Nirvana

The Band is booking more and more shows and trying to get signed by any company, desperate for a record deal. Kurt finally after much thought decides the name of their band that will stick with them till his death (Kurt had gotten in the habit of changing the name every show, even once going under the name skid row). The book is getting more interesting cause I like to hear more about the band and less about Kurt being anti-social which the author stresses way too much. I get it. It's fun to piece together information to see whats going to happen next cause I already know a lot about the band. Plus the stories about the band actually relate to the plot. My overall opinion keeps on changing when reading this book, and I'm still figuring out if I like it or not. I have a feeling that his drug usage will become a huge part of the book considering it was a big factor in his whole life and contributed to his death.

Again and Again

After reading more of Heavier Than Heaven it seems like this book is repeating itself a lot. Kurts getting deeper and deeper into drug use. He is still switching houses and trying to find places to live. Kurt can't even find a stable job because he wont do anything that takes too much effort. His band still has trouble making decisions on how they're going to run things and what songs they are going to play. I'm sure that Kurts life was much more detailing than this book, but then again he wasn't alive to help write it, like Anthony Kiedis and Scar Tissue which i also read. The book hasnt ceased to entertain me entirely, but it will soon unless an important event happens soon.

the troubles continue

Kurt dropped out of Weatherwax high school and now he is living on his own in an apartment. For a brief moment Kurt is in the band called "Fecal Matter" (his first band) and records his first tape. This is a big step for Kurt and his music Career. However, after breaking some house rules he is kicked out of jesse's house. Kurt has many incidents with the police and his substance abuse and is thrown in jail for a week. All these events lead to the break up of the band. Later Krist confronts Kurt about joining together in a band. I am excited to read what happens. Still, I wonder how Nirvana actually became the Nirvana everyone knows. Thats the main reason why I'm reading this book. Another reason why this book interests me is because I didn't really know much about Kurts personal life and I wanted to infer why he committed suicide. The book seems to be slowing down and I am anxious to read about his later years.

post 50

My Reflection:
I cannot help myself, but i can keep on seeing myself to be very similar to Kurt. It really helps me understand the story from his perspective, which others may pass over because it is easy to take his actions in the wrong light. Which I am guilty of a couple of times. He moved in with the Reed's (a family whos close to the cobains) where he really starts to pick up his guitar more. Mr. Reed was in a band with Kurt's uncle so Kurt, Jesse and Krist get to use his equipment. This relates to my life a lot because my friend, Evan, had told me that his Dad was in a band before, and we started using his equipment. Finally Evan and Me formed a band and we have our first gig in a month and a cd release soon after that. That's how i envision Kurt and his band starting to form. First of all He meets Krist Novoselic for the first time and they jam (the soon to be bassist of Nirvana). I can already see the relationships forming and how Nirvana turned out as it is.

Dear Kurt

Dear Kurt,
The more and more I read about your life, the more and more I think about how we are so alike. When reading excerpts from your diary it seemed like those would be exactly my thoughts. Even though some things I felt connected to, there were some things that are totally different. Your connection to your parents is not good at all. You never see your dad anymore and your mom cannot stop yelling. I can see the reasons for your moods, decisions to use drugs, and social problems. While most people think your childhood problems is the main cause that you committed suicide, I believe there is a different reason. You said as a kid, bragging to your school mates, that you were going to become a famous rockstar and go out to be remembered forever. Thats exactly what you did. You did it just because you wanted to prove them wrong, and put your demons to rest, persay, in a state of 'Nirvana'.

Heavier Than Heaven

my reflection:
I already knew a lot about kurt cobain's life from his music and articles i have read on him but this book gave me a lot more information to understanding his life. Kurts family is impoverished and his parents are divorced because they did not get along. This was difficult because Kurt had to pretty much choose which parent he wanted to be with, so he chose his dad. However later into his childhood Kurt resented that decision and he embarrased his dad during a wrestling match in which he lets the other team win. His mom and new boyfriend fought a lot so his mom didnt want Kurt staying at her house. So Kurt was forced to stay with his other relatives for many years. He hated his parents. Kurt had a received a guitar earlier from his dad that he absolutely loved, but it was merely to show off then, not a guitar you want to play. So one day at his uncles house Kurt began listening to his uncles band and he later took lessons from their guitarist. His uncle found him a new guitar which he could actually learn on and he was hooked right away. I think this is the beginning of Kurts musical career. Kurt had been writing poems for most of his childhood and now he could start writing real music.

OR choice

I chose Heavier than Heaven by Charles R. Cross for my OR reading book this quarter. I decided to choose this book because my friend evan read it and recommended it to me, knowing i was also a kurt cobain fan. Also i feel like it will be similar to the book Scar Tissue which is about Anthony Kiedis, the singer for RHCP, who also had problems with drugs.

last week of quarter 3!!

A
vocab
interminable (150) = incapable of being terminated; unending
phlegm (153) = the thick mucus secreted in the respiratory passages and discharged through the mouth

Figurative Language
".. and little fingers like sausages." - similie, uses like or as (146)
"I thought of the way the sunlight danced in Soraya's eyes," - Personification, gives sunlight human characteristics (149)
", sunlight winking in their windshields" - personification, again sunlight is given human characteristics. (174)

quote
"Lying awake in bed that night i thought of Soraya Taheri's sickle-shaped birthmark, her gently hooked nose, and the way her luminous eyes had fleetingly held mine. My heart stuttered at the thought of her. Soraya Taheri. My Sap Meet Princess." (142) - Amir has finally found the woman he believes is right for him. This is important because he hasnt felt this way for a girl before. He is going to get married to her and this will make a big change in his life.

theme : life moves on.
Amir has been through many hardships throughout his life and he has forgotten the past and moved on to bigger and better things like getting married to Soraya.


B
Dear Amir,
I am glad you are starting to make something of your life. All of your child values are gone and you are becoming a man. You have found a beautiful wife named Soraya and i am looking foreward to see what happens next with that.i am curious about your past however and if Hassan is going to reurn. It seems as though he never existed because not much is mentioned about him now. I also see that your developing a better relationship with you father, but at the same time you are becoming more independent. Baba seems to be more of a guide and less of a parent now that you are getting older. He knows you can take care of yourself. There is still a lot left to read for your story and i hope its more interesting as the first half.
sincerely,
matt

the kite runner again

A
dissertations (125) - a long treatise; thesis
cardamom (134) - seed capsules of a tropical asian plant of the ginger family

"the gun roared." (116) personification; a gun cant roar, but a human can
"I wanted to reach out with my hands, crush the air into little pieces. stuff them down my windpipe" (122) imagery; the author wants the reader to feel like they cant breathe and this decribes it very well
"the wail turned into a throat-ripping screech." (124) imagery; khaled is describing how heart wrenching and deafening the yell was

Quote: "Kamal's father shoved the barrel in his own mouth. I'll never forget the echo of that blast. Or the flash of light and the spray of red." (124) - Amir has just witnessed a father commit suicide when his son dies because he cannot breath. This was the most exciting part of the chapter that i think will effect him later.

Theme: the theme that keeps on coming back is "its better to tell the truth be forgiven than lie and keep it pent up inside you" - this effects amir because he lost his friend and servant. baba also lost his servant and long time friend. Even though the two are closer than ever, they seem to be drifting father and farther apart.

B
Amir,
remember when i told you that you had to tell him before it was too late? well, now it is too late. Hassan left with his father and it doesnt seem like you will see him again. However now i feel sympathetic for you because you had to leave your hometown, Kabul. The russians are rude and unfair. You and Baba were wise to escape or else you mightve been killed. Now that you are in america everything is different from life before and you need to adapt to that. The u.s. is a serious country with serious laws, and you and your father will have to learn that. I wish you just told someone about hassan so at least you would have a true friend at your side to get you through these hardships.

outside reading continued

A
-Shahnamah (pg 87) - referred to as "The Book of Kings" . It's an large poetic book written by Ferowsi around 1000CE and is a popular book of the Persian speaking world.
- ambled (pg 90) - to go at a slow, easy pace

-(pg 84) "Kaka Homayoun's white, two-story house in Jalalabad had a balcony overlooking a large, walled garden with apple and persimmon trees." - imagery
-(pg 91) "The laundry hanging on clotheslines in their yards stirred by the breeze to dance like butterflys" - similie; uses like or as
-(pg 100) "People cheered, burst into applause with each crackle and whoosh." - imagery

B
Dear Amir,
I know you have a lot of pressure on you about the class differences, but i think you need to tell someone what you saw. You can't keep that kind of secret inside forever. Just because Hassan is your servant doesn't mean you have to treat him as a lesser. You've had plenty of opportunities to tell that you saw Hassan get raped. Also, getting punished is not what you should be looking for. Hassan is too good a friend to throw pomegranates at you like you did to him. Realize what your doing before its too late.

kite runner. on time?!?

A
panjpar (pg 57) - card game. similar to poker
curtly (pg 62) - brief; concise; short

"then maybe my life as a ghost in this house would finally be over" (pg56) hes not really a ghost. symbolism
"sunlight washed over his face," ... (pg61) sunlight doesn't wash. imagery
"i watched the cratered road rise and fall, whirl its tail around the mountain side." (pg 83) roads dont have tails. personification

B
dear Amir,
i believe you should have done something when Hassan was getting raped. After all those times he saved you, you just sit there and watch. Getting your fathers love isn't everything and that was not the right sacrifice to attain it. However, you are very skilled for winning the kite fighting tournament and i congratulate you for that. I'm wondering whats going to happen when you leave to go to Jalalabad.

OR - a bit late...

A
plodded pg 31 - to proceed in a tediously slow manner.
cackled pg 39 - to laugh in a shrill, broken manner.

"i was breathing bricks." pg 31 - metaphor
"they dirty our blood" pg 40 - imagery
"except now, he was the ant and i was holding the magnifying glass." pg 54 -metaphor


B
The protagonist Assef is a really crazy guy who wants to start a genocide. He is a modern day hitler. Not only does he harass Hassan for being a Hazara, but Amir for having him as a servent. I wouldnt want to get in the way of assef's notorious brass nuckles either. I also know that hes the one thats going to rape one of the boys, and thats weird. I dont want it to get too graphic. i dont really know much about Assef right now so ill need to read more to be able to analyize him further than this.

Kite Runner number 1 post B

" 'This is grown-ups' time. Why don't you go read one of those books of yours?' He'd close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups' time with him. I'd sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes i sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter."

Khaled is a young boy thats very interested in adult business. At first he seems to want to stay a child forever with Hassan, but later it says that he wants to grow up, he wants to matter. His dad not giving him the privilege to have grown-up time, which is pretty much saying hes not a man yet. Khaled wont give up. He's so interested he will sit and listen for hours to their conversation waiting for the day he can join them.

Kite Runner numba 1 post A

vocab
appendage (n) - a subordinate part attached to something; addition. (pg. 3)
atrophied (adj) - exhibiting or affected with atrophy; withered; shriveled

figurative language
- pg 1-2 = "They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park, over the windmills, floating side to side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, ..." its a similie because it uses like or as.
- pg 5 = "on the other end of the dining room was a tall marble figure, always lit by the orange glow of a fire in the winter time" this is imagery because it gives the reader a complete image in their mind on whats there.
- pg 7 = "".. , taking the shortcut through the military barracks near Istiqlal Middle School- Baba had forbidden us to take that shortcut, but he was in Pakistan with Rahim Khan at the time." this is a symbol because for khaled disobeying because his dad told him not to, and he did anyways when his dad wasnt around

quote
" 'hey, you!' he said 'i know you.' We had never seen him before. He was a squatty man with a shaved head and a black stubble on his face. The way he grinned at us, leered, scared me." pg 7
The military in Afghanistan is corrupt and the soldier taunts the boys that he had sex with their mother and that he knew them. The military should be helping the citizens not harrasing them.

theme
the emerging theme so far is : power is corrupt

Nirvana - Lounge Act
Truth covered in security
I can't let you smother me
I'd Like to, but it couldn't work
Trading off, taking turns
Don't regret a thing

And I've got this friend, you see
Who makes me feel and I Wanted more than I could steal
I'll arrest myself, I'll wear a shield
I'll go outta my way to prove I still
Smell her on you

Don't tell me what I wanna hear
Afraid of never knowing fear
Experience anything you need
I'll keep fighting jealousy
'til it's gone

And I've got this friend, you see
Who makes me feel and I
Wanted more than I could steal
I'll arrest myself, I'll wear a shield
I'll go outta my way to prove I still
Smell her on you

Truth covered in security
I can't let you smother me
Like to but it couldn't work
Trading off, taking turns
Don't regret a thing

And I've got this friend, you see
Who makes me feel and I
Wanted more than I could steal
I'll arrest myself, I'll wear a shield
I'll go outta my way to make you a deal
We've made a pact to learn from who
And ever we want without new rules
We'll share what's lost and what we grew
They'll go out of their way
To prove they still

Smell her on you
They still, Smell her on you
Smell her on you


Of the 4 sisters I chose minerva because i thought she fits really well into this song. I believe she is the most interesting sister because she is the most rebellious against trujillo, and she knows she could be killed for it. Whats struck me about her is when she gave the friendship button to Sinita, a girl that was a total stranger to her at the time, but they became good friends later. "Truth covered in security, I can't let you smother me" - this relates to Minerva's views about Trujillo. He's trying to cover up the truths but Minerva can see through it and will fight for her beliefs. "And I've got this friend, you see, Who makes me feel and I wanted more than I could steal" - this could be talking about Minerva and Sinitas relationship. Sinita tells her about Trujillo's secret and this is the start of Minerva's rebellious attitude. Also Minerva wants the truth and for everyone to know it, but thats something she cannot steal. "They'll go out of their way" - Trujillo will go out of his way to kill people that know of his deeds. "I'll go outta my way to prove I still Smell her on you" - this could be Minerva saying that she will stop trujillo, that she smells lies ('her') on him, if looked in a very figurative way. I chose Nirvana as the artist because Kurt Cobain has written a lot of songs with very deep thinking lyrics.

last post for winter break! 14

Ian and Sam arrive at malachi's house to get their mother. He finds her in the bedroom with a drug supplier. Ian gets knocked out for a sec but manages to get the gun before his mom is harmed. They barely make it out of the house alive. Mr. Phillips drives to old man Thompsons house and there Ian has to leave Sam, to go face his own problems. I'm starting to feel more of a connection to this book because i too have a brother and i feel that we would stick up for each other if this happened.

Skate 13

Samuel (Mr. McDermott) pulled some strings for ian and sammy because he was the warden but the boys still had to return to where their problems originated, Spokane. They decide to make a run for it when they get loose to 'go to the bathroom'. Luckily, Mr. Phillips (who helped them before) lived nearby so they spent the night at his house. Then in the morning, mr. phillips drives them to spokane so ian and sammy can find their mom. This book is somewhat interesting, but fails to keep my attention for any long time span. so i give it a 6.5/10 right now

outside reading #12

Sam and Ian decide to hitch a ride the rest of the way to walla walla and luckily someone decides to give them a ride. He drives the two boys to the address, and to their suprise, its the washington state penitentiary. They decide to go see him anyways, but his name is not on the inmate list, he works there. Ian still hates him even though he was the one who payed for rent and medical bills. I dont blame him for having a grudge. Ian doesnt know what to think anymore. He has to make a decision sooner or later though.

skate over break 11

sam is still sick so ian resorts to steal to get food. sammy is feeling better and eats a sandwich from the stolen cooler. Ian decides to make some phone calls using a cell phone ms. veer gave him. Everyone is willing to help him but he sees things differently. I dont blame ian for not wanting their help. Nobody knows what hes gone through and how to really help him. Thats why they are headed for their dad in walla walla