Last week, Team Fire Dolphin spent time practicing our lines and running through the script so we could see how it looked. We filmed our commercials on wednesday while Derek was gone. On thursday we filmed another commercial. Friday was when we filmed our talk show bits and some flashbacks. The ret of the flashbacks we filmed on Saturday. The hardest part was thinking of what scenes we should film for each theme. It was hard to decide since there were so many scenes that we could use, but we had to chose some that could be replicated on film the best. Another problem was trying to edit in certain thigs. Trying to edit in the fire was probably the longest part of editing, Jerrin was still working on it early Monday. Overall, i think our movie turned out quite well, and is 14 mintes, almost three times as long as we were aiming for.

Fire Dolphin Recap Blog

This week we formed team Fire Dolphin; a group of Liam, Derek, Dallas, Jerrin and I. We're making a video based on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. We're going to go over themes that were in the series by making a mock talk show. Derek (as Percy) will appear on the show to talk about his past adventures with his friends Anabeth (Jerrin) and Grover (Me). A couple themes we will be going over are family and mythology.

This week in team Fire Dolphin we worked on the write-up for Ms. A where we had to describe what we will be doing. We also divied out the roles to each person, Dallas is the talk-show host, Derek is Percy, I'm Grover/Percy's Stunt double, Jerrin is Anabeth and any woman we need, while Liam is going to play some of the monsters! Yesterday we started, and are still currently working on the script for the movie. We probably are about half-way done as of right now.

The Dark Fields Final Recap Blog

(SPOILERS!!!)



The Dark Fields was quite the book; it's easily my favorite book I've read this year. It was hard to get into though, to be honest, especially after seeing the movie beforehand. I wasn't expecting totally different things to happen, but they did. Even though it was tough to get into at first, the book really was intriguing, and a very captivating read.

 The Dark Fields also touched on some very contemporary and controversial topics, such as drug addictions and secrets. If The Dark Fields wasn’t one thing, that thing would be sugarcoated. Everything is right there, all of the alcohol, sex, drugs, and violence; it was a no bars type of read, and was very satisfying.  

 On the topic of drug addiction though, it approaches this problem is a different way. Most of the time, drug addicts in books are always taking hard, bad drugs like heroin and methamphetamine. These drugs don’t really give people anything except this “fix” they’re looking for, it may feel good as well, but it doesn’t really offer anything else. MDT, on the other hand, seems to be more like a medical miracle rather than some drug.

 MDT allows people to tap the 75% of our brain we allegedly don’t use. I say allegedly because it’s proven that we use all of our brain, just not all at once. Back on topic though, this drug allows people to perform things better than they ever have, to learn things faster than they normally would, and to remember even the most minute details over years’ time. There is another layer beneath though, that still gives people dependency, like these other hard drugs do.

 In a way I think that MDT is an allegory on all drugs, how they offer this seemingly good thing, but really have deeper consequences that aren’t worth it. Unlike the movie, at the end of the book Eddie dies, but I think it was satisfying if you take the book as a warning more than entertainment like you would the movie. I do prefer the movie’s ending better though.

 Another thing the book showcases are secrets. Everyone in the book keeps secrets, which end up ranging from non-essential, to life threatening. In the book, the Russian mobster really dreams of being an actor, and getting a big hit. Eddie, obviously, has his secret of MDT that he keeps from everyone, even his on and off girlfriend. At the end of the book there it even hints at the notion that the president is on it. As Eddie lies in a motel room dying, he looks into the president’s eyes on T.V. and sees the familiar hint of MDT in his eyes.

 I think that The Dark Fields was my favorite book I read this year because of how fast paced it was, but how it still took time to cover all the details and really delve into it. If you enjoyed the movie, I recommend though book, but be warned that you are probably not going to get what you expect. Anyone else who just enjoys a good thriller or sci-fi book would probably enjoy this as well.

8 PostSecrets

This picture really struck me because I know I've wished something like this would actually happen. Everyone has mistakes that they wish they could take back. This person may not actually be washing the mistakes away, but to them it feels like it, and thats kind of what matters. There's never anything as easy as this to get rid of your mistakes. Usually you just have to face up to them to get over them. Maybe its for the best you cant just lose your mistakes, because you learn from them, and they make you what you are today. No matter if mistakes are good or bad, I know I've definitely felt like this before.

I chose this one because POKEMON!!! Not enitrely, but for the most part. I do like the picture though, cause it kind of reminds me of being younger. It always seem we'd pick on those that we had a crush on when we were young. Now-a-days its all about flirting and dates though, even though sometimes we still pick on our crushes. If you look at young kids though, you can easily tell who their crushes are just by looking to see who the pick on. We had it pretty easy as kids, didnt we?

I chose this picture kind of for the picture again, but not as much. I love the sunset and the view though, it's really something. I also like this one because of the message it portrays. It shows that this guy/girl moved on after finding out they were cheated on. Moving on is always something that us, as human beings, have a hard time at. Be it moving on after death, break-up, or anything else, we never really are quite good at it. Everyone moves in in different ways, maybe this persons was nature or photography. This person could also just goes out into the wilderness to think. It also hits another thing dead on, that life is beautiful (without the you though).

I chose this picture because old people! Now the real reason why I chose this was because it was kinda cute, but also true to pretty much anyone. Most all of us want to grow old with someone, and still love them as much as we start out loving. Sometimes things get in the way, but I know it always makes me happy seeing old couples, like my grandparents, who still live a happy life together. We all look for comfort in someone else, and when you find that person why wouldnt you stay with them? This secret can apply to the most amount of people I think.

I chose this picture partyl because of how sad it is, but partly because of its messages too. Its sad to know that their are people who grew up living with a mother or father who couldnt care for them as well as they should have. It's especially sad when a child becomes orphaned because of a parents unhealthy habit, even though its just as sad about the parent dying as well. I think this is also a hopeful secret though, since it says that he keeps the author going. We all have something(s) that keep us going when the time gets rough. Some people have a loved one, some people have goals, but everyone has something that helps us through tough times.

I chose this one cause its how I feel a lot of times. When I grow bored with small town life, and look to the future, I mostly long for interesting, new things. Its kind of idealistic, to just walk and see interesting things, even though it'd be hard to do that in small town Iowa. This picture makes me want to travel the world more and see everything that life has to offer. This one isn't that sad to me, I dont really know what it makes me feel, besides traveling. I think its also a comment on growing restess with the normal, and I think everyone feels that way sometimes. Everyone longs for new things at different times in their life.

These last two are probably the most gloomy and sad, but I think they are necessary. This one is so sad since it can really hit home with a lot of people in wake of the wars and terror attacks that have happened over the last decade. It also gives off a somewhat strong message to. Be thankfuly for what you have, not everyone gets it. Not everyones brother/mother/cousin/uncle is going to return home; be it war or work. You need to be thankful for what you have and feel sympathy for those who dont, because you could just as likely be in their shoes the next day. Life is uncertain.

This last one I cant really relate to, but it talks about something that I know a lot of teens think about and have to deal with. They always tell teens, and really anyone, contemplating suicide to think about how it would make their family or friends feel. Even if people dont think so, they always have someone who cares for them, even if they dont know it. This is why they bring in counselors to schools or work after someone in the school or work community commits suicide. That person can start a chain, since someone who really cares for them has to live with it every day, and then sometimes they just cant take it anymore either. No matter the reason, suicide should never be the option, and its unfortunate that sometimes it is.

"The Truth Shall Set Your Free: Reflections on PostSecret": My Thoughts

After reading through different PostSecrets this weekend, its much easier to see how much of an effect this could have on people. I saw secrets ranging from topics about suicide to love, fear to depression, there are secrets on their touching ever subject. Everyone has their secrets, but its way easier to tell them when you're anonymous. That's what PostSecret seems to be to me, a device to get things off of your chest that you otherwise wouldn't have the strength too. The article I'm going to talk about helped me further understand this website.

The thing that really drew me in about this article was how it was a story, and not just recollection of secrets from the site. The narrator talks about going to church as a child and how it was a magical experience. I can recal times when I was younger where I've seen these grandious things and just was awestruck, such as fields upon fields of towering windmills near my old house in California, or of my first view from airplanes above the clouds. Everyone has had these moments, and they are what dominate our interests and thoughts for weeks after.

The narrator goes on to talk about how during a confession when she was young she confessed that she "told lies sometimes." While I laughed at this, I cant help but think that its so true, and so child like. I know I cant speak for everyone, but I recall simplifying everything when I was younger, just like the narrator did when she "told lies sometimes." Even though this confession was simple, lies are the base for many other confessions that people have. They really are the root of all evil, lying to others, lying to ourselves, without this we would be much better off.

The narrator then has the creator of the website give her permission to use the secrets for her sermons. The creator of the site even comes to church to attend one of these PostSecret sermons. Some of the pictures in the article show the process of selecting and putting the secrets on the site, and it looks very long and tedious. One picture shows people sitting around a table looking through a pile of secrets to review and put on the site. This makes me have so much more respect for what this site does, not only does Frank Warren (the creator) go around and do presentations to thousands of people, he also has to spend loads of time sifting through secrets by hand to put on the site.

Some of the secrets that are in this article are really deep, and some are really funny, but theres one I want to focus on specifically. The first secret says "I still can't grasp the concept that I won't live forever. " Wow. What a way to start out the article! I completely can relate to this, I mean, just thinking of dying now is so weird, it seems like the average death age (what is it, 78?) Is so far off, but I've already been through 18 years of my life. I know that no one wants to die, but everyone does. Its so hard to think of that someday, a long time from now, you just wont be here anymore. It's weird thinking that you'll stop waking up and performing daily rituals, that you wont be able to experience certain things in life anymore.

Secrets can touch on many things, but all of them are personal. PostSecrets is one awesome website allowing people to share secrets anonymously, but still allows them to get things off of their chest. I think everyone can benefit from just lookin through a bit of the site sometimes, to see recent secrets someone decided to share. Who knows, maybe you can relate to it.

Six Word Story

The Dark Fields #3

Sorry for the late post. My internet is down and i waited a day to see if it would come back up, but it hasnt yet so im doin this on my phone.

Eddie increases his intake of the drug as time progresses, as he grows accustomed to the speed he works at he begins to feel too normal and wants the feeling of working faster and faster. To me, this seemed like an obvious comment from the author on society now-a-days. Our society has became so accustomed to gettig everything quickly and when we want it. For example, gone are the days when we had to wait for our movies to come in the mail, let alone go get then from the video store! We can press one button and have a movie streamed to us on netflix. Communication is another good example. Try to imagine your life without the ability to instantly get a hold of someone through a text or a call.

Do you think Alan's comments ring true? Is this a problem with society in this day and age? Think if our internet or phones failed for a week ( kind of like mine), how would you, and our society, survive?

The Dark Fields #2

Eddie's encounter with the drug MTD-48 makes him a human informaiton power house. He constantly takes in information from multiple sources; tv, internet, and books, retaining them all.

I hate to think, but do wonder, what effects this would have on a human mind. What would it feel like to memorize everything, to take in everything you see or hear? It almost makes him seem inhuman, like some kind of supercomputer, always analyzing. That's just what he does too; analyze. He gains the ability to predict certain events, such as stock market fluctuations, by taking in vast amounts of information and analyzing them. How would life feel then; would it feel amazing, because you are constantly learning and getting better, or would it be boring and easy now that you really dont need to try? I think that Eddie will begin to feel negative effects of the drug, because like most good things, they're too good to be true. If you had the chance to try out this revolutionary new pill, would you?

The Dark Fields #1

Eddie Spinola is in a slump, tired and broken as his girlfriend decides to leave him. He cant finish his book, until he discovers this wonderous new "pharmacy-tested" drug. It causes Eddie to access all 100% of his brain at one time, other than the meager 20 or so percent us normal humans use.

One of the things I love most about Glynn's writing is his use of color, you can tell what state Eddie is in practically by looking at the color and tone Glynn uses, and he utilizes it well. When Eddie is under the influence of the drug, his world his vibrant and colorful, with bright reds, blues, and greens. But when Eddie isn't getting his fix, his world is brown, gray and drab just like his normal life.

Glynn does a very good job building a man who is pretty much beaten down as far as he can go. This lets Eddie's falabilites show, and it really helps the book out a lot. You can see the changes going on the more Eddie takes the pill, when he's on it he's happy and free, but when he's not, he gets more and more frantic and desperate by the moment.

I know that movies also usually stray a good ways from their source material, so I'm keen to see how this book differs or is similar compared to the movie.

The Dark Fields is great so far, and I cant wait to read further!

The Dark Fields (A.K.A Limitless) by Alan Glynn

I just got my book a couple days ago, and I'm not very far yet. The main chracter's name is Eddie Spinola and he is an aspiring writer who has close to no cash and is also behind on his rent. I've seen the movie though, and if its anything like the book, then Eddie gets a fix of a new drug that taps all of the human brain at one time. Soon Eddie is up to his ears and knowledge, but also trouble. I can't wait to read further into this book.

Memories

Memories tend to be different for many people. This blog is about how I end up remembering things better, such as if i remember pictures or words. The Sound and the Fury's first two chapters are entirely memories, and if you step back and take a look at your own you will see just how reliable (or unreliable) memories can be.

For me, memories are different; I remember some things better one way than I do others. For example, when I drive I remember landmarks and places I've been as opposed to street names. I also remember peoples faces more than their names. On the otherhand I remember words to songs all of the time, or lines from movies or tv shows. I dont particularly remember what the characters or what I was doing at the time though. It's also obvious that memories can be overexagerated and misconstrued from what actually happened.

Since people can exagerate memories, and it usually happens, then I think that the memories from The Sound and the Fury aren't particularly reliable. For instance, things can also be ommited, but things also can be added to add impact to a certain situation. Memories have a strange way of working, but it is hard to imagine life without them.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Final Analysis

Regardless of whether you think this is just some guy's book thats wrongfully riding on the coattails of a national disaster (its not), or if you believe that Froer did no wrong using 9/11 as a subject, it is impossible to truly say that this book isnt amazing. I loved every bit of it; sure, at first Oskar's ADD thoughts made it somewhat hard to get used to, but if you get past that, this book really opens up into an enjoyable and almost philosophical adventure.

Now I dont want to spoil anything, but the ending isnt as climactic as you might think; I expected some profound discovery when I started this journey, but, thankfully, there was none. I think the book did very well ending the way it did; with a whisper, not a roar. The ending pictures were also very unique, and definitely not something you would see in many other books.

Now this book may not apeal to all, and sure, with many people the wounds of 9/11 havent healed fully. I dont want to say that these people should stray from this book, but maybe just take a bit more caution as the begin reading; somethings can get extremely emotional in this book. I do really enjoy this book, and it was nice to see a story where not everyone wins, and not everyone gets what they want. Dont take this book to be nihilistic though, its not, its filled with hope and perserverance that is experienced after a tragedy. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is easily one of the best books I have ever read, and probably in my top 5 of all time.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Analysis

Oskar is still out and about looking for understanding. It seems that his journey isnt really looking for something physical, like the contents of whatever the key unlocks, but more over that he is looking for some kind of closure, and hopes to find it with the help of the key and the mysterious "Black". It's like he us hoping that whatever is unlocked with the key explains everything to him; why this happened to his family, what he's supposed to do without his dad, among other tihngs. It seems as if he just thinks that unlocking whatever the object is will make all of his troubles go away. It may be whimsical, and fairytale-ish, but I mean come on; who hasnt wished that they could just do one thing and make hurting or troubles stop?

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Right now I could see this book as being plainly there for a message; it could be allegorical. I mean, it tells a great story, it's talking about this kid suffering from the death of a loved one, and the toll it takes on him. The story also seems to try and make a point about how its not jsut him suffering. He comes across many different things he may not have experienced were it not for the death of his dad and him finding the key.

Oskar has a crazy mind it seems, and he keeps trying to learn a bunch of new things. He also seems really cocky, and tries to outsmart and be wittier then adults. I'm not saying he comes of bratty, but he does seem to think a lot of himself. One part i thought was written really well was when he finds a man, Aaron Black, and bugs him about his dad even though the guy clearly says he doesnt know him. Oskar then cries in the lobby and gets back in touch with Aaron. He then finds out Aaron is very sick and is hooked up to a bunch of machines, which is why he seemed so grumpy and took a while to answer Oskar's call. It seems to be there as a lesson.

The Grapes of Wrath Movie/Book Comparison

The movie and book were very similar, but did have a few differences. One of the main one I noticed was that there was no turtle in the movie version. They probably left out the turtle since the book used it as an analogy throughout, and the movie needed to cut time probably, so they deemed the turtle not as important as other things. The turtle was one of my favorite parts of the book,and I thought it was a good literary device, so I was disappointed that they kept it out.

 Another thing I noticed different was how the movie went to the fruit farm first, and then they went to the DOA camp. In the book it was the other way around, and I dont really know why the switched up the order. It made the leaving of Tom different as well, because in the book he is hiding in the woods while his family is living in the boxcar. He leaves at one point then. At the ending of the movie the scene where Rose of Sharon feeds the old man doesn't happene either (Thankfully). I ended up enjoying the movie more, I thought it was very entertaining, and more engaging than the book.

Anonymous Review

This movie presented the idea that Shakespeare didnt write all of the plays that he is so famously acredited, since he was, afterall, illiterate. Rather the movie says that they were written by a wealthy English nobleman, who couldnt publish the plays himself because it was illegal for nobility to participate in writing, because it was thought to represent false idols.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, even though it was quite hard to follow. I think that Shakespeare probably wrote the plays, in my opinion. I think that its not necessarily true that we never will know if Shakespeare wrote them, we could look for accounts of the time and see how Shakespeare acted. For instance if he was a writer you would think that he wouldn't be as drunk and cocky and brazen as the Shakespeare in the movie. I also liked how the movie was set up to be a play itself, that an audience was watching.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Analysis (With less err)

As Oskar continues searching, the search is interrupted by chapters about the past and dealing with his grandma. I'm not quite sure what these chapters are supposed to symbolize yet, if they even symbolize anything. Most of the time the passages have a sweet message or love story behind them, like when Oskar's grandmother talks about her husband and her love.

There are also deeper passages, such as when where she describes how she received  a random letter from a turkish prisoner. Afterwords she went around asking a bunch of people that she knew to write letters for her, probably to get a comparison as to what type of person wrote the letter. This part of the book doesn't seem integral to the story, so I'm betting he either wrote in some deeper meaning than what it seems, or that he was just trying to make his book bigger. I doubt it was the later, but I also think the passages may be a device Froer used to break up the pace of the book after an important part to try and help a message sink in.

Maybe Oskar's journey itself is only secondary, and the real purpose of the book is to great across some grandiose meaning or philosohical message, with the story acting as the canvas on which the message(s) are painted.

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Analysis #4

Picking up where I last left off, Oskar finds this key in an envelope with the word “Black” written on it. The envelope was in his dad’s belongings and Oskar decides to go searching for where this key is used. Oskar ends up going to an art gallery and finding that his dad was there.

In this chapter, we see the extremes Oskar goes to to go out and search for anyone or anything to do with his dad. Oskar stays home and skips school for a few days and ends up lying to his mom. I had such a hard time imagining this young kid wandering round New York all by himself, with no one coming up or trying to make him go to school or go home. It seems kind of like an implausibility.

One thing I really enjoyed about this part of the book was all of the imagery and the quickness that goes along with Oskar’s mind. In the book I had there were also pages of pictures, the same pictures that were i his Stuff That Happened to Me book. The book so far is a very contemporary look on disaster, but also is a good picture of youth depression, and how this young boy copes with it.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Analysis #3

Picking up where I last left off, Oskar arrives home from school on 9/11 and he finds that his dad has left several messages on the answering machine. The book so far has been post-9/11, but now it is before/during 9/11. It took a little bet adjusting to, but there wasn’t much of a problem with this change of time. I really like how Froer wrote Oskar’s character and how his thoughts/dialogue are the main part of the book, because the kid knows TONS of stuff.

One thing that I wasn’t expecting was in the next chapter, the book changes pace and seems to totally change point of view. Now we are viewing the book from a silent man who gradually “lost his words” as he grew up. This man describes meeting his wife and being asked to marry her right away, which was quite strange. I don’t know if it’s just a story he’s telling or if it’s actually true, because it switches back to Oskar after this chapter.

It’s hard imagining living without being able to speak. I think Froer does a very good job of conveying that obstacle to the reader though. The man writes replies and questions and phrases on different pages of blank books and uses them to communicate with people. Changing characters like this so quickly though wasn’t a good choice I don’t think though, but I think it’ll be easy to grow accustomed to if it keeps happening. The book gets more and more interesting every time I read it apparently, which is always a good thing!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 2

This came a little later than expecting, I didn't finish it in class and my internet has been down until about an hour ago.


Oskar's coping with the loss of his dad seems so realistic; I imagine multiple people feel like this after something of this magnitude happens. Oskar lashes out at his mother, and finds solace in his grandmother and her suffering as well. Oskar seems to be quite confused, despite his extreme intelligence. I imagine that Oskar is thinking that his dad will just walk through the door at any time, and that it all isn’t happening. I mean, I for one can’t think what I would do or say or think if I found out one day one of my loved ones wasn’t coming home.

The narration still comes through as jumbled as ever, but now I can see that it isn’t because Oskar has some disease per say, but because he is so intelligent. Oskar can solve incredible math in his head for his age, and just shows a keen, clever personality.  

The feeling of sadness and depression really comes through during this part of the book. It is almost as if it is happening to you; the feeling that comes from Foer’s writing is just so strong. If the movie is half as great as this book is becoming, I know I’ll love it.

All About Michael Gibler

Hi my name is Michael Gibler. I'm a Senior at West Monona and have lived here since I was five. I actually was born in San Francisco, California. I love music and am a gamer as well. I play guitar, piano, and sing. I have an acoustic Yamaha guitar, and two electric guitars. My newest is my prized possession, an American Standard Fender Stratocaster.

I have applied at two schools; Iowa and Stanford. I have been accepted to the University of Iowa, and will go there if I dont get accepted to Stanford.

I'm looking forward to reading your blogs.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Assessment 1

For the sack of my typing hand, i will refer to this book as ELICA. This is the story about a young boy, Oskar Schell, who's father dies in the attacks on the World Trade Center. The boy is distraught, for he doesnt have a good relationship with his mother; his dad was his best friend. Oskar finds a key though, that belonged to his dad, and he starts on a journey to find what the key unlocks.

I know that this book has received much controversy because people whine and complain that it uses a tragedy as its back drop, and that it was in poor taste and a bunch of stuff. I believe that it helps because it ties the story into a real life event that most everyone who reads the book witnessed. I mean, there are books about the holocaust and plenty of other tragedies, so I think its unfair to dismiss this book for using 9/11.

Jonathan Safran Foer's writing style in this book is very unique as well. It is somewhat jumbled and patched together, which is intentional for Oskar seems to have extreme ADD. I have enjoyed the book imensely so far, and cant wait to read more.