Blog #2 Books

JUDY BLUME

Judy Blume, is the author of my favorite books in grade 5-7. Tiger eyes; Are You There God? Its me, Margaret; Then Again, Maybe I Wont; Deenie; It's Not The End of the World; and Iggie's House, are all coming of age stories of teen/pre-teens who have a challenge to over come, and begin to find who they are through the pain or confusion. I am writing about the author rather than the books because collectively, her books have made a lasting impression on me. The stories were relatable and they helped me with my own understanding of "growing pains". Her books make situations or feelings that young adults experience that may not seem "normal", a normal phenomena. I believe Judy Blume stands above so many authors in her genre because of her unwillingness to sugar-coat or sensor her books.  

"I believe that censorship grows out of fear, and because fear is contagious, some parents are easily swayed. Book banning satisfies their need to feel in control of their children's lives. This fear is often disguised as moral outrage. They want to believe that if their children don't read about it, their children won't know about it. And if they don't know about it, it won't happen."

-Judy Blume

Here is a powerful post on her website where she addresses censorship of children's books: 

http://www.judyblume.com/censorship.php 

 THE POWER OF NOW

Author: Eckhart Tolle

I have read many books and when i choose books for myself I usually gravitate to the "coming of age" genre. My mother gifted this book to me about a year ago and it has by far been the most influential book I have yet to read. In a way, it is a coming-of-age through oneself. Eckhart Tolle is a phenomenal teacher of what life is about and how we should live it. I believe this because his philosophy is simply to live in the present moment. Although it is much easier said than done, applying this practice to my life has allowed me to see and feel reality and appreciate life in ways i couldn't experience with out having read his words. It is the one book i have ever read that i can genuinely say everyone can relate to.

It is now only $8.46 on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Now-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

 

THE FUNNY LITTLE WOMAN

Author: Arlene Mosel

In the 1st grade, my class had a a weekly, 1 hour library period to read and choose books to read through the rest of the week. This book was a 3.5 reading level and when I first read it I didn't understand or know all of the words. It was unusual for me to have that much difficulty understanding the meaning of a book but, it contained a lot of culture that I was unfamiliar with. So, the weeks following I remember reading this book over and over until I understood it's context. It is so prominent in my memory because it opened my mind to the challenge of difficult books. By the time I ended 2nd grade, I tested at a 6.5 grade reading level. It's an important reminder to me of how much your mind expands when you are willing to learn.

Blog #1 Media Autobiography

Hello! My name is Angelica Reid and I am a Communications major at De Anza college. While at a junior college, I have enrolled in a program to become a certified interpreter for ASL (American Sign Language). I aspire to use my education in both ASL and communications to create a career as a public relations representative for humanitarian organizations.

I currently volunteer for a nonprofit organization that creates events for those involved in the Deaf community in the bay area. My job within the organization is to contact event directors and persuade them to donate tickets for events such as SF Giants baseball games or Disneyland, which my manager distributes to families with deaf children.

As for my personal relationships with mass media, I do not read magazines, newspapers, or watch tv because I don't find much use in them with other, more immediately convenient tools such as the internet or my smart phone. I read often and have always had an infatuation with books. I enjoy reading for both informational and entertainment purposes. I mostly appreciate "coming of age" stories and books with spiritual or motivational content. I also lean towards movies with the same two aspects, weather it be a documentary or an adventurous revelation of oneself, such as, Into the Wild. From the time I wake up, to my drive to school or work, my treks between classes, whilst studying, cooking, bathing or grooming, I am listening to music on the radio or an audio device. Out of all media recourses I probably use the internet the most. My laptop is usually used for school, work, or personal time passers (nonsense) but, my iPhone is and always has been a "frenemy". Social media got to the point of such a distraction that I decided to delete all accounts and apps that permitted access to them from my phone.  I now use instagram again and hope to gear the focus of my posts on more of an informative approach and share my knowledge and ideas of spirituality and health and less on "selfies" and "food porn". 
I believe that social media has tremendous potential to make myself and my peers more informed and involved with whats going on in the world. I think many people of my generation are waking up to their influential capabilities through social media and are actively making a change in how they use it. This is what i like to call "using our smart phones to make us smarter".