Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Alex Liu, Period 1, 1/3/21

 Alex Liu


Period 1

January 3, 2021

Modern Mythology 2022



Socio-Political Consciousness:


It’s almost the end of 2021, a year of unfortunate events that will be forever remembered in the minds of the people in my generation. But despite it being very ridiculous and full of unexpected twists and turns, it still has something in common with every other year before it- it still has problems with inequality, oppression, and power. These three terms have been woven into human nature, dating back to the establishment of the first governmental system. 

I think that even though the issues of inequality, oppression, and power exists in everyone’s lives, people don’t bring awareness to these issues enough. This is because of the way our society is structured. These issues are being normalized. The other day, I saw a group of kids, no older than 14, exclude a fat kid from their “circle” because, well, he was too big. This, although isn’t as significant as segregation, is still inequality. What’s worse, there were a lot of people there too, including other adults, and no one, myself included, helped defend that fat kid. That’s because it’s none of our business. But the phrase “none of your business” is part of the problem. Because everyone has seen or experienced the issues so often in minor instances, they feel that it is normal and it is none of their business to interfere. 

This translates to a bigger scale too. There are many people from our school that has it encoded into their minds that they have less of a chance to get into a top-class university because of their race and gender. Although this is true to a certain extent, it is not the full story. But, because those people have witnessed or even experienced inequality due to their race/ethnicity and gender, they believe it to be true as soon as the idea is presented to them. As these issues are becoming more common and not being addressed, it would start to affect the mindset of children, which may have impacts on their mental health and confidence. That is why I feel that we as a society should start to address this problem as soon as possible. 

There is this interesting article that I read over the break that really connects to what I am talking about. It is called: Inequality is polarizing the world. This article immediately caught my attention because of the powerful diction in the title. The article talks about the different examples of inequality, embedded through different scales, across the world. For example, the article talks about how in rich countries like ours, there are enough resources available that its citizens would only have to worry about COVID. In poorer countries, their citizens have COVID added onto their many other worries like food, shelter, and money. This is an example of inequality on a large scale. There are people here throwing away their food because it is not to their liking and then there are people who are scavenging for food during a pandemic. 

“Poorer people shudder most from crises, as they have fewer savings and are more exposed to risks from weather, poor health, economic fluctuations.” This is a problem because it leads to health and mental issues and crime rates. Essentially, the problem with inequality would ripple into many other problems. 

The part of the article that attracted me the most is that undocumented immigrants struggle to get access to healthcare and/or food. This strikes a bit close to home because my cousin used to be an undocumented immigrant. But because he was fortunate enough to be in a country like the US, he didn’t have to worry about inequality. When he was injured 3 years ago, he didn’t have to worry that there would be no hospital to go to. The US promises medical resources, food, and other resources to every resident regardless of immigration status. This gives insight into the political aspect of inequality. 

These issues have been on my mind for a long time. Like I talked about above, many people have witnessed or experienced that inequality or oppression due to their race/ethnicity. I am one of those people. I have witnessed many people get treated unfairly because they have different skin colors. When I was still a kid, I still remember that my “friends” would allow me to join their dodgeball team because I was too short and small. I’ve even done it myself. When I am drafting a team for the gym, I usually don’t pick the guys who look not too athletic. These Issues are so engraved into our society that our actions should inequality or oppression but we don’t even think it is wrong. It’s a part of human nature and that’s a problem that we have to fix starting with young children.


Thursday, December 23, 2021

Alex Li, Period 1, 12/23/21

 Alex Li

 

Period 1

December 22, 2021

Modern Mythology 2022

 

 Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

I think that inequity, oppression, and power are currently very important topics. These issues will never disappear. I believe that all of these problems just come with being human. There’s always someone who is going to be in power, there will always be people oppressing others and life will never be fair or just. This may seem extremely pessimistic but it is a fact. From the very start of one’s life, one is subject to inequity. From the color of their skin to the number of pounds they weigh, there is already a huge disparity in equity. Due to these disparities, people live very different lives. Those lives lead them to very different places. Some will inherently rise to the top, while others will naturally fall. Although these events are out of our control, there is something within our control: the will to work and persevere. I believe that as long as one never gives up and perseveres anything could happen. This is not to say that hard work can create miracles, but hard work and perseverance can create opportunities to become more powerful or lessen oppression. An example of this that I’m currently experiencing in my current life is applying to college. Statistically and inherently, it is harder for someone of my demographic to get into the same institution as someone of a different demographic. There is nothing I can do about it; it is just inequity and oppression at work. What I can do though, is give myself the best possible chance. This could mean keeping a high GPA, acing tests, or writing an enchanting essay. Although inequity, oppression, and power are prevalent, there are things we can do and I hold the ability to work hard and persevere as something priceless. 


 

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Without a doubt, I have my own personal beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, but I’ve always been conscious of others. There is no way in the world for me to know what someone else is thinking or has gone through so I’ve always been rather conservative in that regard. I don’t like pushing my ideas onto others and vice versa. My beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences are what make me who I am. I will admit that I am most definitely biased in my beliefs because of my experiences. Evaluating my own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences helps me grow as a person. I’ve come to notice that oftentimes I think before I’m going to say something. When I’m about to criticize someone, two big questions usually pop up in my head: will it help the person and how would it make me feel if I was in that person’s shoes. Although this process happens in mere seconds, I feel like I am becoming a better person. Sometimes things that are already obvious don’t need to be said out loud. I’ve found that my relationships with my friends have gotten stronger and I’ve become more mentally healthy. Every person is different, but sharing and embracing those differences have really changed my life for the better.

Wenyan Li, Period 7, 12/23/21

Wenyan Li, Period 7, 12/23/2021
Blog #2 - Goal Setting & Growth

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why? 

When looking back at my previous blog, I have been able to achieve my goal in the sense that I am able to balance my school work, sports, and still have free time to myself. I realized that a lot of my stress stemmed from volleyball. Being on volleyball meant that I had to commute further into Staten Island to other schools to compete and a lot of the time I would end up not getting any playtime and felt that my time was being wasted. I would get home pretty late which left no time to do homework. However, since the season ended and I transitioned into indoor track it’s allowed me to spend more time with my friends. Since indoor track has races on the weekend I have been able to study for my classes and bring my grades up. At the current moment, my goals are to have a great track season and to improve my grade in AP Macroeconomics. For me, macroeconomics is one of my hardest classes as I fell behind early on due to my lack of time to study for tests. However, since I have more time on my hands I have been able to study up the concepts I was struggling with and I started to understand what we were learning and make connections between the topics.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I think a major part of achieving this goal is removing a lot of distractions. I started to limit myself to what I would do in my free time. I uninstalled a lot of video games that I knew I had no self-control over as I would end up spending a lot of time playing video games rather than sleeping or studying. I think finding a good work environment has also contributed a lot to improving in school as I would be able to focus better. When I’m at home sitting at my desk I feel like I can be easily sidetracked and do other things.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

This past week I felt like things with COVID have gotten a lot worse especially with the new variant. It’s made me feel uneasy and at school, I feel uncomfortable. It’s made me more aware of my surroundings and who I choose to be around. In a sense, it has limited my social circle and it’s kind of forced me to go straight home after practice. Since I was kind of forced to go home I stopped lingering around school and started focusing more on my schoolwork. However, I still feel very on edge as it feels as if deadlines are creeping up on me without realizing it.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Lucy Kwan, Period 7, 12/22/21

 Lucy Kwan, Period 7, 12/22/2021

Creativity & Fiction


A “Father’s” Lament


“We are descendants of the Angels. You must understand our greater cause.”

A hand extended towards Uriel, one whose warmth had long turned foreign. Within the

palm was a pulsating object, vile yet still… alive. With each beat, Uriel’s stomach sank even

further. This wasn’t divinity. This wasn’t what he wanted. This wasn’t right.

But this wasn’t his choice.

Reluctantly, Uriel took the gift from his mother. Shivers still running in his spine, he

could do nothing as the woman’s calm smile oppressed him. He’s grown up. He should be strong

now. He should be able to stand firm, yet…

He couldn’t.

And so, the “core” was left to him. Raphael had not given him any instruction on what to

do with it, but there was, in fact, only one thing Uriel could do. The one thing Uriel had loved

with all his heart, now finally tainted by his mother. Research. The core wasn’t something

explicable by the laws of the world, but that mattered not. What mattered, at least to Raphael

Santen, were results.

Like Uriel had suspected, the core was an artifact from the demonic era. Ironic, but not

surprising of his mother. It was the “heart” of a strong demon, a sinister remnant of humanity’s

torturer. Beyond that, however, it was a source of unimaginable power. An enigma unsolvable by

humanity. Uriel could only surmise a fraction of the tragedies that could arise should this artifact

get into the wrong hands. What a shame it was, then, that it had already fallen into the claws of

Raphael Santen.

But Raphael never pressed the matter. Months passed by, and Uriel had long sealed away

the core. Slowly, life marched on, and so did Uriel. Having seen the depths of hell, Uriel found

the courage to refuse his mother’s pressure, and it seemed as if he would finally be free from his

past.

Winter came, and the reverie shattered.

“Uriel, please, you have to do something! I know you can! Aunt Raphael told me you

know how to save him!“


The other man was practically begging on his knees now. Uriel stared at his cousin in

dreadful shock. Of course, this is what his mother had planned all along. Naturally, after learning

its true nature, Uriel would never agree to use the core, so Raphael presented him with a choice

instead: Use the core, or kill your nephew.

“Gabriel, calm down. It is true, there is a way to save your son. But…”

“But what? Whatever price I have to pay, I’ll give it all!”

Uriel didn’t answer.

The experiment was a mere few days after Gabriel’s plea. The boy’s organs were nearly

all dysfunctional. No human procedure could recover a body in this state, but with the core, it

would be possible. Gabriel’s son could live. Uriel watched as the core wrapped itself over the

child’s insides, turning tissue black and blood blue. With this, the boy could no longer be

considered human. The operation was a success.

The boy was returned to his family, and all seemed well. Once again, monotony returned

to Uriel, though he knew better than to trust this false sense of safety. Raphael’s schemes

wouldn’t stop, not until she was dead. All Uriel could do was wait like an ant stuck in a spider’s

web.

A week passed. Then a month. Then a year. With bated breath, Uriel continued onwards.

Awaiting the day he would face his predator, the day he would choose whether to struggle or

surrender. The choice didn’t matter, though. Of course it didn’t. After all, no one knew better

than Uriel what his ultimate fate would be.

Eventually, the spider would start feasting on its prey, one by one.

It was rumored that on one fateful night, a tower of black flame illuminated the sky. Eerie

and demonic, the inferno left nothing behind but the wails of its victims. And just as quickly as

the fire had erupted, it dissipated. Uriel ran into the rubble, hoping to find any sign of Gabriel

and his family. Miasma overflowed from the rocks, and with each desperate grasp the despair

thickened around Uriel. A limp arm. Useless. Shriveled remains. Worthless. The genius of

Santen dug through the crumbled walls, revealing nothing but death. He grasped, pleaded, and

begged. If Raphael could have told one truth, if there really was a Heaven looking over him, let

his cries be answered.

Uriel broke through a piece of sheetrock. The faint sound of strained breathing peeked

out from under the debris, a sign of hope in this night of despair. Uriel pushed through, heavy

gasps overlapping the weakening breaths underneath. After what felt like an eternity, the man

had finally reached the source of his hope.


Two children, shelterning themselves from the cruelty of this world. Tracing charred

marks on the floor, Uriel recognized a familiar figure nestled within the other boy’s arms. The

child that bled blue. The younger of Gabriel’s twins, the very “miracle” that Uriel had saved. At

that moment, nothing but a crushing despair was left in Uriel’s heart. There was no use searching

for any others. None but this pair of brothers would be left alive.

The genius of Santen carried the two children outside the rubble. Naturally, Raphael was

there to greet them. To claim her prized meal. It seemed that in the end, everything had gone

according to her plan. There was nothing left to stop her from getting what she wanted, there was

never anything to stop her from anything. Any and all effort Uriel put in was worthless, and

evidently he had made everything worse. If he hadn’t used the core, if he had never learned of its

power in the first place, none of this would have happened. Gabriel wouldn’t have died. The

twins wouldn’t have been left without a family. Uriel let out a sigh. Of relief. Of regret.

This tragedy was his fault, but he could do nothing to remedy it.

All he could do was watch as everything he loved fell apart.

And no matter how much he hated it, there was only one road for him.

It was never his choice.

Sarah Danilov, Period 1, 12/9/21

 Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

At this point in my life, it seems as if oppression and inequity are so ingrained in society that I doubt I will live to see a day without them. Addressing the larger issue that has been an important topic of discussion last year, it is crucial to identify and understand that oppression is systemic and the particular oppression and inequity of certain groups that has lasted for decades isn’t random. Whether it be housing, education, or funding in general, there is a clear disparity between certain groups, specifically white and black Americans. An example of a difference in housing is “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana, which contains multiple communities that have been affected by the dozens of plants around them. These communities are predominantly black and poor. The air, as well as the water, is toxic in these areas, and it isn’t uncommon to see birth defects, miscarriages, and many fighting for their life due to the effect of being exposed to the chemical release that plants around them dispose of.  Although many issues regarding inequity and oppression have been actively discussed now more than ever before, it is hard to change a system where people in power benefited from the oppression of certain groups. 

Power is an interesting concept when you truly understand how it plays a role in everyday life. From my point of view, I don’t get much of a chance to witness firsthand how corrupt power can become as well as what it can influence in more than a school setting. However, I have recently become interested in how people acquire power without the use of their assets and status. For example, it is interesting to see how people change over the four years of high school and the shift in power dynamic in friend groups I have been in. There is a book called The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, where he discusses what are some of the things that one could do to gain power and be looked up to. Recently this book has become a topic on social media, and many started sharing their results and experiences with applying his methods. I was extremely surprised as to how many people saw an increase of respect by applying rules to their relationships, whether they were personal or business. However, when I read a summary of the book as well as the list of laws, I immediately thought of two things. The first thing was how it was ethical to try this on those around you and the second thought was the names of friends who have used multiple tactics on me. 

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

During quarantine, I spent most of my time trying to align my beliefs and values with what I was taught in Hebrew school. I decided that the religion I was born into shouldn’t and wouldn’t affect my beliefs. This took some time but as I started to understand more of what was expected of me simply because of religion, I was sold. At the time, I found out that when someone marries outside of the religion, their family has to sit Shiva. Shiva is the seven days of mourning that a close family should observe after a death. While this shouldn’t be surprising considering how hard it is to convert into this religion, I was surprised by how traditional it was, which I was not fond of. I also do spend time thinking back to my experiences and various memories that have stuck with me to identify how it affects me now, as well as, why I would remember such mundane things. As for assumptions, I try not to assume in any situation. I am the type of person that needs everything laid out for me and explained for me to believe something about it. While this is a weakness of mine, I have avoided uncomfortable situations due to it. I think my values and beliefs affect my personality, who I chose to interact with, and ultimately how I handle certain situations. I chose not to interact with people who have extremely different values and beliefs, and I have noticed in the past couple of years where political polarity has increased to an unimaginable level and many people have strong political beliefs that they would gladly argue about, it is simply easier to not interact. It took me a while to understand this and it required a large amount of self-control that I had to muster up, however it was worth it. After all, those arguments only left me with stress, so not interacting in political arguments has helped me keep my sanity. Additionally, going back to my religion and its disparity from my values, I learned to not mention my decision to others who do not agree with me.

Monday, December 20, 2021

Artem Lavrov, Period 1, 12/21/21

 Artem Lavrov

Period 1 

12/21/2021

Modern Mythology 2022


Socio-political Consciousness


What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?


Since I and many of my peers are currently going through the college selection process, I think it is vital to talk about how unfair and oppressive the relationship between college and students is. Although there are many more issues in our society (way more than there should be), I believe education is one of the most important ones because it affects everyone and will shape the future generations of our society. Yet sadly, our education system is full of flaws that no one is willing to correct, and college is just one part of this system. Putting aside who gets selected and who doesn’t, there is still a huge power dynamic between colleges, students, parents, and even schools. This power dynamic starts off before the student even enters high school. It starts with their parents. Colleges have fabricated a belief that Ivy’s are superior to all other schools by far, and that where you go to college is extremely important. This allows them to justify the large price they charge for attending their college. This belief is pushed onto the parents, who in turn push this belief onto their kids. As a result, students are extremely stressed during the college selection process, and some are often devastated when they don’t get into the college they want. Even if a student does work extremely hard and gets into the college of their dreams, their reward is paying the unreasonable tuition price, which is $60,000 a year for most private universities (this doesn’t even include housing). It just isn’t fair that you could work so hard and your reward is an unimaginable amount of debt. However, the truth is that not going to the college you want often will not affect you much in the long run, as the main benefit of going to a prestigious college is often just that, the prestige and connections you get from that college. Oftentimes, you will benefit more from going to a slightly worse college for half the price than a top college and paying full price. Especially if you are middle class, where you receive little to no financial aid, going to a college that charges $60,000 a year just isn’t worth it, even if it is a top school. Overall, I feel colleges have too much power where they shouldn’t, charge way too much (which mainly harms the middle class), and cause unnecessary stress in students. People shouldn’t have to go into debt just to get an education and colleges shouldn’t be allowed to prey on clueless students. Yet that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to colleges. Unfortunately, without a large change in our society or government, nothing will change, and colleges will continue to exploit their students right under everyone’s noses. 


How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?


I am not very strongly opinionated on many things, because I simply do not know enough about them and do not wish to form an opinion that is based on essentially nothing. However, having to experience the college selection process and being one of the many exploited by it has brought me to believe that I have enough information about this topic. It is not because I didn’t get selected by the school I want, I actually got into my dream college. Unfortunately, due to the immense cost, I could not justify attending. Due to this, I am innately biased and perhaps there is something large that I am missing about this topic due to my bias, but truthfully I tried to form my opinion based on research and what I have observed about the college system overall. 

Recently I have started to question a lot of my beliefs and I have realized how many serious issues there are with our society, not just with college. Ever since the pandemic, I feel like I have changed in many ways for the better and matured. The pandemic gave me a lot of time to think about myself and reflect on our society as a whole. While it is hard to change society, changing myself was much less difficult and now I strive to be a better person every day. I have taken up meditation to help assist me with this task. While before, I was a much more hateful and spiteful person, I feel as though finding the source of negativity towards specific things helps me get rid of it. It is often unfounded and I have no reason to be so negative. This has helped me improve many of my relationships with my friends and family and has shown me how positivity can prevail. Much of the negativity came from either myself or a cycle of negativity that I was not willing to break, usually because of pride. Although this does not have much to do with the issue of college, I feel like it is an important addition to this blog because it shows that my opinion is not formed from a source of hate towards colleges, rather it is is a desire to improve them. Colleges are great in that they provide us with an education and help us transition into our adult lives. However, this does not mean they are perfect and much can be improved about them. 

Fatin Ishteaaque, Period 1, 12/17/2021

 Identity is a characteristic intrinsic to us all, something that remains constant in an individual. No two identities are the same, and they shouldn't be, but sometimes it feels like you're a clone—a clone of the people around you, of your family. Parts of a person are taken from the people around them, with nothing truly their own. It takes a strong person to wade through this miasma of uncertainty and come out unscathed, and in fact, more of a complete person than before. 

Fatin Ishteaaque. It feels weird to type that. A little red line tells me I'm wrong as if it's not supposed to be there. For a long time, I thought that was right. Balancing my family's culture and my own proved to be a great difficulty, and it honestly took a toll on my sense of identity. Being the first American-born child of a fully Bengali family separated me from them, and made me feel alone, longing to belong. My school life was the same. When surrounded by American culture, it was my Bengali heritage that got in the way. Being left isolated in my home and social lives left me feeling alone in a world where I shouldn't be. The world kept moving around me, time didn't slow down like in the movies, and all I could do was go with it. So that's what I did, lived a life surrounded by amazing people, yet somehow still alone through it all, trying to choose whether I was American or Bengali. It wasn't until high school that I learned about the reality of life. 

The difference between high school and intermediate school was greater than I could've imagined at the time. Going to a public no-name middle school on Staten Island, every student lived around the area and shared the same experiences. Meanwhile, a specialized high school brought in people from all over the city. People whom all lived different lives, cultures, languages, forming a hub of multiculturalism that I didn't even know could exist in a school. The best part? They were terrific people; everyone was sociable, friendly, and got along great. I was able to join up with clubs and sports alongside kids I barely knew and who barely knew me. Playing handball after school and being the shy kid joining an animation club soon built up to taking trips to Brooklyn to play volleyball and becoming the President of my own club. For the first time in my life I felt accepted and even met people with cultural backgrounds similar to mine. When I saw all these people of different backgrounds and histories build bonds closer than blood, and when I started to develop my own with people who embraced my differences, that was when the realization hit me. Just because the circumstances of my birth were different from others, just because my responsibilities were different from others, just because I have two cultures, doesn't mean I have to choose between them. 

The acceptance of diversity in high school taught me to build my identity around being both Bengali and American. In a country where immigrants are constantly moving and starting new lives and families, the idea of not having to choose one string of culture to fulfill is fundamental. I'm sure that many first-generation immigrant students are left in limbo of uncertainty and isolation. I hope to use my experience and growth to help instigate future generations to find their own identity the same way I did. Leaders are not born, but instead, they are made, constructed by social situations and people's responses to them. If a child is left in doubt and loneliness, their individuality can never come to fruition. After all, identity makes us who we are, and although it might not be able to change, it is subject to growth.

Miles Harrington, Period 8, 12/20/2021

 Miles Harrington Period 8 12/20/2021

Modern Mythology 2022

Socio-political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

As transphobia continues to fester in the media and our society, there is a conversation that needs to be had about the power TERFs hold over trans people. There is an important element that allows TERF rhetoric to transcend general transphobia, that being the illusion of concern. Transphobia often manifests in a way that clearly demonstrates the hate and ignorance of the individual spewing it, which damages the reputation and doesn’t make for a strong argument. On the other hand, a TERF’s greatest asset is their artificial worry: worry for women’s safety, worry that men are invading women’s spaces, worry that women in sports aren’t facing fair competition. So now rather than coming off as a bigots fueled solely by malice, TERF’s can pose as reasonable people just trying to protect women and their interests. In reality, TERF’s don’t care that trans women don’t pose a threat to cis women in any way because as previously stated, their concern isn’t genuine. It only exists as a disguise for the underlying disgust and contempt TERFs feel towards trans people. Women (white women in particular) have historically been able to harness their perceived defenselessness against other oppressed groups in society, like how white woman tears have killed countless black men. This exact concept is the strategy that TERF’s employ, with the end goal being to make it so trans people's existence is in direct opposition to women’s liberation. This way, TERFs can use twisted logic to validate an argument for why trans people shouldn’t be allowed to exist at all.

How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Since I myself am transgender, my experiences are unique as I’ve experienced being treated as both a man and a woman by society. For most of my life, people have perceived me as a girl and thus I’ve faced my fair share of misogyny. While this can be viewed as a bad thing, I’m extremely grateful that I was able to gain this insight that most men lack because it has insulated my beliefs from the effects of toxic masculinity. Although an argument can be made that me being trans means I’ve never genuinely experienced womanhood, my upbringing and understanding of how women are treated in the world has helped shape my views immensely. Now that I’ve transitioned and am treated as a male by those around me, I’ve been able to see the way men speak about women when only men are around. Men have been comfortable divulging to me their misogynistic beliefs because they expect me to agree with them as a fellow guy. While I knew a lot of men were misogynistic before I ever identified as one, having this “insider knowledge” has greatly harmed my perception of a lot of other men in my life.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Annie Jiang, Period 7, 12/20/21

Annie Jiang

Period 7

12/20/21

Modern Mythology 2022


Goal Setting and Growth

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Currently, a priority goal for me is to finish my college applications. The deadlines for regular decision at some colleges are coming up soon, so I’m hoping to complete my applications before or during winter break. I feel that I’ve procrastinated a lot on this in the past few months, which isn’t exactly ideal and is something else I need to work on. Another goal that I’ve set for myself is to be more financially responsible. I want to save money because I’m planning on studying abroad the summer before I go off to college and life gets even more hectic. In addition, I want to have some money to pay for college as well.



How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

For my college applications, I plan on setting aside some time in my day to work on my essays and supplements or to learn more about the colleges I’m applying to. I’ll work on my habit of procrastinating by putting anything that could distract me, like my phone, far away from me, and playing some calming music to help me focus. As for my goal to save money, I’ll limit how much money I’ll spend in a month and make sure that I’m only buying things that are necessary. I’ve secured a paid internship, so I’ll set aside a certain percentage of my earnings.



How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

As I said before, applying to colleges is a priority goal. I think this is influenced by the fact that my parents are very set on me going to college. Their opinion is that the way to having a good job and a successful life is to do well in college and get a good degree. Of course, I, myself, do want to go to college, but my parents’ expectations add more pressure for me to do so. But overall, everyone is supportive of my goals which makes me feel more motivated to work towards achieving them.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Sheila Cholico, Period 8, 12/14/21

Shelia Cholico

Period 8

12/14/21


Excerpt 1: A Change of Plans (part 1)


A rusted cargo airship puttered through the sky of Oceito, weaving its way around bigger vessels as it sped across the grassy expanse below. Inside the airship, a small desk lamp illuminated an even smaller rock gnome as he leaned over his dented metal work desk. His dark hair was mussed and tangled as if he’d just rolled out of bed, yet he was dressed in a heavy winter coat and boots. Glints of light reflected off of his goggles, dancing across the Mithral ceiling above him. His calloused fingers moved deftly across a scrap of brown paper as the airship swayed slowly. The low putter of an engine and the soft hum of a handmade music box were the only noises keeping him company. But he was used to the silence by now; it came with the job. 

As if on cue, a loud ringing filled the room, breaking the blanket of silence he had gotten so accustomed to. The gnome jolted, almost dropping the piece of paper in his hands. He had neatly folded into a paper crane, the wings stretched outwards across the creases of his palm. He shot up from his desk, scurrying across the room to answer an old rotary telephone sitting on a crooked bookshelf. The man answered the phone quickly, the crane still clutched in his right hand. 

“Hello?” The gnome cleared his throat, adjusting his voice after days of not using it. He spoke with a slight gnomish accent, but it was clear he had become accustomed to speaking in common tongue. There was muffled chatter on the other end of the line, and the gnome began rummaging in the pockets of his overalls, pulling out a heavily creased document. He spread it across the bookshelf, running his hands across the folds in an attempt to smoothen it out. 

“Yeah, I got it right here.” He said, and the chatter on the other end resumed as he moved the document onto the table next to the bookshelf. He grabbed a mechanical pen from a pocket inside his coat, and began signing his name onto it. The name “Bartholomew Gallo” was clearly legible across the printed section for the signature. 

“Mhm, got it. I’m five minutes away.” The gnome answered, distracted as he picked the crane back up. The person on the other end seemed satisfied with this, and a muffled goodbye could be heard on the other end. 

“Yeah, see you soon.” He hung the phone up with a click, turning his attention back to the origami he had made. He lifted the crane and drew some symbols across the wings, his pen moving fluidly across the surface. The symbols were indecipherable, though they appeared to be a series of meticulously drawn glyphs. He cupped the crane in his palm, leaning forward and tapping the wings with 2 of his fingers. After a moment’s pause, the wings of the crane began to move on their own, lifting its body off his hand and into the air. He grinned as the crane flew in circles around his head, moving as if it had a mind of its own. He reached a hand out again, and the crane fluttered gently back into his palm. He placed the now immobile crane back on the table gently. 

Destination Reached. A high pitched, robotic voice grabbed his attention as he set the mechanical pen back in its original spot. The voice resembled that of a young child, and it spoke in quick cheerful chirps. The gnome turned to his left, leaning down to grab the handle of the hatch next to him. With some effort, he heaved the door open with a thud, resting the top against the wall behind it. He climbed down through the opening, dropping into the room below him, which appeared to be the ship’s cockpit. 

What was strange about the cockpit was its lack of a pilot. The console was glowing softly, it’s surface smooth and devoid of switches or buttons. The steering wheel of the ship was moving, yet no one was piloting the airship. This didn’t seem to phase the gnome, as he buckled himself into a small chair at the front near the console. He spent a moment raising the chair, which was almost comically small compared to the console. After he finished, he reached up and pressed his hand against a screen above him, which was covered in intricate patterns and glyphs. At his touch, the symbols sprang to life, glowing a faint orange as they weaved around his fingers, forming the outline of a hand. 

Autopilot disengaged. Welcome back, Barty. The entire ship’s console shifted, as the gnome, now known as Barty, grabbed the steering wheel. Buttons and switches sprang up seemingly out of nowhere, populating the console surface. Barty reached across the console and flipped two switches on, which caused the ship to emit a low whirring noise. The noise didn’t seem to phase him as he focused his attention on the view ahead of him. 

Outside the window, the city of Singapore was becoming visible, expanding as the vessel got closer and closer to its destination. Singapore was a lengthy, leveled ship; one of the more developed mobile cities that stood in the land of Oceito. Despite being early morning, the city was already bustling with activity, ships weaving in and out of its ports. Barty began steering the ship towards the first level of the ship, where the outlines of a landing port were visible from afar. There were a couple ships on the landing dock already, but most of the incoming ships were just arriving. 

As he got closer, a wide passenger ship merged in front of him, heading towards the south end of the city. Barty groaned, trying to see around the huge aircraft with no success. After checking for other airships, he quickly passed the ship on the right, zipping past it. He steered his own ship towards a marked area, which was labeled as Cargo ship: temporary parking on the ground. He landed the ship with a precision that came from years of flying, quickly unstrapping his seatbelt once he was on the ground. He hopped out of the pilot’s seat, opening the door that led to the cargo bay behind him. 

The cargo bay of the ship was packed with crates of various sizes, with small trinkets filling both walls of the ship. As he walked down the bay, he ran his hands across the crates, taking a mental inventory of which items he needed to unload onto the dock. Once he neared the end of the bay, he pressed a big orange button near the door. The sound of gears grinding filled the bay as the heavy ship doors opened with a hiss. A cold breeze hit Barty’s face, causing him to pull his fur-trim coat closer as he stepped off the aircraft. 

The floor was damp from the light snowfall that had passed through the night before, and Barty stepped over a small puddle as he exited the airship. The air was frigid and thick with the smell of various engine fumes. Barty headed over to a small booth, where an elderly dwarf was sitting at a computer. The wide frame of the computer took up half of the booth, making him look comically cramped in the small space. He wasn’t a very tall dwarf, but he made up for that in weight, his bulky frame a result of years working in the booth. Everyone in the city knew him as Old Colm, and he had been working at the same booth ever since he immigrated to the city.

Barty approached Colm in a hurry, knocking on the glass loudly. The dwarf jolted, swiveling around in his chair to locate the source of the noise. His face relaxed when he spotted the gnome on the other side of the glass. 

“Barty! Are ya here for yer monthly?” The dwarf called out loudly, squinting to look up at him. His voice was muffled by the glass, but he was still loud enough that his voice resonated across the mostly empty runway. This didn’t seem to phase Barty, who was used to Colm’s tendency to overproject. 

“Yeah, where do I put the papers?” He pulled the folded slip of paper out of his pocket, which he had signed earlier. He pressed it up to the glass, and Colm leaned in slowly to look at it. There was a lengthy pause as he read it, before he cleared his throat and looked back up at Barty. 

“You can drop ‘em off at Fafnir’s office. He told me he wants to see ya.” Colm answered, adding the last part hesitantly. Barty paused at the mention of Fafnir, folding the paper back up and putting it in his coat pocket. It was unusual for Fafnir to require Barty’s presence, but maybe there was a mixup in the shipment orders. 

“Alright, I’ll go see him now. Take care Colm.” He said, waving the dwarf goodbye as he began heading in the opposite direction down the tarmac. A few more ships had pulled up behind his own, all coming to drop their own cargo off. He stepped down off of the landing strip, walking down a small path adjacent to it. There were a couple Harengon merchants making their way up the path, and Barty nodded a greeting to them as he walked by. He received a warm greeting back, one of them merchants waving a padded paw back at him. The sounds of the city became louder as he walked further down the path, integrating with the bustling foot traffic of city goers ahead of him. 

The streets of Singapore were packed with creatures, every person hurrying off towards a different destination. Barty ducked under the wing of an Aarakocra guard as he chased a small halfling across the street, paying no heed to the commotion they were causing. A couple cars honked their horns as the pair ran across the street, and Barty winced as the halfling got nicked by the bumper of a wide passenger bus. If he were ten years younger, he might have stopped to make sure the halfling was okay. But he wasn’t, so he turned his head away, shimmying through the growing crowd that had formed around the commotion. He pushed past a trio of Tieflings who were blocking the staircase ahead of him, making his way up towards a large government building. At the top of the stairs, a tall metal door was swung wide open. Barty stepped inside, looking around before closing the door behind him. 

The air inside the building was stagnant, filled with the smell of old documents and leatherback books. It was quite warm compared to the temperature outside, and Barty shed his jacket as he stepped further inside. There was no one behind the front desk, despite it being midday already. Barty frowned, looking around for a moment as he folded his jacket in his arms. It was unusual for the office to be understaffed, especially on a Tuesday as busy as today. 

Barty ascended another set of stairs, stopping in front of two intricately carved mahogany doors. He knocked on the door, the sound echoing down the empty hall. There was a moment of silence, before a voice spoke up. 

“Come in!” Barty took the invitation, relieved that there was someone in the building. He opened the right-side mahogany door, his hand reaching in an awkward angle to grab the doorknob. The buildings in Singapore were designed for human proportions, and Barty was reminded of that whenever he interacted with its architecture. 

Inside the room, a man was sitting at a huge desk filled with documents and oddities. His feet were propped up on the desk, his foot resting against a name plate with the name Fafnir etched into it. The name plate was a standard issued company plate, the only ordinary thing in his room. The rest of the room was covered in relics, artifacts, sparkling gems, and other rarities. A large mosaic was etched into the floor below Barty, depicting a broad man fighting a large sea serpent. 

Barty stepped over the mosaic, careful not to smudge any of the tiles with his dirt-covered leather boots. He turned his attention back to the man at the desk, Fafnir. His clothes were as eccentric as his office, covered head to toe in lush satin fabric and bright statement pieces. Fafnir adjusted a golden monocle that hung over his left eye. He leaned back in his chair, a cigar tucked between his pointer and middle fingers. 

“Ah, Barty!” The man sat up at the sight of the gnome, putting his cigar out quickly in an ashtray shaped like a dragonborn. He leaned forward, putting his hands onto the desk in front of him. Both of his hands were covered in intricate tattoos, and he had two dragon rings twisting around each of his pointer fingers. Smoke wafted gently across the room, filling the air with the smell of Dwarvish cigar ash. 

“I trust your travels were well?” He asked, crossing his hands in front of him. Barty nodded, refraining from wrinkling his nose at the lingering smell of smoke. 

“Yeah, I got here early. Colm said you needed me.” Barty said, his words curt. The man grinned at Barty’s minced words, tapping the table with a ringed finger. 

“Don’t be like that, Bart. Aren’t you excited to see me?” He asked, teasing. Barty flinched at the use of the name Bart. He hated when Fafnir called him that. 

“Let’s cut to the chase, Fafnir. Why am I here?” Bart said, interrupting him and getting back to the point. Fafnir sighed, exhaling tendrils of smoke which curled around his face like horns.

“As you may have noticed, we’re a bit… short staffed today.” He started, speaking in a lazy drawl. He spoke with an accent that indicated that he wasn’t originally from Singapore. 

“Yeah, front desk was empty.” Barty said, remembering the empty desk downstairs. Fafnir nodded, twirling his finger to point at an envelope on the edge of his desk. 

“I do have your money right here…” he said, pushing the envelope forward towards Barty. Barty reached forward to grab it, but Fafnir shot his hand out and caught Barty’s wrist. 

“Ah ah ah! Before I pay you, I need to ask for a favor.” Fafnir asked, but it was phrased more like an order. It must have been clear that Barty was hesitant, because Fafnir’s grip began to tighten around his wrist. His pointer finger pressed down on his arm, the mouth of the dragon ring digging into Barty’s flesh. 

“Watch your grip.” Barty said in a low voice, not backing down. A gnome working in the big city gets accustomed to bigger men with bigger egos. Fafnir seemed surprised at this response, letting go of Barty’s wrist. A thick silence filled the room as both parties stared each other down. 

“What’s the favor?” Barty asked, breaking the silence and adjusting the sleeve of his long sleeve shirt. Fafnir seemed to ease up at this response, his face relaxing into a smug expression again. 

“We need someone to fix the fumigation system in the engines.” Fafnir informed, examining Barty’s reaction. Barty’s stomach sank at the mention of the ship’s engines. Singapore was one of the larger Mobile Cities, and their engine was constantly buzzing with activity to keep the city running. However, running an engine of that size accumulated a bit of a… rat problem. Creatures lurked in the lower engine that Barty would prefer never meeting. 

“Get someone else.” Barty stated firmly, stepping back from the desk. Fafnir shook his head. 

“Tomorrow is the purge day. It’s already been pushed back by a week.” Fafnir informed Barty. The purge day, as Fafnir called it, was an event that happened every couple of months in the engines. Toxic gas would be released from the fumigation systems to kill any monsters lurking below the city. 

“You didn’t send anyone earlier?” Barty asked. 

“Well… the last guy didn’t come back.” Fafnir admitted. He didn’t seem too phased by his remark, but Barty withdrew with a look of slight horror. 

“And you’re sending me down now?” Barty exclaimed. 

“I’ll double your payment.” Fafnir offered, reaching into his desk and pulling out another envelope, sliding it next to the original one. Barty hesitated, doing the math in his head. He could use the money. The amount of gold Fafnir was offering was more than he would make in the next four cities on his route combined. That was enough to pay for ship repairs and live comfortably for a month. 

“It’s double or nothing, Barty.” Fafnir pressed, splaying one hand out in front of him on the desk. Barty glanced down at the envelopes, before sighing loudly. 

“What do you want me to fix?” He asked, giving in. He hated working for Fafnir, but this was an offer he couldn’t refuse. Fafnir grinned at his response, clearly relieved that Barty had accepted it. 

“We need you to fix the dispenser that holds the gas in the left wing of the engine. It should be a big red container.” He informed Barty, and he nodded slowly. 

“I’ll send someone to take care of the monster problem while you work. You should go now, while the sun is still out.” Fafnir added. It was clear that Fafnir had expected Barty would accept. Barty exhaled through his nose, nodding. 

“Alright. Anything else I need to know?” He asked. Fafnir thought for a moment before speaking up again. 

“Yes. Speak to the priest in Sage’s Temple once you’re done. He has an artifact that I’d like you to take a look at for me.” Fafnir informed Barty. Barty nodded, a bit annoyed that his route was being disrupted this much. He estimated that at this rate, he’d be leaving Singapore in the early evening. 

“Right. I’ll be heading out then.” Barty said in a neutral tone. If Fafnir wasn’t his boss, he might have added a few more snippy statements, but he couldn’t risk losing his job in Singapore. 

“Great! Good luck. May the gods be in your favor.”  Fafnir said, with a smile that didn't meet his eyes. Barty simply nodded, not wanting to waste more breath on Fafnir. He feared that if he spoke again, something unprofessional might come out. The last thing he needed was to lose another job. He turned back towards the double doors again, slipping his jacket on as he went through them. He had a feeling it was going to be a long day.


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