Into the Wlld

Good grief, what can I say? I am glad it’s over! :)

Seriously, I was really concerned initially when I started this book. I didn’t think it would hold my interest and that reading it would be like a bad date...can’t get it over with fast enough. However, I have to say once the main character died, getting the story backwards and getting to see they type of person he was and the relationships he formed was slightly more interesting... and I do mean slightly!
I was really frustrated and disappointed by the organization of this book. The author loved to digress for way too long to places beyond my understanding. I truly could not grasp the significance of long parallels to the other adventurous mentioned in the book and I was especially annoyed with his story. I mean come on...what significance did that have to the book? None that I can see. I suppose he needed some way to let the reader know that he was adventurous...TMI!

I found the end of the book particularly interesting when Chris' parents when to the place their son died. How the mom sat on the mattress where her son expired and left the first aid kit for others who may find themselves in her sons situation. There was something very human and bigger than herself and her excruciating pain in that moment. For a brief moment, I wondered what kind of person she was. Interesting, the sister didn't go with the parents...I wonder why. Maybe that was too much for her, not a cathartic moment she needed to have. After all, she knew her brother better than anyone else; she must have made her peace with his death.

Chris McCandless was a selfish young man, who though he knew everything about everything. This is too bad, if he had been open to learning outside of a book or a classroom, he would have lived longer. It actually made me chuckle for a moment when he messed up the butchering of the moose, instead of chunks of meat and steaks etc. he should have made moose jerky, which he would have known if he had taken some time to talk to a few folks who knew.

I guess you live and you learn, or die trying.

Why We Crave Horror Movies

Stephen King gave an interesting analogy that likened our dark side to hungry alligators, kept behind a trap door.

Honestly, the story didn't do much for me...there are some dark things in life I simply do not enjoy even in the privacy of my own mind.

I am not much for the new version of horror movies, that is what I call them. I have enjoyed some of Steven Kings movies because they are horror films and not gory films. The old black and white movies are good because they required imagination to create as well as to enjoy. Today's film have too much technology for my taste.

Now Pulp Fiction...that's my kind of dark movie. I am pretty sure brain all over the back seat of John Travolta's car should not be nearly as funny as I think it is every time I see that movie.

Boys Here, Girls There: Sure, if Equality's the Goal

Maybe it's just me, but the author seemed to be all over the place in this piece. The title and the introduction seem to imply support of all single sex schools; boys and girls alike. However as I continued to read the focus was on the all girl schools which was her only noted research. Her language was very slanted and biased against the public school system. Why not support the idea single sex public schools? Yes, I am aware she mentioned this in the story. In the story she says " We denied access to the almost 90 percent of American students who attend public schools." Where did that statistic come from? Is that correct? Some people believe in and support the public school system in spite of their ability to afford private school. Survivors of a hostile public system? That is a sad reality for both girls and boys in some urban areas.
I believe single sex schools can be very beneficial. Hopefully there will be more balanced research done on the subject and our public school systems will begin to recognize the benefit and act on it.

Sticks and Stones and Sports Team Names

Ethnic groups as sports mascots is wrong. I do wonder about the fact that the author seems to be pretty confident that the names were not originally meant to disparage Native Americans. How can he be sure? Although team names are created to speak to the strength of the team, it is no secret that Native Americans like African Americans worth has been devalued especially during the early years of this county in this country. After all, the teams in question were created in the late 1800's and early 1900's ; so in my opinion it would make perfect sense that when these names were given to these sports teams, the thought never crossed their minds that there were a group of proud, beautiful, worthy people who no longer want their ethnicity or their cultural beliefs associated with their ethnicity to be a mascot (mascots have been known to get defamed and disrespected by opposing teams) or a costume day at an elementary school.

Working at McDonalds

The author is basically saying teens working at McDonald's might just as well be home watching TV- minus the paycheck. I think his take on it was pretty good. If you think about it, there really is no skill being learned...sadly not even customer service. Hell, as long as you know what the pictures on the register mean, you're good to go! Seriously, I have heard that McDonald's management does well and there is room for growth, if you want it. However, I agree with the author regarding the distraction working while in High school can cause. If your manager really needs you to work Wednesday night and you are free, do you really think the manager cares about your paper due tomorrow? Likely not... an thus begins the possible downward spiral into failure-ville.
I think it is good and valuable for young people to work during the summer, get the experience , discipline and hopefully the foundation for a strong work ethic; but school should always be the priority.
It is unfortunate that there have not been more studies done to examine and highlight the few redeeming qualities of having a McDonald's style job during the teen years. It is no wonder that our students and young people are so behind other countries when it comes to being prepared for adult life and for college life. They are not being taught skills, they are not being given the opportunity to be creative or show initiative. These types of businesses, in the interest of running a more streamlined operation that is easily trainable and duplicate-able, has young employees who are still learning, sorely lacking the skills they need for an adulthood workplace.

Arguing a Position... Medical Marijuana

Boy, we ( the collective, I get paid the big bucks to tell you what's best for you even though I have no earthly idea what you are going through) have got a lot of nerve telling someone who has no desire to eat and is wasting away or can't keep any food down after their chemotherapy treatments that they cannot use medical marijuana to ease their pain and suffering and give them a slightly better quality of life. I wonder if any of the people who oppose cannabis for medicinal proposes has ever watched some die from AIDS, Cancer, or seen the pain caused by Multiple Sclerosis. However I feel about the use of social marijuana, I certainly wouldn't deny any human being relief of their suffering, and if lighting one up or eating a "special" brownie helps... by all means help yourself.
If the concern or issue is drug sales and use spiraling out of control, check for the persons medical marijuana card and continue to use the same rules and laws we currently have in place. I guess you know my position now, oops. Hope I didn't give it away too early :)

Cannibalsim: It Still Exists

Wow! Cannibalism is an interesting concept and in the most vivid account of the essay shows how different we are from other parts of the world. Of course there were the people who used cannibalism as a survival technique, as a sacrifice and to avenge a leader’s death but the part that was the most bizarre was the ritual /religious cannibalism. To have the children take part in this custom and to eat parts of someone’s genitals as a fertility blessing and honoring a deceased wife’s reproductive capacity was nothing I had ever heard of. I wonder if the young people are the least bit traumatized by taking part in these rituals. I supposed if it is all you have ever know, and that is a part of your culture, possibly not. Does it really work? Do the women become more fertile? Hum… I guess when it comes down to it, if I were in that situation, I would have to go down with the ship or really, really, really try to find another way to survive; which would of course include a really long list of reasons why I would make a most unsavory dinner!

Love: The Right Chemistry

The writer took an interesting scientific position on her approach to the topic of love...good way to catch the readers attention.
It was an interesting read about passionate, romantic love only lasting about 4 years and you can add on a few years if there are children. I guess relationships are work seeing as there are a few that have lasted longer that 4 years w/o children and 7 or 8 years with children. The story leaned toward the fact that love, by nature or science rather is not supposed to last forever with one partner.

An American Childhood

The girl in this story was such a tomboy, that was great. I wonder if the driver who stopped and chased them down who she later viewed as a hero, had actually been their victim before and was fed up and stopped...that would be pretty funny. Having been in a similar situation before, I thought it was great that he stopped! Wonder if that was the end of that game.

Reflections thus far...

Calling Home was interesting in the sense that the girl in the story went through a range of emotions during the story, she was relieved when she thought she had gotten away with stealing the Snoopy pin. Overwhelmingly humiliated when she was caught and was taken through the mall in front of everyone. Once she pictured herself in a movie and no longer in the reality of what was going on, she said she was having fun...go figure. I am not clear on what would be remotely entertaining about telling my mother I was in jail for stealing especially when I had money in my pocket!
I am not sure where the grandmother went after she was arrested...that was odd to me. The grandmother was the adult, where the heck was she? Also, if the dad was in such firm disagreement with the fact that a 13 year old child was arrested for stealing a .75 cent pin, then why didn't he say anything to the police? He didn't even ask for an explanation or justification.
Why didn't the dad tell the mother what happened? Was that part of the girls punishment? I supposed so.
It struck me odd that the incident was never spoken of again, seems like there would have been one clarifying conversation and the parents would have asked some questions...after that I guess I could understand it being a done deal.