Family Reunion by Sylvia Plath

Family Reunion

Jim White at a Mexican Celebration

"Fat always, and out of breath, A greasy smack on every cheek From Aunt Elizabeth; There, that's the pink, pleased squeak Of Cousin Jane, out spinster with The faded eyes And hands like nervous butterflies; While rough as splintered wood Across them all Rasps the jarring baritone of Uncle Paul; The youngest nephew gives a fretful whine And drools at the reception line.


Like a diver on a lofty spar of land Atop the flight of stairs I stand. A whirlpool leers at me, I cast off my identity And make the fatal plunge."

Connection:


In the poem "Family Reunion," Sylvia Plath highlights common stereotypes of certain family members. Many of us can relate to the characters she has described because they exist in our very own families. This poem is identical to one of my favourites scenes from the movie "McFarland." The movie is based off a true story and it involves building a team of young Mexican cross country runners, coached by Jim White. After a great victory, one of the families hold a celebration and invite their coach to their latina dinner. The coach is different from the rest of his athletes because he is a caucasian from New York whereas McFarland consists of strictly Mexican families. In the poem, Sylvia Path says, "Rasps the jarring baritone of Uncle Paul," and "I cast off my identity." In this scenario, Jim White puts his differences aside and joins the celebration of the family. The family welcomes him as the raspy uncle as he takes part in their family dinner. Jim White adapts himself to their culture and he makes himself content by doing so. However, in the poem Sylvia Plath states the line, "I cast off my identity," with a negative connotation. She is forced to hide her personal self so that she can adjust to her family reunion and their typical stereotypes. She emphasizes this verse, making it almost sound like it's the last of her. It's evident that she is hiding herself, but she simply has no choice but to cope with her family. In this connection, Jim White alters his preferences so that he can be a part of the Mexican culture. He enjoys putting his differences aside, however his attitude greatly contrasts to Sylvia Plath's true intentions.

Letter to your Grade 9 Self

Dear Young Blood,             



              So much has passed and you have a lot on your plate. But I’m going to give you a couple of pointers that you can use to ease your way through high school while having the time of your life. First of all, just do your thing. Don’t let anybody get in your way. If you have homework to do but also a friend’s birthday party to attend, prioritize your homework. Don’t slack off because it will come bite you later on. Remember that education is a privilege and you should be thankful for it. Education is your weapon to do great things in this world and don’t let anybody stop you from conquering your goals. Keep your grades up because it will greatly benefit you. I know you’ll stay on top of your game, so just continue doing what you’re doing. I know that you’ve been stressed because of the overload in schoolwork, but trust me there’s way more headed your way. You’ll experience some sleepless, drowsy nights but it will all pay off young blood. Hard work will never fail you. You have my word. Don’t even think of choosing the easy way out because karma does exist. Apart from academics, keep up with your sports and stay active. Finding a balance to your life is essential, so don’t start getting lazy like your grade 12 self. Maintain your fitness and continue doing track and field. Don’t miss out on any sporting activity because of something that may seem important to you. Your athleticism and determination will pay off. Don’t worry about making new friends because it will all just settle on its own. Stick with your Thomas L. Wells boys and get through your high school journey together. You’re going to meet some interesting people in your life. Once you meet these guys you will grow a special bond with them. Cherish the bond you have with your friends because it is truly a blessing. Your friends will help you get through high school and will certainly relieve some of the stress you’ve been carrying. Always aim to make our parents proud and don’t forget to make them smile. Your small actions mean a lot to them so continue being the good young boy that you’ve always been. As your older self, I regret not volunteering as much because I thought I didn’t have the time. Don’t make the same mistake I did because your community involvement will come clutch on your resume and for your grade 12 year. Remember to always lend a helping hand. We are given the privilege to live a stable life so appreciate it and take the time to spread the love. Helping others through volunteer services so that you are somehow giving back to the community. Have strong faith because God will always be by your side when you do the good. Whatever positive path you choose in life, God will always be with you. Just follow your good will and you’ll start to realize the pattern in your life. Just do your thing, and don’t let anybody ruin that.                                                                                                                                                  

Much Love,   Thevagar 

                                                                                                                                                                 

Three Future Goals

3 Future Goals 

1) Satisfy my parents through my success

2) Travel the world and be adventurous

3) Raise two golden retrievers


Satisfying my parents through my achievements is the most important future goal that I have set for myself. In fact, I would categorize this as a lifetime goal. There will never be a day where I will be able to fully repay my parents for all that they have done for our family. Parents put in a great amount of effort into supporting their kids so that they can grow up living a happy life. My parents give it their all so that we don’t experience the struggles that they went through while growing up. They do the most they can so that we can grow onto being successful individuals. The greatest way I can possibly repay them would be making them proud and happy at all times. Simply getting good grades, helping them out or even taking responsibility for ourselves are gestures that would definitely put a smile on their faces. They want us to develop into the best people we could possibly be and I will definitely live up to that and aim to fulfill their wishes. The most interesting part is that they don’t let their hardships leak. They never let us feel their pain because they don’t want us to be distracted. This motivates me to always push myself to do better, so that I can relieve some of their stress by making them fulfilled and happy. At this point in my life, my aim is get into a great university that supports my program of interest and graduate with a degree. From that point on, I will have decided what I truly want to do with my life. The success that is earned and the achievements accomplished would definitely satisfy and please my parents. To tell you the truth, seeing them smile makes my day as well because it pushes me to achieve greater things in this world. It eliminates any barriers allowing me to conquer anything that I put my mind towards.  With that being said, satisfying my parents by achieving success is a goal that I work towards every single day.

Is social media a barrier to meaningful communication? Is it a shallow means of communicating?

To speak the truth, I do not think social media is a barrier to meaningful communication. Social media sometime helps individuals express themselves in their unique way. This allows us to get a taste of everyones personality. Some individuals tend to be more expressive through social media, hence establishing profound means of communication. Through pictures that individuals post or tweets that they tweet, one can identify the message that is being presented or even simple characteristics of that person. Social media also allows individuals to share common interests and thoughts. People who are active on social media can connect to each other  much more faster because they are able to identify their similar interests. In addition, individuals are given the opportunity to step away from their timid side and present what's truly on their mind. It is not a shallow means of communicating because individuals get pretty deep and passionate about what they share on social media. This passion usually spills on to others and potentially causing a movement. I do believe that behind a screen, one would feel more comfortable to express their thoughts because there is less room to be judged. However, social media is not a barrier to meaningful communication because it allows for an individual to bring out what is deeply hidden within themselves.

 

Photos of food I have eaten

Simply Delicious.

Thankful.

Half-Eaten Regino's Pepperoni Slice 

Thanksgiving Waffle 

Spinach Mac n' Cheese 

Banana and Nutella Crepe 

Lamb Shank w/ Zucchini Risotto 

What is the best choice or decision you ever made?

At this particular moment, I think that coming to Saint John Paul II was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.  More specifically, taking part in the pre-IB program. Choosing the correct high school was definitely a decision that I had to be careful about because I knew it would shape me into the young man I would become. I wanted myself to be around the right people and in a safe environment. Getting through my four years of high school with comfort, satisfaction and joy was my goal since the very beginning. I think its safe to say that I have fulfilled my short term goal and I am honestly grateful. Coming to Saint John Paul II, opened many doors for me. Through academics, sports and meeting interesting people I have learned so much more about my true self. I do believe this is one of the best decisions that I have made because it gave me some ease in my grade 12 year. Enrolling in the pre IB program allowed me to take some grade 11 courses in my grade 10 year.  This led me to fast track some grade 12 courses in my junior year, thus giving me more freedom and lenience in my senior year. I was able to choose a variety of courses without worrying about any course overload. I wouldn't of been able to do these course selections without the pre IB program. Apart from academics, Pope gave me the opportunity to make amazing friends, whom I will always cherish. It made me realize that the bond between true brothers can never be broken. I've grown so close to my brothers and I thank God everyday for this wonderful blessing. Ultimately, coming to Saint John Paul II made me into the young man I am today. Although Pope has its wonders, nobody will ever know the secrets that lie within it, unless you are a panther.

Open Topic: New Photo Radar Legislation

"The Liberal government intends to introduce legislation that would give municipalities the power to introduce photo radar technology in school and community safety zones, which takes pictures of the licence plates of speeding cars. (Michel Aspirot/CBC)"

Kathleen Wynne announces a new photo radar legislation for Ontario. This is certainly a great idea because it would definitely deter speeders and cut some slack for police officers. These new photo radars are specifically said to be placed in school zones and in areas around places like daycares, parks, seniors' homes and hospitals. Parents and kids would feel safer because of these decisions. If this legislation passes, municipalities would be allowed  to use automated speed technology to take photos of speeders' licence plates. In my opinion, I strongly believe this is a great idea because it protects the fears of most parents. Parents most definitely want their kids to
be in a safe environment. Kids often walk/run across streets without being very observant. These photo radars would certainly make a statement by reducing any careless drivers. Kathleen Wynne also announced that the default speed limit would be reduced to 30km/h around these places. This would change driver behaviour and cause them to be more attentive. If this legislation is successful, it would definitely startle nearby residents and drivers.


Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/photo-radar-kathleen-wynne-1.3841356

List of 10 Things That Make Me Happy

Top 10

1) Playing Sports 

2) Solving a complicated physics problem

3) Lending a helping hand 

4) A double Big Mac™ with extra Mac™ sauce 

5) Sleeping

6) Finding a shirt that fits you just right 

7) Seeing my parents smile 

8) Coming home to my energetic dog 

9) A relaxing late night drive with some nice breeze 

10) When the waiter forgets to charge you at Allstars™

How did you get your name?

How did I get my name?

I'm 100% sure my name was chosen through the tamil numerical system of names. For those of you who aren't familiar with this, it is a system of numbers used to find out which letters are most suitable for you, with respect to your date of birth. Some letters are also identified as "bad luck." Anyways, my birth name was actually different from my present name. At birth, my parents decided to name me 'Nirojhan' because they wanted to follow the 'N' streak. Most of my older cousins, have their names starting with 'N' so my parents decided to continue the tradition. However, two years pass by, and they decide to change my name. They came to this decision because they thought that my name sounded too familiar to my brothers name. They couldn't live with it. This is when my grandmother came into play. She had always disliked my original name. She came up with the thought of having my new name start with the letter "T." According to the tamil numerical system of names, the letter 'T' was suitable for me. And out of the bang, came THEVAGAR. According to my parents, my name refers to the sun. In our religion the sun is a ritual symbol that connects us to God. My parents then agreed to this idea and went ahead with going through the process of changing my name. The interesting part is that now I have two birth certificates and SIN numbers, but that's none of my business.

Childhood

Reminisce about a time...

A time in my life that I really miss is my childhood. The part of my childhood that I really miss is that fact that nobody says anything when you do something wrong. They will rub it off their shoulders because you are a little kid. For example, I used to steal candy from a cousin of mine.  My cousin would obviously get upset so he would rat to his parents. His parents wouldn’t say much to me because I was a “little kid” and I didn’t know any better. A moment like that is what I truly miss because it can only happen at one point in your life.  As a kid you won’t even realize that you must make the most out of your childhood because you only realize that when you are older.  

"Don't worry, be happy." 

In addition, I had the freedom to go wherever I wanted. Obviously it had to be walking/biking distance, but I still had plenty of opportunities to go outside and hang around with my kid gang. We used to always meet at this one kid’s house which we called our treehouse. From there on, we would go on biking adventures, jump peoples fences or just chill at our community park. We could rebel so much and yet people won’t mind because we were just little kids. If we tried to jump people’s fences now, I’m pretty sure owners would call the cops thinking we were going to rob them.  The fun part about our childhood is that we had no worries at all. We lived life to the fullest because there were no girl problems or homework. It was simply play all day.

What’s better than a life with no worries and extreme adventures with your closets pals; I wonder.

                

TV Shows

Hands down, Suits is one of the best shows to follow. I haven’t been a tv show enthusiast until last year where a friend recommended me to start following some shows.  I used to believe that it was simply a waste of time and that there are other important things to worry about. But, I had nothing to lose, so I went ahead and gave it try.  After 1 episode, I was hooked. These modern tv shows do an excellent job at keeping their audiences so intrigued. It’s almost like a drug. It is actually very addicting because of the urge to find out what is set to happen in the next episode. To be honest, because of these shows, I’m starting to function with little to no sleep.

Suits 

Anyway, Suits is an amazing show that I started following this year. The roles of the characters almost inspire you to be like them. For example Mike Ross, one of the lead characters in the series, is a former drug dealer who is incredibly intelligent.  Without going to law school, or any school for that matter, he accidently earned an associate position at a law firm. In reality, there is absolutely no chance of that happening. That’s what keeps the audiences so intrigued because they want to know the life of this former drug dealer, the problems he will face and how he changes/develops throughout the show.

All I have to say is, these shows are so interestingly unreal but directors still manage to catch and hold our attention. 

The Blue Bird

Who you are

The Blue Bird highlights the aspect of hiding the truth within ourselves while displaying what society teaches us to be.  Many individuals struggle to express themselves because they believe that their fit to society isn’t quite right. They believe that being different or being their own person is not accepted by the people around us. To tell you the truth, there are individuals who will judge you for who you are. This judgement starts to become the basis of our lives as we start to grow into the person we never wished to be.  Our search for happiness may end right here because it can only be sought by being true to who you really are and what you truly love to do. 

In the poem Charles Bukowski writes, “There’s a bluebird in my heart; that wants to get out; but I'm too tough for him.” These lines can definitely be related to a personal level. I was a grade 2 student at my new elementary school. I noticed that all the older cool kids at my school would dress a particular way.  As a kid who noted a lot of things, I thought that the way they dressed made them cool. Each and every one of them was wearing baggy jeans tucked into their socks and large shirts that hung to their knees.  As a grade 2 student, I wanted to be cool too. I started wearing some massive jeans tucked into my socks, rocked some nice shirts that could fit my uncle, and those bootleg Timberlands from Payless. To be honest, I thought I was starting to fit in with the people around me and I certainly did. The only thing missing was myself. Buried in these XL sizes, I knew that this wasn’t me. I didn’t have to wear my clothes in a particular way to be cool. Staying true to who you are is what makes us cool. But as a kid, I didn’t know any better and followed the older kids anyway. This eventually grew onto me, but I didn’t let it change my inner self. The only thing that changed is the way I appeared to others.  In today’s culture individuals get lost in their “search” for the correct version of themselves. The correct version of you is the one that comes most naturally. That is in fact 100% you.  

Iphone 7 Headphone Jack...Where did it go?

#NewUsesForWiredHeadphones

"Listen to nothing" #NewUsesForWiredHeadphones

To be honest, I was looking forward to the release of Apple's Iphone 7 because their previous model was quite a banger and I was interested to see some new added features. Although the device has some newly added specs and an interesting software update, I'm still concerned about their wireless headphone idea. It is actually surprising to see Apple take a whole new approach to their innovation of technology. The Bluetooth "AirPods" that replaced the wired headphones, may not be as convenient. First of all, consumers have to pitch in an extra $159.00 plus tax, for these little pods that hang in your ear. They will most definitely look awkward in your ear, causing people to give you a double take. Most importantly, it is so easy to misplace these pods because they are quite small. There goes another $159.00 plus tax. That's certainly a smart approach by Apple. Easy money. However, Apple does ship out a 3.5mm adapter which is wired to a set of headphones. On the bright side, the charging cable and headphones go in the same hole : ), but on the dark side, you cant listen to music and charge your device at the same time.  Maybe Apple does not want their headphones to be used on other devices or they're trying to keep the design of the Iphone as simple as possible. Anyhow, this new approach is breathtaking for consumers who are interested in this device as they have to consider some of these new options.

What do we owe others?

What do we owe others?

To be honest, in any type of relationship the truth is something t

"Be you, be true."

hat should be owed or shared between two individuals. Lack of truth affects the quality of a relationship because something is always holding us back. We would have second guesses in what we say or do. The significant other deserves to know what's truly running through one's mind because the relationship is mutual. Both individuals must benefit from the relationship and they have the right to know what the other is thinking.

Not only in romantic relationships, but even in relationships involving our parents or teachers, the truth must be spoken. Expressing our true thoughts to our parents or teachers gives us opportunities to fix our mistakes and become more successful. Correct communication is critical because we can understand one another and overcome problems. Although we may hesitate to speak what's on our mind, it is the best way to feel relieved and to avoid future chaos.


What does this man owe his girlfriend? Is he a bad person?

The man in the poem certainly owes his girlfriend his true opinion and/or thoughts. "...you gave me everything you had and I offered you what was left of me...." It is evident that his girlfriend is putting a greater amount of effort into the relationship. The man sounds as if he is forced to give back to his girlfriend. I believe that there is something holding him back from giving his all. He seems to appreciate and cherish the moments he has with his girlfriend, but there's something in his mind that is pushing him away. In my opinion, I don't think he is a bad person. Although he owes the truth to his significant other, he is scared to open up and tell her what is running through his mind. He may have some issue involving family, friends etc, which is causing him to end his relationship.  Some individuals have troubles opening up and speaking their mind. The only way to avoid complications is to talk it out and exchange the truth with each other.

The man definitely respects his girlfriend. Instead of hurting her by using the knife, he should talk to her and clear things up. If he finds the need to end his relationship, he should talk to her beforehand and explain himself.  Why end a relationship when the feelings are mutual?