Thursday, April 28, 2022

Holly Denig, Period 8, 4/29/22

 Goal Setting & Growth

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

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

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



At this time, some specific goals I have for myself include staying motivated for the rest of the school year, and trying to enjoy and appreciate the last bits of high school left, while also maintaining good grades and not allowing myself to falter. When I am older I don’t want to look back on this time with any regrets and I want to make memories that I can cherish. For me, this means staying on top of final assignments and tests, so that I can be as least stressed out as possible, and then make time to enjoy my friends and family, which I won’t be able to see after I move away to college. 


My planner has been quite crucial lately in helping me stay organized and on top of reaching this goal. With so many different requirements and deadlines, I seek much comfort in writing down everything I need (or want) to do so that I don’t miss anything (primary examples include this blog, which I would not have been completing had I not consulted the planner before jumping into AP test review). While the pressures of college applications and most of our course work is behind us, this time is still stressful as there are more requirements than I had expected to prepare to enroll in college. I also find it difficult to overcome setbacks when it comes to the next uncertain chapter of my life, such as my expected roommate deciding that she instead wanted to spend the year abroad, and leaving me roommate-less, forced to be matched with another random student. Setbacks such as this one often are difficult for me to move on from, and I tend to dwell on things that bother me. I have found that using my planner to organize activities helps me move on to the next task, enjoyable activity, or when needed, distraction, and move past whatever was bothering me. 


Being in an academically motivated environment does help me stay focused, and surrounding myself with others that will help me study and prepare for college is definitely beneficial in reaching my goals. However, I also am around many other students struggling with similar things as me, including managing deadlines and having fun, which makes me less nervous about going away to college. I have also been spending more time around my family, now that “Sing” is over and I do have less responsibilities. Devoting time to bond with my sister and my mom is very helpful for me to remain calm and pay attention to enjoying every day, and not obsessing over each assignment. As a very outgoing and social person, I am usually less stressed out after spending time with close friends and family.

Su Yee Htun, Period 7, 4/25/22

 Goal Setting & Growth

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

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

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


At the beginning of the school year, I had set goals for myself, most of which I have accomplished. For example, I have already submitted my common app and I have even decided where I would like to go for college (Stony Brook). I also have a part-time job now, and I have gotten very efficient at my work. Recently, I had to get rid of all four of my wisdom teeth which forced me to have a better diet since most of what I “ate” was soft, nutritional food. While I am still working on gaining weight, my diet has gotten better and I am learning to appreciate being able to chew food. 

As for right now, I have new bigger goals that I have to accomplish. I have decided where I want to attend college but there are a lot of registration requirements that I have to do. For example, I have to fill out a lot of forms and send in different documents to be able to attend. Another goal is to get 3s or higher on my AP exams that are coming up in the next few weeks. My last goal is to enjoy the remaining few weeks of my high school life and cherish the time I have with my friends and loved ones.


For the first goal, I have a google sheet set up to help me keep track of all the deadlines and information that I need to help me submit my documents or accounts that I need to register for. It also helps that I am in a group chat with other Stony Brook incoming freshmen where we all share information to help each other with our admission. It also gives me a way to get to know people and make new friends. For my second goal, I am planning on studying for my APs once I get caught up on work for my classes. It is very important for me to do well on these APs since Stony Brook gives credit for the AP courses I am taking as long as I get a 3 or higher so I want to make sure that I do well. In addition, there are a lot of resources to help me that my teachers have given and we are also starting in class reviews which I hope will help me refresh my memory on important topics in each unit. While my last goal isn’t something I can measure progress with, I can reach fulfillment by being present when I am with my friends and focusing on the moment. I think that I did have a lot of difficulty with this earlier in the school year because I was very worried about colleges but now that everything has worked out and I am in a college, I believe that I should take my time and enjoy the two months of school.


For my first goal, I am very proud of myself for being very organized and staying on top of things since I am usually a procrastinator and throughout the whole college application process I was very late to a lot of things and didn’t have the motivation to do a lot of the minor things that I had to submit. In addition, I think that at that time, I didn’t want to accept that things had to change and that I was going to move away from what I have grown to know for the last 4 years and I know that I am very anxious about change. While I still am, I feel like being able to learn in a place that I am excited to be at will be a really amazing experience as I look forward to learning the things that I actually want to learn. At this point in time, a lot of people around me are hesitating to commit and don’t want to take the step to commit and I feel like that was me a week before I committed. I felt that it was a big step for my future and that idea haunted me for a long time because I didn’t want to make a choice that would make me unhappy later. However, now I feel very free because I made my decision and all of the hard comparing and decision making has been left in the past and is off my shoulders. As AP season comes up, I feel like as a senior it wasn’t as prominent as it was when I was a sophomore or a junior. It is most likely because I have never taken an AP while attending school in-person at the same time due to quarantine during my sophomore and junior years and it feels vastly different as I don’t have as much time to prepare for it since my school work is still piling on. Right now I feel like this is my biggest stressor as I do want to do well and start studying but it is difficult finding time when I have after school activities and work as well. For my last goal, I think there is more pressure on me now to spend more time with my friends as I realize that the end is near and seeing everyone hang out with their friends on social media. While I don’t want to regret the times I skipped out on hanging with my friends due to my school work or my actual work, I did develop a FOMO and I am still trying to get past it. I have decided that when I do have the chance to hang out with my friends, I want to make the most of it and not worry about other aspects of my life while I am with them.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Jayden Huang, Period 7, 4/28/22

 Jayden Huang, Period 7, 4/28/22


Goal Setting & Growth

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

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

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


When I first addressed this prompt back in October of last year, my main goal was to be able to maintain my motivation. In these last six months I feel like I’ve made good forward progress towards achieving this, but sometimes it still feels like I’m going backwards. This continues to be one of my priorities, as I don’t believe in lack of motivation being something where I can just flip a switch and change my behavior. 

I find that one of the biggest things that keeps me going is reminding myself of the progress I have already made. Previously, I would get little to no work done as I would constantly check my phone. I originally tried to prevent this by setting boundaries between times to work and times to slack off. I tried this out for a while, but it didn’t really work for me. I found that being mindful of my actions to be much more helpful. I realized that I really wasn’t checking my phone for any good reason, and I wouldn’t be missing anything by not checking it. Checking my phone became more of an annoyance than an escape, and I no longer felt inclined to pick it up every five minutes. This really helped me to find motivation as I was now producing work I could be proud of in a way I could also be proud of. However there are still days when I get out of bed in the morning and just do not want to deal with anything. This is my next target for improvement. I can accept that there will always be bad days, but I’m trying to gain the resiliency to push through anyway. 

With the college application process finally being over, I feel like things have slowed down from when I wrote my first blog post. Without the overwhelming atmosphere of deadlines and essays, I’ve started pursuing some smaller goals. After writing my second portfolio checkpoint, I realized that it had been years since I’d independently read a book. Now that I’m free to do so, I want to read more. I’ve rediscovered how relaxing it is to settle down at night and read. I’ve also started drawing again, something I’ve also neglected for years. I am by no means a great artist or anything, but I like having tangible representations of things I think about, and drawing is just simple fun. I’d also soon like to learn to drive, at least before I move away for college. While I don’t really anticipate wanting to or needing to drive in the future, I do want to be a capable driver at the least. 

When I look at the world around me, I am sometimes demoralized when I compare myself to others. Why do I bother with drawing when I’ll never be as good as others? Why can’t I drive yet when my siblings and friends are already getting their licenses? As much as everyone says “Don’t compare yourself to others” I feel that’s not possible, as everything in our lives is based on comparison. Summer is only hot because we know the cold of winter. Walls are only solid because the open air is void. I will always compare myself to others, but I am mindful that I am going at my own pace, and I’m okay with that. 


Eric Huang, Period 7, 4/26/22

 Eric Huang

Period 7

4/27/22

Modern Mythology 2022


Literacy & Learning


Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.


Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.


How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?


Our most recent reading of “Interview with a Vampire” sparked many intriguing conversations during class. A lot of what we discussed in class I barely had any prior experience with. With all of the queer subtexts throughout the novel, it took a few chapters for me to start recognizing where these subtle parts were. Prior to reading the novel, I had little to no knowledge of the sexual nature that vampires were painted in. Upon reading the book, I gained a new profound understanding of how many of these vampire novels portrayed these “monsters.” Initially, I didn’t connect the dots with how sexualized Louis’s transformation into a vampire really was. I had taken the novel at face value and it wasn’t until it was brought up in the lesson that this aspect of the book was shown to me. 

The novel’s focus on the LGBTQ community, as well as highlighting aspects of mental health really helped further my comprehension of these two communities. Thinking about these two topics now may seem mainstream, but back in Anne Rice’s era, these were taboo subjects to talk about and I applaud her for her courage for including these aspects in the book. Towards the end of the book, we were given an insight into Louis’s mental health and I was surprised how much I was able to learn from it. I had always tried to educate myself as much as I could about mental health especially after taking AP Psychology last year and how bad many people’s mental states were due to COVID, but it was a different angle that was in the book. 

What we discussed at the conclusion of reading the book was how immortality isn’t as great as many make it out to be. With being able to live so long, one is forced to endure losing everyone they loved. This constant cycle of meeting people, knowing that you’ll be alive and well and watching them die had to have taken a toll on Louis. In the beginning, he watched as his sister and Babette passed away, followed by who he thought would live forever in Claudia, who also perished. This could inevitably lead to Louis developing mental disorders, as the losses of close loved ones piled on and he was forced to endure and watch all of it unfold.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

MADDOX GARETTI, Period 7, 4/13/22

 

Socio-political Consciousness


The period we’re entering as a species, as the apex predators of the world, will, quite literally, make or break Earth.


Back in September of 2020, an 80-foot digital clock was placed in the center of New York City as a beacon for climate change activism. Meant to depict the ticking timebomb of our actions, the clock pictures a number sitting around 7 years and some change, representing the time left we have to reverse the damage we’ve done to our environment– before reversing it becomes impossible.

Recognizing what needs to be done and making the changes necessary is what comes next. Although, there’s undoubtedly a large percentage of people on this planet who believe they’re incapable of helping out since they’re not scientists. However, contributing comes in all different shapes and sizes. I’m a finance major, and let me say that there are opportunities to make change everywhere.


A few months ago I’d been looking for more ways to expand my entrepreneurial endeavors, and in doing so, I came across something that both appealed to me and applied to the matter at hand.  Over the next 10 to 20 years, an entire generation is going to be retiring for good. Baby boomers are hanging up their hats and most importantly, selling off their businesses… which is where the new buyers step in. As the generation that’s next in line to run things, we must recognize that time is not on our side. In this specific case, intertwining green policies with the existing infrastructure of these businesses would be a simple course of action that could aid this fight on a scale wider than one could ever imagine. 

It might not be right up your alley, but that’s exactly the point of broaching this mere sliver of an idea. Changing the world comes in shapes and sizes apart from just climate change as well, you just have to look hard enough.

Mindy Chin, Period 8, 3/27/22

Mindy Chin

Pd. 8

3/27/22

Modern Mythology 2022

Creativity and Fiction 

I got my Covid-19 booster on Sunday. Of course, I requested the Pfizer vaccine since it was all over social media last year (#TeamPfizer). Before registering for the booster, I researched the ingredients that would be injected into my body. They’d administer me with mRNA, some lipids, potassium chloride, monobasic potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, ?dibaSiC soDium phoSphate dihyDratE?, and sucrose? I recognized some of these compounds from AP Chemistry but that was the extent of my knowledge of these alienistic-scientifically sounding words.. hmm I should ask Mr. Brunetti about it on Monday. 


When I got to school on Monday everything seemed normal. Or so I thought it did. The first half of the day was pretty chill, I got to play some notes (+ a couple of squeaks here and there) on my clarinet, half-listened to Mr. Chester as he tried to solve his own convoluted power series problem on the whiteboard (like seriously, who needs calculus anyway?), and drew a couple of foreign exchange and AS/AD graphs in Macro. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for the terrible soreness on my left arm which I had anticipated from the vaccine. 


As I entered Myth class, I was so drained from tiredness and a slight fever from the booster that may have been coupled with ~sleep deprivation~. Usually, my classmate and close friend Christopher Nguyen would be the last person to get to class but this time I saw him sitting perfectly in his seat, poised almost too perfectly with his back at a 180-degree angle and his arms rested with both hands interlaced in a clasped position. His face was unusually pale and as I locked eyes with him he instantly glanced down at the exact site of my injection. Before I could ask if he was okay, I felt a sharp pain as teeth sank into my skin and sucked not blood, but a clear liquid that resembled the contents of the vaccine! Bellowing in pain and horror, I jerked my arm from him as bodily fluids spewed left and right.


As I looped in and out of consciousness, I remembered what I had forgotten to do this morning: I should have asked Mr. Brunetti about the ingredients of the vaccine …

Nicole Duran, Period 1, 4/26/22

Nicole Duran
Pd. 1
4/26/22
Modern Mythology 2022

Literacy and Learning

Living Ghosts


    I think that most people like Halloween. It’d be hard not to find some sort of joy in a holiday that lets you dress up as your favorite character and run from door to door collecting candy. The streets are lined with jack-o-lanterns, houses covered in fake cobwebs and mechanical spiders from Home Depot. I remember, there was one house not too far from mine where the man who lived there would turn his driveway into a mini haunted house, daring any children who enter to face creepy crawlies in search of the greatest treasure of all: chocolate. However, whereas most people eventually grow out of it and turn in their superhero capes and princess tiaras for nights in of devouring discount variety packs by the handful, Halloween still has as much of a grip on me now as it did then.


    Maybe it came from a lack of group trick-or-treating as a kid, or from being exposed to a bit too much Monster High, but now that I’m older I’ve found an extreme fascination with all things spooky. Within the past year or two I’ve dived headfirst into horror movies and unsolved mysteries, paranormal investigations and games meant to keep you afraid of the dark. What has had the strongest grip on me though, are the iconic monsters that pop up each Halloween season. Werewolves, vampires, ghosts, witches (witches in particular have become an obsession), any creature that’s meant to horrify and bewitch its audience. That’s part of why I wanted to be a part of this class in the first place, aside from the fact that any course with the name “Monsters and the Apocalypse” is bound to be more interesting than any other standard English class. It’s also why, when I learned we were going to be having lessons on the nature of ghosts, I was over the moon.


    Whatever expectations I had about these ghost-centric lessons were immediately thrown out the window when I first opened the slideshow. The powerpoint itself started out with a New Yorker article titled “Reasons to Believe in Ghosts in America” by Nathan Heller in 2017. It’s a short article, about two and a half pages, that treats ghosts not as spirits stuck in limbo to haunt the living, but as metaphorical creatures. The “hauntings” as he puts it, are not so much caused by forsaken loved ones but by our own storied pasts. While I personally think the author loses his point a bit as the article continues, that perception of ghosts stuck with me throughout the lesson. It especially stuck out to me as I made it to the second to last slide, a call to action for our groups to explore the deeply haunted nature of Staten Island. As someone who lives here, I was aware of one or two ghost stories before ever looking into it. However, considering the subject matter of the article, one particular haunt came to mind almost immediately.


    The Willowbrook State School was established in 1947, with the intent of aiding those with developmental disabilities. The school was one of the largest of its kind, depicting itself towards the public as a safe haven for those who couldn’t take care of themselves. In actuality, residents were treated extremely poorly by staff, ranging from negligence to outright physical abuse. On top of this the school was constantly past capacity, and received more and more budget cuts as each year went past. The then Senator Robert F. Kennedy himself called the home a “snakepit.” Employees and state officials both refused to make any real change about it until public outcry forced their hands in the 70’s, leading to a slew of lawsuits that ended with the facility closing its doors in 1987. What remains of the school now resides on the campus of the College of Staten Island (CSI).


    Don’t get me wrong, I understand that people have had their fair share of sightings and paranormal experiences at these places. I’m sure that many visitors to CSI and surrounding areas have felt cold spots, seen figures ghosting by the windows. However, I chose the Willowbrook State School not because it goes bump in the night, but specifically because of one big similarity that it shares with Heller’s site of Savannah, Georgia. That similarity being it is a site of great tragedy. Heller writes that he believes we fascinate ourselves with ghost stories to avoid what really haunts us, his primary example being Savannah, Georgia. He writes that the town was Georgia’s largest slave port and market, and states:


“But is superstition really the right word for such a thing? It reveals a lot, perhaps, that, when the citizens of a Southern town report feeling strange paroxysms when they walk over the bones of humans raised as chattel, the only options seem to be that there is something ectoplasmic going on or that they’re nuts.”


While I would never compare the devastation of one great tragedy to another, I do think that the Willowbrook State School especially holds a lot more recent power as the facility only closed its doors less than fifty years ago. Following Heller’s beliefs, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that those who make their way to the Willowbrook grounds may feel a similar discomfort. Especially when the consequences of the school’s misconduct still lay heavy today.


    There’s a New York Times article from only about two years ago, titled “Beatings, Burns and Betrayal: The Willowbrook Scandal’s Legacy” by Benjamin Weisner. The article covers how the nearly 2,300 alumni of the institution still continue to face abuse and mistreatment all these years later, despite state vows to protect them. When you hear about the Willowbrook State School though, you don’t really hear about what happened to the people. What you hear is a story. An upsetting tale that’s passed around to college students and prying eyes. You get recollections of ghosts and wails and things that go bump in the mind. Hardly ever do people wonder, let alone ask, what happened to the victims of the terrible misconduct that occurred. It’s a type of erasing history in my opinion. We’d rather focus on the spectacle of abuse than the victims, on preventing other tragedies like this from happening in the future. Smoke and mirrors distract us from this very real thing.


    I don’t think I believe in ghosts, at least not the spiritual concept of them. However, I think the alumnis of the Willowbrook State School are the closest I will ever come to seeing a ghost. They haunt us, yet we pay them no mind. They stay silent and invisible to us, our only knowledge that they’re there being old tales told of their misery. Unlike specters though, they are real. They are alive. What upsets me most is that people don’t see that.

Nathan Heller Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICJmaIBUWTBNuJNYE5aMYqw8CO4cl0_b/view


New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/nyregion/willowbrook-state-school-staten-island.html



Charley Baluja, Period 1, 4/7/2022

Charley Baluja, Period 1, 4/7/2022


Messages to Marigold Transcript: Episode 34


[INTRO:]


M: Hello sweet listeners, and welcome to a land just beyond the edge of what most would call “real”. I’m your guide for the night, your lamp in the fog, your dear Marigold. As always, I encourage you to send in your messages - on carrier pigeons, leaves in the wind, or through the US Postal Service. Whatever the method, I shall receive.


[BEEP]


Tonight, we have a very special message from a listener worlds away. Settle in starlings, and let me take you away…


[M READS THE FOLLOWING LETTER]


Dear Marigold,


Did you know that marigolds are sometimes called “flowers of the dead”? They are often used in Dia de Muertos celebrations: it is said that their fragrance attracts souls to the altar. Is that why you picked that name? Marigold? Or is it your real name?

There’s so much I just don’t know about you, even though I tune into this station every night. Even though I listen to you read other people’s messages - their thoughts, desires, hopes - it feels like it’s just you and me in the empty night air. Like you’re somehow right next to me and worlds away at the same time. I guess that’s how late night radio works, when everything else has gone to sleep. When it’s just me, and you, and the distantly blinking radio tower that connects us.

I don’t want to come off as weird, I promise I’m not a creep. I’m just…vaguely lonely. I know my draw towards you is what you’d call a “parasocial relationship”, but I genuinely think we could be friends. You feel like the kid down the block from me that I didn’t get a chance to know before they moved away. This is that chance, or at least it feels like it.

So often people write to you about that, about missed opportunities. The loss of potential. What does it mean to lose potential? When we think we have a chance, in any scenario, for something wonderful, and then we lose that chance…it’s heartbreaking. You feel the Better You, the Better Life, disappearing. But it was never real to begin with. Maybe it is real in some alternate universe where you made the choice to follow that path. Maybe it is real somewhere where you were quick enough.

Is it real, here, that you’d get to know me? That we’d get coffee in the morning, go for a walk in the afternoon, stargaze at night? That’s presumptuous, I know, and I’m sorry if it crosses a line. I just couldn’t bear to miss my chance.


Thank you for listening,

    Poppy M.  


[END OF LETTER]


M: Oh, dear, I’m sorry listeners. I didn’t vet that letter before reading it live. I should have told my staff but - no matter. Poppy’s been sick for a while, her memory…well it isn’t what it used to be.


Poppy, dearest, if you’re still awake, please sleep soundly tonight. I’ll be by your side in no time. And of course, dream of me bringing you coffee and flowers as I always do. I love you.


Thank you listeners. Thank you. Until next time, I’m your Marigold, and this was Messages to Marigold. Sweet dreams.


[TRANSCRIPT ENDS]

Monday, April 25, 2022

Tiffany Chen, Period 7, 4/7/22

 Creativity & Fiction


New York City, New York, Present Day


    “Ugh, I can’t believe we’re stuck cleaning this dusty storage room,” Ambrose said.

    “Tell me about it. Out of everyone here, how did we end up being maids?” huffed Elvira.

    “Well, there’s no use complaining now. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we get to leave and get dinner.”

    With that, the group of five friends started cleaning and tidying up their respective areas. Thorn put on some music to lighten the mood and soon enough everyone was singing and dancing along with the songs. After a few minutes of cleaning, Ambrose suddenly called, “Guys, look what I found!” Like a moth drawn to a flame, everyone crowded around Ambrose within a few seconds, eager to take a break from their mundane jobs. The object in question was covered with a light sheen of dust, but the beauty it possessed was unmatched. The object─made of porcelain, round in shape, and had a delicate spout─illuminated the dull cardboard box.

    “What is it?” Kalliope asked.

    “It’s … a teapot,” Thorn answered. “But why is it dumped in this messy storage room? Surely this piece of fine china is worth a couple of thousand dollars!”

    As soon as Thorn finished speaking, it was like a lightbulb went off in Venti’s head. “Guys, if we give this to a museum, say the MET, we could earn ourselves some big bucks!”

    “Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!” Elvira exclaimed. As soon as Elvira touched the handle of the teapot, a bright flash of light appeared and sucked the group into the teapot.


Ancient Rome, 13 BC


    The beautiful, serene calmness of Palatine Hill was disturbed by the shouts and screeches of the group of five friends that had been thrown out of the dainty teapot. They tumbled to the ground, looking like toddlers that had not yet learned how to walk. With dazed looks on their faces, they slowly picked themselves up, looking at each other in shock.

    “Wha-What just happened?” asked Venti.

    “And where are we?!! This place doesn’t have pollution, mad people, or even stinky garbage! We are most definitely not in New York.” Ambrose added.

    As they looked around, trying to find the slightest clue of where they ended up, Kalliope suddenly spotted the tiny spout of the teapot peeking out from a bush. She rushed to pick it up, shaking it as if it will suddenly bring them back to New York. “Ugh, I knew we shouldn’t have trusted this teapot, it is too pretty to be true!”

    “Are there any clues on it that can help us get back to New York, at least? We can’t be stuck here forever,” Ambrose exclaimed.

Not seeing anything on the exterior of the teapot, Kalliope opened the top of the teapot. “Hey, look! There’s a piece of paper in here.”

“What does it say?”

“It reads:

    ‘Strong and brave, you are my eagle.

     Soaring strength; gliding above earth.

     Your light shines past the dark of day.

     And paves the way.’”

“What do you think it means?” Venti asked. 

“It sounds like a riddle. Let's decode this first─” Ambrose replied.

”Intruders! Intruders! Capture them immediately!”

“Uh guys, I think we’re the intruders,” commented Thorn.

“Of course it’s us! What are we waiting for? Grab the paper and go!” Elvira shouted.

After some scratching and clawing, the group was captured. 

“Don’t even think about escaping this time. We’re taking you straight to Augustus!” said one of the guards.

“Augustus? He sounds familiar. Where have I heard his name before?” Elvira remarked.

“Augustus? He’s Julius Caesar’s adopted son. That means we’re in Rome sometime around the early ADs.” Ambrose stated.

“ADs? What are you foreigners blabbering about? Stop speaking!”

“Why are we in ancient Rome? What the hell did that teapot do to us?” Venti asked.

“Shh! We shouldn’t talk about the teapot near them,” Kalliope said.

As the group got closer to the giant golden double doors, the guards shouted, “Zip your mouths! You are about to be before Emperor Augustus. Show some respect!”

Walking up to Augustus, who was sat on his throne with a glass of wine in hand, the guards forced the group to bow down. “Emperor Augustus, we found these intruders on the outskirts of Palatine Hill.”

“W-we got here by some teapot and we don’t mean any harm!” the group shouted.

“And you expect me to believe that?” replied Augustus.

“Wait! We have a riddle that was with the teapot.” Kalliope blabbered.

“Bro, are you joking! You told me not to tell them and now you’ve gone and told them. That’s so hypocritical of you!” Venti said.

“Well, we don’t have much of a choice! If we don’t grasp this opportunity, we’d be dead meat by now!”

“What’s the riddle then? Get on with it!”

Reluctantly, the group tells Augustus what was written in the letter.

“Hmm…what you’re asking for is no small price. You want me to give you one of Rome’s greatest treasures, the Aquila?” answers Augustus.

“The Aquila? Wow, I really should've paid a lot more attention to history class.” Thorn says.

“Stop your nonsense talking! I have come to a decision. If you want the Aquila, you will need to earn it. You will go through a series of challenges in order to receive the Aquila. If you succeed in making it to the end, I will give it to you. As the nice and generous person that I am, I will give you 3 days to prepare.” 

With a flick of his hand, Augustus dismisses the group from his presence. As soon as the group is led outside, panic fills the air.

“Okay, so here’s what we know: we’re trying to get the Aquila, which is in Augustus's possession. But we have to go through a series of challenges to earn it—”

“Because we don’t have anything of value to trade with Augustus. We’re broke!” Elvira exclaims.

“I–was that necessary? We have our backs against the wall right now, there’s nothing else we can do if we want to stand a chance at going home!” Thorn butts in.

“Well then, we better complete these challenges ASAP. I better see you guys completing these challenges like our life is on the line because I need to go home to do my Genshin dailies,” Venti comments.

“Would you forget about your damn game? We’re in a life or death situation, Venti!” Ambrose replies.

“Ugh, fine.”


*3 DAYS LATER*

“Welcome, welcome! The first challenge awaits you!” Augustus says with a smile.

FIRST CHALLENGE: THE SEARCH

“This challenge is called The Search. In this challenge, you will be placed in a room filled with hidden treasures. Each treasure is worth a certain amount of points. Bronze is worth 1 point, silver 2 points, gold 3 points, and diamond 5 points. But of course, the greater the points, the less there is of that treasure. You will each have baskets to store your jewels. Whoever gets the most points wins, and gains an advantage in the next challenge. As for whoever has the least amount of points … let’s just say you don’t want to be that person. Everyone else advances to the next stage. Stealing treasures from other people is allowed. You have an hour limit.”

“Alright guys. Let's play fair and not betray each other okay? We’re all trying to go back home, so we’re all on the same team.” Thorn states.

“Okay, I won’t take from you guys if you don’t take from me. Once someone steals from me, all bets are off!” Ambrose declares.

“Isn’t this interesting!” Augustus gleefully says.

“There's no time to be dawdling. We’ll have to trust each other. We’re friends after all. I trust everyone here.” Kalliope announces.

“Now that we got the rules out of the way, shall we begin?”

*gulp* “Yeah. Let's do this.”

“Let the challenge begin!”

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Nicole Cavalieri, Period 7, 4/5/22

 Exploring the Queer Reading of Interview with the Vampire 


To say that Anne Rice’s 1976 novel, Interview with the Vampire, is full of queer subtext is almost an understatement.  Vampires have always represented sexuality, and the subversive. This was discussed in our class when we began our unit on vampires. Typically, vampires are seen preying on the innocence of young women, typically virgins, and “corrupting” their perceived purity. In Rice’s novel, the main character is a man, who was turned into a vampire by another man, and the same sexual undertones remain. Louis, the main character, even compares the act of drinking Lestat’s blood in order to complete his transformation to sex explicitly. So we can see the the ways in which vampirism in the novel can be read as analogous to queerness. However, what is that representation of queerness? As a queer audience member in 2022, it is interesting to reflect on. In the rest of this blog, I will explore these feelings and look through the different queer readings that could be applied to Interview with the Vampire.

When I first started to the read the book, I admit that I was a bit concerned about its implications regarding the queer coding of its characters. Considering the novel was written in 1976, I was concerned when I saw the depiction of two men in a relationship so heavily connected to sex and romance when that relationship was facilitated on them becoming monsters. I also couldn’t help but draw the parallel between vampirism, which is passed through the exchange of blood, and HIV, a bloodborne virus. Because of the way queerness has been villainized in both history and literature I think it was fair for me to assume similar negative intentions from a a work written by a straight woman in the 70s. However, in class the next day our first lesson on the novel touched on a queer theory lens through which to read the novel and Anne Rice’s advocacy for the queer community. In progressing through the novel I saw the meaning in reading it through a queer lens and many passages resonated with me. However, there are other parts of the novel that still complicate my feelings on the matter. 

The main sticking point for me is Rice’s portrayal of the relationship between Louis and Claudia; and to a lesser extent, the relationship between Armand and Denis. After Louis feeds on Claudia and Lestat turns her into a vampire, they adopt her as a daughter, however Louis begins to see her as not just a daughter but as a lover. This is obviously wildly inappropriate and damaging for a child. Later in the novel, Denis, a young mortal boy, is shown as the “slave” of Armand. Armand keeps him alive, feeding on him regularly and their relationship has undeniable sexual undertones. That plus Armand’s power to exert his “aura” over other to persuade them makes it very likely that the relationship is less than fully consensual. This is something uncomfortable to think about by itself just because of its parallels to real life abuse. It is, in my opinion, worsened by the way Rice has linked vampirism and Louis and Armand’s characters to queerness in other parts of the novel. When paired with the queer subtext, it feeds into the harmful idea that queer people sexualize children and are in some way predatory. Now, as I’ve said this was not Rice’s intention. I don’t think that she believes that queer people are predatory and writing about queer sexuality in the 70s is an accomplishment. Her efforts to normalize queer sexuality come from a place of good intentions. However, I would not know this wasn’t her intention if I only looked at what was written within the book. And while, of course writing something in fiction doesn’t condone it in reality, perpetuating a stereotype like this does real harm to queer people. It leads to legislation like the current “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed in Florida and violence against queer people perceived as threats. Again, this is not a condemnation of the novel but I do think it is important to examine this angle. This gets at a question in literary studies about the degree to which author intention and context need to be taken into account. I don’t think there is one definitive answer as with most things in English studies.

A lot of Louis’s characterization and struggles really do resonate with the queer experience. First of all, when he first describes being a vampire and feeding he finds a greater meaning, joy, and appreciation for life. He didn’t realize just how unsatisfied he was in his old life until he became a vampire. I think that relates to the queer experience of compulsory heterosexuality, in which queer people convince themselves that they are happy in straight relationships because it is the assumed and expected norm. I think Louis’ feelings of angst about what he is, especially compared with his fear of hell early in the novel, are also analogous to the internalized homophobia queer people face. Even his feelings for Babette, in which he longs to be able to love her and as a result feel saved is related to these experiences. The other large part of the novel that I feel resonates with the queer experience is Louis’ feelings of isolation and his desperate search for guidance in other, older vampires. His lack of mentors or people who share his experienced and know the way is a sad reality for many queer people. For most of history, queer people either died young or lived in secret without community. And following the AIDS epidemic a whole generation of queer elders died. I also don’t think that this is something that Anne Rice thought about when writing the novel but there were a lot of lines and quotes that hit very close to home.

I don’t have a final conclusion about how I feel about the novel, I just have a collection of thoughts which I have outlined here. I think that it is a worthwhile pursuit to discuss different ways queer theory may be applied to a text regardless of what the text was “supposed” to be. Literature is about what you take from it and I think it’s limiting to say that each person should only take one thing from a piece of literature. Maybe one day I’ll revisit this novel in the future and I’ll form yet another opinion about it. Regardless of whether the queer subtext is “good” it was clearly thought provoking enough that I was inspired to write a thousand or so words about it; and i think that, at least, is the make of a good story. 


Wednesday, April 13, 2022

David Burns, 1st period, 4/13/2022

 Goal Setting & Growth

This is it! I’m officially going to college! This moment simultaneously feels like a culmination of everything up to this point and a door opening to the start of my life, which is fitting considering the tattoo I’ve just gotten is meant to represent my life up until 18, and the next one I have planned is meant to represent everything I’ve yet to do. Looking into the future, my main goal is to just live as my authentic self, which is less of a goal and more of a promise to keep. Currently I don’t really have as much control over my own expression as I’d like, and it’s very easy to sit here and say “Oh, I’ll just start once I’m in college and I’m free,” but in reality I know it’ll be much harder than that. If I don’t build up my resilience and try new things now while pushing against the boundaries of what I know will fly with my parents, then I won’t have the courage to do any of that in college when I no longer have to worry about those boundaries. So, for the short term, my goal is to push those boundaries.

Just the other week a friend of mine spontaneously drove to get pizza at 10pm, to which I responded with a “...can you bring me a slice?” Surprisingly he did, and he drove over with a couple other friends and we talked and laughed for a few minutes before he drove off. Something like this is super simple but I know I’ll remember it because it’s so new for me, and it shows how far I’ve come. Thinking about how I was in freshmen or even junior year really makes the difference clear; I was so timid and afraid of asking anyone for anything, even if both parties would’ve enjoyed it, I was just too anxious. The goal of expression has been a lifelong goal but I’ve stayed resilient. I’ve tried to be more open in how I approach hanging out with people instead of overthinking myself into not enjoying it before I’m even with the other person. On a recent weekend I went out with a smaller group of friends including some I’m not as close with. Previously I would’ve left with a stomach ache from anxiety, but this time I somehow managed to push all that away and enjoy myself in the moment. Lots of past experiences have been only enjoyable in retrospect, once I’m able to forget the intense anxiety and fear that went along with it, but more and more recently I seem to be enjoying things as they’re happening, which I want to do more of heading into college. 

Struggling with anxiety, I’ve always been hypercognizant of the world, even from a young age. I remember consciously choosing to not take any photos of myself in middle school, because I knew looking back on them I would cringe. Except, I didn’t know that I would cringe in the good way. Looking back on the few images I do have is always really fun, because it brings physicality and truth to my very fragmented memories regarding middle school. I know that future me will look back and likely cringe at the pictures I take now, but I try not to let that affect what I do. In the past I’ve been guilty of living in the future, obsessed with how I’d look back on my current (past) self in the future, and I realize now that that was because of how I was brought up. I would always sit with the adults at family gatherings and so that was the only perspective on the world I saw, so I let it shape and mold my actions. However, as I grow older and the illusion of my family members as great people who are always right wears off, I realize that a refusal to live in the present sort of dooms anything I do to be underwhelming. Hopefully at this time next year I’ll have found a group of friends I can be comfortable with at BU, be living true to myself and my experience of queerness, and experiencing life day by day, hour by hour. 


Valerie Chen, 8th period, 04/13/2022

Valerie Chen 

8th period 

04/13/2022

Modern Mythology 2022


Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or nonfiction covered in class.


Our recent reading of “Interview with the Vampire” sparked countless interesting discussions among the class. One specific discussion we had provoked my creativity and analyzing skills. During the scene with the baby crying, I thought it was illustrating that Louis lost all his hope and care for Armand. When you no longer care for an individual, they can’t spark any of your emotions. I also thought the baby may have represented the last hope of Louis’s humanistic beliefs. There are still some human morals and values left because Louis uncontrollably cared for the baby, snatching the moth away and rocking the baby’s crib when she cried. The baby also symbolized a repeat or rebirth. When Louis met Lestat again, he saw a young male vampire living in the house. I thought the vampire resembled Louis at the beginning of the story where like the young vampire he felt the act of vampires to be wrong and cruel. In this chapter, the vampire made it obvious that he didn’t want to be here and watch Lestat do all of those immoral things which was similar to Louis’s attitude in the beginning. 



Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.


During our recent myth class, we talked about the hidden message throughout the book “Interview With The Vampire” in regard to the LGBT community and mental disorders. Living in the era of the author, when both topics were highly rejected and viewed as sins by society, it is a dangerous and yet intelligent way to discuss and present her ideals. The idea of someone risking her life to convey these ideas and messages to society is very inspiring. This again highlighted the hardships the two communities have faced and also made me appreciate even more the era that I was born in to be able to freely express my feelings and thoughts. The end chapters depicting Louis’s mental state, alarmed me of the importance of mental health. Our school has been raising more awareness regarding the issue however, I have not taken it to heart because I haven’t had any relevant experience. But after visualizing how Louis felt throughout the end, it really shifted my perception in regard to mental health. 






How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?


In regard to Louis’s condition at the end, our class agreed that he probably has some kind of mental disorder. My group specifically thought it was depression because of his emptiness and disinterest in all the things he used to find passion in. It raises more awareness about the mental well beings of people which is something our school has been working on. The book also taught me that being immortal is not what we think of it as. There comes so many tradeoffs such as your morals, families, friends, and values. Putting it into perspective now, there are so many things in life you may think are so great and all but when you actually obtain it, it's the complete opposite.

Monday, April 11, 2022

George Athanasopoulos, 4/7/22, PD 1


Socio-Political Consciousness


There are many forms of inequality in the spotlight right now, but the issue of caring for the elderly is one that is looming in the shadows. Simply put, in our modern society we do not provide enough for the elderly community. As of 2019, nearly 16% of the US population is made up of people over the age of 65. That is 54 million people. Thanks to modern medicine, the average life is expected to continue increasing and if we do not change anything with our system, the older generations will stay mistreated and set aside. Tucked away, they are institutionalized and removed from a lot of the joys of their previous life. While this might seem like an unfortunate natural order in the grand order of things, it undermines the hard work, experience, and insight they have. It doesn’t have to be like this.

One of the biggest problems that come with aging is vulnerability. We become prone to increasingly more handicaps whether they be physical or mental- both of which are very costly. Our society, however, does not provide many accessible methods to combat such problems. When there are solutions available, such as nursing homes, they often contain major problems such as lack of social interaction, staffing shortages, and lack of resources. Additionally, treatment options get increasingly more expensive every year making it harder for people to cover them with their saved-up retirement funds. Worst of all, family members cannot always provide their full attention in providing help to elderly members, due to the everyday pressures they have to face themselves. 

I have noticed these issues occur in my own family. My grandmother is currently living in Greece and while lucky to have found a caretaker, many do not have the same opportunity. I hope to work for a future where a larger funded system is put in place to take care of our older generation so that they can continue living a proud life. We have to create a larger incentive for people to work in positions that can aid older generations because just as we can help them, they can help us. We can use them as mentors in different professions and learn from their successes as well as mistakes. Most importantly, I hope we can lie in a future where everyone has access to this care. A future where they can be treated as functioning members of society instead of being ostracized. My hope is that we can take steps forward in creating a more dignified way of life for our elderly. 


Sunday, April 10, 2022

Nikita Erastov, Period 7, 4/11/2022

 Goal Setting & Growth
At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?
As a busy senior year draws to a close, I think that my goals have become less and less serious
for the time being. When writing a blog using this same prompt at the start of the year, I had
several goals that I wanted to accomplish over the course of the year; some of them consisted of
serious things like getting into a good college, and some were minimal like finishing my
homework on time. Nevertheless, I’m glad to say that most of the goals I had set out for myself
have been completed during this time. My main focus was to go to college for as little money as
I could, and now I will be able to go to college for free. I have also slightly corrected my sleep
schedule, which was another goal I had. However, I did not really focus on music as assignments
and applications continued to take up most of my time.
Currently, one of my main goals is to spend as much time with my friends as possible. Although
we more or less know where we will be when autumn comes, things will not be as they are now,
and I am looking forward to a fun summer. I would possibly like to go on a road trip as well,
since I have never been on a real one before.
Another goal of mine is to familiarize myself with Manhattan. It is baffling to me that I have
grown up in New York City for my entire life, but still get confused whenever I exit the train
station in Manhattan. Since I will be going to college in the city, I think it’s best to at least
understand how to maneuver through the streets and avenues in order to not waste time finding
directions. There is also an immense amount of history and activity in Manhattan, so it would be
nice to see what the city fully has to offer.
How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)
If I am unable to spend time with my friends, there are other forms of communication and having
fun. For example, talking often even after high school can help me achieve my goal. Finding a
topic that interests all of us, or a game or show that we can all discuss together can also help to
shape memories if we are unable to see each other. This is probably how we have managed to all
stay friends through the pandemic when actual meetings became scarce. The most important
aspect of resilience when it comes to staying friends with people is commitment from both sides;
if everyone is willing to continue a relationship regardless of the circumstances then there should
be no reason for it to fail.
I’m not sure what challenge could affect my ability to go see the city in person, but a virtual tour
or going on Google Earth will suffice if I am unable to.
How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)
It’s very common for friends to drift after going away for college. I personally know people who
have experienced this drift, yet they seem to be doing just fine. This idea of being okay without
the people you have spent 4 or more years with has a positive affect on my emotions. It makes

me believe that everything happens for a reason, and that my friends and I will be okay wherever
we go in our lives. At the same time, putting in effort to keep those friendships could be valuable
in the future if we choose to reconnect as adults.
Attempting to see most of Manhattan really makes me think about the diversity of the city. Most
people understand that New York City is considered a “melting pot”, but a firsthand experience
of all the different cultures and beliefs can greatly shape my opinion on the city as a whole. As I
go about the city, I plan to acknowledge the differences in the foods, languages, and cultures I
see throughout the different neighborhoods. Understanding the cultural differences between the
neighborhoods allows me to make my own connections relating to my culture. Although this
does mark my insignificance in such a big city, it helps me find similarities between myself and
everyone else living here.

Stanley Chen, Period 8, 4/11/22

Stanley Chen, Period 8, 4/4/22

Literacy & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that
learning influences your critical perception.

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

In class, there was a personal reflection question in Lesson 15 on Interview with a
Vampire which allowed me to confront a nagging conflict I’ve had since around the
holiday break. The question asked, “What is the best way to move on from something
painful...to completely destroy it, or leave it at peace?” Looking back on my response to
other personal reflections, this painfulness is something that doesn’t only affect me. In
fact, it’s thinking about how I affected people which affects me so much.

In middle school, I was a very immature (relative to now) person. I thought constantly
making pushing the envelope with offensive and weird jokes were funny. I would inject
myself into conversations that I didn’t need to be in and it only served to ruin any
possible chance for a meaningful relationship or friendship I could’ve had. I didn’t see
how this pattern of being awkward for the sake of it it was turning people away from
me. Looking back on it, it’s shocking how uncomfortable I might’ve made these people
feel, and it makes me almost as uncomfortable as they might’ve been.

I’m glad to say I’ve grown so much from who I was 5 years ago. I can have serious
conversations with people and realize when to give people the space they need. I went to
my first ever concert 2 weeks ago and noticed in pictures how much more I’ve smiled
since before I went to Tech. Since the 5-minute eye contact exercise we did when Mr.
Liu was a substitute, I’ve been able to become much more natural in conversation. I see
my former classmates and instead of being as petty as I was years ago, I’m glad they’ve
been able to also find joy and optimism in their lives too.

But seeing them also makes me sometimes feel guilty for not taking enough
accountability. Going back to the original question: should I try to destroy and erase
what I did, or just ignore it and leave it at peace? In class, I brought up another option:
mending it. However, mending it could create its own problems. What if they’ve already
been able to move on and come to peace, and all I do is reopen old wounds? Or is this
just an excuse I tell myself so I can give myself the option of leaving it and not having to
address it?

I think even realizing I was able to question myself like this has given me the answer. If I
ever see them again, I’m not afraid to confront my past self since I know those are two
vastly different people. However, I’m also not going to let this phase of my life define me
for the rest of my life. I can move on knowing people no longer treat me the same way
due to how I’ve learned to better treat others.

As a final note for the final blog, I’ve never been a very big fan of writing but I’ve come
to enjoy typing these blogs and seeing my personal growth and introspection
throughout the year. Thank you Ms. Fusaro for constantly encouraging us not just as
students, but as people, to take note of these moments of growth through critique.

Friday, April 8, 2022

Meryam Bnyamin, Period 8, 4/7/2022

Meryam Bnyamin 

4/7/2022

Socio-political Consciousness 

Blog #4

For as long as I can remember, two parts of my identity have been the most defining: my gender and my ethnicity. Growing up as a middle-eastern girl was not ideal, to say the least. In every aspect of my life, I find these two fundamental parts of me following me. Many women who share this with me tend to agree. A couple of weeks ago, my sister had recommended the book  Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi. This book follows the story of a woman named Firdaus who is on death row for murder, and after being silent for so many years, she is ready to tell her story. The book is based on a devastatingly true story that unfortunately reflects on the lives of so many women in the middle east. Reading this book was a startling wake-up call and a reality check on my privileges. I grew up in America, in an environment that is drastically different from where my mother grew up, for example. An average woman in the middle east faces day-to-day oppression that can be difficult to imagine. I find that in western society, this isn’t talked about as much as it should. 

Back to the book, Firdaus has spent her life being abused and assaulted by the men around her. Her retaliation to this was to murder her abuser, which was the only escape from her situation. While her story is heartbreaking, I find there to be moments where her resilience is inspiring. Her ability to push through and find solutions left me in awe. How could someone who had been through the unimaginable gather the courage to share her story? The most awful part is, that there are millions of women like Firdaus. Let’s put the situation in Egypt into perspective. 92% of women in Egypt have experienced genital mutilation. The gathered statistic is that 37% of Arab women have been assaulted or abused, but there's a good chance that number is much, much higher. It is reported that 6 out of 10 victims of assault stay silent, and countries in the Middle East make it difficult to report their situation. This means we have millions of women who share similar stories to Firdaus’. So why does Nawal el Saadawi tell this one specifically? 

For some context, Nawal El Saadawi was a prominent Egyptian feminist author and psychiatrist. Her life had been dedicated to sharing the brutal truth for women in the Middle East, no matter the cost to her. Despite being imprisoned for her writing, there was no topic she shied away from. I couldn’t say I know the exact reason she wrote this book, but I think sometimes it takes something shockingly horrifying for people to open their eyes to the atrocities that exist in the same world as them. A situation doesn’t seem so impossible or uncommon when it's put from an individual perspective. At least, this is the impact the book had on me. I realized the privileges I take for granted. How many opportunities do I have in America that my mother and her mother didn’t have? That I likely wouldn’t have had if my family hadn’t moved? I don’t think women in America have anywhere near the privilege of the average white man, but the reality for women in the Middle East is nowhere near better. In Modern Mythology, we often discuss what it means to be a hero. Women like Nawal El Saadawi, women who share those experiences and overcome them are heroes that deserve more recognition.


Benjamin Cavallaro, Period 6, 03/25/24

  Benjamin Cavallaro, Period 6, 3/25/24 Modern Mythology 2024 Blog #3      Something that’s stuck with me since the start of the school year...