Childhood Memory

Childhood is often remembered as a time of carefree innocence. Take a few minutes to free-write about one happy childhood memory of your own. 

I spend most my happy childhood time in Kaochung, in northern Taiwan, where the city began to become fancy since the time my family left. I had lived there for 6 years. In the morning I would walk to school by myself, later with my sister when she attend school. Sometimes my mom would ride bicycle and gave me a ride. I loved walking school because I can enjoy the park in the morning and run back home to whatever I would like to before my mom came home. Usually, I would walk with my friend to her house first then run back home. I would have a big cup of orange juice and turn on the air-con to 16ºC, the lowest degree, experiencing life in Antartica. In elementary school, we used to have this morning meeting and singing of national song under the hot sun. However I was pretty lucky in 5 and 6 grade that I got a job to be one of the computer class assistants who can sit inside the computer room during morning meeting. In 4 grade, I got a bunny which I named it, Petter. It's has white coat and two little red eyes. Petter is the smartest puppy I ever had. Although my sister adopt Jimmy and two other bunnies later, my favorit and beloved one is always Peter because I have spent so much time and done so many things with him. He knew how to find the way from ground floor up to 5 floor and choose the right door to the garden, where you would have to spend at least 30 minutes to catch it. So I made of several catching-Peter songs. Mom, Dad, my sister and I plants different plants and flower, even once a tree in the elevated garden. I remember so much things in my childhood that I am satisfied that I had a great one.

A Good Leader

A good leader must be optimistic and encouraging. Winston Churchill was a good leader because he believed that the American would win the war and people will work together toward this goal. He "believed" what he hoped to be. I can imagine that there must be some people who did not agree with his idea in the first time, and he must knew there were these people. A good leader must accept judgement, especially criticism. Actually I think the role of leader is to listen to all opinion from not only the members but also people other not in the community and try to improve. One integrate not only ideas from his closed followers or collegues but also from others. A leader should have the capability to suffer debates with confidence but be calm and humble. Also reliability is crucial because authority requires that trust of other people. In addition, a good leader thinks critically and analytically but keep the main goal focus. A clear mind is needed when dealing with different ideas, vary branche of steps and "people." Social skill is not less important than critical thinking. After all, without passion nothing can be achieved.

Reflection of the Lady of Shalott

The first time I read this poem, I had no idea what happens and did not see any point about the the curse, but amazed at the picture of the Lady Shalott seating loosely on the boat. She was beautiful I thought, not until I took a closely look at her face. Her face looks horrible, and I guessed she cannot be the one she loves. After understanding the story more, another sad story. Why doesn't the knight Lancelot just go to Lady Shalott if he thought she has a lovely looking.... Lady Shalott is hopeless either way. It is probably better for her to break the rule of curse and goes down to the river than waving for her whole life. In modern life, she can be a sick girl who has to stay in a hospital, the tower, all day and, because of sickness, can not move her body far enough to look outside the window. The only thing she can have to access the outside world is the TV infront of her, which resembles the mirror in the poem. The poem is melancholy. Honestly, I really dislike the last three lines of the poem where the knight said "She has a lovely face; God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott.” If I were Lady Shalott, I would think "Of course, God loves me, but I won't forgive you, Mr. Lancelot!"

Why enchanted with ancient times

Discuss why you think people remain enchanted with  of castles, knights, quests, dragons, and ancient times.

Castles, knights, quests, dragons, and ancient represent a sense of mysteriousness. Since all humans have curiosity, they find interest in mysteries. When I think of castles and knights, I imagine the life in the Middle Age and country love. The king and queen govern a big land with happy farmer, businesspeople, and all others. They have a child, the princess, who grow up the wonderful castle with gardens, flowers, and carriages. She meet her prince while shopping in a bakery downtown. He was once a knight who defeat the dragon of legend and saved the continent from evil magic. The prince and princess marry and have a wonderful life soon after. Even though a true life in the era might be so much different. It is mysterious and unknown to many people. People tend to imagine the bright sight, so they remain enchanted with of castles, knights, and ancient times. 

I shot the Albatross

Why did the Ancient Mariner shot down the Albatross?
Two weeks ago, "It's obvious! Because we tend to hurt the things that we love," said Mr. Joubert. "So, I'm going to hit you with this book." (Haha! That was funny and certainly left this question with me for couple days.) Love is word he mentioned where I start to think of the Ancient Mariner's motivation to kill the bird. I don't think there is any specific reason (If you ask the Ancient Mariner, he himself probably didn't know how to answer this one) However, from the other aspect. The reason he shot down the Albatross is that he did not realize that God love all creatures and he should love them too. He was careless and did not worship living things. He did not perceive this until he found snakes beautiful. With many terrifying experiences, the Ancient Mariner had felt guilty and sorrow for his sin that had so much effect on the ship that eventually sinked and the sailors who never did come back again, even when the weather finally turned tranquil. He then learned that he should respect all the lives God created, which is also a way to respect the creator. However his wrong doing will never be recovered for he had to tell this tale time over time. Overall, he would not have killed the Albatross if he knew this earlier. And that is why I think the reason for this sin is the lack of realization that a man who lovers all God's creatures will have a happier life.

Coleridge & Imagination

Large amount amount of reading particularly in imaginative literature gave Samuel Taylor the potential to write in imaginative way. Although he might not read it on purpose to write in this way, he must had subconscientiously immersed in this unrealistic world. His troubles during mid-life by the violence about idealism of the Revolution added on to this condition that he might think of himself as special as a living in a half-imaginative society when many new ideas were held and revolution was taking place. Living during French Revolution, he must have experienced day when things were constantly changing, including politics, economics, and daily life. His pains and suffering during late life might also play a role in his imaginative writing. Because a person sick may not do much things but lying on bed resting, he might have more time thinking and contracting things. Coleridge, in the same case, had more time thinking. Also the drug, opium, he took to relieve pain had effect on neurons and his brain, therefore cause him to have hallucination. In his work, Kubla Khan, he claimed that he had an envision of the Mongol conquerer in an opium-induced reverie. He wrote "ice caves" that made him "drunk in the mild of Paradise." Overall, Coleridge's experiences, especially illness in his late life, have strengthened his imagination.

The Earth is Full

The Earth is full of people, species that has currently dominate the land and that have so much effect on the biosphere, from continent to contient. However, we are not living in a sustainable way. We are using what the earth can support--more than 1.5 earth. In other words, if we keep going with the same rate of resource depletion, we are one day going to used up all the resource, not to mention that the rate is still increasing. According to Gilding, our approach of economy is unsustainable. In order to be sustainable, the growth has to be zero. However people think this is quite impossible because it is necessary to our society, which was the question. He mentioned that most people think we need to develop technology, others think that we need to solve the poverty of the world. The problem is, Earth, our mother nature, cannot take it. We need to face that fact that if the economy keep on growing, the day is going to come. "The fear is the fear itself." He said our knowledge of science, economics, and technology is far enough to support much more people to live on this planet, but we need to 'choose' the right way. In order to make this right transition, everyone, scientists, artists, pelicans--people all over the world--have to cooperate.

Philosophy of Life

How can dying inform living? 
We are all dying right now. In other words, life is basically a process of dying--since you were born. The problem is: what do we do during this 'long' process. Yet, we can do whatever we want and perhaps whatever others want us to do as well because IT IS SUCH A LONG PROCESS. People always we have to live like as if today is the last day of life so we are more productive, vigorous, and positive. However, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. How can you live like that--you will be crazy and probably mentally breakdown. And if you really live in that way...[if you answer Yes, skip this whole sentence]......you're not living the way life should be, which means even worse without this dying awareness. There is nothing to lost or gained. My philosophy of life is to just enjoy the moment we live and choose what we really want to do, instantly.

Samuel Johnson's Character

I think the definition of Samuel Johnson is "lexicographer" because he is the one who wrote this definition to show that a lexicographer, like him, is innocent, harmless, but diligent. He wrote this dictionary in a very subjective manner. For example, his definition for "patron" includes his opinion that a patron is wretched and flattery. He also thought "to period" is a vulgar word. His dictionary showed that he was satire and pessimistic to the society and the government. He thought there were no well written "sonnet" after Milton. In his definition of "tory", he used parentheses to indicate tory means savage in Irish. This showed that he thought a tory is violent and bad, and that he did not support this political party. On the other hand, he only define "whig" "the name of a faction".  In addition, he thought people are originally kind because he defined "unkindly" as "unnatural". Overall, his dictionary showed he was subjective and satire.

Macbeth Part 1 Reflection

At the beginning, the super scary nurses who represents the three witches announce the provision of Macbeth and Banquo in a empty, seemingly obsolete building with a drip full of blood. The scene is the most creepy part from which we have watched. From that on, I became very sensitive to the nurses whenever they appear on the screen. Later on, Macbeth becomes king of Cawdor and Lady Macbeth performs a shocking speech after she read the letter about the nurses' omen. After Macbeth kills Duncan and Lady Macbeth sets up the faked crime scene, Act III begins with exist of Banquo and his son, Fleance. Then, it reaches the climax when Macbeth becomes more courageous and Lady Macbeth becomes more passive. Actually, from the beginning to the part we have seen, I always think of Macbeth (the actor) funny and clumsy. He, making a sandwich, commands to the two murderers, who are also eating sandwich, to kill Banquo. Honestly, I like the 1997 version of movie better than this one which the story, beside the great play written by Shakespeare, seems nonsense. Besides, the actor who plays Macbeth and actress who plays Lady Macbeth, are not as handsome and beautiful as the ones played in the 1997 version. Still, it is a interesting movie worth to be watched during class.