Damn I Did It Again

I cant believe that I let that happen again. I think the girl that I really like is in a relationship with someone else. I dont know for sure, but it damn sure seemed like it. Im not hating on their relationship, its true. In fact Im glad that she found someone she could be happy with, and would rather her be with someone who she wont mess around one. Im mad that I always find a girl that I really and truly like, and play the friend card. How in the hell could I have missed the signs. I made up a handshake between us. She offered a spot for me to sit where she was stretched out. I turned it down out of respect for her cause people like to talk. Yup sounds like a real true friend. Like I said Im not a hater because Im truly happy for them if its true. I guess I have no choice now but to play the friend role that I rehearsed all to well. But I aint trippin because she's just one of the many girls in College Park

My Music Preference Has Changed

My preferance in music has changed a little over the last couple of weeks. When I first got here, all I listened to was Lil Wayne. Thats all we listened to back home. I guess you could say we were jock riders because everytime a car drove past all you would hear would be Weezy. I'll be the first to admit that I was one of them too. I own about 3 official albums of his and about 30 mixtapes. The thing that turned me off was that every mixtape that I had been getting had the same songs. That's fine except for the DJ's always said that it was an "exclusive" or "world premier" when I had heard it last month on a mixtape that I already had.

Maybe its also changed because I have been exposed to music that If I listened to back home, I woulda been laughed at. Rock isnt all that bad, like I thought. Ask anybody back home and they will tell you that I hated Rock. Now Im starting to like it a little better because I see that its not all headbanging music. Reggeaton and Latin music is hot too. I never listened to it before because I couldnt understand what they were saying. Now I just listen for the beats because some are even better than American Hip-hop's beats. Finally, old school rap is good because its not talking about shooting or dealing drugs

My friends have helped me have a greater appreciation for music because they listen to all types. I didnt start listening to Rock until some guys from my floor were blasting it in the lounge. Also my Muet 200 class has really shown me to appreciate different genre's of music

Friday Night

Friday night I went to this step show in Ritchie Coliseum. It was worth every penny that I paid plus more. I had never seen a step show before, so this was something totally new to me. It had to have taken alot of hard work because everything was on point. The steppers were in sync with each other, the steps matched the beats and music, and they even incorporated skits into the routine. It made me think about joining a frat because I was in the crowd with Blue Phi and it was like pure brotherhood, everyone was close. Even though some where on the other side of the staduim, the were still united because when one side shouted, the other responded.

Later that night I went to a friends house. I didnt really have that much fun and was ready to leave within 5 min of being there. Before I got there I was really pumped up, I felt like I could run a mile. After I got there I was like this sucks and I'm ready to leave. I think the only reason I stayed was because a girl that I knew was there. It got to the point though that I left when I was ready with the girl's sister because she was ready to leave also. I was kinda bummed cause I felt that I before all my friends, but I'm glad that I did because the girl's sister didnt know anyone from my school.

Overall Friday night wasnt a total waste

Nicknames

I have several nicknames so anybody feel free to call me any of them. I have Travi which my brother and sister started out calling me. When they were younger they couldnt talk that well and couldnt say my name, so my mom shortend it for them. My brother calls me Travis now, but my sister still calls me Travi when she wants something. My cousins all call me this and I thought that it was just a family name until my friends Liz and Lauran started calling me this. Im also called Trav by mostly everyone, I dont know why because its not as cool as the last one, but its more i guess its more formal. Atravesado is the next one. One of my Latino friends back home started calling me this. When I asked her what it meant she just said that its my name with ado at the end. It was kinda weird at first, but the name stuck and soon everytime I would talk in spanish they would call me that. I have plenty of other that I refuse to put down. (Thanks grandma and grandpa for giving me embarassing names and for Ashley who gave me names that got us both in trouble at home). Like I said feel free to call me any of them or make up any of your own thats not degrading.

Sleepy

Im so tired, that I cant hold my eyes open. I dont understand why because we got back early last night. I even went to bed at 3, which is a change from the usual time of 4 on weekends. I really didnt do anything different. I went to this party and didnt drink like always. The only thing different I did was dance a little. I just know that when I got back to the dorm, we were just chillin. I started falling asleep in the lounge, so I went to my room to hang with my roommate and some other friends. Next thing I know is that I wrap my coat around me and Im out. When I wake up, Im all alone, even my roommate wasnt there.

To make matter worse, I almost slept through church service today (Im so proud, I actually didnt oversleep and miss church). Hopefully, I wont be this way in class tomorrow and will actually stay awake in English class (Just playing Natalie, I always stay awake during your class).

Rhetorical Analysis 2

The article that I looked at was one of the ones that I had to read for class. Both of the letters on pp 20-21 in Engagements with Rhetoric have good examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. The first letter is a lot more calmer than the second one. The language is more formal and that helps ths ethos really stand out. Its about the picture of Aunt Jemima of the pancake box and the author is arguing that the picture is unethical to show because its of a slave. It has a little pathos as she talks about her reaction everytime she sees the box. The logos comes in the from of the reason why she wishes the picture to be changed. She states that the woman on the box was in reality a slave who served Confederate soldiers, and she presents her arguemtent in a reasonable manner.

The second letter was more informal. Its that way because instead of writing to a CEO or someone in a formal postion, the author writes to Oprah. Because its informal, its full of stong pathos. The author uses stong words like sick and tired, horrible, and degradation, all words that have a strong negative emotion. Again this one appeals to ethos because the writer talks about how unethical it is to have a slave on the box of a famous pancake mix. It really not any logos here because it doesn't really introduce facts and the author really isn't reasoning. She simply want to change the box throught cause and effect, using her daughter as an example.

Soul Calibur IV

Lately Ive been playing this great game called Soul Caibur IV. In it the characters are fighting for two swords, one that is super evil that eats souls and turns everyone who wields it into a monster, and one that is the exact polar opposite and appears to those with a pure heart. I really dont pay attention to the story, I just give out beat downs. Its only a few of us that play it and it can get really intense at some points. My character of choice is Siegfried, who's weapon is the holy sword Soul Calibur. His weapon is a huge sword that has a super long reach, making it easy to play the long range game. He's also powerful and takes huge chunks off of a character's life bar. I swear I did one combo that took down half of the other character's. My other character's are Nightmare, who uses the evil sword Soul Edge and is basically a monster, and Yun-seong.

Me and Alex play this all of the time. One time her and I stayed up till three in the morning playing until one of us would have a winning streak. The highest streak that both of us got was three at first until I used my fav character and won five games straight. That night I decided that I would switch up character's every three wins so I wont be called cheap. It doesn't matter to Alex though, cuz everytime I ask she doesnt care who I use. We'll play anytime and the funny thing is that we'll say stuff like "lets go do our thing" or "come on lets go have fun" and people will look like confused. After that I usually win with Seigfried, and will always play until she win's a game or until we're both tired.

Homesick

Its been almost two month's since I've been home or seen anybody from home. I want to go home so bad, but I'm trying not to let it show. I got to remain strong so it doesnt seem like Im depressed. I just really miss my lilttle brother and sister. I miss teasing them so much that it they would get mad at me. I miss sitting up with them and talking to the point where I have to tell them "Get the hell outta my room so I can go to sleep" or "damn dont you two ever sleep". I also miss my mom's cooking. Now i regret teasing her about her starving me because her food is alot better than the food at the dinner and I didnt have to pay for every meal. I miss picking with my grandma and having her cuss me out cause I would call her old, or say that she's getting senile. I especially miss my dad. I havent talked to him in a couple of day's because he hates talking on cell phones.

They keep on telling me that they're trying to get up here and see me, but its not the same as if I went home. If I could go home for just one hour, I would be a lot happier than if they came up here and spent the whole weekend with me. I dont know, its just how I feel. Its the little things that make being up here better than back home, but they dont add up to what makes being back home alot better than being here. Im just gonna go and show up unexpected and stay the whole weekend.

Cant Think

Im all out of ideas. It sucks having to make yourself sit down and actually do work. I've been doing work for since about 12:30 and still probably have about 2 more hours left. My brain is fried and I cant really think. Its so hard to come up with ideas to when everyone is eithe watching football or playing Halo. I just got finished writing a four page essay on my muscial identity for Muet 200 and I'm all out of ideas. I could b.s. this blog but it wont be good and wont really have substance.
Its just so hard thinking of ideas after doing that monster paper. I really had to look deep inside of myself and ask what makes up my musical identity. I still really dont know what that truly means because their is no one song that makes up my identity. I listen to almost all genre's so i have a really hard time identifying myslef with one. Except for country, I absoultly have no identity in country.
I truly apologize to everyone who reads this because its not interesting, but I guareente the next couple of one's will be. I just need a place to vent, even though it wasn't really an angry vent.

Rhetorical Analysis Assignment

The clip from Remember the Titans had a real strong sense of Pathos to it. If anyone has seen the movie, they know that the team, even though they played together, were still segregated. During this clip, the coach takes the team on a little trip through the woods. When you first watch it the audience would think that he was either punishing them or whipping them into shape. Its not until he gives his speech that the Pathos really hits the audience member. He really takes them to the field that the battle of Gettysburg was fought. He explains to them why he brought them there, and tells them that the battle that was fought there long ago is still going on. The coach ends it by telling them that they don't have to like each other, but they will respet each other. This clip is really the turning point of the movie because at that point the team really starts playing as a team and their bonds get stronger.
The Pathos is a feeling of pride and brotherhood. The team now realizes that to win that they not only have to respect each other, but become like one big family. It also has a strong emotional pull to it because its saying that racism still around; which was a touchy subject because the team wasnt predominatly white or black. It could have Ethos because the coach is using his character to basically say that its up the current generation to stand up and change racism. The only bit of Logos that actually shows up is the fact that movie was based on actual events.
This was a great clip both for motivation and to bring people together, but its a bit unrealistic. No team or group is going to becaome close like that after one visit to a Civil War graveyard. Also he is implying that they could change racism, which is great to believe, but is harder to do than just respecting someone.

All I Have In This World pt. 2

Gun's, check. Blueprints, check. Crew, check. The guts to carry out the plan, hells yea. What was even better was that the board at the hospital gave my brother a one month grace period, where they would hold him for free. That meant that we could do our thang, and not link them so close together. We had it set up so that White Boy and Fizz robbed the stores, Vato and his boys would cause the riots along with the 12th street Ballers and Real Arrogant Warriors. (RAW). Me and Drew and the dirty work of breaking into people's houses and searching their stuff. It was agreed that everyone would come together for the big bank job. Twelve days of hittin licks and running for our lives pursed after that night.

White Boy and Fizz's operation was going smoothly. They had hit a local CVS, a Walgreens and a couple of mom and pop store's. The only thing dumb they did was White Boy got scared because they were dumb enough to rob a store that he worked at and he left his strap there.

Vato's expediton went real good. The gangs had the police really thinking that a full blown war was about to pop off. The carnage and destruction that happened was acted out so well that we all thought that they were serious. It even made the news.

Drew and Me were doing exceptionally well. We had decided not to take so much from the house's so thatit wouldn't seem suscpicious. All together we came up with about 6,000, but we were still short. I was thinking, damn we have to go with the bank plan.

We had it set up that if worse came to worse that, we would strip ourselves and force one of the hostages to take our place. We walk in into the tiny bank and tell everyone to get down on the floor and dont make. They thought that our chopper's were actually loaded with rounds. Everything went smoothly, and the gangster's were causing the most chaos they had ever caused. (I think the beef actually became real for a second.) Until that cop running to the scene saw Vato smack the teller with his gun. After that all hell broke loose. There were cops everywhere and on every block. White boy was crying like some punk saying "I'm to white to go to jail", Vato was in the corner praying, Drew was sittin down meditating, and Fizz was loading up his gun. Everything seemed to fall apart, but I had a plan. I told everyone to stop what they were doing and release everyone. They looked at me like I was crazy, but I told them that the hostages hadnt seen our face, so we'll get the police to gas the place, strip down like the hostages, and run out with them. The time came and strangly everything went perfect. We didnt get caught, in fact the cops thought that we were hostages too. As the police searched the building for the robber's we got nervouse because I dropped my phone and I was scared the would find it, but it didnt happen. The violence between the two gangs escalated to the point that it was a shootout. It doesnt matter because no one died and we got away safe. We only stole what was needed and my brother pulled through fine. What even better is that we got away scott free.

(Thanks Urban Dictionary for Defining Words I didnt Kno)

All I Have in this World pt 1. (Made-Up, I would never do this)

People say that money is the root of all evil. I tend to disagree. Money in fact, makes the world go round and keeps people happy. That's where the premise for my brilliant scheme came from. Read along very closely because Im only repeating this once, and if you miss something, well that's too damn bad.

It started when my brother needed surgery on his heart. He had a murmer the size of a heart and the doctor's said that if they didnt operate soon that he would die. My parents were told of how much the expenses were before hand, but still came up 10,000 short. They were told that they had to pay upfront, and if they didnt that they would release my brother and hope that a miracle happens. The doctor was nice though and said that they would keep my brother stabilzed for two weeks until they dug up the money.

They didnt tell me what happened but I knew something was wrong. Finally I overheard them talking about the whole situation. Immediatly I knew that I had to do something, so I called up my boy White Boy and Vato (his real name because his daddy was a true gangbanger), Fizz and Drew. White Boy came up with the brilliant idea of hittin a couple of licks (robberies for everyone who isnt fluent in street talk). At first I was hesitatant, but then found myself unintentionally planning it out. I came up with a fool proof plan. We were gonna hit up a drug store, a couple of houses, an maybe a bank. Fizz was all down for it, he said people say he's tha boy thats tote toys way before christmas. We were also gonna get a couple of the gangbangers in the hood to cause a riot, not where people get hurt but just alot of property damage. That was so that the police would be distracted and hopefully wont pay attention. Vato said that he would get a couple of his vato's to help out and since everyone loved my brother, they wouldnt take a part of the cut that I offered them. The plan was fool proof. Nothin could go wrong. Nothing did go wrong. It all worked according to plan. That night I went to see my brother in the hospital and talked to him. I told him not to worry because its my turn to take care of him. I told him that I love him and that no matter what he hears, to know that I did it so that he could live cause if I lost him, I would probably kill myself. He told me that he's gonna be okay and not to do anything crazy. I lied to him and said I wont. As soon as I left, Fizz picked me up and took me to his place to look at the artillary.


To Be Continued. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .