reading response on The Secret life of Sonia Rodriguez

      For the past week I`ve been reading the book The Secret Life of Sonia Rodriguez by Allan Lawrence Sitomer. This book describes the life style of a Mexican family. The protagonist of the story is Sonia is a student in high school who always has to help her pregnant mother, take care of her little brother and watch out for her drunkel. She does this for her father; the main man in her life. In the future she hopes to make her family and father proud; her ambition is to be the first one in her family to graduate from high school. She does this all for her familia; the people she cant live with out.

     Coming home from a long day in school could make anyone tired. For Sonia she has to brush off all the stess and keep going for the rest of the day. The first thing Sonia here`s when she walks into her house is "Sonia........ Ayudame". It`s always Sonia`s job attend her mothers needs after all her mother is pregnant again with twins. Being the only helping hand in the house Sonia is responsible for all the things in the house. This is why Sonia is always doing stuff for her familia first she always comes last.

     Although  familia does come first sometimes you have to do things for your self. This is hard for Sonia to admit to her mother. Doing things for familia is usually what keeps up until 12:00 starting homework but one day she had to tell her mother no: " Sonia  cuando vayas al mercado, no te olvides traer ..." " No!" I said before she finished her sentence. " Como? cuando vayas al mercado..." " I said, No, I have homework". For the first time Sonia stuck up for her self and her mom didn`t understand, in fact her mother ignored her because she was thinking about what she wanted and didn`t pay attention to Sonia. Sonia didn`t mean to be rude to her mother but for once to be doing something for her self. Her mother isn`t really aware of Sonia`s goal in life. Sonia really wants to be the first one in her family to graduate from high school and her mother doesn`t really understand, but her father does. He knows what is is to struggle, after all ge is illegal and for this reason is why Sonia wants to take time out to do homework.

    Being the only helpful one can be good and bad. For Sonia it`s mostly bad and she struggles to make it easy. From helping mom to her four brothers and her drunkle Sonia seems to manage it all. Doing homework is her priority and helping others is secondary but after all it`s familia. Though some may not understand luckily one person does and he is one of the main reasons Sonia`s struggle is worth it.

Non- Fiction Reading Responce

"Honesty is the best policy" is a very known saying. Many people think of this as a life guideline to go by everyday. In life sometimes to have to lie in order to cover up your truth that your trying to hide. Sooner or later things will come to the light and people will see that you did deny something and the lie was just worse. Instead of doing what you know is wrong, don`t do it! This happened to major league baseball player Alex Rodriguez other wiser known as A- Rod has been hiding the fact that he takes performance enhancement drugs. This was to make his carrier better, but did it really? Was it worth lying and possibly ruining your carrier?

   A few days ago in the Miami news paper, The Miami New Times it revealed that all-star Yankee player A- Rod was taking performance enhancement substances to help him play better from 2009- 2012. Apparently allegations have been put against A- Rod but he denies the use of these sustances. A-Rod claims to be innocent but is he really? Many fans and baseball lovers dont belive he is; "I truly know nothing about Alex Rodriguez, but do you think anybody is going to believe Alex Rodriguez now? Nobody is going to listen to him or any of these guys accused". said a sports promoter. Honestly many people are curious to know if he is innocent or not. Considering all the scandals and facts behind his purchases make him seem guilty. People are especially not believing A- Rod because he admitted using it in 2009. He said "I was young, I was stupid, I was naive, and I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful." Is he really regretful for what he did the first time? Maybe not investigations and court cases are set up to prove if he is guilty or not.

    Hopefully he is really telling the truth so it doesn`t ruin his career, and publicity. It`s always better to tell the truth then lead people on and tell a lie because things always get worse. All we need to prove something wrong is to state the right. We will only have to wait untill charges and court days are set.

LINK-
http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2013/01/a_rod_hgh_will_a_crackdown_on_supposedly_performance_enhancing_human_growth.html

reading response- Mockingjay

     The vivid memories of arrows, live murdering and struggle to survive are the memories of Katniss Everdeen heroine of the trilogy a The Hunger Games is still trying to forget all her intense memories for good. After barely staying alive the first time she is sent again to the Quarter Quell were she miraculously came out alive. Know in the book I`m reading Mockingjay Katniss is trying to get used to her new type of live. 12 is gone because of a bombing attack when Katniss won the Quell, so know all the people alive after the attack are now in 13 trying to get used to this new way of life. Everyone is going through a struggle and trying to get things better. How does Katniss stay strong while shes struggling to try to help people of the district and struggling to forget the memories?

    Katniss is more than a little traumatized. She's hiding in closets, having vivid flashbacks to the Hunger Games and Quarter Quell screaming uncontrollably, and in need of morphine to calm down is not easy for Katniss. We'd say she's suffering from her previous life styles and experiences.Though Katniss may have escaped to District 13 without too much physical damage, she certainly didn't walk away with out any scary memories. Katniss is medicated with medicine that is supposed to help her not remember the memories but it doesn't quite seem to help. In the book Katniss says " The drugs they make me use to control my pain and mood sometimes make me see things i don`t want to see or remember". Katniss trying but the memories are just beating her to bits. She cant just erase these thoughts but she wishes she could because they have made her life after the games a never ending war. Trying to do so may things and help others is just not helping Katniss at all.

    Adding on to Katniss`s struggles and stress is trying to help the people around here. Prim, mother, Gale, Peeta, and other victors are here inspiration to keep on going and be braver. She doesn't want anyone she loves to get hurt or be gone for a dumb reason because she will regret it and feel as if it was her fault. Katniss is more caring and compassionate to others but very careless and selfless about her self. The safety of the people she loves is more important. For example Katniss wants to kill President Snow so she would rather take the blame for any major crime rather than Gale or Peeta because she feels more guilty and selfless. This selflessness is how she started her flash backs because everything reminds her of something in the games. Katniss does always have a strong, positive and consistant attitude on so she does be strong but inside she`s just as week.

   Nightmares and ideas of how to keep people around her safe Katniss still does manage keep going in life and not give up. From the first Games to the Quell Katniss is always doing things for another person but her self. Trying to save people like Peeta, Gale, Prim and even a pet cat alive are her goals and mean while helping others has brought on harsh memories.Struggling, Katniss manages to get through it facing some of the harshest things anyone cant do easily.

Critical thinking Question #2

  What really hard things are happening in this text? Are these things happening in the world now? Where?

     In the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a story about a  little boy who wants to know how the Lorax disappeared. He asks the Oncler and her tell him the story about him making his factory and using up all the Trufflela trees. In the story the Lorax tries to stop the Oncler from cutting down all the trees. The Oncler simply did not listen so he went on with cutting them all down. Slowly animals left and trees were scarce and when the last tree was cut the Lorax was gone. What this story is telling us is the affects of hurting our environment. A lot of deforestation is happening right know. Some people choose not to stop it.

     In the story the Oncler uses the trufflela trees to make a thneeds. At first he doesn’t do any harm, he meant it for good intentions. When the Lorax appeared to worn him he simply ignored wht the Lorax was saying to him and when on to making factories and machine to make thneeds. The Oncler thought the thneeds were going to be useful for everyone. He had all good intentions but when to far. For example today many trees in needed areas are being cut down because they need to build more homes for people their. Our expanded population is leading to using more environmental materials. Materials such as trees. Companies, factories and the government led us to deforestation for the money, which is what the Oncler did. They may not do it with bad intentions but their contributing to our deforestation.

    Another reason is that when the Oncler starts making all these cars that go out and cut many trees at once to make more sweaters each time their are a lot of trees gone. Since they cut so many very quickly it led them to only one tree left. The Lorax gives the Oncler his last warning about cutting it off but he still goes on and cuts it. This is kind of predicting how our future will be because when we use up all our trees, theirs only going to be one left. When the Lorax disappeared its kind of also saying how will we live without our trees? How will humans still be here to breathe and live if their is no trees left. We are using trees just for the sake of it when we should be preserving them and planting more of them then just cutting them down. But at the end the Oncler gives the little boy the very last seed, which gives us, hope that this will not the last of the trees but it could be.

    This issue is happening everywhere in the world. Many people are like the Lorax in the way that they want to try to preserve nature and every that is natural and others like the Oncler who use these resources to their benefit in hopes of economic success but end up hurting more than gaining. I hope that people take this seriously and try to help out with the cause.

Critical Thinking

      How different are people allowed to be in this text? Does it assume everyone is happy and good in the same ways?

        In the book Push by Sapphire the main character Claireece Precious Jones is a teenager learning the basics of life. having a daughter at age 12 while getting beat is the high light of her life. Most of her life she has been neglected by her parents. With a rapist of a father Precious only sees her father when he comes to "visit". Precious lives in an apartment with her mother who harasses her constantly about supposedly "stealing" her husband other wise known as also the father of Precious children. Living surrounded by hatred and sadness from her mother is what she lives through everyday. Luckily Precious wants to get her life on track so she goes to school and meets people who have many similarities to her.

       At her school their are only 8 students in her class. This school is for girls who dropped out of school and/ or want to get their GED. In this class their are many mixes of cultural back grounds. From Latinos to African Americans to Trinidad to others more, but the bond they have with each other is unique. Many share same situations of living and other things. Precious shares her bond with each of them individually. For example one of the Spanish girls Rita has been going through the same situation as Precious, getting pregnant and having 2 kids, too and on top of that she also has HIV and shares this bond with Precious no one else has. Giving each other advice and helping each other get through situations is how they understand each other. Another example are her friends Rhonda and Jermaine they have different backgrounds but they are who Precious runs to when she needs someone to give them words of encouragement and altogether they all bond with each other.People maybe different but many of us share similar backgrounds but we just need to get to know each other.

       In this world their are many people who get judged but Precious looks beyond their looks and has a deeper understanding of who and what their like. Many people out their share similar things and we need to be more humble. This may make you open your eyes about how many, many things have changed and that it may be good. This does assume that everyone is happy and good in the same way.

Social Awareness Project

Media/ News Immersion-
      After hurricane Sandy hit New York many places were destroyed. Long Island Beach, Coney Island, Rockaway, and Staten Island. For the past few days I have been collecting news articles on the destruction of hurricane Sandy. With Sandy came time of struggle and help. Many people have no homes, nothing left to them except the clothes on their bodies. Since the hurricane many people are now homeless and need they help they didn`t need before. Many volunteers are helping by donating and providing many necessary items but even with all the help Staten Island doesn`t feel the same. 
        Watching from out side my window I see many cars go by. Constant ambulances and fire trucks pass by. people going back and fourth. Even with the constant sirens I doesn`t sound the same around here. In the articles it says that people came back to a house that was no longer their. Many things were swept out of homes and people were stuck on the thought " what do we do next?" These people when from big mansion homes to nothing but a temporary shelter. Many people are struggling to get back on their feet again but it is hard. I saw Father Capidano Boulevard ( South Beach Staten Island) and it looked awful from nice beach front houses to ice cream trucks slammed into a home and sidewalk concrete being broken down and houses being buried into the cracks. There are not too many things left.Luckily there's help. This is now the new reality. Poverty and how people can other comes situations like this.
          Many people are positive and can bare the sadness other are just stuck on what to do next. Its necessary to help those who most need it. Here in Staten Island people need all the help they can get. This has become a serious poverty struck over many people and i see it everyday.
          
Observe your surroundings- 
         - Damage from hurricane
         - Popularity
         - Peer Pressure
         - Families
        As I`ve  been looking out my window lately and things are kind off the same. Same traffic every morning, same amount of cars crossing in front of my street but not the same feeling. Around my neighborhood things are quiet as always but there are more sirens and less people walking in the streets. A few miles away from my house are the serious damages of Staten Island, were homes used to be and were peoples beds and closets used to be. Over all you can see the commotion  Although their is help from volunteers the poverty that is growing is tremendous. Some people are beginning to feel their reality. Their new life style is just to hard for them to get used to they are living like many impoverished people every were.
       Poverty is affecting their life like many others, especially with this economical crisis that`s going on in nowadays its harder to get enough money to help everyone. Many now need jobs because their old ones were flooded or damaged. Many jobs are also not needing of employ's so its tougher to find a job.Its also getting harder for many people but for others their is a path of success. Success to having a house and their old way of life back to them but for now. 
       Along with struggle comes success and many people can find this success in many things like finally getting a home or getting a job. But the government should also give their hand out to those who mostly need it and offer homes or materials that most need but don`t have. They should provide them a temporary home to live untill they are ready to move out. They should especially help those who have young children give them supplies needed to try and sustain them for a while. These are very helpful and needed solutions to the consequences of hurricane sandy.       

Write an original literary piece-
                         Rain

 It drips upon my face

 Cooled water of sadness.

 is it true the sky is mad?

 is it sad?

 Why cant it just go away

 I guess rain really does ruin

 a good day.

I see it drip drop but it won’t

                         Stop.

It goes and keeps on pouring.

Why rain must you ruin a good

          DAY?

This poem is about all the rain that has been going on lately. Ever since hurricane Sandy, the nor eastern and the rain/ snow a few days ago. Is nature trying to tell us something? A warning? Everything was fine till the new of the hurricane came after that the weather has been acting weird. We can`t play with these ‘signals’ that out earth is trying to give us. Near the Gowanus waters have been contaminated as well as many areas. We need to be more aware and pay attention to surroundings as well as increasing high temperatatures.

I think that we should prepare now for any other natural disasters coming our way.  We need to protect our fellow citizens from potentially being in the positions that others are in. something as simple as to evacuate please do follow orders because that’s a family less that is not killed by the disaster

Blog post #2

      Against all her odds, this girl is the brave and courageous heroine of Katniss Everdeen. The book Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is the second of the trilogy The Hunger Games. In Catching fire Katniss comes back from the hunger games with Peeta and after a wile they say hi to their loved ones again. Katniss sees Gale again and notices a slight distance in his attitude. Peeta goes bake to the bakery with his parents but Katniss and Peeta don`t even look at each other. Living in their new homes given to them by the capitol a rebellion is forming in the capitol started by Katniss and Peeta. Katniss believes and is sticking up for her district because she believes that fighting to the death for entertainment is not fair but the capitol highly disagrees. Why is the capitol always trying to get back at Katniss? Is it because their afraid of her?