I don't usually involve myself in politics. I'm more of a casual observer. However, I was listening to NPR this morning, and I heard that 5 million people between the ages of 16-25 are attached to neither work nor school. 5 MILLION people just in that age range alone. I also heard about how college educated individuals are having trouble finding jobs not only within their desired field, but just jobs in general. The NPR interviewee pointed out that it's like a game of musical chairs. The "higher ups" get the high-paying executive job with room to move up the ladder, which leaves fewer jobs for college graduates, who in turn take jobs at say, Starbucks, which then leaves fewer jobs for the individuals who would normally be those working in such jobs. So, like in musical chairs when the music stops, there isn't a place for everyone. When there are fewer jobs than people who need jobs, there's obviously a problem. This isn't news to me. I've seen it with my own eyes. So when I get to work and hear someone say the minimum wage shouldn't be raised because people who make minimum wage are those who have made bad life decisions, I had a difficult time keeping my mouth closed. How is that the case when college educated people can't find a job? It is shoved down our throats as Americans that going to school, getting a degree, maybe even getting another degree is the ticket to success. You get your degree, you climb the ladder, you succeed, you live a happy life. That isn't the way it works, though, is it? Sometimes, you get your degree, you try to climb the ladder, and your foot slips right off the second rung.
I hate to end on a sour note, and that's not what I'm trying to do. My point is, don't make sweeping blanket judgements without taking some of the facts into consideration.
End rant.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
Let me take a moment.
April 19, 2014 marks the 19th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. There are tragedies from time to time in the world, each one raising sorrowful feelings in me, but this one was so unexpected and so close to home.I have spent the morning thinking about that day, where I was, what I saw.
I was just a kid when the bombing took place. I had turned six years old in March, just 20 days before the bombing. On that day, I remember seeing little kids like me, some younger even, hurt or confirmed dead. I didn't fully understand what was happening. I only knew that my heart hurt because I couldn't fathom why someone would or could do something so awful to people and children who they didn't even know, who hadn't done anything to deserve what happened to them.
Now, nearly two decades have gone by. I've grown. I've seen hate in the world. But the same hurt remains in my heart. The same lack of understanding lingers because I just can't imagine how someone could be so malicious. We, as a people, as a state, as a nation, even, have rebuilt. We have banded together, cried together, started to heal together, and remembered together, year after year. This year, undoubtedly, will be no different. Though it has been 19 years now, it is fresh in our minds.
As we think back to that day, 19 years ago, we will remember the lives taken, the families affected, the survivors made, the men and women suddenly forced into heroism by their brave actions, and the feelings we felt as we watched the fragile veil of happiness crumble with the building. But let's also remember the incredulous feeling, the complete disbelief that something so awful could have happened. Let us remember the confusion of how such a day, such a cruelty could exist, so that we can remember that there's still good in the world. So that we can remember there is hope.
I was just a kid when the bombing took place. I had turned six years old in March, just 20 days before the bombing. On that day, I remember seeing little kids like me, some younger even, hurt or confirmed dead. I didn't fully understand what was happening. I only knew that my heart hurt because I couldn't fathom why someone would or could do something so awful to people and children who they didn't even know, who hadn't done anything to deserve what happened to them.
Now, nearly two decades have gone by. I've grown. I've seen hate in the world. But the same hurt remains in my heart. The same lack of understanding lingers because I just can't imagine how someone could be so malicious. We, as a people, as a state, as a nation, even, have rebuilt. We have banded together, cried together, started to heal together, and remembered together, year after year. This year, undoubtedly, will be no different. Though it has been 19 years now, it is fresh in our minds.
As we think back to that day, 19 years ago, we will remember the lives taken, the families affected, the survivors made, the men and women suddenly forced into heroism by their brave actions, and the feelings we felt as we watched the fragile veil of happiness crumble with the building. But let's also remember the incredulous feeling, the complete disbelief that something so awful could have happened. Let us remember the confusion of how such a day, such a cruelty could exist, so that we can remember that there's still good in the world. So that we can remember there is hope.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Lunar Chronicles- Marissa Meyer
It seems I have gotten a little ahead of myself. I have a few books I want to "review," but I'll do one at a time, I think.
In April, the library where I work had a Scholastic Book Fair, where I came across a series of books called The Lunar Chronicles. I was previously unaware of this series but was intrigued by the first book's cover. (Yes, I judged a book by its cover. Shame on me.) The first book is called Cinder, and the second book is called Scarlet. The series is written by Marissa Meyer and contains only these two books as of this post, with two more books set to be released in 2014 and 2015.
It seems like always before I have been late to the bandwagon, catching series once they've already been completed. (Harry Potter may be an exception to that. I may have suffered through the anticipation of waiting for book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.) However, The Lunar Chronicles are still in the process of being written and released. I won't know what to do with myself, having to wait for the completion of the series! I finished the first two books, and I want to know what happens next.
Basically, Cinder is the classic Cinderella story, with a major spin. Cinder is a cyborg -mostly human, with some electronic modifications- and is living in New Beijing, the fictitious city that replaced Beijing after the fourth world war. The story takes place sometime in the future, where cyborgs, androids, and flying cars are all commonalities.The story sticks close enough to the Cinderella fairytale to make it recognizable as such, but it's also different enough to keep from being tired or played out. I figured out pretty early on how things were going to go down, for the most part, and that was a little disappointing. I am, after all, an adult reading books meant for children/teens, though. Plus, it didn't keep me from wanting to continue reading.
The characters are fairly well-developed. Meyer does a good job of letting the reader experience Cinder's emotions: her identity battle (Cyborg? Human? Neither?), her love for Peony, her friendship and affection toward Iko (her sassy android), and her hidden feelings for Prince Kai. She allows the reader to know the characters' feelings through her descriptions of them, without always using dialogue, which is difficult to achieve. It's easy to know how a character feels by making the character say it directly. Meyer does through her descriptions of the characters' actions.
Moving on to Scarlet, the second book introduces a new set of characters, and a new story similar to that of Little Red Riding Hood. I have to say, I was quite impressed with how well the characters from the two books are woven together in Scarlet. The characters aren't just dumped together awkwardly or in an obvious way that makes you go "duh." They are neatly blended together in a way that makes sense, so that after it's done, it paints an exciting picture of two stories that have become one intricate story. I was also impressed with Meyer's ability to keep a complicated story simple, since the interweaving of the two stories means two individual story lines in addition to the story line created by the combination of the original two. Also, neither Cinder's story or Scarlet's story is neglected in order to tell the other. It's a perfect balance of the two.
I won't go into much detail about Scarlet because I don't want to give anything from either book away. Of course, Scarlet is in search of her grandmother, as the classic story goes, and she meets Wolf along the way. Things aren't quite as simple as the well-known fairytale, though.
I look forward to reading the next book, Cress, once it is released in 2014, and I recommend these reads.
In April, the library where I work had a Scholastic Book Fair, where I came across a series of books called The Lunar Chronicles. I was previously unaware of this series but was intrigued by the first book's cover. (Yes, I judged a book by its cover. Shame on me.) The first book is called Cinder, and the second book is called Scarlet. The series is written by Marissa Meyer and contains only these two books as of this post, with two more books set to be released in 2014 and 2015.
It seems like always before I have been late to the bandwagon, catching series once they've already been completed. (Harry Potter may be an exception to that. I may have suffered through the anticipation of waiting for book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.) However, The Lunar Chronicles are still in the process of being written and released. I won't know what to do with myself, having to wait for the completion of the series! I finished the first two books, and I want to know what happens next.
Basically, Cinder is the classic Cinderella story, with a major spin. Cinder is a cyborg -mostly human, with some electronic modifications- and is living in New Beijing, the fictitious city that replaced Beijing after the fourth world war. The story takes place sometime in the future, where cyborgs, androids, and flying cars are all commonalities.The story sticks close enough to the Cinderella fairytale to make it recognizable as such, but it's also different enough to keep from being tired or played out. I figured out pretty early on how things were going to go down, for the most part, and that was a little disappointing. I am, after all, an adult reading books meant for children/teens, though. Plus, it didn't keep me from wanting to continue reading.
The characters are fairly well-developed. Meyer does a good job of letting the reader experience Cinder's emotions: her identity battle (Cyborg? Human? Neither?), her love for Peony, her friendship and affection toward Iko (her sassy android), and her hidden feelings for Prince Kai. She allows the reader to know the characters' feelings through her descriptions of them, without always using dialogue, which is difficult to achieve. It's easy to know how a character feels by making the character say it directly. Meyer does through her descriptions of the characters' actions.
Moving on to Scarlet, the second book introduces a new set of characters, and a new story similar to that of Little Red Riding Hood. I have to say, I was quite impressed with how well the characters from the two books are woven together in Scarlet. The characters aren't just dumped together awkwardly or in an obvious way that makes you go "duh." They are neatly blended together in a way that makes sense, so that after it's done, it paints an exciting picture of two stories that have become one intricate story. I was also impressed with Meyer's ability to keep a complicated story simple, since the interweaving of the two stories means two individual story lines in addition to the story line created by the combination of the original two. Also, neither Cinder's story or Scarlet's story is neglected in order to tell the other. It's a perfect balance of the two.
I won't go into much detail about Scarlet because I don't want to give anything from either book away. Of course, Scarlet is in search of her grandmother, as the classic story goes, and she meets Wolf along the way. Things aren't quite as simple as the well-known fairytale, though.
I look forward to reading the next book, Cress, once it is released in 2014, and I recommend these reads.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Suspect- Robert Crais
So, as it turns out, I'm really not the blogging type. I certainly thought I
could keep a relatively up-to-date blog, but obviously I cannot. I do like the idea of writing
about books I've read, though, so here goes:
I just finished reading Suspect by Robert Crais. The book is about a physically and emotionally wounded military dog (Maggie) and police officer (James Scott) who wind up as an LAPD K9 duo when both lose their partners. The story is wrought with emotion as both try to recover from their loss and find companionship, trust, and comfort in one another, all while trying to solve the mystery of who killed Scott's partner nine months earlier. As the story unfolds, so does the relationship between dog and man. Scott and Maggie become closer and more dependent on one another.
I thought the book was well-written. I could really tell that Crais had done his research.Crais delicately blends dog facts into the story,which lends credibility to the story without making you feel like you've picked up a scientific text on canines. The book is action-packed without being over-the-top or unbelievable, but also has lovely heartwarming moments to soften the intensity of it all at just the right time. This book is especially great for animal lovers. To read about the amazing bond between man and dog is nice, but to pair that with the canine skills you witness as a reader is extraordinary.
I would recommend this read.
I just finished reading Suspect by Robert Crais. The book is about a physically and emotionally wounded military dog (Maggie) and police officer (James Scott) who wind up as an LAPD K9 duo when both lose their partners. The story is wrought with emotion as both try to recover from their loss and find companionship, trust, and comfort in one another, all while trying to solve the mystery of who killed Scott's partner nine months earlier. As the story unfolds, so does the relationship between dog and man. Scott and Maggie become closer and more dependent on one another.
I thought the book was well-written. I could really tell that Crais had done his research.Crais delicately blends dog facts into the story,which lends credibility to the story without making you feel like you've picked up a scientific text on canines. The book is action-packed without being over-the-top or unbelievable, but also has lovely heartwarming moments to soften the intensity of it all at just the right time. This book is especially great for animal lovers. To read about the amazing bond between man and dog is nice, but to pair that with the canine skills you witness as a reader is extraordinary.
I would recommend this read.
Friday, December 2, 2011
I read, therefore I am.
I just had this amazing idea! This would be an excellent place for me to keep track of the books I have read! I could make comments on my thoughts about it, write summaries, or simply say "hey, Kiley. Don't forget you read this book" because when I try to think of books that I have read and loved, my brain has a tendency to go blank, which I loathe entirely (to quote the Grinch). So, that's what I'll do! I'll turn this otherwise useless blog into a reading log. Now THIS is going to be fun.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Snow day(s)
Over the course of the last two weeks we have had several "snow days." This is actually more snow than I think I have ever seen in my whole 21 years of life. There were a few days when leaving the house was an impossibility, and I thought that I would go crazy. Then when things started to clear out, I started thinking that I like just staying in the house, and I got severely anxious when I thought about returning to school. I even think I might miss looking outside and seeing nothing but white. It's just funny how that goes. I am a creature of habit; once I've adapted to a new routine, it's hard to start all over again even if it's going back to the "norm."I know it's silly, but that's just me. There's no point in being afraid of change because there's nothing you can do to stop it. Besides, Barack Obama says it's time for a change ;)
Live it and be blessed,
Ki
Edit:
It's about five minutes later. I just happened to listen to this song. Sam Cooke was looking forward to change. See? Change isn't all bad! *yes, I'm talking to myself* Change can bring wonderful things like freedom and equality. Right on.
Edit:
It's about five minutes later. I just happened to listen to this song. Sam Cooke was looking forward to change. See? Change isn't all bad! *yes, I'm talking to myself* Change can bring wonderful things like freedom and equality. Right on.
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