My Interactive Reflection Journal

Welcome to my interactive reflection journal entitled “Electronic Renaissance.”  Here I write assigned blog posts as creative pieces, quick responses, open prompts, and most recently as reflection pieces after readings.  All posts here are my own work and should have taken 10-30 minutes of continuous writing depending on the assignment with minimal editing.

IRJ Reflection #22

I am not an ice skater and certainly not a qualified judge but I know what I enjoy watching.  I compared the programs of US skater Evan Lysacek and Russian Plushenko and the NY Daily News article noted some striking differences.  Plushenko boasted the higher degree of difficulty with his amazing quadruple jumps.  He finessed each jump, even if his positioning was a bit crooked as noted by the commentators. If sheer athleticism was the only important measure for the free skate, he would have won hands down.

By contrast, Lysacek’s routine lacked the degree of difficulty as he could only muster triple jumps due to a previous ankle injury.  Still, those jumps were executed nearly flawlessly.  The free skate also contains a technical component, and this is where Lysacek clearly shined.  His footwork was intricate and measured.  His spins simply dazzled.  Comparatively, Plushenko’s technical work seemed less mastered.  Lysacek won the gold by maintaining athleticism and artistry throughout the lengthy program.

At the end of his program, Plushenko preened as he skated from the ice seemingly assured of Olympic glory.  At the conclusion of his performance Lysacek looked thrilled, yet somehow humble while he waited for his scores alongside his coach.  Both skaters reacted predictably as the scores were announced.  Yet on the medal stand, Lysacek stood with grace while Plushenko appeared livid and shamed.

The reactions in the press the next day became newsworthy, and not for the right reasons.  Plushenko showed no dignity, expressing outrage at a system that would award gold to a less difficult program and declaring to a Russian news organization, this was supposed to be “men’s figure skating, not ice dancing.”  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin added to the indignity, saying in a telegram to Plushenko that his silver was “worth a gold medal.”

Lysacek shouldn’t need to defend his gold medal, for he earned it based on executing a stronger program within a complicated judging system.  That night, he was up to the task.  He was the better skater.  Perhaps the next night, Plushenko’s skating would have reigned superior. Skating, like the floor routine in gymnastics, requires a balance of athletic brawn and technical dance or footwork.  In both sports, the tendency today is to forget the beauty and concentrate on the athletics – the more difficult the maneuver, the better.  But that’s not supposed to be the sole focus of the sport though it clearly captures the applause.  Indeed, if athleticism was the only measure, we’d watch nothing but jumps and flips in both sports – more like watching extreme games than art forms.

The Olympic Games highlight the best in competition and sportsmanship.  Plushenko and Putin showed neither last week.   It’s certainly not the first time judging decisions commanded international media attention.  But Olympic athletes should demonstrate the best in athletics, both on the ice and on the world stage.  For all of the joy and triumph captured on the cameras over the two week event, here we were treated to a spectacle of anger and poor sportsmanship in a highly subjective athletic contest.

IRJ Reflection #21

Parental Favoritism: A Recipe for Success and Failure

Chapters 25- 30 express how favoritism from parents can create hatred between siblings and a different point of view on life.  Jacob and Esau, children of Isaac and Rebekah experience favoritism where each parent chooses one kin to take care of more.  Their mother, Rebekah, even at one point tells Jacob to take the blessing of Esau resulting in the wishes of Esau to kill his brother.

Every child with siblings fight over their parents’ love and attention, but when it comes to the very serious matter of murdering, the fault not only falls on the selfishness of the child but on the adult.  Favoritism is a part of human nature, but when vulnerable lives and emotions of children enter the equation, all parents should try their best to treat everyone fairly.

Unfortunately, I am personally aware of situations where the more successful child in a family receives all the attention of the family.  A member of my soccer team has played with me for over five years, and in these five years I have yet to see a game where both parents do not arrive to watch.  Parental support at the game is great for the player and sideline encouragement helps the game progress, but I often wonder where her younger sister is while competing.  A mere ten year old should not stay at home alone as often as our games occur and I am not aware of any caretaker for the child.  When I have conversed with the girl’s younger sister, a sense of hatred comes up for my friend and the game of soccer.  She did not immediately succeed while playing so her parents pulled her out of the league permanently.

I understand the want to do well as I come off as a very competitive person, however punishing a child for not having a passion in one area of their life should not be accepted.  Lacking proper attention as a child often leads to mental instability in later years of life.  All children should receive equal attention and praise for their honorable qualities.  Love and care should balance among children for a prospering life.

IRJ Reflection #20

Exploiting Children: The Medias Perverse Reward

While cleaning my room of misplaced papers, I came across an article I printed for a past current event from CBS news called “‘Octomom” Vs. Jon & Kate”.  This article discusses how “Octomom,” Nadya Suleman thinks she will not be as exploitative in her television show as she’s clearly believed Jon and Kate did.  For those unaware of the two situations, Jon and Kate have a television show on TLC featuring themselves and the lives of their eight young children while Nadya, who now has fourteen children has begun a new series starring her family.

A major privacy issue comes to mind when reading this article. I think of the parents who have willingly put their children up for exploitation in the allowance of the confidential information being released.  They subject these children for ridicule in the future and the inability to go out in public without paparazzi followers or recognition from common popular news follower.  Why would you subject your child to such torture? Is there really a justifiable reason for objectifying someone to this cruel behavior?  A greed for growth in popularity and a chance for fifteen minutes in fame do not come across as an acceptable answer for me.

Children should have the right to go to school, hang out with friends, and take part in any extracurricular without the fear that people already know about you from what they read and not from your actual personality.  Going to a new high school or college for the first time can bring enough stress for people but how hard would it be when people already have judgment over you from what they read in a magazine, on the internet, or what they saw on the television.

Parents should have the common sense to not release information that could later or immediately hurt the well being of their child.  The media should have the common decency not to air private and personal stories.  These issues do not regard censorship but more importantly cover morals and ethics of our choices.  Many decisions go into the public disclosure of information regarding those who cannot easily speak up for themselves, yet we choose to allow our youth to be exploited.  We need to think about the consequences of everyone involved in matters instead of the money or fame at the end.

IRJ Reflection #19

Actions Speak Louder than Words: Stand Up for Internet Safety

Seventeen Magazine’s articles may not all have educational and profound meaningful values, but occasionally such discussions do make an appearance.  The December/ January issue features an article, “Invisible Attack,” which displays horror stories of teens being terrorized, bullied, humiliated, stalked, and abused solely involving influence of the internet.  The entries describe personal accounts as the self- confidence and safety of these individuals deteriorates.

Besides the horrors of “digital abuse”, I connect with understanding how the Internet changed the way of society.  Technology is evolving quickly as is the world around it who adapt to the new way of life.  When great websites such as myspace and facebook can function for the use of keeping track of current and old friends, the issue flourishes to involve predators.  These websites make it simple for someone to uncover personal information even without a friend request.

An individual barrier of security for myself includes making all settings private. While I feel I know most of my friends on the Internet, an occasional mutual friend may appear and without a proper introduction, suddenly I know everything about them.  With just one click I can see their friends, enemies, hobbies, favorite movies, screen name, phone number, and more.  Although I attempt to keep information private, I still have a fear this information can be used for a greater evil.

The stories from the magazine shocked me about how far people go just to degrade someone else.  Not only are people, especially young girls being judged on the way they look and their disposition in person, but now also on photos, videos, profile information and other components online.  One young girl in this article discovered a group about her weight and lack of speed on the track team created by three of her fellow classmates.  Her friends did not inform her about this page but rather she stumbled upon it by chance.

If girls took to a fist fight outside of school one day, many people would attempt to break it up and stop the madness no matter who the people.  Why doesn’t this occur online too?  My personal belief stands that everyone should be protected by others from every type of harm.  Sometimes the non- physical pain can sting the most and stay imbedded in your mind the longest.  With the support of friends and peers, hopefully less harm will come to an individual.  If I saw something unordinary for on of my friends on the Internet, I would call it to attention for them as I would hope they would for me.  The use of Internet sites comes with a risk, but with the defense of other beings, nothing serious should occur.

IRJ reflection #18

God’s Creations: A New Kind of Perfection

The first chapter of Genesis describes the creation of Earth, its characteristics, and beings through six days.  God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness….” (Oxford 12)  The idea that God created man and woman is clearly stated in the novel, however the characteristics of the two creations do not have a good explanation.

If God created man and woman “in his image, [and] in the image of God he created them,” then shouldn’t perfection have a major effect on their lives? This, however, does not unfold as the case.   The woman, created, “a helper as a partner,” precipitates mans first downfall.

God clearly instructs man can eat from any tree in the garden of Eden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil or you will die, but the woman does follow orders.  She listens to the crafty serpent who suggests that they will not die but rather their eyes will be opened to good and evil and dines from the tree.  The woman offers the fruit as well to her husband and the two see they are naked and must make loincloths for themselves.  When God returns and sees the image of his clothed creations, he punishes the two for not listening to his commands, but in actuality, is this occurrence God’s fault?

The two beings belong to the creations of himself, but they do not hold the perfection he maintains.  If God wanted perfect creatures, why did he not give them the sense and wisdom to know not to be tricked?  Perhaps this is another lesson; Perfection does not come to humans, but rather it must be gained through trial and error experience.  Mistakes must occur to learn and most things do not come the first time.

QR#17

Finding Boundaries: Limit Experimentation

 

In the book, The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, Lyra and Pan remain connected by a very strong force where one completes the other as a companion.  At one point in the story, Pan expresses an urge to go talk to the intimidating Iorek, while Lyra stays back. The separation between the causes such immense pain and torture for both characters; the narrator also shares, “Everyone tested it when they were growing up: seeing how far they could pull apart, coming back with an intense relief.”

Although this story is conveying two thought-provoking characters and the unique physical bond between them, this can also relate to emotions. When young children test their limits, they find their fears and feelings. Imagine a five year old slowly creeping down the stairs one by one into the dark basement before running back up into the safe arms of their mother. While sneaking down the steps, the child may be overcome with stress and anxiety of the unknown until reaching a point where it has become too much to handle. Then they resort to the safety they know will never leave; the “intense relief” of jumping into the arms of love cures all the concern previously sensed. Soon after, the child will test it again and again until they have reached a point where no adventure occurs from playing the game. Either the child overcame the fear or the dark or the thought of testing the fear is no longer amusing.

The Golden Compass introduces the thoughts of testing the separation limits of Lyra and her daemon just as the child tests their limits of passing into the darkness. At a coming of age point brings a time where the urge to experiment personal boundaries no longer exists.

 

Proposition: If no one finds awareness of the boundary, the suffering continues just as before and nothing has been resolved.

CP#16

A Day in the Life; Surviving at the Bottom of the High School Food Chain

 

Staring at the hard, cold, grey cement, Jimmy began to stand up only to be pushed down again moments later. He heard the mocking echoes of classmates shouting as blood rushed to his head and welts appeared on his legs. Then the torture stopped suddenly, the pain set in, and the first bell rang for 1^st period to start. Jimmy dizzily sprang up from his former place on the ground, grabbed his backpack from outside the lockers, and began to sprint into the math building. He ran like a turtle with the oversized Jansport backpack glued to his spine but finally made it to the green door reading room 389 just as the final bell rang for class to begin. As the door swung wide, two feet met at the entrance, Jimmy’s shell detached spilling papers everywhere, and Jimmy once again felt the ground under his entire aching body.  Mrs. Honey slammed the door shut and this began another great day for Jimmy to start school.

Jimmy stood at a mere height of five feet with brown rimmed glasses, skinny chicken legs and thirteen extra pounds protruding over his Calvin Klein khaki shorts. Perfectly combed over and jelled, dishwater blonde hair sat perched on his head along with the gravel from the blacktop and eraser tops from the football players who sat behind him.  West Arnold High School housed the stereotypical teenagers and Jimmy was no exception.  He strived to act and be like the jocks, class clowns, and rebels who were considered popular, but nothing could boost his appearance and stature as the nerd.

OP#15

Bitter Hearts: When Words Can Slice Like a Knife

Song: YouTube Recording

Background: Wikipedia Synopsis of the Band

 

Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” portrays how love evokes a passion that extends beyond reason.  Love creates an aura of peace, joy, and completeness.  A line in the song depicts these feelings in a simple phrase, “Don’t you worry what their bitter hearts are going to say.”

When love goes bad, however, thoughts and ideas take new proportions.  They contort and reshape to fit the limits of the imagination.  When the heart feels bitter or betrayed, words can become weapons meant to maim or kill.  Logic ceases to prevail.

“Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.”  This childhood saying minimizes the impact that words can have when it comes to matters of the heart.  Love magnifies the power of words, both for good and for bad.  Words can hurt, often with a searing pain more excruciating than any physical injury could cause.

In any relationship, it is important to recognize when the heart takes control over the head.  When angry, hurt or frustrated, words can be thrown about without consideration of the potential for damage.  Speak and listen with objectivity.  Fear of pain or embarrassment is no reason to push love aside.

 

Proposition: When feeling upset, stop and take the time to think before saying something regretted

CP#14

The Lagoon: A New World of Loneliness

 

Hours passed as Bridgette deeply gazed into the murky water of the lagoon and searched for answers to her current woes.  Tears immediately precipitated from her already swollen eyes as the sound of swaying trees brushing against one another passed in the wind. Everything after Matthews’s funeral brought up disdain for the deplorable acts of the drunk driver who took his future. The simple rustle from oak trees brought back happy memories of drinking hot chocolate together during the cold and windy October nights. A week passed since the funeral and nothing pacified Bridgette’s flustered mind. To her, Matthew was more than a boyfriend but a best friend and no act or form of payment could recompense the relationship lost.

Everyday Bridgette sauntered down to the lagoon and pondered the dreaded September 1. She thought about the first day of high school without Matthew and the first time she would walk the crowded halls without a friend at her side.  No one would sit behind her to pass notes with during the soporific Spanish class or save a spot in for at the cafeteria line. Loneliness, once a foreign concept, approached Bridgette and her new life with a head on force.

To be continued…