Yesterday was both a proud and a hard day to be an Oakcrest Teacher.
I believe, whole-heartedly, in the above quote. Clearly, the metaphor is more timely now, in these moments of "civil unrest", and I want you to take that information, as well as whatever you know about me, and analyze:
a) why that is one of my favorite quotes
b) how it relates to current events
c) your own interpretation of it
That, however, is only the warm up (and a nod to using your lang skills). Next, I would like you to start thinking about your own quote--the one that you will be using for the quotation festival--and really analyze what it is that speaks to you about whatever you choose.
Please include the author (obv), and the time period it was written in because that may be relevant to what the author had in mind when s/he wrote it. The author's interpretation, however, is far less important to me than yours and why you chose it. So, most of your discussion about the quote should be about you and why or how you identify with the words.
My mind wanders. This is good in that I am encouraged to learn many different things, but the wandering prevents my mind from staying in the same place for too long. Because of this, I enjoy reading quotes, as I can learn much in a short time. In many of my essays, especially those written in APUSH, I quote many different people off the top of my head, more often than not either Friedrich Nietzsche, George Carlin, or Noam Chomsky (all of whom I will not quote in this blogpost because I quote them too much). However, this knowledge of quotes backfires on me in times like this: when I am forced to pick one. Even painters, who do not rely on words to spread ideas, realize the power of quotes. As one such artist puts beautifully, “Words build bridges into unexplored regions,” and quotes are the cement that build those bridges, the bridges that guide us into new thoughts and show us different ways of looking at the world. This same painter, who was also a political commentator, echoed a quote which relates to Zora Neale Hurston’s: “The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.” What Adolf Hitler was trying to say is that if you are silent, the victor, not you, will write the history in any way he pleases, even if that means negating you or lying about you when you are dead. George Washington agrees with Adolf Hitler when he said, “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter,” because if your right to speak out against those that inflict your “pain”, in Hurston’s words, is taken away, you will be lead “like sheep to the slaughter”, in Washington’s words, while the “victor” lies, in Hitler’s words, about the way you got there.
ReplyDeleteAll of this relates to today, during times of “civil unrest”. As Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard amplified, “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins,” and radical beliefs like this lead to the so-called “civil unrest” as people adopt beliefs that they would die for, or at least fight for dearly. (I, on the other hand, agree with psychologist Bertrand Russell who presumed, “I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.”) At Oakcrest, there are beliefs that students would jump on top of their own vehicles for; beliefs that they would march down to the sportsball field for; beliefs that would cause them to shout and demand their scapegoat, who has one face and name that everyone knows, to manifest himself on the field to hear their complaints; beliefs that would cause them to boo that scapegoat off the field, causing him to not care about their complaints; beliefs that would cause them to become blind with rage and lose sight on the issues amidst the rioting. (I have nothing else to say on the issue other than: Gandhi and his peaceful members of the Salt March knew what they were fighting for and Martin Luther King Jr. and his peaceful Civil Rights activists knew what they were fighting for and ignorant, bloodthirsty Civil War soldiers on battlefields, which once were their backyards, slaughtering their brothers, knew not what they were fighting for.)
Now on to my quote. There are two non-Nietzschean, non-Carlinian, non-Chomskyan quotes that come to mind; quotes which I would gladly put up on a wall. The first is by an awesome writer by the name of Samuel Beckett, a badass who wrote the immensely influential play, “Waiting for Godot”: “You're on earth. There's no cure for that.” However, in the times of “civil unrest” at Oakcrest, I pick a more relevant quote; this one is by contemporary writer Harlan Ellison. “You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” I pick this quote because I often differ in opinions with other people and, when arguing, these people who lost the argument often resort to the “we just have different opinions” argument. That argument is lame and not an argument at all, but a cop-out with no substantial value, other than being just another example of a red herring. When that happens, I just want to say, “Your opinion is wrong, and if you want to stop thinking about that opinion, you do not deserve your “opinion” because it is not an opinion at all, but a feeling with no thought attached to it.” This relates to the times we are experiencing at Oakcrest because I can guarantee that there were many people that marched out onto that sportsball field to demand something, something that was neither specific nor thought of on their part. All of the people that “walked out” had some sort of opinion. However, not everyone developed their opinion before walking out, as is evident by the chaotic nature of the walk-out. Not everyone was on the same page: everyone either wanted something different, wanted to go about getting something in a different way, or did not really know what they wanted, and the later seems the most likely, although the other two still seem to have existed. However, I do not entirely disagree with the walk-out, I just feel that it was immature. Feelings come before thought, and the walk-out was mostly feelings, so, the way I see it, and the way history sees it (look at the Civil Rights Movement and Women’s Suffrage Movement), the feelings were not given enough time to develop into thoughts, and this is why there was chaos in the walk-out. A walk-out is a political act, and when feelings enter politics with an absence of thought, things go awry. However, I do support the action, as it demonstrates that the student body is developing an opinion, even though it is in its “feeling stage” and not its “thoughtful action stage”, and it is important that those that the feelings are against saw that they exist.
DeleteI imagine that this is your favorite quote because you are not one to take crap from others. You always stand your ground and make sure that your opinion is known. It makes sense that you like this quote because your actions reflect it. I know that you are very active on your opinions and I respect that entirely. If something is unfair, it should be addressed. If you don’t address it, it is assumed that you’re okay with it. I know that when rules at oakcrest are unfair, you won’t follow them. I also know that if your kids are being treated unfairly, you will support and defend them. Overall, whenever you’re in pain, you do not stay silent. If you are in any disagreement with administration, you never comply. You act on injustices and because of this, no one can ever say that you’re enjoying the discomfort. Making your pain known is never a bad thing. It gives you a voice, promotes awareness and stimulates change.
ReplyDeleteThis quote is completely relevant to the current unrest at the nest (I just spit bars). In regards to the quote, oakcrest students are not being silent in their pain. In fact, we’re doing just the opposite. With Friday’s walkout, petition, along with some uncalled for vandalism, our voices were undoubtedly heard. While our efforts were certainly worth it, there are some other things to consider. One being the fact that perhaps some of the kids out there just liked the thrill of walking out and skipping class. Also, the once peaceful protest took an unexpected twist when kids barged into the board office looking for Keenan and yelling “attack!” Despite some of the misconduct and disorganization, I still think that our protest was successful. I hope that oakcrest students continue to make their pain known. I hope that those kids that so happily walked out and disrupted the board office will also show their support at the board meeting.
To me, the quote means making your discomfort known. If you don’t speak up when you’re in pain, you’re idly allowing others to continue inflicting it. This quote encourages you to have a voice and let others know how you feel. No one knows how you feel unless you speak up.
DeleteMy favorite quote is not hung on my wall, written in my notebooks, nor can I recite it by memory. In fact, it’s one that I found on google about 15 seconds ago. Sadly, I don’t have a favorite quote that I revisit when in search of motivation or hope. Teagen Hay, on the other hand, is an avid quote lover. She has a notebook dedicated to quotes. She spends her free time discovering new quotes and writing them down. She then returns to the notebook when she needs some uplifting or inspiration. I really like this routine that she’s created but, I’ve never done it myself. I don’t really resonate with quotes as much as I’d like to but, after finding this one online, I guess now I do. Albert Schweitzer says, “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” (the date is unknown). I really connected to this quote due to the current stresses in my life. Today, my sister graduated college. I am so happy for her because after hours of diligently studying, typing, and reading, she’s done. Now that she’s done at college, it’s my turn. It’s always been that way in my house. Once Kaylee has made it through something, I’m next. College is becoming more and more real to me. I realize that it is approaching. Soon enough, I’ll be applying and visiting colleges. This has stressed me out for numerous reasons. All of these new choices and paths are causing an unnecessary amount of weight on my shoulders. In any case, this quote that I found relates to my current uneasiness because it gives me hope. Right now, my stresses are over long-term. In actuality, stressing over my college and career is not helping my in the present. I need to stop worrying and start living for today. This quote helped me realize that all I can do is focus on my happiness. Being happy is important no matter what. Despite the college stress I’ve developed, I need to continue to make myself happy and with time, I will be successful. Living in the present is more important than worrying for the future.
You never hold back on your opinion. If you’re feeling a certain way about something you always manage to get your point across on how you feel about it. If there's a dumb rule, you’ll make sure everyone else knows it's dumb and how you refuse to follow it. You are never silent about your pain, you like to talk things out instead of holding back because you don’t want to leave things left unsaid. You say exactly what you mean and make sure there's no misinterpretations because that would just cause a mess. You don’t let people twist your words or get away with spreading rumors about you so to put it to an end you just speak your true opinion 100% of the time and would never stay silent about what's bothering you. All of this is evident most of the time but it especially is now. At the falcon nest we are currently experiencing probably the craziest year ever with the most absurd rules and events. We have put up with all of it all year and we have continuously said since the beginning of the year that we have to put a stop to all the madness but it hasn't happened. But on May 13th 2016 we rose to our word and stepped out of the falcons nest in protest to find answers to all of our long unanswered questions. Not much was answered but because of our uproar, our silence has finally ended and we were actually heard by all of atlantic county. We are fighting for what we want and that's all that matters, we are no longer letting it go past us and putting up with it, we want answers and we won’t take this L any longer.
ReplyDeleteTo me, this quote basically means that, if you don’t voice how you feel, people will just voice it for you but probably in the exact opposite way you felt. No one knows exactly how you feel so instead of letting it go into interpretation, just voice how you feel so there's no confusion. Don’t let things go unnoticed and don’t hold back on how you feel because nothing will change unless you help to fix it.
I have a couple quotes I like and think are pretty relevant to me, they didn’t like change my life after reading them but they are pretty cool. My number one quote is from my mans Dr. Suess which was published in 1954 which probably doesn’t contribute much as to why he wrote it but anyways the quote is, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Not much explanation needed, but sometimes a lot of people, especially when I was younger and a lot smaller (yes I was smaller than I currently am now believe it or not) a lot of people never listened to me because I was small and “unimportant” but no matter how small I am I should be equally as important as everyone else even though I might not be equally as tall. My second quote is by my dude Albert Einstein which was probably published in the 1940’s because that is when he divorced his second wife. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal. Not to people or things.” He had probably given up on being happy trying to find a wife and realized his happiness can’t come from others. Although I have never been married I can relate with the fact that almost all of my past friends really brought me down and I wasn’t living a happy life. I tried to be happy through their happiness but I finally realized that things and people suck and you can’t depend on them for happiness because it probably won’t work out. My last quote that I just recently came across is “We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.” Dolly parton said this once but I have no clue when but it was probably because she was going through a hard time where she couldn’t change what had happened but she just did everything she could to make it better. Similarly, I wake up everyday and even though I hate getting up, going to school, and seeing people I don’t like, I always try to make the best out of it because no matter what I’m always going to have to go to school so I just do what I gotta do and even though it sucks I try to make it not suck as much as it really does.
DeleteI imagine this is one of your favorite quotes because you’re not one to be taken advantage of/ manipulated. If you have a problem with someone (Keenan) or something (the administration), you’re not afraid to speak out and seek change because you know it’s for the betterment of oak. You’ll disregard any rules or policies that you don’t agree with to show administration that you are not one to be messed with and will cut a bitch if anyone tries to get between you and your kids-- your ballsiness is quite admirable.
ReplyDeleteHurston’s words relate to everything happening at oak because the students are being anything but “silent” and are actively protesting Keenan’s recent treatment of certain (former) faculty members. We’ve been bystanders this whole year, watching Keenan make numerous detrimental changes to our school; Carruth’s sudden and uncalled for dismissal finally drove the majority of students to stand up and show administration that we should have a say in matters dealing with our school and education.
I think this quote speaks to anyone who is being oppressed by a higher power. Hurston urges people to make their disapproval known so that changes and progress can be made to combat the oppressive system that plagues them. If no one ever makes their disapproval known, then the oppressors are given more power and continue their tyrannical practices unscathed, eventually taking away all of the minority’s liberties (or “killing” them).
One of my favorite quotes ever is by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French philosopher who lived from 1712 to 1778 and believed that society corrupts individuals. His one book, “The Social Contract” was published in 1762 and greatly influenced Enlightenment leaders, as well as the leaders of the French Revolution (who used his philosophical principles to justify their rebellion). In it, Rousseau asserts that “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains”. I enjoy this quote so much because it perfectly consolidates all of my beliefs into 1 sentence-- As individuals, we can choose to live our lives anyway we want to because, technically, we are free and no one has the power to stop us. Only something does stop us, and that something is society. Our entire lives are dictated by society and its standards, so much so that we can hardly consider ourselves “free”.
DeleteEvery morning, we wake up and go to school because Society and Civilization says we have to. Throughout our day, we encounter situations that limit us, both physically and mentally; we need permission to go to the bathroom and to talk out loud in class and we can only spend 42 minutes learning about this topic because now we have to learn about 7 other topics, all in 42 minute blocks and before 2:30, regardless of whether or not we actually want to be educated in all of these subjects. Then we either go home on our designated school bus or head to practice where the coach tells us what we have to do, regardless of whether or not we want to do it, and we shouldn’t complain because after all, it was our choice to join sports. Only it wasn’t our choice, not really, because Society says we have to get into good colleges and in order to do so, Society says we have to be well-rounded individuals who can receive good grades and be presidents of clubs and participate in after-school sports and Society says we have to do all this while maintaining a cheery demeanor- so was it really our choice? And why do we have to get into good colleges? Because Society says that we have to get a good job in the future so that we can earn a lot of money so that we can contribute to our culture of mass consumerism because our Society and Capitalism are best friends.
We have chains weighing us down in every conceivable aspect of our lives, not just in the education system. Girls are born free and limitless, only we’re not because Society idolizes hypermasculinity and marginalizes femininity. Members of the LGBTQ community are born free and limitless, only they’re not because Society condones heterosexuality and believes gender to be based solely on genitalia. Black people are born free and limitless, only they’re not because Society loves to pretend that white privilege isn’t real. In a world dominated by social constructs and expectations, it’s nearly impossible to be truly “free” in all senses of the word.
Over the course of the year, I have come to learn a lot about you Bunj. However, this was not a simple task. It took several months for me to observe, predict, and piece together my own version of you. I would have never achieved this if I didn’t pay close attention in class, come to visit you during your off periods, or spend 2+ hours with you after school. Anyway, enough about that, now I want to point out a few things I personally noticed about you, and how they pertain to the quote you mentioned above.
ReplyDeleteOne day in class, you mentioned to us, that you did not have the perfect childhood that every kid dreamt of having. I will not go any further than this, because there is no need to revisit the past. However, you also mentioned that as a child, teenager, and young adult, you were very isolated. Meaning, you did not have many friends, and those that you did keep close, you remained silent and did not open up to them. So when Hurston mentioned the part about silence, it instantly brought me back to this memory I had of you.
Another thing that I have observed about you, is that now (as an adult), you have grown out of the “silence” phase. You no longer bite your tongue. Perhaps, this is from being walked all over, or having your feelings disregarded as a teenager/ young adult. Trust me I know the feeling, because I am experiencing it now. You are no longer who you once were as a child, well not completely. You’ve experienced what if felt like to be “silent about your pain”, so .I feel as though that this quote also applies to you in this aspect.
You have been teaching for “x” amount of years. And within those “x” amount of years, you have come across many children. Children in need of attention. Children in need of comfort. Children in need of an adult figure in their life. I noticed this. I noticed that you enjoy sharing a personal relationship with your students. You feel the need to be there, to guide them in the right direction, to teach them how to properly voice their concerns and open up to those they are comfortable with. You notice that children our age experience exactly what this quote expresses, and you make it your duty to prevent them from experiencing the pain that tags along with silence.
Of course, it is taking me forever to find a quote. It seems like whenever you assign something to me, I can never find it. That is of course, because I am looking for it. Any other time, my brain would be full of random quotes. Anyway, I stumbled across this quote, and it just screamed “KAAAAAAAAA YYYYYYYY LLLLL AAAAA HAMLER”. (Especially the part about style).
Delete“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” --Maya Angelou
Boy, do I love me some MAYA. That’s my girl! I know why the caged bird sings! I know that I am a phenomenal woman! I know that… like dust, I'll rise. I love her as a person, I believe in everything she stands for, and she has that little “ Southern Girl Twang” like myself.
This quote says a lot to me. It is like a call to action/ reminder/ reality check/ everything.
This quote reminds me of what I aspire to be in life. I am a very tense person, and when I read this quote, oddly, it provide me with a sense of comfort. It made me feel as though, that for once, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Many of you know that I hate not knowing things. I hate the fact that I am about to graduate in highschool, and I have yet to discover what I want to major in. I hate the fact that i still have yet to discover who I really am. I just hate it, and it stresses me out. I mean what doesn’t stress me out. However, after reading this quote, it reminded me that no matter what I do, I must be myself , and carry out the task with “ some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”.
The fact that this quote is from Maya Angelou, a well known civil rights activist and feminist, made me feel confident in voicing my own concerns. I have read several of her works, and they have all influenced me in the same way. They have all taught me to be strong, independent, and loud (but not too obnoxious) about what’s morally right. Her and I share many common beliefs, and although I have never met her personally, she has indirectly impacted my life, and now, I feel that it is my duty, to carry on my fellows “sista’s” legacy.
Knowing how rebellious you are Bunj, it only fits perfect that you love this quote. By your actions, it is clear that you take shit from nobody. If you want your opinion to be heard, you let loose. When there is a rule at school you disagree with, you do your own thing and I completely agree and support you. This quote from Hurston fits perfectly to what is happening right now with our school. This past Friday, some student of our school participated in a walk-out (in which I was not apart of because I'm a good boy). But this showed that we will not sit here quietly and watch our school crumble thanks to a man who only cares about the money. This man will be called “Dick” in this story because the name fits perfectly.
ReplyDeleteDick bullies everyone at Oakcrest High School and can do just about anything he wants. He unfairly fired the principle of the school and this was the last straw for both the students and the teachers. It was time for a voice to be heard. We would not be “silent” while Dick “killed us and said we enjoyed it.” Dick needs to know that we have a voice too, as we do not want our school going in a downward direction. To be honest, I hope Dick goes to another district. He needs to stop dicking around in our district and go somewhere else.
This quote means to me something that I have probably been my whole life, quiet. This being hiding your pain from something or someone as they drag you down and say you “enjoyed it” because you did not say anything. This seems like me except I don't let anything drag me down. And that's because I know there's a lot more things to live for; you cannot dwell on one thing forever. You simply cannot because life is too short. And I also do not always stay quiet. With me, you get chances. And most likely after the 3rd time is when I snap and let my voice be heard. I am not like Bunj who gives 0 chances and let's her voice be heard immediately. Hers also is probably more civilized as I will be uncensored and come reckless at you.
For my quote, in which I have lived by his quote for a couple of years now, it refers to life. The great Buddha once said, “do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” It is the perfect quote for me because I absolutely hate it when people live in the past. The past is the past, if I don't want to relive it I want to forget it, so why bring it back up? If something worked in the past, but does not work now and will not work anymore, why try to go back to it? As society progresses, everyone has to be willing to change. One reason we are afraid of change is because it isn't familiar. We get so use to everything, we do not want to change it. But we need to move forward into what God is doing now. Not what he did in the past. And also your future isn't possible if you do not live in the present. The actions you do in the present make your future. That is why you must live in the present. In order to get that big mansion you want, you must work hard now. Everything in the future revolves around what you do now. That is why you must “concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
Bunj, the fact that this is your favorite quote delivers no surprise to me. You desperately try not to take shit from anyone. I firmly believe no one will live to see the day Cassie Bunje sit by and take shit without complaint or rebellion. You have made it a point in class numerous times you do not give in without a fight and it is rare at times you even give in. In most classes our SGO’s consisted of essays but you snarkily put your foot down and used blogs as SGO’s because you didn’t believe in taking away useful class time. There has been too many times to count where you did the exact opposite of staying “silent” about our mistreatment or yours and for that I am grateful and inspired.
ReplyDeleteYou can proudly say you speak up when there is something unjust however, “I aim to be lionhearted, but my hands still shake and my voice isn’t quite loud enough.” -Michelle K. Not even my fingers and toes could be used to count the amount of times I wanted so badly to speak my mind and tell someone they’re being a dick or they’re a sexst or racist. But, every time the occasion arises I pipe down and pray my look of disgust conveys this message, instead. Every time I speak my opinion, my voice shakes, no matter how right I know I am. For example, in class yesterday when we discussed the “issue” of trans people being allowed into the restrooms they identify as, every time I spoke up my voice almost cracked and my heart sped up. Another time, I remember down to the tee, speaking up out of anger and disgust of the absurd amount of sexism I was surrounded by. Someone called Emily a “homie hopper,” now naturally this pissed me off because that is my best friend but what really pushed me over the edge was that if it were a boy, and a boy did do the exact same thing, no one would’ve said a word. So after I’ve heard enough I slammed my chair and let my hands shake as I attempted to tell them off. I’ve had other lionhearted moments, especially in the auditorium but I still aim to obtain more. I aim to be the person that others want around in case an argument commences because they know I will openly speak my mind or back them up. I aim to stick up for the people that haven’t gotten to the point where they can do it for themselves yet. I aim to be that person and soon I will be. Soon, I will be lionhearted. I have gone from saying absolutely nothing when I heard something offensive or wrong to letting my voice rattle but still getting every necessary word out. So, Michelle K has truly captured a piece of my personality in her words. I do not have the heart of a lion, yet.
Ayo, Ma! I wasn’t gonna do this blog-just take the L because I am so fucking sick and I hate it so much. Not only am I getting the worst type of junior-senioritis but my sinus are all types of messed up(notice how I said messed because I already said fucking--limiting myself). I see a lot of you in me...notice how I said it like I’m more mature since I cannot with your disrespectful antics lately….ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSo, anyways I can see why this quote is your favorite. You have given your students the power to be understood. You have told us over and over to always yearn for people to understand you. You make sure you are heard, you make sure that people know you won’t take their shit. You are not silent about your pain.
Current events?? Well, since I missed out walkout!!!!!! I wish I could comment on the wild uncoordinated behavior, but I cannot. I wish I could comment on what the fuck really happened to the press box, but I cannot. But anyways, our school is in pain. I’ve never seen such low school spirit and pride for a place that used to hold so much love. Our school is becoming less of home to some people and more of place that people dread. John Keenan killin us, man, he’s enjoying it too. I do my part of not being silent but ALWAYS rolling my eyes when I see him and ignoring his fake “goodmorning” or “hello” by rolling my eyes again and walking away.
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. -Confucius
I picked maybe because I have no idea where I’m going. But when I figure that out, I want to go with all my heart-with all the passion in my lil body. I’ve never really had to go “full heart all passion 100%” in anything. I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging or anything but I half-ass a lot of shit in my life and everything turns out fine...great actually. Half-ass school? 4th in the class. Half-ass my relationship? He wants to get married. Ok, that one was a joke.
I don’t know how to study. When I “study” it's a quickie review; I’m lazy and things just come to me. Anyways, I’m getting to a point in my life where I can’t and do not want to half ass it-my future. I need to be ready because I’m not and want to so bad. It is hard. But, when I leave. When I find what I love. I want to put my whole heart in. I want to work for something great. Understand something fantastic.
If anyone knows Bunj, they know she's not one to keep to herself. Bunje speaks her mind, stands up for herself, her kids, and her beliefs no matter what. From what I know about her, this is her favorite quote because of the fact that she doesn't stay silent about her pain, whether that be as simple as a tiny disagreement. This stands out as her favorite quote because I relates to her exactly due to the fact that she doesn't stay silent when something is wrong or bothering her and she wants to make sure her kids don't stay silent or else they'll be taken advantage of. Her favorite quote relates not only to her, but to current events as well-- as current as here at the Oak. Oakcrest, as we all know, is under turmoil as we speak--I won't name any names-- and on Friday the 13th of May (my birthday) the students walked out to peacefully protest what Keenan has done to the administration and to Oakcrest. If we kept our pain silent about our principle being fired, there would be no chance for change. If we stayed silent, we would be taken advantage of and in even more pain. To me, this quote means almost exactly what it says. To me this quote means a lot because of how true it is, and because it's hard for me to not be silent about my pain because I'm afraid of no one caring. This quote means that if you keep to yourself about what bothers you, anyone can take advantage of you and no change will ever be made.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote, however, is by Carl Bard and it says, "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." This quote speaks to me for the sole reason that it's the pure truth. So many people have regrets on top of regrets that get them stuck in such a rut that they believe they can't get out of because of the past, but just as the quote says, you can make a new ending even though you can't change the beginning that got you in the rut. One must change the way you handle the situation instead of dwelling on what happened to get you into that situation. To make a brand new ending despite it being impossible to make a new beginning is more heroic than accepting the fact that you can't start over and leaving it as is. I identify with Carl Bard's words because I find myself in a rut too often dwelling on how I can't start over instead of just making a new ending out of the crappy beginning. But, when I see this quote I realize how true it is and I try my best to do what it says.
Bunje, it is clear to everyone that you always speak the truth and say whatever is on your mind. You tell it how it is. Leaving no room for ambiguity or uncertainness. You do it when something important happens. And you especially do it if that something important affects your kids. You always express to us how you feel because you know that life’s too short to beat around the bush and push feelings aside and have thoughts left unheard. Because when bad things go unnoticed you know that the bad guys will take advantage of the situation. They’ll take the silence and fill it with their misleading, mysterious, and doubtful reasons. And that’s what you constantly warn us about. You favor this quote because it expresses one of your strongest beliefs in fifteen simple words. The belief that even the smallest voices with the largest minds must be heard, whether they’d be right or wrong. You are a writer. Almost always, your work will be read by at least one person. You are a teacher. Almost always, your lectures will be heard by at least one person. Your voice is heard. And now, at these times of “civil unrest” at Oakcrest High School, you want the same for us, your kids.
ReplyDeleteThe school is going through a difficult time where a dictator type figure is, well, acting like a dictator. He has decided to take it upon himself to change the school for the worse without taking anybody else into consideration. The lovely principle being the most recent person he stepped on. Thus, causing us to take the matter into our own hands. Our pain will be heard because we, the able student body, refuse to let Keenan manipulate us to be his pawns. If we were to lay low and not tell a single soul about what is happening, then Keenan will be able to continue with his tyranny and rule with fear. And if anyone were to confront him, he would say that no one minded as no one had said a single thing. But we are not NHR. We are Oakcrest. And true Oak kids stand for what we believe in with good intentions (although it might not always seem like it). The point is, we make sure our voice is heard because we refuse to let our silence be taken as consent. I mean, if Julius Caesar can fall, why can’t Keenan?
So far it’s been obvious that to me this quote represents the idea that change is only brought through movement. The only way to make something better and less painful is to express it, through words or actions. We cry about our pain to show others the sadness we feel. We argue about our opinions to show others our disagreement. Expressing your thoughts and emotions are the only way things get done. Without doing so, time would be at a standstill where history constantly repeats itself day after day. If you talk about your pain, then they can’t twist your silence. If they can’t twist your silence, then you win. And when you win, progress will be made.
There’s so much negativity in the world and I don’t like that. I try to be happy most of the time and I try to make everyone around me happy, because if I know one thing for certain, it’s that I can make someone happy in the short time that they are around me. His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama once stated, “We all have to live together, so we might as well live happily together” (date unknown). And that’s so true. We’re all stuck on this plant together from the moment we’re born to the moment we die, so why do we have to make life so difficult for each other? Why do we spread unnecessary hate-filled rumors about others just because we don’t like them? Why do we insist on fighting others who “disrespect” us just because it’s the manly thing to do? If we have to live together and see each other for however many years that will be, why can’t we do it in the least stressful, most upbringing way possible? It’s not hard; it’s very easy in fact. All we have to do is speak our thoughts. As wrong or as right as they may be at least the other person gets a better understanding of the problem than if we were to fight 24/7 over the pettiest things.
So, that’s a quote that I saw and believed. It’s simple but true. But, it’s not the quote that I would say, “embodies” who I am. It’s just one that I saw because it gave me that “oh geez, that’s so true” moment. Now the quote that I think honestly represents who I am as a person is also by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. In his book, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight (1984), the Dalai Lama wrote, “My true religion is Kindness.” If you’ve read my past blog post (and I know you did, Bunje) you’d know that I don’t consider myself a full-on Buddhist even though my parents are. But trust me if I could claim that title, I would. I want to believe in everything that I somewhat know Buddhism stands for, but I just haven’t officially practiced it enough and haven’t really considered the religion at all to feel as if I have the right to consider myself as a Buddhist. The last time I went to a temple and prayed was in 7th grade when my great grandfather died and we honored him. I see everything my mom does like praying every morning and honoring dead relatives on special occasions by cooking feasts and leaving it out in front of their pictures and burning “spiritual” paper money so they can have a fruitful afterlife, and I feel amazed yet ashamed because I don’t know how to do that and I probably won’t be able to in the future for my own parents. I want to believe because I know I can, but I don’t know how if that makes any sense. But, anyway back to the actual quote (sorry for drifting off), since I can be certain of my belief in my family’s religion, I can definitely be certain that I believe in Kindness. Because people are human and I am one too. We all have our own thoughts and emotions, so why would I purposely hurt someone when I know that I wouldn’t want that to happen to me. In our most basic forms, we are the same. And I wouldn’t want to hurt myself if I know that I could not do it. Kindness is key. It brings compassion and love and happiness and empathy and so much more. Without it, we cannot survive. Without it, life would be terrible. It is the one thing that truly makes the world go round.
Delete"If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it"
ReplyDeleteTo me I think this is one of your favorite quotes because you don't take shit from anyone at all! Which is something I look up to. You don’t let people walk all over you and you let it be known when there is a problem. You tell us almost every day how you feel about things and I love it! You tell us the problem and how you are going to handle that shit. I really do admire that… For a while in middle school I was just the quiet girl who never voiced opinions even tho I have so many. But I now love voicing my feelings and opinions on things. Us oakcrest students took a stand, we were not going to stay silent about how we feel and let them get away with it. We let our feelings be KNOWN. So there's no way they can say we enjoy the horrible things happening. My own interpretation of this quote would be, if you stay quiet about what you don't like, people will assume you like it. If we stayed quiet about Carruth getting fired, they would have assumed we had no problem with it. Not my all time, but one of my favorite quotes is, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money” by Patrick Meagher. This quote basically means money is not everything. My interpretation of this quote is that “poor” in this sentence, doesn’t mean financially. More like poor as in the lack of things, like love, soul, compassion, friends, family, happiness, politeness, common sense… the basic stuff yaknow? They are poor in spirit, and all that they have is money. Theres so much life to live… you need to live it.
“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
ReplyDeleteIf you didn’t know, Gandhi was the revolutionary leader of the Indian Independence movement back when India was ruled by Britain. He practice civil disobedience and was very peaceful throughout the movement. He said this during a time when people thought war and bloodshed was the only way to gain independence, but he stood up for what he believed in and his action is now seen as one of the most successful displays of civil disobedience.
When I first saw this blogpost, I groaned a little because I don’t usually feel a connection with quotes. Bryan, on the other hand, is an encyclopedia full of quotes and he can often recite them from memory. So, I asked him for some cool quotes and it turns out he has a whole document dedicated to cool quotes. Great. So I’m browsing through his list of quotes, many of which were incorporated in his nine page OP, and like all other quotes I had read before, I thought they were cool but didn’t get that feeling of connection. Then, I read this quote by Gandhi, and I get a feeling of nostalgia. All of my memories from freshman year hit me, and I knew that this was the quote. I used to be really insecure, but it was weird because I actually liked myself for the most part. However, from the way that my relatives acted and questioned me, I got the feeling that I shouldn’t have liked myself, and it got to me. They never flat out said I was ugly, but it was implied, and I let them walk through my head with their dirty feet. Finally, during my freshman year, I cleansed my mind. I didn’t let what other people felt about me influence the way I felt about myself. And I’m a lot happier now.
When I think of Bunje I think of a leader rather than a follower. You follow the rules you see fit, but you will never become the teacher that you preach not to be. This quotes relates to you because you would never be "silent about your pain". You voice your opinions to let those around you know how you feel. You are straightforward. You are honest. Recently as a whole oak decided we were no longer going to "be silent" about our "pain". We stood up for what we believed in and walked out. By walking out we proved that we feel differently than how the board of education and John Keenan feel. The quote is saying that if you do not voice your opinion then once something happens everyone around you will figure that you approved because you never said differently. Always say how you feel so those around you can act accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAfter hours on hours of scrolling through Pinterest, tumblr and asking others what quote most spoke to them I finally found one that grabbed me.
"Note to self:
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you're carrying around like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There's no time for anything else."
-Nanea Hoffman (date unknown but new)
I always find myself stressing about the little things. The things that won't matter in 20 years when I'm looking back at my high school years. The little things that no one seem to notice. It's this quote that helps me snap back into reality. We have one life to live and a very short amount of time to life it. That is why the famous acronym "YOLO" is so important. You Only Live Once. (I mean unless you're a cat #9lives) Since the amount of time we get the chance to live on this earth is limited do want makes you happy. "Eat the delicious food" even if you are trying so hard to get that summer bod (me) and you are struggling because of all the cravings (me times one thousand) in the end it is okay. Fuel yourself with things that make you happy because in the end that is all that matters. "Jump into the ocean" that line is so freaking important. The biggest effect you get from jumping into the ocean is the feeling of inferior/smallness. In life you need to be humble. By jumping into the ocean you snap back into reality that you are so small living in such a big world. You need to have humility in your life for balance. The next three sentences of the quote are some of the most important, "Be silly. Be kind. Be weird." You cannot go through life without being silly or weird. A prime example of this is me in second period at 8:30 in the morning talking in a accent that can hardly be categorized. Being weird and silly lead to happiness. I am so filled with weirdness and silliness that it over flows and I cannot stop it. The concluding sentence, "There is no time to be anything else." is a very important line. You have such a short life to live that you absolutely cannot sit around wasting it trying to be someone else. First of all, I can not even image all the effort it must take to not be yourself. Be yourself so others know the real you. Be yourself because that is the only time you have to be who you truly are.
I presume the above quote is one of your favorite quotes because you stand up for what you consider right and fair. You also like to let people know when they are being unjust and unfair in order for there to be a stop to the pain and nonsense. In short, you will not be silent to something that brings you pain, because the person causing the pain, will continue to do so, unless there is a stop to it, and you are not afraid to do that. The current events from Friday connect to this quote quite nicely because everyone of Oakcrest High School was tired of being silent and tired of the pain. Therefore, we came up with a solution, a solution that may not be the most orthodox, but a solution that had us heard. If we did not do what we have done they would have, “killed us and said we enjoyed it”, metaphorically. But literally, they would have done whatever they wanted, without consideration for the people that matter: the students, faculty, and the teachers. I read and interpret the quote as I see it, but not as literal. If you are silent about something that is unjust and unfair, they will think that everything is ‘OK’, but in reality, it is not. Then you end up suffering through it and have no solution because no one knew there was an initial issue.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I chose and that really spoke to me is said by Omar Khayyam who quotes, “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” To me, this means that you should live every minute of your life in that moment and do not worry about the next, because, eventually, you will get there soon enough. I like this quote because when I look back on this school year and remember all of the work, and tests, and stress I had, I realize that this year is coming to an end and summer is beginning and I can finally be happy for the moment. However, I do wish I came across this quote earlier so I would have had this mind-set throughout the course of the year, but as they say, “better late than never”.
When I discovered this quote, I saw it as a message to stop stressing and enjoy each of life’s moments as they occur because one day everything can change and go away. Therefore, if I attempt to stop worrying about the next day, let alone the future, and just worry about the moment I am in, then everything will fall into place and work itself out.
There is no specific year of when Omar Khayyam quoted this but his lifespan was from 1048 to 1131, therefore something important might have been going on in his home country of Iran, but I am not certain of what events did occur for him to create this quote.
In times of civil unrest like these, I’m forced to come face to face with my own hypocrisy. My strong conviction of doing the right thing, and my adamant disapproval of certain protest tactics clash haphazardly like cymbals and each time they make my head hurt more. It also leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I realize my actions (or lack thereof) have turned me into the exact thing that I spent an entire blog post bashing back in… October? November? One of those months. My silence and stillness do not come from a place of indifference, but rather a place of caution. I see the value in a walk-out, but I do not see value in a zoo of kids screaming profanities at a man they demand to see, only then to boo him away. I also do not see the value in a zoo of kids jumping on vehicles or breaking into press boxes. Acts of civil defiance should be meaningful, well-planned, and effective. It’s almost physically painful to have to watch my well-meaning classmates be overshadowed by people who are walking out just for the sake of skipping class. A walkout shouldn’t be a fun event. It is a political statement made in drastic times, and shouldn’t be something to look forward to. If things are bad enough that we have to walk out to make our voices heard, then we shouldn’t be wishing and hoping and looking forward to a walk out, because it means that things are THAT bad. An orderly and eerily silent walk-out would have been more worthwhile, in my opinion. Sometimes silence (when used the right way) can make a stronger statement than yelling.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, me saying that silence can be meaningful completely contradicts Zora Neale Hurston’s quote. But in my own interpretation, silence can be used as an instrument to create loudness. Silence can be just as deafening as shouting, yelling, screaming. Being “vocal” or “loud” about our convictions doesn’t necessarily mean we have to paste them on our foreheads or shout them out of megaphones. Our actions speak towards our beliefs. “Staying silent” doesn’t necessarily mean being quiet; to me, it means being indifferent and not doing anything at all. Bunje, you’re known for being Oakcrest’s brightest firecracker. You will bend over backwards to make your kids happy, but you won’t let yourself be bent to fit another person’s standards. Hurston’s words seem to echo the ones that you tell us every day, which is that we can galvanize change in the world, if we only use our words properly.
I’ve never been much of a quote person. I never seek out quotes looking for some kind of epiphany. Recently, I watched an interview with Caitlin Stasey. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIE6SxH-JuM (IT’S GOOD. WATCH IT!!!!!)
If I could take everything she said in that video and tattoo it on my forehead, I would, but everything she said only relates to one part of me, which is the feminist part. I want to be more broad, so for once, I went to seek out a quote. I found this: “It's not always necessary to be strong, but to feel strong.” -Jon Krakauer [Into the Wild]
I wouldn’t call myself a transcendentalist--none of that Alexander Supertramp type stuff--but I do believe in inner strength. I’m not a physically strong person, nor am I emotionally strong, but sometimes, in order to make it through a day, I have to force myself to FEEL strong. People can call you weak, but they can’t make you FEEL weak. Believing in your own inner strength can generate greatness. Believing that you can overcome your circumstances is the first step to actually overcoming them. I like to think of myself as a “doer,” and sometimes when the odds are stacked against me, the only way I can “do” is if I “believe” I am able to. In a way, believing is very enabling. This quote reminds me that my circumstances do not chain me. As long as I feel strength from within, everything else seems to matter a little less. Also, another amazing quote is, “They might not do it very well, but they very well might do it.” -Christopher Sopuch. This quote is inspirational because it is from the King of Econ himself (and also contains a chiasmus).
DeleteLet me start out by saying that I freaking love quotes and when Clark gave us a transcendentalism project, I wrote about all my favorite quotes.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that this is one of your favorite quotes because you’re the type to speak out if something is wrong. As life goes on, I’m realizing more and more that you have not wavered in instances of fear and that you are always strong in your beliefs. You always stand up for your opinion, which usually turns out to be fact, and you always speak out when you’re being wronged.
We made a ruckus on Friday, and while you weren’t allowed to support us aloud, you did through written words. And “words have power”. While we are under an unfortunate tyranny, you’ve stayed true to us. It’s unfortunate that my acting principal has turned the Board of Education into lap dogs that eat out of the palm of his hand. It’s unfortunate that my teachers and classmates are unhappy. However, during the of the reign of a tyrant, you've managed to be a bright ray of sunshine in a cloudy month.
My favorite quote is “broken crayons still color”. In all honesty I found this quote in Tumblr so I have no idea who said it, so shoutout to you wherever you are. This quote hit me very hard. Very rarely am I ever in my feels, but when I am, I'm very deep in my feels. Like I am Breyoncé and I have no feelings, but I low-key do.
No one likes broken crayons. Even in elementary school when nothing really mattered, you weren't cool if you had broken crayons. But even though they aren't as appealing as whole crayons, they still do their job; they still provide their color.
I am a broken crayon. In being broken, I'm not given the benefit of doubt. Nobody knows that I can still do my job. Nobody knows that I was once whole, until someone else broke me. However, as a broken crayon, I still serve my purpose. I still color. I tend to forget that; that I can still color. No matter how short I am or how undesirable I am to look at or use, I’m still as equally equipped to do my purpose as a more attractive crayon.
There are very few people in the world who speak their mind, willing to do the unimaginable, and defend for what is right. But Bunj, you are that person. Though you may not think so, you have the biggest heart I know! Your love for your students (and animals) is so amazing, so breathtaking. You put others before yourself. You see an opportunity for greatness and you seize it. You go out of your way to right the wrongs, to get your point across, to help those who don’t have it easy. You make sure your voice is heard. And I guess that’s why this quote is your favorite. “If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” Let me repeat that: “If you are SILENT about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” Staying in the back, not voicing your opinions, being forced into an unwanted territory, what good is that? A life full of pain is not the way to live. You have a voice, and a mind for a reason. Don’t let it dictate your life.
ReplyDeleteFriday’s event was...something. The students of Oakcrest had enough. They were tired and cranky (a bunch of curmudgeons if ya know what I mean), and felt like they didn’t matter anymore. So they walked out. Though it didn’t go as planned, it was still something. They protested and fought for a whole hour. In the rain too. The pain that has been building up for the past year had finally exploded. And they didn’t try to conceal it either. If they didn’t walkout, if they remained silent, life would be the same-- miserable and painful and everything in-between. But they didn’t succumb to that. The board, the staff, the entire county, even Keenan himself, finally knew how they were feeling. Their voices were finally heard (And to think, that was only the beginning).
It took me awhile to decide which quote to use because I just loved them all so much, but I finally settled on this one:
“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” -Buddha
Sometimes I feel like a hippie-- always happy, never angry. But living and breathing and growing up in this society, I honestly think that’s the best way to go. Life is full of surprises. You never know how the day will be, or who you’ll meet, or what new thing you’ll learn. But most importantly, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Holding grudges, getting mad for no reason, fighting over something stupid-- you’re so busy with this, you miss out on the other things in life. Memories and having fun and love. You give up a happy life for a life full of hatred and petty problems. You focus on other things when you should be focusing on yourself. And the only person who is causing it, is you. Not him, not her, not the delivery man. It’s all you. Because after all, you are the one in control. The power is in your hands. And this I strongly believe. Why be angry? What’s the point in that? The way I see it, we’re all equal. I mean, we’re all gonna die soon anyways. So, when you’re on your deathbed, looking back on your life, wouldn’t you want to remember all the good things you did versus reliving all the hatred and anger? I know I would.
Oh lordy, I see you on your piece of crap macbook, re- reading this quote because it is your favorite. It is no surprise to me that this is your favorite quote. Over the course of seven months you have told us your honest opinion, your views on everything, and that you don’t take crap from anyone. You stand up for what you believe in with your full heart and never let our opinions go to waste. You’ll never let anyone step on you or your 204 lang babies, you’ll tell us everything we need to know about our school and life in general, and always be there for us. Every day my heart smiles when you walk into class and shout, “HEY SUNSHINES”. I find that the cutest thing. I may just come in next year at the beginning of every class just to hear you say that. But, you then proceed to tell us how you are, how the administrations are pissing you off and that you stole all of Clark’s copies (haha). You tell us what your opinion is on the world and what pushes your buttons. Moving forward, my parents have always told me to be a leader and not a follower, but I believe that you’ve always been a leader. You tell us to voice our opinions and to speak out even when others tell us to stay quiet, you push us in every way possible to make us better, no matter what others think. I am forever grateful for what you’ve done for me.
ReplyDeleteThis quote makes me want to rethink how shy I am, so I can voice my opinions and never let someone think I enjoyed something even though I was in pain. I was never the one to raise my hand in a classroom or be the class clown; I was the one who was perfectly content listening to other people’s voices and nodding my head occasionally. It never struck me that I would need to voice my opinion to make people think I was pain or if I enjoyed something. I didn’t care if my voice wasn’t heard or that I preached my opinion. I wanted to make it through school under the radar. I use past tense because I act like I don’t do it anymore. I still do. I sit quietly, listening to the frustrating opinions of people and nodding my head occasionally. When there’s a problem I don’t use my words. So, I guarantee there are people out there who think I’m enjoying something when I’m really in pain. But, I think, how long will this person remember me and what my views are? This quote relates to the walkout the school had Friday. I was not able to attend because of the ACIT Prom. I had to get myself all dolled up. But, if I was in oak, I would be hesitant on walking out, but knowing who I am, I would. Not so everyone knew I was doing it, but because I knew I had a right to speak out.
“Always stay humble and kind”
That right there, that is my favorite quote. It’s from a song that was written this year. The song is titled “Always stay humble and kind”, which I love. It’s by a country artist- Tim McGraw. Although it is a rather new quote, I love it. I has become my favorite quote. Throughout the song he mentions ways of staying humble and kind and tells us not to forget the mountains we’re climbing, but also remembering to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. I honestly love the whole song, but my favorite part is, “always stay humble and kind”. You truly never know what other people are going through unless you talk to them personally. Always make small gestures because even if you don’t want to, it’ll mean the world to someone else. Say please and thank you every chance you get, and always stay humble and kind.
"If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it" - Zora Neale Hurston
ReplyDeleteThis quote can be interpreted in a few different ways. The most relevant being related to the recent events at Oakcrest High School. I believe this is one of your favorite quotes because if I have learned anything from you this year, it's that it's important to speak your mind. Sometimes it may seem like that's not the best option, but just as the quote says, if you don't speak your mind, you can't expect to get anywhere in life. The people that you are fighting against will hush you and make it seem as if you agree with them.
With Oakcrest, this quote holds a strong importance lately. I believe that the walkout took us so much further than where we used to be. If didn't speak out, I imagine that Keenan would've made it seem as if we didn't mind the loss of Carruth.
If you suppress your opinions and feelings, you'll live your life in one spot. Nothing will ever happen. You'll never get what you want.
The quote I chose is "I know I'm good for something, I just haven't found it yet" - Derek Sanders. This is important to me because although I've struggled before, this quote reminds me that just because there are hard times, it won't always be this way. One day I will be able to tell myself that I am good for something even if I can't see it now. This comes from 2007 so it was not very long ago, but I know that this comes from a time when Sanders was struggling. Knowing that I can relate to someone that has such a huge impact on my life helps me. It's human nature to search out someone that understands your struggles. Knowing that I will one day be independent and happy is what keeps me moving. And if a quote is what it takes to remind me of that, then that's fine with me.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis quote is one of your favorite quotes because you are a fighter. Nothing will be accomplished by sitting around and not standing up for what you believe in. If you do not show how you feel about something and show your opinion, no one will ever know how you feel about that thing. This can be related to what is going on with Oakcrest and how most teachers and students refuse to watch their principal be reprimanded without an explanation. If people did not do anything or show their opinion, the administration may think that we do not care about Carruth or our school's future. This quote is all about standing up for what you believe in. Everyone needs to input their voice in a matter, and when this happens, you will see that it's not just you that may feel a certain way.
ReplyDeleteLife is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
- Vivian Greene
Born: Aug 01, 1904 Died: Aug 19, 2003
I chose this quote because I do my best to live like this, in the moment. I do not wait for a better time to do something because there may not be a better time. It is important to make the best out of any situation that you may be in. This quote is all about dealing with things you may not have wished for and making those things enjoyable or at least not horrible. Take this Saturday for instance, we have prom and there may be a nor'easter. No unless Atlantic City gets evacuated, prom will still be on Saturday, rain or shine. And if it rains we will just have to make the best out of our wet and possibly muddy suits and dresses. No matter what happens, the night will still be fun and that's what it's all about.
This quote is similar to the quote that this blog is about. They both scream change, the quote in the blog uses voice to excite change. That quote is all about how you must speak up for yourself and what you believe in. My quote uses actions to excite change. You can not just expect things to get better if you do not take the initiative to try to make them better.
Apparently, Bre used the quote I was gonna use for this blog and the quote festival.... well you snooze you loose, right? It's okay though because I have a Pinterest board full of quotes that I love. A quote that I have chosen is "Aspire to inspire before we expire" by Eugene Bell Jr. This quote is one of my mottos in life. It simply means to strive to inspire others before you no longer have the opportunity to do so.
ReplyDeleteBeing the little girl I once was, full of dreams and imaginations, I had a dream goal to become a role model to many people and inspire, motivate and help them in many ways possible. I've achieved this goal in small ways I can each day and I'm working on greater ways to do so.
I believe all of us has a part of greatness in us. We all face difficult challenges from time to time, but one thing is true; every life has great worth and incredible value. Though our time here on this planet is relatively brief, each of us should aspire to do what we can to inspire, whether big or small ways, and help others in the limited amount of time we are given. "No man is an island" unto himself, John Donne said. Whether we realize it or not, our lives all touch many other lives. We should do everything in our power to inspire, help, and encourage others as we journey in this thing called “life”. Life shouldn't go to waste. We may even leave a legacy behind. So, aspire to inspire others. Just as much as others inspired you.
ReplyDeleteAfter learning about you and understanding the reasons for your actions I know that you like this quote because it reminds you to never stay silent and stand up for what you think is right. You've learned from the past that people are cruel and if you stay silent and seem like someone who is helpless they will use that against you and walk all over you. But you are the complete opposite. You don't accept BS and you make it known to people that you won't just settle for anything. When something is wrong you speak up so that people know and by doing this repeatedly people know that they can't take advantage of you. They know how strong you are as a person and realize that they can't knock you down. This quote reminds me of the reason why you will never let people run over you. You have to stand your ground in order to review respect and that's exactly what you do.
This quote relates to some of the recent events that happened in oakcrest. For example we just had a walkout on Friday and that was students expressing their views and using there voice. We didn't keep our pain silent becuase we knew that doing that wouldn't help. Instead we made our pain known and it definitely turned heads. We even got news stories written about a couple hundred brave students who decided to walk out. Thankfully Oakcrest understands the meaning of the Quite and put it to use that Friday. We knew that the only way we would get heard is if we take a stand and come together to get heard.
This quote to me means that you need to stand up for what is right and you can't settle for things that you know isn't right. You have to be able to show people your not someone to mess with so that they don't run all over you. Keeping your pain silent won't help anything but make you feel worse. Letting your pain out will catch the attention of others and will hopefully make a change.
A quote that I really like is by Ghandi and it says "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he think, He becomes." This quote means a lot to me becuase it reminds me that I need to have a positive mindset if I want to succeed at things. If I think I'm going to win I will win but if I think I am going to lose I will lose. Life and death is in the power of the tongue and whatever you think will happen most likely will. So this quote reminds me that we control who we are and its up to us to become what we think. I apply this quote to school, gymnastics and life in general. It motivates to know that I can do anything if I believe in myself.
This is one of your favorite quotes because you are someone who is not afraid to speak out. You are not afraid to defend your students in times of injustice. I know that if you are feeling a certain way about something, you do not sit there and sulk, instead you make it known to the people of your exact opinions. I deeply respect you because this was something I always had trouble with. I have trouble speaking my opinion because I am afraid of what people will think of me. You are never silent about your pain nor are you ever, afraid of voicing your opinion. I think that the event on Friday really sent a message to Keenan. It showed him that we will not sit peacefully in times of injustice. It relates to the quote because we did not keep silent about the injustice done to Mr. Carruth. We are trying to show Keenan that he is not the only one in power, the students of Oakcrest have a bigger power than he does. To me, this quote means that you should always speak about your pains or else it will continue to hurt you. You being silent is encouraging the other party that is causing the pain.
ReplyDelete“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” --Confucius (date unknown)
I chose this quote because I never was one of those kids that was naturally smart and understood everything said by the teacher. I had to do math problems over and over again to understand them. I am pretty sure my elementary teachers hated me because I always needed them to repeat whatever lesson they just taught. I never gave up, I just did things over and over again until I finally got it. And also my grades were on stake sooo kinda had to do it. To me, this quote means that no matter how long the path to success is, we should always strive until the end of our path. This is one of my favorite quotes to refer to whenever I need motivation. Everyone is different and everyone learns differently but as long as we reach our dream in the end, it will be worth the pain. This quote also taught me to never give up because we all run into obstacles in life and we need to find a way to jump through them.
“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it”- Zora Neale Hurston
ReplyDeleteI believe that this quote by Zora Neale Hurston is one of your favorites because from what I have seen over this past year Bunje, you are not the kind of person to roll over and play dead. You are opinionated and will support and voice your ideas. Recently the students of Oakcrest High School have begun to stand up for themselves and the wellbeing of their school. Up until a few weeks ago John Keenan and those that hired him probably believed that we supported John Keenan and all the bullshit that hes brought this school, but as a student body we have finally began to come together and attempt to make a change instead of just sitting around and complaining. Because of the recent events at Oakcrest there is no way that John Keenan can think that we enjoy and appreciate his presence at our nest. This quote applies to just about anything from relationships, to work, to school, to family. People aren’t mind readers therefore you need to tell them how you feel or what you think or else nothing will change or things will get worse.
I don’t have a favorite quote, mostly just little sayings that have no known origin so I found one on google. I looked through a lot and it took me a little while because I took some time to think and relate to each one and I read. I chose the following quote;
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”- Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC)
This quote relates a lot to what we talk about in Lang and also what I believe in. Open-mindedness is a characteristic I have always prided myself in and have always looked for in people. I believe that having an open mind makes you more appealing. Open mindedness doesn’t mean you don’t have opinions because, its important to have some idea of what you believe in, it means that you are able to consider the possibility that you are wrong or that there is more than one way to do things. In Lang we discuss how being open minded and accepting another person’s argument as plausible, in return their mind opens to your argument and you have a better chance of having them agree with you.
This is a pretty cool quote if I say so myself. I can really imagine this being your favorite quote. You never back down from anyone. In 204, the one rule I know everyone must follow is respecting each other's opinions. We write on this blog about our feelings, memories, goals, aggression, basically about ourselves that we wouldn’t just say to each other in class. We form opinions and express them without fear of being torn down. That alone says a lot. I know period 2 is very close. We all kinda have this family thing going on. I would feel 100% confident voicing my opinions or my feelings and no matter what being accepted. Whether my words start a debate or a life lesson, there is never harm. Like I said before, you never back down from anyone, @mrspintille. Nothing will ever get done if one's feelings are not put out there. People will think everything is okay and change wouldn’t be expected. Letting someone walk over you and you having no say is equivalent to basically being dead. You let all your morals and self respect slip away from you. You, Bunje, on the other hand, don't take sheeeeet from anyone, especially administration. I can’t imagine what Brian deals with. This completely relates to not just the the students of Oakcrest High School, but the faculty and student body of the GEHRHSD. Oakcrest students acted for what others were scared to do because of our master Keenan. On twitter, everyone was congratulating us and saying how we were “savages” but really we were just infuriated students who didn’t want to take anyones insane rules anymore.
ReplyDeleteI have thousands of favorite quotes. Legiterally a whole book of quotes I’ve written down over the past 2 years. I can’t just choose one ;( But if I must I guess I’ll have to be pull some strings together.
“Even roses need sunshine and a touch of rain to grow.”
This little quote is the last 2 lines of one Erin Hansen’s long, deep quotes but I only really loved the last part. Recently, I’ve had this weird obsession with roses. After I read Milk and Honey, I fell in love with every idea of a rose. I felt connected with page 15 which said, “She was a rose in the hands of those who had no intention of keeping her.” I wrote this 11 page letter/essay about that quote that I was gonna use as my OP but I was like nahhhhh. It was the best thing I’ve ever wrote. Back to my original quote. I love it. My idea of a rose is complicated and I fluctuate. One minute, I think it's someone who is perfect. Someone who never fails to be beautiful and spread their beauty. Then the next I think it's someone who is always a thorn in someone's side, always hard to upkeep, always an issue. Halfway through my essay thingy, I realized I rose was both a thorn in someone's side and the most beautiful creation on this earth aka this quote. A “rose” does need to have happy and sad points in order to properly succeed in life. I truly believe one who struggles is the most intelligent person alive. I can’t even fully describe my love for roses now. I wish I could copy and paste my essay/letter into this textbox but unfortunately, it's handwritten and I’ll never have the guts to read it out loud. Just know I have this obsession and this quote completely explains my views on life and it includes sunshine and roses, my 2 fav things besides MIA <3
I am grounded, so I have limited time on my computer so im going to try and keep this short and sweet so I don’t run out of time while writing. The quote I have chosen is from the movie Love and Other Drugs made in 2010. Where a boy (Jake Gyllenhal) falls in love with a sick girl (Anne Hathaway) and its beautiful and sad and funny, just like every other love story in a movie. Anyways, the quote is "Youre still there. And life goes on. And life is beautiful." Gyllenhal tells that to Hathaway towards the end of the film when they become more serious and that quote really means something to me and even more so during the past year. There has been so many heart aching events with in the past year not just in my life but in everyone's and I always see people getting caught up in the tragic events and it is incredibly depressing.
ReplyDeleteI've always felt a large amount of empathy for people and what they are going through and then I feel as though that it gets to a certain point where I need to feel more for myself and not others. Because, after all, I am still here. Im alive and im thankful for that everyday. Everyday that each one of us is alive is a miracle because a lot of people don’t make it this far and I have, we all have. I've gotten through all of my toughest battles so far in life and im not ready to give up. I have a great life that needs to be lived and my life, just like everyone else's, is precious. Sure we all go through awful things and experience so much pain but life goes on, we shouldn’t hold on to things we cant change or things that cause us pain. Everyone should discover their own happiness and find their own strengths so that we can grow and learn. So, even though some of the people I love maybe be leaving me in some way, im still here and my life will go on without them. My life has gloomy moments but it is so beautiful.
After having you for a year, it’s not hard to figure out why this is your favorite quote. You are not afraid to say what you think. You always voice your own opinion even if that’s not what others think. You always tell us what you think about certain situations, especially when it involves what’s happening at Oakcrest.
ReplyDeleteWith what happened to Oakrest, this quote applies to many of the students as well as teachers. Everyone knows about the walkout and it had great intentions. The students that care and worried about Oakcrest were able to voice their opinions. Yeah it was a bit disorganized and it could have been better but we were able to get our message across.
This quote basically means that we let bad things happen if we don’t voice our opinions to stop it from happening. This quote encourages us to voice our opinions. No one will know how you are feeling unless you tell them.
I have one quote that I found last year. It’s actually the wallpaper on my phone.
“Be patient with yourself. You are growing stronger every day The weight of the world will become lighter...and you will begin to shine brighter. Don’t give up” - Robert Tew
For some reason, I’m really into these types of quotes. They tell you not give up, they tell you to stay strong, and they tell you that no matter what everything will be better. I guess I started loving these kinds of quotes because I’ve always doubted myself. I find myself saying that I’m not good enough. When I stress about something, sometimes I tell myself to just give up. And when I do it sometimes, I always hate myself for it afterwards. Like everyone I have my own problems. Sometimes I go through periods where I feel depressed. This quote stuck out to me and became my wallpaper because everytime I read it, it really does make me feel better. When I’m down, having this quote as my wallpaper reminds me that things get better. Each line of the quote builds up to the last line “Don’t give up” and it’s that last line that helped me get through all the stuff I’ve been through. The quote is simple and encouraging. Reading it everyday just gives me that little push to go through my day knowing that whatever happens today, tomorrow will be better.
Over the few short month’s I have grown to know and love you, Bunje I have learned quite a few things in and out of the classroom. One is that you have no problem speaking aloud you beliefs and fighting for what you think is right. The quote "If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it" by Zora Neale Hurston is your motto. It’s the way you live your life. You tend to never settle for anything, which I admire very much because it is a big principle in my life as well. Bunje, you use the time you’re given with as much purpose as possible because you want your point across. You are not the type of person who will let anyone walk on over you. It is the reason I am sure this quote lays close to your heart. In previous years, or so I’ve heard, there has not been a time when Cassandra Bunje did not fight for what she believed in. You live for the moments to make a difference, whether you realize it or not. You encourage change and opinion, some things people often forget they are entitled to.
ReplyDeleteIn recent events it is clear this quote is more powerful than one would think. Not only does it let people know its okay to express yourself and your beliefs but shows the harsh realities of those who don’t. Our protests from Friday can be seen as an effect of this quote without realizing it. In order to prevent the big bad wolves from swallowing our voices and destroying what is left of us, we chose to speak of our aggression through the statement of a nonviolent walkout.
Pain is hard to deal with. In our lifetimes we experiences thousands of situations that cause us the types of pain we try to avoid. Heartbreak, loss of a young one, physical pain, mental pain etc. It is often difficult to fully express the type of pain rather what we feel in general to others, No matter how open a person can be, being able to convey ones thoughts to another clearly and efficiently is a true skill. People hide their pain to seem stronger or “cooler” but in reality they are seen as distant or reserved. At times, this may be just the person’s character and if so, it is unwavering from their day to day routine. “Pain” in this sense can be interpreted in many different ways. It is not just the physical aspect of it but rather any kind of hardship one has to encounter in their life. From family drama to trouble in paradise everyone has their fair share of pain to last a lifetime. Which evidently it does, quite literally. Everyone experiences their own type of pain, so no pain is ever not pain. People have the right to speak their mind, it’s in the constitution after all. However it is important for people to actually follow through because their opinion may be linked to many or on the contrary provide a new fresh take on the matter at hand.
Those who do not speak out are often burdened with terrible secrets that slowly eat away at their sanity. We see it here, in the hallways, at homes and in the eyes of others. Shy people have it the worst. The loud individuals in the world over power, possibly unintentionally, those who cannot seem to find a voice to the words they desperately want to say.
ReplyDeleteYou of all people should know how difficult it is for me to pick a quote. Just ONE! That’s insane. I gave you a poster filled with quotes that were beautifully thought because I couldn’t pick just one. I thrive off of quotes. They inspire me at times. Sometimes I look at them just to start a blog. Whether it be a movie, book or a random philosophical quote, something is always running through my mind. Even when reading I Didn’t Wash My Car Last Month, before I knew where the story was going two completely different scenarios popped in my head along with different quotes that related to my made up scenes. One of them was by Ghandi, the movie Remember Me had quoted it, “whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it because nobody else will.” The other, not sure who its by, is “Its so easy not to do things”
Quotes are hard. Pain is hard. Everything is just simply difficult. I fall in love with quotes just because sometimes they are just so beautifully thought and add a new perspective, one that never crossed my mind. For example the quote “'Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them” by Margaret Atwood may have been an exaggeration in our semi messed up world, however there is some truth in her statement. Other times books such as Anna Karenina make my heart melt, Leo Tolstoy surely has a way with word. Memorable, standout moments leave a lasting effect on me along with the scene the words are permanently tangled in my mind. Whether it be Emily Dickinson’s “ Forever is composed of now” quote or the saying “ In that Moment we were Infinite” from The Perks Of Being a Wildflower, no quote can trump the my favorite quote of all time. Sadly I plan to use it in my very last op , that mean in AoP, right before graduation day. Sorry for the wait but I think it’ll be worth it.
Anyways I guess I’ll have to pick my second favorite quote. (No such thing exists, there is one and everything else just mindlessly falls underneath it until the need to utilize the quote surfaces) There is an endless supply of quotes I could spew off in this very moment. However I few particulars come to mind first. The quote ““Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves and, of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys they’d just walk around naked at all times” made me laugh aloud when I first heard it. It was the most realist thing I had heard at the time. It was ironic because it was said by Betsey Johnson who is a little out of the box most of the time and that’s just what this quote was. I debated using it, and decided against it when I remembered this epic quote.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very difficult era in which to be a person, just a real, actual person, instead of a collection of personality traits selected from an endless Automat of characters. ― Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
I came to a realization this year that nothing is ever original. I think I have always had this thought bouncing around, one of many. People take the experiences they have had, the literature they have read, the movies they have seen, and especially the people they have encountered to produce every opinion they have ever had. Whether parent taught or self-learned all of a person’s basic principles are derived and developed from a prior moment in time. People change people. That’s an important one. It’s sort of a branch of this quote. I think of this quote often, when I am conflicted on whether my own thoughts are my thoughts or just something I picked up along the way. Sometime this year I decided that nothing is original anymore. Yes boundaries and extremes and broken and conquered but only because others had set a standard before. But nothing is its own kind of unique. And that’s okay because we evolve due to the standards that were previously set. Gone Girl in itself was a goose bump worthy movie and Flynn had endless great one liners that will never be forgotten. The fact that this quote comes from this book/ movie just makes me appreciate the quote even more. Even if I question my own individuality as I reminiscence in it.
I really love this quote because it encourages people to speak up for themselves. It tells people that unless they speak up for themselves when they don’t agree with something, they will go unnoticed and someone else will just talk for them. I believe you like this quote so much because you are a firm believer in standing up for what you believe in. You are one to speak out when you see that something is wrong and I respect you a lot for that. The quote by Zora Neale Hurston is relevant because of the walk out that occurred a few days ago. Many that participated in the walkout believed that that was the way to be heard and let the school board know how they felt. Those of us who walked out for a purpose would rather get our point across than be misrepresented because we believe it is unfair what Keenan has turned our school environment into.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I have always been one to follow my heart. Wherever my mind is at that point in my life, I head towards the direction that I want to head towards. My favorite quote is one from the movie, “The Sandlot”, which takes place in a small town in the summer of 1962. It was written by David M Evans and Robert Gunter. “Remember kid, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered but legends never die, follow your heart kid, and you'll never go wrong.” In the movie, Babe Ruth says this when he appears in the main characters dream. When I read this quote, I think that no matter what road I take in life; as long as it’s the path that I want to go down, it’ll be the right path. I love this quote because it calms me down whenever I read it. If I’m ever stressed about a decision, or when I’ll be stressed about which college to choose next year, I’ll be able to read this quote and know that I’ll be fine no matter what I do.
"If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it" ---Zora Neale Hurston
ReplyDeleteExpression, whether it be through vocalization or writing, is a powerful tool. Your favorite quote implies that “if you do not stay silent about your pain” but rather bring your grievances to attention, “they will not kill you and [they will] not say you enjoyed it.” By expressing our concerns Friday in (or rather - not in) school, the student body caught the attention of our community, our staff, our peers, and our administration. The administration cannot ignore the fact that their students are not at peace and they could not say that I “enjoyed” these current events. As for the quote above being your favorite, previously mentioned was “expression”. I recognize that your passion (although it comes in many different forms) is expression, and this expression can have a direct relationship with being “silent about your pain”. Reading this quote, I immediately connected it to our current situation with our Superintendent/Principal/Demon-thingy. “Killing” would represent our graduation from Oakcrest High School. If we (as students) keep our complaints to ourselves without making them known, we would graduate next year leaving our community to assume that life is normal and everything is “spic-and-span” at the Nest. Which, unfortunately, it is not.
The quote that I have chosen comes to mind quite often in my daily life. Each time I lay eyes on a dandelion, I think of this saying: “When you look at a field of dandelions you can either see a hundred weeds or a hundred wishes.” -Anonymous. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved loved LOVED dandelions because they reminded me of summer. Nowadays, they make me smile simply because of their simplicity. These plants are quite literally just goo-filled green sticks with fuzzy white seeds on top. But somehow, the correlation between wishes and weeds makes the external image of them unimportant. Now, I must interrupt this thought and say that I try my best to be realistic...in ALL aspects of my life. When setting goals, auditioning for a lead role, or having high standards for myself, I tend to be brutally honest with myself in order to avoid disappointment down the road. With this in mind, taking a break from reality by wishing on a dandelion makes me feel like an innocent, little girl again. It is for this reason that I have always adored this quote. While others may see them as “weeds”, I associate dandelions with dreaming.
If I know anything about you, I believe my interpretation of that quote would be very similar to yours. That’s probably one of your favorite quotes because it speaks to all the weak-minded people who refuse to remove themselves from toxic situations because it’s easier to stay. Not that I think you look down entirely on weak people or anything, I’ve just heard you say “there’s a special place in hell for weak women” and I feel like that somehow relates to this. Maybe I’m wrong… who knows.
ReplyDeleteZora was an African American writer. She was born in 1890 and died in 1960 at the ripe age of 70. So, she was an adult when the storm before the calm hit in the United States as far as segregation goes. In fact, she probably spent most of her life segregated against. I don’t know this for sure, of course.
Maybe she’s talking about white people. White men. Maybe, back then, if a white man beat or harassed or even attacked a black girl, he won some sort of higher social status, some public praise, or even small-scale praise among his white friends. Maybe back then white men caused her pain so she wrote this quote in order to get it on paper what she needs to do: speak up.
Maybe it was just about white people though. In general. Maybe white people contributed to her pain in more ways than they could understand. Maybe they not only beat her, raped her, and humiliated her, but also aroused envy within her upon freely walking past her on a sidewalk somewhere. Maybe so much as a glance at a free white person oozing with inherited hatred caused her pain enough to write this quote.
Like I said before, I look at that and automatically think that the “they” mentioned refers to men. That’s how I’d interpret it for myself. However, the quote speaks to anyone who’s ever felt pain no matter the source it came from. And, considering there is almost always more than one source of pain, “they’ll” be the end of you...that is if you never speak about them and acknowledge them. It isn’t even about talking to get attention or talking to get help or talking to vent your feelings. It’s literally about acknowledgment. If you don’t say out loud what’s hurting you, you’ll go on ignoring the pain it causes you which ends in nothing but more pain. If you go your entire life not speaking about pain, not acknowledging it, everyone will either assume you can handle everything on your own, or assume you live for the drama. And since this isn’t about other people, even you will begin to gravitate towards it as if you enjoy it. And your sources of pain will welcome you with open arms.
I feel like I should use this quote for many reasons. By no means is it my absolute favorite. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look for my absolute favorite quote, but this one means something to me nonetheless. Yeeeeeeears ago I met an artist at comicon. His stuff was mostly typical comic book illustrator stuff, but I saw one print with a bunch of words all over it and was drawn right to it. Here’s the quote:
“Joy is an amazing word. It’s both a small and large word. Small because of the brief bouts of it and large because of the way it feels when you have. Though it is brief, it is also uplifting, and possibly enough to save you”.
DeleteI don’t remember the guy’s name, and can’t make out his signature but I still have the print. All this time, until this year, I never even really understood that quote. But now I do. And I think it’s so ironic that I’ve looked at it almost everyday for the past few years and only now, through all junior year put me through, do I truly understand it. Joy isn’t happiness. Joy is quick. Joy is painless because you know it’s quick, you expect quick, whereas happiness always runs the risk of ending too soon. Joy is the feeling you get when you’re sad and you sit at the beach and it feels a little bit better but the pain is still there. Joy is the feeling of healing and growing and overcoming shit that’s way too hard to overcome but you do it anyway. Joy is quick, joy is big, joy is in the trees and ocean and sky. Joy is a deep breath, a back rub, a hug. Joy is quick and big and quicker and bigger than any other feeling. It’s a feeling to live for rather than fear. It doesn’t make you vulnerable because it goes away too fast for you to even say the word vulnerable. It doesn’t or anything like that it’s just a one time thing. Real quick. Sometimes that’s better than feeling happy. Sometimes, joy is all you need to get out of bed one more time, to inhale and exhale and walk to the bathroom, to brush your teeth and walk to the bus, to tune out all the names and giggles directed at you. Sometimes quick bursts of joy take your hand and wipe your nose and tell you it’ll all be okay. Joy is little and big and that reminds you that something little, like a moment or a view or a feeling, can be big too.
I haven’t even liked Oakcrest until this year. Now it feels like a family. All of us, in different ways, and different areas of our lives, have had it really rough...too rough. For me, holding onto little things like the taste of ice cream when it’s hot out or the consistently beautiful sunsets or the smell of tanning lotion or the sound of waves has gotten me through everything I’ve needed to get through. I think that would help a lot of people, being able to focus on the small things and understand how big they really are.
The quote means that if you sit back and say nothing about what you are feeling, it will only do more harm than good. Once the issue is resolved the feeling or problem you wanted to talk about gets pushed away and nothing will change. This is your favorite quote probably because it relates to you and your personality and character traits. You are the type of person to stand up for herself. You would never just let something slide and never say anything and I admire that so much. This is such a good trait to have because it only helps you and cannot hurt you. Yeah maybe you will argue more with someone because you voice your opinion but that is such a good thing. Everyone should say what they feel and know how and when to stand up for themselves. You would never just sit back and watch something bad happen, you’d be the first to defend and try to stop it. This quote relates to the issues occurring now in Oakcrest because us students and teachers stood up for ourselves and actually said something, well tired. The walk out was the students attempt to protest the firing of our principal. We didn’t sit back and do nothing because like the quote explains, if we did nothing, Keenan would think that we didn’t care and it would probably fill his head with a little more air.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote is “breathe, it’s only a bad day, not a bad life,” by Johnny Depp (I think, that’s what google says). This quote is very dear to my heart and is something I always think back on. I found this quote a couple years ago and used it as a reference. Whenever I felt sad or was angry, or just had a sucky day in general i refer back to that quote. It really is just a bad day or a bad couple days because life has so much more to offer. A couple bad days are worth living because the number of good days will always outway the bad. I’ve thought about this quote the past couple weeks because of how sucky they’ve been for me physically. I always just keep this quote in the back of my mind to help me push through my toughest days.
This particular quote ties in both to Lang and to you Bunj. If I learned one thing in this class, I learned a person’s voice is the most effective weapon available in the world. An argument conscientious to its audience can accomplish what was previously perceived as impossible. If your voice is your biggest tool, then staying quiet is only hurting yourself. You personally are a fighter, a fighter who knows how to win. You strive to right each wrong and you use all the equipment you have, your mind. Your words make your opinions very clear and when you support it with evidence, other people can do nothing but accept what you say.
ReplyDeleteA large portion of our student body forced the community to hear them with the walkout last week. Most parents and families unattached to our district did not hear complaints of the questionable things happening so far this year until now, when the students magnified their voices with this event. People can no longer be ignorant to what goes on in our schools after seeing such unrest among our peers. The walkout was a battlecry of sorts to fight for an Oakcrest students and teachers can take great pride in.
My man Ralph Waldo Emerson said, like the true transcendentalist he is, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment.” This quote spoke right to my heart because for the past few years of my life, I struggled between other’s expectations of me and the real me. AP classes, colleges, careers, all these things that I honestly feel too young to deal with. How are we supposed to make monumental decisions like this when we don’t even know who we are? I really stress over things like this. This quote helps me reel my mind back in to focus back on what I want for me. At the end of my life, your life, it won’t matter if we earned tons of dough. It won’t matter if we graduated from Ivy League schools. What matters is people, how you feel about yourself and how well you maintain relationships with the people you care about. We cannot succumb to the pressure of society, family, peers and sell out to a capitalist, elitist, racist, sexist, homophobic society. We have to be us! We have to find people who appreciate the real us and we appreciate the real them. That’s what’s important. My guy Ralph over here has it right. You do you! Screw society! Forget about money and popularity. The real world is ready for the real you! (How many times will I yell in this blog post! Who knows! I’m just really fired up today for writing! Go AP Lang!)
I could easily understand why that would be your favorite quote, Ms. Bunje. You made it clear since day one the you’re not a person who let’s other people treat you unfairly. You stand up for what you believe in and you don’t back down. I really do admire that because that takes guts. Plus, you always try to send that message to us: to stand up for yourself. This relates to recent events because Oakcrest students had a walkout. Finally, we did something to protest. It was the first time the students actually stood up for themselves and spoke against our superintendent. We finally broke our silence. If we hadn’t walked out, things would probably get worse at our school because there hasn’t been an outcry yet. However, now our pain has been heard. So, now John Keenan can’t say we enjoyed his awful plans. To me, this quote simply means: if someone is treating you unfairly, you have to stand up for yourself or everything will just get worse.
ReplyDeleteMy all time favorite quote is from the English graffiti artist Banksy. He’s known for his street art that mixes satire and dark humor. Though, Banksy is not just a random hooligan who spray paints his name and the date on a random wall; his art usually sends a message. Banksy argues that “... they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.” I remember first reading this and it hitting me like a brick. It reminded me that my life here is so insignificant and one day I’ll be completely forgotten. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. One day, nobody will have ever known I existed. However, it didn’t make question what’s the point of life; instead, it motivated me. It made me want to live forever --spiritually. I want to leave a mark on this world so deep that people will remember my name forever --like Jesus. Now, I’m not saying I want a cult sharing and teaching my beliefs, but I want to leave a legacy similar to people like him. People like Gandhi, Leonardo Da Vinci, or Buddha. People whose names’ transcend through time because they left their influence on this world. These people changed our world in some way, and I want to do the same. I want to leave something positive in this world so people will remember my name forever. Of course, this goal is bigger than life itself, but it will be my turn one day.
I believe that this is your favorite quote because, although I haven't known you long, you have made it very clear that you do not take too kindly to inequality and have no problem with voicing your opinion in hope that it will commence change. Ms. Bunje, you along with the majority of society have the same mindset because everyone has hardships and trials in life, the only difference is what we do with that pain. When it comes to that difference there are two people that it could be. The first person is the one who uses that pain and hardship as motivation to do better and potentially be better because they acknowledged their pain and learned from it. Then there is the other person that cowers when they are faced with their pain or hides behind it becasue they are afraid and unconfident in themselves.I believe that you love this quote because you are the first person and you can identify with the individual that has developed a confidence and a level of perseverance so when you are faced with hardship you only see a learning experience instead of being silent and succumbing to the limitations of that hardship.in refernce to current events i feel as though you are in the midst of a hardship by being under the leadership of mr. keanen, or however you spell his name. I see the underlying frustration in your eyes and although it seems very difficult, you allow that to fuel your drive to remove him from office. Unfortunately the leadership of that man is almost perfectly aligned with the quote because if you are silent, and if you do not say anything about the tyranny of him then he will walk right over you without thinking twice. On the brighter side of things we have teachers like yourself that won’t just liye over and wait for his command because you know what is right and to my best knowledge, you will do everything in your power to enforce that. You speak up for yourself and you make your opinions known to people that will cause change for the better. You embody this quote because you aren't silent when faced with pain and hardship, you rise to the occasion to enforce change without letting unjust authority dictate your life. To me this quote is more of a lifestyle to live. I would like to think that i am the first person i mentioned earlier because i do not succumb to the pain and hardship of anyone in my life, regardless if they are an authority figure or a family member. I believe that i speak up for myself instead of staying quiet, but only when it is necessary. Often times i am looked as stepped over because i do not voice many of my opinions or i let things roll of my back. I believe that there is no reason for me to voice every opinion and you should let most things roll off your back unless it defies your character or your well being. I am as you know, quiet but when it is needed, you’ll hear me loud and clear
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of Zora Neale Hurston’s quote has to do with the civil rights movement. In her quote, “you” are blacks, and “they” are the whites. The quote is addressed to the blacks who are suffering because of segregation. If those blacks stay “silent” about their “pain”, the whites will “kill” them. And now since the whites have full control of everything and blacks have control over nothing, the whites are able to manipulate the history and the facts in any way they want. They are able to say that the blacks “enjoyed” it when they really did not. Blacks can not do anything against this tyranny of the whites if they stay silent about their pain.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have learned about Bunje this year, it is easy to see why this is one of her favorite quotes. Bunje is the kind of person who will not sit quietly, watch, and suffer the tyrannous acts of anyone, especially Keenan and the administration. She will not let Keenan and the administration just bully his way through. Unlike the blacks, the teachers and the students are not staying silent about their pain. When we express our feelings and our thoughts together as a whole, Keenan and the administration can not do much to us. Because of our strength as a whole, Keenan can not manipulate the news and the facts about Oakcrest and lie to the media.
I like this Oscar Wilde’s quote: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”. I not only like this because it is inspirational, but also because there is a loophole to the second clause of the quote because he assumes that everyone follows the first clause of the quote. This is a very inspirational quote that obviously tells the reader to be himself/herself. Being yourself can be seen in two ways:
1) not following role models, not trying to be like them, and doing what you want to do in life.
2) not following society’s expectations and norms, not doing or believing in something because everyone around you does, and following what YOUR brain and YOUR heart says.
I agree with both. Being unique is a quality that one must adore and use as an advantage.
The loophole in “everyone else is already taken” is that Wilde assumes that everyone is being themselves. What if they are not? What if everyone is being someone else? Well in that case they are not taken by them but by someone else which you might think will still result in a 1 to 1 relationship leading to everyone being taken. Think again. Because of uniqueness, popularity, and many other factors, there will always be some people, like influential people such as Obama or Einstein, who will be taken by many people, and there will be people, who are insignificant or are not good role models, who will not be taken by anyone. In this case, everyone is not taken.
My assumption to why that is one of your favorite quotes is because that you can connect with it. I'm thinking that you have experienced something in your time that makes you think of this quote. You have mentioned a few times throughout this year that you are quite closed off and did not have many friends. I'm assuming that because of that reason you also kept you thoughts and emotions to yourself, not expressing yourself much at all. And since you kept your emotions to yourself and didn't express yourself much, others probably teased you because they might have thought that nothing bothered you. So they would bother you while they thought it was funny yet whatever they did to you, however they teased you, you did not like at all, but did not say anything. Hence you were dying a little from the inside. Well, that's my crappy assumption.
ReplyDeleteAnd for how that quote relates to current events... well... I don't really keep up to date with current events. But I know one thing for sure and that is that the recent generations have been suffering from a new disease that causes great damage to many individuals and their families: depression. Just like there were periods of bubonic plague or AIDS or ebola or whatever the heck, depression is this century's problem. Notice how so many topics have something to do with teenager problems or just basic human emotional problems. Things have gone to that direction. And that quote illustrates that if you keep your emotions locked up, someone will find out and push your buttons until you become disturbed. It talks about emotion and that's how I relate that to, I guess, the current events.
Lastly, my quote is by my coach, Kevin Michael Wessler Junior: "It is what it is." Fyi, this quote is like an inside joke within the team and there isn't much point explaining much about it. All you need to know is that Wess says that a lot. Anyway, this quote, though very dull, actually has a great meaning. Well not really, but it just helps to not care about the smallest things or whenever something problematic actually occurs, you just leave it as it is and try to solve it. Because it truly is at it is. The problem just came up and no complaints will do anything about it. Instead what helps is to acknowledge it and begin solving it. No point dreading about it. Just go into it and deal with it. You have to write a stupid blog? Well, stop complaining, though it's bothersome, and just go write it. "It is what it is." Nothing will make the blog disappear except you writing it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDriven, independent, passionate, and focused: four words that encompasses Ms. Bunje. She knows what she wants, who she wants, and retrieves it. Through a Bunje-perspective she loves this quote by Zora Neale Hurston because it is something she lives by. Never stay silent about your beliefs. Never. If you see something going wrong around you, you must find a way to resolve it. Staying silent brings no change into the world. Take Sir John Keenan. Ahhhh my buddy Keenan, what a joy. Since he has joined our district he has managed to take away contracts from our beloved teachers, create unnecessarily strict rules, and fire (put on “leave”) our respected principal. Oh and also caused a fourth of the Oak to protest against him in hopes of bringing back Oakcrest’s beautiful atmosphere. Lovely guy. Every new rule Keenan made students and teachers became more and more riled up until we couldn’t stay quiet anymore. Stickers on doors or pins on shirts aren’t loud enough to break through this man’s head. I don’t know what the future holds for my Oak home but I do know that if it falls we will be screaming all the way down the cliff.
ReplyDelete“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
-Dr. Seuss
Not one person in this world shared my fingerprint. Not one person on this earth sees through my eyes. Not one person on this planet that shares my identity or who shares your identity. We are all unique, special, and born for this world. We are born for purposes specified to our individual beings. If you don’t believe that, what is life? I am me and you are you. Why would I want to be someone else if I have my own beautiful purpose which in fact is no more beautiful than my neighbor? I am me and you are you. I wear my own style because it’s my style and you wear yours. No style better than the other just different. I am me and you are you. I want to see the world but you want to work in the office. Neither is more exciting just separate ways of living. This quote became so important to me because it took me way too long to figure out that I am special, that I don’t need to please others to be important. Like snowflakes we all have our own specific design that cannot be replicated. “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is NO one alive who is Youer than You.”
Driven, independent, passionate, and focused: four words that encompasses Ms. Bunje. She knows what she wants, who she wants, and retrieves it. Through a Bunje-perspective she loves this quote by Zora Neale Hurston because it is something she lives by. Never stay silent about your beliefs. Never. If you see something going wrong around you, you must find a way to resolve it. Staying silent brings no change into the world. Take Sir John Keenan. Ahhhh my buddy Keenan, what a joy. Since he has joined our district he has managed to take away contracts from our beloved teachers, create unnecessarily strict rules, and fire (put on “leave”) our respected principal. Oh and also caused a fourth of the Oak to protest against him in hopes of bringing back Oakcrest’s beautiful atmosphere. Lovely guy. Every new rule Keenan made students and teachers became more and more riled up until we couldn’t stay quiet anymore. Stickers on doors or pins on shirts aren’t loud enough to break through this man’s head. I don’t know what the future holds for my Oak home but I do know that if it falls we will be screaming all the way down the cliff.
ReplyDelete“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
-Dr. Seuss
Not one person in this world shared my fingerprint. Not one person on this earth sees through my eyes. Not one person on this planet that shares my identity or who shares your identity. We are all unique, special, and born for this world. We are born for purposes specified to our individual beings. If you don’t believe that, what is life? I am me and you are you. Why would I want to be someone else if I have my own beautiful purpose which in fact is no more beautiful than my neighbor? I am me and you are you. I wear my own style because it’s my style and you wear yours. No style better than the other just different. I am me and you are you. I want to see the world but you want to work in the office. Neither is more exciting just separate ways of living. This quote became so important to me because it took me way too long to figure out that I am special, that I don’t need to please others to be important. Like snowflakes we all have our own specific design that cannot be replicated. “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is NO one alive who is Youer than You.”
Hurston’s quote perfectly represents your personality as a strong willed, outspoken person. You voice your opinion on certain things and tell us how you feel with the utmost passion.And you never let your opinion be unheard. This quote shows the power that Oakcrest high school and the students that attend this school for a great education. As we all know, a walkout had happened last friday. Students chanting to bring back Corruth, and making sure their voices were heard and not suppressed by the power of John Keenan.
ReplyDeleteMy own interpretation of this quote is to not let your voice not be heard. If you believe in something strongly, don’t just hide and be a coward. Tell people of how you feel and what you think. IF you don’t express yourself, you will live a closed life, you’ll think people will judge you and make fun of you or despise you. Let your voice be heard.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”- Nelson Mandela
This quote from the former South African president truly speaks to me about my confidence. My confidence in myself is usually very low and I feel I’m never good in anything I do. But this quote really helps me push through and increase my confidence. Nelson Mandela was a revolutionary and fought to destroy apartheid-the separation of whites and blacks in South Africa- and was an advocate of civil rights. Even from the man himself, I draw inspiration from his actions to help motivate me to become better and make the impossible, possible.
“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”-Zora Neale Hurston
ReplyDeleteTo me, this if your favorite quote because you firmly believe that people need to speak out, use their voices. That no one should allow anyone to walk all over them, over power them, or make your voice fall through the cracks. If you want to say something, or see a change, then you can’t be afraid to speak up. And that, is something you preach to us.
Recently, bright and sunny Oakcrest has been overcasted with a gloomy morale. Because of our lovely Superintendent, and “acting” principal. He’s a heartless asshole and people have to work in fear. If the students were to stay quiet during all the chaos that’s occurring, Kennan would/will continue to deteriorate Oakcrest. I’m not really sure if he even cares about us, or what we say, think, feel, etc., but at least we're speaking out. We’re letting our voice be heard. Letting the administration, community, and everyone else know that our voices are a force to be reckon with. If we don’t say anything- then we’re letting our beliefs go down the drain, and our voices be minimized. If you don’t speak about anything that bothers you, or you stay quiet, then it/they will kill you, and it would seem as if nothing is wrong because you didn’t speak up.
So now, for my quote that is my favorite is from someone ridiculous. Khloe Kardashian’s best friend tweeted something that just automatically got my attention, and is a quote that I love.:
“Just a seed planted on earth, and my purpose is to grow. God knows i want to be a beautiful rose.” - Malika Haqq.
God is a pretty big portion of my life. In life, I’ve had to go through many obstacles and problems. And to get through that I turn to God. But usually during my problems I don’t want to change. And then this quote comes into play, showing that I will still grow in life, and goes knows what I/ he wants to do for my life.
Honestly bunj that little hyper act earlier just crashed and burned because I fell asleep 5 times while typing this. Goodnight though, love you.
You, being my mother, I understand why this is your favorite quote. You always speak your mind, no matter what it is and that's the number one thing I love about you. You don't let your pain just build up inside, you do something about it and that's what I wish I could learn to do. You believe in what you believe in, and you follow what you think is right.
ReplyDeleteThis quote ties together with today perfectly because everything going on at oakcrest. So many teachers are afraid to take a stand but that is what administration is striving for. People today need to stand up for themselves or what they believe in, or they will be eaten alive. And swallowed.
This quote means that if you're feeling pain, or feel some type of way, you need to speak up about it. You need to say something. Or it will just keep getting worse. Ignoring problems doesn't make them go away.
My favorite quote, or "motto" I use comes from a country song. Yes, I know, I listen to country. Boo hoo. Anyways, there's a song called "if you're going through hell" and it says, if you're going through hell keep on going...blah blah blah. I have always loved that song and saying because it can be applied to anything in life or on a daily basis. It means if you're having a rough day, or week, keep going. Because one day it will be worth it. One day it won't hurt as bad. One day hell will turn into heaven. Rodney Adkins sings this song and it came out awhile ago but it has always been mine, and my redneck of a fathers favorite too. If you're ever having a bad day, it's a good song to listen to.
You like to stick up for everything you care about and believe in, that’s what makes you 204’s mom. You stick up for not only yourself, being an outlier amongst teachers, but you also stick up for the students (your children) who are constantly being manipulated and “institutionalized” by the school. You want what’s best for not only us, your current class, but for all students and you would wholeheartedly fight for what you believe is right. And if you don’t, you’re afraid that other kids in future 204’s, in future generations will suffer. In what ways? Controlled thinking: which includes a student’s drive for grades instead of betterment, and how the education system controls what you want to learn and what you “should” learn. And other things that can’t be thought of in the few moments I have left to write this blog.
ReplyDeleteThe school is changing. For better or for worse. Mostly for worse, and nobody that change to occur. If nobody protested. Nobody went on strike. Nobody congregated in the football field, then how else could they have shown their concern. Without those attempts at contravening reform, things (and I mean that with the mindset of uncertainty) will be subject to change. Once the gears of Keenan start to turn, it might be hard to stop.
My interpretation of it is, in a way, how people can realize that you’re struggling if you don’t voice it out? If you don’t show it? People will inevitably overlook your pain, and will assume nothing is wrong with you.
Quote: “The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes.” –Kingdom Hearts. The author is probably one of the game makers but it never reveals who. It never talks about what the quote means.
To achieve a goal (light), involves one to all of these: Sacrifices, regrets, and demons (shadows). Most things in life can be gained, but only through sacrifice. A father sacrifices his time with his children in order to support his family. Regrets. Sometimes one will reflect on past mistakes and wish to undo them to make things right or better. And demons can take the form of regrets, people, and memories. They are remnants of someone’s past that come by to haunt them.
I have to admit that even though I was opposed to the walkout, I also have a great sense of pride knowing that we are willing to cast aside doubt and simply do the right thing. Anyway the quote by Zora Neale Hurston is a reflection of your beliefs (even though I really have not had a one on one talk with you) as you demonstrate almost every day in class. You’ve been the figure that often sticks up for us when we simply do not know how to.
ReplyDeleteNow here comes the fun part, how does the quote relate to current events? Silence has plagued Oakcrest, though chatter may still reside in the halls, the spirit that once made its presence known has been chained. After hearing about teachers that plan on leaving and executive actions, it was the duty of the students to stand up for our school and community.
My interpretation is that if you have a problem with something you should speak up because if you don’t things will only get worse.
“The great blessing of mankind are within us and within our reach; but we shut our eyes, and like people in the dark, we fall foul upon the very thing we search for, without finding it.” - Seneca the Younger. I have often shut my eyes to the problems that are far too common on this earth. I’ve tried to search for peace within myself and with those around me but often shy away from any sort of conflict. All of the blessing that I have been given are wasted unless I intend to use them to better myself and the world. I can no longer close my eyes and mind to the problems of the world, and if we are going to search for the answers to solve the questions we have then we need to be open to all solutions.