Blog 26 - Being Mr. Mannion

Over the course of the first three marking periods you’ve been assigned twenty-five blogs. With those blogs I have always attempted to provide enough variety and range so that everyone should have an opportunity to do some self-reflection. I am aware that sometimes a blog topic may not apply as much to one individual as it does to another, but that is why they are assigned every week.

To end this third marking I have decided to turn the tables and put you in my role, by giving you the opportunity to write a blog prompt rather than respond to one. The average blog prompt thus far has been 118.76 words, so I’m asking that your prompt be at least 115 words.

So, that’s it! This week’s assignment is to write a creative blog prompt. Perhaps there has always been a topic you have wanted me to cover as a blog and I haven’t, or maybe you’ve never given any thought to the idea of creating a blog topic. Either way, here is your chance.

In 115 words or more (and perhaps a picture?) write a creative blog prompt. I am emphasizing the creativity aspect because that is what I will be grading you on.

Blog Topic - Future Plans

Now that you are all seniors, you are finally starting to realize that graduation is quickly approaching. So I will ask: what are your plans for after you leave the halls of Central Regional High School? Are you going to college? Do you have a job lined up? Are you moving?
Some people have a hard time getting over the fact that they might need to leave their friends and family behind. Are you leaving anyone behind? Do you think you will be homesick?
You can even go beyond after high school. What are your plans for the distant future? Do you have a 10 year plan? 20 year plan? What will your life be like? The future is in your hands...what will you do with it?

Blog 25 - Understanding Death

Of all things in the human experience, death is one of the hardest to understand.

What do you think death is all about? Why do we die—for some purpose, maybe, or is death perhaps nature’s way of making room for more people on the earth?

What happens after we die? Some people believe there is a soul, and that the dead go to heaven or hell. Others believe we are reincarnated as a person, an animal, a flower, etc., and still others believe that there’s simply nothing after death.

What about you? What do you think? Is there an afterlife, or is it all over upon death? Are you confused, like so many of us?

Write about it.

Frank Cuiffo Jr II; my grandpa. Meme Dion; my great-grandma. Michael Pasarelli; my great-uncle. Ray Ray Cuiffo; my cousin. And so many more people that died too early. There are so many people that die each day. It is obviously more painful when you know and love that person, but regardless, death is the saddest thing I think anyone deals with. Death is a necessary evil. Don’t get me wrong, I hate that I had to lose so many people that I care so much about, but what would we live for if we thought this life would never end? I believe that death brings meaning. It may be a hard concept to grasp, but it is true. If we thought that people would always be around, we might not treasure their presence as much. It gets me so upset to think that people can be taken from us at any moment. My great-grandma, my grandpa, my great-uncle, they were all taken away from me when they were at an older age. But how can taking away my 18 year old cousin Ray Ray be justified? He died because of someone else’s mistake, and now he is gone forever. Not only was he the most amazing football player, but he was a very smart guy. He knew everyone, and he had so many friends and people that loved him dearly. And then one day one of his friends that decided to drink took his life. I am still not at the point where I can even consider being forgiving toward that ‘friend’ of Ray’s. It should not take a person’s life to teach a kid a lesson. Now, not only does my whole extended family and everyone that knew Ray have a burden on their shoulders and a weight in their heart, but that stupid boy who made a stupid ass decision is going to waste his life away wondering what would have happened if he didn’t drink, if he didn’t kill my cousin, if he woke up that morning and thought a little differently, would everyone have been spared the tears? I think that if I ever had that burden on my shoulders, I would make a drastic change. I would move far away. I would change myself for the better. I would dedicate my whole entire to making what I did right. And when it cannot be made right, I would keep trying. I don’t know how someone could be that stupid, but unfortunately it is not just him. I am sure that a lot of people know someone who lost a life to a drunk driver. Or in general lost a life. We all lose people, it is inevitable; it is fate. It is something that will never stop happening to this world. I could die tomorrow. I could die in two minutes. So I want to make this life worth it. I don’t want to be remembered as “young teen from small NJ town dies early,” I want the chance to change the world before I die. This thought is only possibly if you truly know that death really is a necessary evil, and that you should not take something so precious as a life for granted. I don't think that I will ever fully understand death and what happens in an afterlife until I experience it myself, and then I will write a blog about it right when I know!

Blog 24 - Room as a Reflection of Self

Some people say that a person’s room is a reflection of who he or she is. Others say that’s not true—a room is a room, simple as that.

What’s your room like? Do you think it’s a reflection of your personality, an extension of your personality, or just a room? Do you share it with brothers or sisters, or maybe adults? If so, are you able to make it a little “place of your own” amid that shared space, or is that impossible?

Is your room neat and tidy? Is it a little messy? Is it a disaster? What does it all mean?

Write about your room.

If you walk into my room right now, the first thing you will see is clutter. Clothes on the floor, books and folders on my bed, computer wires hanging all over, boxes in the corner, overflowing garbage, opened drawers. Nothing about my room is neat right now. This is why I believe that a room is simply a room. It does not reflect my personality at all, in fact, it is the opposite of my personality. While I am not at the OCD level, I am a very orderly person. I like to have things in their own certain place, and it has been driving me crazy that my room isn’t at least a little more organized. Thankfully, I do not share my room with anyone, so it is okay that it isn’t clean right now. One thing that bugs me about my room is that the walls are off-white. If this room was supposed to reflect me, it would have every color in the rainbow somewhere on each wall. It would be like one big mural that I would paint myself and that would include all aspects of my life. If my room was supposed to reflect me, I would have pictures all over the walls and candles lighting up the whole room. My dressers would stay clean all the time and I would never forget to put away my contact case. My closet would be in color order, and my drawers would never be too full. I would have a desk that I would use just for homework, and it would have enough space for any project that I could imagine. I would paint more pictures that would fill my walls, and my laundry would never be overflowing. I hate the fact that whenever a friend of mine comes in my room, I have to say “Sorry it’s so messy…” I hope that people realize that my room is not a reflection of me when they walk in. I know some people that have bright rooms that are dark people, and vice versa. All in all, it is just the way you choose to live. One of my friends who lives in an apartment especially cannot express herself through her room because she is not allowed to paint the walls or put up décor. I think for me that would be hell. My room may not be perfect now, but every day I try to do something little to make it cozier and more welcoming. I know that you can express yourself through your room, and other people also know this, but for me I just have different ways of conveying my style and interests. It would be unfortunate if I were to be judged on my room, because if that were to happen, I would be greatly misjudged and people probably would not understand me at all. Even doing this blog makes me ashamed of my “decorating skill”. I have lived in this room for a year now and this whole time I haven’t done anything to make it represent me.