Me, Myself & I.

“What Are You!”

 

“Excuse Me?”

 

“Like What Are You?”

 

These are the type of questions I get all the time. It all started when I entered a new school, outside of my region. I was mad but more upset that I was entering a school where I felt like I didn’t belong. It was still in Olney, but I knew no one. First day of second grade I came into the room, thinking “Why did my mother put me in here?” The feeling stuck with me for a while.

 

This girl named Sydney, came up to me and said, “What are you?” this was the first I ever heard this, I was shocked but more like disrespected. I just answered, “What?” she repeated the question over and over again, till I couldn’t take it anymore and I said “Rican!” She chose not to believe me and yet it didn’t bother me or affect me the way I thought it would. I mean I was mad that it concerned her that much what my nationally was, but it shouldn’t have mattered to her. She wasn’t me nor a friend at the time. She went and told all her friends about it, they ambushed me. It wasn’t a big deal. Her “friends” and I became real close while she chose to be difficult. It took one strike in fourth grade, when someone called me “FAKE”; I have never been called anything in my life.

 

Hearing that made me think that I didn’t have to prove myself to anyone, I am who I am and no one can tell me. I spoke Spanish to prove to them that I was a Puerto Rican, but not for their approval but more to prove to myself that nothing can affect me.

 

While I was walking to the Chinese Store around the corner from my house with one of my closest friends, some man stopped me as I was crossing the street “I don’t mean to be rude, but I noticed you walking and I have to know what you are?” I just stared at him, lost. Took me a while to think of what to respond to him. I just answered nicely, “Rican”. I was irritated and tired of it. I hate it when people and try and tell me who I am. Like you have the right to.

 

He just stared at me until he realized we were about to get hit by a car. As I was about to enter the Chinese Store, he said, “You can’t be, you’re to pale to be Rican, most have some color. So what are you really?” This is what made me tick, like how are you going to tell me what I am? I didn’t know what to say to him, I just stared at him.

 

I felt insulted but more disrespected. I walked away, felt like he didn’t even need an answer either way he was going to have an opinion about me and think what he wanted to. Through out the rest of the day, that’s what I was focused on. The way people speak to others is a shame; I know parents taught their kids manners.

 

Last year during the summer, I was heading to mothers job after my job. My headphones were on loud. I was in my own little world, paying attention to no one. I was a stop away from my mom’s job, as I was rising, this young lady stopped me and said, “Oh My God, you are very beautiful, skin and all. I don’t mean to be rude but what are you? Like your race.” This was the one and only time I did not feel any type of way.

 

I smiled and said, “Thank You, and I’m Rican.” She just looked at me, like she had something to say but just didn’t know what to say. “I can see it.” I was beyond shocked; it was like a miracle had occurred. She was the first person to ever say that and not start an argument. Right when I was getting ready to answer her, the bus had reached my stop. “Have a blessed day,” she said.

 

It amazed me how a stranger like herself, was able to keep a smile on my face all day. I was more thankful for the fact that she didn’t argue with me, but the fact that she believed me when I said, “I was Rican”. The compliments were just extra. I just felt the need to tell my mom, she didn’t seem to understand why I was so happy, but that wasn’t going to change my mood.

 

I think why is it that I’m the palest person in my household, and everyone else looks like they belong. Time passed and the questions continued and so did the people. I still get the question everywhere I go, but people start to believe and see that I am “Rican and NOT White”. I’ve grown to love myself for how I look and who I am.

 

Cancion by Vinny

Refrán

Mi antepasado come de Irlanda,
y Italia  y eso es la cuento de mi.
Verso I
Mi antepasaso come de Irlanda,
Ellos fue barco los cruzo de Atlantic.
Antes de embarco,
Ellos junataba todos cosas
Y continuar de viaje.   
Refrán
Mi antepasado come de Irlanda,
Y Italia  y eso es la cuento de mi.


Mi antepasado come de Irlanda,
Y Italia  y eso es la cuento de mi.
Verso II
Mi antepasaso come de Italia,
Ellos trajeron los comida de cultura, y  las memorias.
Mi antepasaso come de Italia,
Ellos trajeron los familia de todos cosas y vida.
Refrán
Mi antepasado come de Irlanda,
Y Italia  y eso es la cuento de mi.

  • What are you especially proud of?
    I'm proud of the uniqueness try to put two different types of music together(even though it probably won't work).
  • What do you anticipate having to change before recording your song?
    I probably will change some of the lyrics to make it work with the music. 
  • What did you talk about in your song?  Why did you choose to talk about those things in talking about where you come from?
    When I first thought about the question I thought of my ancestors and how they might have come over. Also, I think explaining my heritage will help in explaining me.

NaQuan's Cancion

Refran:

Filadelfia

Es mi ciudad

Filadelfia

Es mi casa

Filadelfia

Tiene la vida

Filadelfia

Tiene mi amigos.


Verso Uno:

Soy de Fila, soy de Fila,

El gente es loco.

Soy do Fila, soy de Fila

Porque es bueno.

La comida grasa,

El gente extraño,

Las casas lindas,

Y los carne rojo.

Yo no tengo más

No amigos

O lugares iré.

Pero no importante

El ciudad da abundancia

Todo ésa quiero.


Filadelfia

Es mi ciudad

Filadelfia

Es mi casa

Filadelfia

Tiene la vida

Filadelfia

Tiene mi amigos.


Verso Dos:

Cuando yo lluegué,

Tuve mi madre

Nadie más,  

Hasta no mi padre

El ciudad habló

Habló a mi

Dijo estuve tranquilo

Estuva libre

El diversión, la vida

Sólo comenzaré

Está Filadelfia,

Cuando pasar todo

Encontré amigos

Encontré amor

Encontré peligros

Encontré emocións

Encontré familia

Encontré mascota

Encontré una gata

Encontré una perra


Filadelfia

Es mi ciudad

Filadelfia

Es mi casa

Filadelfia

Tiene la vida

Filadelfia

Tiene mi amigos (x2)


  1. I'm just happy I managed to get this song done, especially having as long as it is. It could've been longer, I guess, but it could've been way shorter. I also love the music I have to go along with these lyrics.
  2. I am definitely expecting having to make some changes to the lyrics both grammar wise and flow wise. Some lines may have to many syllables to make the song sound natural. If that comes up, I'll have to find a way to make that line shorter.
  3. I chose to talk about why I love Philadelphia so much, mostly associated with the things it gave me that I didn't have in other states, at least not in this kind of quality.
  4. I made the music myself. I don't know what kind of genre it would fit under, but it's pretty slow compared to what I had originally planned. It's sort of melodic, combining piano with drums. I like what I got. 


Espanol song- danny wirt

vengo de America
vengo de filadelfia
vengo de un amor por jugar fútbol
vengo mis amigos y mi familia

vengo de la musica
vengo de la escula
vengo de la ciudad
ciudad de los libres

vengo de America
vengo de filadelfia
vengo de un amor por jugar fútbol
vengo mis amigos y mi familia

vengo de los amigos
me gusta mis amigos
vengo de los familia
me gusta me familia


i am proud that i did this on my own, even though it isnt great or it may seem like a lot of effort, but i didn't use a dictionary or google translate or anything. 

a few lyrics? 

i talked about who i am and what made me who i am 

i have no idea, since im not much of a singer probably like a rap-ish kind 

La Cancion Complete

¿De donde vengo yo?

Vengo de donde sonrisas, comida de la alma, y risa

Los árboles altos en el cielo tiene ramas brazos abiertos

Siempre buscando

Basta con buscar

El futuro y el pasado están en mi presente

 

No sé donde mis ancestros, pero yo entiendo mi familia presente

Ellos dijeron mis ancestros de África

Ellos son esclavos

No tuvieron una vida para ustedes

Supieron vida en los hijos de futuro

En una día brillante

El día es ahorita

 

Vengo de donde sonrisas, comida de la alma, y risa

Los árboles altos en el cielo tiene ramas brazos abiertos

Siempre buscando

Basta con buscar

El futuro y el pasado están en mi presente

 

Soy de los forestales pino de Nueva Jersey

Tiene muchas aventuras y misterios

Estoy perdido en la belleza los misterios, en la transparencia 

Yo sueño

Soy una árbol fuerte con ramas crece rápido

 

Vengo de donde sonrisas, comida de la alma, y risa

Los árboles altos en el cielo tiene ramas brazos abiertos

Siempre buscando

Basta con buscar

El futuro y el pasado están en mi presente


Reflection:

I am proud of myself for simply completing this song, because I initially saw it as a challenge.  I am also prod of my interpretation of answering the question. I think that I answered the question in a less physical way. Prior to recording this song, I think that I may need to find synonyms for some of the words so that they flow better. In my song I talk about how I don't know  much about my families history, but I know who they are now and the pieces of stories I've heard. I also talk about being from nature and my place in my world. My life began in the pine lands of New and what I experienced there lives on through me. I'm thinking about using a negro spiritual for music.



Mi cancion


Refrán
¿De dónde vengo yo?

¿De dónde vengo yo?

Vengo de el ciudad pequeño

Famosa comida y museos

Es gran... lugar... estar. 


Verso Uno

Soy de Filadelfia.

Vivo en Wynnfield

Es la zona bien

Es tranquilo y bonita

Las personas es amable.

Es gran lugar estar


¿De dónde vengo yo?

¿De dónde vengo yo?

Vengo de el ciudad pequeño

Famosa comida y museos

Es gran... lugar... estar. 


Verso Dos

Vengo de grande familia

Mi familia es especial para mi

Mucho talento y inteligente

Y mucho cariñosa


¿De dónde vengo yo?

¿De dónde vengo yo?

Vengo de el ciudad pequeño

Famosa comida y museos

Es gran... lugar... estar. 





I'm especially proud of being able to put this song together, and be able to get input from my peers about how to improve.
I may have to change the format of the words, if I have any problems with recording it.
I mainly spoke about the city, and my family. I think it represents who I come from, and where I live basically. 
I want fast music, but really something at a good pace that fits well to my lyrics. 

Mi cancion

Vengo de Filadelfia.
Yo viví en ese ciudad
todo mi vida.
Me encanta los luces,
sonidos y edificios altos.

Yo vengo de una ciudad.
historia, arte, y música
Mi corazón vive en ese ciudad.
Mi alma pertenece.

Yo vive en una ciudad
pinta una obra maestra
de personas muchas.
Expresa se mismo.
Aceptamos todos los personas.

Yo vengo de una ciudad.
historia, arte, y  música
Mi corazón vive en ese ciudad.
Mi alma pertenece.

I am especially proud of the fact that I actually finished the song without worrying too much about fitting it to music. I know I will have to, but I had to let go of the music aspect so I wouldn't get too paranoid about it.
I anticipate changing the way the lines are organized to make them fit the beat of the song and maybe changing a few words to make it flow better.
I mainly talked about how I felt about living in the city, I stuck to the more (and maybe upmost) positive things. I chose to talk about those things because I believe that in order to know where someone came from, you have to know how they felt living there in the first place. Also when you look at travel brochures you will never see anything about crime rate or litter, so I decided to keep negative things out.
I'm not sure what type of music I want. I think I might have to try out different genres and see what would be able to fit right with my lyrics.

Don't take walking for granted.

Taylor Thomas Silver.

 

It felt like a few seconds of sleep until my eyes crusted open. I looked around not knowing what was going on. I couldn’t remember how I got to where I was or what happened. The anesthesia still hadn’t worn off. I looked down, and saw a big purple cast on my foot. I started to remember what was going on. This was the beginning of a long cycle of surgeries. This was only one of four.

I was in fifth grade. My foot started to hurt when I walked on it. I told my parents and they just told me that I probably hurt it in gymnastics somehow. After a couple weeks of it hurting, they finally took me to get it checked out. It turned out that I had an extra bone in my foot. The medical term for it is a calcium deposit. When I first found out I was scared, I didn’t know how to take this information. I knew that I should have been sad or upset, even scared, but for some reason I was almost excited. I mean, I never had anything major in my life before, it was exciting to know what it felt like to have the attention.

I missed out on three summers, and three months of a school year because of having surgeries. It always bummed me out because I couldn’t go swimming with my friends or even take a walk with them in the summer sun. I could only sit in the house and watch movies, because I didn’t have the energy to get up. I felt dizzy just walking from the couch to the bathroom. I needed help every step of the way.

I remember when I found out that I was going to have my second surgery. I was with my dad in the doctor’s office. He told us that I had the same thing happen to my left foot that happened to my right foot. I was kind of disappointed because it meant I would have to miss out on another summer. When I got home my mom asked me what the doctor said, so I told her. She started to cry because she didn’t want me to have to go through it again. I told her that I didn’t mind it that much. I was stupid for saying that, because the last two surgeries I had were just terrible.

My cousin Bridgid came down the shore with me about two days after my third surgery. I had so much fun just sitting in the room with her. It was nice just to have someone with me instead of being trapped in the house all day. When I was with her, she could push me around in my wheelchair at the boardwalk. She did a lot for me that week too. I am so grateful for her. She would get me a water or soup if I needed it. She even made sure that I was comfortable before I fell asleep.

I could never walk by someone who has a disability, and they look like they are struggling. When I see someone in a wheelchair, or on crutches I always ask if they need any help with anything, because I have been there. I know what its like to not be able to do anything for your self. I know what it’s like to not even be able to take a shower with out help, or get dressed by your self. I can honestly say that there were a few times in my life when I was completely helpless, besides when I was a baby. I have been in that position in a store, where I could either chose to walk on my crutches or sit in the disabled motor scooter. I am very thankful to my doctors, my parents, and my friends who have helped me through my difficult times. The reason I always want to help people who are in wheelchairs or on crutches, is because I have been there. I know what its like. It sucks and there is nothing you can do about it. The only thing you can hope for is a little bit of help. That’s what I try to give it. 

Chelsea Ann Smith's Song



Refrán:
vengo de mi familia;
mi mama, mi papa, mis hermanos y
mi tia y bisabuelos
te amo, mucho te amo.


VERSE1:
Vengo la musica favorito
escuha Blink 182 todas las días
audifonos  en mi orejas
mi musica es muy fuerte
sin ninguna preocupación (without a care in the world)
estoy muy contenta porque musica,
mucho graicas musica, tu importante musica

vengo de mi familia;
mi mama, mi papa, mis hermanos y
mi tia y bisabuelos
te amo, mucho te amo.

VERSE2:
vengo Jesus Christ
leí la Biblia y fue iglesia
fue el servicios tres días in la semana
no asistia iglesia.
no sé porque.

vengo de mi familia;
mi mama, mi papa, mis hermanos y
mi tia y bisabuelos
te amo, mucho te amo.

VERSE3:
me amo fútbol
deportes por la escuela
dos la años con SLA.
Me gustan mis niñas

vengo de mi familia;
mi mama, mi papa, mis hermanos y
mi tia y bisabuelos
te amo, mucho te amo.
  • What are you especially proud of?
    I really like my refrán, i think it really works as a good part to repeat.

  • What do you anticipate having to change before recording your song?
    I don't think my second verse is very strong nor do I think it makes sense. I need to get some people to look over that for and with me. 

  • What did you talk about in your song?  Why did you choose to talk about those things in talking about where you come from?
    I talked about how my family made me and my love for them. Also how soccer is a huge thing in my life, Jesus made me who I am and shaped my life and also about how music has a huge impact on me.

  • What kind of music are you planning on setting your lyrics to?  
    I want something kind of fast, not really sure what to use though, I have to continue think on this now.


Cancion De Anastasia

​Vengo de un lugar tranquillo.

Una casa de amor.

Vengo de la musica

Y bailar.

 

Vengo de la familia de Smith.

Un nombe común

Pero con rasgos ünicos.

Vengo de donde los ladrillos son ponían

Alto suficiente a cubrian.

 

Vengo de un lugar tranquillo.

Una casa de amor.

Vengo de la musica

Y bailar.

 

Soy De Filadelfia.

Donde edificios brillantes suben.

y carros moscas.

Vengo de dónde todos vivan para sueños.

Pero todos no llegan los sueños.

 

Vengo de un lugar tranquillo.

Una casa de amor.

Vengo de la musica

Y bailar.

 


1.I am proud that I incorporated both things about me personally and also things about the city that I come from. 
2.I might have to use some simpler words so that they flow nicely with the beat I choose.
3.I tried to hit all the basics, stuff about me personally and also about Philly.
4.I think that I am going to take a beat from another song that i like.

Mi Cancion

Verso 1


De donde yo vengo

Hay mucho amor

Una gran familia

Todos mis amigos me conocen desde la infancia

No hay nunca un momento aburrido

Yo vengo de un lugar

Donde puedo ser libre

Deporte y fraternidad

Un pequeño país en el mapa

Pero este es un país donde la felicidad vidas.



Refrán


Vengo de donde hay las playas

Las granjas y el sol hermoso

gente amable y deliciosa comida.



Verso 2


Un lugar donde reina la libre

No Estados Unidos, sino que funciona de la misma

Mi casa para siempre

No es perfecto

El lugar para estar

Mi casa Jamaica.


Refrán


Vengo de donde hay las playas

Las granjas y el sol hermoso

gente amable y deliciosa comida.



Refrán


Vengo de donde hay las playas

Las granjas y el sol hermoso

gente amable y deliciosa comida.



Mi Reflexión



+ What are you especially proud of?

I am especially proud that I was able to use my class time wisely to work on my song. I am also proud that I was able to finish my song on time. I am also proud that I was able to address the question ¿De dónde vengo yo?


+
What do you anticipate having to change before recording your song?

I think that I might add another verse or I might make my existing verses a little longer. I also might adjust some of my lyrics so that the song sound better. There is so much I still want to say so I have to work on getting this into the song.


+ What did you talk about in your song? Why did you choose to talk about those things in talking about where you are from?

I talked about the geography of Jamaica, my friends, my family and all the good memories I have of my home country. I talked about these things because they helped to shape who I am today and they are a part of my culture, heritage and identity.

I think that I might add another verse or I might make my existing verses a little longer. I also might adjust some of my lyrics so that the song sound better. There is so much I still want to say so I have to work on getting this into the song.


+ What kind of music are you planning on setting your lyrics to?

I am planning on setting my lyrics to some medium paced lyrics. Not too fast by at the same time not too slow. 

La Cancin Completa

I'm especially proud of my refran because it answers the question all in 3 little lines and is able to catch onto pretty easily. Its just simple and that's how most songs are.
The only thing that I might have to change is the type of beat I'm going to use since I have to make sure the that the words go well with the beat.
I talked about the types of things in my neighborhood and how we live a regular week.
I plan on having the beat from the song "Danza Kuduro" it has a fast pace to it and I enjoy the way it flows with my lyrics.

HO to the LA

  • I'm really proud that its easy for me to think what I want to say to my song. So far people like my lyrics and I guess thats a good start!
  • I just want people to look over my lyrics and ask some advice if I need to change anything before I start to record my song. 
  • In my song I was just describing what my country looks like. I was talking about the mountains, the ocean, and the corn fields. I also talked about the kids laughing, the cars, and the birds singing. Just to give the listeners some picture and audio image of what I'm talking about. 
  • I'm planning to have a mellow or kind of a lullaby.  

He's a niceguy.

                                                                                                                       

How many streetlights do you need on one street? I kept asking that myself during my brisk walk to the 69th Street Terminal.  Small traces of the sun’s warmth seemed to catch my stride. I started to hear a faint but familiar tune. I wandered to the source of the sound to find that a man, just about my height, was playing Sir Duke on his saxophone. I let the music surround me for some time, tapping my feet to the rhythm. I tossed a $5 bill in his case and moved about my business after a while. I found a spot to relax and waited when a lady in a red white and green walked and stood in front of me.

 

Ever since childhood I’ve been known as a nice guy. Although some people might confuse it with gullibility, I just consider it hard to say no. If family, or a close friend, asks for money, I’d oblige to it without thinking. If I don’t have what they’re asking for, then I’ll ask them if what I have would suffice. I don’t know why, but I’m obsessed with seeing people happy. Now don’t get my wrong, I’m not feminine or mushy or any of that, but seeing people upset around me makes me not operate right.

 

“Wassup Nuri!”

 

“Watsup Na’im?”

 

I don’t even know why I asked this question. I knew what would come from my 19-year-old brother Na’im.

 

“Can I borrow $10 for gas?”

 

Of course I said to myself! Now I had no idea if that was what is was really going to, but I had just received my first paycheck so I was happy to give him some money. That was just how it went. It didn’t matter if they paid back, or if it was just a giveaway, I don’t let family go without. Friends on the other hand are just a little different. For them, their must be reason, and its not usually more than 5$ if its money.  I never pondered over them, but those have always been the rules I set on loans/gifts.

 

One time, my mom even questioned me on my kindness. We were in the kitchen cooking, about 5:30pm. I was pouring bacon bits in to a searing pan, careful of the grease trying to fight me. Out of the blue, she asks a puzzling question

 

“Why do you give away your hard earned money to people who’ll spend it on God knows what?”

 

I looked up from my flaming pan, gave her a big smile and said “Cause I’m a nice person.”

 

“Look out child, that’s going to hurt you when you get older”

 

 

 

 

That was one of the only sayings I pondered before. Half of me thought she was right, but the other half thought that there couldn’t be any consequences of being polite. I really disagreed with what she said since I haven’t been penalized or effected negatively by giving money.

 

The last time someone asked me for money was not too long ago. I was in my English class on a warm morning, sitting next to my “bro” Octavious. I was tapping a beat on the table when my teacher walked around selling notebooks needed especially for this class. He turned to me, face stricken with hope, and asked for 1$ dollar to purchase one. Seeing that it was for school, and he was one of my bro’s, of course I said yes. It wasn’t the first time he asked for a monetary supplement, but he always pays back so it’s was ok. That’s how it is for almost everyone, I never ask, but they always return.

 

I make sure that people understand that I’m not gullible. People may not see on the exterior, but there are rules to this money system. If people see that I give away money to my friends, some of my lesser friends/acquaintances start to ask. That’s when I firmly and adequately refuse. To me its not a bad habit, just me being nice. I’m not getting overpowered, and I know how to say no. That’s probably why for the first time in my life, a stranger in a red, white, and green Rita’s apron moving towards me rewarded my kindness with a gelati and a warm smile on a warm summer night.

 

 

The Physical Attack From The TV And Dresser

Jalen Smith

9/15/11

                                              The Physical Attack From The TV And Dresser

I came home from of school. At that time I was in the third grade and I was tired of doing math problems, vocabulary words and other things so I felt the weekend fever. Sit back, relax and watch a movie was going through my brain. I decided to watch ANT’s, my favorite childhood movie. So I threw my book bag in the floor and sped up stairs to my room. I headed to my book case to go find my ANT’s movie. I groped desperately for the movie on the top shelf. Finally I found it. I quickly opened the case to the video and took the movie out of the box. My next step was to turn the TV on which was located at the top of my dresser. My TV was too high for me to reach but I attempted to try and turn the TV on.  I pulled the drawers open to try and make steps so that I could climb the dresser. I placed both of my feet on the first drawer and all hell broke loose.  

With all my weight being on the drawer, the dresser couldn’t hold me, so it tipped over. Everything came down on top of me. I woke up on the floor. My chest and my arms were aching. I couldn’t get up because my body was pinned to the ground by the massive TV and dresser. I  raised my left and right arm just to see if they weren’t broken. I noticed that on my right hand middle finger I had a broken nail. My finger was bleeding profusely because of the broken nail. Three minutes later after the accident my parents ran upstairs to see what happened. 

I couldn’t tell them what happened because I was shaken from everything that happened. Then finally I told them. I tried to watch ANT’s but I couldn’t reach the TV and the VCR so I decided to climb the drawers to the dresser to get to the TV and turn it on.” My mom screamed “Are you crazy!!!”  I felt so bad. My mom saw my bloody hand and she panicked. “ We are going to probably have to take you to the doctors so that you can get some treatment.” I agreed and we headed off. We finally reached our destination, the doctors office. A place where I did not want to be. Every time I went into a doctors office I always had to get a shot but I knew that this time I didn’t have to get a shot because I had a broken finger and a broken nail. “ Jalen Smith” the nurse yelled. “Come follow me”  We entered the examination room and my mother and I sat down waiting for a doctor. 

“Knock Knock Knock” the door slowly opened and it was Dr. White. “ Jalen what happened to you?” I had told him my story while he observed my broken finger and nail. Soon after he put medicine on my wound and he placed a splint on my finger Dr. White said “Next time you should ask mommy or daddy for help rather than doing it by your self because you can get hurt, ok”.Take care Jalen”. You too doctor” I replied. When we got back home my family and I had cleaned up the mess and we made brownies. After the brownies were made everyone went into the living room and we watched ANT’s and ate our delicious brownies. Even though the end of the day was horrible because of the accident, the bonding with my family was very important and really memorable. I actually thank god for that day because there’s nothing better than family bonding.  

The one thing I learned from this experience was that it is good to ask for help whenever you need it. If you know you can’t do something you should always ask someone to help you. Sometimes when you try to do something on your own you may fail to do it and it could lead to something very bad, like a broken arm, damage to something thats not yours, or even being severely injured. So thats why its so important to ask for help.

That's so gay

9/22/2011

Gabby Santaniello

“Are you doing this for a reason?” I turned my head to look at my mom from where I was sitting in the passenger seat. I could see our destination as we approached the hair salon.

“Excuse me?” is my immediate reaction

“Because,” she continues “you know we’ll support you no matter what.” Now I understood, but it didn’t make what she said any less wrong.

“Mom, I’m not a lesbian.” I clarified, feeling the situation getting very awkward, very fast. What she said got me to thinking…is that what people would automatically assume? I’m a girl getting a short haircut, so obviously it must mean something about my sexuality. I understood that’s what some people would think, people on the street perhaps, even a few of my friends had wondered when I told them about it, but I hadn’t expected my own mother to judge. I know people have certain standards and classification, and apparently girls with short hair fall under the category ‘Gay’.

 

My first encounter with this type of judgment was actually before I decided to cut my hair. Emma Watson had gotten her long, gorgeous hair cropped off. One of my friends had made a comment,

“She was so pretty, did she want to look like a boy?” The comment instantly had me getting defensive. One, because I like Emma Watson, two, because I don’t think people should be judged by their appearance.

“No. Maybe she just wanted some change, I think she looks great either way.” I didn’t really want to get into a fight about it, and my friend simply shrugged it off, but it kept bothering me. Obviously Emma’s intent wasn’t to look like a boy, she still dresses and looks like as much of a girl as she ever has. I thought about it, and found it to be quite empowering. It’s pretty much saying ‘look at me! I can be a beautiful female without the obvious sign of femininity!’ I was wondering what it would be like it I cut my own hair; it was getting a bit hard to take care of, after all.

 

“You look like a dude.” Lucia, my sister said as soon as I walked through the door. I brushed my newly cropped bangs away from my face to raise an eyebrow at her.

“No, I don’t.” I said simply, and promptly walked into my room to change out of my baggy jeans and jersey, and into my new white shorts and a pink shirt.  I felt bad; I had just gone against everything getting my haircut stood for. Admittedly, I was worried; I thought ‘if I don’t wear feminine clothing with this new haircut, people would think I’m a guy.’ Even the next day, when I didn’t wear particularly ‘girly’ clothing, considering it was field day, I still wore makeup, which I rarely ever did.

 

I began to wear sweatpants and t-shirts again, more out of laziness than anything else. Some people commented, but I didn’t really care. People had referred to me as ‘butch’ before I got my hair cut. That was mostly due to my tomboyish nature, and it didn’t bother me until people started using it to judge me by my appearance. I ‘looked butch’ not just the way that I acted. That’s when the confusion came back, people just assumed that I was something that I wasn’t based on how I dressed, and how I styled my hair. Their image of a female was obviously different from mine, their image of a lesbian was obviously different from mine. In some cases, yes, it’s true that you can guess someone’s sexuality by the way that they dress, but it doesn’t mean that you should go around deeming every girl with short hair a lesbian.

 

Cut the pride, and get your friend back.

Victoria Yarbrough

September 14, 2011

English Essay

 

     “You should have told me before hand, I’m your friend, I wouldn’t do you like that.”

 

“I didn’t think you cared, and it just came up,” I said nonchalantly. I knew I was being silly but I shouldn’t have to tell him everything that’s going in my life. This argument was so stereotypical, He’s mad because I want to go to another friend’s birthday party instead of coming to his house and doing nothing. Sounds like a teen movie doesn’t it? It’s not like he wasn’t invited. Why do I have to be anti-social just because he is?

 

“If you’re my friend you’ll let me go, I’m not going to the moon and it’s not like you’re not invited.”

 

“ I don’t care how you try to put it, you’re wrong. Dead wrong, you said you were coming to my house and now you turn around and ditch me? Not cool Torre.” He’s screaming now and me, well I’m just rolling my eyes.

 

“Mike, we hang out all the time and for you to try and keep me captive isn’t cool. Now move aside.”

 

He was pissed but before he could say anything I bolted for the exit and began mentally preparing for the party. Which sucked. I felt a little dumb. But Mike didn’t need to know that, I figured that I’d just talk to him at lunch and all would be normal. Mike and I have been friends since 2nd grade, and if he gets upset over something like this, then he’s crazy.

 

     Well apparently he’s crazy. He walked right past me the morning after the argument. I went to the restroom and looked in the mirror.

 

“Well that’s strange because I don’t look invisible.” I said with a questioning tone.

 

I head to the first class of day, science; I hated that class. The smell of bleach and dead frogs in jars was not how I liked to start my mornings. But at least I sat next to Mike; I could ask him why he ignored me. So I get there and I’m literally 45 seconds late, thanks to a previous bathroom trip.  My science teacher Mr. Ashworth starts freaking out and hands me one of those stupid hot pink tardy slips. I spot Mike and sit next to him and stare at him with the widest of eyes. It takes about 3 minutes before he turns around gives me the evilest of looks. And then out of nowhere he gets up and moves to the other side of the room. Ok, now I’m confused, I start sniffing my armpits. Do I offend? No, it isn’t that. And then I think about the day before, and I’m like “Ooohhh,” He’s still mad about that? Without thinking I blurt,

 

“Really, you’re still on that? Grow up and come off it.”

 

He just gives me that look again and I of course get in trouble for “calling out”. What am I seven? I guess this means Mike is truly mad and wants to play “cold shoulder”, but two can play that game. He’ll crack before I do.

 

    2 weeks passed, and Mike and I were still not speaking. I was beginning to question our friendship from the start. It’s sad because I was getting used to us not talking. I didn’t want it to be that way anymore, but I couldn’t find in me to apologize. I rarely apologize for anything. I had other friends but Mike was my “Homie”, I started to miss him. I waited for him at his locker the next day; I was ready to talk it out. And this time instead of avoiding me, he began walking toward me. I was anxious, and then I did something really stupid, I ran away. I don’t know why I did it. I didn’t even have anything to say, but I went to his locker. Maybe I was being stupid. And then the realization hit me like a brick to the face. I should have never ditched Mike, no matter how unimportant our plans were. However, I also realized that Mike was indeed being a little silly. All of this came to me on a Friday night, and I resolved to go to Mike’s house the next day and talk things over. And this time I wouldn’t run away.

 

     Saturday afternoon, I rode my bike to Mike’s house. I get there and knock on his door. Someone is always home at Mike’s house so this was odd that there was no answer. Surely not all of family was avoiding me. I’m still knocking when his neighbor peeps out of his door and says

 

“Who are you looking for?”

 

I say, “I’m looking for Michael Bernson.”

 

“I’m sorry but the Bernsons moved out yesterday.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Yeah, they moved out yesterday” He says with a nonchalant tone. And then goes back inside his house. I, on the other hand am trying to process what I’ve been told. They moved out? What does he mean they moved out?  And then came the water works. I rode my bike all they way over there to get my friend back, and he left. Not like a 3-day vacation left, he’s gone. And it hurt.  We’ve been friends for almost 7 years or have we? It was a horrible feeling, and I did cry, but I sucked it up and took it as a lesson: Putting your pride aside may be hard, but what if it’s for your best friend? Take it from me, you should always end thing on good note with the people you care about.

Immigration Project Overview - Trosario

  • What surprised you most about this information?  What seemed quite obvious about explaining this data set? When there were major ups or downs in the immigration is was usually do to things we learned in school. What was surprising was some of the reasons for slight changes.

  • Looking at the overall trend and incorporating what you know about the US presently, predict and defend the immigration trend for the next two decades. To keep a stable immigration trend there would be a need for no war or depressions, but also no extreme changes in other ways. So instead of a push and/or pull it would be still and un-moving

  • Describe how you made a decision on how to visually represent the information. After viewing multiple choices our group found prezi the most interesting and more of a fun way to piece the project together.

  • What parts of group work were challenging? Having all of our work done, splitting them up evenly, and sharing thing with others when necessary.

  • What would you do differently if you had this project to do over? I would have added more pictured and videos, but I think that as a group the project was an over-all completion and a piece of work to be proud about.

Mi refran

Mi refran:
"Amor es en mi corazon"

  • What is your refrán supposed to communicate? 
    Queiro enseñar el centro de la cancion.
  • What are you especially happy about with your first draft?
    Yo emocionado sobre que significar para me.
  • What would you like to improve about your refrán first draft?
    Encontrar las palabras rimas.
  • What was difficult about writing your refrán?
    Tomando una linea.


    Vengo de musica,

    Donde cantando esta de alma

    Y dibujas,

    Todos los fotos hablamos 1000 palabras

     

    El Refran:

    Amor es en mi Corazon

     

    Verse 2:

    Con la familia,

    Y los noches de comida y divertida

    Vengo

     (Verse 2 no es completa)




Huh?

Taylor Ximines

 

                                   

“Wow, That’s Interesting”

“Are you serious?”

“That is really cool!”

“What does that mean?”

These are all things that I have been hearing my whole life – and it’s always about my last name. People are fascinated, confused, or both when they hear or see it. The first thing they ask me is where does it come from and I always say that I don’t know or I’m not sure which both are complete lies. I know where it comes from but the story and history behind it is too long and I’ve said it so many times.

 

            So I guess now you’re wondering where it comes from? Well get ready for a long story! Originally it’s Greek, but eventually it made its way to Eastern Europe (Spain, and Portugal) and that’s where it got its numerous ways to spell it. My grandfather always told me that “no matter how you spell it, we are all related in some way or somehow”. And because of how uncommon it is I just always believed this to be true.

 

Some people say it in the craziest ways I have ever heard! I have heard everything from “ZIM-E-NICE” to “X-E-MIES”. The proper way to say it is “X-ZIM-A-KNEES” OR “ZIM-A-KNEES”. What frustrates me the most about this is the people that don’t even try to sound it out they just give up right away. I had to learn that it’s something that will always happen and I need to grow tolerance for it. This is the biggest lesson I learned from having these experiences.

 

            People find it comical whenever I get upset when people do it. My friends always joke and tell me to chill out. This upsets me because in my opinion a name is all we really have. I mean if you have a name like “John White” or “Mary Jones” you really cannot get where I’m coming from. I mean yes it is only a name, but it’s MY name.

 

            I will never forget this one time where this lady was arguing with me about my last name. She was very upset, she called my name “grammatically incorrect”. She spent about 5 minutes lecturing at me about how it should be spelled differently if I pronounced it x-zim-a-knees or how it should be pronounced differently since it’s spelled Ximines. I just sat there with a grin on my face as she screamed and yelled about it. After she was done I said to her in the sweetest voice possible, “Who died and made you grammar corrector of the year? Oh okay didn’t think so, so please go somewhere and stop disrespecting me”. It might sound like I was being rude but trust me, that woman deserved it.

 

            I also can never forget the time somebody told me that if I am this upset about my name to just change it. I paused for a minute after they said that and simply said “ Oh no way!” A name is much more then just a name. I just can’t wake up one day and change it. My last name has legacy to it. Great people before me have had this name, generations of great Ximines’s. Even when I get married I will keep my last name, to me it has power and history; things I just can’t simply just let go of.

 

            It’s amazing how somebody can see my last name and know everything about my family. I once had a substitute teacher who used to teach with my grandfather Robert Louis Ximines Sr. He was an educator and podiatrist someone who was well known. She sat down and she told me about my grandfather, a man I only knew for 6 years before he passed away. She told me how intelligent and caring he was. That conversation is something that has stuck with me until this day.

 

            My father once told me that “I’m an Ximines, which means that I am great.” I never really got what he was trying to say until now. My last name is way more then just a last name. It’s who I am, where I come from. I come from greatness.

21/9 Ahorita

 
At the UPenn meeting in the library 



Vengo de risa ,
desde el personas  loca  ,
tengo a sonrisa ,
esto es mi famila


  • What is your refrán supposed to communicate? 
    Well it tells a little bit about how i view where i live.
  • What are you especially happy about with your first draft?
    NO i think i need to work on my grammar because it sounds weird when it is translated back to english .
  • What would you like to improve about your refrán first draft?
    I need better grammar and more rhyming 
  • What was difficult about writing your refrán?
    It was hard to rhyme everything.

Dock and Zip

Here is the short tutorial that I covered in Staff Planning on Docking and Zipping