Inner Beauty

Is it really what is on the inside that counts? Or is the outer beauty all that is important? I do not think outer beauty is that important, but the sad thing is that it is to the rest of the world; which is why people feel like they have to live up to the standard of "true beauty". It is a shame because I end up feeling like that sometimes and I really should not. People notice petty things that drive you crazy just because they noticed them in the first place. People start to feel like less than they are because others belittle them and their beauty. it gets to the point where you feel like there is no one that really appreciates the "real" you and the fact that you are not perfect and have flaws. It is the point where we realize that we are better than these petty notices and better than what it on the outside that we begin to blossom. That is the point where things change for the better. All we have to do is go with the punches and accept life for what it is; be thankful for what we have and what we are and stop being upset because of the things we are not and do not have.

It's All Over

Well, it is about that time. The time when school is about to be over and people are looking towards the summer. As for me, I really like St. John's and everything about it; the people, organizations, fun activities, and anything that I experienced here during my first year. Getting adjusted to the college life was not as difficult as I thought it would be. It was pretty easy and getting involved in the dance team contributed a lot to it. I met many people, especially upper classmen, and it helped me with my transition from high school. My first year went rather fast and now I know that I have to enjoy every moment of college because the rest of my years will go just as fast. Can't wait until next year!

Abortion: My Honest Take On It

This is going to be a quick analysis. I do not have a specific story or topic that I want to touch upon and add my two cents to but I do want to just put out there my take on the controversial subject of Abortion. One side says that it is not wrong because it is the decision of the mother to do what she wants and feels is right for her. The other side (the Church) says that it is morally wrong because, technically, it is the deliberate killing of a human being. So who is right? If we knew the answer to that then there would no longer be a controversy on the subject.
I was baptized as a Catholic but have never really kept up with my religion while growing up. Due to that, I do not really have any feelings toward religion in general, I do not feel that being religious is going to have a profound impact on my life. So when it comes to the abortion question, how do I feel? Is is right or wrong? Well, when you think about it, it is wrong. It is the killing of a human being even though they are not born yet. But, honestly, if I was in the predicament where I was a pregnant teen and had to make a decision, I would get an abortion. I apologize to anyone that this entry might offend but this is just my opinion that I am entitled to. It is not that I am being a hypocrite either, it is just that I am viewing the situation from both perspectives and I understand and can argue for both perspectives. I think more people should take the time to do that. I, personally, would have an abortion because I think that would be more beneficial to the child than bringing them up in an environment where I cannot take care of them. That is the subject of abortion and my honest take on it.

One Line Story

The first year of college is neccessay, essential, scary, exciting, as well as the most important point in a teenager's life. (It was for me.)

Director's Cut

My blog is like my own little movie to me, in which I am the director. Although, I am a different kind of director. It is true that I control everything on my blog; the template, color scheme, content, etc. I,also, " direct" the blog in the way that I look at my topics in different ways. Not only am I directing what happens on my blog but I am directing the way I would like people to think about what I am writing. The reason why I feel that this particular entry is like a "Director's Cut" is because it is my version of the events that happen in my daily life. I use my blog page as a way to express how I am feeling about diverse subjects, events, personal situations, etc. I thought that it was pretty cool that I came up with the term "Director's Cut" to describe what my blog is. When I got the idea to do this entry, I tried to think of a way to convey the purpose of my blog and how I chose to run it. Using this term, is the only way that I can fully explain everything that my blog is about; it sums up everything that my page signifies in two words. This term also goes along with the title of my blog, "Through My Colorful Eyes". They both mean the same thing and explain how my perspective of certain things are either similar or different to the other views of people.

Take Advantage of Your Opportunities

Today, in my first class, a man came into my class to announce an event that is happening on campus next week. It was Dr. Angelo Pisani informing us about the barbeque that the College of Professional Studies is having on Thursday, April 17th during common hour. The purpose of the event is to get students, mostly freshman, to meet their deans and become more social in the St. John's community. He asked how many of the students in my class were in the College of Professional Studies and about 10 students, including myself, raised their hands. I found it weird that when he asked those that were interested to sign a paper saying they might attend, the only person that signed the paper was me. As I was packingup my things, I heard Dr. Pisani expressing to my professor his disappointment that most students do not take advantage of the opportunities they are awarded. I thought about this a lot while on my morning break in between classes. The good thing about being on the Staten Island campus is that we have a closer connection to everyone. It is also easier to recieve help in different areas whether it be educational, financial, or multicultural. This is not an environment where there are thousands of students and no one has time to focus on a student's individual problems or struggles. It is the complete opposite and that is what makes it just as good as any huge campus. In other words, it is not difficult on this campus to do so when there is an event or forum, take advantage of it.

EXPRESS YA SELF 2.0

This is the flyer for EXPRESS YA SELF, a talent/fashion competition sponsored by the CAUTION DANCE TEAM. It is co- sponsored by the Magnificat Gospel Choir and the Pan African Caribbean Student Association. It is on Monday, April 28th at 7 p.m. sharp, doors open at 6 p.m. It is in the Campus Center Gymnasium and has free admission. There will be an assortment of musicians, dancers, poets, singers, etc. Refreshments and food will be available. Come out and support your fellow students as well as have a good time and enjoy the entertainment.

"Three- Poled Frame Reference"

The first topic for the second in-class essay was the philosophy of English essayist and author of “Brave New World, Aldous Huxley. I did not understand the quote at first but after my conference with Professor Farley, I understood it a little better. Huxley is saying that there are three different poles of reference for writing essays. The pole of the personal, which focuses on more the autobiographical aspect of writing; the pole of the objective, which focuses on the information and facts; and the pole of the abstract- universal that focuses on the world as a whole.
Aldous Huxley thinks that in order for an essay to be truly effective it has to be written with all three poles in mind. He believes that most essayists write in reference to one of the three poles and only pay attention to one form of writing. Some essayists focus on two poles like in "The Curve of Binding Energy" when John McPhee talked about the life of Ted Taylor and how it related to the Orion Project. That is an example of using the pole of the personal and the pole of the objective in one essay. Although, some essayists do not use all three poles, Huxley thinks that they are still capable of writing good essays.
I think that the point of this quote is to show the difference between the styles of writing and realize the ways to improve on our current styles of writing. It is a good reference to think about while starting a new piece of writing.

The Hope Diamond

The Hope Diamond is always something that has fascinated me since I first saw the movie, "Titanic". It was introduced to me in the scene where it was given to the main character as a wedding gift. I used to wonder whether that was the real Hope Diamond in the movie or not and I would have little thoughts, here and there, about it. I did some research on it and realized that the Hope Diamond is not a sapphire as it appears to be. It is a deep blue, 45 carat diamond that has a lot of history behind it. It is traced back to a blue diamond named the "Tavernier Blue", which was 115 carats and originally mined from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India. It was then sold to King Louis XIV of France in 1668, where it was cut into a 67 carat stone, set in gold and suspended on a necklace. It became known as the "Blue Diamond of the Crown" or the "French Blue". It was given to Louis XVI and when he became king, he gave it to Marie Antoinette for her jewelry collection. It was stolen in 1792 and taken to London, where there is no record of its whereabouts until 1824.
It resurfaced in the gem collection of Henry Phillip Hope, he had it set in a brooch. When he died in 1839, his 3 nephews fought in court for 10 years over his inheritance. The feud came to an end when his brother, Henry Thomas acquired the gems as well as the Hope Diamond. He put it on display in the Great Exhibition of London in 1851 and Paris Exhibition Universelle in 1855. When Henry Thomas died in 1862, his wife, Adele, inherited it. Upon her death in 1884, it was passed to their daughter, Henrietta. She married Henry Pelham-Clinton and when they both died, it was passed to their son, Henry Francis Pelham-Clinton Hope. Although, he had a life interest on his inheritance so he could not sell the diamond without the permission of the court.
The Hope Diamond has been through a lot since then to become the diamond that we know of today. It is currently being housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, where its legacy and beauty lives on.

Phenomenal Woman

"Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou is a very inspiring poem about the importance of all women. Maya Angelou talks about how each woman has something special about them that makes them phenomenal. All women have a certain grace or style that makes them an individual and it is that individuality that makes them all, for lack of a better word, phenomenal. I like the fact that she says " I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size" because a lot of women feel like that and it is a good way of relating to the audience. It shows that women are special not because of their size, physical looks or brain power but because of the style that everyone has that differentiates them from other people. This poem serves as an inspiration to women that everyone can be 'phenomenal' in different ways for different reasons.