Caleb johns 2

After almost two weeks of online learning in the books, I have to say- I’m not a fan. The biggest thing for me is the focus aspect of it. How can I learn with all of the distractions in my home; my dog, my phone, going outside, just to name a few. I have found ways to avoid the distractions, for example turning my living room into a “classroom” to hone my focus into school, but it's not perfect.

 So how do I stay focused for the remaining two months of school, for it's hard to ignore not just what's in front of you but also the stories in the news. Especially because it seems, just the way things are reported in the news, that everyday is the worst day. Everyday we are told that the numbers are at an all time high, that it couldn’t get worse. 

What also distracts me is: what will the world look like when this is all over? Will we be more equipped for something like this in the future? How will it impact schooling as well? Now of course all of these can’t be answered now, but it’s what's on the mind now. 

I chuckle when I watch older videos of people saying that we live in “strange times” because now we are really living in strange times. People have to stay far apart now, but I hope that the best thing that comes out of all of this, is that it brings us closer in the long run.

Nigohosian Schema 2

Category 3

For my schema builder, I decided to watch another TED talk, and I found myself watching a video looking into the mind of a procrastinator. When I watched the video, I was able to relate to it in a few ways because of my usual habits of procrastination, coupled with the fact that I’m left to my own devices at home. While watching the video, I saw how bad procrastination can affect some people, and I’m glad to say that I am able to manage it better than in the past, even with all of the possible distractions going on around me.

While I was watching it, I learned that procrastination isn’t only for tasks that have to be completed. It can be applied to any part in life which made me realize how many people it can really affect and all the different ways that it can happen. Watching this video broadened my horizons in what procrastination can affect. After noticing this, I thought about how useful planning can be with these situations as procrastinating on things later in life can be detrimental in multiple ways whether it’s keeping up with the people around you or continuing to stay motivated for a job or higher education. I’ve realized that learning how to treat procrastination now will not only help with current situations, but it will prevent other issues happening in the future.

Had I not viewed this, I wouldn’t have looked at all of the effects that procrastination can have on a person unless there was a situation where I was affected by it later on. Thinking about other possibilities allows me to plan for the future and prevent procrastination.

Alicia Zhang: Schema 2

Category 2: Shorter Reading

   In looking for a good short story to read, I came across "The Fly," by Katherine Mansfield. The story demands the full attention of the reader, or they could ignore some key details. This was written in 1922, in the aftermath of WWI, and while the war itself is not front and center as a topic, its effects are clearly felt and feed into some central themes of the story. While I was reading, I kept wondering what the point was, and when I got to the end, I still didn't quite understand for a while. I had to go back, and when I did, I finally understood. Readers may see different meanings conveyed by this story, but it was poignant all the same for me.

   In the short story, at one point a fly struggles for dear life while a man cruelly pours dollops of ink on it until it dies in agony. The man does not understand. It was so stubbornly holding on, and it kept getting back up again and again--why did it die after all that struggle? He casually throws it away bundled up in the paper it died upon, and does not seem to have learned anything from this experiment. He has gained a sudden amnesia as well, and forgotten his grief over his deceased soldier son, who may perhaps be likened to the fly in a sense. The same could be said for WWI, as the older generation threw away the lives of the young soldiers who died in the trenches and on foreign grounds for the sake of a dead Austro-Hungarian noble. They, as well, do not learn anything from this experiment in war, and so the cycle repeats itself in WWII.

   Death is inevitable. Regardless of how wealthy or poor one is, whether one does a thousand good deeds or performs a thousand malignant evils, we all end up six feet under. I came away from this story that much more aware of my mortality, and maybe a bit more understanding of religion and why some people hang onto it for dear life. I am not religious, and when I read that there were churches refusing to abide to stay-at-home orders and opening for Easter celebrations, I couldn't help but simply shake my head in wonder and pity. But perhaps, for some, the idea of abandoning the last tenets of ordinary life is a graver threat than the coronavirus, and death is an imaginary specter until it comes knocking at their doors.

   Will I lose the ability to grieve when the time comes that someone dear to me dies, years after the fact like the man in the story? I want to say that my tears will never stop when I reminisce, but perhaps my memories and the grief that comes with it will fade away after all. I don't know how to feel about that possibility. Will that make me less of a person? And I am that much more fearful of my inevitable death. I don't want to die struggling under the thumb of a cruel person like the fly did, and I certainly don't want to die a soldier fighting for a war devised on the chessboards of the older generation. I want to live a meaningful life. I don't want fame or fortune, or even love, though finding a understanding partner could certainly be beneficial. I suppose, what I mean to say, is that I want to be able to die with no regrets, content in my lot in life. I think that if I died now, or even a year later, I wouldn't be able to do so. When I will die is a factor I have no control over, and it hurts just a bit to know that I never will be able to. "The Fly" is a story about mortality in my eyes, and it has opened those eyes to the thinking that I must live life as if I am to die the very next day, for there is no certainty when it comes to death.

Schema 2- Katie Madson

I watched the movie 1917 today, and I will just say this: wow.  I have not seen a lot of movies regarding World War l.  My dad and I have always loved historical movies, fiction or not.  Saving Private Ryan is among my favorites.  1917 was very different from the others.

At first, it started out as all of the others.  Men in a dirty camp, scared for their lives.  Some mission comes up, and people are chosen to complete it.  Only this time, only two men were chosen.  I do not want to spoil it, but one of those men die early on.  This being said, most of the movie is with only one man.

There is nothing but silence and the sound of war for most of the movie.  It shows the struggle of being alone.  It shows the struggle of war.  Most of all, it shows the struggle with the strength of a man's heart.  He risks his lifetime and time again to save the lives of many other men.  It shows the battle most war movies do not portray directly, the battle inside the individual.

This made me think.  I do not remember the movie, but someone said: "Wars are fought with weapons but won by men."  1917 is a direct example of this.  It was not the resources the man had that saved people, it was what was in his mind and heart that did.  The combination of what is in the mind and heart is what will save the world.  People need to remember that.

Gabe Schema 2

Schema #2
Category 7: Take a leisurely solo walk around the neighborhood, while paying attention to the sensory experience in a way you usually don’t

Being cooped up inside with nothing to do all day, walks around my neighborhood have quickly become a new addition to my daily schedule and the highlight of my day. My favorite time to walk is just as the sun is starting to go down. Once it gets to a certain angle, the light hits the trees and the grass just right, and all the colors seem more vibrant. It’s especially beautiful now that it’s spring and all the trees are finally flowering again.

I’ve noticed a weird sort of silence on the road during my walk. It’s very peaceful, almost eerily so. The roads are almost always clear of traffic, save the very occasional person heading to or from the grocery store in an attempt to maintain their sanity. But most of the time, it’s just me and a gentle breeze alone on an empty road. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but the sky seems clearer too. I mean, it would make sense, given that there are less flights and the cement factories are probably closed down.

It’s these moments, when I’m alone on an empty road, and the light is hitting the trees in just the right way, and the sky is exceptionally blue, that I wonder if this is what the world looked like maybe three hundred years ago, before we started pumping pollutants into the atmosphere. Maybe that eerie silence is not eerie, but natural, and I’m just so used to living in a world of cars and factories that it seems alien to me.

It’s so easy to get bogged down in the negatives of our global situation, but I think it’s important to remember that there are positives as well. This may be the cleanest the Earth will be for a while; it’s best to enjoy it while it lasts.

Nathan Schmidt Schema 2

Category 7: Observation & Experience

Nathan Schmidt

I don't consider myself a runner.  I don't run often, and I do not plan to start running often.  I had the sudden urge, though, to go for a run the other day.  I was watching a documentary on BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training).  It is basically the prerequisite class to join Navy SEAL training.  I do not plan on joining the military, but I found it extremely interesting, nonetheless.  The documentary followed a group of about 100 guys hoping to make it through the seven-week training course.  Because of the intense training, though, only about 25 percent would graduate.

While watching this documentary, it inspired me to get a little bit more physically active, myself.  These guys were getting four hours of sleep, running into 40-some degree water, and working out to near collapse.  When they could no longer do push-ups, pull-ups, or whatever else they were doing, they would run.  "If they can run four miles after doing all that, I ought to be able to get off this couch and go for a run too," I thought to myself.  I got up, got ready, and off I went.  I felt motivated after watching that documentary, and it helped me to continue moving.  I made it home and felt really good about myself.  I thought it was crazy how I became so motivated to do an activity that I usually dread under any other circumstance.

I credit that documentary for inspiring me to start working out again.  Although I haven't been running a whole lot, I have been doing a lot of other stuff in the workout room in my basement.  This quarantine is definitely not doing me many favors, but at least it is giving me time to work out more.  Many others are in the same situation as I am right now.  We are unable to really go anywhere or meet people.  The best we can do is try to better ourselves in these difficult times.  It is always best to remain optimistic and try new things, whether that be working out, reading, learning, or more.  So until this quarantine is over, that is what I am going to continue to do.

Nathan Schmidt Schema 1

Category 3: Entertainment

Nathan Schmidt

Now that my family is stuck in quarantine together, my parents saw it as a great opportunity to have a family movie night.  I was in no way opposed to this; I was only opposed to the movie options we were being given.  I had been told by a number of friends to watch the movie The Shawshank Redemption.  I had wanted to see it for a while and I thought that now would be a great time to do so.  My parents, however, were only interested in comedies.  "It's too depressing!" my dad, having seen it before, would say.  "We want to watch something lighthearted and funny!" my mom would agree.  After some convincing, though, we would watch The Shawshank Redemption.

This movie is ranked as the number one movie of all time, according to the IMDb (Internet Movie Database) rating scale.  After watching, I completely understand why.  For starters, my dad had completely forgotten the last 30 minutes of the movie, much of which was actually very uplifting and inspirational.  There were certainly depressing and disturbing aspects of the movie, but it ends with an optimistic feel.  It has since become one of my favorites of all time.

This movie follows a man, Andy Dufresne, portrayed by Tim Robbins.  Andy is sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering his wife and his wife's lover.  While in prison, he meets Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, portrayed by Morgan Freeman.  The audience learns about the hardships, struggles, abuse, and optimism that Andy faces while at Shawshank Prison.  In doing so, it does not shy away from any disturbing content.  The movie delivers powerful messages about second chances, hope, the prison system, and simple joys of life.  One prisoner, for example, has spent most of his life at Shawshank Prison.  When he is finally released as an old man, he is unable to adapt to living a normal lifestyle.  He hangs himself in his hotel room, believing he will never be able to adapt to the outside world.

I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a powerful, meaningful film.  Both of my parents were left very satisfied with the movie, despite being hesitant to watch it in the beginning.  This is definitely one that I am going to watch some time again.

MaryJo Schema 2

Category 3 - Watch an Academy Award winning movie

Lots of time at home has allowed me to catch up on doing things I like and remember the person with interests and passions that I was before homework, tests, and busy schedules. Apart from discovering what I like to do again, I have also been able to watch shows or movies I wanted to watch for a while but never had the chance to. Among these was Parasite, a South Korean film winning Best Picture as well as 3 other awards at this year’s Oscars. The movie was discussed on social media for months on end through high praise or references that I wished I understood. To my luck, it was recently just put on Hulu, so I could finally take my chance to watch it without having to pay for it.

Parasite is an interesting story following the relationship between an upper and lower-class family tainted by discrimination and entitlement. After the Kim family is able to manipulate the wealthy Park family into hiring every person in their family, the story quickly becomes morbid and violent later on. The fun and comedic part of the movie comes at the beginning as you watch a chain reaction occur within the Kim family as they each claim a job as an English tutor, art therapist, chauffeur, and housekeeper working for the Park family. However, more dark and unsettling themes unveil themselves and what occurs becomes much more gruesome and horrible very quickly. There was a lot of recurring symbolism that highlighted the separation of wealth from poverty as well as the harsh nature of reality, and it was so interesting to think about once the movie was over. I don’t want to spoil too much because I really, really recommend watching this movie if you haven’t already. The message it brings is an important one many people don’t understand, and it may take a while to sink in; hopes for wealth and success are only as realistic and useful as the fantasies they create for those who are systematically unable to attain them.

I always love watching foreign movies, and I think you can learn a lot from taking in media from other cultures and stepping out of the all-American bubble most people force themselves in. I also never got bored throughout the entire movie, which is something that rarely happens because of my short attention span. Again, I highly encourage that everyone watches this movie, and it definitely earned every single Oscar it won.

Schema Builder: Category 7

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that my life has slowed down a lot. I’m sure that I’m not alone in this.

During the school year, every week feels like a rush to be everywhere and get everything done in time. Then, the weekend comes, and we can all breathe for a second before the marathon of tests and activities begins again on Monday. I honestly like being busy in a lot of ways; having a packed schedule keeps me motivated, and I genuinely enjoy the activities that I do.

Still, now that I have had so much extra free time, I am beginning to realize all of the simple things that I’ve been missing out on.

Before the Stay-at-Home orders, my friend and I (while staying far more than 6 feet apart) did sidewalk chalk with her younger sister. We drew pastel flowers and listened to music while reminiscing about all of the summers that we would sit outside and chalk our driveways.

Before I even picked up a piece of chalk, I checked the weather forecast; the day looked sunny and beautiful, but according to weather.com, in a few hours it would rain.  I decided to do chalk despite the fact that it would quickly wash away, and at first, that decision bothered me a little bit. It seemed almost pointless because I knew that I’d be putting in time to something so temporary.

As I began to draw flower after flower, however, I began to realize that it really didn’t matter if it soon washed away. I was outside on a sunny day doing chalk with my friend not for some sort of progress or outcome, but just for momentary fun. And that’s perfectly good.

Muskan Schema 2

Everyone has experienced a moment in their life where it feels like their life is over. Whether it’s a mistake they don’t think they’ll recover from, or a major change in their life. These moments feel like they’re trying to break the person down, trying to convince them that their life will never be the same now. 

In the words of Robert Frost, “In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” No matter how hard the situation that you're going through is, life goes on. Life will work itself out in the end. That’s something we all need to remember, especially now. Even though life feels like it’s shutting down, we all need to remember that life goes on, and we will eventually get past this. 

The past, however many days, we’ve been in quarantine (I honestly don’t even remember how many days have past) have been driving everyone crazy to some degree. Lately, the situation doesn’t seem to be getting much better, and more and more weeks are being added to our stay at home order. It almost feels like we’ll never get out again.

Even though 2020 has been the year of absolute bad luck, we all need to remember that life goes on and that eventually, this will end; hopefully, 2021 will be a lot better. In general, being aware that one moment in time does not change one’s life for the worse is essential to living a happy life void of regret. We will all experience numerous occasions where we feel like our worlds are ending, but we all need to keep in mind that bad moments will pass, and life does eventually go on.

Alora Kutzler Schema 2

Throughout this Quarantine I have tried to figure out ways to distract myself, make the days go by faster. So I started cooking and baking. I started out by making a strawberry Cobbler. Which turned out to be a disaster because it was a bad recipe. It called for a very disturbing amount of salt which we came to the conclusion that it was supposed to be sugar. So I decided to try again, it was 10 at night but I was determined. I had a bunch of apples in the fridge that no one was eating so I decided to make homemade apple pie. I never did it before so I was really scared to make the dough but it came out perfectly. It was an absolute hit. So I decided once or twice a week I would try to either make dinner from scratch or dessert.

I would do it more but eggs,butter, etc are a hot commodity with this pandemic. I made homemade pizza for my family and it was so good, I want to do it more often. I then made a two tier chocolate mousse filled cake with chocolate icing. It was a challenge but It wasn't the worst.. Lastly I made chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with vanilla buttercream frosting. Those were my favorite. This quarantine is giving me a lot of time to make new things and try out new recipes.

Caleb Johns Scheme

The other day I was flipping through the endless titles of Netflix when I found this documentary that caught my eye. It had been talked about a lot on social media so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad that I did. First of all, the story is probably the craziest that I had heard of in a long time. It told the rise and fall of an exotic animal zookeeper, Joe Exotic, who became a featured attraction along with the rest of his tigers at his zoo. He was known for his unpredictable behavior and humor, and his long-running feud with Carol Baskin. Carol Baskin was the owner of Big Cat Rescue, a zoo designed for the safety of big cats in America. She made it her mission to shut Joe Exotic’s zoo down and acquire all of his big cats. The two exchanged in death threats, protests and media attacks that were nothing short of entertaining and goofy. But their hatred for each other was evident. Now I’m leaving so much out because of how much is involved in the story, everything from a murder-to-hire-plot to running for president of the United States. 

But at its core, the documentary deals with the morality of animal treatment and how money can corrupt people away from their own values, as it did to Joe Exotic. The documentary shows how Joe Exotic, during the founding of the zoo, wanted the zoo to be a haven and rescue for animals, but it turned into his way of getting rich. 

Anyways, this documentary was a great distraction from the world outside and the boredom and anxiety of the household. I think now more than ever people need an escape, and I think this documentary delivered. 

Nigohosian Schema

Category 3:

Today I decided to watch a TED talk for my schema builder, and it was Bill Gates talking about the dangers of a future outbreak and how we aren’t prepared currently. This video was made in 2015 as he talked about the recent ebola virus outbreak and some of the issues with pandemics and how we weren’t prepared for it. He used this as a lead into how an outbreak would wreak havoc on the world if we continued to disregard creating plans for future pandemics. After watching the video, it was scary how accurate some of the information he presented was. He explained ideal conditions for a virus to spread, and the coronavirus has many of the characteristics that could prove to be dangerous to the world and so far it has been.

It’s ironic how we were given the knowledge to prepare for an outbreak through the experience of dealing with the ebola virus outbreak, and we were even lucky with how little it spread because of the conditions of the virus. In spite of this happening, few precautionary measures were taken when the possibility of a potentially dangerous had broken the news, and its as if history is repeating itself again. I think that Bill Gates has taught some very valuable information that we should heed when dealing with future outbreaks in order to prevent something of this magnitude or even worse from happening again.

Alora Kutzler - Schema 1

Universal Truth:

Throughout this time I have really looked at my faith, this time of isolation and trial has put a damper on everyone's lives. It is a scary time, and we do not know when its going to end. A bible verse that has helped me throughout this time is Isaiah 4:10 ¨So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 Even though we are in a scary time, my faith in God has helped me and has given me support and strength. When something has wrecked havoc on the world, we always ask ¨Why¨ or we pray for it to stop. So as we go though this Pandemic, and we have all these emotions I urge you to find solace in if not your faith then with your family. This bible verse is something I lean on time and time again not only in the hard times but when things seem to be going good too. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

Alicia Zhang: Schema 1

Category 4: Watch a documentary on a historical time, place, event, or person

   Going into watching the animated film Waltz with Bashir, I really didn't know what to expect. From the summary, it appeared to chronicle the journey of a former soldier rediscovering his lost memories of the 1982 Lebanon War. I had been previously aware of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is still ongoing today, but it never really struck me how much blood must have been shed on both sides, and the atrocities that must have occurred because of the conflict. You see, the soldier had been at the Sabra and Shatila massacre, but he did not recall anything of it but a single scene in which he and his comrades are bathing in the sea while flares fall upon the city. By the end, he remembers it all, and comes to understand exactly why his mind has suppressed those memories for 20 years.

   Waltz with Bashir is composed of interviews, flashbacks, and dreams. It feels unreal at times, with its beautiful animation depicting scenes of vivid horror and strangeness alike, like Arabian horses dying while flies pick at them, and singing men on a "Love Boat" that soon bursts into flames and sinks to the bottom of the sea. There is a heavy sense of guilt and uncertainty that plagues both the travelling former soldier and those watching until the very end, when suddenly, the animated film is no longer 2D, but rooted in ugly reality. There is no happy ending, and war is shown in all its cruelty and insanity. Waltz with Bashir provides viewers an unfiltered experience of war, and does not make any compromises or present any false kindnesses.

   I think Waltz with Bashir is well-worth the watch, but it's definitely not for everyone. It deals with uncomfortable themes and moral ambiguities, and there is no hero to root for against a villain cut out of cardboard. It just leaves you hanging with a lot of questions, and no well-defined answers. When the film's credits started rolling, I just sat back thinking, "Is this really it? It can't be, can it?" I knew that war is hell, but this film really hammered in that message for me, and now I just feel bummed out about just how horrible human beings are sometimes. After all, Bashir from the movie's title was a real person. He was the president-elect of Lebanon, but was assassinated before he could take office. In his name, the Sabra and Shatila massacre occurred, and countless innocent Palestinian civilians were killed in front of the eyes of Israeli soldiers. I am going to go to sleep tonight, and my dreams are going to be haunted by this film's scenes. Staying at home unable to go out for anything but shopping trips has been an awkward experience, but I am truly glad to have never experienced war, and I hope I never will in this lifetime.