Max Brooks
Literary Fiction
Pages 1-32
World War Z is a fictional documentation of the Zombie War. A reporter shares survives accounts of their encounter with Zombie outbreak that overtook the world. The outbreak was believe to have started in China or in the Middle East. The first survive first encountered the virus in a small chines town called Dachang. He was a doctor and five people came in all with same injury of being bitten by a little boy. The doctor went to see the child, which was locked in a little shed. He opened the door and was immediately attacked by the child. He eventually got two of the stronger villagers to help him hold the boy down. After, studying the infection and symptoms the doctor couldn't determine what was wrong with him. He later called the police and soon the Chinese secrete forces showed up, Z8-A, quarantine everyone in the hospital. Another, survivor was a smuggler who brought people to other countries bypassing the border patrols. After the outbreak of the virus his business became even more successful as he transported infected to other nations were he encouraged them that they might find a (nonexistent) cure. This is how the virus was able to spread into other countries and eventually plague the US.
I find this book to be very entreating and love the topic of Zombies. So far the story is a little slow, but all stories about Zombies start off slow because they have to show how the virus originated and how it was spread throughout the world. I believe if the Smugglers wouldn't have transport the infected people to other countries, the Chinese could have solved the problem. But without the continuous spread their would be no story, and I defiantly want to read more of the Zombie War.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Snow storm alert this week
Starting on Tuesday we are suppose to get alot of snow until Thuersday. Hopefully there will be a cancilation between those days. I love snow days in the middle of the week, it gives you a day to sleep in a relax before going back to school.
The Walking Dead
The new book i have begun to read is titled World War Z, which is an account of The war between humans and Zombies. I've watched a T.V show similar to this book called the Walking Dead on Amc. It was one of my favorite shows this year and its up for many awards. I can't wait for the next season to come out. I find the whole idea about surviving a world of zombies to be very intriguing, which may sound a little strange. But i like the idea of humans scavenging for food and setting up forts to fend of Zombies. That's why i think I'm going to enjoy reading World War Z.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day #6
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 181-219
David has moved to France where he will live for the next two year; therefore, he decides to take a french class because he knows vey little conversational phrases. He excpects the class to be very relaxing and informative of the french language. This is not the case, David enters into the classroom and is surround by people who are speaking french fluentially and carrying on a conversation. He starts to think this was a bad idea. As class starts the teacher enters the room and instructs a student to state his name and likes and dislikes in french once called upon. After, listening to their respondes she would bruttually insult them and yell. When it was David's turn the teacher first laughed at his responde and brought knowledge to the fact that he can't assign the proper gender to the nouns. She also informs him that even a toddler can speak better then him. For the next three months she would insult the class in words that many of them didn't know. One day she singled out David saying, "You are a fool and reward my efforts with nothing but pain, do you understand me?" For the first time David was able to understand everything she said giving hima sense of accomplishment. While in France David avoid public interaction by wearing a walkman everywhere and seeing six movies a week.
If I was David I would be intimidate too once i enter the classroom and everyone was speaking the language fluentially, but i could only say a few random nouns. I believe that the teacher methods of critzing are ineffective, but they may work because in the end David was able to understand what she said. The many engagments with the teacher shouting random french words at David, I found was very entertaing if i was in David's situation i might have ended up just cracking up. This will be my last entry about David's adventures, I have found his stories to be very funny and reccomend it to people who are looking for a good laugh.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 181-219
David has moved to France where he will live for the next two year; therefore, he decides to take a french class because he knows vey little conversational phrases. He excpects the class to be very relaxing and informative of the french language. This is not the case, David enters into the classroom and is surround by people who are speaking french fluentially and carrying on a conversation. He starts to think this was a bad idea. As class starts the teacher enters the room and instructs a student to state his name and likes and dislikes in french once called upon. After, listening to their respondes she would bruttually insult them and yell. When it was David's turn the teacher first laughed at his responde and brought knowledge to the fact that he can't assign the proper gender to the nouns. She also informs him that even a toddler can speak better then him. For the next three months she would insult the class in words that many of them didn't know. One day she singled out David saying, "You are a fool and reward my efforts with nothing but pain, do you understand me?" For the first time David was able to understand everything she said giving hima sense of accomplishment. While in France David avoid public interaction by wearing a walkman everywhere and seeing six movies a week.
If I was David I would be intimidate too once i enter the classroom and everyone was speaking the language fluentially, but i could only say a few random nouns. I believe that the teacher methods of critzing are ineffective, but they may work because in the end David was able to understand what she said. The many engagments with the teacher shouting random french words at David, I found was very entertaing if i was in David's situation i might have ended up just cracking up. This will be my last entry about David's adventures, I have found his stories to be very funny and reccomend it to people who are looking for a good laugh.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day #5
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 150-181
David goes to live in France for a month with his friend Hugh, who he met through a mutual friend.The first summer that David spent in France with Hugh he had a picture in his mind of leaving in a paris and going out at night to walk the street of the beautiful streets. Unfortunatley, David found him self living in a little village outside of Normady with about a population of around 100 people at lived in a house thats electricity didn't work. He also went there only knowing the word 'bottleneck' in french. Therefore, he believes he was known as the village idiot because he responded to anything said in french with only "bottleneck." David also spoke of how french people don't hate all Americans and are actually very nice and polite and don't fit the American sterotypes about them. In order to learn the language he would write down random nouns that he read in magazines to broaden his vocab. After 3 summers in France David had accumilated a list of 5,000 nouns, which he would use to respond to questions. The french people were often shocked and confused when David would respond to a question like "How are you?" with witchcraft, exorcism, and death penalty. Eventually Hugh and David would move temporarily to France while their apartment building was being worked on. In the next chapter David decides to take a french class where he encounters the strictest teacher he has ever had. Many laughs await in my next posts as David is brutually insult by his teacher.
In David's story about living in Paris I can relate to the fact that he didn't know their language. I can personally say it is a very frustrating situation and brings much humor to the others who seem tobe making fun of your use of words. I would sometimes go to a part of town that was dominatly populated with latinos and at the time i knew no spanish. I'm sure that they found my attempt to speak spanish to be hillarious.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 150-181
David goes to live in France for a month with his friend Hugh, who he met through a mutual friend.The first summer that David spent in France with Hugh he had a picture in his mind of leaving in a paris and going out at night to walk the street of the beautiful streets. Unfortunatley, David found him self living in a little village outside of Normady with about a population of around 100 people at lived in a house thats electricity didn't work. He also went there only knowing the word 'bottleneck' in french. Therefore, he believes he was known as the village idiot because he responded to anything said in french with only "bottleneck." David also spoke of how french people don't hate all Americans and are actually very nice and polite and don't fit the American sterotypes about them. In order to learn the language he would write down random nouns that he read in magazines to broaden his vocab. After 3 summers in France David had accumilated a list of 5,000 nouns, which he would use to respond to questions. The french people were often shocked and confused when David would respond to a question like "How are you?" with witchcraft, exorcism, and death penalty. Eventually Hugh and David would move temporarily to France while their apartment building was being worked on. In the next chapter David decides to take a french class where he encounters the strictest teacher he has ever had. Many laughs await in my next posts as David is brutually insult by his teacher.
In David's story about living in Paris I can relate to the fact that he didn't know their language. I can personally say it is a very frustrating situation and brings much humor to the others who seem tobe making fun of your use of words. I would sometimes go to a part of town that was dominatly populated with latinos and at the time i knew no spanish. I'm sure that they found my attempt to speak spanish to be hillarious.
STEELERS WIN!!!
In a close game last night the Steelers were able to hold on and win 24-19. The first half was controlled completely by the Steelers defensively and offensively dominating the Jets and to go up 24-3 at halftime. But the Jets refused to give up and almsot made an unbelivable come back on the arm of Mark Sanchez. However, the Jets fell short and would not recieve a chance to take the lead for the final 6 minutes of the game after failing to score after 4 plays on the goaline. Big ben was able to convert on key third down conversions to run the clock out. The jets had another great year, but fell short and will face the insults of how they choked all through New York until next season.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day #4
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 120- 153
In the chapter Todays Specialm, David gives his thoughts on the fany entrees that most restuarants in the SoHo district of New York City. SoHo is a very up scale part of the city and has some of the most unique and expensive restuarants in the city. While living in New Jersey Iv been to NYC many times and have walked through SoHo and seen many of the restuarnt, but unfortunately have never aten in one. David and his frind Hugh go out every friday night to eat at one of the restuarants. David doesn't like the fancy restuarants that serves entrees with names no shorter then 15 letters. For most of the chapter David informs the reader of how he may like a peticular thing about the entree, but then they ruin it by adding an exotic spice or sauce. In the end David leaves the restuarnt before the waiter can offer any desert and buys, what he reffers to as "quallity food," a hot dong from a vendor. The next chapter is about David's father's obsseviness over his daughters looks. David explains that his father believes a womens only chance of making it in the worl is to look beautiful. Therefore, when David and his sister return home for the holidays they decided to trick their father. For the entire week Amy, David's sister, wore a fat suite, which compltely shocked her father. The father would keep trying to force her to eat more vegetabels or encourage her to got to the gym with her. David also says he believes that he caught his dad crying in the bathroom because of his daughter appearance. Before Amy left to return to New York she removed the suit and a the father sighed with relief and admitted she got him.
I really like the story's where David is leaviing in New York because I'v been to NYC many times and now alot of the places he talk about. I think it's really cool how I'v been to thes places that he mentiones in the stories and how i understand what he means when he says these are "real New Yorkers." I also understand why the father cares so much about his daughter's appearance because backin the early 1900's women didn't have many options to make a living besides marrying a husband.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 120- 153
In the chapter Todays Specialm, David gives his thoughts on the fany entrees that most restuarants in the SoHo district of New York City. SoHo is a very up scale part of the city and has some of the most unique and expensive restuarants in the city. While living in New Jersey Iv been to NYC many times and have walked through SoHo and seen many of the restuarnt, but unfortunately have never aten in one. David and his frind Hugh go out every friday night to eat at one of the restuarants. David doesn't like the fancy restuarants that serves entrees with names no shorter then 15 letters. For most of the chapter David informs the reader of how he may like a peticular thing about the entree, but then they ruin it by adding an exotic spice or sauce. In the end David leaves the restuarnt before the waiter can offer any desert and buys, what he reffers to as "quallity food," a hot dong from a vendor. The next chapter is about David's father's obsseviness over his daughters looks. David explains that his father believes a womens only chance of making it in the worl is to look beautiful. Therefore, when David and his sister return home for the holidays they decided to trick their father. For the entire week Amy, David's sister, wore a fat suite, which compltely shocked her father. The father would keep trying to force her to eat more vegetabels or encourage her to got to the gym with her. David also says he believes that he caught his dad crying in the bathroom because of his daughter appearance. Before Amy left to return to New York she removed the suit and a the father sighed with relief and admitted she got him.
I really like the story's where David is leaviing in New York because I'v been to NYC many times and now alot of the places he talk about. I think it's really cool how I'v been to thes places that he mentiones in the stories and how i understand what he means when he says these are "real New Yorkers." I also understand why the father cares so much about his daughter's appearance because backin the early 1900's women didn't have many options to make a living besides marrying a husband.
Jets v Steelers
Game time 6.30. Im getting hyped both my teams are going to be ready to play hard, but I'm going to support my Steelers.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day # 3
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 83-120
After David's attempt to become an artist ended up becoming a disaster he took up a job teach a writers workshop to college students. This was a terrible idea for David because he has no experience in teaching and very little self confidence. The first day of the class he planned for them to cut out pieces of paper and write there names on them, but he had nothing else planned. He thought that the construction of name tags would take up the entire 2 hour class period. He imagined that it would be like teaching preschoolers who are always shouting and yelling out their opinions. As the semester continued David used unconventional methods to teach his class. For example, he would have everyone smoke while writing. halfway through the semester he was able to come up with a class routine. For the first half he would have the students talk about politics, gossip, and their personal lives. The second half was dedicated to watching David's favorite soap Oprah's. The next chapter is a segment in David's life when he first moves to New York and works as a mover. This chapter isn't humorous, but instead is very informative on the burrows of New York and the type of people. As David moves peoples belongings from Manhattan to one of the various surrounding burrows he could tell the person was downgrading because no one leaves Manhattan. David works with three unique character; a murder, a communist, and a schizophrenic. These group of people had very unique opinions on the people they moved, which i found to be very intriguing.
I can't wait to read the next chapter of this book. I find that some of the stories David has to tell are hilarious and whenever i read a good chapter I instantly want to continue reading to discover what other hilarious situation David will find himself in. David's personal little idiosyncrasies is what made his story about teaching great. In order to remind himself that he had the power in the classroom he had to go to the door and shut it then open it or write a random quote on the chalk board. David's input and thoughts on the events in his life are what truely make this book funny.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 83-120
After David's attempt to become an artist ended up becoming a disaster he took up a job teach a writers workshop to college students. This was a terrible idea for David because he has no experience in teaching and very little self confidence. The first day of the class he planned for them to cut out pieces of paper and write there names on them, but he had nothing else planned. He thought that the construction of name tags would take up the entire 2 hour class period. He imagined that it would be like teaching preschoolers who are always shouting and yelling out their opinions. As the semester continued David used unconventional methods to teach his class. For example, he would have everyone smoke while writing. halfway through the semester he was able to come up with a class routine. For the first half he would have the students talk about politics, gossip, and their personal lives. The second half was dedicated to watching David's favorite soap Oprah's. The next chapter is a segment in David's life when he first moves to New York and works as a mover. This chapter isn't humorous, but instead is very informative on the burrows of New York and the type of people. As David moves peoples belongings from Manhattan to one of the various surrounding burrows he could tell the person was downgrading because no one leaves Manhattan. David works with three unique character; a murder, a communist, and a schizophrenic. These group of people had very unique opinions on the people they moved, which i found to be very intriguing.
I can't wait to read the next chapter of this book. I find that some of the stories David has to tell are hilarious and whenever i read a good chapter I instantly want to continue reading to discover what other hilarious situation David will find himself in. David's personal little idiosyncrasies is what made his story about teaching great. In order to remind himself that he had the power in the classroom he had to go to the door and shut it then open it or write a random quote on the chalk board. David's input and thoughts on the events in his life are what truely make this book funny.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day # 2
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 60- 83
The next Chapter entitled, You Can't Kill the Rooster, is one of David's funniest stories I've read so far. It's about David's brother Paul, a North Carolina born native who by the time he was in first grade talked worse then a toothless sailor. Since he was the fourth child the parents didn't care enough to stop him from using such horrific words and making very inappropriate comments. Paul refers to himself as the Rooster because he believes you can't kill the Rooster. The conversations between Paul and the farther are hilarious, but are to crude to repeat. The father doesn't care that Paul talks like a thug in the Ghetto, but instead is the only one who can really understand him. The next chapter is about a dog named Melina that the parents bought and loved more then their children. They showed the dog affection and felt proud to be the owners of a very large great Dane. The mother loved to snuggle up with Melina on the floors in every room in the entire house. She also taught him very unique tricks. One example of these tricks is that she told David to pretend to punch her and she would yell "Melina help I'm hurt," the dog would come running and tackle David to the ground attempting to bite his neck. The funniest part of this incident wasn't the tackle itself, but the fact that the mom was cheering the dog on to bite her son's neck. The dad was very proud of the dog and felt respected when neighbors complimented the Great Dane as he took it for walks, he felt a sense of accomplishment that he never felt with any of his children. After, his wife dies the father lives a couple more years with the Great Dane before he puts her down because of medical issues.
I really enjoy David's sense of humor and find many of his stories to be hilarious. I can relate to the Rooster in the way he talks, I'm sure many of people say things like that with their friends when they're in private, but to talk like that out in public and to your parents isn't right. One of Paul's funniest quotes is when he calls his dad in the middle of the night around one in the morning to tell him, " I havent seen (a girl) in so long i would throw (a whole truck load) of stones at it (edited). I can't imagine anyone saying that to their parents, let alone at one in the morning.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 60- 83
The next Chapter entitled, You Can't Kill the Rooster, is one of David's funniest stories I've read so far. It's about David's brother Paul, a North Carolina born native who by the time he was in first grade talked worse then a toothless sailor. Since he was the fourth child the parents didn't care enough to stop him from using such horrific words and making very inappropriate comments. Paul refers to himself as the Rooster because he believes you can't kill the Rooster. The conversations between Paul and the farther are hilarious, but are to crude to repeat. The father doesn't care that Paul talks like a thug in the Ghetto, but instead is the only one who can really understand him. The next chapter is about a dog named Melina that the parents bought and loved more then their children. They showed the dog affection and felt proud to be the owners of a very large great Dane. The mother loved to snuggle up with Melina on the floors in every room in the entire house. She also taught him very unique tricks. One example of these tricks is that she told David to pretend to punch her and she would yell "Melina help I'm hurt," the dog would come running and tackle David to the ground attempting to bite his neck. The funniest part of this incident wasn't the tackle itself, but the fact that the mom was cheering the dog on to bite her son's neck. The dad was very proud of the dog and felt respected when neighbors complimented the Great Dane as he took it for walks, he felt a sense of accomplishment that he never felt with any of his children. After, his wife dies the father lives a couple more years with the Great Dane before he puts her down because of medical issues.
I really enjoy David's sense of humor and find many of his stories to be hilarious. I can relate to the Rooster in the way he talks, I'm sure many of people say things like that with their friends when they're in private, but to talk like that out in public and to your parents isn't right. One of Paul's funniest quotes is when he calls his dad in the middle of the night around one in the morning to tell him, " I havent seen (a girl) in so long i would throw (a whole truck load) of stones at it (edited). I can't imagine anyone saying that to their parents, let alone at one in the morning.
JETS!!!
J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. The little whiny girl Tom Brady was sent home for an early vacation Sunday after unexpectedly losing to the jets. This weekend the jets will have to travel to Pittsburgh to play my Steelers it should be a good game.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Me Talk Pretty One Day
David Sedaris
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 1-60
David Sedaris literature is very unique in the sense that he isn't writing a story or about a specific event in his life, but instead writes about random segments of his life that are humorous. Every chapter in his book is a comedic event that has happened in his life. The first story is about him attending speech therapy in elementary school for his lisp. He has his therapy session once a week with a women named Miss Samson, who David sees as a cruel women. Throughout the chapter he describes the lessons that Miss Samson made him do to improve on his speech, but inevitably doesn't improve his speech. In the end Miss Samson quites and David uses a more diverse vocabulary to avoid using words with S because of his lisp. The next chapter is about how David's father love for Jazz inspires him to form a band with his children. Unfortunately, none of them have any musical talents especially David. His father sends him to a guitar instructor, who is a midget, to help him improve, but David has no interest in guitar. His real dream is to sing for a catchy wal-mart advertisement. When he tells the instructor this, the instructor senses that the kid is a little odd and tells him, "pull it together kid." The next story isn't one of the better ones in my opinion. This chapter is a summary of David's life as an artists even though he knows he has no artistic abilities. He attends art school only to drop out because he failed all of his classes. He then got involved in crystal meth and joined up with a group of Gothic artists. The pieces of art they created aren't the typical works a normal person would buy. For example, a chair made out of human hair or two dumpsters filled with toe nail clippings. David stops doing drugs once his dealer moves away and realizes he can't function; therefore, he checks himself into rehab.
I found that much of the humor comes from David's thoughts on the event occurring in his life, more than the event itself. This is because he is gay and has a unique view on the things that most other people wouldn't that i find to be entertaining. The best stories are of his childhood where he has to pretend that he enjoys all the things a normal boy likes, but in reality he doesn't care about sports or outdoors. I find myself laughing whenever he gives his input on an event that many people would find normal. So for i find the book to be pretty funny, but as some parts to be a little strange.
Non-Fiction (Biography)
Pages 1-60
David Sedaris literature is very unique in the sense that he isn't writing a story or about a specific event in his life, but instead writes about random segments of his life that are humorous. Every chapter in his book is a comedic event that has happened in his life. The first story is about him attending speech therapy in elementary school for his lisp. He has his therapy session once a week with a women named Miss Samson, who David sees as a cruel women. Throughout the chapter he describes the lessons that Miss Samson made him do to improve on his speech, but inevitably doesn't improve his speech. In the end Miss Samson quites and David uses a more diverse vocabulary to avoid using words with S because of his lisp. The next chapter is about how David's father love for Jazz inspires him to form a band with his children. Unfortunately, none of them have any musical talents especially David. His father sends him to a guitar instructor, who is a midget, to help him improve, but David has no interest in guitar. His real dream is to sing for a catchy wal-mart advertisement. When he tells the instructor this, the instructor senses that the kid is a little odd and tells him, "pull it together kid." The next story isn't one of the better ones in my opinion. This chapter is a summary of David's life as an artists even though he knows he has no artistic abilities. He attends art school only to drop out because he failed all of his classes. He then got involved in crystal meth and joined up with a group of Gothic artists. The pieces of art they created aren't the typical works a normal person would buy. For example, a chair made out of human hair or two dumpsters filled with toe nail clippings. David stops doing drugs once his dealer moves away and realizes he can't function; therefore, he checks himself into rehab.
I found that much of the humor comes from David's thoughts on the event occurring in his life, more than the event itself. This is because he is gay and has a unique view on the things that most other people wouldn't that i find to be entertaining. The best stories are of his childhood where he has to pretend that he enjoys all the things a normal boy likes, but in reality he doesn't care about sports or outdoors. I find myself laughing whenever he gives his input on an event that many people would find normal. So for i find the book to be pretty funny, but as some parts to be a little strange.
Steelers
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=310115023
I spent my Saturday watching a close game between the Baltimore Ravens and my Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was very close and the lead switch back and forth between the two teams quit a bit. The first half of the game was very frustrating for me to watch because of all the errors and turnovers by the Steelers. However, the second half it seemed that the tables had turned, with the steelers forcing the Ravens to turn the ball over and eventually going on to win the game. The link is a recap of the game, which summarizes all the major plays and analysis the game.
I spent my Saturday watching a close game between the Baltimore Ravens and my Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was very close and the lead switch back and forth between the two teams quit a bit. The first half of the game was very frustrating for me to watch because of all the errors and turnovers by the Steelers. However, the second half it seemed that the tables had turned, with the steelers forcing the Ravens to turn the ball over and eventually going on to win the game. The link is a recap of the game, which summarizes all the major plays and analysis the game.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Weather
I just read on weather.com that we're suppose to get 3 to 7 inches of snow from late tonight to early in the afternoon tomorrow. I'm hoping we get a snow day!
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