"Django" by The Modern Jazz Quartet, Written by John Lewis

Finally I get to talk about music, specifically Jazz!!!!!! First, a brief history:

Go to this address to listen to their version of Django: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmpLtYmSlvM

     This is a song called Django, a classic Jazz tune everyone should know. It was originally written by John Lewis after traveling to Louisiana and witnessing a funeral, which is exactly what the song represents--a Louisiana funeral.
     My personal favorite version is that which is performed by the Modern Jazz Quartet. Need I say more? The Modern Jazz Quartet is one of the most famous Jazz groups ever, as most other Jazz musicians flock to play with other musicians and never settle down in one group. This is what makes the Modern Jazz Quartet unique--they have played together since we've been alive, and hopefully always will be playing together.
     The group is all African-American, with Milt Jackson, the vibraphone player, otherwise known as a vibraharpist. He is considered to be legendary and is highly respected. I idolize him in my mind as one of the greatest improvisers of all time, to me. Whenever I improvise, I think of his solos, especially those in his performances of Django.
    Percy Heath is the bass player, whom I refer to as the "metronome". He is completely solid as far as tempo, and I always try to emulate his rhythm. My father actually photographed his son!
     Connie Kay is on drums, and his fills always leave me wanting more, especially between the cadences and transitions between chords and sections.
     Finally, John Lewis himself is the pianist and musical director, which are self-explanatory (Just go up a few paragraphs). He is legendary as well, mostly for his incredible compositions.What more is necessary?
     This song is an intercourse between a sad funeral march and a festive party in F Minor, as Louisiana funerals involve an exciting gala afterward, and then it eventually returns to the chorus--the funeral procession and leaves the reader in pensive remembrance.
     From an improviser's perspective, the song hold many opportunities to jam on Ab Major and F Minor Pentatonic scales as well as F Dorian and Ab Mixolydian modes to choose from. Of course, one can also always use chord tones to play the changes and cadences.
     The performance of the song is phenomenal. The visual effect of the vibraphone is fantastic to behold as well as its pervasive reverberation. The improvisation is, as always with the Modern Jazz Quartet, outstanding, especially (to me) that of Milt Jackson.
     With Jazz, one can never go wrong, as very little of it is written on paper. It is a special thing, as all jazz that is not recorded is lost, as a piece may sound different from day to day, by means of different people playing it, or, probably, because the improvisers have thought of something new to try out. I know these feelings and situations from experience. Playing jazz with friends, if anything, is truly exhilarating, which is exactly what the Modern Jazz Quartet does every time they perform a song.
A Presto,
Simon

Perfect Strangers...or are They?

     Jay and Nick, Nick and Jay...the two men in The Great Gatsby seemingly destined to become friends...or are they? These two "friends", or so it seems, have much in common with each other. Both can, at times, act in a rye, sarcastic way, and the reader comes to appreciate their humor. They are able to exist without much distracting banter, which says that they are relatively misunderstood people. Both of them seem to generally do more listening than active participation in conversation, otherwise known as talking.
     They seem to be very good friends from the moment they meet, which was under rather odd circumstances. They meet at one of Jay Gatsby's parties, and Nick doesn't even know who he is, though he is his host. However, they engage in bonding experiences shortly after, such as flying Gatsby's sea plane as well as going out to lunch. From then on, Gatsby sends Nick personal invitations to his parties. However, is it really friendship? Or Gatsby just using Nick?
     It is revealed that Jay was in love with an early character in the book, Daisy, cousin to Nick. It is then left up to the reader to determine whether or not Gatsby is using Nick solely in order to get to know Daisy. If one were to ask me, I believe Gatsby has a genuine interest in Nick, though he is more interested in Daisy. Because of this, Jay is willing to sacrifice his friendship with Nick in order to establish a romantic relationship with his cousin, and possibly rekindle their friendship at a later date. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I believe Jay Gatsby has little regard for meaningful relationships with other human beings in the form of friendship.
     How about you? What do you think of Jay Gatsby's and Nick's relationship?

Energizing Others

Creation.
What a word,
the inexplicably fundamental noun of existence.

It is everything and nothing.
It has no form,
though everyone and everything existing proves it to be true.

There is nothing, then everything,
all at once,
stimulating each and every sense,
every microscopic nerve ending,
each cell,
down to the last atom.

It is truly incredible...

How incredible is it,
to be sucked into a vortex at maximum velocity,
after being born at the drop of a dime,
in the blink of an eye,
in a split second,
making slow, soft, gently violent gyrations,
thrusting, spinning, and flipping through the air
with the smooth, arching swoops of a falcon,
plummeting toward the Earth.

How incredible is it,
to lose oneself in a sea of swirling faces
of love ones you've never met.
Dancing and turning and revolving,
in a social gathering with everyone and no one.

How incredible is it,
to softly slow one's momentum,
and on a cushion of air,
land on a young child's soft, crimson, exposed tongue,
and to rest there in gratification,
gloriously satisfied,
           satiated,
                      and comfortably content with life itself.

How incredible is it to invoke fiery feelings of joy in someone you've never known to exist.

Language and Arts vs. Social Life: Thankful for a Classmate

     There exists such a thing as favoritism, which, among individuals, can create meaningful relationships as well as ill-mannered ones. Though favoritism is subjective, meaning the outcome changes based on whom one asks, it is a useful tool which can help one figure out the closest people to him or her. Because of these reasons, I don't particularly enjoy "playing favorites", as far as friends or classmates go, though if I had to choose, two people rise to to top of the list. These two individuals are named Gabrielle (Gabby) Burns and Shiloh Psujek.
     It's a little surprising that I'm writing this, as I've only known Gabby since the start of this year, and we haven't exchanged many words, though I have experienced enough to truly know I am thankful for her. Whenever we see each other in the halls, we say hello, and I try to encourage her as much as I can to be persistent with her INCREDIBLE Trombone playing-skills, as well as with her Spanish, as I am both a linguist and a musician. (Though, I wish she played jazz...we would jam so much!) She is a fantastic student, and always tries her best. She's always there for me when I need help, and I've even worked on a project with her. I also try to boost her confidence. Gabby, if you had more confidence in your excellent self, you'd be almost perfect.
     I've known Shiloh since Freshman Connection in the Summer of 2009. I didn't know her very well then, but we've become much closer since. She is one of the cleverest individuals I know, and always has to have the last word. She knows how to argue, and always has another sarcastic comment to make, after which I always laugh. That's probably the biggest reason I'm thankful for Shiloh--she knows how to make me laugh. It's something I can always count on when in her presence. Shiloh is probably THE BEST clarinetist in the world, which I knew the first time I listened to the gorgeous notes float gently out of her instument's bell.   She's one of the most beautiful people I know, both inside and out, and is one of my best friends. I can always talk to Shiloh about anything, no matter how difficult it might be to say. (I'm actually on the verge of "happy/remembrance tears as I'm writing this, because it's all very real and true). We talk about anything ranging from personal problems to jokes, school, relationships, and, Shiloh's favorite, RaNdOmNeSs!!!!! Shiloh, I'm thankful for you because you're one of my best friends, and I know I can always trust in you, and you can always trust in me as well! (OK, the tears have started to cascade down my cheeks...seriously......)
     In conclusion, my friends Gabby and Shiloh keep my life interesting and play at two different extremes of my life--language and arts vs. social skills. Both are very special to me, as are both of my friends. What would I do without them? I don't know. Although, I do know I have them as my very good friends, so why question it? Thank you so much, Gabby and Shiloh! I love you guys! (Now I need to go and wash my face...)
A Presto,
Simon

Be a Leader, be the Plow!

     What are some defining characteristics of a plow? Good question, I'm glad you asked! A plow is a hard-working, slightly old-fashioned piece of technology! It is a way of clearing a path for some larger force, creature, machine, person, or even a soccer ball! I even did my invention project in biology last year on snow plows, where I turned my bicycle into a snow plow. Could one ride it? Not really, especially since it couldn't turn right.....*whistles*. Anyways.....If we were taking this literally, a plow would be just that, a tool. However, in order to interpret how I am a "plow", we must delve deeper into the purposes and functions of a plow, or, alternatively, what a plow represents.
     My Italian IV teacher, Dr. Foy, calls me a firecracker. What does this mean, you ask? Well, she's never called me one to my face, just to my parents. Therefore, I have to infer what it means. I think it means I get people going. I motivate people to do better. Because I only, and I mean only speak in Italian in her class, I motivate both her and others to speak more Italian in class as well. Basically, it means I clear the way for others to follow in my footsteps. Get it? That's where the plow comes in!!!!! By "clearing the way", I become a leader in the class, which makes me more confident. It's a mutual benefit which helps others to aspire to be leaders and study harder as well, while I feel personal gain because I have helped others as well as having inspired them.
     In the future, I hope to plow my way through all the obstacles I may face, which is another defining characteristic of plows--they are able to overcome any obstacle. The plow is an ideal person, and obviously no one is perfect. To me, one can exhibit qualities of a "plow", but one cannot be a plow all of the time. Thus, when someone exhibits plow-like qualities, he or she is acting as a leader.
    In conclusion, I believe no one is a full-time plow, or else he or she would be perfect! Take me for example. I may be a plow in my Italian IV class, and at the same time,  I want to follow in the paths of Dr. Foy and Ms. Floreani, as they both teach an English literature class as well as Italian, and I would like to do just that. I would like to be a teacher of English literature as well as a high-level Italian teacher. How about you guys? What is one way in which you are a "plow", and one way in which you walk on a path cleared by another?
A Presto,
Simon

Ninjas in Mr. McCarthy's Class?

      Being a human, I have preferences, ideals, unique ideas, and beliefs which make me who I am. Because every human is unique and special, we all have certain categories which we fit into, which others can use to describe us to people who do not know us that well in order for him or her to mentally recognize us. For instance, I could say to one of Mr. Fanning's students, "Oh, you know Mr. McCarthy! He's the best, coolest soccer player/English teacher ever! " (Which I would record on tape and bring to Mr. McCarthy for extra credit).....Because of these preferences, everyone ends up being good at a certain array of things, or subjects. Therefore, what I personally believe could be changed, or not changed, as far as our American Literature classroom activities and atmosphere go, could, and most likely will be different than those which someone else thinks.
     Personally, I believe our classroom activities and atmosphere are nearly perfect the way they are. I love how every person can speak his or her mind and need not be afraid of being "shunned" based on his or her opinions. I love our discussions and our time debating about anything ranging from Nikes to child labor laws. We are free to be ourselves. One thing I really enjoy in this particular class is the daily journal. It helps me loosen up and get in my "literature zone" every time. Also, because Mr. McCarthy reads each and every one, I feel like we are able to establish a new level of connection with our teacher.
     Alternatively, one thing that I think could be improved on in our American Literature class is something contributing to discussion. I believe it would be fun if every night, one new person would be ULTRA-NINJA on the reading and know it completely inside and out, prepare discussion questions for the next day, and become the moderator of discussion in class the next day. This would remove the shyness from people as well as help them present something they know to their peers. I believe it would help us come together even more as a class.
     Well, that's it! Other than that, our class is pretty much perfect! (Mr. McCarthy, more extra credit, please?). It is the format and type of class I would like to be emulated by every other teacher in the school. It helps me think on my feet and learn in new ways, and ultimately, it allows me to be myself inside of the classroom.

Are we Still Puritan at Heart?

     When I first read about Salem, the witch trials, Puritans, and the House of the Seven Gables, I didn't think much of them. To me, they were simply words written about a place I'd never been to, about people I'd never met, and about a time to which I could not relate. However, more of the stories are true than one would think, and after reading about the background of the time period, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the house itself, and Puritans in Salem, I feel as if  I can understand more of the information presented in books I have already read or will read. It's pretty spooky, actually--seeing as it's Halloween.......BOO!!!

     For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne has more in common with Salem than one would think. For instance,  one of his relatives was John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch trials. Some trivia about Nathaniel Hawthorne include that he eventually changed his name to "Hawthorne" in order to separate himself from his infamous ancestors. Also, he was born on July 4, 1804, and graduated from college in 1825 with Franklin Pierce, who would later become a United States President. Finally, Hawthorne often visited Salem, specifically the House of the Seven Gables, in order to be entertained by his cousin, Susannah Ingersoll, whose family occupied the house at the time.

     Speaking of the House of the Seven Gables, let's delve a bit deeper! This house is located in Salem, Massachusetts (yes, THE Salem, Massachusetts!), at 54 Turner Street. It is called "The house of the seven gables" because it literally has seven gables,which are the pointy things on the tops of the roof. It is quite interesting that the house where Nathaniel Hawthorne was born was moved to The House of the Seven Gables and is now extremely close in proximity to it--they are separated by only a few feet! As stated in the novel, The House of the Seven Gables, the building itself has an impressive history. It has been in the control of several different families, all of which have a story to tell. For instance, by Hawthorne's time, the house could only be seen with three gables. However, his cousin told him the house's history, and showed him the evidence of former gables. The house itself can still be seen today.

     The novel, The House of the Seven Gables, is partially about the town of Salem dealing with its past--a past which is now referred to as the Salem Witch trials. There are many possible explanations as to why these trials occurred. One of these possibilities could simply be teenage boredom. These teenagers who pointed fingers at so many villagers in order to have them executed could have simply attributed to the lack of excitement in the village. Then, there is the matter of the children falling ill in Salem. These sicknesses could have been attributed to ergot, a fungus which is easily grows in warm, damp, rainy springs and summers. Is it just a coincidence that this is how the Summer of 1691 was described? Nearly all of the young girls lived to the West within the Salem village, which was an area with swampy meadows would have allowed ergot to thrive. Furthermore, ergot is commonly found in rye, a staple ingredient in almost every type of food in Salem. Alternatively, the summer of 1692, which was towards the end of the time of the "bewitchments", was extremely dry, eliminating the risk of ergot in the village. Some symptoms that may result from eating ergot-contaminated food include violent muscle spasms, vomiting, delusions, hallucinations, crawling sensations on the skin, and a host of other symptoms, many of which were experienced by Ruth and Betty in The Crucible. Lovely.....

     Finally, we have the Puritans. The Puritans were extremely radical Christian thinkers which occupied the town of Salem at the time. They were categorized as believing in a theocracy, or government by religion. Basically, this meant that the government officials in the Puritan towns were the Priests and Reverends. The Puritans had some very odd traditions and rituals, at least from our perspective. For example, they believed a child born on a Sunday was a child of sin. This is because they thought that children born on the Sabbath Day were conceived on a Sabbath Day as well. You see, in Puritan society, sexual intercourse on Sundays was forbidden. (So, being born on a Sunday, made you like Black Sabbath, right? ...Right? ...No? Whistles..... Anyways.....) Puritans lived their lives in fear of a God as well as in fear of his counterpart, the Devil. It seems like an extremely humble yet unenjoyable and fearful lifestyle. 
     How does the Puritan-type society that existed so long ago still influence us today? Well, our religious diversity in the United States is a prime example! Many states do not yet allow gay marriage. The constitution does not mention it as being a bad thing, though the bible does. This represents some of our Puritan theocracy roots, though there is supposed to be a separation of Church and State. Our Puritan ancestors still influence us today because of the laws that they set in place before our system of government came around. Some of them just happened to stick around. Leave me a comment as to what evidence of Puritan roots influences you in your everyday life!
A Presto,
Simon

"One nation...in liberty and justice for all"

     When was the moment I first knew I was an American? That answer can hardly be said in written form. It is more easily implied. In class, we have defined being an American as being a free person who has the right to choose what he or she wants to do for a living, where he or she wants to live, what kind of name, social status, and rank he is to have in society, and, ultimately, what she wants to do with her life. And American is someone under rather new rules, compared to the rest of the world, which offer a broader spectrum and give more "wiggle-room" to citizens. Based on this definition of an American, I can't say that I am yet an "American"--only on paper am I referred to as such. However, I have definitely felt some of these defining characteristics at some points in my life, such as the right to choose my own fate. Most of these types of characteristics I learned merely from reciting "The Pledge of Allegiance" in class.
     When we were required to recite "The Pledge of Allegiance", I would always pay attention to the words I was saying. I didn't want it to be some essay or chant that was mindlessly regurgitated solely to avoid wasting time and in order to move on with the day. No, I wanted it to be something special to me--something that had figurative value and meant something unique. This was when I knew I was an American. Of course, I knew I was my whole life, but up until then, it was just a word used to classify me. Then, it suddenly became a word used to describe me. It meant that I, Simon Black/Toby, could not be specifically defined as an American, but it could be used as a word to shape my image to others.
     Specifically, the lines "One nation...in liberty and justice for all" help prove my definition of an American as being correct. This quote from "The Pledge of Allegiance" shows that an American has the right to be free, not just physically, but mentally as well. One can have freedom of choice, expression, and social mentality. This once-boring chant in class now opened itself to reveal to me that I truly was, and I still am, and American. It made me realize I was an American because I found myself fitting into the categories of the words in the pledge. I know I am a free-thinker, and I act on my own beliefs, meaning that I choose my own paths, making me a true American thinker as well as an American citizen.

"Death" vs. Death? I Choose Neither!

     (ATTENTION. THE FOLLOWING IDEAS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT: THE WORD "DEATH" WITHOUT QUOTATION MARKS MEANS A LITERAL DEATH OF A PERSON, AND WHEN USED WITH THESE AFOREMENTIONED PUNCTUATION MARKS, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN AS HAVING A METAPHYSICAL OR FIGURATIVE MEANING. THANK YOU).
     When I think of a fight or quarrel between two combating individuals, I usually don't think of it ending with the death of one person. However, this "death" can be taken to the next level and be described as being a spiritual or figurative death as opposed to a physical one. In fact, there need not even be a physical "fight or quarrel".
      For example,  political figures may engage in mental "combat" through the course of debate and never swing a single punch. This will end in one of the politicians' defeat or "death", which, though it is not literal, still has a lasting effect on the person. Continuing with the politician analogy, one politician may support a controversial idea or topic, and the people in the nation not in support of this topic may rise up to commit drastic actions or cause the physical death of someone in support of the cause, or attempt at causing the hypothetical "death" of someone else within the confines of a civilized argument.
     In The Crucible, Goody (Elizabeth) Proctor causes the "death" of Abigail by subtly revealing to the village people in the town of Salem that she did something wrong, such as committing the crime of adultery, thus giving her a "bad name" in the village. This can be transferred into representing the death of her "good name" in the town of Salem. Mrs. Proctor did this by evicting Abigail from the Proctor house where she served as a maid or servant. She did this because she sense bad intent afoot, and was correct in assuming so, as her husband falsely committed the crime of lechery.
     Well, that's all for today. Can you guys that have read The Crucible come up with another area in the book in which one villager causes either the "death" or death of another? I can think of a few--at least a trillion.....Good luck!
A Presto,
Simon

Ah, Protagonist Classifications.....

     Is John Proctor a Hero or a Stooge? Good question.....To me, he has qualities that resemble both. Though, his negative qualities don't necessarily represent those of a stooge to me, but of someone who is conflicted and has significant flaws.
     John Proctor is a very conflicted person. He is a Christian man who holds little to no belief in witches. He is the protagonist of the play, though he has flaws such as a violent temper, which sometimes leads him to shout. It is also known that he has had an affair with the young adult, Abigail. However, I believe these faults make him more of a "heroic" character, because the reader is able to relate to him more.
     Think about it. If you read a book in which the protagonist was a "perfect human", (a phrase which should be a grammar error, as it is IMPOSSIBLE) would you be able to identify with this character? No way. This is because all humans are flawed, which makes us unique. If we lived in a perfect society, no one would be special or revered for his or her special talents, appearances, or intelligence because everyone would be have them. However, this doesn't exist. Doesn't that make you love life? To be here, in this world, living? It's great, isn't it? It makes me question................but I digress.
     Anyways, back to the ranch.....(Oppure Allora.....Questa e` che cosa ci diciamo in Italia quando dobbiamo parlare su un altro tema.....)
     John Proctor does not seem like a "stooge" to me because he doesn't seem like someone who would take orders very easily. Even with something simple such as religion, John Proctor is seen multiple times challenging the order of Reverend Parris. This shows his independence, a distinct heroic quality.
     Because of his many character traits, I believe John Proctor is a "heroic" character because he his sympathetic and caring, and though he has flaws, he continues to rise above them and become the protagonist he was made to be.
    

Jonathan Edwards said WHAT?!?!?

    A couple of days ago we read an excerpt of a sermon by Jonathan Edwards that was TOTALLY insane!!!!! (and not in a good way!) It was basically a huge death-threat to anyone who DARES doubt the wrath of God! He writes about God having the power to control rushing rivers--being able to let the water fly on anyone at any time. According to Edwards, he also has a bow and arrow constantly pointed at every person's heart, ready to let the arrow fly at any minute if he so chooses. This he will do to anyone who opposes him, i.e. the sinners of the world. This leads the sermon to be entitled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". This is why Edwards preaches for everyone to serve as an observing Puritan, so as not to anger God in any way and so that when life is over, one may have a merry, cheerful afterlife filled with strawberries, butterflies, and.........well, you get the idea. These people are being threatened and pressured into living life in the puritan way, or else, essentially, they will be smitten by God.
    As with almost all blog entries I've written thus far, I will express my personal opinion, as follows:

DOES THIS GUY REALLY THINK THIS #%^&*(^$%$##%$##$#&**()*(&&^%$#@#$ %^&*())(*&^% @#$%^&*(*&^%$%^&^%$%^&*@#$%^&*%^&^%^&*&^%^&*(*&^%$# WILL BRING HIS COMMUNITY TOGETHER PEACEFULLY?!?!?!?!?

   That's my opinion on his sermon. If I had to honestly say what I think of it, I would say that it makes absolutely no sense to me why these people would believe such a thing to be true.
    However, in order to make an unbiased decision, I would have to fully take into perspective the life of a villager in a Puritan society. I would imagine they only know this way of life, and thus have no idea what other lifestyle they might have had in Great Britain.
    However, if I were a British person, I would look onto these puritan societies as though they were extremely strange, which they still seem to be, from my perspective. It is no wonder that they essentially evicted them from Europe, banishing them to the 13 colonies where they could "annoy" the Natives.
   How about you? What would you do if you were a Puritan? If you were to pretend you had no preexisting bias, could you simply go along with the flow? What about if you were a British person or a Native American looking onto these strange societies? How would you feel then?

Here's the Neighborhood! Oh look, there it goes.....

     Hey guys! This particular blog entry is going to be based on the idea of someone or something moving into a new area and establishing a change in that area. There are many examples of this occurring in history, but only a couple stand out to me. One of these is Christopher Columbus, a rather hackneyed example, who attempted at imposing Christianity on the Native Americans, unwillingly on their part. Then, there are other examples, some of which I am learning about in AP World History that take place during the Paleolithic era (for those of you who don't know what this means, it was the majority of the time Humans have been on earth, also known as the age of hunting/gathering). In this particular era, Humans migrated, populating the planet, which required them to expose themselves to new environments everywhere they went.
     One could argue that these societies represent out own modern cities and urban centers today. When the Humans in the Paleolithic era found a place to settle down and end their nomadic lifestyles, they had to adjust to their new environments and also force the new environments to adjust to them. For example, a tribe that settled down in the forests would say, "Oh, look! Here's some weird plant that I can use to cover myself AND eat! Oh, there's a weird pig-goat thing that looks tasty enough to eat! Mmmmmm! Yummy pig-goat-thingy!" This is obviously an exaggeration, but it shows how the tribes themselves would adjust to their new "neighborhoods". However, say the tribe's people like the weird plants and the yummy pig-goat animals too much, and they set controlled fire to a certain area of the forest to encourage the growing of the weird plant, and then they hunt the weird pig-goat animal to extinction. What are we left with? A completely changed environment or "neighborhood" with a thriving population of weird plants and no pig-goat thingies! This shows how, even though a newcomer may know nothing about an area or its customs, he or she can still change its lifestyle forever.
     When an extreme situation such as this takes place in our lifetime, what do the people that live in what I will refer to as "the neighborhood" try to do? In my opinion, if I were someone who had lived in a neighborhood for a while, I would try to keep our older traditions active and hope that newcomers would just slip smoothly into our rhythm and way of doing things as opposed to changing our way of life entirely. This is the best way, as it involves the least amount of discord. Though, if I was the newcomer, I don't think it would be easy for me to adjust, and I would first attempt at trying to impose my own ideas, though I would be against exactly this if I were a neighborhood native. However, not everyone has this mindset. Thus, as we live in an imperfect world, there is bound to be a case where the newcomer would try to impose his or her mindset on the neighborhood somewhere. What do you think? What would you do if you lived in the neighborhood? What about if you were the newcomer? Leave me a comment! I can't wait to hear your responses!
     Well, it's getting to be that hour again! I must go, but you'll hear from me soon!
A Presto,
Simon

School Life: P.E.

     Look at the title and enough has been said. As you have probably already figured out, P.E., or, more commonly know as Gym Class, has been getting to me. Why, might you ask? Well, the answer can be explained with a story, as follows:
     So, it's the end of Freshman year and finals are creeping around the corner. It's another Monday, the fateful day of May 24th, and there I am at school, when it comes to my attention that ninth period has been canceled for the day, and that there will be a city championship baseball game after school. I of course, want to support our team, to I take the CTA to the stadium. I exited the bus, crossed the service road I was walking on, and WHAM!, a car came blasting down the street at 30 miles per hour exactly perpendicular to where I was. I had no time to move, and I was hit, rolled over the windshield, was picked up by paramedics with a broken left femur bone. (For those of you who don't know where that is, it's the bone in your thigh). That's basically the gist of what happened back then, but of COURSE not all the details. The good news is that I've been getting better ever since, and I have been going to physical therapy quite often. My physical therapist told me today that I'm getting close to normalcy as far as range of motion in my knee is concerned! Anyways, this is why I'm having a problem with P.E.--I have been cleared for every sort of physical activity by my surgeon EXCEPT for contact sports, which are absolutely ADORED by gym coaches! (By the way, that was EXTREMELY hard for me to write down, as it's even a hard subject for me to talk about...)
     Now, back to the ranch, or, as Amir, from Jake and Amir of CollegeHumor would say, "Oh sheesh y'all...T'was a dream!" As I expressed in my introduction blog entry, I am an extremely energetic person, so I think I can do more than I actually can. I really wanted to play contact sports, and I feel proud of myself for resisting the urge to just run out there and get in the game. Aren't you proud of me?!? Right now, we're playing flag football in class...I know, right? It's the perfect sport for me to start out with, right? However, here goes, Coach Franken..............................(Ok, that's enough. Those of you who know or know of this highly esteemed gym coach know what I'm trying to get across here) gave me a choice to either participate in the drills or to write an essay every day. (I thought, hmm, Mr. Franken, I wonder which one I'll pick)? Of course I chose the drills, because, honestly, I don't have that much to write about the karaoke drill in flag football, which, by the way, hurt REALLY bad when I did it. So then, I started second-guessing my choice.
     Now, I'm faced with a decision. Should I continue with the drills which will re-strengthen my leg muscles (like my physical therapist says), and then go to physical therapy at least three times a week, or just stick to writing essays every day and go to physical therapy like I would be doing anyway at least three times a week. What do you guys think I should do? Leave me a comment. I'd love to hear your ideas! Anyway, I think I already know what I'm going to do, but I'll tell you next time. I want to hear what you guys think first. Well, I have to go now, but we'll talk again soon!

A Presto,
Simon

A Day in the Life.....Year 2!

     Hey everyone! My name is Simon Black/Toby, and I have just started my Sophomore Year at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. I have to say, I am LOVING it so far! I know numerous amounts of people say (imagine me saying this with an irate expression) that they hate school and they can't wait to go home and play video games...hmph. On the contrary, I actually enjoy coming to school every morning, minus the fact that I have to wake up at 6:40 A.M. every day, which I know many people in my grade can sympathize with, right? *Crickets...* However, I digress.
     As you can obviously tell already, I am an extremely energetic person, with an effervescent personality. I have many interests, which would fill up this entire blog entry if I were to write them. Therefore, here are only a few.
     As you can probably already tell by my blog's title, I absolutely love the Italian language. To me, it is the prettiest sounding language ever created, which makes me want to continue speaking it that much more. This year will be my eleventh year that I have taken an Italian class in school. I also attend Concordia Languages Villages Italian immersion camp in Minnesota every year, called Lago del Bosco, to improve my speech skills. While there this past summer, I took an Italian 4 class for a month, in which I excelled. I could go on and on about my passion for Italian, but let's divert our attention to music! OOOHHH, look, a flying music note! (You know, as opposed to a squirrel...like, as if I couldn't focus on this topic...nevermind...)
     My other passion is music. I have played many instruments in the small amount of time I've been on this earth (for exactly 15 years, 17 days, 19 hours, and 31 minutes as I'm writing this, to be precise) I've played a total of eight instruments, and they are as follows, in chronological order: piano, guitar (both acoustic and electric), upright bass, electric bass, alto saxophone, voice, french horn, and alto horn. I am still playing both types of guitar, both basses, and both horns. I am in the Advanced Band at Whitney Young, and I also take classes for both my guitar and horn at Merit School of Music every Saturday from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (I know, right? Goodbye Saturday!). I also take private lessons for both instruments during the week. It's a lot to accomplish plus various activities such as various sports, jazz band, daily homework, and maintaining a social life, but I make it work! However, trust me, it's tiring at the end of the day! Whew! (By the way, you know that tiring end-of-the-day? Well, that is the part of my day which I am at right now. *Yawn!*)
     Anyways, that's pretty much my story these days! I get up, I go to school, I go out with friends, I go home, I do homework, I go to bed. It seems like I'm already getting back into the rhythm of school life! Anyways, I had better go. Don't you worry, though! I'll be back before you know it! We're on the cruise ship named La Letteratura Americana's (American Literature's) maiden voyage! I hope this year brings much newfound knowledge into my grasp!

A Presto,
Simon