Face to Face

After hearing a lot responses to the aftermath of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor it was very saddening. Many people were affected by these tragedies and it was hard to deal with because all the fear, anger, and loss. Humans were targeted by the FBI based on their name, skin color, and ethnicity. Naturally, the humans with arabic, muslim, and japanese backgrounds were targeted and made into the enemy. After tragedies like these it's understandable to want to find the reason behind it and make sure it never happens again. But it was eye opening to listen to how much the FBI knew about anyone they wished to investigate. They knew who your family was, what job you held, the income you made, everything that basically made up your life. It was sad to hear how people with these backgrounds were mistreated by others simply based on their race. I couldn't imagine how awful it might have been to be made the enemy simply based on my skin color, and I wish people were more understanding and considerate.

Reading Response #2: Insurgent

As you might have read, my last book was part of a trilogy. After finishing Divergent within a couple of days I picked up the second book, Insurgent, not long after. I finished this book as well over the weekend and loved it even more than the first one! Veronica Roth, the author, wastes no time in picking up with the story right where she left off.

Tris, a newly trained member of Dauntless, has reached a crises. There has been a shift in the balance of power between the five factions. The leader for the faction of the Erudite, Jeanine Matthews, has waged a war on Abnegation out of hunger for information and control. She created a serum to control Dauntless members and use them as her soldiers for the plans of her destruction and mass murder. However, the divergent cannot be controlled by this serum so it is up to Tris to stop Jeanine's plans. With the help of her friends, Tris must find out the truth behind it all. There are some big surprises such as unexpected alliances that are forced to be made and the betrayal of loved ones. Safety is hard to find and in the midst of the chaos Tris must fight for what previous heroes died for in order to restore peace to her world.

One part about the book that I loved was the realistic future aspect. Roth did an excellent job of creating and describing new things, and making them sound sensible. Here is a passage from the book that is a good example of this:
"The filtration building is small, just one room with a few huge machines in it. As far as I can tell, some of the machines take in dirty water from the rest of the compound, a few of them purify it, others test it, and the last set pumps clean water back out to the compound. The piping systems are all buried except one, which runs along the ground to send water to the power plant, near the fence. The plant provides power to the entire city, using a combination of wind, water, and solar energy."
It really made me think of what the future holds and how the world might be a couple hundred years from now. Roth did an excellent job of convincing me and making the characters believable. Now I can't wait to get my hands on the third and final book, which comes out in October!

What Inspires Me

I played many sports growing up, but the sport I stuck with was volleyball. Today, volleyball is basically my life and I have no idea what I'd do without it. I've had the fortunate opportunity to travel around the U.S. playing the sport I love. I'll go as far as Portland, OR and Denver, CO to Orlando, FL and Charlotte, NC. My inspiration for this sport is not necessarily a single person. I find inspiration in watching high-level teams and players, such as watching my older sister play college ball. I also love to watch the Women's Olympic Volleyball team. It's crazy how talented these athletes are and how hard they work to get there. My sister works out and practices every day of the week, 2-3 times a day. She rarely gets a break and we only get to see her on holidays. It's hard for her at times but what I find inspiring is when my family and I get to watch her play and she proves how all the hard work pays off. When I was 16 I got to watch the NCAA Women's Volleyball Division I Championship in Kansas City. I watched Penn State play Cal, and i was in awe. It was the first time I had seen such a high level of play and I was immediately inspired. Watching these types of games makes me want to be a better player. I can only hope to one day be a part of that elite group.

The video below shows a rally between UCLA and Illinois State. This is the kind of stuff I love to watch!

Reading Response: Divergent

    I am not much of a reader but the other day my younger sister recommended a book to me, by Veronica Roth, called Divergent. I could not put it down! I ended up reading the entire 487 page book in less than a week. Luckily, it is part of a trilogy so I will have plenty more to read! If you share an interest in science fiction adventure novels, I would highly recommend this book to you.

     Divergent is about a a community split up into five distinct ways of life, or five factions. Each one meant to uphold a particular virtue of humanity: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). Everyone grows up in the faction your family lives in, but when you reach the age of 16 there is a Choosing Ceremony. Here, you can decide whether to stay with your original faction or switch to a different faction that better fits your personality based on a required test. The main character, Beatrice Prior, was born and raised in Abnegation. However, when she takes the test she realizes that she does not fit under one certain category. She is divergent. At the Choosing Ceremony, Beatrice, or Tris, decides to switch to Dauntless. Little does she know how dangerous being divergent is, but she will soon find out in her new journey to a life she knows very little about.

     This book often reminds me of another book series called The Hunger Games, which I am also a big fan of. It's similar in the futuristic aspect of our world and how war has caused the society to change drastically for 'the great of good'. The two book series' have a young girl as the main character. Both are incredibly brave and strong, and willing to sacrifice themselves for their family/community.

     The image below is a still from the upcoming movie they are currently making for Divergent. It shows the main character, Tris, and her mentor, Four, during the training for becoming Dauntless. It comes out in March of 2014. I for one am very excited and cannot wait to watch it for myself!

" I Am" Poem

I am brown hair from my mother and green eyes from my father.

I am a baby face that I can never seem to grow out of

Always wanting to grow up, but never reaching that destination.

I am dreadful mistakes with a lot of regret

But I am also success with lessons learned.

I am a seeker of truth trying to find my way

Living with old views in a new world.

I am a follower of God

Believing not in only what is seen.

I am faith

Living in a world filled with pressures and falling to some.

I am never giving up

Striving for the best in hopes of prosperity.

I am still waters running deep.

I am the forever optimist.

I am destined for light.