How Does Outliers Connect to My life

Recently we read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. This book teaches a lot of stuff that is useful in not only my life but a lot of others people lives too. This book I would have never thought but it taught me a lot. I usually don't like to read books like this but I got a lot out of this book. One way it connects to me is the academic skills, the willing that people want to succeed and I want to succeed to and the plane story I feel relates to my life a little bit because of the fact of plane crashes.

The book outliers states a lot about academics and IQ's. There was one story where he was talking about IQ's. I honestly can say I did struggle a lot in the elementary school academic wise but when I got to the middle school everything changed. Not only did my grades raised but they were all A's. I learned that If you put yourself forward in life you can actually change your direction and go somewhere. I feel IQ's honestly aren't important because for me I freeze up on tests. But doesn't mean I'm not smart. Some times I do not do good on tests because the fact I am scared and nervous. Why should I be graded on that? Like an IQ test? In the book the outliers they talk a bunch about IQ's. Honestly I see why they do but some of the smarter people in the world may not have an high IQ.  But this relates to me because I always play IQ games. I usually score highly on them. Sometimes if I'm doing it for fun I usually don't. "To have an high IQ, you tend to specialize, think deep thoughts" I think deep thoughts a lot. I feel I think deeper than most teenagers these day. Most are care free but every step and choice I make I think thoroughly about it before I do anything.

This book talks a lot about succeeding in life. When I'm older and how I am now I want to succeed. These story of different people succeeding who came up from barely having nothing to having a lot inspires me to thrive for what I want. It teaches me anyone can be successful and good in life. If you try in life I learn you can go far. "He did math for an our" (page 71). Chris Langans brother said that and I never really give thorough time to my homework but this example shows if you try you can go far. Any one can be someone "How many diamonds in the rough are out there" (page73). I feel this is so true because in life there can be tons of different people out there and if you aren't given the chance know one will ever know. This relates to me from 5th grade they were doing a play and I auditioned but the teacher picked the students she had in class. But in the end what happened was they had to put me in as the main person because the other person got sick in the end everyone said I made the show. What would of happened if they didn't put me in? I would have never had the chance. I then went on in the middle school and was minor roles for 2 years but in the last year I was a lead. I kept with it and succeeded in the fact of acting. I took tons of acting classes so I could go far. One part in the book Malcolm Gladwell interviewed"Shoenfeld once asked a group of high school students how long they would work on a homework question before they concluded it was too hard for them to solve  their answers ranged from thirty seconds to five minutes, with the average answer two minutes?"(page245)  I feel this relates to my life because honestly if i don't get the question in 5 minutes I either make up a random question or skip it completely.

The chapter I felt that most related to me was the Plane Crashes chapter because I lost my Aunt from a plane crash. I liked seeing the statistics about plane crashes. For the longest time I was afraid to go on planes because of what happened. But 4 years ago I went on my first plane ride and I wasn't so scared any more. Gladwell says "Plane crashes rarely happen in real life the same way they do in movies" (page182) This reminds me of what my dad would say to me every time we were about to aboard a plane because I was so scared and frighten. These types of things leave traumas on young kids. I remember one time it was pouring and we were going thru the clouds while it was rainy. The pilot came on the speakers and said "please buckle up it is going to be very bumpy" that got me very scared. "In a typical crash the weather is poor, not terrible" (page184) Now reading this I think back and say wow I feel lucky that I survived that terrible weathered plane crash. Who knows what could have happened. Planes still scare me but I have eased up on them a lot. I can finally aboard a plane without thinking twice about it. But after finishing this chapter in the book I feel my fear kind have came back talking about all those plane crashes. "Planes are safer when least experienced pilot is flying, because it means the second pilot won't be afraid to speak up"(page197) I wouldn't be surprised if this was true.

I really actually was surprised to think that I liked the book. I thought It was slow in the beginning. But then it picked up and I learned a lot from it. More than I thought I would.  I took a lot from it that relates to my life and everyday I live. It also makes me want to thrive too do better. I now want to be an Outlier.

R & J Poetry Prompt

 Waiting

I stand there on the balcony
waiting and waiting
oh romeo romeo your
beautiful soul romeo

I know I cant be with you
and you know you cant be with me
but my love is so strong my heart beats for you and me
I would do anything for you and you would do anything for me
So I sip the medicine to sleep for when you come we can be together

I wake romeo romeo wake up romeo
You don't seem to wake
I take the dagger in my small hands
there goes my life at least we will be together in another life

Microfiction: The Clock Struck One

The clock struck one I was still waiting for the results. I was waiting and waiting and then finally my dad came out and said Jen you are going to have a baby sister. I was so shocked because I was the only child for 13 years and I didnt think that I would ever be an older sister. As the months went by quick. My mom was on her 7month and we were all so excited. My mom and dad were preparing the room for my new little sister. I was helping by painting the new borns room. I painted rainbows and the whole room was a baby pink. It was so nice when It was all done. My parents were so proud of me. But a month went by its the 8th month. all of sudden my mom fell to the floor, I ran to her and she said call the hospital and then your dad. I called and when the ambuelence got there I was so scared. My mom said everything will be fine. I waited for my dad and he was in the room with my mom. I guess my mom went into labor early. I go into the room where I see my little sister on the bed. But then my mom got more cramps and then the monitor said she was having contractions again? I was so confused. Next thing I new there were two little girls laying on the bed. Identically the same. The doctors said the first baby was probably to big to see. Thats why we didnt know there were twins. I found out alot that day I wasnt only going to be a big sister but I was going to be a big sister to two little sisters. Identically the same. Tiny and small. For me to take care of when my parents arent home.

TU TUESDAY: Editorials

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Editorial-The-long-cleanup-of-Irene-and-Lee-2308864.php

While I was reading this editorial I felt this really interested me in the fact that I experienced these to storms this past summer. I feel kind of upset in the fact that the editorial is saying the New York government is stalling the money "somewhere between their press releases and the people and communities that need the money." Its just that I think if communities are hurting over this disaster that should be one of their many priority's. I agree with the editorial in the sense that us communities need help and money to "rebuild homes and communities some which were wiped out" Winter is approaching and there still hasn't been that much help for these communities that were affected harshly by Irene and Lee."Is it unreasonable to think that much more should have been accomplished by now?" I  do not think it is unreasonable because there are communities out there that need help from there government. I feel that communities affected should get the help they need.

My Tshirt Vote

If I won I would like peanut butter cookies.