Notes

Title:North Of Beautiful

By:Justina Chen Headley

     I can connect to the fact that she always thought herself would be prefect. She had always thought that in other people’s eyes, she is the most beautiful and the most popular. It is a disappointment to her that during ballet class, someone call her ugly, I kind of sense that she felt more depressed than angry because she might have felt that she is not perfect enough. She now goes on a diet and exercise everyday because of these comments that she is getting. I think that Terra shouldn’t be so mindful of what people look at her because beautiful doesn’t come from the way you look; it comes from your heart.

     I think that Terra is not always happy with her beautiful look and enviable body. I think that it is not because she is not perfect. It’s just that she is too perfect. I have a feeling of thought that her friends and her boyfriend are staying close to her is because the way Terra is looking. They judge her by the way she looks. A quote say by Terra’s boyfriend, Eric, “Why not fix your face” It clearly shows that Eric is thinking that Terra is not perfect enough for him, apparently, he only likes the way Terra look and not her actually person. What did Terra get in the end anyway? Nothing, for all these years, she has been caring about her face and the way she represents to others. Everyone is staying because of the way she looks, but what if she isn’t perfect? Would her friends still stay? Will everything be the way it is? I have no answer to this, but I think everyone will abandon her because her friends accept her as if she is perfect. And if all of the suddenly, she isn’t anymore, they will probably leave her. This is probably the reason why she wanted to be perfect because too many people are judging others by the way he/she look. I think Terra doesn’t want to be alone and that is why she is trying very hard to become the way they want her to be, which in my opinion is not right.

     I think the reaseon why Terra is so concerned with her looks is because she wanted to stand out of the crowd and I think she thinks that appearance is the only thing that she is confident. I also think that Terra is forcing herself to be someone she doesn't want to be, she is trying so hard just to be popular. Is she so ashamed by the normal, her? Like what's wrong?

Blog Post #2

What I Think About This

              
      In Heaven's reading response of "For One More Day" I find it interesting that this book is so realistic and just having the real word issue. I especially like the fact that you said "you should always treat others well and to really appreciate the time you spend with your family, because you just never know when there not going to be there and you won't have the chance to do anything about it" because I think that for those of people who didn't experimence their loved ones not being their with them will not understand what it felt like when you have so much things to tell them, but they can't hear you. I agree with your interpertation of the lesson in the book, and I think that you shouldn't wait until you lose something to finally realize how much you love them, and how much you need to tell, all those words...

     In Kimberely's reading response of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" I find it really interesting that Gregory and you related in common situations. I ca also relate to the fact about how our mom can potentically ruin our summer when they think thats what's best for us. I think that Summer is a time to relax and have fun, and like putting everything down and take a break after a year of education. So I think that after a tireless year, we should be able to enjoy the vacation and do what we wanted rather than having someone control what we do. Overall, I agree with your point and that it is essential to have freedom and just do what ever you want especially during the Summer!

Blog Post #3

  North Of Beautiful
  By Justina Chen Headley

      North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley is about Terra, who is a young beautiful girl who loves to be “Beautiful”  She is almost perfect with the exception of the port wine on her left cheek. Even though she had tried many surgeries, but it had not been removed.  Terra is looking forward to going to college so she can hide away from the ones that bully her, but unfortunately, her mom and her got into a car accident. Later on in the book, she met Jacob an they form a close relationship as well as their parents. I think the author is trying to tell us appearence doesn't matter, what matters is who you are inside, what's a beautiful is the way you are not what you are.
     
     In the beginning of the book, she is so concern with her look, even her boyfriend judge her by her cover. For example:Terra had a port wine birthmark on her face, and Eric said, "Why don't you fix your face." This shows that her boyfriend cares about appearance.Terra doesn't want her boyfriend to like her because she is pretty, but it just isn't the way it works. From the start, Terra had always wanted to escape from where she live because people are bullying her. I can feel that everyday Terra had to live in a world fear and worryiness. But in the end of the book, this thought has changed.

    A quotation from the book:
     “Maybe we don’t have the same definition about what’s beautiful. So define it. Define true beauty.” . . .

     Without looking at Jacob, I said slowly, “Well it seeps into you. It doesn’t make you forget yourself, but totally the opposite.” I chanced a glance at him. He was watching me intently. No glaze in his eyes. So I continued more bravely: “It connects you with everything and fills you with awe that you share the same space with something that glorious. Like a sunrise or a clear blue day or the most extraordinary piece of glass. And then suddenly” – my hands escaped their tight grip in my lap, and now my fingers splayed wide like fireworks in the air – “you have this epiphany that there’s more to the world than just you and what you want or even who you are.”

    As decribe above in the quotation, Terra she describes "beauty" in a very literate way, she refers it to the sunrise, the clear blue sky, and a piece of extraordinary piece of glass. She refer "beauty" to something beautiful and sort of calm, whereas in the beginning she thinks that beauty is all about appearance and being perfect.
   
     I think in the end Terra really understand that appearance isn't everything. If she puts down herself being so perfect all the time, she might just find the world more exciting and that there is more outside. I think that Terra really finds herself in the end, now she is much happier and being herself.  And in the end of the book, Terra started to care less about her appearance and what others look at her, rather, she started to discover things around her; like Jacob who loves her, his mom who had been supportative to Terra's family ever since after the car accident, and mostly the world around her, the places she can go, the things she can do without any pressure whatsoever.
    
     Overall, and in the end, Terra had learned that what's beautiful doesn't had to always be appearance, but it can be something inside you that you haven't notice. And now she does, truly. Life does not revolve around being perfect all the time, there is more to it... beauty as it define above is a surise, a clear blue sky...something beautiful that comes from the nature and mostly inside you.
     
    

Blog Post #1

Title: Marley&Me

Author: John Grogan

     Marley&Me by John Gorgan is about John and Jenny, two love couples who is now married and living their life together. No one knows that after they brought Marley (a yellow lab puppy) home, everything changes. To be exact problems emerged.

     Marley grew up to be a 97pound Labrador retriever. He cause many problems such as crashing through the screen door, eat jewelries and couches, jumping out of cars, and more. Life for Jenny and John was full with drama. Eventually they decided to send Marley to an Obedience school, but he was expelled on the first day. Even so, John did not give up on Marley.

    After having two baby boys, Jenny let out all the angers on John and Marley. So when Marley wrecked open the couch cushions, she lost her temper. “I mean it,” she said. “I’m done with that dog. You find him a new home, or I will.” The book said. Jenny seriously wants Marley out of the house, but John doesn’t. “I was not ready to give up on him”the book states. With all the stress Jenny is under, he couldn’t possible talk her out; so John hatched a plan to train Marley to be a better dog and to prove Jenny that he was worthy of it. John trained Marley to Sit, Stay, Down, Heel, and Over. And at last Jenny accepted Marley and he was reenrolled in to Obedience school. All of these show that no matter how undisciplined, how recalcitrant he was, John did not give up on him.