9/29/11 Grover's Corners

The culture of Grover's Corners is a very small town culture.  A very small town community where everyone is in each others business and everyone knows what is going on in each others lives.  They dress very conservativly and talk modestly.  School work is important to most people and they usually stay there.  A very close knit community, and they are all involved in making it better.  They go to town meetings.  They've very religious, most of the population is Protestant.   

9/27/11 Fireworks

I do think that individual cities should have the right to make their own ban on certain things, but I do think that it should be reasonable, of course.  Personally, I think that South Portland should make a ban on fireworks because they are too loud and people do them on normal, weeknights at midnight sometimes.  I do not think it was smart to pass a bill on legalizing fireworks.

9/23/11 My culture

One aspect of my culture that influences my behavior and actions is how we dress.  Which also affects how I feel that day, and can express my feelings.  Having a wide array of what we can wear everyday is a big thing.  People, especially girls didn't have much of a choice back in the day.

9/21/2011 Time Capsule

If I were to make a time capsule to place in the cornerstone of our school, I would include pictures of what places look liked (in case they changed in the future) like the old school, etc.  I would put in clothing that is very popular.  I would put in information about most popular movie and songs, I'd include famous, popular books.  I would probably write a letter about what everyday life was like, kind of like what Thornton Wilder did.  I would put in old cell phones or computers.  I would want to show them what life was like, because I know that I would be really interested in the items that were from 50, 60, 70+ years ago.

9/19/11

I think that single-sex classrooms are a good idea, for some kids.  I do not think it's really necessary in high school, though, because I personally feel that boys pick on girls much more in elementary school and middle school.  I feel as though, if you want single-sex classes that you should go to a single-gender school.  If you are feeling bullied by boys, or vice versa, I think you should be able to have the choice.  So, overall single-sex classes don't appeal to me, but if you really want to have the choice then I think it's great for schools to let you choose.

9/15/11 Civic Center Renovation

I do not think that this renovation is good idea at all, because $33 million is way too much money.  Our country as a whole has too much debt already, we don't need a civic center to contribute to it anymore.  I think the center is perfectly fine as it is, and they had nothing to back up why they needed a renovation so badly in the article.  We already are spending millions of dollars renovating things that are way more important.  I truly do no think that this will get passed because the residents of Maine are smart enough to realize that this is way out of budget and they don't need to get even more money pulled out of their paychecks for a civic center.

9/13/11 Kwintessential

What did you find surprising about American culture and etiquette? Why was it surprising?  If nothing was surprising, what parts ring true?

I am surprised that to people coming to America that we seem rude.  By standing next to someone we don't know and not introducing ourselves, or talking to them without knowing them.  I would have never thought that that would be considered rude to outsiders.  I am also surprised that this website said it would be acceptable to arrive up to 30 minutes late to a large gathering.  I had never heard of leaving a small amount of food left on your plate, once you had finished eating.  

My Culture 9/9/11

     In my culture we celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, Easter, St Patrick's Day, and the New Year.  We eat all different kinds of food. But during celebrations like Christmas or Thanksgiving, we eat traditional foods, like turkey and ham, potatoes and corn.  The family of my mother's side is Christian, so am I.  We go to church a lot especially on Christmas Eve.  I don't play sports, but I do marching band and I used to dance.  I focus on my school work, because it is very important to me and my family. 

Summer Reading 9/7/11

       I read, "Viola in Reel Life".  The book was about a girl named Viola who went to a Boarding school in Indiana.  Both of her parents film documentaries and movies, Viola is a fantastic film maker herself. She films a documentary of her life at boarding school and keeps catching a mysterious woman in red in her film. 

      By the end of her year she finds out who the woman is...or was.  She helps the lady in ways she doesn't even know herself.  She learns about her family life and how badly she's been treating them.  She also learns how to treat the people around her and to put her selfishness aside. 

      I liked this book because it was realistic fiction, which is my favorite genre of novels.  I really liked the plot of this story because it involved so many things, like the paranormal, family, and friends.  I would recommend this book to people who like to read "girly" books, I do not think most guys would enjoy this one.  But I do think that a lot of girls in my age group would like this book.