Ender's Game

I've recently been introduced to this series of books and I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed them. The original novel in the series is Ender's Game and it's about a chils genius that is trained from a very young age to fight an alien race. He eventually destroys them even though he thinks he is only playing a game on a simulater as opposed to commanding starships. He ends up regretting killing the aliens and realizes the only reason for the conflict was because the two races couldn't communicate and he starts on his journey to bring the alien race back to life using their only remaining egg. It is a gripping adventure that I would recommend to anyone, no matter what you enjoy reading.

Comparison essay

Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Concerning Next and Jurassic Park


Few names are more known for science fiction writing than Michael Crichton’s. Two of his novels are in the forefront of all others, Next and Jurassic Park. They are very different novels that have a similar base. Both have major centralized conflicts and conclusions, but in many ways they diverge. Two of the most influential science fiction novels of our time, written by the same author, that have few, very large similarities and many small differences.
Next is written for entertainment, but it has major value as a warning to humanity. In essence the novel warns against meddling with our own genetics. Jurassic Park carries a similar warning, but it warns against meddling with the genetic material left behind by the earliest masters of the continent, the dinosaurs. Next hits closer to home because of the research pertaining to stem cells. Scientists are coming ever closer to being able to grow human organs and changing genetics are not so far from this as people might imagine. Jurassic Park brings a conceivable problem to light, but it will be close to impossible for scientists to bring this fiction into reality because viable genetic material from dinosaurs is about as hard to find as it was to actually map the human genome. Both of these novels present situations that are nigh from impossible and closer to being a reality than many people would like to consider.
There are many conflicts that are central to the storylines of both novels. In Jurassic Park there is the obvious man v. nature conflict, but there are several man v. man conflicts as well as the inherent man v. God struggle. Next differs only because there is no man v. nature conflict. Jurassic Park exemplifies the struggle with God because it shows men that are trying to do God’s work by creating and altering life, Next also has this struggle, but instead of creating life man is simply altering people which is supposed to be an ability allowed only God. Michael Crichton in his novel Next portrays many negative relationships between people. The tend to be all antagonists in Next as opposed to Jurassic Park where there is a clear division between good and evil. Each novel displays Michael Crichton’s masterful use of inner struggles and the outward struggles that always tend to be present in everyone’s life.
As an author Michael Crichton isn’t known for being an optimist in the normal sense of the word. In both novels the stories end with people dying, being arrested, or just being broken. In Next the large corporations are indicted for misuse of science and the heads of the companies are broken men. In this story God wins and it portrays the majority of the population as inherently good while it still ends badly for a minority of the characters. It could be viewed as optimistic or pessimistic; the glass is half full or half empty. Jurassic Park comes to a close with the creator of the rogue fossils being eaten by said fossils, it is the ultimate irony. The protagonists escape unscathed and humanity is saved, but it still shows that some people are inherently bad and will stop at nothing to upset the normal order of the day. Either way you see the world as either inherently evil or inherently good, both novels can come to terms with all of your opinions and views.
Most importantly these novels both come to terms with all facets of humanity. Neither novel takes a single side in the argument of transcendentalists and anti-transcendentalists. Both can be picked up and read and be viewed from many different perspectives. Michael Crichton created two very intuitive crowd pleasers that will continue to draw audiences into the fold of science fiction writing for many years to come.

Hagia Sophia

I'm quite disgruntled about my grade on my last paper. I poured effort into that paper and it was one of the papers that i've felt the most confidence about in my life. The topic was a title that I knew a lot about and was very interested in. It seemed like papers of similar style had much higher grades than mine. I'm not discrediting anyone I just believe my paper was as good as many of the papers that received high A's.
Veni, Vidi, volo in domum redire

My Weekend

This weekend has been pretty busy. Friday i went and saw the softball team earn a ticket to the state playoffs and then we all went to zaxbys and got politely asked to leave. Saturday I had a soccer game in Atlanta which we won 4-1. It was so cold there and it was also raining. Sunday I woke up early and went deer hunting. I shot a doe, but she ran into the woods and we tracked her for an hour unsuccessfully. All in all it was a pretty good weekend, but I'm living for the moment when I actually get to sleep in and enjoy my time out of school.

My experiences with my example essay

I personally enjoyed writing the example essay. The topic was one that I was really interested in. It seemed like the paper was very easy to write, the ideas were free flowing and I didn't encounter a case of writers block on this particular essay. If I was to be a student taking this class next year I would just recommend that they always write on a topic that is important or interesting to them. I always find that I won't partake in something that I'm not interested in. On the blogging issue that everyone is seeming to have, well i've just been fortunate enough to have people leave me constructive comments. I have been commenting on many peoples blogs and I just believe that they are returning the favor. If you put effort into anything then you will always be able to reap rewards, they might not be the rewards you expect, but they can still be helpful. This is how I go about blogging and commenting. On the second essay I received a plethora of comments that were complementive and constructive, however on the first essay I received no comments, but I went by my teachers comments. The system of commenting is a double-edged sword and it seems to be by chance which edge you happen to be on.

One of my big little flaws

Procrastination or senioritis as some would say, is a horrible trait that is learned much earlier in life than your senior year, even though this is a convenient excuse for being lazy. I am disgusted that I have this particular flaw because it makes me rush for time and cram in my studying. For example I had a biology test friday and I put off studying until friday morning and then as luck would have it my alarm didnt go off, therefore no studying at all. This is particularly unlucky because for any other class I would still do pretty well on a test, AP biology is a class that I have to study for. Now I have to study and retake it. Ill just be thankful I actually get to retake it. Hooray for bogus rules.