danielle2

I've spent weeks thinking about what I would do my last EVER individual blog entry on...

Or at least that's my excuse.

Ha ha!  Not really...

ANYWAY.

After much deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that I'll do this last and final entry over all I've learned during these past 18 weeks of class.

ENJOY ...  » » » » » »

Alrighty, I can pretty well say that I didn't know much of anything as far as current events went.  History was my thang, not so much the present.  Ah well, things are better now.  Much better.

I can now name leader of Iraq.  Which is kind of sad if you don't know, honestly... I've realized that.  We have troops over there and before freshman year, nope, wouldn't have had a clue who this guy was.  (it's al-Maliki btw)

I also read the news on CNN on a regular basis now.

You wouldn't have EVER caught me there before now.

I can also name the capitals of ... MOST... European countries.  Forgetsful meh... BUT MOST I DO REMEMBER!!!

Map tests are useful.

Even if they aren't fun...

... At all.

I also know that Djbouti is a country in Africa.

Before I would've guessed the word was some strange rap-slang used to describe a lady's... derierre. 

Oh I went there.

I also know that I am liberal than conservative, and that on a PG-13 political spectrum test the pope and Darth Vader have something in common.

It's true.  TOTALITARIANISM unites ALL KINDS.

Weird, eh?

Also came to realize that there are more gifted students than there are ANY kind of students in America.

Scary idea.

I needs to learn mores.

And that no matter how much you believe in a certain philosophy, you can always be a hypocrite.

Take Larry Craig for example.

Lawl...

Anyways, I'm really glad I took this class, I'm glad I've learned all I have, and I look forward to taking my super awesome CWI Semester test on Wednesday.

I'M PUMPED.

SUPER PUMPED.

;)

Okay, I'm not a fan of Linkin Park.

I'm a sunshine-y person.  Ask anyone!

But this video is really cool.  Oh yes.  REALLY COOL.

The video basically addresses all the problems in the world caused by humans.

And I'm not going to lie, that basically covers ALL the problems in the world.

War, racism, Global Warming, pollution... Yeah.  Like I said, pretty much covering the bases.

There's a few shots in there of the A-Bomb testing in the southwest, the KKK, an oil-covered sea gull, and well, a whole ton of other cool ones.

If you remember, last quarter I covered a video by Matchbox 20 that basically had the same vibe as this one (only... you know... with a more addictive song to go with it)

Perhaps it's a new craze sweeping the nation where videos aren't just a billion and one shots of people trying to quote 'look schmexy' and they might actually be trying to gain some depth.

PRAISE THE LORD!

It's about time, honestly. 

So, I'm proud of these bands... Whether I like the song or not, it's a powerful video and I'll praise them for that.

' Word.

Over the weekend, Extreme Surrender II took place.

Dusten and I did a newsblog on it... But I just don't feel it did the event justice...

SO HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

This spring, Disciple Now went down.  It was probably one of the most significant Christian moments OF MY LIFE.

I don't think I've ever felt more close to God... ever.

EVER!

And this fall's Concert was not at all dissappointing.

Super fun.

And super godly.

THAT'S MY KIND OF PARTY!!!

The speaker spoke of the Road To Damascus, when Saul, who had led a very hateful, horrible life, was struck blind by God, and afterwards changed his name to Paul and became one of Jesus's best disciples.  Amazing.

And we tried to pin-point our Road To Damascus moment.  Most of the adults said that they were still experiencing theirs, and that they were always having obstacles and recovering the best, most holy ways.

Pretty epic.  I know.

FBC is a powerful church.

Anyway, what I'm trying to get at is that FBC has many awesome things to do, and always keeps it safe, fun, and awesome.  That's a triple-whammy right there.  Many fun things are hosted  by the Church, and if you need more proof, just ask Dusten.  This was the first... well, anything... she had done at our church and she assures me she had the time of her life.

FOR REAL, yo.

So, come on down to First Baptist Church, it's right across the street from Subway.  Come ooooon, you know the church.  There's BYF every Wednesday (I'm not there right now.  Ironic, no?  But I had to get stuff like this done... and well, I'm grouchy.  No one wants to play with Danielle tonight.)  and we heartily invite you to join the party, with such awesome people in attendance as... Sara, Ellen, Kathleen, Cora, Mason, Grant, and of course... ME!!! I'm so cool. 

So, yes, join the party, Extreme Surrender II kicked butt, and you know the rest.

;)

This week in class, we watched the movie Hotel Rwanda. 

Okay, so maybe I was only two when this happened.

But I was disgusted with myself.

Why didn't we do anything?

Why?

Some of my fellow students reported to spacing out during the movie, suddenly coming back, and not understanding why people were being hacked to pieces.

I couldn't stop watching.

It was like a car wreck... you want to look away, but you just can't.

It was crazy the kind of carnage those people were put through.

I liked the part where the reporter asked a woman what she was.  She replied "Hutu" and he said, "And your friend, Hutu?"  "No," she said, "I am Tutsi".  The reporter then said the two could have been twins.

I also hated that part.  It was a nice touch, basically pointing out that these people were the same, all one in the same.

It's rather revolting that they just killed... themselves... essentially.

It made my stomach churn each time the man on the radio said Cockroaches.

Literally churn.

Why are people so cruel sometimes? Okay... all the time.

Rwanda was a Belgian colony.  They favored the Tutsi over something stupid, claiming they looked more 'European'.  So when they left, they put the Tutsis in charge.  And then the Hutu revolted?  It's just so... Wow.  It's sick.  It's wrong.  It's disgusting.  Especially the way they did it all. Machetes?  Machetes?!?

This event should be right up there with the Holocaust.  It's almost worst... In the way that we didn't intervene, didn't get much of anything done to avoid it.  You'd think we would've learned something from WWII, that we can't just stand by and say, "Oh, others can solve this, no need to get our hands dirty," and not expect something horrifyingly gruesome to take place.  But I guess .   WE.    JUST.    HAVEN'T.

*sigh* sometimes I'm ashamed to call myself a human.  For real.  It honestly gets that unfortunate sometimes.

"Rwanda; home of an approved culture.  Home of genocide, massacre, and rape."

I'm thinking about joining the Peace Corps.  Honestly I am.  I'd get to see the world, and hopefully prevent things like this from happening again.  It sounds like a plan to me.

I want to make sure a massacre like this never occurs in my lifetime.

And if I can have a little fun along the way, why not?

Although, I'm also considering being a doctor.  Perhaps I could combine the two...  Join Red Cross or something.

Save the world one itty bitty piece at a time.. who knows.

I just realized that EVERYTHING seems Pirate-y lately.  It's... odd.  And now I'm going to list everything!  And you are going TO LIKE IT!!!

1.  HCMS MUSICAL - 7th Grade

This little musical set everything off, the Lady Pirates of Captain Bree... suddenly I was tossed into the magical world of swashbuckling pirates.  Possibly one of my drama productions I've ever been in.  Strike that... IT IS MY FAVORITE.  So much fun...

2. PIRATES BY CELIA REES

I went to the library one day during Language Arts, picked up a book, checked it out.. and midway through reading it I found out it was about pirates.  I know, right?  You'd think the title was a dead giveaway... Well, anyhow, it's an awesome book and highly recommended by none other than I, Danielle, the crazy awesome.  It's about this girl who becomes a pirate to escape an arranged marriage, and it's basically one of the best books I have ever read.  I love how it starts awesome.  Not one of those regular crummy books that talks about belly button lint and the second it hits 100 pages it's only slightly better, nah, this book's awesome through and through.  Except for the ending... But that's because I'm a hopeless romantic... Any hobbidy who... Next reason!

3. HISTORIC SHORT STORY PROJECT FOR LANGUAGE ARTS

Not only did I write a story about Pirates, I spent like a month researching pirates.  Do you know what that does to a person?

DO YOU?!

I was thinking piratey thoughts everywhere I went... I was going crazy... Inside my mind was a ship bound for Madagascar full to the brim with rum and drunk, bloody pirates.

MADNESS, I TELL YOU!  MADNESS!!!

So, this is how my story went.  This girl  (Flora Procter) is orphaned after her mom dies, her dad left shortly after he got her mom pregnant.  She's dying of Yellow Fever in the streets of New Providence island, when a man carries her unto a ship to medically assist her.  Well, she wakes up after two weeks, freaks out because some guy carried her unto his ship (back then... well, I guess now, too... she feared rape) so she stabs the guy after he collapses onto his bed after a little too much rum, and then the Navy (headed by Woodes Rogers, a famous pirate catcher, you'd know this if you're crazy like I was... okay... like I AM) pulls the ship over and takes the whole crew to jail.  In her cell, she finds out that the man she killed is actually her father.  GASP!  And she gets hanged.  The drama, the excitement... the pirates.  Told ya they were taking over.

4. THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN TRILOGY

It finally came to a close.  Which stinks, because those movies were huge and awesome.  I love those movies, and unless you payed really EXCRUTIATINGLY close attention to the first two movies, the third didn't make... ANY sense. 

And wouldn't you know it?!  I DID!!!

I loved the third, about as much as the first, because, once again, I'm one desperate, hopeless romantic.  Aww... check out all those commas!!!  Epic.  I love the whole dramatic, forbidden love between Elizabeth and Will.  So cute.  And Jack.  Who couldn't love Jack?!  Nobody.  THAT'S WHO!!!

So why did I make this blog?  Was it to add another reason to the growing list?

Perhaps.

But I needed to make a blog, and the inspiration came.  Crazy, no?

Yes.

Quite crazy.

So have a nautical day, everyone!  And may Jack Sparrow be with you!!! ^^ Much LOVE!