Hey guys!

What is it you hope to transform in the world? Why? 

   For me personally, the main change I wish to see made in the world is the quality of living and working for those stuggling with poverty. There are still millions of families in our world - our contry alone - that struggle for dinner every night. This needs to change. How is equality valid if we are still not allowing equal pay for women or immigrants in our country, if we still dont allow finacial aid for those who cannot pay for the insurance. How is this equality? 
   I don't personally know exactly how to make this change, but I know that the first step would be to create organizations that reach out to families that struggle and offer them help with no cost. Many of the organizations out there already do this, but they withhold information to try and wiggle their way into earning some cash for themselves. These families cannot pay for help - thats why they need it. So helping them and then expecting them to pay you back? How is that going to change anything?

Hey guys!
I have another quick question for y'all...

Who is the most courageous person you know? Why?

To me, one of the most courageous people I know is my mom. Actually, she is the most courageous person I know. She is always ready to take chances, and face her fears to accomplish her goals. She doesn't let other's opinions get in her way, and she never ever gives up. To me, these are all things that can make someone courageous. Willingness to do what you set out for yourself and never giving up are key to taking chances and having this notion of 'bravery'. Also, when you forget about what others might think of you, it takes the weight and worry of judgment off your shoulders. My mom doesn't have this weight - I don't know if she ever did. She is strong, brave, and will not give up on her hopes to bow to someone or something else. Also, she is always willing to help others and reach out where others might not. This is what makes her, undoubtedly, the most courageous person I know. 

Hey guys?
What two factors do you think aid justice? What about impede it?

For me, I think that the two main factors that aid justice are morality and the idea of redemption or forgiveness. The whole idea of justice is built off of what is right / wrong, and without the idea of redemption or forgiveness, most people wouldn't've be given 'just' trials. Two factors that I think impede justice are inequality and being bias. When people aren't treated equally, their basic rights are ignored just because of their race, economic standing, culture, religion, etc. This creates an unsafe environment for others because they see that their basic rights are thrown out the window. Also, biased judges and rules break down justice because they focus only on one category, whether it be skin tone, religion, or riches.
 

Don't do war

Hey guys!
This is a poem about A Confederate Soldier's Boot writing to Future Generations about Lessons Learned from the War


All I see is mud
And blood
There's a corpse
And look
I can see a dead horse

I am a boot
Leather and soft
Splattered with my comrades blood
Spilled by the Union

My owner runs fast
I pound against the ground
Thump, Thump, Thump
I jumped over another dead soldier

Kids, don't do war
Don't fight your brother
Or your mother
Or any of your family
It's just not right

I wish we didn't have to fight
To paint with blood
To stain the earth
I just wanted to live a sweet boot life

We didn't want much
Us Confederates
Just to keep our businesses running
And yes
I guess
We did need our slaves

But now I know
And kids, trust me
Stay in school
Be nice to your brother
And don't hold slaves

- An old boot

   Hey guys! How are all of you guys doing? I have a quick question for you...

What do you think being a "witness" means?

   For me, "witness" is a word with many definitions. Most people associate the word "witness" with the act of being present when something happens; either watching or glancing or stumbling upon accidentally, etc. However, I feel like there is more depth to the word than just that. 
   You see, witnesses can range from just people who saw or experienced the event directly, to people who have seen, heard, watched, or learned of the event through the direct witness(s), social media, the news, or anything like that. Just because someone wasn't there at the moment doesn't mean they aren't a "witness". However, they could have heard twisted stories or untrue facts, thus compromising their role as "witness". Therefore, it is difficult to fully sift out a true definition of "witness". 
   Personally, I think that both of these scenarios apply to witnesses. However, I do think that people who are directly involved with the event are more direct witnesses, rather than a secondary witness like someone who learned about the event through a different outlet. 

   During our trip to LA, many things changed about my look on the Holocaust and the Japanese internment. First of all, I had barely known about the Japanese internment at all, so I was very thankful I was able to learn about that. Second, I had learned about the holocaust in the past, but never in such depth as the museums tour explained. The unbelievable events of the holocaust were actually very interesting to learn about, despite the fact that they were one of the lowest points for mankind and truly inhuman and devastating to the Jewish religion. So I do feel like I transformed, at least, a bit, from not knowing much about either event, to knowing more than I ever expected and hoping that we can prevent anything like those events from happing ever again. 

“60 Acres” by Raymond Carver

     The protagonist, Lee Waite, in the short story “60 Acres” by Raymond Carver is faced with making two important decisions that change his way of thinking quite drastically. Waite, during the story, finds two boys trespassing and hunting on his land, but rather than punishing them severely, he decides to let them go with just a harsh warning. The other decision Waite makes is to lease his land, thus allowing the trespassing hunters to hunt without fear of being caught and punished. 
     These decisions reflect two traits in Waite that he might not have known about himself. In the beginning of the story, he is alarmed and enraged that others are constantly trespassing on his land, willing to bring violence upon the trespassers without a blink. However, once he finds out the trespassers were and could have been for a while, young boys, he realizes that he doesn’t want to punish the boys too severely. This shows that he is rational enough to let the boys off with a warning, but it also shows his sense of fatherhood. Waite himself had two young sons, and it appears that his sense of fatherhood broke through his inner barriers and kept him from punishing the young boys. When Waite decides to lease his land, it shows how he is finally able to let go of an old bug causing him too much stress to bear. He loves his land, yes, but he knows that by just protecting it from outsiders and not actually using his land will be useless and untimely. Therefore, he shows that he is able to manage and let go of his past fears, opening up new opportunities for many others. 

     In my life, there is one clear decision that I have made that has shaped my life forever; starting Hapkido. When I was 7,  my mother had joined a kickboxing school which offered Hapkido classes for all ages. She immediately wanted me to join, but I was unwilling to. However, after finally giving in to her wishes, I started up classes and ever since then, my life has been constantly changing. Now, I have been training for almost 7 years, already having earned my Black Belt and my Second Degree Black Belt. But, even though with every class I improve, I know that if I hadn’t decided that day to sign up for my Hapkido classes. Hapkido has changed my mindset; I think more of self-control, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and having an indomitable spirit. Every day after class we repeat those five tenants, and every day they morph my mind into a more mature way of thinking. 

Hey guys! How are you doing?

I have a quick question... 

If you had to pick four items to put in a time capsule, four items that represented your family/childhood, heritage/culture, accomplishments/achievements, and legacy, what would you choose? What container would you put them in?

For me personally, I would definitely store all of my items in a leather backpack, but as far as the items themselves, I don't exactly what I would choose. As for the family/childhood item, I think I would choose a set of old Crayola markers. When I was younger, I always drew and colored with markers, and ever since, I have considered art as one of my higher skills. For heritage/culture, I think I would pick a small model of the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty to represent my four years in New York City when I was younger. I was born in Utah like I mentioned in an earlier post, but I consider New York more of my culture, just because my memories of Utah are scarce. For my accomplishments/achievements, I guess I would choose a sketch book full of fashion designs as I have always wanted to become a fashion designer. For my final item, the legacy item, I suppose I would choose a book, hopefully one that I write. Besides being a fashion designer, I have always wanted to write my own book, hopefully one that tells my personal story in different ways. 

Anyways, that's just me. What about you guys?