Notes on Hamlet

It was a most definite plot twist when Hamlet killed Polonius. I really didn't see that coming. I've been finding it difficult to follow along with the story when I'm reading it by myself. I really have to have someone who will help me clarify what exactly is going on. And then I read the remix's and those really helped me comprehend what was going on in those particular scenes. I'm all for collaboration when I can get it. I have a feeling things are going to become ugly near the end of Act IV. Hamlet is growing more impatient for the death of his uncle, I can feel it. But with death comes patience so hopefully he hasn't gone really mad with bloodlust or revenge. But the plot has taken some unsuspecting twists that I'm enjoying so far in the play. I have a feeling things are about to go downhill for Hamlet when he takes his revenge too far. How? I'm not sure. But the feeling is still there...

Who Was Shakespeare?

Using sources from Wikipedia, Transparent English Blog, and Wisegeek, I was able to gather some information on Shakespeare that intruiged me. According to these sites, Shakespeare was called "The Bard of Avon" in England and was regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His main works consist of sonnets, plays, and poems. He produced most of them between 1589 and 1613. They were mainly tragedies and histories, his comedies were widely known. I could honestly go on and on about his personal life, early years, and so on and so forth, but as to getting down to what we students know about him, we interpret Shakespeare as a man who had written ingenious works that is vastly known even today. So, clearly everyone has a general idea of who he is and what he has done, that's for sure. But knowing the depth of his writing is the tricky part. I always found that challenging with Shakespeare's diction and syntax... being able to interpret what the characters are actually talking about. And so, it helps whenever we go through and analyze his works. Reading Hamlet and going over it is actually helping me understand the context better than compared to freshman year.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook?

My initial impression about Facebook was that it's this really cool site that all of my friends are hanging out on and posting awesome pictures and crap like that. Now I see it as a site that's equivilant to a brainwashing mechanism you see in those futuristic movies. I had gotten a Facebook account becuase everyone I knew was connected with one another and I suppose I had felt out of the loop. Besides, I was influenced at a younger age. I don't go on it much, but only if it's for something important. I feel as though people are on Facebook for too long and it really becomes distracting. And usually those people are on there out of boredom and for non productive reasons. Collaboration for important purposes, I can understand, but playing Farmville for hours on end? Ridiculous if you ask me. That article portrayed a message to me that kids at an even younger age are becoming impressionable to the deep hypnotic swirls circling around the wonders of Facebook. Facebook is very useful in a sense where it's memorable to get together as a unit of an undivided force and expand our knowledge. And, you have to admit, it's awesome to catch up with those who are living in different parts of the world. But it makes me worried when I see my sister spending three hours on Facebook playing games and posting silly comments or messages to people's walls. Procrastination is a huge problem for us adolescence out there.

 

A Day in the Life of Glass

made possible by Corning

 

A video that speaks to all viewers about the future and what it holds for us. It's amazing to me that most of the technology shown here is already invented. This video shows me what is made possible when living in a world where our minds are taken to the test and how we contribute to this growing world. It's the twenty-first century, baby. We can do anything. :)

Vocabulary List #9 Remix

Alliterations. Ah, they are fun, no? I figured it would be a really cool way to try and remember the vocab. Even though they are tougher than they seem (and some may not even make sense in the sentence), they were still fun to do. I regret nothing. Drawings would have been fun but Kelli already took that idea into action. Enjoy.

Abortive: failing to produce the intended result


An abortive action attempting to assuage angry animals augmented attacks that day.


Bruit: spread a report or rumor widely


Brittany bruited bad bologna 'bout Bethany's bossy boyfriend.


Contumelious: scornful and insulting behavior


Carly's comments created cancerous criticism to her contumelious.

 
Dictum: a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source; a short statement that expresses a general truth or principle


Deputy David's dictum defeated Dexter's demeanor and denounced him deeply.


Ensconce: establish or settle


Ebony ensconced excitedly in Europe.


Iconoclastic: characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions


The iconoclastic, Ivan, incinerated India's idol in India itself.


In medias res: a narrative that begins somewhere in the middle of a story rather than the beginning


Inventing impressive in medias res isn't impossible.


Internecine: destructive to both sides in a conflict


Interfering into internecine issues isn't important if it's involving idiotic information.


Maladroit: ineffective or bungling; clumsy


Maddie's maladroit manner mortified the many men making mirrors.


Maudlin: self-pitying or tearfully sentimental, often through drunkenness


Mark's maudlin moments marked a meaningful memory in the minds of the merry men.


Modulate: exert a modifying or controlling influence on


Matt modulated Martha's moon model into a magnificent masterpiece.  


Portentous: of or like a portent; done in a pompously or overly solemn manner


Parting portentously, the party pompously prattled over petty problems pertaining to poor people.


Prescience: the power to foresee the future


Patrick's prescience proved perilous after plotted plants poisoned the public.


Quid pro quo: a favor or advantage granted in return for something


Quinn's quid pro quo created qualms quite unsettling, yet, quirky.


Salubrious: health-giving, healthy; pleasant, not run-down


Seeing Sally's salubrious state started something spectacular that summer.


Saturnalia: the ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December; an occasion of wild revelry


Celebrating Saturnalia saved Saturn from saying something on the subject.


Touchstone: a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized


Ted's talk on the touchstone for technology tells about the touchscreen tablet.


Traumatic: emotionally disturbing or distressing; relating to or causing psychological trauma


*Taco Tuesday turned traumatic for Tony when Trevor toppled over turning turquoise.


Vitiate: spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of; destroy or impair the legal validity of.


Victor vitiated the value of the vulture's velocity, voicing his verification.


Waggish: humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner


Woody's waggish ways in wiping the wonderful Buzz away was wacky.


*My favorite alliteration. It seemed fitting.

 

Reflection on Vocab Midterm

I thought I did really well on the vocabulary midterm. I was very confident when taking the test and even though I knew I would miss a few, I was still proud of myself for only missing five words altogether. :) I will probably be using the same method to study for the final as I did for the midterm. I'll go over the midterm cards, and thank goodness I still have all the cards, and then the later terms. Hopefully the outcome will prove to be a success. I do enjoy learning new words and I like adding them into stories for future references.

A Note To Myself and Viewers

1. Cleaning up my blog today so it will be up to date and looking stunning.

2. Collaboration with my fellow students.

3. Will absolutely do my best to catch up with the class itself. I DON'T want to fall behind.

4. I apologize for such a late notice but stress tends to do things...ugly things. (Everyone has been there. Done that.)

5. And finally, seeking advice for time management and how to overpower procrastination.

THIS...IS...THE DAY!