Rachel.

Alright, so this is to people who pretend to like others when they are secretly talking behind their backs about you.

I mean, it is SO irritating that you feel that you have the RIGHT to act all nice to them and then right when their backs are turned, you go and start making a big fuss about them to me.

Let me tell you something.  I DON’T FRICKEN CARE.

I know you don’t like them, so stop giving them insincere hugs, comments and fake smiles that make my skin crawl.
I want to be a good friend, so I listen to you talk about how much you HATE this girl for doing this and doing that.  But seriously, two faced people like you just annoy the crap out of me.

If you don’t like her, TELL HER!!!  If you can talk behind her back so comfortably, then why not try and say it in her face?

Stop this whole, “I would never hate you! Are you kidding me? I love you!”  Then come to me, and whisper awful things about her while eyeing her in those nasty looks.

REALLY??? You honestly think I care? You honestly think I want to know about how much you dislike her and all your petty little thoughts about all the little problems in your life?

You’re not that innocent little girl who’s all sugar and spice and everything nice, so stop this fake act and just take off that mask with the fake smile.

BE A MAN.  Quit talking about people behind their backs, if you don’t like them, just say it out loud and quit complaining to me.

The assignment that we’ve just finished was the “Journeys Web Design” project. I enjoyed working on the assignment because you get to create your own webpage, instead of just working on one that has already been done for you. There were really no limitations on what you can or cannot do, it was like we were given a blank piece of paper and the instructions were to do whatever you want as long as the required writings were on it. It also gave me a better understanding in how to work on iWeb. In fact, I’ve never tried using iWeb before this assignment. Throughout the project, I discovered that when people look at a webpage, they determine if they want to keep looking through the site based on the information it contains and whether or not the page itself appeals/interests them. I learned that designing a webpage is like fixing up your appearance; it is important to give people a memorable first impression, in order for them to be interested in the actual content. The assignment was enjoyable and entertaining, there wasn’t anything I would change to make it better.

2. Select 1-2 passages/quotes from the text that hold meaning for you. Explain why you chose the specific passages/quotes, including any significance to the plot, themes, or messages of the book.

The book “Shopaholic & Baby” by Sophie Kinsella talks about Becky, a pregnant woman who’s married to Luke, a successful business man who owns a company of his own. They were house-hunting to welcome the new family member that’s soon going to arrive during December. They were desperate to find the perfect house and when they did, it was sadly already taken. Becky then tries to win the house back with her Archie Swann boots:

Fabia raises her eyes to mine, “I like your boots,” she says.

I’m momentarily speechless.

Play it cool, Becky, play it cool.

“I waited a whole year for these boots,” I say at last feeling as though I’m treading on eggshells. “You can’t get them anywhere”

I wriggle out of my left boot, leaving it standing on the doormat like a totem.

“It’s yours,” I say. “If you accept our offer. And the other one when we exchange contracts.”

Fabia accepted the offer and had them to contact with the agent the very next day. I think this passage really holds an idea of the theme for this book. It is about, clothes, fashion, luxury, and all sorts of glamorous things (Hence the book title: Shopaholic&Baby). The excitement of Becky’s new born baby, the urge to shop for her daughter/son, trying to get involved with “baby fashion”. The story continuously revolves around the theme and more.

Good Websites

http://www.miumiu.com/

Miu Miu’s website is simple, a picture at the main page that represents their product and 4 main links to other pages. I really like their web page because I think it’s organized and you can find things that you want easily.

http://www.marcjacobs.com/#/en-us/marcbymarcjacobs

Marc by Marc Jacobs web page is rather unique. The background is a video of their Fall/Winter 2010 collection. It is really simple and when you click into different links, it guides you through the website. They use simple texts on the front page, clear and easy to understand.

Bad Websites

http://answers.yahoo.com/

Yahoo Answers front page isn’t as appealing. Too many links, questions as you scroll down and just overall a little messy.

http://www.instantinsomniacure.com/insomnia.html?gclid=CL3VsY6M2aECFQG1bwod4UkdJQ

The front page of this website is kind of confusing. I don’t really get what it is about.

3. Choose one of the unit’s Enduring Understandings and explain how it is exemplified through the text.

• Does one or more of the characters exemplify the enduring understanding? How?
• Does the author convey the enduring understanding?  How?
• Do the events in the story demonstrate the enduring understanding? How?
• Has the text helped you to personalize/internalize the enduring understanding? Explain.

–Journeys can take on a variety of forms.

In the book Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger, about the three best friends: Leigh, Emmy and Adrianna made a bet and set challenging plans for each other and see who can accomplish them first. Emmy decided to go on a Tour de Whore trip where she would sleep with random strangers as to experience more about love/sex/life and forget about her ex-boyfriend Duncan. On the other hand, Adrianna a woman who knows how to play around with men decided to turn into a monogamist and date one man at a time, and finally marry him by the end of the year. Leigh, who didn’t make a bet, constantly experienced the difficulties in her so-called-perfect-boyfriend’s relationship. Journeys can take on a variety of forms. The three main characters each go on a journey to explore the things they’ve never done. The process of achieving their plans, is a journey involving change, an experience to learn new things, an adventure to look into the unknown. Journeys can be taken in a variety of forms, but the knowledge learned can be just as useful as the other one.

6. What is the main conflict in the book and how is it resolved? How does the setting influence each? Include specific examples.

The main conflict in season one episode four of Glee is Quinn got preganat and decided to tell Finn that he is the father of the child, even though Puck is the actual father. The setting is placed in high-school, so when the news got out, Quinn had to face the consequences, the way people looked at her and being kicked out of Cheerios, the cheerleading team. Quinn and Finn both underwent the pressure of whether or not to keep the child and the worries of  what will happen in the future. They both want a better life and not end up in some restaurant being waiters and waitresses for the rest of their lives. Quinn decided to keep the baby and give it up for adoption. Finn was stressed out on how to deal with this problem and decided to talk to Mr Schue, the teacher of the glee club about it. He gave Finn valuable suggestions and stayed with Finn when he needed him. The support from the students in glee club gave Quinn and Finn the confidence to keep the baby and move on with their lives.

7. What is a theme of the book? How do you know? (A theme is a principle that applies to all humans, such as: learning independence, enduring friendship, making choices, survival, values/morals, courage, persistence, etc.)

One of the main themes of the book is the importance of friendship. Leigh’s boyfriend, Russell just proposed to her during their first-year-anniversary. Under surprise, Leigh decided to call her best friend Emmy,

“Emmy? Is that you?”

“Leigh? How did you get this number?”

“I called your office here and said it was an emergency. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Sweetie, is everything okay? It’s two in the morning there.”

“Yea, every-thing’s fine, I just wanted you to hear it from me before the word got over e-mail. I’m engaged!”

And after all the talk about the ring and how he proposed, Leigh finally said, “I’m not in love with him, Emmy.”

Emmy was at first surprised by what she heard, astonished by how impossible that could be, they are the couple that everyone’s jealous of, Russell must be the one. Emmy calmed down and listened to Leigh talk about the reasons why she thought they’re not the perfect fit. The existence of Emmy being there for Leigh was important, the friendship Leigh have between her two best friends Emmy and Adriana is significant to her. They are the only ones Leigh can show her true thoughts to.

One Monday night, Emmy rang Leigh’s door and burst in to tears,

“Talk to me, Emmy. Is everything okay with Duncan?”

This elicited a wail so plaintive it hurt Leigh to hear it. Bingo.

“Over,” Emmy cried, her voice catching in her throat. “It’s over for good.”

Emmy cried in Leigh’s arm while Leigh immediately called Adriana to come over. Emmy talked about the reason why she and her boyfriend broke up, they listened to her patiently and comforted her as she went on. In the book, the bond of these three best friends enhances the story-line. They rely and trust each other to be there for them at their weakest times. Leigh, Emmy and Adriana all experience the drama in their lives and when in doubt, they always remember they have friends to count on, people to put trust in.

–What is cultural identity?

Cultural identity, culture can be defined as the things that surround you, the community you live in, the people around you, the language you speak, and the influence you get. Cultural identity is what identifies you based on your culture. For example if you are a Mexican and grew up from a highly educated family, surrounded by people that are well mannered and smart, even if people normally stereotype Mexicans as poorly educated, you are still identified as a person who has been taught with knowledge; due to the fact that you grew up in an atmosphere that makes you a well educated person.

–Why is it important to study cultures from the past?

It is important to study cultures from the past because the past is what makes us who we are now. Like cause and effect, the cause of a disagreement can affect the development of the future. The conflicts that have taken place in the past affects the present in which we are living in now. For example, the misconception that darker skinned people are different, unequal, and should be less privileged than lighter skinned people resulted in killings and problems like the genocide in Darfur and the forming of the Ku Klux Klan. So if we study the culture from the past, we’ll be able to have a further understanding of how we got here and what resulted us into who we are now.