Music - The Enemy of Getting Anything Done

Some say it is wise for one to listen to classical music, or just instrumental music, while they study or read. It is not so for me. I find that when I listen to classical music or really any music at all, my mind cannot focus on the task at hand. Immediately I am drawn into the emotion of the music. I find my imagination reacting to the nuances and I start to create scenes in my mind that would fit with the musical tone.

Classical music is by far the greatest instigator. When I begin to listen to Claire De Lune I picture a beautiful, lithe girl, wishing to be all she can. I see her at her window looking out on to a lake dreaming of a boy romancing her. Oh how romance often pervades our thoughts. Young girls, like myself, are so sentimental.

Music containing lyrics affects me as well. Only the words have already given me the plot, in my mind all I have to do is act out the scenario. When I listen to “Disaster Button” by Snow Patrol, I imagine the thoughts in a young man’s head, and the scenes moving before his eyes. I hear him reprimanding himself because he is not brave enough to pursue the woman he wants.

Sometimes lyrical music gives us emotions, but allows us to create our own scene. Hearing “Black Tables” by Other Lives, makes me envision a friend hopelessly trying to help a beloved. Perhaps I have not understood the true meaning of this song, but that is one of the beauties of music. Music is intended to be understood in your own way. While the author of the lyrics and the composer of the score may have one type of reaction to, emotion from, or reason behind a song, you may be given an entirely new one.

I once wrote about how music is like a drug. No matter how hard you try you are never invincible to its powers. Music is so very strong. You must do as the notes command you. The only way to escape its incredible force is to press the stop button, place aside your instrument, or leave the concert hall. Music will have its way with you. Be so ever careful with it. Like I have said I cannot go about studying when I have music on, so I don’t study with it.

My imaginations are beautiful to me, a place of momentary escape, but I know I cannot have them running about in my everyday life. It all would be so confusing. However, during parts of my day I turn on my radio, cd, Internet, etc. and I listen to my heart’s content and I picture wonderful scenes and I am taken to new places, put in the bodies of new people, given new thoughts, and for a few moments everyday I give into it.

synthesis essay

There are certain texts that have been deemed classic. The recipients of this title are books, plays, or poetry written by authors who are seemingly masters of their craft. Their best works have been placed together to create anthologies of recommended reading. Why shouldn’t they? If these writings have withstood the test of time, such as Homer’s Odyssey or Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, or are examples of great talent with words, then I feel they should be heralded in a place of honor. Toiling over the perfect sentence structure or rhetorical strategy should be rewarded. These authors deserve to have high status and accessibility to the reading public. (Source A)

Because the anthologies have been published by the academic elite, such as Oxford and Norton, many schools feel as though these anthologies make appropriate curriculum for their students. I cannot find fault in any school requiring its students to read literary works that are lauded the world wide, but they must allow for additions. English teachers should have the prerogative to affix other works into their English course. Eshleman added Whitman’s “Song of Myself” when he felt that the anthology was lacking in Whitman’s poetry. Choosing “Song of Myself” allowed his students to begin different kind of discussion. It brought into a light a different side of Whitman, one that might not be deemed as praiseworthy. (Source C) Literature must not be solely about the technique of writing or even how well the author develops his plot. Literature must invoke feeling within us, and cause our minds to ponder new subjects. Our minds must be stretched to their limits; we must be forced to contemplate subjects that are not necessarily comfortable. It must speak to our needs, and give us solutions.

A school’s curriculum must be able to adapt to the needs of its students. Florez-Tighe believed that by giving an African-American child literature rooted in African-American folklore, that child would grow up with a deeper appreciation for his or her background and be more confident in himself. (Source E) I think we can safely take this point even further. By using a multicultural curriculum in a multicultural classroom, one will not only be able to help an African-American understand his heritage better or an Indonesian understand her heritage better, but you will also be able to help the African-American understand his Indonesian counterpart’s heritage and vice versa. Knowing about each other’s background will lead to the discovery of comparisons between cultures and could solve much unneeded conflict between ethnicities.

If the anthology a school chooses covers every aspect the teacher wishes, and is able to aid in every need of the students, then by all means the anthology should be used and adhered to strictly. However, if it fails to provide a full and meaningful education in all aspects of literature, not just grammar and rhetoric alone, it would be an error for a school to solely rely on it.

Change

Sam Harris is against religion because he believes it is the main reason behind hate and violence. Can I blame him?

So-called Christians have done such a terrible job at loving each other. We feel the need to push our ideals and beliefs on others, but we do it so violently. There is an imperative need for us to show non-believers that they are living in sin and that they need to follow Jesus before it is too late. We don’t want them to be forever damned in a place where there is absolutely no connection with the only one who truly loves them. But how will they know that Jesus is the only one who truly loves them, if we are ridiculing them and showing disdain. Who would want to follow the Jesus the Crusaders claimed to follow? Who would want to follow the Jesus the Inquisitors claimed to be serving? Who would want to follow the Jesus the protestors say hate gays and lesbians? Is that a god of love?

We must become more than our hate for sin. We should hate sin; sin is against God and against our relationship with Him. What we cannot hate is the sinner. God did not create sin, but He created the one whom commits sin, and even though they sin He still loves them and calls us to do the same.

I really liked the idea that Tony the Beat Poet had in Blue Like Jazz. His confession booth really ministered to and healed a lot of people who had been hurt by religion and Christians. Tony and Don owned up to their wrongs, owned up to the fact that they had not been following Jesus in the way they should have been. After they apologized for their crimes they began to live new lives. Their new lives were ones of compassion; they cared for the homeless and the destitute. Their new lives were ones of hearing; they listened to the needs of their fellow humans. Their new lives were ones of actions, not only did they hear the needs, but they acted to fill those needs. What if every person who says he is a follower of Christ was to do this simple act of obedience? What if we were truly to live our lives as Jesus did? Then no one could blame us for the violence, death and hate in our world. We would be accurately portraying Jesus, something we should have been doing from the beginning. If we were true images of Christ, everyone around us would see that He really is the truth, the way, and the life.

They Do Have A God

Sometimes I think we humans get too caught up in ourselves. Do we need to puff up our ego so much that we refuse to believe in a God just because we cannot see him? The real problem isn’t that atheists aren’t willing to admit there is a god, they are just unwilling to admit that they aren’t god.

When you are able to figure out an advanced mathematics question doesn’t it bring you a kind of pride? You feel so great in your ability to explain why those numbers added together create something new. Imagine how you would feel if one day you discovered how all of life came into existence! Don’t you imagine you would feel incredibly powerful and wise? Now imagine you could explain away God. If you could explain away God that would mean you were suddenly greater than God. If you were greater than God how powerful you would be!

Atheists do not desire us to have a god because if we did they would be accountable to him or it. Without god, there is no higher power, other than men. When men are the higher power it is just called survival of the fittest. With the idea of survival of the fittest, can we really be surprised by the terrible deeds being done in our society? Survival of the fittest isn’t a moral code; it’s whatever you can get away with is ok, because you have outsmarted a lesser being. Your advances in conniving, agility, and daring have surpassed your fellow human beings.

Religion is not the world’s problem; it is a lack of respect for authority. We want ourselves to be the only one we have to look up to and the only one we have to look out for. God just doesn’t fit into that plan so we have taken Him out. We have removed Him so that we don’t have to answer to Him. Because if we did have to answer to Him, life would be so much less fun wouldn’t it? All the killing, raping, stealing, adultery, lying, all of that would have to go away. Terrible isn’t it?

Three Day Old Embryos

“The human embryos that are destroyed in stem cell research do not have brains of even neurons. Consequently there is no way they can suffer their destruction in any way at all. It is worth remembering in this context that when a person’s brain has died, we currently deem it acceptable to harvest his organs provided he has donated them for this purpose.”

Provided he has donated them for this purpose. Exactly. He has donated them. He was not forced to give his organs away, he made the decision himself. A three day old embryo, because it has no brain, has no way of telling you, “I’m sorry, as much as I would like to further science and possibly save lives, I really think I could do more good if I was allowed to mature to my full potential. Please don’t kill me now, there is so much I could do if only you would give me a chance.”

When it comes to abortion and stem cell research I don’t like to look at the fact that the embryo is a living thing. We are smart people we understand that now. The moment of conception is the moment of life. What I like to focus on when I defend the right to life is the future. I realize that they embryo will feel no pain when you destroy its life to further someone else’s, but have you ever wondered if perhaps you were killing the very person who will find a way to cure Parkinson’s disease without doing tests and research on the unborn?

Sam Harris says every time I scratch my nose I have committed a holocaust because that scratch kills cells that have the potential to become human beings. Yes they do, but they aren’t human beings, they have not been fertilized. Three day old embryos have already been fertilized, they are already human beings. They are not fully matured and they may become more than one human being. In regards to his argument about split embryos sharing souls, I don’t think he understands souls or the creator of souls. God knows all things. He knows which of His children will be murdered before they can minister to a fallen world, He knows which ones will be given the opportunity to live full lives, and He also knows which embryos will split into two parts. Because He knows this I think that He is also able to give the embryo however many souls it needs.

I want the unborn embryos to be allowed to live and I also want the girl with burns all over her body to live, but I am hopeful that we can find a way to save the small burned girl without having to murder another human being.

Racism

Racism has long been a major point of conversation, debate, and argument. Programs are run to bring the end of racism in America and throughout the world. There is only one problem with all these efforts; they are fighting to stop something that doesn’t exist. Racism cannot be a valid problem when there is no such thing as different races. No races? This brings up another problem doesn’t it? If there are no races then why are there black people, white people, Aboriginal people, and Asian people?
The conception of this thesis comes from Acts 17:26: “And He has made all nations of men of one blood to dwell on all the face of the earth.” If we are of one blood there cannot be different races. Our physical differences come from variations of our genes. Adam and Eve had the perfect combination of genes. Each of their descendants had different variations. When sin entered the world all people were commanded to disperse and go around the world. Traveling to new places, the body had to accustom itself with the environment. This is when different variations became dominant.
The more melanin your skin has the darker it is. So in reality everyone is the same color their skin is either a lighter or darker shade of the original color. Different amounts of fat are deposited around our eyes to protect the eyes in particular environments. The reason lighter skinned people tended to be found in the northern part of the world is because the sun was less strong there and they needed lighter skin to be able to absorb vitamin D. Those with darker skin could not get the appropriate amount of vitamin D and eventually they died out. In the southern part of the world, dark skin is dominant because of the sun’s great strength. Lighter skinned people did not survive because their light skin was burned and they contracted skin cancer.
The reason there are so many differences between each people group is because sin was allowed in the world. The mutations of genes happened as an example of the mutations sin has on our spiritual life. Because God is merciful these variations do benefit us by protecting us from a world that has turned against man because of our corruption. We should look at these differences and be happy that our brothers are protected from the elements of this world and know that our blood is one.

There are two kinds of people: people who are followers of Christ and people who are not followers of Christ.

As followers of Christ, we are bound to certain expectations. Just read Romans 6:1-11 if you don’t believe me.

“1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus calls us to a new way of life; a pure and holy way of living. We have new standards to live by and we are given the tools we need to live this way through Jesus Christ. Thankfully though, when we fail to live up to these standards we are forgiven. Jesus is full of opportunity and second chances.

Why am I telling you about this? Because one thing I see so often in the Christians spheres is a misunderstanding of whom these standards are meant for.

One thing that non-believers hate, and when I say hate I mean hate, about Christians is how judgmental they are. Our pointing out what their sins are and our brow beating them with our doctrine is a total turn off. No one likes to be made a fool of, nor do they like feeling inferior. Donald Miller came to this realization and shares his view on how we should love everyone, even the homeless guy who can’t get a job because he was a felon or the dumb jock that tells dirty jokes and beats up little kids.

We are supposed to love everyone just as Jesus does. We cannot expect people who do not know Jesus and do not know the glorious way of righteous living to live their lives in a holy way. I can’t judge the lost soul for stealing bread when he doesn’t know that with God he will never be hungry. I can’t look down on the prostitute for selling her body because she doesn’t know that there is a loving God that has placed a value on her body higher than any currency. The unsaved are not held up to the same example that we have in our lives as the children of God.

We are also called to love those who are in our spiritual family. Even at times when we don’t agree with their beliefs, those who believe in pre-destination vs. those who believe in free will for example, we are still called to love one another as ourselves. (Mark 12:31) Miller, although he doesn’t agree with their beliefs and doesn’t like all of their personalities, takes it upon himself to love those “wacko Republican fundamentalists.”

Even though we are to love each other at all times and we cannot hold the non-believers to the same example we hold ourselves, the believers, up to, we do not have to tolerate the wrong behavior of our brothers in Christ. God goes so far as to say in 1st Corinthians 5: 11, “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler – not even to eat with them.” There is a difference between tolerance and love. I can love Mark the “cussing pastor” but that doesn’t mean I have to condone his behavior.

Just For Fun

Rules: Answer only with answers that begin with the first letter of your first name... It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own note, erase my answers, enter yours, and tag people. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real...nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.


1. What is your name: Laura


2. A four Letter Word: Lick


3. A boy's Name: Lyle


4. A girl's Name: Lily


5. An occupation: Locksmith


6. A color: Lilac


7. Something you wear: Leotard


8. A food: Lamb


9. Something found in the bathroom: Lipstick


10. A place: Lynchburg


11. A reason for being late: Locked my keys in the car!!


12. Something you shout: Liberty for all!!!


13. A movie title: Les Miserables


14. Something you drink: Lukewarm milk


15. A musical group: Liars


16. An animal: Lion


17. A street name: Lincoln


18. A type of car: Lexus


19. A song title: Lovers in Japan


20. A verb: Litter

Picture

Hi guys. I just uploaded a new profile picture and am wondering if anyone will know what it refers to. Let me know if you do! =]

Lincoln on Obama

How very true...

New Words

Here are some new words I either discovered or just like and felt like posting.

accoutre - To outfit or equip, as for military duty.

chamfron - Armor used to protect the front of a war horse's head in medieval times.

cretin - 1. A person suffering from cretinism. 2. A stupid, obtuse, or mentally defective person.

eructation - 1. To eruct. 2. The act or an instance of belching.

gorget - 1. A patch on the throat of a bird or other animal, distinguished by its color, texture, etc. 2. A piece of armor for the throat. 3. A crescent-shaped ornament worn on a chain around the neck as a badge of rank by officers in the 17th and 18th centuries. 4. A wimple of the Middle Ages, worn with the ends fastened in the hair.

hussar - 1. (originally) One of a body of Hungarian light cavalry formed during the 15th century. 2. A member of a class of similar troops, usually with striking of flamboyant uniforms, in European armies.

obdurate - 1. Unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding. 2. Stubbornly resistant to moral influence; persistently impenitent.

obstreperous - 1. Resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly. 2. Noisy, clamorous, or boisterous.

pate - 1. The crown or the top of the head. 2. The head. 3. The brain.

reliquary - A repository or receptacle for relics.

venire- 1. A writ issued by a judge to a sheriff directing the summons of prospective jurors. 2. the panel of prospective jurors from which a jury is selected.