Curiouser and Curiouser

      "Don't get upset by what he said.  They're just words."   Does this statement, or any close variation of it sound familiar to you?  How many of you embrace it as your own philosophy?  How many of you would like to give the speaker a nice, firm sock in the arm? Well, I am going to start this post here by making a bold statement.  Here it goes:  Whether you acknowledge it to be true or not, your words have power.  Lots of it.  You may not feel very powerful when you utter them, but they are, as the great English proverb tells us, "Mightier than the sword."      Now, allow me to explain and expand.  For some, the words of others do not sting as much as they will for others, but whether you are as tough as nails or a marshmallow when it comes to matters of the heart, those to whom you communicate may not fall into your same category.  For this reason, being thoughtful, empathetic, yet clear communicator is...

  Communication breakdown can occur at any time and in many different settings. There's Group Project Anxiety:  everyone has great ideas at discussion meetings, but you feel like the only one with a sense of urgency to get any actual work done.  There's Discussion Frustration:  whenever you engage in a discussion with your group, you feel as if your thoughts and ideas are not valued or brushed aside with no regard to your feelings.  And finally, there is just sheer information overload:  why is it that after a full day of school, you feel completely drained of energy, consumed by an overwhelming need to be where people are not? We all realize that we are social creatures, but does that look the same for everyone?  We all want to be heard in some way or another, to create and to explore.  People are all different, making the connections and relationships with people complex.   Many corporations have invested heavily with one goal in mind:...

Reflect on this quote:   "The bittersweet theme of unrequited love is silently and nobly borne."  What does this mean?  How does it relate to Cyrano  as a character and as a play? Give either a personal experience of when you have been "Friend-Zoned" or a complete description of a scene for another piece of literature or media where one of the characters has been "Friend-Zoned". Then, comment on two different posts from your fellow classmates (two different scholars).    Friend Zoned - Media Example:  On the TV show Friends, Gunther is in love with Rachel, but she never knows.  Gunther narrates his feelings in his head so that only the audience knows his true feelings.  In the episode "The One With the Tiny T-shirt" (S 3, ep 19), as Rachel is at the counter, Gunther, is cleaning mugs, is narrating conversation scenarios in his head on how he and Rachel could do things together.  Each idea is followed by "as my lover", showing how hi...

Throughout there year we will have blog post assignments. If you are working on your blog post in class, you will have to be signed in on the school computer through your personal GMail account. The school filters will block Blogspot through TOPA accounts. If you are working on it at home, you should be able to do it through your TOPA account. Either way, you MUST make sure you are adding your name to your post, eitherwise you will not receive a grade for the assignment. All blog post assignments are for a grade!