Green eggs and Hamlet

 

A) I know nothing.

 

B) That name rings a bell. Shakespeare is a author that has works that have been read by millions.

 

C) Shakespeare has always been tied to men in strange costumes speaking words that are fairly difficult to comprehend, which makes me sad.

 

D) If we could somehow "dumb it down" a tad for me and possibly a couple of other students, that'd be great.

 

Big Question

 

Ah, the big question. Something I've been putting off for weeks. I love the idea of the whole class actually working with the teacher on something meaningful. Now, what is my big question? Most of the people reading this are expecting to see a generic question that anyone could think of, not that any of my classmates have anything like that, its just I'm not the kind of intellectual that can come up with something as great as what my classmates have. Hell, it took me five minutes to figure out how to spell intellectual. What I do know is that I love history. Dr. Preston has given me options that involve history, but I haven't quite found out what I want to do yet, so of right now, my big question is how am I going to use what I love as a big question?

Character Study

 

He's not just a pretty face. Just kidding. He's a funny person that never hesitates to put a smile on someone's face. In a social circle, he is great to have around (but that's just my opinion). When he moved for the second time to a location that is completely new to him, he didn't wait to put himself out there, even though he was shot down by his peers a number of times. Sometimes it seems like he doesn't have a problem in the world, it is true that has his own worries that continue to trouble him. But basically all in all he is a nice, fun and somewhat athletic person that will never turn down a person in need. Nowadays he's living in the dorms of Colorado State University at Fort Collins. Everyday he attends classes and attends a regular football practice where he completes his dream of being a long snapper for any college that needed him. It may seem like an unimportant job, but hey, at least he's on the team. Every other weekend he is visited by his loving parents and occasionally his older brother who has a college team of his own he has to worry about. Today he is awakened by the loud snoring of a monstrous offensive lineman that sounds more like troll than a person. He gets dressed and goes to his first class of the day.



Literary Analysis #1

 

      All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy is a classic story set in 1949 in the American west. John Grady is a good old fashion American cowboy, and when he learns that his mother intends to sell his grandfather's ranch, he leaves to work on a ranch in Mexico. Grady's character is put to the test, he must either stay with his mother or follow his true calling to be an all star cowboy with the ability to succeed in his line of work.

 

      The author was attempting to convey one simple message: always follow your heart, no matter how challenging it may be. I know it seems like a corny message, considering that author could implicate anything he wants into a story, but it reached out to me and I'm sure plenty of other people. While in Mexico, he finds nothing but chaos around him. I felt like he was in danger at every turn, but Grady did everything he could to look past the bad things that were happening, and onto the ideal that he could settle down and do what he loves to do.

 

Bleak as it may have looked, John Grady eventually went on to escape the troubles of Mexico and moved on with his life. My favorite thing about Grady is that he never gave up, never gave in to fate. Even during his imprisonment, due to his love of a girl that he was not allowed to love, in the cruel jail in Mexico, he was no coward and stuck it out. 

Vocabulary #5

 

1. shenanigans-  a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
The hooligans shenanigans were annoying the neighbors.

2. ricochet- something (such as a bullet or stone) that ricochets off a surface
Luckily for the soldier, the bullet only ricocheted of his helmet.

3. schism- a division among the members of a group that occurs because they disagree on something
The team had a schism when they couldn't decide between tacos and hamburgers for dinner.

4. eschew-  to avoid (something) especially because you do not think it is right, proper
They now eschew the violence of their past.

5. plethora- a very large amount or number
They had a plethora of turkey at thanksgiving.

6. ebullient-  lively and enthusiastic
All the students were ebullient when they heard they are going to Disneyland.

7. garrulous- tending to talk a lot : very talkative
The garrulous woman bragged about her children for 4 hours straight.

8. harangue- a forceful or angry speech
He delivered a long harangue about the evils of popular culture.

9. interdependence- depending on oneself
The young man was interdependent after his parents were killed by Voldemort.

10. capricious- changing often and quickly; especially : often changing suddenly in mood or behavior
The workers were at the mercy of a capricious boss.

11. loquacious- liking to talk and talking smoothly and easily
Morgan Freeman is a loquacious man, making him perfect for narration.

12. ephemeral- lasting a very short time
Although it is the most exciting rollercoaster at the park, it is an ephemeral one.

13. inchoate- not completely formed or developed yet
The inchoate teens were ruining their brains by drinking underage.

14. juxtapose- to place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect
I saw two billboards juxtaposed together.

15. perspicacious- having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious
He was perspicacious hunter, having the ability to spot tracks before anyone else.

16. codswallop- nonsense
 Although what he said made sense, he was just full of codswallop.

17. mungo- reclaimed wool of poor quality and very short staple
The itchy sweater was mungo.

18. sesquipedalian- having many syllables
The lady's name was of a sesquipedalian nature.

19. wonky- unsteady
It seemed sturdy from afar, but the bridge looked extremely wonky once we got closer.

20. diphthong- two vowel sounds joined in one syllable to form one speech sound

Vocabulary #4

 

1. obsequious- characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning

His wealth nevertheless turns the townspeople into groveling, obsequious sycophants.

 

2. beatitude- supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.

The woman was experiencing beatitude when her son came home from his service in the army. 

3. bete noire- a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear

The fly in my room was my bête noire. 

4. bode-to be an omen of; portend

The political winds may also bode well for the empowerment act. 

5. dank- unpleasantly moist or humid; damp and, often, chilly

It is a cramped, dank little apartment. 

6. ecumenical- general; universal

The ecumenical council decreed woman no longer had to wear hats in church. 

7. fervid- heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm

The service is snappy and efficient under conditions. 
 

8. fetid- having an offensive odor; stinking

The bullies orchestrating a witch hunt might applaud this fetid slop, but no one else. 

9. gargantuan-gigantic; enormous; colossal

The gargantuan basketball player not only dunked on fools, he could also drain 3's. His name is Dirk Nowitzki.

10. heyday- the stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success

The heyday of the hippies lasted for all of about two years.

 
11. incubus- an imaginary demon or evil spirit supposed to descend upon sleeping persons

It is, however, an incubus for some three dozen of the world's poorest countries. 

12. infrastructure- the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization

The tripod infrastructure is why there are so many grottoes and light caves. 

13. inveigle- to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery  

Inveigle woman use their powers to marry old men then take their money. 

14. kudos- honor; glory; acclaim

He also receives special kudos for including pecans. 

15. lagniappe- a small gift given with a purchase to a customer

He received a lagniappe when he bought a box of green beans. 

16. prolix-extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length

What might have been a brisk and brazen satire forms into a prolix and slow comedy mystery.

17. protégé- a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare. 

The only thing that grows down is potatoes, he told his protégé. 

18. prototype- the original or model on which something is based or formed. 

The museum is also home to a prototype model with a clear case, currently in storage. 

19. sycophant- a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite. 

But history will likely remember him as the ultimate sycophant, the loyal sidekick.

20. tautology- needless repetition of an idea, especially in words other than those of the immediate context, without imparting additional force or clearness, as in “widow woman.”. 

It's a tautology designed to evade self-incrimination.

21. truckle-  to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely

A trundle bed or truckle bed is a bed usually stored beneath a twin bed.



Vocabulary #3

1. accolade- an award or an expression of praise

The mayor will give the hero an  accolade for saving the people from the burning building.

 

2. acerbity- expressing harsh or sharp criticism in a clever way

The snobby woman used more acerbity than she should have when she was displeased with the service.

 

3. attrition- a reduction in the number of employees or participants that occurs when people leave because they resign, retire, etc., and are not replaced

There is a high level of attrition in the field of sewage control because no one really wants ton deal with that.

4. bromide- a statement that is intended to make people feel happier or calmer but that is not original or effective

The man offered a bromide condolence to the grieving woman.

 

5. chauvinist- an attitude that the members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex

The teenagers chauvinist attitude is reason enough that they will not be dating anyone anytime soon.

 

6. chronic- happening or existing frequently or most of the time

Most inmates have chronic stays in prisons because they can't stay out of jail.

 

7. expound- to explain or state (something) : to give details about (something)

The teacher had to expound the era of post modernism several times so that everyone understood.

 

8. factionalism- a group within a larger group that has different ideas and opinions than the rest of the group

The committee soon split into factions.

 

9. immaculate- perfectly clean

She had an immaculate record of service.

 

10. imprecation- an offensive word or phrase that people say when they are angry

The tough biker wasn't short with his imprecations.

 

11. ineluctable- not able to be avoided or changed

The ineluctable war was brewing between the two nations.

 

12. mercurial- changing moods quickly and often

With the amount of stress adding on to his life, the man became mercurial.

 

13. palliate- to make the effects of (something, such as an illness) less painful, harmful, or harsh

The medicine the doctor prescribed palliated the pain from the soldier's bullet would.

 

14. protocol- a system of rules that explain the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in formal situations

The marines aboard Air Force One follow a strict protocol for the President's safety.

 

15. resplendent- very bright and attractive

Some resplendent objects attract the attention of toddlers.

 

16. stigmatize- to describe or regard (something, such as a characteristic or group of people) in a way that shows strong disapproval

The protestors stigmatized the concept of gay marriage to a group of elementary school children.

 

17. sub rosa-  in confidence

The sub rosa story my cousin told me made me want to keep his secret with me to the grave.

 

18. vainglory- excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements

Although it was exemplary, the man who beat Batman in a fight was still very vainglorious.

 

19. vestige- the last small part that remains of something that existed before

My friend ate my whole pizza but still had the audacity to leave me a vestige of crust.

 

20. volition-  the power to make your own choices or decisions

Although she seems happy with her life, she has not realized her own volition that could lead to the life she really wants.

 

CloseStyle: MLA APA Chicago

 



WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

 

             I haven't done much digging when it comes to scholarships, but one that gets mentioned a lot is the Elks Scholarship put on by the Elks National Foundation. With 500 recipients and 3.57 million dollars to be handed out, its definitely a scholarship worth applying for. I've taken a look at several colleges, mostly out of state including CSU Fort Collins and the University of Colorado at Boulder, both of which can get expensive with the out-of-state tuition fees. CSU Fort Collins charges close to (for 25 credit hours) 20,000 a semester for nonresidents compared to the 7,000 it charges for residents. So basically no matter what, out of state tuition can get be a challenge. To take the route with 25 credit hours, that would cost me 18,000 in tuition, 764 in general fees, 25 in university technology fees, and 375 for facility fee. It would be nice to score around 4,000 to get the general and technology fees out of the way at least for a couple of years.

Vocab #2

 

1. Accoutrements- An accessory item of equipment or dress. Often used in the plural
The refrigerator had a lot of accoutrements like the ice dispenser.

2. Apogee- the highest point of something
We finally set up our picnic basket when we reached the apogee of the hill.

3. Apropos- at an opportune time
As the bear-shark came in to bite the diver, his apropos kick decapitated the beast.

4. Bicker- petulant quarreling
The megalodon and the giant squid bickered over who gets to keep the treasure from the sunken ship.

5. Coalesce- to grow together
The enemies were forced to coalesce with each other in order to destroy the giant scorpion.

6. Contretemps-  an inopportune or embarrassing occurrence
The boy tried to cover his minor contretemps by spraying febreeze all over the room.

7. Convolution-  something that is very complicated and difficult to understand
The convolution of a coffee maker had more bells and whistles than a space shuttle.

8. Cull- to select or choose (someone or something) from a group
The man in the mountains is constantly culling the squirrels.

9. Disparate- different from each other
The brothers were so disparate that no one knew they were related.

10. Dogmatic- expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are certainly correct and cannot be doubted
The dogmatic woman spoke about her hatred of gay marriage as if everyone agreed with her.

11. Licentious- sexually immoral or offensive
The young man made several licentious jokes directed at his ex-girlfriend.

12. Mete- to give out by measure
The owner would mete the food to his dogs.

13. Noxious- harmful to living things
Chocolate is extremely noxious to dogs.

14. Polemic- a strong written or spoken attack against someone else's opinions, beliefs, practices
The protestors prepared a polemic speech for the new president.

15. Populous- having a large population
New York is very populous.

16. Probity- the quality of a person who is completely honest
The lawyer questioned the probity of the witness.

17. Repartee- conversation in which clever statements and replies are made quickly
The two men had a hostile repartee after one man stepped on the other's shoe.

18. Supervene- to happen unexpectedly in a way that interrupts, stops, or greatly changes an existing situation
They had a quiet, happy life until the war supervened.

19. Truncate- having the end square or even

20. Unimpeachable- very reliable and trusted : not able to be doubted or questioned
The mans handshake was unimpeachable.  


Your Life Is Your Life

MY OPINION ISN'T (A) RIGHT

 

 

I guess I don't really don't get to say I have a right to my own opinion anymore when I'm losing an argument. I've been exposed. The author of the article has a great point and it is about time someone said it. To many people have been using that phrase to get away from the fact they have no idea what they are talking about. Well, if people actually presented facts, like my classmates did on Friday, I feel like the world would be a much better place for argument's sake. A couple examples of your own opinion not being a right, especially the man crossing the rode in England and looking left first instead of right, really got ahold of my attention and made me question the idea of the right to my own opinion.  

Reflections on week 1

 

1. There is nothing to keep me from being involved in this class. I have a computer, a smart phone, and I'm ready to learn.

 

2. A learning experience that changed me was in middle school on the first day when my teacher told us to raise our hands when we had the answer or else. Raising my hand was imprinted in my brain because I did not want to learn what "or else" meant.

 

3. I'm excited to learn a different way of thinking, and I think that I will be able to look at the world from a more intellectual aspect.  

Vocabulary #1

 

 

1. Adumbrate- sketchily indicate something: to give an incomplete or faint outline or indication of something

 

The man in the hospital was adumbrating the man who attacked him, in fear of being hunted down by his assailant for giving the police his identity.

 

2. Apotheosis- the glorification of a subject to divine level

 

 

The Japanese's people apotheosis of their emperor in the past was at such a high level that only a select few people were allowed to here his voice.

 

 

3. Ascetic- a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.

 

The ascetic Buddhist Monks have been reported to have used self-immolation to protest.

 

4. Bauble- a showy, usually cheap, ornament; trinket; gewgaw

 

My aunt gave me a bauble of a gift for my car when I passed my driving test.

 

5. Beguile- charm somebody: to win and hold somebody's attention, interest, or devotion

 

A lot of students attempt to beguile their teachers in order to get on there good sides.

 

6. Burgeon- produce new growth: to produce new buds and leaves, or swell and develop into leaves and flowers

 

The rose bush burgeoned at the beginning of spring.

 

7. Complement- completing part: something that completes or perfects something else

 

The cinnamon complemented my banana nut muffins so well that I won the blue ribbon in the dessert contest.

 

8. Contumacious- very resistant to authority: flagrantly disobedient or rebellious

 

The contumacious black panthers of the 1950's fought for there right to equal rights.

 

9. Curmudgeon- somebody who is irritable or stubborn: somebody considered to be bad-tempered, disagreeable, or stubborn 

 

My little cousin is so curmudgeon that my aunt has to make him sit at the table for hours until he eats his dinner. 

 

10. Didactic- with message: containing a political or moral message

 

In every novel that has been published, there is some form of didactic. 

 

11. Disingenuous- withholding information: withholding or not taking account of known information

 

The disingenuous drug dealer would not tell the police who his supplier is.

 

12. Exculpate- prove somebody innocent: to free somebody from blame or accusation of guilt

 

Walter White tried to exculpate one of his drug dealers so he wouldn't give the police his name.

 

13. Faux Pas- social blunder: an embarrassing mistake that breaks a social convention

 

Bill unknowingly created a faux pas when he threw up on the dance floor at prom. 

 

14. Fulminate- speak scathingly: to express forceful criticism of somebody or something

Simon was very fulminate when reviewed the hopeful singer on America's Got Talent.

15. Fustian- bombastic: written or spoken with pretentiousness or pomposity

The hipster talked about his prius with great fustianism.

16. Hauteur- haughtiness: a haughty manner, feeling, or quality

The hauteur mechanic described the problem to the woman unneeded rudeness.

17. Inhibit- hold something in check: to stop something from continuing or developing

The American Army inhibited the Nazis from taking over Britain on D-Day.

18. Jeremiad- lengthy complaint: a long recitation of mournful complaints

My brother jeremiad about his old math teacher for always giving him extra homework on weekends.

19. Opportunist- unprincipled resourceful person: somebody who takes advantage of something, especially somebody who does so in a devious, unscrupulous, or unprincipled way

The opportunistic young man made a skateboard out of materials he found because he couldn't afford his own.

20. Unconscionable- morally unacceptable: shocking and morally unacceptable

The idea of gay marriage is so unconscionable to most religions that people of many faith choose to protest in the streets and send gay couples hate mail.  



Essay #1

 

         In the book "The Odyssey" by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, is subject to several tests of strength and endurance as he attempts to return home to his loving wife, Penelope. It took 10 long years for the Greek hero to return home from the successful attack on Troy.  After fighting his way through several mythical monsters, he finally returns home and claims his wife.

 

          Odysseus showed the millions that read "The Odyssey" that no matter how long it takes and no matter the danger, there is no substitute for being with loved ones. Odysseus had a couple of opportunities to stay and settle for the place he was comfortable with, but he did no such thing because all he wanted was to see his wife. his struggle revealed the plot of the story to the audience: never give up. Many of us can agree that everyone has been in a situation where to be happy they must put in the effort to be happy.

 

         "The Odyssey", to me, greatly represents any given class I've ever taken. Meaning that to get the good grade I want, there are always barriers in the way such as homework and tests. As you get farther and farther into the story, it reveals the true meaning, the pursuit of happiness.

 



Poetry #1

 

 

1. Charles Bukowski's "The Laughing Heart"

 

2. The Poem speaks of light at the end of the tunnel, but when it comes down to it, there is little to no light for the factory workers sewing the Levis together.

 

3. the Poem does go along with the majority of his writings because he addressed the lives of poor Americans, showing them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

4. For the first question I googled a line from the from the poem. For the third question, I looked up his name and read his biography on Wikipedia.