09 JUNE 2010 Blog Response: Being Mean

When I was in 3rd and 4th grade, I lived in Berlin Twp, NJ. There was a kid who lived on our street who also wasn't "all there" much like Doodle. We picked on him constantly because he was "different" from us. We called him names, made him eat dirt, and whenever we would go through the woods, we would ditch him on purpose and make find his on way out.

Of course we were too young to fully understand what we were doing, but looking back on it now, I do feel really bad about it. We never understood what "mental illness" meant. To us 9-year-olds it just meant "stupid". All we could understand was that he wasn't like us, so that made him the outcast. If I saw him today, I would absolutely apologize, even if we were "kids being kids".

Doodle's brother picks on him for the same reasons we picked on the kid on our street. Today, we still act mean towards people, but for completely different reasons. Of course we understand, or should understand, what we're doing. Some people do it for the sake of feeling superior, or they just haven't grown up or matured yet. People like me just do it for laughs. We "bust chops", tell jokes and stories, and make fun of each other all the time, but it's all in good fun.

19 MAY 2010 Blog Response: Blog About Whatever

Today, at 3:30pm, I will be getting ready to leave for Fort Dix in Burlington County. I will be staying at the hotel there, and in the morning, I will be taking my physical to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. I'll be waking up at 0400hrs on Thursday morning. This is a big step for me in my life. I still find myself trying to take in the fact that I'm actually doing this. I'm excited beyond belief, but at the same time, more nervous than you can imagine. The only unfortunate part, is that Thursday is only the qualification part of the enlistment. I can't swear in until the 1st of July. They couldn't enlist me now, even if they wanted to because they're so backed up with recruits. My boot-camp date is looking to be around mid-December. That's fine with me, I wouldn't want to be in South Carolina during the summer...way too hot for me! I just hope everything goes well. I really can't wait to see myself in that Marine Corps uniform. I'm still not sure how many years I wish to stay in for. I guess it all depends on how well I like it. I want to at least make Staff Sergeant (E-6) before I retire.

5 MAY 2010 Blog Response: Job-Seeking Skills

I will be enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. By the time I'm 25-years-old, I'm assuming I'll be a Sergeant. The Marine Corps is one of the best options to go for. Along with the training, the disicpline, the leadership, and the motivation, the biggest perk is job security. Once you have a job, nothing is guaranteed that you will keep that job for long. Not in today's world, at least. In the Marine Corps, you're not going anywhere unless you really mess up and do something bad. With the Marine Corps comes a sense of pride, but there's certain skills that are needed to be successful in this job.

1. Listening to others: From the second you enter bootcamp and on, you will always receive orders from someone higher in ranks than you. The key is how well you can listen to nd understand those orders.
2. Becoming actively involved: You won't get anywhere in the Marine Corps if you slack off. Get involved.
3. Taking personal reponsibility: You're going to make mistakes. We all do. However, you have to learn how to take personal reponsibility for your own actions. It shows that you are willing to accept what you did wrong, and are willing to correct it.
4. Maintain emotional control under stress: During boot camp, you'll be away from home for 3 months. Then you'll go to job training, and after that get shipped overseas. You'll also be screamed at by instructors. This can cause a lot of stress. But you have to keep strong. You have to keep your composure, and be able to do the job the very best that you can.
5. Confronting other people: You'll eventually be put in charge of a group of people. They too, will make mistakes. You're going to have to confront them and explain to them what they did wrong. It doesn't always have to be a mean confrontation, but it still needs to be done.
6. Being thorough: A lot of training goes into being a Marine. When explaining something to another, you have to be very straight-forward and very detailed.
7. Enduring long hours: This isn't your average "9 to 5" job. This isn't just enduring long hours. Try enduring long months. Basic training itself is 3 months long. After that you'll be gone for at least 15 months at a time. Patience is key.
8. Motivating others: This is a real key factor. This job is tough. A lot of stress builds up. You need to motivate yourself and others to do the best that they can even when the times get tough.
9. Thinking in a logical manner: You have to be smart when doing what you're doing. There's no room for stupidity in the Marine Corps. Use your head.
10. Recommending courses of action: If something isn't right, look for an alternative. Look at your options and choose what you feel is best suited to get the job done right.

28 APR 2010 Blog Response: Polonius, Hamlet, and Privacy

The boundaries of privacy is a very shaky topic. No one can really say what's right or wrong, because everyone has their own opinion about it. My opinion is, you should only go through privacy if there is a "need to know." If what you are doing is so imporant that it requires some information, then you should have the right to get that information. If not, then you do not have the right to know. If you're suspecting someone of doing something wrong, make sure you look more into it and gather as much information as possible before taking on other measure that involve going through personal belongings and such.

21 APR 2010 Blog Response: Blogging is Torture!

In Shakespear's England, many different tortures were used against those who commited crimes. Some included: The Rack, Manacles. The Iron Maiden, and The Iron Maiden. Any crime committed during these times would result in one of those punishments.

The Rack had a rectanglular frame with rollers at either one end or the other. The victim's arms and legs would be tied to these ends. Pressure would then be applied, eventually tearing the arms and legs out of their sockets. Manacles are bascially handcuffs. The victim would be hanged by the handcuffs, causing severe pain to the wrists. The Iron Maiden is a basically a casket with spikes inside of it.

Capital Punishment has many people shooting different opinions about when it should or shouldn't be used. Myself, I believe in the death penalty. I believe in "an eye for an eye." Whatever crime committed is how the person should be treated. Just like they did back then.

14 APR 2010 Blog Response: Background Music

The scene I have selected is the Slaughter in the Hall. In this scene, Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and one other helper, trapped the suitors in the hall. They moved the weapons to safe place so that the suitors could not access them, they sealed the doors shut, and readied themselves for what may be their biggest challenge. Odysseus reclaimed his throne with Telemachus sitting beside him. Antinous took a sip of wine from his cup, and just as he lifted the cup; Odysseus shot an arrow through his throat - the wine and blood streaming out from his nostrols, throat, and mouth. With that, Odysseus and his son started raining arrows upon the remaining suitors; killing every last one of them. Amphinomus charged at Odysseus in anger, but Telemachus stabbed him from behind. It was an all-out slaughter.

I can relate to this, not in the way that I've actually slaughtered a mass number of people, but in a way that someone has done something or said something that I've wanted to kill them on the spot. This scene really makes me anxious. It's full of suspense and action. When I read it, I can imagine what's going on in my head, and I'll I can say to myself is, "Wow...that really happened. They actually murdered all those people."

The song I would choose to fit the background is Awake by Godsmack. It has a very hardcore, hardrock guitar riff that brings out the anger in the scene. The lyrics fit into what would be going on inside Odysseus' mind during the whole slaughter. It's a perfect fit; nothing else could describe it better than this song.

Here are the links to both the song and the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opU1urLhw50
http://www.metrolyrics.com/awake-lyrics-godsmack.html

WARNING: The song and lyrics contain explicit content.

31 MAR 2010 Blog Response: Home Sweet Home

My home lies in the town of Stratford, NJ. It's an average-sized home neighbored by other houses and surrounded by green grass, tall trees, and fresh gardens. Living here is pretty smooth. Everyone wakes up, gets ready for school or work, and out the door we go. On the weekends, the kids are usually out playing ball at the park. From the outside looking in, it's just your average neighborhood. From the inside, it's my sanity.

This place is always worth fighting for. It's my home. It's where I grew up all my life. It's where I learned just about everything I know now. So many unforgetable memories have come from my home. For as long as I live, I shall never f0rget this place nor the people that live here.

"You can the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home." - Bon Jovi