are not specifically talking about murder like these; they are about his life which is lives completely immorally.
The day I think I felt like I was entering the real world was the day I drove by myself for the first time. It was a bittersweet day. I got to be alone and away from everyone but at the same, I began to feel old. I remember being little and always carpooling to places and parents figuring out who was driving there and who was picking everyone up. That whole idea was official gone after that day. November 6, 2009 was the first day I drove alone. I sat behind the wheel of my old school Toyota Camry terrified of the roads. I would drive so slow at certain times because I got scared of everyone. It was a full rush that day and it came so fast. Now I don’t think twice about driving alone it’s a daily thing, but then I felt like everything was going so face in life and I was growing up to fast. I wanted to be that little girl that would drive in my mom’s minivan to soccer practices and games, in my reversible uniform, and my nice bowl cut hair.
1. There wasn't really a single moment where I lost my childhood innocence. I think it was more of a gradual process of erosion. Although I'd say this erosion peaked around junior year. My grades were never great and I had simply begun not to care about what happened to my grades. It suddenly hit me that I would soon have to face going to college and leaving home. I'd have to survive on my own. Gone were the happy-go-lucky days of childhood. I was afraid I couldn't make it on my own. And in a word that doesn't give a damn whether you do or not, that might be a cause for loss of innocence.
2. I am agnostic so I don't have much of a faith life. However, I do read the bible from time to time out of curiosity.This knowledge of religious texts may not have helped me in a religious sense but it has helped me in my understanding of history and has given me a better view of the customs and history ancient Hebrews.
3.I wouldn't say pop promotes immoral behavior but it does destroy creativity and create the creation of idols (who usually start off as children) to follow and, more often than not, it ends up destroying the idol's lives. Pop is essentially created by big record labels who want to make money. So once a celebrity with sufficient talent or capability for talent is chosen they are molded into an ultimate attention grabber. They sing lyrics that mean nothing they make music not about an idea or a passion but means to an end. Success. But, in the end, their lyrics don't have to mean anything. They have a willing and large audience who will listen to and love whatever is "catchy". Once these pop stars pass their prime or begin to break down due to the pressure of their lifestyle, they are immediately abandoned by the labels and their fans and become an object of ridicule.
4. I'd say that a musical genre that not only promotes creativity but technical expertise is techno. In order to be truly recognized in this genre creativity must be used to its fullest extent. Technical expertise with equipment and certain sound is also extremely important. The idea is not only create something that sounds good, but something that sounds original. Music is supposed to promote creativity and passion. Techno does just that.
5. I believe the art of writing horror fiction gives the author not only the opportunity but the encouragement to be unpredictable and dangerous. Authors like Stephen King pride themselves on being able to come up with twists and turns that bring people to the limits of their comprehension and give the readers surprises that are meant to shock.
As a child, and to this day, Christmas is my favorite holiday. I loved everything about the holiday, the cheer, the weather and of course, the presents. Santa Claus was this heroic, jolly man to bring joy to the world in one night. I loved the idea of Santa coming through my chimney and eating the cookies I placed out for him. I even convinced myself that I heard him and his reindeer on the roof. I remember being only about 9 years old without a care in the world. My older cousins decided to crumble my world when I was 9. They revealed that Santa wasn’t real but an imaginary character to add excitement to Christmas. As every child was, I was crushed. When I was 9 I believed everything and thought the world was a great place but when I heard the bad news of Santa, that made me wonder what else was a lie. Now my cousins didn’t mean to hurt me but I was devastated. I took the Santa Claus fraud really hard, it made me think that my parents were liars. Losing my belief in Santa made Christmas a little less fun; there was no mystery anymore. I think finding out the truth in real life is similar and shows that life isn’t always cheery. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Kids are blissful not knowing the harsh realities of the real world. The knowledge I had of Christmas changed and sometimes with knowledge comes destruction. Knowing the truth made me have to enjoy Christmas in a different way. Finding out the truth about Christmas was just one of the many things I learned growing up that changed my “innocence”.
In our world today there are so many musicians and groups that make music that does not send a good message or provoke good meaningful thought. I think this is mostly because the goal of these people is mainly to make money and gain fame. It seems to be working for them. Meaningless music with a “life’s a party” message, sells the best. I am not saying that I am above this at all. I too love to get in the moment and dance and party with this music in the back-ground. Most people are not like these famous pop and rock-stars. Most of us live simple lives and it feels good to listen to this music and pretend like we have the exciting lives without worries or consequences that these people sing about in their songs. I do enjoy this music at certain times, but most of my favorite music is created by artists who make music that makes me think. One example of this is The Avett Brothers. They send a good message. When I say they send a good message I don’t mean that they are preachy or religious or say that they are always good people and that no one should ever do anything wrong. Instead they write music with lyrics that talk about past mistakes, moving on and growing stronger, what this world is really all about, etc. It is amazing music to listen to and some songs to dance too, but they don’t make music solely about partying and having a good time all the time. Their music really makes the listener think about life and most of the time the listener can really relate the music to something that is actually going on in their own life. I think that is what good meaningful music is really all about. But I still think there is always the time and place for “feel good party” music.
4. Taylor Swift is my all time favorite artist. I believe that she is the best role model for any girl. She conveys the most meaningful messages. Her songs are the type that when you’re happy, they put you in the greatest mood; and when you’re sad, they’re comforting and you can cry along with them. Her messages throughout her songs are simple: be fearless. No matter what situations life throws at you always be fearless and speak out. Swift tends to be linked to love songs only but actually, her songs contain an underlining meaning that anyone can live according to. Her songs have taught me to appreciate everything and everyone in my life because life is short and should be lived to the fullest. Her definition of fearless is not the absence of fear but in fact having many fears and doubts yet living in spite of those things that scare you to death. Taylor Swift is the most inspirational person I know and I believe every one of her songs expresses the most beautiful meaning of how to live life in general. She inspires me with every single song. Each song can represent a different situation depending on how you apply it into your life. Some of her songs are typically about: someone passing away, a terrible break-up, appreciating your parents, living life to the fullest, spending time with the people you love, etc. It all depends on your personality and how you look at things that affects your life.
3. Eminem, also known a Slim Shady, is an artist who promotes aberrant and immoral behavior. His real name is Marshall Mathers, and he is a white rapper whose music goes with most people’s stereotype of the bad influence of rap music. In his songs, he uses many inappropriate words including curse words, and derogatory racist and sexual slurs. The messages of his music are not good either. He is a bully, making fun of people, and violence is a big part of his music, with songs where he shoots people and depicts violent deaths. Eminem has said inappropriate things about numerous celebrities and politicians. Despite all of this, his music is very popular. He has had many number one singles and is one of the best-selling musician artists in the world. Even his person life is a bad influence. He has a volatile relationship with his daughter’s mothers, who he has married and divorced twice. He has had many altercations with the law. He has been brought up on assault and weapon charges. Eminem was addicted to drugs and alcohol a well. He stared in the movie 8 Mile, which is semi-autographical. All of these factual make Eminem a bad role model for children and teenagers. The problem is that he does whatever he wants and does not care what the media says. He makes it seem cool to be rebellious. As long as that is true teenagers will continue to listen to his music.
When I was little, like most girls my age, I was obsessed with Disney, especially the princesses. I knew every word to every song and I had every movie memorized. One day, when I was about 5 years old. I was watching the Disney movie, Mulan with my mom and I made a comment on the dress that cartoon character was wearing. I remember my mom turning to me and saying: “You do know that nobody actually wore that dress because she isn’t real.” That was the first time that somebody had actually told me that these characters weren’t real. I remember feeling strange and looking at them differently now. That was when I started to realize that not everything was real and that certain things in life were made up. I learned that there are actors who play the voices of these characters in the movies, and that there are people who sit and draw them. I quickly discovered that the people you see at the theme parks were just actors, who are paid to do that. While at the time I still believed in fairies and Santa, I knew that the Disney Princess’ weren’t real!
Bono is an artist and philanthropist whose songs promote meaningful messages. Bono is the lead singer and writer of the band U2. Bono uses personal, political and spiritual themes in his lyrics. The lyrics of U2’s songs convey messages that are thought provoking. His highly rated political protest song, Sunday Bloody Sunday, talks about the troubles in Northern Ireland. The lines “and it’s true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality and today the millions cry we eat and drink while tomorrow they die.” These lyrics show that while some people go on with their everyday lives there are people who are going through horrors and may not have a chance to see another day. Other songs such as that were inspired by current events of the time. Other songs have to do with the turmoil’s and personal conflicts of the band members. His song Peace on Earth was inspired by bombings in Ireland and also has additional meaning and was used in tribute to American Heroes. Most of Bono’s lyrics come from the band members experience as young children in Ireland and also with Bono’s activism later on in his life. Bono has written songs like Mofo and many others about losing his mother at the early age of 14. Most of his songs provoke thought and make the listener think of the lyrics and what they mean. The listener can interpret the meanings many different ways. Bono is a great songwriter because of the messages he portrays in his lyrics. One of the bands most popular and even greatest songs is One. The lyrics “One life but were not the same, we got to carry each other” tells that we all depend on each other and the only way we can get together and make things right is by standing together and helping each other out. Bonos thoughtful lyrics tell stories of people less fortunate and make aware the troubles some people have gone through or even go through each day. He encourages people to make a difference not only through his music but also through his activism and many foundations. Bono is an artist who not only changes the way people think but also helps make people aware and actually makes a change in peoples lives.
2. Most teenagers don't really rely on their faith lives to get them through tough times. I however do. My family has brought me up in the Catholic faith. We attend church weekly and I have always been taught this way. Going to church weekly has helped me to realize that it really isn't that hard to dedicate one hour of my time to God. I am a busy girl, as is most people. But it really makes me think that their are people who are in prison, or too sick to attend church and it is not something I should complain about. Also, each summer I volunteer my time for a week at the children's vacation Bible school. Working with children has been a great experience. I learn to be patient and that everyone should live like a child. Care free and happily. My faith life has made me a stronger person. I know that I can tackle any task because I have the support of my family and God. It is a comforting feeling. I try to live to be the best person I can be, just as Jesus did.
I feel as if I always write about traveling when it comes to these blog posts, but it’s hard not to. Traveling has opened my eyes to various cultures and lifestyles. When I was about ten years old, my world view changed and a bit of my childhood innocence was lost on a trip to Africa. I only visited a day but I was amazed with what I had experienced. It was as if I had entered the set of Aladdin but without the playfulness of Disney. My family and I took in all the passing sights. People appeared dirty, unhealthy, and frankly kind of scary for me at the time. There were rows of “houses” that were about 6 by 8 foot enclosed by a sheet acting as a doorway. Most were open. I peered in trying not to stare and offend the people inside. I was amazed. These people lived such minimalistic lives. They had noting more but a blanket or something to sleep on inside these rooms. I was totally taken back. Their entire house was smaller than my bedroom at home. My eyes had been opened to the poverty the world contains. I realized how lucky I was to be an American, to have such hard working parents, and to be able to have experiences such as this. Innocence was lost and insight was gained.
It would have been far too easy for me to think of a band who's lyrics are abhorrent and offensive. These kind of bands are all to prevalent. Finding a band who's lyrics are meant to portray a meaningful message is much more rewarding. Several bands come to mind that would be a great example of morally righteous lyrics. Rage Against the Machine is a band who is well known for their powerful message in which they convey through their music. Their songs often speak of distaste for pollitical corruption, human injustice and/or freedom of speech. There are those who seem to think that all metal lyrics are just about gore/drugs/satanic themes but they don't realize that they can be about so much more. The band Napalm Death has songs speaking out for human equality, environmental concerns and of the such. The band Cattle Decapitation is an all vegetarian band who's themes focus on animal rights proving stereotypes wrong.
A musical group that promotes aberrant or immoral behavior is the Pink Spiders. They are one of my favorite bands because of the diversity of their music but it is a fact that a lot of their music is about immoral things. One song that is about immoral things is the song “Knock Knock” from their 2005 album “Hot Pink.” This song is about cheating on a significant other while intoxicated. The song is almost a warning to the person saying, “Knock knock knock, before you enter cause the chances are I'm with another, on the floor all tangled up trying to forget when we were sober.” A second song is “Gimme Chemicals” from The Pink Spider’s 2008 album “Sweat it Out.” Its title is self-explanatory; it’s a really catchy song that just so happens to be about drug use and other vices. The line “If I could do it again, I’d probably do it the same But I'd try to cut back on the cigarettes” makes the song unapologetic. A third song by The Pink Spiders is “Hollywood Fix” from their 2006 album “Teenage Graffiti” its one of my favorite songs by them but again, its about partying and the immoral things that can go along with that. The line “Back in Hollywood today, Technicolor turned to gray, altered senses were the primary impulse, drinking whiskey every day smoking second thoughts away, a skipping record was a secondary pulse” is the first line from the song. They get right down to it, without any metaphors or anything to disguise their topic. Many bands or musicians sing about stuff like that but the cover it up with metaphors etc. One very famous song that is thought to have a hidden meaning is “Horse With no Name” by America, in the seventies this song was actually banned from some stations because it was thought to be about heroin.
2. I do actually attend church weekly and I know that if it was not for the people who make up what I consider my church family I most likely would not be the same person I am today. My Youth Group has changed my life in so many ways; I know that I will always have the people in my Youth Group. We are in a sense a giant family and it is something that I know has changed me and over the past six years, I am almost certain that it has had a similar effect on others as well. My Youth Group is just amazing (AMAZING) and we are not your typical church Youth Group where most of the kids are being forced to go by their parents, we look forward to going to Youth Group and events that we do together. We have an amazing time just being together as well as being close to God. When someone is having a hard time, at my Youth Group we know that someone is always willing to listen, and sometimes that can be a big deal. On our Summer Mission Trips, we usually surprise the people we are helping by going above and beyond what they would expect a group of teenagers to do. This last summer we went to Maine and one of the jobs was to clean out a thrift shop, they expected it to take us two days to clear the shop out and we were done clearing it out by lunch time the first day. I know that being around a group of people who really want to do something to help others changes people. It seems like I am just promoting my Youth Group but in reality, as we decided one year, we're a Different Breed. We love to joke and mess around with each other, but at the same time, we are willing to take half an hour to pray and just let out all of the things that we have just held inside for so long. We care for each other and you can see that, currently one of the guys in our Youth Group has a brother who was just deployed to Afghanistan and it has been hard on him. How many people can say that they know something personal about almost everyone in their Youth Group? I know that without my Youth Group I would not be where I am in my life today, I might have never even came to Saint Mark's. I wish there was a better way to explain this but truthfully, there is not my Youth Group is unique and that is what we love about it. We are a crazy group of people who tend to scare the crap out of people when we are all together, but while we scare them, they still manage to feel loved. Feeling loved is what God is all about loving everyone, and no matter who they are or what they do, we really don't care, it's their presence that we want that is what we care about. Which, from personal experience, I know is not the case in all places. Christians can be cruel and very judgmental. The fact that we try our best to rise against the normal attitude is what makes me feel that my Youth Group is different. And sometimes it is a great thing to be different. It is what teaches us to grow and evolve into better human beings. Which is what I feel it did for my Youth Group. I think about those people who go to my Youth Group everyday, whether it is talking to them on facebook, seeing something that reminds me of them, or just worrying about them. I know that they will be there for me if I were to need them, and for that I am ever greatful.
Growing up, my dad always moved around a lot. He spent a little time here, a little time there, never really staying in one spot for more than a few years. A month or so after buying a new house in Avondale PA, mushroom capital of the world, my dad had a bunch of the family over for a housewarming dinner party. Being the impatient thirteen year old that I was, my friend Tori and I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood while waiting for dinner to be put on the table. Before leaving my dad warned us that dinner would be ready soon and to not be any longer than 30 minutes. We walked around, exploring the neighborhood and losing ourselves in adolescent conversation when all of a sudden I realized that we had been walking for quite a while and it was beginning to get dark out. Laughing at our carelessness, Tori and i began to head back to the house, only, being in a new neighborhood with a few hundred houses in it, we couldn't retrace our steps. To make matters worse, it began to downpour and, thinking we wouldn't be gone long, neither of us thought to bring our cell phones. To make a long story short, Tori and I eventually had to knock on a strangers door and have him blindly drive around until I saw my house. It was nearly two in the morning before Tori and I made our way back to the house, and we arrived home to a police force searching for us. Needless to say, since that frightful night I always pay attention to the twists and turns I take when on a run or drive. I felt horrible for scaring my dad like I did and for worrying all those people who thought that something bad had happened to me. I realized that I needed to be more responsible with my actions, and ever since then, I have been.
Ballyhoo is a band that promotes meaningful thought and positive messages. In almost all of their songs, they are singing about how good life is and how it should be appreciated to the fullest. Not a single one of their songs are about hating life, or putting others down. That is not the way that they want their band to be viewed. They want to be seen in a positive light and to support their fan base while encouraging them to make the most of each day they are given. Ballyhoo spreads a positive message that is backed by the values of the band. They appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds because of the messages of peace and happiness that they preach to their fans. One song that this can specifically be seen in is "The Quest." This song is about living each day to the fullest because you never know which day will be your last. It states that "today is a brand new day" which symbolizes a clean slate and that negative events that occured the day before are in the past. The song is also about going with the flow istead of trying to plan out every little detail of life. We should have fun, not overplan and try to figure out everything before it happens. Life is too short, we should have fun while we are here and still have days filled with happiness ahead of us. That is what Ballyhoo is all about. Their songs back up their beliefs and help to promote the message to their fan-base. They contradict many of the bands and artists that are considered their competition. In my opinion they are much better and knock-out their competitors with no-doubt about it.
One musical group who promotes meaningful thoughts and messages is Sublime. It is very up-beat and happy music, and they sing about paradise, summer and relaxation. They sing about happy times that remind you of a good place, where you feel relaxed and comfortable. Their ideas of happiness are hanging out with friends having fun in the heat of the summer.
They promote thoughts of joy and well being instead of the usual rape and violence. They make you look at your life with a more simple approach, and it makes you realize that your life isn't all that terrible, and there are always just as many good things that there are bad, and brighter things to look forward to in the future. This band helps me learn to appreciate the small things in life, and look past the hardships into a time of peace. We need more bands like sublime to counter the filth that comes from many popular bands and rappers today.
Although, they are obviously not as popular now as in the past, The Beatles are one of my favorite bands of all time. Without a doubt, they are also one of the most influential bands in all of modern music. The Beatles promoted loving through their fantastic musical abilities. Love yourself, and love one another, that is all you really need to do. With empowering lyrics from songs like "all you need is love", they promoted such ideas. The band really took off in the 60's which was a perfect timing. This was right around the time of the transition from beatniks to hippies.
All musicians of today have to live up to bands, like The Beatles, which had such a big impact on an era and music today. Although they are not quite as popular, many advertisers have been using Beatles' songs to give a nostalgic feel to older viewers and a peaceful and loving tune to others. When advertisers use this kind of psychology based on The Beatles, you know they must have made meaningful and purposeful music that is still great today.
When I was in about third grade, my mom took me home from school, and said we needed to talk. I knew it had to be bad. She told me her best friend, who I had learned to call my “aunt”, was getting a divorce. I didn’t know what that meant so I had to ask, she told me her and her husband were no longer in love so they wanted to end their marriage and live separate lives. I was so confused, I didn’t know how that could happen, I though marriages were to seal the deal that two people wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. I think a bit of my childhood was taken that day, I did not know love could really end. I knew people broke up all the time, my next door neighbor who was in high school had like four boyfriends in a matter of a couple months, but she never actually married them. Love was a forever thing to me back then, husbands and wives would fight of course, but I never thought they could actually break up. I asked my mom how two people could just stop loving each other and she said she didn’t know and never wanted to find out, she reassured me that her and my dad wanted to stay together forever and they were ready to do that. I was still worried though, I went through the next few weeks asking my mom how her friend’s divorce was going and she would update me telling me how she moved out, or that everything was finalized and she could look for a new husband if she wanted to. It’s a little easier to understand now with about a 50% divorce rate, but at the time, it was the most difficult thing to deal with in the world. Stories and fairytales never explained that maybe one day Snow White and Prince Charming might just fight and fall out of love.
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