Go Forth, Seniors and Sophomores READ ONLY

... and buy Levi's?

I don't think so.

The latest Levi's Go Forth! commercial has sparked controversy, containing a myriad of conflicting images of rugged individualism, revolution, and sex. Sounds like just the perfect recipe to lure young, hip, adults back to the Levi brand.

The words recited in the ad, are another thing. They make up a poem by 20th century poet Charles Bukowski, the Time magazine Christened "laureate of American lowlife." The poem encourages its reader to "be on the watch" for those who would club you into dank submission, but also for the gods who will offer you chances to beat "death in life."

You can find the poem and video below, and decide yourself if you like either one by itself, or the curious combination of the two.

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

Senior Retreat Day (Sept. 29) home and school work

Complete the following, whether you're on or off retreat.

1. Senior Journal #3 An Old Fashioned Story (due first thing Friday)--found on Schoolsville

2. Seniors Homework: Vermeer or Degas--Who has the more lucid eye? (due Friday)--found on Schoolsville

3. Seniors Vocabulary sentences--write 10 sentences and post before class on Monday ---found on Schoolsville---make sure you post under your section color

BRING YOUR COPY OF THE LUCID EYE IN SILVER TOWN TO CLASS ON FRIDAY

Senior Purple Vocab Words due Oct. 3

Write ten sentences using any ten different words in context, giving clues of restatement, inference, or contrast.

This is due before school on Monday Oct. 3. Write or print out your sentences if you're having trouble posting.

Antediluvian--adjective 1. of or belonging to the period before the Flood in Genesis

2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive: antediluvian ideas.

Antibiotic—noun 1. any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Automaton noun

1. a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robota person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence.

Beneficent adjective

Doing good or causing good to be done; conferring benefits; kindly in action or purpose.

Synchronize verb (used with object)

1. to cause to indicate the same time, as one timepiece with another

Circumscribe verb (used with object), -scribed, -scrib·ing.

1. to draw a line around; encircle: to circumscribe a city on a map

Communion noun

interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.

Counterintuitive adjective---counter to what intuition would lead one to expectIncredulous adjective1. not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical.2. indicating or showing unbelief: an incredulous smile.

Diction noun

1. style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words: good diction.

2. the accent, inflection, intonation, and speech-sound quality manifested by an individual speaker, usually judgedin terms of prevailing standards of acceptability; enunciation.

Disabuse verb (used with object), -bused, -bus·ing. To free (a person) from deception or error.

Equilibrium noun, plural -ri·ums, -ri·a [-ree-uh]? Show IPA.1. a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces.

Excise verb (used with object), -cised, -cis·ing.1. to expunge, as a passage or sentence, from a text 2. to cut out or off, as a tumor.

Fluent adjective1. spoken or written with ease: fluent French.

Hyperawareness noun the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness

Inaccessible adjective not accessible; unapproachable.

Interstate adjective 1. connecting or involving different states: interstate commerce.

Malapropism noun act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound.

Neologism noun 1. a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.

Omnipresent adjective present everywhere at the same time: the omnipresent God.

Multilingual adjective 1. using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility.

Impermeable adjective 1. not permeable; impassable.

Sanction noun 1. authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.

Retrofit verb 1. to modify equipment (in airplanes, automobiles, a factory, etc.) that is already in service using parts developedor made available after the time of original manufacture.

Avert verb (used with object) 1. to turn away or aside: to avert one's eyes.

SOPHS--Lab Day Sept. 29---Anne Bradstreet

Go to annebradstreet.com and read the biography of this colonial poet. Know the important basic facts and accomplishments of her life.

Then read the two poems that can be found on the site: the Prologue and To My Dear and Loving Husband.

Be able to explain the allusions in the Prologue to Bartas, Calliope, and the act of receiving a bay or laurel wreath. Be able to talk about what she perceived was her role as a female poet.

Be able to discuss the poetics of To My Dear and Loving Husband (rhyme scheme, meter, line length, and poetic devices, etc.). The meaning of the poem is clear--she loves her husband more than anything in the world.

NOTE: you may need to take some notes in order to be able to talk about these items in class (or take a quiz on them)

Seniors Vocab Red Class due Monday Oct. 3

Write ten sentences using any ten different words in context, giving clues of restatement, inference, or contrast.

This is due before school on Monday Oct. 3. Write or print out your sentences if you're having trouble posting.

Antediluvian--adjective 1. of or belonging to the period before the Flood in Genesis

2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive: antediluvian ideas.

Antibiotic—noun 1. any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Automaton noun

1. a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robota person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence.

Beneficent adjective

Doing good or causing good to be done; conferring benefits; kindly in action or purpose.

Synchronize verb (used with object)

1. to cause to indicate the same time, as one timepiece with another

Circumscribe verb (used with object), -scribed, -scrib·ing.

1. to draw a line around; encircle: to circumscribe a city on a map

Communion noun

interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.

Counterintuitive adjective---counter to what intuition would lead one to expectIncredulous adjective1. not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical.2. indicating or showing unbelief: an incredulous smile.

Diction noun

1. style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words: good diction.

2. the accent, inflection, intonation, and speech-sound quality manifested by an individual speaker, usually judgedin terms of prevailing standards of acceptability; enunciation.

Disabuse verb (used with object), -bused, -bus·ing. To free (a person) from deception or error.

Equilibrium noun, plural -ri·ums, -ri·a [-ree-uh]? Show IPA.1. a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces.

Excise verb (used with object), -cised, -cis·ing.1. to expunge, as a passage or sentence, from a text 2. to cut out or off, as a tumor.

Fluent adjective1. spoken or written with ease: fluent French.

Hyperawareness noun the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness

Inaccessible adjective not accessible; unapproachable.

Interstate adjective 1. connecting or involving different states: interstate commerce.

Malapropism noun act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound.

Neologism noun 1. a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.

Omnipresent adjective present everywhere at the same time: the omnipresent God.

Multilingual adjective 1. using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility.

Impermeable adjective 1. not permeable; impassable.

Sanction noun 1. authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.

Retrofit verb 1. to modify equipment (in airplanes, automobiles, a factory, etc.) that is already in service using parts developedor made available after the time of original manufacture.

Avert verb (used with object) 1. to turn away or aside: to avert one's eyes.

Seniors Vocab Green Class due Monday Oct. 3

Write ten sentences using any ten different words in context, giving clues of restatement, inference, or contrast.

This is due before school on Monday Oct. 3. Write or print out your sentences if you're having trouble posting.

Antediluvian--adjective 1. of or belonging to the period before the Flood in Genesis

2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive: antediluvian ideas.

Antibiotic—noun 1. any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Automaton noun

1. a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robota person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence.

Beneficent adjective

Doing good or causing good to be done; conferring benefits; kindly in action or purpose.

Synchronize verb (used with object)

1. to cause to indicate the same time, as one timepiece with another

Circumscribe verb (used with object), -scribed, -scrib·ing.

1. to draw a line around; encircle: to circumscribe a city on a map

Communion noun

interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.

Counterintuitive adjective---counter to what intuition would lead one to expectIncredulous adjective1. not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical.2. indicating or showing unbelief: an incredulous smile.

Diction noun

1. style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words: good diction.

2. the accent, inflection, intonation, and speech-sound quality manifested by an individual speaker, usually judgedin terms of prevailing standards of acceptability; enunciation.

Disabuse verb (used with object), -bused, -bus·ing. To free (a person) from deception or error.

Equilibrium noun, plural -ri·ums, -ri·a [-ree-uh]? Show IPA.1. a state of rest or balance due to the equal action of opposing forces.

Excise verb (used with object), -cised, -cis·ing.1. to expunge, as a passage or sentence, from a text 2. to cut out or off, as a tumor.

Fluent adjective1. spoken or written with ease: fluent French.

Hyperawareness noun the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness

Inaccessible adjective not accessible; unapproachable.

Interstate adjective 1. connecting or involving different states: interstate commerce.

Malapropism noun act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound.

Neologism noun 1. a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.

Omnipresent adjective present everywhere at the same time: the omnipresent God.

Multilingual adjective 1. using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility.

Impermeable adjective 1. not permeable; impassable.

Sanction noun 1. authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.

Retrofit verb 1. to modify equipment (in airplanes, automobiles, a factory, etc.) that is already in service using parts developedor made available after the time of original manufacture.

Avert verb (used with object) 1. to turn away or aside: to avert one's eyes.

SENIORS HOMEWORK: Degas or Vermeer? Who has the more lucid eye?

La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) 1873-1875 Edgar Degas oil on canvas

COMPLETE THIS FOR HOMEWORK TONIGHT, THURSDAY SEPT. 29. POST OR PRINT TO BRING TO CLASS ON FRIDAY.

The Milkmaid 1658-1660 Jan Vermeer oil on canvas

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Which painting do you prefer? Why? How does the painting make you feel upon first glance? Try to talk about the painting in terms of its title, historical context, subject/theme, "story," characters, color, light/shading, composition/perspective, symbols, and tone.

If neither of these paintings appeal to you, choose another by Degas or Vermeer.

Let's try to write a good solid paragraph, focusing on any or many of the points of analysis that I've noted.

SOPHS READ ONLY--More Flying Dutchman music?

Be the first to tell me (via comments) where this movie music comes from and get an extra point.

SOPHS READ ONLY--A Little John Williams, Maybe?

I'm in the process of hiring John Williams to write some theme music for my made-for-TV production of Why Don't You Look Where You're Going?

Who is John Williams? Well, google him to get all of the details, but he is the most successful composer of movie scores in the latter half of the 20th century. He scored almost all of Steven Speilberg's classics---Indiana Jones, Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T., and of course, the Star Wars trilogy. If you don't know Williams' name, you'll certainly recognize his music when he hear the first notes.

Williams also provided the soundtrack music for Home Alone, the first three Harry Potter films, and Superman.

Why would I choose Williams? Well, I somehow hear the dark notes of his Darth Vader theme music when the people on board the ocean liner see the name of the Flying Dutchman on the sailor's boat, when their faces become "serious and fixed."

Truthfully, Williams won't answer my phone calls or my Tweets. Guess he's never heard of Schoolsville? His loss.

Here's a pretty funny commercial that uses the Darth Vader theme, too.

Sophs #3 journal--Why Don't You Look Where You're Going?

DUE ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 29

Cast the made-for-TV movie Why Don’t You Look Where You’re Going?, explaining your choices for the Flying Dutchman; young man; square,masculine young lady; the tall man; and the fat man.

In addition, add at least three (3) more character types aboard the ship (casting them, too). Explain how you would integrate them into the story. What do they do? Say? How do others react to them? Above all, explain what each of the characters represents in society.

Also, include at least three well-placed songs into the movie’s soundtrack, explaining how and/or when you would integrate them into your movie and to what purpose. The lyrics or the melody of the song should identify with some part of the story (either in meaning or tone). Use any genre of music--pop, rock, classical, country, etc.

Seniors #3 Journal---Old Fashioned Stories

POST ON OR BEFORE WEDNESDAY SEPT. 28

You should have anticipated the "girl finally discovers that she loves boy" happy ending of An Old Fashioned Story. A story's title, after all, serves an important purpose, often to foreshadow plot.

Even though Elizabeth secretly harbors a hatred of Nelson throughout the story, she really can't find any faults in him; she has to invent crimes that he "might" have committed, like eating the mashed potatoes he cooked up for himself with his bare hands!

Years pass and yada, yada, yada, ... so finally realizing the error of her ways, Elizabeth falls for the dashing Nelson who is also living a secret life, presumably, more exciting than Scrabble games and trips to the state prison to counsel the inmates. Nelson does the "most un Nelson-like" thing and kisses her and confesses his love to her. Will the Rodkers and Leopolds be planning a wedding in the near future? No, Elizabeth and Nellie agree to keep their new romance "secret" for just a while before adopting the lifestyle of their parents.

From your reactions to the story, I suspect that you have differing opinions on what constitutes a good story. For instance, some of you might have enjoyed the happy, somewhat-of-a-surprise ending in An Old Fashioned Story. Others may have resented it, or found it corny or too predictable.

I'd like to know where you stand, at the moment, on the matter of happy endings vs. sad ones. Choose to respond to one of these prompts:

1. Many adolescent novels these days are depressing. Follow the link to read the article Why Teachers Love Depressing Books. You may either respond to the article, or write about the books you loved when you were an adolescent, or both.

2. "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story." Good storytellers never do, as the writers of the popular movie Rudy apparently did when they made a film about the bench-warming Notre Dame football player who finally gets to play in a game. Follow this link to read what Joe Montana, NFL Hall of Fame and former Notre Dame quarterback (when Rudy was on the team), reveals about the "real" Rudy story. Comment on Montana's words and how they affect your view of the movie, Notre Dame football, Hollywood, etc. Maybe write about whether Montana should have kept his mouth shut and let the Rudy legend live on.

3. Write about a story, book, or movie that you (for the most part) enjoyed, EXCEPT for the happy ending. Explain thoroughly how this happy ending was either unexpected, unrealistic, or unfufilling for you. Or all of the above.

WARNING: Enjoy the "light" reading for now. We're heading down a pretty scary mineshaft that plunges into the depths of human existence real soon. [TRANSLATION: we going to read some pretty sad stories].

Senior Green Class Vocab Homework

1. Choose any ten (10) vocabulary words from the list below and write sentences using them correctly in context and giving clues to their meanings.

2. Post your sentences as comments on Schoolsville using your first name, last initial, and section color to identify yourself. If you have trouble posting, print out your sentences to bring to class tomorrow.

I hope to make up your vocabulary test (on Tuesday Sept. 27) from your class's sentences.

Here's the list:

Antebellum—before the war
Antithesis--opposition; contrast: the antithesis of right and wrong.
Autocratic—rule by a single person, dictatorship
Benefactor--a person who confers a benefit; kindly helper.
Asynchronous--not occurring at the same time.
Circumlocution—talking in circles; roundabout speaking
Convene--to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.
Counteract—to act in opposition to
Credo—any creed or formula of belief
Verdict—the outcome of a trial, the “true words”
Dissuade--to deter by advice or persuasion
Equidistant---same in distance
Extract –to get, pull, or draw out, esp. with effort or skill
Fluctuate—to change continually; to flow back and forth
Hyperbolic—in an exaggerated manner
Innocuous—not harmful
Intermittent stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again
Malady--illness
Neophyte--beginner
Omnivorous—something that eats all types of food
Multifaceted having many aspects or phases
Permeate—to spread throughout
Sanctimonious—holier than thou
Retrospect—(n) contemplation of the past; (v) to look back in thought
Divert—to change the direction of; turn aside from a path or course

Senior Red Class Vocab Homework

1. Choose any ten (10) vocabulary words from the list below and write sentences using them correctly in context and giving clues to their meanings.

2. Post your sentences as comments on Schoolsville using your first name, last initial, and section color to identify yourself. If you have trouble posting, print out your sentences to bring to class tomorrow.

I hope to make up your vocabulary test (on Tuesday Sept. 27) from your class's sentences.

Here's the list:

Antebellum—before the war
Antithesis--opposition; contrast: the antithesis of right and wrong.
Autocratic—rule by a single person, dictatorship
Benefactor--a person who confers a benefit; kindly helper.
Asynchronous--not occurring at the same time.
Circumlocution—talking in circles; roundabout speaking
Convene--to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.
Counteract—to act in opposition to
Credo—any creed or formula of belief
Verdict—the outcome of a trial, the “true words”
Dissuade--to deter by advice or persuasion
Equidistant---same in distance
Extract –to get, pull, or draw out, esp. with effort or skill
Fluctuate—to change continually; to flow back and forth
Hyperbolic—in an exaggerated manner
Innocuous—not harmful
Intermittent stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again
Malady--illness
Neophyte--beginner
Omnivorous—something that eats all types of food
Multifaceted having many aspects or phases
Permeate—to spread throughout
Sanctimonious—holier than thou
Retrospect—(n) contemplation of the past; (v) to look back in thought
Divert—to change the direction of; turn aside from a path or course

Senior Purple Class Vocab Homework

1. Choose any ten (10) vocabulary words from the list below and write sentences using them correctly in context and giving clues to their meanings.

2. Post your sentences as comments on Schoolsville using your first name, last initial, and section color to identify yourself.

I hope to make up your vocabulary test (on Tuesday, Sept. 27) using sentences from the three senior sections.

Here's the list:

Antebellum—before the war
Antithesis--opposition; contrast: the antithesis of right and wrong.
Autocratic—rule by a single person, dictatorship
Benefactor--a person who confers a benefit; kindly helper.
Asynchronous--not occurring at the same time.
Circumlocution—talking in circles; roundabout speaking
Convene--to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.
Counteract—to act in opposition to
Credo—any creed or formula of belief
Verdict—the outcome of a trial, the “true words”
Dissuade--to deter by advice or persuasion
Equidistant---same in distance
Extract –to get, pull, or draw out, esp. with effort or skill
Fluctuate—to change continually; to flow back and forth
Hyperbolic—in an exaggerated manner
Innocuous—not harmful
Intermittent stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again
Malady--illness
Neophyte--beginner
Omnivorous—something that eats all types of food
Multifaceted-- having many aspects or phases
Permeate—to spread throughout
Sanctimonious—holier than thou
Retrospect—(n) contemplation of the past; (v) to look back in thought
Divert—to change the direction of; turn aside from a path or course

Schoolsville 2011--Sophs and Seniors READ ONLY

First of all, Schoolsville is the place where I'll post your "journal assignments." You must respond throughout the marking period as you are instructed "on the blog" at Schoolsville, but you MUST also turn in a printed copy of all of these journal assignments toward the end of each quarter for a major "grade." For each assignment, I strongly recommend that you type your response in a Word document and then copy and paste it into the blog response box. This keeps you organized and it protects you better in case your computer or the blog site crashes.

Also at Schoolsville, periodically I will give extra reading and homework assignments. Complete them as they are assigned. Make sure that before any test you read and remember the "READ ONLY" posts.

Does this all sound boring? I don't think so, and you won't, either, when you find yourself periodically checking in here for homework or to see if I'm "quizzing the chandelier" or "reprimanding the air."

You have to read Schoolsville (the poem) to understand those references. So do it this weekend. Follow this link to read the Billy Collins's poem, Schoolsville, the imaginary Poetry-town created by a retired teacher who finds it impossible to retire. This could be me in about 9 years (and counting).

Billy Collins is a former poet laureate of the United States. Once a title of great distinction (in countries like Great Britain), these days, a poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government to promote the genre of poetry. The poet laureate might be called upon to compose poems for state occasions and other government events, like the inauguration of a president.

Collins's poetry is on the humorous side. His fans call it realistic, clever, and accessible; his critics call it lightweight and shallow. Since I've chosen one of his poems, I think you can guess on which side I stand.

Read on.

M.L.A. rules! (SOPHS and SENIORS read only)

I hope you're not dreaming of MLA title pages, but if you are, seniors, shouldn't you be able to do this in write these in your sleep by now?

And sophomores, the formatting on this page looks very familiar to you, too, right?

Just follow the sample heading and go to it, personalizing your changes. However, I am Mr. Fiorelli, not Professor Rannazinni. Your class is either Creative and Critical Writing or American Literature. Then type a "dash" and your section color to that line three of your heading looks like American Literature-yellow or Creative and Critical Writing-purple

If you bother to read the first two sentences, please note the anemic passive voice verb constructions in both of them. Bad writing is EVERYWHERE.

Other MLA rules to keep in mind: double space throughout your paper, "head" each page with your last name and the page number, integrate quotations correctly into your paper according to MLA style (check your style book or any good online college writing lab for style guidelines).

Hand in your paper "ontime" for full credit. Late papers will be accepted with a 15% deduction from the final grade per day late.

Always Remember (SOPHS and SENIORS read only)

Just as I (and your parents and grandparents) can remember where we were when we heard of John F. Kennedy's assassination. . . . Just as your great-grandparents can recall the exact moment when news first broke of the Pearl Harbor attack. . . . Now you have a day burned just as deeply into your memory.

You tenth graders were nervous kindergarteners. You seniors undoubtedly confident second graders. All over Pike Creek Valley, all over the East Coast, it was a beautiful day that belied the horror that was to come.

The world changed that day, at least our worlds changed, here in America. Our peaceful, protected, way of life crumbled when the towers fell.

I remember the days after 9-11 living in, if not, fear, then in at least extreme apprehension. Would there be more terror attacks? If so, of what type? Could we really protect ourselves with enough duct tape and plastic to withstand a "dirty" nuclear bomb? Was our mail system polluted with anthrax, and if so, who was the next target? Did we really ever want to get on an airplane again? Or travel to New York City? Or go to any event where large groups of people congregated?

I know that my reaction to that tragedy influenced everything that I did for the following months. My eyes were glued to the television set for news, mostly for assurance, for hope, that things were not as bad as they seemed. For the most part, as each day passed without additional tragedy, I felt a gradual sense of relief, calm, and safety living in America again.

Having seen the images in New York, having heard the many stories of bravery, I developed a keener sense of respect and admiration for firefighters, policemen, and emergency workers of all types. My brother-in-law is a retired Wilmington policeman, a kind man, a gentle loving father of three boys. When he was in uniform with his police radio and weapon, however, he's something altogether different. He's a defender of my city, a protector of the innocent, in pursuit of "bad guys" who would drive drunk, burglarize my home, or worse yet, commit acts of terror in our country. He and many others like him do this so that you can write responses to questions in your journal, so that I can correct errors in dangling participles and wrong tenses, and so that we can try to return to the nicer, safer, more peaceful way of the world that we knew before September 11, 2001.

Ten years later, we do not forget the heroes that fell then. Hopefully, we continue to recognize the heroes that rise and work to protect us now. Prayerfully, we ask God for an end to the violence that plagues our towns and our world.

Forever Young (seniors READ ONLY)

Class discussions on the Bob Dylan song revealed the following:

You understand "paradox" and "oxymoron." The phrase "forever young" is not quite an oxymoron (a two-word contradiction) like "jumbo shrimp," but the idea of staying "forever young" is an impossibility, a contradictory statement, and hence, I believe, a simple paradox. We understand that Dylan wants us to maintain some of that childlike Spark and innocence as we grow older and "mature."

You know the Bible just as well as Dylan--the Golden Rule to "always do for others and let others do for you." You pray and sing a joyful song and ask that God may "bless you and keep you," just as Bobby D does.

You are beginning to think about your essay topic, looking for the "lights surrounding you" that have acted as "beacons" (good metaphor) as you've sailed the seas for 17 some years.

You are examining if you've built any "ladders to the stars" and "climbed on every rung," too. Have you kept your hands busy and your feet swift as the winds of changes have shifted (more sailing imagery here, I think)?

If I didn't know any better, I might think that the writers of the Saint Mark's alma mater and Bob Dylan exchanged writing notes on the telephone as they composed their songs.

Don't these ideas and some of the imagery sound familiar?

Winds of time whisper on.
Now the foundation's laid strong.
On this will the spirit survive, that we are building each day of our lives.
Striving to retain convictions, searching for elusive goals.
Never losing hope for progress, ever seeking strength of soul.

The spirit of these words of your alma mater echo Dylan's verse in its "audacity of hope." Both songs were written, I'm sure, within months of the other. Maybe it was the Age of Aquarius, as the 60's hippies suggested.

The photo above pictures of "forever young" Bob Dylan, not the grizzled 69-year old.

If you want to hear Forever Young sung by a wonderful singer with a beautiful voice, find the Joan Baez version available anywhere on the web. Baez was a Dylan girlfriend who covered many of his early songs.

Fallingwater as a work of art (sophs READ ONLY)

Fallingwater is the name of a home designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in the woods of southwestern Pennsylvania. One could argue (certainly an architect might) that every humble abode is a work of art, but there cannot be any arguments about the artistic merits of Wright's famously crafted structure that integrates a real living space with the elements of nature.

Among many other things, a waterfall runs beneath the house and hillside boulders on which part of the house rests lie exposed in the fireplace hearth. Staircases lead to windows which lead to dramatic views of the outside world. The sound of the waterfall provides a beautiful noise, too--let's say a soothing ambience. Indeed, most Fallingwater visitors feel as if they are outside when they are inside its structure.

One drawback. Lots of mold. Its soon-to-be phlegmatic owner nicknamed his home Rising Mildew and after suffering through many sneezes and sniffles, eventually donated the home for its use as a museum in 1963.