End of Silence - Extra Credit (Hiroshima/Nagasaki Bombing Assignment)

Silence breaking
Lives ending
Explosions taking place

Don’t let it phase you
Dear Japan
Hiroshima preserved your existence

Sweet Nagasaki
Open your eyes
Because tomorrow they’ll be eternally shut

Kokura and Niigata
Beseech us on your knees
For you are the alternate choices

“Enola Gay”, lay upon Hiroshima your kiss of death
And “Little Boy”, oh beloved uranium, wrap them in your embrace
Convince Hirohito to stop our tirade

But “Bockscar” and “Fat Man”, should those two fail
Take Nagasaki under your wing
Surely Hirohito will be persuaded by you and the 135,000 lives you have claimed

Betrayal Essay Assignment

Like many things, there are several types of betrayal. We can betray a loved one, friend, family member, or even a stranger. A person can betray love itself, a promise, their word, and expectations. Furthermore, people can betray themselves. To betray ourselves is one of worse types of betrayal. When we betray ourselves, we have betrayed those who we have allowed our fictitious selves to become accustomed to.

Friday I attended a leadership in the Monzano Mountains. During this three day period I allowed two things to happen: I did not eat and I allowed myself to break down with the rest of the cadets when I should have been the one to console them. Now breaking down, to the other cadets, was not a big deal because the only ones in the room who didn’t cry were the camp instructors. However, not eating was a bigger deal even though I did not feel hungry.

The first night we had a seminar session where each cadet came up one by one and discussed emotional topics causing us to feel anger, shame, sadness, hurt, and fear. We consoled each other as a team of 50 cadets from different schools. While everyone felt some things different and some things the same, I mostly felt different things. I felt weakened by the sight of myself breaking down in front of eight of the cadets I am supposed to lead and support. I felt like I’d betrayed all of the cadets I should have been consoling. Fed by all of this, I felt self betrayal. I felt like crying in front of others defied my own beliefs. This was against my personal morals. This was the first time at Leadership Challenge Camp that I had felt like I’d betrayed myself and my team mates.

At chow time shortly after I arrived in the mountains, I ate only an apple to keep my sugar levels up. I did not feel hungry. We completed several events, all which required energy. Among these were trust falls, rope courses, running, marching, and team games. Chow time came again. This time it was dinner. Still not hungry, I gave my tray of food to a few of the cadets sitting at the table next to mine. We completed several other events and I stood watch on my shift from 0200 to 0400 (2-4am). One of the girls from Rio Grande brought up her concern to me and offered me a snack. I explained to her that I was not hungry but I would eat if I felt the need. When chow time came around for breakfast four hours after my watch, I was still not hungry. Several of my team mates tried to convince me to eat but I would not. We complete many physically demanding events and reported back to chow for lunch where another cadet told the instructor about my eating habits that weekend. Mr. Linsenbert asked a series of questions trying to understand why I did not feel hungry. I told him I had been drinking lemonade and apple cider to keep my sugar levels up but I just wasn’t hungry. At this point I started to realize the concern I was causing was not just to one other cadet. I had not yet realized I was betraying myself and 49 other cadets though. This did not happen until Mr. Linsenbert took my name and school. I was so busy trying to persuade others that I was really ok and did not feel hungry that I didn’t see how stubborn and irresponsible I was being. These are two very important traits a leader must acquire before the followers can gain trust in them. Sunday around lunch time at chow, I was still not hungry but I forced myself to eat a small amount so as to ease the concern of others and show that I did understand the changes that needed to be made in myself as a leader.

There are 11 principles and fourteen traits a Marine Corps leader must obtain. The principles are as follows:

1.Be technically and tactically proficient.

2.Know yourself and seek self- improvement.

3.Know your men and look out for their welfare.

4.Keep your men informed.

5.Set the example.

6. Insure that the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.
7.Train your men as a team.

8.Make sound and timely decisions.

9.Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.

10.Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.

11.Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

In my self betrayal and the betrayal of the cadets on my behalf, I was able to learn and put into play principles 5, 9, 10, and 11. While these are not the only ones I used they were most helpful during the time period of my not eating.

The leadership traits are:

1.Integrity

2.Knowledge

3.Courage

4.Decisiveness

5.Dependability

6.Initiative

7.Tact

8.Justice

9.Enthusiasm

10.Bearing

11.Endurance

12.Unselfishness

13.Loyalty

14.Judgment

At the Leadership Challenge Camp I failed to use traits 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 14 while I betrayed myself and my team mates.

Nevertheless, there is almost always a positive not to everything. Though I made these small mistakes, one raising more of a concern, I was able to come to know myself and seek self improvement as well as take away more knowledge. Using this principle and trait I acquired more of each of the other leadership characteristics and make myself a better person and a better leader. My cadets and I all learned more about each other at this camp and are now much closer thanks to the seminar session that caused us all to lose bearing and break down in front of one another. We all experienced both good and bad leadership and learned from everyone’s mistakes and accomplishments. All 50 cadets were given a chip and asked to give it to someone they would follow. There were 10 cadets left with a chip, meaning there were 10 cadets who one or more of the 50 cadets saw strong leadership in. All 10 of these cadets were asked to stand. I was one of them. Three of them were from my platoon. I then realized, sometimes betrayal is one of those mistakes that have to be made before improvement and insight can be drawn to the surface and worked at. Before this camp I betrayed myself by lying to myself about what I saw every time I looked in the mirror. Now, I have awakened to reality and am more willing to fix my flaws.

Forged Love

Shaking starts and breathing stops
Trust is gone and hope is lost

Wrought by pain no longer numbed

With bleeding wounds I smile for you
Knowing you still see every penetration

I was headed towards your sweet embrace

But the cross was too heavy, I was too weak
Countless times I've stumbled the opposite way

Your hands were extended

Both providing great help

One carried me, the other my cross

I dove into your heart

Fearless and anxious

I had no idea love could be so different

Different from what I lacked

Different from what I'd felt

Yet different in a good way

I never thought I need someone
Someone to show me what love really is
But now I understand that what I'd felt before
That was not love

You've made a humble stone beat once more

And gave me a valid reason to endure

Shaking stops and breathing starts

Trust is established and hope is found

Forged by love in it's own new name

Movie Proposal Assignment

Renesmee Carlie Cullen is a new character introduced to us in Breaking Dawn. As a Twilight fan my proposal to Summit Entertainment is to continue the latest part of this saga. Bella has already been altered to be a vampire. We know Renesmee is not human as well and Jacob has imprinted on her. This new episode should expand on the roads traveled by Renesmee and Jacob. Renesmee does not want Jacob to imprint on her, but Jacob cannot help it. Bella’s parents find out about Renesmee but the two parents feel differently about her. Even so, Renesmee somehow manages to pull Bella’s parents back together. Renee leaves her boyfriend to remarry Charlie, and together the two explore the world of Vampires and Werewolves. More dangerous than that, they explore the world of the Vulturi. The Vulturi have their own powers. We already know one special member can read everything going through a characters mind and see the truth…everyone except for Bella that is. The Vulturi pay the Cullen family another visit to check on the promise of Bella’s transformation. However, upon verifying the validity of their words, the Vulturi learn of Renesmee’s birth and the knowledge Bella’s parents have obtained. The Cullen’s spend much time fighting to keep the parents hidden while the Vulturi discuss this matter in private. Furthermore, they strategize how to use their individual powers as a family to ward off the Vulturi. The will to survive cannot defeat them. The Vulturi return but the “Cold One’s” and Quileute’s” have united to demolish the Vulturi. In their success, the Cullen family takes over power and keeps a just law among all breeds of vampires. Though the Cullen’s are satisfied with their success, Renesmee now faces nightmares and fear of others. This causes behavioral issues that are not easy to settle. While some vampires are thankful for this change, others are outraged. This puts Renesmee’s life in danger. Bella’s parents must become vampires in order to protect their granddaughter. In the process of this, Charlie fights a fatal battle. He loses his life for Renesmee which causes great anger in all of the family. Bella, Edward, Rene, and even Renesmee seek revenge. It is up to Carlisle and Esmee to calm them down. The pressure brings Esmee to a very emotional state. This leave Carlisle, Emette, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice to take care of the angered family while Esmee is away trying to breathe. The opposing vampires take this to their advantage. Esmee is captured and used to draw the Cullen family out of hiding. Will the family fall into this trap? Will they be strong enough to win this fight? Is Esmee hurt by the opposing vampires? Will this cause further problems in the family relationships? Does Renesmee regain control of her own behavior? This is the suspense the viewers will experience as they anticipate yet another episode of the saga. The new episode will leave viewers on the edge of their seats as they experience the fear, romance, and loyalty that have been laid out before them. There are hard decisions to be made in this episode, but they are made. Each other is all that they have and all that live for. After all, “When you can live forever, what do you live for?”

Wonderland

I've been living in a wonderland

Made specially for me

My wonderland lives in a part of reality

Where only I can see

Your lies do not exist here

And the truth no longer hurts

My perfect little wonderland

Was fictitiously inert

But reality has awakened me

I've left my jolly dream

And all else seems to fail again

So you use your last breath just to scream

I'm stretching for your hand

But you're too far out of reach

Yet even this can't make you understand

How to practice what you preach

Time Travel Assignment

Most everyone talks about how they wish they could go back in time and change things. We often don't think about the cause and effect in doing so. I would not change anything if I could travel in time. There are reasons for things happening the way they do and those things that could have been prevented provide important lessons for us. Whether or not we choose to accept these lessons and learn from them is up to no one but ourselves. Changing the past means a change in the future too.

There are always things that happen in life that make people wish they could go back in time. We wish could change or erase the past. Many times it’s hard to accept our own hardships. It’s also hard to share them with others. If I had changed my parents past there would be lessons they may have never learned that may or may not be crucial to them. The decisions they make and the lessons they learned have been passed on to my sisters and I. Selfish as it may sound, because of my parents past there are difficult lessons that were taught to me without me feeling the way they did when they had to learn it the hard way.

I would love to take away all the hurt my parents felt as they grew older and experienced life. Both my parents were divorced prior to marrying each other. My father married at 18 while already serving in the army. Complications with his ex-wife contributed to his department from the Army. She was also the reason he did not attend West Point. My mother’s ex-husband was a nightmare. She was not treated the way she deserved and neither were her three kids. However, if I went back in time and corrected that for them, my sisters and I would not be here today. Because my father’s military career was ended and both of my parent’s first marriages were ended, I exist as well as my two beautiful younger sisters. Also, my parents have learned their own life lessons that are now able to pass on to us.

My parents had three children together. I was my father’s first child and my mother’s fourth. Had my mother never met my father she would have never had my younger sister, Nina. If my mom had not had Nina she would not have had the chance to say goodbye to her mother. My mom’s mother came to live with us a few years ago. My mom was away at work when Nina discovered my grandmother dying in the bedroom they shared. My sister called my mother who thought things were ok. She thought my grandmother was just asleep. Nina had to call 9-1-1 who talked her through CPR. Though her chest compressions were not strong enough to help, she called the emergency number just in time. They were able to restart my grandmother’s heart several times. Each time gave my mother longer to get home. My mother having Nina allowed her the opportunity to say goodbye to her own mother.

If I changed the past, the present would not be here. This would cause a change in the future. While some things may flourish due to the changes, I think most things would suffer. All the same, if I changed the past I would know what I am missing from the present and I would be the cause of it. If I had a time traveling machine I would not make use of it because the chain line of cause and effect is better left undisturbed.

Holding on For You - My Bravery Assignment 4/01/10

"You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity." Epicurus was wise in saying so. It's not easy for most to endure, just as it is not easy for some to let another person in. It takes courage for many people to trust and let their guard down. I am one of these people.

I come from a large family. My mother had six children, three with her ex-husband and three with my father. Of the five other children, I only consider three of them family. Almost 14 years ago, my mother’s oldest child ran away from home. To this day I still do not know her. She has made contact with me a few times and has been talking to my mother for a few years now, but I do not know who she is. I don’t even reply to her texts. She is now in her 20’s and lives in New York where she was born and where she returned to when she left. My mother’s only son has ADHD and has always used it as an excuse for his self. He too lives in New York. He finished high school through the special education program and has not gone to college. His behavior was always horrid and inexcusable. Because I could not trust and confide in my own siblings, it caused me to fear trusting anyone at all. My older sister, Amber, was always out of the house. She had friends, a boy friend and a job. She didn’t want to spend her time doing nothing when she could have a life.

I can allow others to get close to me but I still try to distance myself. Amber has come to trust me a lot. She opens up to me without me asking her questions. She tells me about her fears, problems, excitements, even issues with her coworkers or about not knowing when or if she can love a certain guy. I know most of her friends as well as every boy friend she ever had. I know her high school stories and the problems she faced as a child due to numerous surgeries she had undergone. Still, I confine myself to my own thoughts and feelings.

There are different reasons in doing so. Sometimes I feel as if I’m turning nothing into something much larger than it really is. Sometimes I just don’t want to talk. Yet the largest reason, dismayed as I am to admit it, is courage. I have lacked the courage to leave my comfort zone. Well, I had lacked the courage for a while. I can talk to my best friend about most anything, though sometimes I still feel uncomfortable with the idea of trusting others. Yet, I don’t regret letting my guard down. I have allowed myself to come to the conclusion that fear is a large issue, but once I push my fear aside and overcome it, the reassurance I have gained from it is larger.

Even if I do not get where I want to be by facing my fears, I have made it that much farther than I would have had I not faced my fear at all. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing you have to fear is fear itself.” I believe he was absolutely correct. You can lose nothing in facing your fear except for the fear you have just faced. Courage can be used 24/7 to make us better people. However, we have to welcome courage. We must accept it and let it help build us. If not, where have we gotten?

Courage- Images

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty Web Site

The New Colossus

By Emma Lazarus, 1883

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

This poem describes, in my mind, the way America should be. "Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost to me", how can we enscribe this on a national figure and then proceed to deport the people who flee to our land back to theirs!? How do we obtain the audacity to call this our land when it once belonged to those we now deport from it? I think the government fears the idea of letting non- US citizens come here because they fear these immigrants will become stronger and reclaim what was once theirs. It is ludacris. The poem is trying to tell us that we are a shelter for those who cannot live freely in their homeland, but we stole these peoples homeland and restrict them from returning. This poem makes me like our immagration services even less. The statue of liberty is supposed to welcome all castaways and homeless to our land, but now she will only welcome those who have a legal document permitting their entrance!? This poem makes America look like a country of hipocricy.