Leonardo Gonzalez, Modern Mythology, 1/7/2021, Period 2, Day A

Leonardo Gonzalez
Modern Mythology
1/7/2021
Period 2

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

My previous goal was to focus on college applications but now that I’m finally done with that I can focus more on school work. My main goal is to make sure that I can maintain my current grades. In order to achieve this goal im gonna have to keep on studying and preparing for each class. I also need to work on my sleep schedule and time management so that I can efficiently study for each class. Accomplishing this goal can also help me with the AP tests that im gonna take in May.

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

In order to achieve this goal, I have been planning out my schedule the day before each class. I want to make sure that I take the time to prepare for each class. I also want to make sure that I’m not overwhelming myself with school work so making a schedule can really help me set aside time to relax. I’m also trying to fix my sleep schedule by sleeping earlier than usual so that I can get at least 8 hours of sleep.

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

I feel like quarantine has really made me lazy. I remember early on in the school year I was struggling to even get out of bed and this made it so I was showing up to class extremely tired. This also makes me less motivated to do my school work. I feel like now that we’re in winter I might get lazier which can hinder the progress I make to achieve my goal.

Abel George, 1/6/21, Pd. 8, Day C

Socio-political Consciousness

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

I think a major issue affecting us today in society is institutionalized racism. Institutionalized racism is racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions, meaning in a way, it is embedded in our society. Institutionalized racism is seen through disparities presented in institutions such as housing, education, and the criminal justice system. By reading online I’ve seen many examples of institutionalized racism in action. For example, racism in housing has been around since the 1930s when the official policy of the HOLC and the FHA identified individuals of color as financial risks regardless of their social class stopping minorities from receiving loans negatively affecting these groups for years. I feel institutionalized racism is a major issue affecting America today and for this reason, we need more discussion on these topics.

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

Our personal beliefs, assumptions, and experiences can create implicit or unconscious biases. Our preconceived notions shape our outlook on others creating this unconscious bias towards other groups. Growing up in a Christian household seeing people practice different religions for the first time came as a surprise to me. This helps me understand why some people become very narrow-minded over time. When you spend your whole life surrounded by people who share the same ideals as you, you aren't exposed to new ways of thinking leading to these unconscious biases. In a way you are in an echo-chamber hearing the same ideas over and over again You begin to perceive things that are different as bad or incorrect. This is why I feel education is very important in breaking these unconscious biases and creating new ways of thinking.

Sarah Hanglow, Modern Mythology, 1/7/2021, Period 2, Day A

Sarah Hanglow 

Modern Mythology 

1/7/2021

Period 2

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

At this point in time I have decided that I am going to try to exercise more. My goal is to go

for a 30 minute walk at least once a day. I have decided to set this goal since it is important

for my mental health to get out of the house regularly. In the past I have found even short

increments of exercise can greatly improve my mood. It also gives me a chance to spend time

with my family away from the distractions that come with being home such as electronics,

and school work.

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

I demonstrate resilience to my goal by setting aside time before dinner everyday from 430-5

that is strictly for walking. Instead of watching television or trying to cram in an extra half

hour of school work today I decided to go for a walk with my dad and my dog. It was

amazing to get fresh air after sitting in front of a screen for the past 2 days.

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

The world around me poses a problem for me achieving this goal since it is becoming colder.

I will respond to this obstacle by layering up when I go out but also being realistic and

allowing myself to take days of during inclement weather. Another obstacle that the world

around me can pose is the urge to relax by watching television. While in the short term that is

more relaxing than going for a walk, walking improves my mood and makes me feel more

accomplished for the day so this is more rewarding in the long run.

Nick Feng, 12/22/2020, Period 5, Day B

 Nick Feng

Modern Mythology

Period 5

12/22/2020

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

    Our most current reading was about the book of revelation. From the reading, I began to understand more about how the religion emphasizes being faithful and trusting that they will be all saved in the end. I admire all the martyrs who have the courage to stand up to their authorities at the time and remain faithful. For them to have faith and sacrifice their lives as examples for others, simply requires tremendous courage in my opinion. For Noah Ark, God wipes out the entire human race and only leaves Noah with his family. I found this a little hard to take in that everyone was wiped out and that only Noah was spared.

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

   These readings have taught me a lot about the Christian religion that I have never learned before. I never understood how their religion has brought them throughout some of their toughest times. From reading the Book of Job to the Revelation, I began to realize that their religion helps them get through tough periods within their lives. The information from the Book of Job teaches me that in life things are often unexpected and out of your control. However, you should remain faithful and trust the process, like how the Christians trust in their God.

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

    What I have learned applies to the world around me in many different ways. From my previous blog post, I talked about how I know things in life may not work in the way I want it to and how I will be resilient to that. These new readings have only built upon that belief of mine. Especially with the college process almost over, I need to trust the process even more. Whatever the results are, I will not stop working hard and will trust that down the road, I will find my place to be.

Dustin Cong, 1/3/21, Period 2, Day A

Dustin Cong

1/3/21

Period 2

Modern Mythology 2021

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

For my blog post today I will be talking about our most recent reading, which is "Introduction to Norse Mythology" by Edith Hamilton. This reading was about how much is lost on Norse Mythology and that it is very different from other types of mythology. The main thing that stood out to me was the idea of heroism. We usually perceive a hero as someone who saves the day, is courageous, and defeats the villain, but the idea in Norse Mythology has some of these ideas like being courageous and brave but it differs greatly because the hero doesn't technically win. The hero has to die, but their true victory is also death. Unlike Greek mythology heroes like Odysseus who needed to overcome obstacles and actually saves his people in the end, triumph in Norse mythology isn't about being the one who saves everyone, but about being someone who faces evil and never yields knowing they will die. The gods and the heroes know of this certain destruction known as Ragnarok yet they keep fighting. 

I also read other stories for the reading like "The Stories of Signy and Sigurd". I noticed in Signy's story there wasn't technically a hero, but the protagonist, Signy, still succeeds with her plans and commits suicide in the end, dying with her husband who she wanted to kill. I didn't really understand the lesson for the story or why she stayed with her husband for so long or the motives behind why her husband wanted to kill her father and her brothers, but I did notice the pattern in many deaths in Norse stories. Like in Signy, the main protagonist who is actually a hero died, but due to a misunderstanding. Sigurd saved Brynhild, but because of jealousy and not understanding the full situation, Brynhild planned Sigurd's death, which resulted in many feeling sorrow and Brynhild killing herself. 

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

I would like to reflect on this idea of Norse Heroism and put this perspective in my own life. Throughout my years in middle school and high school, failure is always something I fear. Failing a test, not making it into a sports team, not being cast the role in a school play, etc. is all something really scary that we don't want to happen, but after reading about Norse Mythology, I'd like to see these "failures" in a new light. I'd like to see each person as their own hero in their own stories and as heroes we should never give up. Even if we know we will fail, we should never yield and try because failure is only when you stop trying. One low test grade shouldn't stop us from trying, but instead push us to keep moving forward and do better on the next one. 

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

I'd like to apply this lesson to something all seniors are going through, which is applying to college. Some may see applying to Ivies and these big-name schools as impossible to get into, but we can't give up. We won't yield to the competition or our own fears because if you don't try you will never know. I'd also like to see not achieving some of the things we want and "failing" as some type of destiny. As heroes in our own lives, we were destined to go on whatever path life puts us on, and not getting into one college or not making it onto a sports team could be the better option. Through the unexpected route, we can find things even better than what we wanted and learn lessons we actually needed. Norse mythology is definitely one of my favorite mythologies we have learned about so far and I will take this idea of being a hero throughout my entire life adventure. 

Ella Espiritu, 12/21/2020, Period 2, Day A

Ella Espiritu

12/21/2020

Period 2

Day A

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

At this point in time, I've made lots of progress on my previous goal of finishing my college apps. But as I rush towards the end of this goal, it's also important for me to keep the rest of my life on track. I've spent a lot of time pushing aside other school work and obligations at home so that I can focus on college apps, and I now realize that this has been detrimental to these other aspects of my life. Even though it is an important goal, I've allowed my anxiety towards my college apps to take up too much of my attention. So my current goal is to balance my work in a way that allows me to complete everything on time. It's healthier to not fixate on a single goal, to make time to complete other work and also enjoy yourself.

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

I've already started to work towards opening my schedule to other things. It's helpful to create a to-do list, to keep track of all my work and prioritize certain assignments. Putting all my due dates into a calendar is also very useful - it helps me figure out how much time I have to complete applications and assignments. I've also been trying to make more time to be with my family, while it's still the holiday season. It's important to ground yourself in things that don't involve work - family, friends, hobbies. Although it would be very difficult to find a perfect balance between every important thing in your life, it's important to try.

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

I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions in the past. But now, as we leave 2020 behind us, I can't help but feel that this is a chance to make positive changes to my life. All around me, I see people trying to maintain a positive attitude towards the new year, and they inspire me to try and take more control over my own life. While there are many factors in the world I can't control, I can try to make a difference for myself and those around me. This past year has also made me grateful for what I do have in life, and I intend to enjoy those blessings for as long as I can. Sometimes, the most we can do is live life one day at a time.

Svetlana Doronkina, 12/22/2020, Period 5, Day B

Svetlana Doronkina

12/22/20
Period 5
Modern Mythology 2021


Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading. 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?


           For my blog post, I will be discussing my thoughts and opinions on our most recent reading - The Book of Revelation. The concept of the apocalypse has always been interesting, and something prevalent in every single religion. The question of whether the world will end in ice or fire sticks. What struck me about this reading in particular is this quote, “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains”, because it is a huge reminder that at the end of the day, we are all the same. If the world really does end in hellfire and despair, money and glory bring us nothing but perhaps harsher judgement in the end. Quite an interesting paradox, if you think about it - most consider success the key to happiness, but just how often is obtaining that success morally right? Not so often nowadays.
        This reading really opened my eyes to the fact that every lesson examined in the Bible and revelations is heavily prevalent in our society even now, and how more often than not, we still haven’t learned our lesson. If the church hadn’t fallen to corruption and decided against twisting the words and meanings behind these great books, I believe that humanity would be doing significantly better from a moral standpoint. I guess we’ll never know. It’s a sad thought, knowing there is so much to learn and grow from in these texts, yet the very idea of religion and conformity to it terrifies people, and rightfully so. Another interesting thought from the reading was the take on innocence and power. “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” speaks to me because the lamb is the one in power, not the tyrant. But can the lamb ever really be the face of God? Extreme acts of cruelty require a high degree of empathy, and to be a leader is to make difficult choices. It’s the wrath of an innocent creature like the lamb that propels a higher power towards action, allowing him free rein in the severity of punishment.
        The metaphor of the lamb brought on the idea of heavenly wrath being provoked only by the suffering of innocents - this thought in particular really solidified my view of religion and how in the same way God is fair and loving, he is decisive and cruel. Why does tragedy have to occur before change does? If the heavens and their ruler stand for good, then why do we all suffer regardless of how faithful we may be? It is unfair from one perspective, but on the other side of things, the Book of Revelation also made me get closer to an understanding of how justifiably unfair life is. We live in a modern world, where there are no angels or prophets to announce what we're doing wrong and how we can attempt to make it right. On that note, it makes complete sense to throw humanity challenges and hope we can help ourselves and learn something if good cannot directly intervene. And at the end of the day, our good deeds need to have noble motivations - we choose to be good not in fear of being smited or punished, but because we can and should be. Each bump along the road is a step towards real growth, and judging by the state of the world and the lack of heavenly intervention we see nowadays, every con is a pro in its own way.