My Interactive Reflection Journal

Welcome to my blog! You will find a mixture of short creative pieces and quick reflections on various topics and books. Feel free to leave comments and thank you for visiting.

IRJ-CP#22

Emily and Peter: Part 2

- Similar to Suzanne Collin’s Catching Fire through the theme of hatred leading to love.

Emily thought of all the things she would say to that lowlife. Scowling at the fact that he and his friends must be celebrating success, Emily turned the corner and spotted Peter walking outside. Weird… Why would he be walking by himself? A temptation to run him over crossed her mind, but she parked abruptly right in front of him instead, startling him enough that he jumped out of the way.

“Jesus, Emily! What was that for?” Peter shouted when she stepped out of the car.

“Don’t play dumb Peter, I know what you did!” seethed Emily, not being able to think of anything really mean or hurtful at the moment.

“I don’t know what you’re talking abou-”

Peter stopped suddenly, listening for something… Emily waited impatiently for a response, but before she could snap at him, she heard a shriek and thud from inside the theatre.

“Quick, we need to leave!” Peter urged, with a genuine glint of fear in his eyes.

Moving around her, he pushed her towards the car in a manner that seemed as though he was… protecting her with his own body. Emily’s mind raced, everything happened so quickly from there. She felt angry, scared, upset, and nervous, yet a feeling of safety enveloped her. Brushing aside her other emotions, she did the only thing that made sense at the moment: she let anger consume her.

“Don’t change the subject! I’m not going to fall for that and I’m not going to let you in my car!” Emily whispered angrily, but he had already jumped behind the steering wheel.

As they drove away, Peter anxiously looked back. Emily attempted to scoff, but she cleared her throat instead.

“I cannot believe what you did, you sick… slimeball!” Emily raged, mentally kicking herself for not being able to think of any other word. “Do you know how much work I put into that dance? You wouldn’t understand, you and your friends spend the day lounging around and doing… illegal stuff.”

“You always have to over-react, don’t you?” An almost kind look passing over Peter’s features as he stared into Emily’s furious eyes, and then they turned serious as he said, “and they’re not my friends.”

“That doesn’t make sense, you hang around with them all the time. Not that I care, I haven’t even talked to you! Not until today that is. I swear, I’m going to report you to the principal… or the police!” Emily peered to see if she had scared him, but she had not so she continued, “I will! You think I won’t? God, you are the most selfish, stupid, self-absorbed-“

“You don’t even know me.” Peter sighed.

“What, and you do?” Emily fumed.

“More than you know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“There’s an explanation for all of it. Just… let me explain.”

IRJ-CP#21

Emily and Peter

- Similar to Suzanne Collin’s Catching Fire through the theme of hatred leading to love.

Emily despised Peter. Always surrounded by his gang of delinquents, they constantly wreaked havoc everywhere they went. Stealing money from small children, picking on and taunting other students, vandalizing school property…  he proved to be the perfect cliché for a jerk with no brains and no future.

Emily’s hatred should never have developed. The two just did not run in the same circles. He spent his days wasting time and sitting in the back of the classroom, while she ran for class president, won debate tournaments, and actually learned something in high school. Peculiarly enough, Peter or his friends never even bothered her the way they harassed others. Except that one day, when one of his friends, Eric, dared Peter to ruin the Winter Formal dance (the one Emily, as class president, had been laboring over for months).

Emily arrived to school early that day to make sure everything was ready, but as she entered the building, horror struck; all the balloons had been popped, trash and toilet paper replaced the snow flakes and fake snow, littering the floor. The entire event had to be called off.

With no proper evidence (although Emily knew the culprit), she paced in her room, fuming. She knew she should not do anything about it, but anger got the better of her. There was only one thing Emily could not stand: someone messing up her plans. She finally decided to sneak out of her house and drive to Ricky’s Theater, the place Peter always hangs out on Saturday nights. Not sure what she was going to do or say, only one thought loomed in her mind: revenge.

To Be Continued… (In the Next Creative Piece)

IRJ#20

Follow the Leader : The Dangers of Blind Devoutness

In one of the stories from the Genesis, God tests Abraham’s loyalty by asking him to burn his only son, Isaac, as an offering. Abraham follows God’s orders and almost murders his own child before an angel stops him.

Although debatable, God’s motivation seems to be one thing: gaining followers. He allows “the chosen ones” to get away with lying, deceiving, and stealing, but punishes others even though they have committed no crime. In another story, God threatens to kill King Abimelech because he married Sarah (the wife of Abraham), even though he did not know about Sarah’s marriage because Abraham tricked him in the first place.

Seemingly omnipotent and omniscient, God portrays weaknesses in judgment and poses as an unjust and almost selfish character. This unstable combination does not create a reliable person or being for someone to put their trust in, especially when it comes to the lives of others.

In the real world, people tend to want to put their trust in others when they feel unsure or vulnerable. Some even go as far as entrusting everything in the hands of a certain person, group, or religion. One such example, Nicholas Cage, a popular television star, left the bulk of his money in the hands of his financial manager during the financial crisis. The manager lost much of the money in stocks, and left Nicholas Cage buried in debt (Cage’s outrageous spending also contributed to his current situation). Although a good thing, trust should not be given out freely because many people prove to be untrustworthy, egocentric, or unsound.

In addition, complete trust may also lead to blindness. After a while, people stop reasoning and thinking over what someone else advises or tells them. They eventually become puppets, in which the puppeteer chooses whether or not he or she wants to take advantage of the situation.

The importance of getting really to know someone before trusting them and also never letting one’s guard down become crucial in life. Everyday decisions like: should I believe/trust this stranger? or how well do I really know my friend? come into play. After that, it comes down to wariness, practice, and learning from mistakes.

Image Credit: http://www.crossculturate.com/img/ist2_6492912-follow-the-leader.jpg

IRJ-CP#19

Why am I Different?

- Similar to Suzanne Collins’ novel Catching Fire through the theme of survival.

Something didn’t feel right. Nothing had moved from its place, but this house… this room… did not feel like home. Samantha tentatively ran her fingers over the splendid carvings of the bookshelf and dusty coffee table. Breathing in the scent of her old home, she detected the familiar scent of lavender and febreeze, but a third scent was present, one she couldn’t quite identify…

Then, in the corner of her eye, something white flashed in the bright gleam of sunlight. Instinctively whipping out her knife from the small compartment in her shoe (an action second nature to her by now), Samantha approached the enemy. Once her eyes had adjusted to the glare, she gasped. Immediately recognizing her long lost friend, “Lily,” Samantha murmured, “I cannot believe I have found you.”

Eventually gathering enough courage, Samantha gently stroked the lace of her doll’s dress and then picked up the fragile, china doll with perfect, pale white skin and soft, silky hair. Flashback. The beginning of her tumultuous journey, the day little “Sammy” discovered her powers. Before she knew it, the police were knocking at her door. Reading on her bed and clutching dear Lily to her chest, Samantha did not know the terrors that awaited her. Like a swarm of terrifying wasps attacking a tiny, unprotected ant, the police broke into her room. Like that movie… What’s its name? Oh yeah, A Bug’s Life. That moment signified the day Sammy stopped being a person in the eyes of others, from there on, she transformed into an alien: dangerous, soulless, a freak…

People had changed. Nobody believed in the Constitution anymore, everyone was driven by fear and ignorance. People demanded the revenge of friends and family killed by psychopaths that had lost control of their power. Samantha wasn’t to blame, she had just graduated elementary school, but nobody cared. Shipped to an island, Samantha had to survive without the help of anybody. Even worse, others had also been dropped off in this remote jungle. It was eat or be eaten in this cruel and unforgiving world.

CRASH! Samantha shook her head to get the past out of her head before realizing what had occurred. Lily, the only remaining symbol of Sammy’s childhood and innocence lay broken on the floor. Sinking to the floor in terror, Samantha cried at the brutality of life. But when she looked back at the doll, it rested unscathed and untouched on the ground. Almost as if she had gone back in time…

IRJ#18

A Bus Full of People: The Consequences of Focusing Only on Oneself

On the sixth day of creation, God made all living creatures that roam on land, as well as humankind, which He fashioned in his own image. God said that man should “’have dominion over… all the… animals of the earth’” (Gen. 2.26).

Stated in the bible itself, God gave man the right to dominate over other animals. Often feeling certain that nothing will go wrong, people in the past have experimented and mistreated animals and surroundings. This deeply rooted human tendency to feel superior and have the urge to control animals and other living things has created many problems in the past and the world today.

In the 1960’s the Soviet Union diverted rivers that fed the Aral Sea in an attempt to improve farming. However, the operation backfired and resulted in disaster. The Aral Sea shrunk far more than expected, and dramatically altered climate conditions and pollution levels, as well as devastating the fishing industries. Although well-intentioned, certain things should not be gambled with, especially when it comes to an entire sea and all the creatures that live in it.

In today’s world, people often forget about the delicateness of the world and the consequences that come from their actions. Even driving to work or school adds up and takes a toll on some poor creature whose habitat has been destroyed or a frog that lives in such terrible conditions that it has mutated and grown an extra limb.

Everyday toils preoccupy a person and daily routines (even unethical ones) eventually transform into the norm. Constantly clouded by their own thoughts and “to do” list, society today seems much like a bus full of people listening to their iPod. Each heading to some destination but completely oblivious to what is actually occurring around them. Doing things like helping someone or an animal in need initiate a break from every day routine and creates a chance to become aware of the real, underlying issues in the world, which proves to be critical to stymie the human tendency to “go with the flow” and focus on one’s own, selfish needs.

Image Credit: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/57/163555310_478a293f97_o.jpg

IRJ-QR#17

The Grudge: The Significance of Forgiveness

Lyra, a quick-witted, passionate girl escaped from the throwing nets of unknown Turkish traders with the help of three gyptians including a former acquaintance, Tony Costa. Ma Costa, the head of the Costa family and mother of Tony, welcomes Lyra into her boat in spite of the fact that Lyra once attempted to sink her home. “‘You can have Billy’s crib, soon’s I’ve hot a hot drink in you. Set you down there, child.’ It looked as if her piracy was forgiven, or at least forgotten” (Pullman 105).

The saying “forgive and forget” teaches one to forgive people for past mistakes and move on. In Lyra’s case, she does not understand that every child sets out on larks that do not mean much and makes mistakes. Ma Costa, a kind and wise woman despite her loud and strong nature knows this and had probably forgiven Lyra immediately after her attempt to find the bung of the Costa canal boat in order to sink it. Forgiveness, a necessity for the betterment of a person, helps one strive to a better level of humanity. Although human nature, holding grudges only prolongs hurt and deceit.

Throughout history, grudges have led to terrible consequences. One such example, the war between Japan and Mongolia during the 1400s, demonstrates the importance of forgiveness. Japan sent out scouts in order to find the name of the Mongolian ruler, unaware of this tradition, the Mongolians killed these men for fear of spies and unintentionally set the stage for a war which eventually led to the death of hundreds of men. Although at fault, Japan should have negotiated and forgiven Mongolian people in order to prevent many unnecessary deaths.

Although one often feels he or she must punish the other, forgiveness usually proves to be the better choice. I had previously thought that by giving my sister the silent treatment when she has wronged me, she would learn to stop her behavior. I now realize that if I forgive her and just let it go, she usually forgives me for what I do in return. Anger often clouds up rational thinking, but if one steps back long enough to cool down and remember that long term relationships are more important then foolish quarrels, people would lead a happier and more fulfilling life.

Proposition: Although easier to allow anger to rule one’s actions, taking control of oneself and forgiving others often leads to similar gestures in return and enables one to become a better, more considerate person.

IRJ-CP#16

Who is Kasey?

What a terrible name: Kaseline Warnbru Fornix. Nevertheless, Kasey survived the bullies, cramming information before exams, financial problems, and anything else life threw at her. Often finding herself staring at the glistening stars that seemed so out of reach and purple mountains clouded by constant smog, Kasey’s life flowed past her like a slow, muddy river. Although constantly facing embarrassing and troubling situations like the many times her teachers stared disapprovingly at her holey clothes or the whole month she could not see properly because someone had shattered her glasses, Kasey felt detached from it all.

Hardly ever speaking or moving more than necessary, rumors of all sorts flooded through the busy halls of her school. Did you hear? Kasey has a throat problem in which she starts coughing and wheezing ferociously if she speaks more than eight words. Did you hear? Samantha said that Kasey was born mentally retarded. Kasey this and Kasey that. Eventually, people grew tired of ridiculing her or casting evil eyes in her direction because she never responded, so they ignored her existence. In truth, Kasey aced every test and wrote the best essays in the school, she just did not feel like showing it. All of this changed in college.

Like a butterfly fluttering out of its  cocoon, Kaseline Fornix transformed into a completely new person on her eighteenth birthday. Too bad none of her former high school friends had seen, because the poor things would not believe their eyes and would probably think they were delusional. None of her actual features changed, she just finally decided to change. Waking up bright and early, Kasey brushed out her long hair and shampooed the creases out of her eighteen year old ponytail. Putting on the right clothes that complemented her thin frame and finally buying the contacts that she so desperately needed all those years, one could actually see her eyes now. Her best feature, Kasey’s eyes glittered and danced in the sunlight, looking like a never ending sea of blue and green. Stepping out of her new college dorm, heads turned and mouths dropped. As if beautiful and adored her entire life, a sweet yet wicked smile crept onto her features. Yes, Kasey Warnbru Fornix immediately became the new “queen bee” on the first day of school (and freshmen are never popular!). Think this is odd? You haven’t seen anything yet.

IRJ-OP#15

Being Perfect… A Bad Thing?: The Importance of Making Mistakes

In the movie The Lion King, the strange yet wise Rafiki informs Simba that, “the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” This sparks Simba’s epiphany, and he realizes that he must defeat the evil Scar and take his rightful place as the king of the Prideland. Rafiki’s words made me think about the importance of mistakes in today’s world.

Video Clip: Rafiki teaches Simba a lesson

Plot Overview: Short overview of The Lion King

Over the years, many wise men and woman have recognized the importance of making mistakes. Al Franken, the senator of Minnesota, stated that “mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.” Often perceived as bad things, mistakes prove to be a vital part of learning. Only through these difficulties do humans learn and become better individuals. Learning how to play an instrument or riding a bike requires many failed attempts until one can play a song or speed effortlessly down a sidewalk.

Only when one does not learn from his or her mistakes, do mistakes lead to terrible consequences. Although a horrible occurence in the history of the world, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remind people today that bombs or any weapons that have the power to kill so many innocent lives cannot be used in today’s world. On the brink of a nuclear war, the death of all the Japanese people and the protests of thousands of individuals made people in power realize that the creation of bigger bombs and deadlier weapons of mass destruction is not the answer to a country’s problems. In addition, Japan attacked many countries during World War II, and the death of all the people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Japan realize that fighting everyone did not benefit them.

Instead, the Japanese government issued a huge change in their culture as they began to westernize their country. Today, Japan stands as a leading power of the world because of their skill in technology, not army size or advanced weaponry. Although the deaths of the thousands of Japanese citizens remains a tragedy, it made Japan realize its mistake and prevent even more deaths if Japan had continued fighting. Mistakes may lead to negative consequences initially, but if one learns from them, mistakes often lead to positive consequences in the future.

Proposition: A vital part of the advancement of a country or society, mistakes help a country become better and not repeat the same errors in the future.

Picture Source: http://asg.animatedheroes.com/albums/simba/Rafiki_comments.jpg

IRJ-CP#14

Emma

The sardonic laughter of the group of people surrounding her filled Emma’s mind as she struggled with the excruciating pain in her left leg. Gritting her teeth, Emma knew she could not pacify her boiling anger for long. “I can take them all out if I wanted to,” Emma though to herself. All the different permutations of methods she could easily use to making them all suffer bombarded her mind like crashing waves on a stormy day.

Sammy, the snotty and spoiled one of the group, ostentatiously sauntered in Emma’s direction (although never too close) flashing her sumptuous, expensive clothing and shouting obscenities and vulgar words. Meanwhile, Sawyer, the formidable looking brute with a look of disdain constantly plastered to his face shouted the one thing Emma could not tolerate, “You’re just as weak as your mom.”

The torpid look of her dear mother before she died, so closely resembling a mentally inactive patients in an insane asylum, flashed into Emma’s mind with a painful pang. “That’s the last straw,” Emma thought, but she could not get the voice of her poor, loving mother out of her head. Before her death, Elizabeth (for that was her mother’s name) whispered, “stay strong and do not sink to their shameful level. You are much more than that.”

The enticing pleasure of watching them suffer slowly dissipated and with a stout determination, Emma stood up (ignoring the pain screaming in her leg). “You coming back for more?” asked Sanders, another deplorable delinquent (backed up by his father’s army of lawyers should Emma attempt to hurt him).

Drawing his arm back in a fist, Sanders swung at Emma, but to his immense surprise, Emma somehow managed to grab his fist. With an unimaginably calm yet commanding voice, Emma whispered to him, “you’re lucky today, but don’t count on it tomorrow.” With a quick turn, Emma walked away from the group of astonished teenagers, having the satisfaction of knowing that she had conquered her irrational and compulsive self, let go of her mother’s death, and defeated the group of bullies.