Thursday, September 25, 2014

Being part of two Worlds

After reading chapter 23 in Maya Angelou I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings, I did not feel as lost as I usually do at my age. It was towards at the end when she remembers how wonderful it is to be who she is. "I was no longer simply a member of the class of 1940; I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race." Once I read that the memories of grade school came to me all over again. All the times that I was rejected from my Mexican race because I look white and all the times I was rejected from the white race because I am a Mexican. At times I would wonder why my parents chose to come to this country where we were never wanted. At worst times I even wanted to be white, and rejected my heritage. I always thought there was something wrong with me but the older I became the more I realized I am wonderful! The more I experienced the more I recognized that I was the best part of both worlds. I did what it is normal to do in the American traditions, like driving at 16, or having a big party at 15, and at 18 (21 is next!!). I can also do all the great things that my Mexican heritage teaches; like cooking, speaking two languages, having the beautiful body of a Latina, and a bold attitude that gets me everywhere I have wanted to go.
Like Maya I was lost and by little actions from others overcame that mind set, like she starts doing later in the story I started and still look for ways to over come all the judgment people can throw your way. It reassured me that I was not the only on in this world that suffered from it at one point in life.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Friend test.

"We should run through the forests
We should swim in the streams
We should laugh we should cry we should love we should dream
We should stare at the stars and not just at screens
You should hear what I’m saying and know what it means to-...


Yeah we wish we were happier, thinner and fitter
We wish we weren’t losers and liars and quitters
We want something more not just nasty and bitter
We want something real not just Facebook and twitter
It’s the meaning of life and it’s streamed live on YouTube
But I bet Gangnam Style would still get more views
We’re scared of drowning, of flying and shooters
But we’re all slowly dying in front of fucking computers."
(Scare Away the dark by Passenger)

Today in my English class we talked about how people are very attached to social media. We had articles to read before hand, we discussed the one by Ian Daly Virtual Population Isn't Cool- It's Pathetic and most people who spoke were the one who disagreed with the author. They disagreed with social media being useless. Some of my classmates felt that social media brings us together, it helps us keep connected, it helps us meet people and helps us socialize... I disagree very much with them, like the lyrics of the song I posted above, I feel like we are loosing the art of communication and the need for adventure and happiness because we have an artificial source on our laps.
I agree with Daly when he say "take a good long look at your list of friends list and ask yourself how many of these people would meet you for a beer- or how many you would actually want to meet for a beer." Ok guys lets be honest... nobody does that!!! Ok I lied maybe not "NEVER" but maybe 5% of the time it MIGHT happen.... most likely not. Honestly if you think those people are you friend try this: piss them off just a bit, push there button, disagree with them. When you think of a friends think of the as bridges. When you make a bridge you should try it out and see if it is stable right? If those people are "friends" they should hold up right? 1 out of the 600 friends would survive right or maybe 5 or maybe 20. But I bet you that the ones who did hold up on the test were the ones who actually knew you for years, those who really have had memories with. Well now that you eliminate the fact that most of those people will not help you out, they won't be there when you cry, when you loose those who matter for you, why does their opinion matter? Why do you care if you get their like if they really don't care about you when you are down... We spend so much time on those website that we forget how to truly make friends. When you are at a cafĂ© I bet not many of us know how to start a conversation with a stranger, we are used to just send a friend request. I hope most if not all disagree with me so you can go out there and prove me wrong! If you do prove me wrong, try talking to people in person and see how it is much more difficult but much more fulfilling when you make a real friend not a virtual one.