An Immense Gift & Book Cub

I so enjoy sharing my passions with other people-especially my family and younger generations. Therefore I was immensely pleased to create a little book club for two of my little girl cousins last autumn. It's been going quite well- one of the main purposes was to improve their reading skills, and this has slowly but surely been taking effect (to my joy-I was rather surprised,as I usually am when things turn out exactly as they were planned ;).

I'm also teaching them to embroider during book club, and when we finish our second(current) book, we'll have a little tea party. I've made them embroidered bags for their little projects in celebration of completing our first book which we recently finished...Little House on the Prairie  by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was one of my childhood favorites, and I will eternally treasure the opportunity to explore it with them. Last week we began Charlotte's Web by E.B White, another childhood book that impressed me deeply.

It nurtures my soul on so many levels to be able to share my love for reading with them, and to encourage them to love it themselves.The lack of familiarity with literature-with written word in general, is absolutely tragic and, in my opinion, revolting. How kids these days are making it through school when they can't even spell past 4th grade level is beyond me...oh wait, many of them aren't....

Reading isn't just a "sit with this book for half an hour just so you don't spend all day on electronics" kinda thing (at least it shouldn't be. I read an article once about how parent's today often use reading as a punishment or restriction. How depressing!). Reading Is adventure, thrills, education, expansion- it does more than just entertain. It teaches. It improves. What more could a person ask for? To be able to be immensely entertained  and improve your vocabulary all at the same time, for free! Who wouldn't want that? ;p  Just like who wouldn't want my lame jokes....

Reading has been an enormous gift to me, and I'm on fire about giving that gift to all the little people (and big people,though they tend to be more resistant :p) I can. In the present, I'm satisfied with my little book club, but maybe it'll manifest in bigger ways in future...who knows? I'm open. :) 

{My eldest book clubee has actually made her own little corner of the blogiverse for her bookish observations.}

the Mundane & attempting Authenticity

So, before anything else, it would perhaps be best to let you know what I've been doing these past three months! :) Some of you may remember my mentioning my graduation project. I'm happy to say that I successfully completed and passed. That was a relief, then it was the race against time to complete the semester before graduation. I'm happy to say I successfully completed 12 documented years of legal education, and have received my High School diploma. My family and friends were (and are) absolutely amazing during this time, and I had a wonderful graduation weekend. I even went to Hershey Park, my first time at an amusement park. :) 

But, I'm not here to talk about mundane things, though those can be fun. Which is why I'll mention that I've continued my sewing studies, though the past month or so they have been halted because of graduation and all that. Also, my photography is on a halt, not only because of business, but because my camera has developed a shutter problem. This is very upsetting, but I believe that everything happens for the best, therefore I'm hoping that the best will happen soon. :)

Before I embarked on my break from blogging, I was really happy with the frequency and content of my posts. As I've been absent, I've often pondered how exactly it was that I was going to revolutionize my blogging. I really want to emphasize on my desire for my blog to be authentic, encouraging, and entertaining. Most of all, I want it to be all that while edifying my fellow bloggers. :) I also want to attempt to be as original as possible. It's very original to do that. :p Truly though, authenticity is my attempt. At any rate, I'll be thinking of this. Meanwhile, I'll continue my weekly observations on becoming posts.
blessings!

I have the strangest feeling...hello!

 It's almost like nervousness, excitement, joy, and unexplained fear. I've been gone longer than I ever thought I would be. Three months. Just fathoming all that these past three months have held blows my mind. Slightly on the "I can't believe I made it," level. It feels like its been forever, yet just a day. Isn't that fascinating? Oh, and hello! :)
This year (starting from I'd say this time last year) has been absolutely tough, incredibly new, and of course, because life is, beautiful. Most of all, this past year has been about self realization, becoming a more developed individual-no longer thinking and acting like a child. I have that liberty in fewer areas now.It's called getting old. ;)
 Graduating high school is a rite of passage, but it's a bigger one than I thought it would be. Because now, my job is no longer to study (though I will be doing that), but to pursue whatever it is that I want to do as a living for the rest of my life, at least as I know it now. Taking in hand this responsibility requires much more than just the "work" aspect of it. It's soulful as well. Or at least, it should be.
As young people beginning to develop, not as children but as adults, a phenomenon generations before us have experienced, we must look into ourselves, our hearts, minds, and souls, and decide what is it exactly that we want from life. How do we want to live it? What type of character do we want to have? And are we willing to do the hard work? All these questions for me have meant that I need to stop the work and look into myself. Not outward, not at someone else and definitely not into boxes that I might want to stick myself in to appear a certain way.
Now is the time to take our lives in our hands, with caution, with forethought, with wisdom (parent's and elders can be very helpful in this area), and with soulful action. This is no time for doing things "just to do them". Now is the time to do things that we know we want to do. This can mean different things to different people, therefore I'm not saying you have to go travel Europe or something, though I would like to do that. :) It really is the age of opportunity and it can be one of such power and fulfillment.

 Coming back to blogging is feeling a lot like coming back to myself, since the craziness has calmed down, the urgent hard work is over (for now), and that part is exciting. It's a bit nerve wrecking and scary because I want to really revolutionize my blogging, I want to really write what's in my heart. And that might hurt and be work to get out. But, I'm joyful because I can. And I know HaShem (G-d) has a plan. :) That might involve accidental rhyming. ;) Therefore, I'm very happy to be back and I look forward to getting back in touch with my fellow bloggers!

Miscellany Monday: February 21

From Evernote:

• Random. I'm good at this. When I least expect it. And when it is most annoying stimulating to others. But when it is demanded of me, my mind draws a blank. A boring blank. This is a most common and unfortunate occurrence. But let me proceed...

• Its raining today. For the first time in a while. In fact, its been rather sunny lately, though very windy. Ah, you know those moments when there's nothing to talk about so you talk about the weather? This is not one of them.

• I love making soup. Its so nostalgic and yummy. And fun. I also like making Shepherds pie. And mashed potatoes. Which go in the Shepherds pie. Moving on...

• There was no school today it being presidents day and all, and I meant to spend it productively but time just flies too fast and some things take too long. But, that's life. You do what you're meant to do if you're at least trying your best. 

• I've been so neglectful of my observations on becoming but I'm enjoying posting some different, lighter material. As well as creating some different, lighter material in Photoshop.

• Comments are awesome. I try to comment when a post has touched or inspired me, because I think all passionate writers need to know that people are reading their thoughts. But with Google not working on my computer, I have to use my lil iPod so commenting is minimum. Anyway, I want to thank my readers for their comments if I haven't replied on your blog. :) 

• Every time I think of my graduation project and the deadline I get this nervous, faint feeling in my throat. It's due mid-March (a five page paper on the connection between photography and words-a bit of the history and development of art in there), and I've been so unexpectedly and unpredictably busy lately. But b'ezrat HaShem I'll whip it up. 

Link up at Carissa's! 

Life is Sweet...

A meme created by the AWESOME Ara, it has been on many of the blogs I follow and I just have to surrender to the peer pressure. Just this once [maybe]. Below is Ara's eloquent description of Life is Sweet. 'Cause no one could've said it better...

Life is so terribly sweet. I don't know why sometimes it's so hard for me to remember that it'samazingly sugar sweet. But then sometimes, I forget which pair of socks I'm wearing...as if that really had anything to do with it. :) But here I am, wanting to remember those lovely things that make me so warm inside, like a lit-up Christmas tree in my heart. Those things that can make my face hurt from grinning like the sun smashing into the big moon. If you'd like to, join me in remembering ten things that make your life as sweet as winter peppermints, as deliriously happy as impossibly dreamt, as bouncy as a bungee jump on repeat, and as dreamy as blue moonlight. 

Yeah...she rocks..so go follow...after you read my top ten things, of course :p

• I love when I find blogs that are so incredibly lovely that I'm shocked at myself for not having found and  followed them sooner. Such as Polka Dot's lovely blog (life is too short not to) wear red shoes. And she just so happens to be hosting a giveaway. How appropriately lovely. ;)

• I love when I have an epiphany, no matter how large or small. Such as realizing I can post to my photography blog (since Google still doesn't work on my computer) via the awesome Flickr. Yay.
• It makes me soooo happy to post normally-meaning on a computer being able to link and use pictures and etc etc etc. 
• Catching up on blogs I stalk love is SO inspirational!! Seriously, it does something to me..like make me post.. :p Or wanna, at least...
• The light of winter-and warmer weather,makes me happy. Though I'm still mistrustful of all the fine weather everyone's been having! *suspiciousshiftyeyes*
• Being a nerd makes me happy, especially when there's nerdy apps like dictionary.com. 
• I.love.thesauruses. If that's even a word....
• I'm very happy when listening to random mixes of music on my iPod. Very happy. If I attend college, I'm hoping to take up music as a minor. :)
• I love inserting some spontaneity in my life-like..
•  unexpectedly having a three way chat on Facebook with some peeps,
•  making my best friend a collage, 
• editing pictures with sudden inspired ideas..

Ha! There's miraculously more than 10 things. Yay! May your timeuntilwheneverIpostagain be sweet and your Shabbat sweeter!

Um, yeah...

The Message of Silent Spring

 An essay I wrote on Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring


SILENT SPRING, a book that many say “launched the environmental movement”, was written by Rachel Carson in the 1960’s. With research and supported facts, Rachel Carson attempted to remove the blindfold from people’s eyes in regard to the chemical development and usage that was, and still is, damaging our world. In a time when so many people were, and still are, uneducated or misinformed about the power of solutions such as pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and the chemicals themselves, this book is enlightening and sobering.
I have never read a book that was so grounded in convincing facts, research, and indisputable truths. Her writing, though sometimes emotional because of heartbreaking reality, was calm, serious, and to the point. There was no exaggeration or complicated excuses, but only the pure truth. This book reminded me not only of the gravity of the danger and troubles we are experiencing, but also that I, living in, and being a part of this world, have a responsibility to let, or not let, the destruction of our planet continue.
Here I am going to discuss, in part, the power of chemicals, and their effect on living things, as well as our natural alternatives and the consequences of the choices we make. There is no final battle, no final choice to be made, between destruction for short lived convenience, and short lived inconvenience for life. Every little decision that is made is carving out the path to our ultimate end.

"The most alarming of all man's assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials." (Silent Spring, pg.6)

The most well known chemical’s today, or what Rachel Carson referred to as “Elixirs of Death”, are man made, though chemicals are found in the natural world, these chemicals are atoms, molecules, and arrangements from those natural chemicals that are manipulated in laboratories. They are dangerous because, not being naturally integrated into, or a part of, the environment, have a damaging effect, as most things that are “unnatural” do.

“The origin of these insecticides has a certain ironic significance. Although some of the chemical’s themselves-organic esters of phosphoric acid-had been known for many years, their insecticidal properties remained to be discovered by a German chemist, Gerhard Schrader, in the late 1930’s. Almost immediately the German government recognized the value of these same chemicals as new and devastating weapons in man’s war against his own kind, and the work on them was declared secret. Some became the deadly nerve gases. Others, of allied structure, became insecticides.” (pg.28)

These chemicals were obviously known to be highly toxic, and yet were, and are, still used to kill insects, or pests. But how can we spread a deadly chemical over the earth, expecting for it to harm only one species? Is this logical? I would say not. And yet, these chemicals are in frequent, almost constant use, usually targeted at insects, but destroying the whole earth…

“For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death…the synthetic pesticides have been so thoroughly distributed throughout the animate and inanimate world that they occur virtually everywhere... They have been recovered from most of the major river systems and even from streams of groundwater flowing unseen through the earth. Residues of these chemicals linger in soil to which they may have been applied a dozen years before. They have entered and lodged in the bodies of fish, birds, reptiles, and domestic and wild animals so universally…They have been found in fish in remote mountains lakes, in earthworms burrowing in soil, in the eggs of birds-and in man himself.” (pg.16, 17)

CLICK HERE and click Read more...

Goodbye School,Hello Summer! I think...

(Press play to listen while you read)(My ultimate favorite summer song, just so you know.)
 I have something really BIG to say. Therefore, I am about to use the largest font size, PLUS caps.

I

HAVE

COMPLETED
A 

FULL 

YEAR
OF 

SCHOOL

OFFICIALLY
TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and did I mention it would also include bad grammar? Yes, its true, its so surreal to me- I still haven't fully grasped it. It has been a very difficult year at times, and I cannot say I handled it perfectly-very un-perfectly many times. But that's ok! CAUSE IT'S OVER NOW!!! YAY YAY YAY!!!
Now I'm going to give you a list of what I look forward/hope to be doing this summer/spring, because its still spring. Oh, yeah, the "I think" in the post title is because summer is too hot for me, and because its still spring.
Anyway, I got the idea for this from Hannah at Aspire, and it has been going around. So here we go! in no specific order...

Eat our homegrown strawberries at random times

 Go To the Beach MANY times

S

Spend fun time with friends and family

READ

WRITE

And that's all I have so far! Oh, and changing my blog and all! That's coming in June! 

Well, I must go, but I do want to write more about this years academic journey in another post.

Blessings!

Tomorrow is the Day & a Quote

Today I am practicing not worrying, as I study for my Reading and Math PSSA's, which are on Monday and Tuesday. I am almost completely confident in reading, but math is a completely different story, but with tutorials from helpful teachers, I hope to build and refresh what skills I do have and use them best I can tomorrow. Please pray!
Now, for a quote/concept I thought of last year and miraculously still remember!

"Life is not measured by its length, but by the hills and the valleys, and the rivers and mountains."

But Before...

 I should probably be sleeping, and I know I'm tired enough, but I'm not ready yet.  I was looking on my Flickr (visit my photography blog-site!!) and uploaded my photos of the day. Before that I was doing a fun tag on my literature blog. Check it out ;) Before that I was posting on my photography blog, and before that I was at my grandmother's house and saw her new cat, Tux- he's adorable, you are super sure to see pictures on my photog blog soon! Before that I went to the park with my mom (see photog blog) and before that I was tending to my room.
This week is going to be crazy. Why? You probably don't want to know, but I'll tell you ;)

• Pesach Cleaning and preparation!!!! My room is first for me- hopefully ;)
• School! of course ;)
• A shoot tomorrow, (Ah!!! I should get to bed!) but I will most likely have to cancel because of the rain. Yes, it's supposed to rain,just because its Monday :(
• If not Monday, a shoot on Wednesday or Thursday.
• Editing and etc.
• Managing my accounts and other business stuff
• And that's it!

Once all the Passover craziness and lovliness is over, there are some things I want to straighten out, schedule and otherwise. I have so many great ideas and projects to work on, plus PSSA's in April! I'm not nervous...yet. :) Spring break is from next Wednesday until the Monday after, but I will have to use some of that time for school, because of taking off on the first and last day of Pesach.

Well, I have to go, but I wish you all a magnificent week! Besides the business, I will enjoy myself, I'm sure. Work is hard, but refreshing after winter. Oh my, and the garden season is fast approaching!
 I enjoyed this ramble- hope you did too- getting a little peek into my life ;)

Blessings,

Just in Case...

Just in case you don't see my Love for Literature blog on the sidebar, and the post there, here is a link to some exciting news!

Purposeful Documentation

* This is a scheduled post of an essay I wrote for English class*

Purposeful Documentation

Diaries, journals, and letters have been a means of communication, reflection, and record keeping for ages. There have been many historical facts and information obtained from old diaries, letter and journals. They are greatly valued. Today, people still keep diaries, and perhaps journals.
Letters are a way of communicating privately with a person that has been in use for more than centuries. Letters have also given insight into historical times and events, and are perhaps more descriptive of a particular event than diaries. Though letters are personal, they are not entirely private.
A diary is a more personal record of life, and always from a 1st person view, and full of opinion. This is a very important thing to remember when reading another’s diary. Usually, diaries are not intended for publication, but historical diaries are published after the death of the writer. It can be useful to keep a diary for several reasons. The writer will be able to read it and look back on special moments with a detailed or relative description. Diaries can also be passed down through the family, and are very often useful historical documents.
Journals are slightly different from diaries because they usually present information in a fact based, unbiased, informative way. Journals, therefore, are more for the benefit of informing others about an important event or time, rather than for personal reflection. This makes journals very valuable, perhaps even more than diaries are, when it concerns historians or people interested in learning about a time or place.
Though keeping a diary or journal may seem insignificant, you never know if it may be useful or informative for future readers. You may also derive much personal benefit from it, as well. Whether it be a personal diary of your thoughts, or an informative documentation of events, it will still give a glimpse into your life, your time, and the world that you live in.

A Young Maiden's Daybook March 1 (I mean 2)

Click here for more info

Today… Tuesday, March 2, 2010 / Adar 16 5770
Outside my window… Cloudy, melting snow, and cold. Though warmer than last month- hello March!
I am thinking… About how sweet and innocent little children are supposed to be ;)
I am thankful for… My body and health
I am wearing… My jean skirt , gray undershirt and red overshirt.
I am reading… I Thought it was just Me (but it isn't): Telling the truth about Perfectionism , Inadequacy and Power by Brene Brown
 
I am creating… I finished my collage. My collage, still.
One of my favorite things… Earphones
For education this week… Hopefully, today I will complete a 5 page research paper, and stay caught up.
A keeper at home skill I am using/learning … Dust accumulates fast ;)
A spiritual lesson I’m learning… That it doesn't matter what I feel. Fact. Faith. Feeling.
A godly character trait I plan to work on… Patience.
Scripture I am meditating… Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad....
I am praying for… My health, my family, my studies.
For the rest of the week… No Short Answers today, refreshing my business, client meeting on Thursday
A picture I’d like to share…

I have been meaning to get back to practicing my piano, but...cyber school. This summer though, I hope to devote a lot of time to the things that have been left at the side of the road WAY way back there. ;) For my senior year, I am not going to be in cyber school, because I only have two credits to complete. So , b'ezrat HaShem (with G-d's help) , I will be able to complete those credits, read a lot, pursue my music, writing, photography, and learn a lot of homemaking skills. :)
Oh, yeah, and this is late :)

Equal Rights for Women : Shirley Chisholm

* This is a scheduled post of a persuasive analysis I did on Shirley Chisholm's speech. "Equal Rights for Women". I do not agree with everything she says, but I do believe that men and women, black and whites (excuse the names) are equals.*

As a an African American woman, Shirley Chisholm certainly could relate to the speech she gave in 1969 to the United States House of Representatives at Washington D.C. Based on proof, and strengthened by experience and values, her “Equal Rights for Women” speech was very persuasive. As one of her key points concerning equal rights for women, she speaks of the discrimination against blacks, and how it is similar to the prejudice against women.

It has been observed before, that society for a long time discriminated against another minority, the blacks, on the same basis - that they were different and inferior. The happy little homemaker and the contented "old darkey" on the plantation were both produced by prejudice.
As a black person, I am no stranger to race prejudice. But the truth is that in the political world I have been far oftener discriminated against because I am a woman than because I am black.
Prejudice against blacks is becoming unacceptable although it will take years to eliminate it. But it is doomed because, slowly, white America is beginning to admit that it exists. Prejudice against women is still acceptable. There is very little understanding yet of the immorality involved in double pay scales and the classification of most of the better jobs as "for men only."

Her use of antithesis and ethical appeal strengthens her examples and arguments, and her proof changes it from mainly persuasive speech, to strong logical reasoning. Rhetorical questions also strengthen her reasoning. Here is an excerpt that will exemplify this.

Let me note and try to refute two of the commonest arguments that are offered against this amendment. One is that women are already protected under the law and do not need legislation. Existing laws are not adequate to secure equal rights for women. Sufficient proof of this is the concentration of women in lower paying, menial, unrewarding jobs and their incredible scarcity in the upper level jobs. If women are already equal, why is it such an event whenever one happens to be elected to Congress?
It is obvious that discrimination exists. Women do not have the opportunities that men do. And women that do not conform to the system, who try to break with the accepted patterns, are stigmatized as ''odd'' and "unfeminine." The fact is that a woman who aspires to be chairman of the board, or a Member of the House, does so for exactly the same reasons as any man. Basically, these are that she thinks she can do the job and she wants to try.

Finally, as conclusion, she provides a solution, and explains what equal rights would look like and what an amendment would do. Again, she uses antithesis to strengthen her conclusion and provide reasoning, ethical appeal, making her proposition of policy complete.

As for the marriage laws, they are due for a sweeping reform, and an excellent beginning would be to wipe the existing ones off the books. Regarding special protection for working women, I cannot understand why it should be needed. Women need no protection that men do not need. What we need are laws to protect working people, to guarantee them fair pay, safe working conditions, protection against sickness and layoffs, and provision for dignified, comfortable retirement. Men and women need these things equally. That one sex needs protection more than the other is a male supremacist myth as ridiculous and unworthy of respect as the white supremacist myths that society is trying to cure itself of at this time.

I am sure this excellent persuasive speech encouraged the equal rights amendment, and Shirley Chisholm certainly deserves credit and remembrance for her efforts to create equality among men and women, and blacks and whites.

The Mission of the Life of Frederick Douglass

* This is a scheduled post of an essay I wrote based on Frederick Douglass book "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" and his speech " The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro"

The Mission of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass wrote an autobiographical narrative of his life, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave”. In this book, he described the effects of slavery and his experiences concerning it. He also gave many speeches, after becoming a free man, advocating for the abolition of slavery, and representing his people. One of these speeches was “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”. What was his mission, what was his purpose in actively opposing slavery? I believe his mission was to inform people of the cruel reality of slavery, and to influence people towards abolition, for the sake of his fellow slaves.
In his narrative, he frequently describes the startling truth about slave owners. To accomplish this, he often stopped, while describing an experience, to point out and explain a method of behavior on part of the slave or slaveholder. Here is an example of this. He is speaking of the holidays that slaveholders gave their slaves once a year.

From what I know of the effect of these holidays upon the slave, I believe them to be among the most effective means in the hands of the slaveholder in keeping down the spirit of insurrection. Were the slaveholders at once to abandon this practice, I have not the slightest doubt it would lead to an immediate insurrection among the slaves. These holidays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved humanity. (84)

He takes great pains to ensure that the readers understand what the slaveholders used to keep the slaves in ignorance, and why it succeeded. He makes it his mission to bring forth facts, examples, and insight. In his situations and experience, he speaks of how it applies to the whole of slavery, and what part the slaveholders play in it. To further example this, here is another topic on which he dwelt strongly and lengthily. When he lived in the Auld home, his mistress undertook to educate him. Her husband bitterly opposed it, and she gave it up. It was then that he realized that the withholding of education was the most powerful weapon of slaveholder.

“Learning will spoil the best nigger in the world (Mr. Auld)…It would make him discontented and unhappy.”… I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty- to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. It as a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. (48)

Throughout the rest of his narrative, he speaks of the withholding of education from the black man, and how that kept him in bondage; it gives him no understanding to think for himself, no perception of the reality of what he (the slave) really is. It seems to be the purpose of his narrative to inform others of the underlying truth of the most common occurrences, whatever they may be.
His “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” speech again shows this mission. How so? It speaks the bold truth about slavery and slave-owners, in a way that cannot be argued with. The clear points of his speech seem to breathe abolition with every word, and I have no doubt that it was greatly influential to those that heard it, then and afterward. Here his focus is more on the difference between the black man and the white man, and the hypocrisy of the nation, while his narrative focused more on the hypocrisy of the slaveholders themselves, showing his intention to reveal the truth and facts to the world.

If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, "may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" To forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs, and to chime in with the popular theme, would be treason most scandalous and shocking, and would make me a reproach before G-d and the world. My subject, then, fellow-citizens, is American slavery. I shall see this day and its popular characteristics from the slave's point of view…
America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with G-d and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible which are disregarded and trampled upon, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery the great sin and shame of America! “I will not equivocate; I will not excuse”; I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just.

The above paragraphs seem to have been his motto. Injustice was like the fuel on which he filled his tank of indignation. Here is another excerpt from his excellent speech, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”. He was presenting the usual arguments, but in a different manner.

"But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, "It is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more, and denounce less; would you persuade more, and rebuke less; your cause would be much more likely to succeed." But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light? Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man? That point is conceded already. Nobody doubts it. The slaveholders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of laws for their government. They acknowledge it when they punish disobedience on the part of the slave. There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual, and responsible being?"

I think nothing could be clearer, than that his mission was to enlighten his readers and listeners of the truth of slavery, and of the hypocrisy of America and slaveholders. He could not do this without advocating for the freedom of his fellow slaves. Therefore, while writing speeches, and narrating his life, he pushed for abolition with every word, and was, no doubt, one of the most influential and powerful speakers of his time.

Green Works or Lysol ?

* A scheduled post of a compare and contrast essay I wrote for English class.*

Cleaning products are a small but important part of the home, depending how much you clean. They are important because the cleanliness of your home depends largely on what products you use, and how well they clean. Green Works and Lysol are two popular cleaning products. How do you know which one really works?
Green Works is a production of Clorox. Green Works is a group of cleaning products that are made out of renewable resources, petrochemicals, and are biodegradable. The solution of most of the products is made out of plant and mineral based ingredients, and corn based ethanol, which is an eye irritant, so requires some caution. It does not contain harsh fumes which make it easy on sensitive noses, and no dangerous chemicals, so it is safe for children and pets. Many people are at first apprehensive to use Green Works, because they are afraid it won’t clean as well as other products like Lysol. In fact, many people say that it does not clean well at all. But most who have tried Green Works have been satisfied, and are happy to have a good cleaner that helps the environment. The price of Green Works product is usually from three to five dollars.
Lysol has been around for much longer than Green Works from Clorox, and is therefore trusted. Lysol is made of many dangerous chemicals and contains forms of chloride and alcohol. Despite these dangerous chemicals, Lysol has a good reputation for disinfecting, killing germs and odors. It is also popular because of its many uses in the home and workplace. Many people do not like the harsh smell of Lysol products, and therefore condemn it entirely. The price of Lysol is usually from three to seven dollars.
In conclusion, your decision between these two products all depends on what you’re looking for. If you prefer to use a less common product for the benefit of the environment, and know that it is safe for you and your home, and is free of harsh fumes and chemicals, choose Green Works. But if you prefer a strong and reliable cleaning solution, that will kill germs and odors almost instantly, go with Lysol. They both are products from reliable companies, and will help keep your home clean and safe by keeping it free from harsh chemicals with Green Works, or free from germs and odor with Lysol. Keeping your home clean and safe is important, so choose wisely!

Climate ,Change .Action

I will do this to help our earth- check it out and let me know if you will do it too! Sign some of their petitions as well!

EDF

My New Year's Climb

The past few days, Rosh haShana included (oh, and a belated L'shana tova to you all! (Happy Jewish New Year, or more accurately, A Good Year to you) sorry for the lack of posting) have been the most mentally and emotionally difficult days I've had to work through personally. I've been fighting guilt, condemnation, and self pity. I feel like it's been trying to overtake me and hinder my fresh beginning of the new year.I feel like I've finally won the battle today, or last night,and am on the road to recovering joy.Continue>>I wrote a prayer that expresses my re-commitment to HaShem, and dedicating myself to Him. I felt much better after I did that - re-committed myself. I really don't feel comfortable sharing such a personal thing, but I know you'll understand. I just felt like I could share this, because maybe I could tell someone that even one they feel that their mind is going out of control, and there is no hope of stopping the thoughts that put you down,you can do it, Abba will lift you up when you cry to Him. I think He was probably trying to teach me how much I need Him, and how much I need to cling to Him and be dedicated to Him everyday. When I fail to be constant in prayer,study, and meditating , I get farther away from Him and more susceptible to fall into my old ways. That shows the importance of steadfastness in prayer and other things that draw you closer to HaShem, like just thinking about Him and His goodness.
Anyway, I hope this has helped someone. Any Questions? lol
Things have been going smoothly around here. We had a good Rosh haShana, and may we have a good year. I will be graduating this year (or next year if we are looking at the secular calender, which means in 2010), and my brother will have his Bar Mitzvah. I will also learn how to drive this fall, and turn 16 in October, plus having several sessions I may possibly do, plus this school year which I still have to do, and not to mention Yom Kippur, Sukkot and other various things, known and unknown. But whatever comes, it will surely be for the best, and HaShem knows all things.
I have to go now, but I hope to post more often, as things get more organized. I never imagined I'd post without a picture, but I don't ave the time. My goodness, I used to be a fairly good blogger, but now I am a very negligent one. Go to my Mom's blog if you want some good blogging ;) She's taken my place. Love you Mom!

oh the slippery rain

It has been raining so much lately. You'd think it was spring. So you might be wondering, " Why is this a bad thing?". Well, one reason is that it is so gloomy outside and the tomatoes in our garden don't have a chance to get red(we have had 1 or 2 days of sun, though). The second reason would be that I had an engagement session today and it was, it was- I'm sorry, this is just really sad- it was ruined by a severe thunderstorm. One minute is was sunny and great lighting, (though so humid that they issued an air quality alert.. yeah, great day for a photo shoot ;) the next it was pouring while I cancelled the session with my clients. Fun fact- they live a few houses down. Yeah, it's awesome. Another fun fact- slippery is another word for tricky...just so you know :)
Anyway, so we are going to try again tomorrow, all week in fact, whichever day is sunny first. So that's what has been happening today.
Things have been pretty quiet around here. We've had a bountiful harvest of tomatoes and peppers (our kitchen smells very strongly of peppers;) during those few days of sun. The rest of the garden is flourishing, and in about a week we will bring in a harvest of everything. I am enjoying my vacation from studies. We will start again in September. I have been trying to use my summer productively, but I don't feel as if I've got anything done. At least not in the line of learning.The main things I have been doing are- organizing-finishing loose ends- and working on my photography business and using the editor workshop(as you can see by the post title photo;) Those are the three most productive things. Besides that I have been reading some books by Patricia St. John ( superb books, though they are for younger children, but I still read them for entertainment since all the other books I'm reading are brain food), gardening, cleaning, and baking. So I suppose it has been a productive summer. Oh, I forgot- and I have been sharing the care of 9 puppies and two dogs. THEY ARE SUPER ADORABLE!!! The doggies in the picture are all ours. Yes, at first we were only keeping Zoe from this liter, but now we decided to keep a boy that looks similar to our current dog Leo, so we will have three dogs. Aren't they cute (from what you can see)? And Leo is so protective of them. He is definitely a good big brother. Here is a picture of Nala (the mom of all our doggies) and Leo goofing around during the week of fun. Okay, maybe we were goofing around.

And finally, I will leave you with an adorable picture of Zoe.

Shalom,

The Right Perspective on President Obama's Speech in Cairo-the Jewish one

President Obama's speech in Cairo was monumental and revealing. I might warn you-not in a good way. For those who are interested in the Jewish response to this speech, a speech which was heartbreaking for me, click here. For more on this topic-the Jewish response to the President's speech, and what was he REALLY saying, click here. Warning-this kind of falls into the category of politics and passionate belief speaking. :) As a homeschooler, I like this stuff. Okay, maybe it's just me, but I still like it. :):):)