totem

The thing that i think suits me is an owl. im pretty relax most of the time but i observable most of the time. that is why i think i am kind of like an owl.

Lies are better then the truth

In my opinion when someone asks you a question they always want to here something nice so why tell the truth if its going to hurt there feelings? like last year everyday before school my sister would ask me if what she was wearing looked alright ,so everyday of coarse I'm going to tell her she looks ok no matter what she was wearing because if i didn't it would hurt her feelings. so i believe you should always be nice whether its the truth or not.

School Spirit

I agree with Tony and Cassie on this one...assemblies just give me headaches what with stupid idiots surrounding you, yelling in ur ears like they just dont give a fuck about how its affecting people around them. Then there telling you to stand up. John also has a good point...trash canning is even funner than going to the assemblies. (Though I have only done it once.) For those of you that say school spirit includes our pride in the school, I don't even see a single reason to have pride in this school whatsoever. The fact that the assemblies are mandatory is shit. The assemblies are suppose to make people more positive about school, but when you force someone to do something that they don't want to, do you honestly think they are going to be positive? Hell no, eventually they will start hating the school, then after that they will drop out. School Spirit doesn't even deserve to be capitalized. Oh and i dont know who said it but i agree...Orange is the most hideos color ever.

High School...

If you all haven't noticed when I get bored I rant on here, but anyway high school big topic i know. Lately I have realized how annoying high school can be. One thing that drives me nuts, is labels, labels are the stupidest thing ever it seems like some people come up with ideas of what they think of us before they have even spoken to us. It's like a comfort thing or something they give you a label so they know "what" you are. It annoys me because its like come on we are not a freaking grocery store where we are all in our places by title or food label.

My next thing is gossip, people feel like that just because the two people sitting next to them are talking about something, that they need to know it too, which they don't. And most of the time it's someone that you don't even know. Next thing you know everyone knows and by the time the 300th person knows the story is so twisted around. People always feel a need to be in others people's business, or they think they know what is better for you in certain situations when they don't even know half of what is going on.

Lastly is people aren't unique. Everyone is always following new fashions or fads that come along to "fit" in. Personally I hate being a crouwd follower, I am different, and I don't say it because of the everyone trying to be different. I do what I like if its something other people are doing then cool, if not then that's awesome too. I have some pretty funny lines that i like to use so that just leaves one thing...

Amy quit stealing my lines!!!!

School Spirit. numero quatro.

School spirit i feel like is very important.
We need to have pride in our school. WE dont have much.

Alot of people in our class are stupid and DONT do anything!
and its really irritating. just because they dont wanna look dumb, but really their the ones who look dumb. I think they should get over themselfs and just do it.
its not very hard.

yupp, pretty much our class sucks.

topic tres.

Welllllll, i think the symbol that represents me would have to be a huge smiley face.
:)
Im almost always happy, and i consider myself a very nice person.
I also am pretty funny, (so i hear) but i like to make people laugh and smile.
Also faamily, friends, and sports make me happy..

:)
what the heck, i wanted it bigger, ah well.
ha.

I think thats its okay to lie.
its really up to the person and how they feel.
Lying doesnt really get you anywhere either.
Honestly, i lie sometimes, but i dont think that it makes me a bad
person.
Ive lied over little things, like saying that my homeworks all done
when its not. just things like that..

topic uno.

Who has influenced you the most in your life?

I dont know, just came up with it, sounded like a good one to ask.

Truths and Lies. (Topic #2)

I think it is best to only lie when it is neccesary, and suttle. If someone really likes something, and asks me what i think about it, i will most likely say "i like it too" or "yeah, its cool" whether thats actually what i think or not. I personally, dont start lies of my own. Like saying things out of no where that are compltely untrue. I just sometimes lie to people to keep from hurting their feelings, or something like that. When people tell me things, i keep them to myself. For example-
If someone was to tell me something and someone else came up asking me if i knew about it, i would most likely say no. I have found out from experience, that some things are just better left unsaid, and it saves a ton of drama.

I basically look at lying in two different lights; negitive and positive. Negitive lying would be lying to hurt someone intentionally, to make yourself lok better then you actually are, or to keep yourself out of trouble. You have to fess up to your mistakes and learn from them!
Postive lying would be lying to protect someones feelings, or to stay out of drama. Just not spreading the information that was confided in you.

School spirit...A new point of view.

Well, this is pretty ironic. I'm a cheerleader (Who are supposed to be VERY full of spirit) But honestly...I REALLY don't care that much. Why do we all have to go running around freaking out about our school? Half of our student population consists of stoners anyway...Why should those of us who care have to make up for everyone who doesnt. I think school spirit is way over rated. Those are my true feelings. But, as I said, I'm a cheerleader. Happy, peppy, excited about EVERYTHING, Cheerleader. Goooooo Lions! Have you ever heard of a cheerleader who truly doesn't care about the school their attending? Well, I care about my friends and the people around me and my grades and so on, but do I really care about how our football team is doing this season? Does it REALLY matter to me who goes to state? Ummm...no. I don't care. That's just my opinion. Cheerleaders work too hard to be looked at as the peppy idiots. That's not me.

ScHoOl SpIrIt

I think school spirit is sort of a thing to bring us all together and appreciate our school... I personally don't dress up for anything, but I think it's fun to see what other people come up with for ideas of how to dress for the particular day.

School Spirit

The whole spirit thing really doesn't bother me all that bad. Some people really hate the pep assembly's and stuff but I don't really mind them. Their not all that bad. I myself don't really have that much spirit because I don't really care but I don't mind helping out with our class and stuff.

Totem

My totem would probably be either an asics symbol because not only do I like the brand but it kinda defines me as a runner. I used to be a really good runner, I used to win a lot of races. Then just recently I feel like things have gotten a lot more seriouse and running isn't so fun for me so i Just started not to care anymore and now i kinda suck.

Deadline Extension

**!ANNOUNCEMENT!**

The deadline for the commentary is being extended for a week, until NEXT Saturday -- Halloween.  What Logan just did is impressive -- but it makes me feel guilty, that I asked you all to write that much in one week with all the other things due.  Well, maybe not guilty, but I want to give everyone a reasonable chance to get it done, because I do want to see your comments and answers to the questions.  So, another week to answer all of the class's questions from the first blog, and then comment on two other posts for each of the other three topics (Truth and Lies, Totem, School Spirit).

Have a nice weekend.  Finish your book journals.

Really long ongoing commentary

OK I'm going to do this all in one post first the questions. Starting from the first question up. What is the most important truth that I know? it has to be just my religious beliefs because I'm LDS "mormon" so most of my truths come from that. What exactly is reality? this is a hard one because you can always argue against one oppinion but mine is that reality is all things existing in the past present future all matter and material in the space time continuum and yes i know what that is, so i hope that answers that somewhat fuzzily. Who's my favorite author? well i don't like to read so i'll just say Conor Kostick. What is the best book i've ever read? don't laugh i don't read a lot but hatchet. The biggest thing that has influenced my life? probably it would have to be my friends because i'll admit it i give into peer pressure. How many crispy chicken wings for 28 men at a party? first why aren't there women there and second 168 that is about 6 per person plus dipping sauce and drinks. What i want my legacy to be? well i didn't read that whole blog so i don't know what she ment but i'd like my legacy to be a good and prosperous one you know like a book would say about a king. If i could do anything for the world what would it be? well just live my life and help in small ways because no one person can change the world except superman he can do anything. Would i rather be a geek or nerd? easy nerd one i'm already one and nerds are usually smart and get to be good at video games. what other blogs do i like to read? i don't like blogging so none. What annoys me the most? well i am fine with a lot of things but one thing is when people think they're being smart but they are acutally horribly wrong. I'll answer my question what is the most impactful thing in my life? probably would be when i moved here when i was 5 years old because otherwise i wouldn't be in St helens..... maybe that is a good thing. what has gotten me to where i am here today? well probably just the box answers my family friends religion and where i actually am like where i'm living. what is the best advice i've ever gotten who from and why was it so impacting? probably from my mom to do a little work all the time so when a project is due or something i don't have a lot of work at one time just the same little amount. who has influenced my life the most? it has to be my mom well first she gave birth to me and second she has taught me a lot of what i know and also takes care of me snirf snirf. what is the most painful injury i've ever had? i know it is lame just a sprained ankle from twisting it in a pot hole it lasted about a week that is it. what do i believe in, why, when did it start, what do i know that supports it, can it be scientifically proven, does that mean it is or isn't true? I believe in my religion my parents have had me going for well since i've been born but i haven't really truly believed until a few years ago what supports it is that it has beliefs similar to other religions but it has all the holes or questions filled in or answered no it cannot be scientifically proven but it doesn't mean it is wrong a lot of stuff can't be proven like how anything, exists. when do i start looking at the positive? when the negative is so bad that the positive is the only place to turn and there is a difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny. would i fall in love if i knew my heart was going to be broken? yes just because it is a way to pass the time. what is my favorite music/genre/artist,band/song? country the rascal flatts and me and my gang. what is my biggest downfall? i would say my social abilities which are not great. what is my most embarassing thing that has happened to me and why was it embarassing? i really don't get embarassed i do get nervous but that is different. what experience has taught me the most? not really one thing but schooling in general because that is what we do here we learn at least some of us. why do guys wear girl pants? i know this isn't really appropriate but i think it is them imagining the girl in those pants having their vagina where there penis is. worst memory every? when i got a really bad sunburn on a vaccation which completely ruins it. Is there a god? yes. did we really land on the moon? yes. If i could have anything in my life what would it be? just a normal life with some surprises thrown in but hopefully a majority are good surprises. what motivates me to put forth my best effort? well i don't put forth my best effort so nothing i guess i don't know. why people think they are awesome at something when they aren't? to make (themselves) feel better (themself or themselves). tour the U.S. europe or asia? easy asia. best burger i've ever had? definetely these homemade ones i made once. well i think that was all the questions.
truth and lies: i chose loathing in st helens. well his i partially agree with since you sometimes have to lie. ryno's i agree also since lying is necassary but i disagree on that it is needed.
totems: i chose tiffany's well that is strange that she would want to be a whale to just float there and do nothing but that is fine i guess also the music note ah i cant really say. also i chose nicole larson's she picked her family soccer band and school well i guess that pretty much takes up all day every day for her except i'm sure she probably finds time to spend with friends.
School spirit: i chose will c.'s and i agree that i don't want it to apply to me but i disagree that it is good for anyone. also i chose no bones tony! and ya he is pretty much right on the whole pep assemblies subject so i really don't need to add anything.
So there are my commentaries sorry for the quality degrading i did this all in one sitting and well it got boring.

school spirit

Oh yes the dreaded topic of school spirit. I'm going to be completely honest I don't believe in school spirit at all in any way shape or forum. My freshman year i tried to go with it a little i went to the pep assembly's i wore orange to represent my class. But as my sophomore year rolled around i suddenly opened my eyes. I mean whats the point of sitting in a hot gym full of around 1200 kids yelling and cheering like a bunch of rabid animals and whats with all the orange if i want to look like a total idiot wearing orange you would probably see me on the side of the highway wearing a construction vest and carharts carrying a stop sign and i don't want to be that guy. do you? I'm also not going to lie i haven't gone to a single pep assembly or for that matter any assembly at all so far this year. ( i hope carhvallo doesn't read these some how ;P) I think that just because you don't want to sit in a hot and sweaty gym that smells like balls with around 1200 kids jacked up on energy drinks doesn't classify you as a loser in my book. i mean ya we get to boo some freshman but quiet honeslty if i want to be a dick to some freshman id rather go trash canning :D. but then again everyone has their own definition of fun.

Totem.

I think that my totem would be a heart with wings.

The heart with wings basically explains who i am, and all the things that have happened in my life. Even though it may not seem like it to some people, i am a lover. I love people, and tend to see the good in everyone before i see the bad. I am also a dreamer. I have nig dreams in life, and i am on the path to achieve them.

The picture as a whole represents an expericence ive had in my life; my brothers death. I have no explaination on why a 19 year olds life would be taken, but this picture gives me a little closure. I think its the perfect picture to represent me.

school spirit

I am a football player so i do think school spirit is important. Homecoming also gives us a chance to have fun and get competative with the other classes it gives us a sort of break from just school. its a fun for me but i dont think they should make it mandatory for the people that arent fans of it but thats just my personal thoughts

Totem Pole

Ok so I talk too much and I have a hard time summing up my life in a few words or pictures so I'll do my best on this one. I imagine my totem pole would have the basic most important things to me. Who am I kidding if I really had one of these things it would be so overloaded and cluttered with crap that it would probably tip over and fall on someone . Out of no where lightning would stike it and it would catch on fire and then the fire department would show up and an ambulence and cops. All the other people with their totems would be like crowding around trying to see what's going on and I'd show up and wonder what everyone was looking at. Then I'd figure out that my totem was like engulfed in flames. Everyone would be staring and I'd be dressed like a ninja with a cape and a huge moustache and that would be before even any one figured out that it was my totem that's on fire. I'd be running towards it and I'd trip on my cape and then the person my totem fell on's family would like surround me in an angry mob. Rachael would come out of no where in her leaning grasshopper pose and save me and then I'd have to start my totem over again. Among all the other stuff this little story would probably be on it. I'd put something like holding hands on it to symbolize friendship and something to represent putting others before myself. A smiley face for laughing and and all the joking around I do. A mirror because I'm wayy to into myself. Paper for my love of writing and books. A purse or shoe for my love of fashion. Ya idk that's all I can thinkof right now.

School Spirit

I think that the idea of school spirit is a good thing. It's supposed to be fun and get you involved. The whole point is to support us ourselves the student body and the establishment we attend 5 days a week for like 7 hours a day. I think that there's no reason not to just participate and have fun. I mean seriously everyone does make a big deal about it but so are you people that refuse to have school spirt. WHY NOT get excited? WHY NOT cheer on your team? Do you think our athletes drag themselves to every practice fundraiser and game just to be unrecognized and unappreciated? You like it when people give you a pat on the back and say good job when you know you deserve it right? Well so do they. It's fun to dress up and scream and yell your loudest. How often do you get to do that? And you can't tell me you don't like competing with the other grades and the awesome feeling when you know your class is the best at something. So you're really only dissing yourself when you choose not to participate. I can see the other side of things though also. I understand that you don't get to voice your opinions and have things the way you voted just because CERTAIN OTHER PEOPLE want things their way. They have to control EVERYTHING even if they aren't good at it just to be in control and they have to boss people around and then they wonder why they don't get your respect when they glare at you and yell at you to stand up. And I know that you don't respect THEM because they don't respect you and their personalities suck and they only do what they want to do. But you have to understand something. By you choosing not to participate it allows them to continue doing things their way and ignoring you and disrespecting you. School spirit might not be a fun thing for you because of these very reasons. If these people are your reasons for not having school spirit just because you don't want to follow their orders please change your mind. Don't let them do things their way any more. Participate, voice your opinion and things might change. Make it what you want it to be and have fun! If you sit there and sulk don't expect things to get better. If you aren't being peppy for other reasons please ask yourself this: Our school "sucks" and our town is gross and everything but have you ever thought that maybe at least while we're here we can make it not suck by getting involved, and heaven forbid maybe even getting a bit excited? Yes I know what you're probably thinking. She's a cheerleader it's her job to be peppy blah blah blah NO. I'm not saying any of this because I'm a cheerleader. I believe in school spirit because it's a chance for all of us to come together, have fun and support each other. So what do you say? Let's get a little bit rowdy;)

Topic #5 (of a sort) Commentary

Thank you all for your honest and well, spirited answers to the last topic. I'd like to give us a chance to digest what we have here, and for people who have fallen behind to catch up (Please do feel free to post late blogs), so this week, there will be no new blog topic. Instead, your assignment is to respond to the past weeks: you must go to the first week and answer everyone's question, and then for each of the following weekly topics, you must post at least two substantive comments -- TOTAL, not for every post. Substantive means that your comment must add something to the discussion; "I agree" or "lawlz" does not add anything to the discussion, but "I agree because my experience has been similar: I have often eaten Skittles, but I have never tasted the rainbow. Perhaps the taste of the rainbow is a spiritual experience, rather than merely a physical one." is substantive -- it is on topic, and it has substance. Your comment doesn't need to be long, but it should have a point.
Two per week: that's two on Truth and Lies, two on Totems, and two on School Spirit, once you have answered all of the class's questions. You don't need to answer my question. You are, of course, welcome to comment on more than two posts, or more than once on the same post as a discussion develops. A comment on your own post, that responds to another comment, will count as a comment for the assignment.

If you have already answered the class questions, and/or commented at least twice per week's topic, you are done for the week. Feel free to comment more, as you like.



A few mechanical tips:

• The blog shows 7 posts per page initially, but if you click on one of the links in the list of the blog archive on the left-hand side, it will change that: click on a specific post title, and only that post will be shown; click on the month (September or October) and it will show every post for the month on a single page. Click on 2009 and it will give you every single post to date on one page.

• To comment on a post, click on the "Comment" link at the end of the post; a second window will pop up and show all of the previous comments (If your browser is like mine it will give you a dialog box that asks about secure and non-secure items in the window; this is because people have avatar pictures that come from "insecure" links. Say yes or no, it only changes how many pretty pictures you see). The window has a box for entering new comments, which you will make use of. You must close this window before opening a new comment window; you cannot simply bring the main blog page to the front and then click on a Comment link again. Doing this makes the machine cry. Not really, but wouldn't that be funny?

• If you simply must use html tags, they will work on the comments -- but nothing complicated. You can use italics, bold, underlining, that sort of thing. You do this by typing i, b, or u in angle brackets <> at the beginning of what you want to have italicized or in bold face, and then the same letter with a slash before it in angle brackets at the end of what you want to have italicized. /i, /b, /u.

School spirit

I can't say how much I hate school spirit. I swear to god every pep assembly makes me want to die. The reason is that everyone makes such a fucking big deal about it. I mean really there's people saying they hate it and people saying that the people that hate it are losers. People say it's so fun and fucking argue with you at the assemblies. They should just turn around and do their own shit because I can't stand them. And then they're all oh wow your so cool for not cheering thinking that that would embarrass you into cheering when all it does is make you want to piss them off by staying in your seat because it's hilarious watching them try to come up with a second insult that isn't as retarded as the first. I forgot about this till like 10 minutes ago when I was lying in bed. It's 11:43 so yeah it's on time.

School Spirit- Will L

You know, I enjoy spirit week. I really do. It's exciting, fun, and a lot of people look forward to it. I enjoy dressing up for (most of) the days. It seems to me, though, that a lot of our school is not into spirit week. I mean, really, what was the tally for how many students dressed up? I think on retro day I saw more teachers dressed up than students. So, what I am saying is, our school needs to get a lot more spirit. It really isn't that hard to wear yellow and black on a Friday, and to yell really loudly at a pep assembly. It's not that hard to get involved in a skit, or to help out with the float. Those are my thoughts on school spirit.

School spirit.

I used to have school spirit,I dressed up,cheered and even tried to help with the play and float. It annoyed me when some people who stood up there and complained the whole practice how nobody was doing anything.Telling us to stand up is pointless and won't suddenly grant us with the gift that is school spirit because you yell and kick us untill we stand(which I actually did have someone do.) Last year a group of friends and me signed up to help with the floats and wrote down our numbers.None of us got called or asked again to help. So,don't tell me to stop sitting in the bleachers and help when I offered and you didn't want it. I have personal reasons why I do not like this school,But I go because my friends and family are all in St.Helens. Isn't it a little rude to tell people to leave the school if they don't like it? (not very school spirit like if you ask me) Not everyone can help being here. I support the school in other ways. Like asking the new kid to sit with me at lunch and standing up for someone who is beaing teased. Are the actual students at this school worth less than the idea of school spirit?

School Spirit

I really think school spirit is important. Like a lot. Unfortunately most of my friends think it's lame. School spirit is about showing you care about our school. It's not all about sports. It's also about being united as a class, doing your best and showing off how amazingly talented we all are. I also think it's important to have school spirit so we break the stupid rule that says underclassmen aren't as good as the upperclassmen. We can definitely beat them if we actually try. Also, I think that if we show school spirit now, we'll be able to show devotion to our jobs later on. If you really care about something then you want everyone to know it right? The only way our school will be better is if we show that we have that pride in it. Because honestly, something you don't care about at all and expect to fail is only going to do that much. You have to fight for success. Why not start here with little old SHHS?

More on Spirit

Okay so I already posted on this but now that homecoming has happened i have more to say. Yeah I know our skit was lame and, yeah I was in it cause someone asked me if I would because they needed more people. But as i watched people try to quiet our class down and it didn't work and the more and more people complained about how lame our class was or our skit, blah blah, etc. I thought if you don't like it then don't just sit there and complain do something about it. Be quiet enough for our officers to talk, and if you want things to be better get involved yourself.

sophomorasurus!

I think school spirit is exactly what it is.
it helps our schools spirits, whether it be sports teams, clubs, or even band.
if everyone participates, it literally gets you more into the things going on around our school!
And for everyone that says it pointless and boring yadda yadda yadda...
GO HOME!
your just a Debbie Downer!
i mean come on how hard is it to wear a friggen orange tee shirt, and stand up for a half an hour, i bet you would do that if you got a book you really wanted so why not do it for your fellow friends and classmates?!?!
SERIOUSLY if any of you had school spirit you would know our float got 1ST place AGAIN this year.
ANd if you say well the skit sucked, why dont you HELP and have INPUT to what takes place.
that would really help and everyone that works their butts off would really appreciate it!

School Spirit.

A lot of people will relate school spirit to strictly pep assemblies. Although pep assemblies are a big part of school spirit, there is certainly other things that make up that defintion. I went on a hunt to figure out what a legit defintion for school spirit is. This is what i found

school spirit [skool spir-it] - adjective: an undefinable feeling of pride, loyalty, sportsmanship, rivalry and passion for one's place of learning.

I think that fits perfect.

A lot of students in our grade do not participate in simple acts of pride due to embarrasment. They feel like they are going to look "stupid" or "out there". they do not remember, thats the point! School spirit isnt about looking cool, or fitting in, its about all the things listed in the above defintition. If we could get everyone to find there school spirit, and display it in front of their peers then we would have a much more enjoyable high school experience together, and make much more memories.

Yesterday, at skit practive, everyone just kind of seemed to not care anymore and walk out of the gym ten minutes before we were supposed to be dismissed. Jenny and I went back to see if everyone else was going back; they didnt. There was a lady in there (not sure of her name) who had the people who were in there circle around her so she could talk to us. She said that there is obvious attitude and seperation in our grade; we dont make everyone feel welcome. Well maybe if we had some school spirit, it would bring those sides together and elimainate some of the attitude. Whatb do you think?

School Spirit? Laaame.

Such is the general tone of a person who openly opposes the concept of school spirit. They think it's lame, they think it's conformist, so they just sit down at pep asseblies and screw it up for the people who get into it. On the other hand, the assemblies are mandatory, and if you'd rather spend the time reading than all the better to you.

So what's the point? School spirit as a concept is clearly something made up by the school, as a method of getting everybody riled up for the positive . Is it a conspiracy to get us all to go to football games and buy their overprices concessions? Possibly. But then again, perhaps it's for sanity. We're all stuffed like sardines into a small school, often doing work against our will. Put in the occasional fun game, and we won't go mad. School spirit is the radio in the background to the metaphorical sweatshop of SHHS.

As angry as that metaphor may seem, I like school spirit. We're here for four years, and it's nice to have a little personality behind the time spent here. Shockingly enough, 30 years from now, you may enjoy the memories of competing for the spirit stick. It's stupid but fun - why not get into it?

the spirit of school...

this one is about your overall attitude about school spirit huh? well i think its not everyones cup of tea sure, but i think you kind of have to have it to remain positive throughout the school year. IT IS NOT JUST PEP ASSEMBLIES!!! and yeah pep assemblies suck... there is no point to them but without school spirit, we would have no band, choir, and the all powerful sports!!! i personally don't like sports but just take a minute to think about all of the people that do... do you really want to take those kids hearts away from them and leave them to die a slow and painfull death?! so long story short, we have school spirit so innocent children don't die.

Add on to school spirit post

So I've been reading more and more of the blogs others posted and I think that everyone is tying this to one thing... pep assemblies. Is that really all school is? Is it not clubs? Sports? Grades? Band? Choir? I think school spirit is a general feeling about school or your school in general. Not just pep assemblies.

School Spirit

Ok so personally I like pep assemblies and think they are fun. And I I think its really stupid that people say that people who like pep assemblies are rude because even though there are people there who try to make people stand and cheer there are more people mocking others for wanting to so. Also school spirit isn't just pep assemblies its also just going to school. If you don't have any school spirit why are you there? Why do you go to school if you hate it so much and everything about it? Why not just get home schooled or take online classes? I think that everyone at school has a little bit of school spirit and even those who talk about haw dumb it is they care enough to talk about it.

school spirit

well i personally dont really care about it that much.
if other people like it then that's cool it doesn't bother me at all,
however i would like to note though that it is funny that a lot of people think that it is over-rated,
yet if a lot of people thought that it was over-rated
how then would it be over-rated. wouldn't then everyone just not think that much of it.
i just thought that was kind of funny dont have anything else though so bye.

Totem (I know this is late, but my internet connection died on me GRRR)

My totem would have to be a bee. I think it describes me well. Anyone who knows me, not even well but knows a little about me knows that the saying "busy as a bee" was essentially written for me. I plan my life so I have minimal idle time, and I like it that way. Not only though am I constantly doing something, but I'm normally doing something productive and have invested dedication in it. And if you think about it bees are one of the most dedicated creatures there are, they spend their whole life doing one job, and doing it well. So I think that a bee symbolizes me well.

School Spirit

What school spirit? Oh... that

School Spirit; noun: An excuse for those who place a false importance into a game to act like fools and it not be viewed as gaucherie.

I think that pretty clearly states my view. I also, personally, find it frustrating when those who have School Spirit and revolve their life around it get mad at those of us who don't. Freedom of speech and the right to assemble peacefully go both ways, no one can, nor should try to force us to speak or assemble at all. But that's just me.

Really?!

Why? Why did you need to put that as a topic!? I'm not going to lie, but I hate pep assemblies. My mom is laughing at me, because she thinks that they aren't bad, and that I'm just complaining for no reason. But really, why do we need them? There is absolutely no point! Well, I take that back. There is, but the dare I say that the majority of the student body don't care. I know that it's at least half. But I guess I can sort of understand school pride, etc. Think about it. The students are what people see of St. Helens. We need to have pride(I can't believe I just wrote that) in what St. Helens should stand for, and not what people assume or degrade us for standing for. I guess what I'm getting at is that School spirit has been blown up into ridiculous assemblies, dress up weeks, etc, and it's not what it originally stood for, ie pride and stuff. This topic is a direct example of that. What is everyone writing about? Pep assemblies! And Mr. Humphrey had so much more in his post than pep assemblies. It's all ridiculous in my opinion.

Ohh so lame

Like Logan said. Completely predictable. Seniors 1st, Juniors 2nd, Sophoballs 3rd and Freshman barely on the score board. Let's all scream at the top of our lungs and watch sports teams practice. They don't really enforce people to go because I can say that I have had a few days that I just went home early. As for the dressing up thing. I guess it's a good idea for being creative but if they will let us wear something for one day of the school year why not the rest? Who's to say I can't dress up like Jimi Hendrix, Steve Urkle or Lady Gaga every day. That's completely off subject but It's something to blog about. As for class colors I think orange is one of the most hideous colors so you will probably never seen me dressed up in class colors. I think overall school spirit blows. They should just let us go to class during all the pep assembly times and then we can get out of school one day earlier. That would be better. Peace out home dawg.

Spirit? What?

I think the issue I have with this spirit stuff, is that, people take it too damn seriously. I mean, you love your class, that's amazing! I'm glad you have something to love, but I feel almost like a religion is being forced upon me when I've got people screaming and trying to drag me around to cheer for their little pals on the court. Not to sound like a DICK, but I really don't care! Screaming for people just isn't my thing, I get headaches easily and such. Noise bothers me. It's not my fault my head can't take the sound! But those assemblies just don't help at all! We could be so much more civilized about it! I just feel like beating a drum won't help anything but a loss of hearing. But hey, that's my opinion, and I'm just saying is all.

School spirit oooh how dare you put that as a topic

Well since you asked how I feel about it, it's useless, unneeded, and annoying. Harsh I know but it is true, first there are no class competitions because no matter what happens seniors get first juniors second sophomores third and freshmen don't get ranked. Also people get to excited over them and it gets annoying in class spending 25 minutes arguing about random things people screaming in the halls really annoying during the assemblies when people tell you to stand shout and participate but it has nothing to do with me and I have no desire to get into it plus I don't want to spend my free time helping gosh what are they thinking.

It is useless because what is actually the purpose of them since school spirit does nothing for you it doesn't help in any way it may help the people playing sports but I really don't think so plus I don't care.Also instead of tacking on days why don't they just cancel assemblies that would be great I'm gitty with happiness at the thought :) well that is it and no matter what you say school spirit is stupid and almost non-existent when there isn't an assembly

School Spirit!?

             Alright, I'm all fine and dandy with people having "school spirit" but it's moments like the dreaded pep assemblies where it goes down hill. I am somewhat okay with pep assemblies, sometimes I even get into them, but a lot of people I know hate them. I think they should seriously be optional. Let them save it for the ones who actually care so the people who are actually into it don't have to.. I guess, yell at the others to stand up. ( I am SO not one of those people fyi :p) And I really think they don't have any right to tell people to stand up. And one time I was sick when we went to one and my head hurt really bad. That was not fun for me AT ALL. And when I sat down, I also got yelled at. Psh idiots.

              And I'd much rather be learning in class then screaming our heads off trying to beat the other class to get the spirit stick. What is even up with that!? But I guess we do it all together because the school wants us all to be involved with stuff I guess. But star search and other assemblies like that are pretty fun, I'm perfectly fine with those :]

         Buuuuut all in all, I guess it's fun to dress up in your class colors and scream your head off at school, that is if you don't have a headache that day.
         

T_T

Sorry if I ramble guys.

WE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO, We got spirirt yes we do, how bout ur mom? (I hope u guys cant read this far.)

School spirit is over rated. It's for popular kids who have nothing better to do but yell at you for sitting during the pep assemblies. Ef them. I only pep assemblies cuz u get to sit and make fun of the people on the floor. ITs sure beats going to Language Arts 10 H. Oh woops!! Did I say that out loud? Nah, Im just kidding, Its prolly like my favorite class. Actually, it is. I like Mr. Humphrey. He makes it fun. Hey, thats the first pic that shows up on Google Images when u type in Mr. Humphrey, so dont ask. -------------------->>

I gues he got his skin color changed. I didnt know he liked poaching elephants either. Anyways, school sirit is not worth dressing up for, except for twin day, thats the shizznat. U know, just sayin.

School Spirit-Will

Alright. I really do not believe in school spirit. It's fine, as long as long as it doesn't apply to me. I f people want to paint their faces and run screaming through the halls, great. Just don't expect me to do it. While I am Ok with school spirit, I absolutely hate pep assemblies. Usually, when something bores me out of my mind, I just read. Have you ever tried reading in the middle of a screaming mass of people? So I just sit there and be miserable while they cheer on some guy who's barfing out his insides after drinking a gallon of milk or some such torture. Last time I made the mistake of sitting next to the really obsessed people who kept screaming at me to get up. "Don't you have any pride in your class!?" um... no? What's there to be proud about? How is yelling at the top of my lungs expressing pride? What I am proud of.. well, uh... I really can't think of anything. I have pretty high expectations, I guess. Whatever. Bye.

School Spirit

School spirit is an okay thing in my opinion but I think people take it too seriously. I don't think it should be centered around sports and I really think people see the wrong side of the school spirit thing. I think school spirit should be something about showing the general public that the people at our school are good citizens and that we aren't all what people think of when they picture a teenager. We should find more ways as a school to participate in community service projects or something like that. Dress up days can be fun if they are creative but if they are things like retro day and class colors days that we have every year then they are pointless, boring, and stupid. Class competitions and pep assemblies are the most annoying and stupid things we could be forced to participate in. What's the point of participating when you know the seniors will win every time just because they are stronger, more experienced, smarter, and all the people who are going to drop out have already left? This does not mean that in two and a half years when I'm a senior I will want to participate but I don't see why we are forced to go to these things. I would much rather go to classes than sit through a pep assembly. I despise it when anyone yells at me to stand up especially because they are always people who think they are better than me just because they are willing to be stupid and "show school spirit". Yeah right. That just makes me less proud of my school.

Totem

My totem would probably be a cat because they are my favorite animal, and they share similar traits with me such as loyalty and trust. There mood can also change at an instants notice and mine will do the same during some situations.

If ur reading this then ur cool.

Ok here's the thing, school spirit is all fine and dandy and I really don't mind dressing up for the events its kinda fun sometimes, but I personally really really don't like pep assemblies...I mean I could be home doing something else instead of standing in crowded bleachers with a bunch of smelly high schoolers, some of which don't know the meaning of the word DEODORANT, but then again if these things are mandatory, why not put a little participation into it? I'm talking about the people who sit for the assemblies right in the middle of the crowd...if your gonna sit at least sit in the back please so there isn't just one big gaping hole in the middle of sophomore section. And I know that its really annoying when "popular" people tell you to stand up, but for goodness sakes alive if you do it then they will shut up. So that's my view on the matter and again if you are reading this you my friend are an awesomely cool person (and you'd be cooler if you left a comment).

Spirit

For I don't mind school spirit mostly because I am in sports and having the students involved with it is fun. Like the soccer assembly for example that was probably the funnest pep assembly I have ever been to because I was in it and they are funner if you get to do the activities. I think pep assemblies are good because it gives students stuff to do as a class but students who don't want to go shouldn't have to go, there should be something else for students to do or they should just be able to leave because it's not like it has anything educational so it shouldn't be mandatory.
I participate in these things but I don't think I have tons of pride in my school, I have more pride in the important things to me and that is family, friends, education, and sports. I am so proud of my family and our reputation, my dad is pretty known in this town and it's in a good way, same with my mom and brother so when people ask me if I am related to them i say yes with a smile on my face. I also take pride when people say I look exactly like my mom. I take pride in my friends because they are always by my side and make me laugh, my education because it is one of the most important things to me because I am going to go to college, and i want to do whatever I can to make my applications stand out compared to anyone else's. And my sports because if I didn't do sports I don't know what I would do, I've been involved with sports competitively since I was about six, so i put a lot into sports.

Late on the totem thing, but

You know, symbolism for me isn't very common. I'm just not a huge fan of it. So I figure, what represents me? Giving.

I always give, maybe not to you, but to someone, the homeless, the dying, the diseased, someone who definitely needs somebody to say that they care. And what makes somebody think you care about them more than MONEY? I mean, most people really like money. I'm not big on it, so I sorta give it out as if I just had a little farm of money. When in reality, I make twenty bucks a week on doing chores and silly little tasks that aren't even worth a dime. Who needs more than maybe, five dollars spare? Not me.

To get to the point, I like giving things to people that don't have anything, and that's all I really stand for these days. What's the point in defending ideas and opinions that nobody cares about?

Topic #4: We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do

It's Homecoming Week!  Everybody dress up in -- what is it?  Oh, yes, I think Retro Day is tomorrow.  I suppose that means I should get a mullet and peg my jeans.  (Stop before you get too excited: I'm never going to get a mullet.  Never.  Seriously.)

I told you all in class that I don't believe in school spirit.  I wasn't very clear about why.  I said that I think there is too much of an emphasis on athletics, which is attached to school spirit -- after all, this entire week of celebrations is basically revolving around a football game -- and that's true, but there's more to it.  It has to do with my feelings about pride in places and names, such as pride in one's family or community, in one's alma mater or graduating class, in one's favorite team or band or NASCAR driver, in one's religion, in one's country.  It also has to do with my own high school experience, which, as I've mentioned, was less than sublime; I had no interest in belonging to my school or my class, and I never once attended a sporting event nor, as I recall, a pep assembly (They were not mandatory at Newton North High School; in fact, I don't believe they happened during school hours -- I don't remember getting to leave early.) I have a large, even sweeping, opinion on the whole thing.

But once again, my opinion is not the important one.  Yours is the important -- well, not one, since there are 35 of you.  But your opinions are more important than mine.  I may try to get to my opinion later on, but first I want to hear what you have to say.

What is your opinion of school spirit?  How would you define it?  Do you think it is fun, or pleasant, or interesting, in and of itself?  Is school spirit good for you, helpful for you, personally?  Does it serve a greater purpose?  If so, what is that greater purpose?  Is St. Helens High School successful in using school spirit to accomplish that purpose?  If not, could it improve?  How?

I also wonder about your feelings about pride in other groups, so I'll ask: what else are you proud of, other than your own accomplishments?  Are you proud of your family name and reputation?  Your town, state, or country?  Your religion?  Your membership in a club, or your inclusion in a group such as supporters of a certain college football team?  What are your thoughts about this kind of pride, this group spirit?

As always, you do not have to answer all of those questions, or even any of them; you just have to respond to the topic in some way.  Your responses are due by Saturday, October 17.

yep in my white tee and tha nikes.

I think my totem would have to be something like the Nike sign, because sports brings my family together, my friends together, and me together.
I've met so many new people threw sports and I've had so many experiences that I would never have had if i didn't play sports.
I think also sports boost my confidence, when someone says wow that was good or your really good, it really helps with my confidence, because i find SO many things wrong with the way I am, and also who doesn't like complements i mean come on.
Also, for the Nike symbol, i really like it, because i could definately go school clothes shopping at only the Nike outlet store :)
Oh and Mr. Humphrey I tried to get this as close to midnight as i could, but im getting bored with waiting!

my totem

Hmm well i guess if i had to to choose a totem to represent myself i would have to choose a turtle. As I'm sitting here thinking what would represent myself a turtle happened to pop into my mind. Turtles are not my favorite animal but i could see a few ways in which they could symbolize me. To start off a turtle has a shell which to me sounds like it would fit perfectly for me. I myself tend to be a very shy person especially when it comes to new people. i can also be a very nervous person and a turtle can hide in its shell when ever it feels uncomfortable. don't get me wrong im not a sad or depressed person im just very shy and can be stand-offish. A turtle also is very soft underneath its shell and underneath my shell of "shyness" i am a very nice person and can be caring at times. A turtle is also very slow and i tend to be a person that likes to eaither take things very slowly or in a very lazy way. I dont know if any of you have seen a turtle run but yes they can so i guess you could say i act very quickly when in a rush and when pushed can complete alot.

My Totem- Will L

You know, this is a pretty hard topic for me to get an answer for. My totem would probably be my house. I have never moved out of this house, been in it since I was a baby. It is really my definition of home. When I think about home, I don't think about the city of St. Helens, I think about my house. I could not imagine living anywhere else, which I will have fun adjusting to in college. So yes, my totem would be my house.

Totem

I think my totem would have to be multiple things honestly. But I'll try really hard to think of one that really really fits. I talked to the expert (my sister) and we came up with two different things that are absolutely perfect. My friends will just laugh, but I'm being serious. 

Well, first is a mermaid because they're mysterious and dangerous yet they seem so innocent. Ha. But really they're not gonna do anything to you unless they're bad mermaids. They just have the potential. And mermaids are just about the most amazing things ever because they have cool hair and they're mermaid-colored. Meaning green, turquoise, or any other color that reminds me of mermaids.

The second one is a velociraptor. Mainly because I'm pro at running like a velociraptor, but also because they're seriously misunderstood. Yes, they're dangerous too, but they're usually just trying to protect something. And they're so dang smart! They're like genius dinosaurs who communicate  through high screechy noises (sometimes I try to impersonate those sounds, but it doesn't sound anything like the noise and Jurassic Park III). So yeah. I'm the mysterious, dangerously clever girl who isn't really dangerous because I'm like not violent at all. Get it? 

Oh, and Kelsey told me to write Alfredo the French Gangster. Haha! Memories!

My Totem..

Would probably be a hummingbird.


      I chose the hummingbird because I love traveling at a fast pace with everything. School, driving, walking (Ha, everyone complains I walk too fast) homework, anything really. I know people say, "You need to stop and smell the roses." Well, I rest, just like hummingbirds rest. But, I don't like slowing down for other people. When you get close to hummingbirds they fly away, not waiting for you, like myself. I love being around beautiful things, such has how hummingbirds are always around flowers. They're really colorful too, which reminds me of optimisim. I am a very big optimist with everything and I love it. Sure, I have my moments but most of the time I'm pretty optimistic. Hummingbirds seem like they're all happy and peppy too, which is how I am most of the time. And I would imagine nectar tastes sweet.. and I love sweets haha. They are also very quiet, like me with people I don't know.
          
                                          So, there's my totem. Woooo :)
     

Totem'

the first thing that comes to my mind is the song ooh ahh by the grits. when i was snow boarding last year i had it on my playlist that i never changed through out the entire year. and now every time i hear it, for that one instance, i am floating down a snow covered mountain and taken away from reality. for a reason i can't explain it only happens with that song, actually it could be the lyrics hmm. anyway if i had to pick a totem that would be it.

My Totem - Will

I put my name on top because when I read others posts, I always have to scroll down to see who wrote it, and then go all the way back up and read it. The time you would have saved by not having to scroll down on my post has now been wasted by reading this. Good job. Anyway, My totem. Although I absolutely hate them, I think it would have to be a jack-in-the-box. Except without a creepy clown and lame music. I say this because lots of the time I'm really quiet and I just read and give people strange looks when they try to talk to me. But if you actually get close enough to me, I'll open up, and you might be a little surprised at the real me. Unless you're in my spanish class, cause I sit by all my friends there, and so I kinda open up. Although I tried valiently, I could not find a jack-in-the-box without a clown or ridiculous exterior. This is the best I could do:

You'll notice that although there is a clown, he is not creepy in any way. I'm rather proud, actually. And on the outside of my box, there would a book that glares at you whenever you approach. So, no wolf and lightning for me. Just and outdated toy that freaks people out.

-Will C.

Pshh.. Well here it is

I have looked here back and fourth for somebody to have some creativeness that just sparks my mind and makes me think of a totem that fits me. All of these have been bland as hell. I mean seriously, a duck Pat?

Well I figured that if I don't do this tonight it won't get done. So I was thinking about it and I realized what it was. A few days ago I was putting on one of my favorite t-shirts and I saw on it the word ambiguous. I had no idea what it meant but it sounded cool so i looked it up on dictionary.com. The definition read "open to or having several possible meanings or interpretation" and "lacking clearness or definiteness". I realized that describes me exactly. I mean being a teenager and all, I don't have an established life yet or have a real path to follow yet so I guess my "totem" or whatever is the word ambiguous.

Totem

Well, I'm sorry for missing the last post and not caring enough to respond to any other post, but I'll complete this one. My totem I guess would be some kind of jungle cat like a jaguar, panther, or tiger just because most of these cats do the same thing, they go do their own thing by themselves get food find a place to sleep but then they still choose to go "mingle" with others of its species when they have to but they prefer to be alone. Also is this related to the mask assignment?

Totem!!

My totem, hmm. When I first saw this topic I was like jeez what am I going to put for me? There are like a bunch of different things that could represent me. But as I thought about it I came up with some things. One is flannel, like a flannel shirt, it represents that I like to hunt and fish, because thats what you wear when you do that and my family is big into it. It also represents that I am a daddy's girl because the first time I wore one was my dad's, and it shows that I am a small town girl because it's not in fashion, when I say flannel I don't mean a fashion flannel shirt I mean an outdoors type flannel shirt. I also think it represents me because its warm and can go over top of stuff, and I always have to layer up because I am always cold.

Converse represent me beause I like anything retro, and I think retro is always in style no matter what. i also like to doodle on them so making them look different than anyone else's represents being unique.

And the last thing that represents me is a peace sign. I am a hippie type person, I belive in the whole make love not war peace slogan. I think fighting is ridiculous and stupid and I will strongly base my opinions about it. So the peace shows my love for peace and my being ant-war like the hippies.

My totem...

I think my totem would have to be a computer, or a plane. A computer because I spend most of my time on it, and it's the only way I can really communicate to people ((I'm so shy in real life!!!)). A plane because I remember always being fascinated with them and always excited to go on them when I was younger, but now I absolutely HATE them! I guess it symbolizes how I used to be so innocent and fascinated by everything and as I grew up I changed my perspectives, and that will always happen as I get older. Maybe I'll love planes again! :D

Liez :O

I tell people what they want to hear most of the time because I am deathly afraid of 1) rejection, and 2) hurting people. It's like against my nature to hurt someone, and if I do I feel guilty forever. I also get very hurt if someone hates me for what I think, even though I know I shouldn't... I'm just a very sensitive person. I've always been that way...

Totem

Anyway I really can not think of anything. I just couldn't really think of anything. I would just say my totem is myself. That was also the answer that I was hoping someone on this blog would give so I could say "wow that is lame how creative are you". But sadly I am the one who I would have ridiculed. As of what i'm like i'm usually not a serious person and like to mess around ALOT but I can definately be serious and most will never see my like that. Never. Even as im writing this im not serious I mean a duck? What the hell is that? Im straight forward and like to tell people the freakin cold hard truth (although lying is alright sometimes).

How dost thou doist this?

Wow if I only had a clue as to how to put a picture on here... oh well ill just tell you what my totem is...it is.......um well I guess mine would be.... a pencil. Because I can create any kind of image I want...I can create, destroy, and remake anything I want, and the only thing stopping me is how big the page is, or how much lead I have in my pencil. So my totem is a creating totem, because I can draw anything I find important to me like family, friends, and items. So i have totems within totems. Hmmmm......I wonder if anyone is even reading this.....probably not oh well....Hey! if ur readen dis and you know hows to puts de pics on here dont be shy just tell me how! Plz telz me!

Totem

My totem.... what would my totem have on it. I would definitely have family on it. I love my family and they are part of what make up who I am, also no matter what you say or do your family is there. Seriously that's pretty awesome to me. I would also have some activities I do on the totem so a soccer ball and a music note or treble clef sign or anything like that. Those two things make me feel good when I am upset. I would also have to have something to represent school because when I am not playing soccer or doing something band related I'm at school or doing homework. Finally I would put a blurred picture of someone doing a random dance representing that I am a total dork and the picture would be blurred because it shows movement.

Totems..

I think my personal totem, would be a regular pole. Bland at first, until you approach it. Then it sprouts arms, and slaps you in the face. Not hard, just enough for you to be aware that you've been slapped by a pole. Sure, at first you're irritated - but then you laugh. Why? BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT SLAPPED BY A POLE. How is that not hilarious?

As insanely cryptic & random as this sounds, it means something. On the outside, I'm normal. Regular. Nothing to remember. But once you know me, I'm a pretty odd individual. The sort of person who laughs at pole-on-human violence. I can hurt people with my words & personality. This can alienate some, but most appreciate it. It makes me who I am, and it's not that bad of an injury.

My totem would be a bunch of gears and cogs stacked ontop of each other spewing steam and smoke from between the mechanical parts with two massive rusted gears slanted on the side. On top of the gears would be a Titanium statue of me but instead of a normal face I would have just a blank head on the top of my neck. Coming from the outer face of one of the gears would be vibrant and colorful sculpture of myself grabbing on to the leg of the Titanium me. While the other gear would be slowly turning to dust with the particles of rust in the air being held afloat by glass amongst the rust particles you could see a very feint face looking like the person who the gear represents had been killed leaving nothing but a face staring straight up into the sky accepting his faith of death. Meanwhile the titanium me would be trying to kill the colorful me with a pipe. While the colorful statue would be holding a Red pen in both hands like someone would hold a spear stabbing it into the the titanium statue and just where the red pen hit would be a circle of red ink spreading through the stomach area of my titanium self.

Mk... yup that about sums it up and I really didn't mean it to be that weird and what not but yup thats my totem... Thingy... (Later Added) not really sure about if this is kind of a little to weird so I might rethink this whole totem bit...

ello again if you want to see some of my totem go to these different places

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/734/734406/chocobo-and-the-magic-picture-book-20060922040040760_640w.jpg

http://www.digitalscryer.com/Pics/chocobo.jpg

http://dev.moogle.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/moogle-2.gif

http://www.classicmario.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/ttyd-yoshi.jpg (this ones really cool cuz its got a mohawk)

http://www.mushroomkingdom.nl/chainchomp.png


and those are just a few playful totems
you might be able to figure out a little bit about jonah through his totems, but,
maybe not
ummmmmmmmmm.........

bye

*sigh* figures. Stoopid pics dont show up. How'd u do it Olivia? :$ I cant figure it out. Oh wait. :P it says add image... got it. So after school, (it doesn't need a picture, u all know what it looks like, (I hope)), Project Playlist!! Cuz I go on the computer after school, and my homepage is project playlist, cuz its my source of free music. (u can check my profile out, im coleson123).

Then comes School. Ugh, pics at the top, this is messed up. Whatever, Im done witht he pics.

K, so after school, comes cars. I like cars. They're cool. In case ur wondering, this ones called the Mazda Furai. Its my personal fav. Oh, wait, I got the school in the right place now. :P (u can drag the pics. :)

Then comes soemthing that I dont really care to write about or post a pic of right now, so Im done.Ya. dats mah totem. :P

MY TOTEM. (Totems are delicious :P)

Mah totem would prolly just have stuff that consumes my time in it, soo..
school. (who would've guessed right?)

Totems

In my opinion, a totem is something that is very unique to a person. It should represent YOU. Not who you want to be but who you ARE. In light of this, I would have to say that my totem would be a mixture of multiple things.

A sailboat because it is the way I relieve stress. my parents and I go sailing almost weekly and a lot more in the summer.
A medical emblem because I want to be a doctor when I am older and I am already looking at collages and scholarships and things like that. And also this because by nature I care about other people and animals.
A saxophone because I love music and I love playing the saxophone. Most of my free time is taken up by this part of this.
A bottle of glue because almost all of the time if I say I'm going to do something I will stick through it and do my best to do it well.
A snowflake because, although I hate it when it snows, every snowflake is different and I am my own person. I am not who anyone else thinks I should be, I am me. I am more complex than it may seem to someone when they first meet me.

Strange

Hrm...what an interesting question. If I had to pick what my totem would look like, I think that mine would probably have a whale on it, because to me, whales just sort of float there, being, and I wish that I could be like that. I would have a music note on it, because I love music, and probably a question mark, because there's alot I don't know, and I'll gladly admit that. I think that the future is also a big question mark. Who knows?

my totem

this is my totem above.

ok first of is this lovely picture/I dont even know thingy, and I think it pretty much sums up what my totem was going to be about so I just kinda put it there. don't worry though, I will find a picture/totem i just thought i would talk about this first. First of all I am shy!! not antisocial! and another thing is I'm only shy with people who are not my friends, but if you are one of my friends you are probably wondering why there is a shy sticker right above where I'm typing and im kind of doing this for the people that don't know me anyway so now on to my totem.

so first of all i chose it because its really cute an i couldn't NOT have it be my totem because it's adorable! It represents how I act at home when my parents arn't home i guess? I'm kind of outgoing and i play videogames ALOT, also it represents how random i can be at times. I mean come on!! I bet im the only one who will have a cute little ghost thing as their totem!! His outfit also resembles how i want to be carefree and do whatever i want to do but guess what? the shyness kicks the little ghost guy in the crotch and says "Girrrrrl I don't think so." so now you get a little taste of what its like to be me...

Truth vs. Lies

I'm on the second topic because I was gone. Anyway, I think it's really important to be truthful. Lies become this crazy web. You start telling one lie and then you have to cover it up with another and another until nothing is true. Once this guy told a story about a summer camp he was a counselor at. These girls came up to him and asked him a question and he decided to talk in an Irish accent and act like he was from Ireland. And they believed him. And they'd introduce him to all these people because they thought it was really cool that he was from a different country. After a while it become so crazy that he had to remember who thought he was Irish, and who didn't. To this day he never told the girls and everyone else that he wasn't really Irish. And he feels really bad!!! That wasn't the greatest example but still. If you tell lies you have to remember who thinks the lie is true and who knows the truth. So it's just better to tell the truth. 

Topic #3: Totems

There are many ways that human beings symbolize, epitomize, re-create and re-imagine themselves. We find colors, images, words, poems, songs, foods, cars, and, of course, symbols that represent aspects of our personalities, and we declare these things to be: us. If I were an animal, I would be. If I were a natural disaster, I would be. If I were a song, I would be. These sorts of thought-prompts are most familiar today as, well, just that -- thought prompts. Journal topics and questionnaire fodder, maybe even small talk on dates or stay-up-all-night slumber party activities. But they have been part of human thought as long as there has been human thought: pre-historic and pre-literate civilizations also aligned themselves and represented themselves with non-human objects, creatures, patterns, ideals, phenomena. If personification is the granting of human traits to non-human things, in order to identify or highlight a specific attribute and meaning of that non-human thing, perhaps this could be called de-personification: the removal of human traits from human things -- or more properly, the transference of human traits to non-human things.


Or we could just use the word "totem."

My handy dictionary defines totem as "an animal, plant, or natural object that serves as a symbol of a clan or family among a certain group of peoples." Perfect, except for the limitation on types of objects that could be totems. Perhaps thousands of years ago, when the people who symbolized themselves with a totem only had natural objects around to serve as their representation, that would have been appropriate; but now, I think man-made and technological objects should also serve. I see no reason why a person's totem couldn't be, say, a computer, or an iPod.
I'd like each of you to choose a totem for yourself. One object, an animal, plant, natural phenomena, or other non-human thing, to serve as your representation. Some ways to think about this: you could start by answering the thought-prompts above. If you were an animal, what would you be? A plant? A natural disaster? What if you were a season? Or a color? You could also try choosing your spirit guide: think of anything other than a human that has appeared often in your dreams, night- or day-; anything that you have felt a close kinship with (even if that thing is a hacky-sack [which, if you feel kicked around, loose and limp, but still the center of attention, would be a pretty accurate totem] or a vehicle of some kind), and identify that as your totem.

I chose to think about this in this way: if I were the ruler of my own country -- Dustia (Not really -- what a lame name for a country. There needs to be something about Kingdom or Potentate in there, and a few hyperbolic descriptors -- Eternal and Majestic Kingdom of Dustia, that kind of thing.) -- what would be on the flag? I tried to create an image of my country's flag, but since I'm terrible at using drawing programs, this is all I got:

I chose the wolf because I identify with wolves: I am basically a loner, though I have my own family (pack) that I am extremely loyal to and protective of. I tend to be standoffish and observant, rather than aggressive, though I am also very territorial -- I hate when people come to my door, or walk across my lawn. I also like to eat meat, and accept the moral implications of killing so that I may live without any qualms -- but I would never hunt for sport. I liked this simple image of a wolf, with a tree and the moon, because I prefer to think about things in broad strokes, rather than fine detail; I know a little bit about a whole lot of things, but I don't go very deep into any particular subjects (Well, except writing.). I also love trees; the forest is my favorite natural habitat (also works well with the wolf), and I find the moon utterly fascinating both as object and as symbol.

I chose the lightning because I like lightning, and this was a great image of it. Lightning also represents my wife, who is fascinated by the stuff; finally, lightning represents my other predominant trait: obsession. See, I'm not always a shallow thinker; I also get thoroughly wrapped up in some thoughts, which I then can't get out of my head for days, weeks, even years. The thought patterns lead to others, and then those sometimes get stuck in my head. I imagine conversations, for instance, that I feel like I should have had; those can lead, in my head, to future imagined conversations, and whole new relationships. These can go on and on, new thought chains sprouting off of the old and going in all new directions -- look at this post, for instance, which should be about 1/5 as long as it is. I do this stuff all the time. David Rigall mentioned fractals in class a week or two ago, and I thought that was a particularly apt symbol, since fractals are infinitely repeating patterns -- kind of like my more obsessive thought-chains. And lightning, it turns out, is a decent example of a fractal: forks made of forks made of forks made of forks, and so on.

So there you have it, my personal flag, with my personal totem(s) on it. Wolf, tree, lightning. I could have used books -- or I could have used this image (Either of them, actually), but I decided I wanted to make this flag. By the way: writing this post took me two hours, which is about five times as long as I wanted it to. Because, you see, I had to do several Google Image searches, each of which completely distracted me; then I had to use two different drawing programs to make the flag (which still doesn't look like I want it to -- can't get rid of that white space), and save the file in three different formats before I got Blogger to upload it. See what I mean about obsessive?

Please don't go to that much effort. It has made me sad, and I don't want you to feel the same. Just think of a nice totem to represent yourself, and describe it, and explain it. By Saturday, October 10, please.

I think that truths are the way to go, when i think about it i can't really even come up with a good reason to lie, exept maybe to save yourself from dying, but everyone dose it. when i lie, its mostly because im to lazy to tell the truth. did you do your homework, yes, when i actualy didn't and am just saying that because if i had said no than i would have actually had to get up off my lazy butt and do something. and that is a horrible reason to lie! as for omitting the truth, i think that's totaly ok, unless your asked directly and just avoid the question thats not ok. i think it almost has something to do with that poam we read in class. if you tell the whole truth, some people might get blinded by some of smaller deatials and miss the real point. these are my opinions.

Truth and Lying

I think Lying is generally a bad thing but I think there are cases when you should lie for the greater good but in general you should most likely tell the truth.

The Truth

I think that people should tell the truth all the time. I know this probably seems ridiculous, but even the smallest lies, or untold truths can create a lot of unnecessary pain. While sometimes the truth might hurt, wouldn't you rather it be you friends who told you that you didn't look good before someone who wouldn't be as kind about it told you? And also sometimes there are occasions when you don't tell the truth, you aren't lying, you just don't mention something because you feel it is irrelevant and not necessary. Then later someone might find out and think you were purposefully keeping information from them and going behind there back, creating unnecessary hurt. So while the truth can create hurt, falsehoods create more hurt.

Lying is just a Diffrent kind of Truth

For me it really depends on the situation but If I was to make a straight Is it better to Lie or Tell the trust all the time I think it would be better to lie all the time. Im not really sure why it would be but in any case I find that lying does pose some very big problems in itself but it will also solve a lot of little ones in the process therefore I find if you either Lie all the Time or Tell the Truth all the time it would still pose a bunch of problems no matter which path you choose. Although alot of people try to think that truth may be the best alot of people don't want to hear the truth about 50% of the time. So if it's a possible choice I would prefer to have a little bit of both mixed together...

Changes

Tonight I thought of something while I was eating homemade soup in the kitchen of my grandma's old house. I thought why is it that food never tastes this good anywhere else. Is it who makes it, the food itself, or where it is cooked?

Some of the thoughts I came up with were that one, I think that people today don't think it's that important to sit down as a family and eat a meal. Also, in today's society there is way more fast food, and with people running kids here and there and too tired to cook after work they just grab something to eat on the way home.

I also think that is has to do with who is cooking it, for instance my grandma makes great food because thats what she did when my mom was little she was a stay at home mom and she made all the meals, and they were about sitting down and eating together.

The food itself can be one because every always tries to add something to it, I think old fashion homemade food is great because it is plain.

And where it is cooked has a lot to do with it, I personally think my grandma's oven makes everything taste better, and so does her old cast iron pan.

So just a random thought that came to me, anyway what do you guys think, how is it that the way families eat meals has changed so much in just 20 to 30 years?

Okay..

Well truth itself is a lie. No one goes around and says the truth all the time. Why? Because that would be ridiculous. People tell little lies to keep from hurting others feeling. Essentially keeping the peace. Even if they wouldn't care, people don't go around saying hurtful truths. Now I'm not saying lie, lie, lie, lie. But, there are times to say the truth too. Like when someone looks ridiculous. You should probably tell the truth.. Probably.

You should probably tell the truth if your this guy..

So first being hurt by a freakin rumor is ridiculous. Grow a pair and suck it up. Who cares what someone says about you at school. I can kind of understand if it was someone you really trusted and cared about but then again screw them if they did, I guess they weren't really your friend and anything you had with them doesn't matter anymore. Now lying in general I guess is bad but very necessary sometimes. I like to be truthful and I like having the truth told to me. But lying shouldn't make you feel bad. It's something in human nature. We are not pure.