Get Organized: A tribute to Aristotle...and my room.

At the end of last school year, I literally dumped out everything in my closet and all my drawers. It took me a couple days, but I got rid of a bunch of clothes that no longer fit and items that I simply wasn't interested in anymore.
It was shocking to realize that a mere five months can completely disorganize everything in my room. Therefore, I started out my Thanksgiving break to doing a tribute to Aristotle. I did what I managed to do five months earlier. I took out everything in my closet and all my drawers. There wasn't as much STUFF as before, luckiliy, but there was a lot of organizing to do. I spent an entire thirteen and a half hours reorganizing everything.
Before I reorganized, I felt as if my head was as disorganized as my room. I felt that nothing had it's place, and that life was one big mess.
During my reorganization marathon, I felt really disgusted that I had so much stuff. I also felt really frustrated that it got so disorganized from the last time I organized everything. Needless to say, after I gave my self some motivating thoughts, like once it's done you will feel so wonderful, I kept on organizing my cloths and papers and such.
After I reorganized everything, I felt as good as new. I felt so organized, so wonderful, so fresh! The thing I felt the most was freedom. When I am organized for some reason, I feel really free, like I have the ability to take on any task. It also made me realize how important it is to keep cleaning my room every so often, so I can do a bunch of mini room cleans instead of one giant one.
After doing this project, it made me realize how much healthier and happier my mind feels when I'm organized. It made me realize that the place you live in really affects your mind, and that is why it is so important to keep a clean and organized room, so your mind can be free and organized too. This also made me realize that I can control how my mind feels, and that I should make every effort to make my mind feel the best and freest.
After doing this project, it made me realize that more comes from a clean room than a place for all your posessions. There is a whole mental health aspect involved in organizing. There is a philosophical aspect involved in a clean room. For with a clean room, one can achieve successful things and be able to live life to a higher degree.
It also made me aware that a clean room has more rewards and benefits than having a path to your bed. I really like when things have order and are clean, and overall it made me realize that I have control over the cleanness of my room; I know now how beneficial a clean room is for me, so I am going to make sure my room stays clean.

Carry it Forward: Sophie's World

While reading Sophie's World, many intriguing ideas have been presented by numerous philosophers. However, the idea of reason is one that I find extremely interesting and important. We talked a little bit about it in class, and I think it pertains to everyone's life. Descartes presented the idea that "only reason can give us certainty (234)." He presented the idea that you should base your decisions and choices off of reason, logic, and common sense.
I find reason very valuable in any decision or choice you have to make. Without reason, making a choice is like a blind person trying to pick their favorite color. I think reason has value and weight in my life every day. For I have yet to go a day when I haven't made a choice and haven't used reason to help me make that choice.
I use reason to decide logically if I should go out with my friends and have fun or do an english assignment. I use reason in making even more important decisions like should I wear a seat belt when driving. This is a question I face every day, and it is with my reason that I decide, yes.
It is also my reason that has shaped my religious views. I'm an atheist because I don't understand how it logically could be possible that there is God or someone controlling us. When I used my reason to decide if there was a higher power, I came to the conclusion there wasn't.
In class we talked about how reason can help you make the decision of taking part in drugs and alcohol. Luckily, my reason and logic has helped me decide that I do not want to.
I see myself using reason in making a very important decision, which college I will attend next year. I also see myself using reason to decide my career path, my political views, and my friends.
I really value reason because it helps shape my opinions, beliefs, and character. I will continue to use reason in my decision making from everything from what I will eat for lunch, to where I will live when I'm older.In fact, a lot of the time I feel I take reason for granted because I unconsciously use it. Reflecting on reason, I realize I use it in every decision I make. I am very plased that I use reason and logic in making decisions that are shaping my life.

Blogging Around:

Angela P. did her blog on the discussion of smoking and addiction. Angela,
I really enjoyed that discussion the other day in class too, and I think what I enjoyed the most about it is how people were so honest. You being a very delightful example. I would like to take a moment to say CONGRATULATIONS for stopping. I think it was a really mature decision that takes a lot of strength and confidence to do. I really respect you and am very happy that you stopped, for now you have more years to live.
Also during this discussion though, I was trying to think of a time when addiction is a good thing. The only thing I came up with is addiction to success, but this too can be a bad thing, causing you to do things you normally wouldn't.
Thank you for sharing your personal experiences in class. I really enjoyed listening to it, and I gained a deeper sense of who you are- a strong, moraled person.
-Kara

Joe A did his blog on Benn Glenn, who shows how he can overcome his ADHD by being such a phenomenal artist and speaker.
Joe,
Wow! I just watched that video, and I could only dream of drawing what he did in ten minutes!
I really admire Ben Glenn, not only for his artistic talents, but because of what you said. How he has overcome his ADHD to be an artist and an inspirational speaker. How he has overcome a sad childhood.
I think people like Ben Glenn is what the world needs more of. People who can overcome bad with good. People who can take a bad experience and fuel their success.
I really admire how this man speaks about his experiences too, so he can help others. He is truly a remarkable human being.
Thank you for sharing him with me.
-Kara

Connection: Two Stories in One

When one opens a book, they expect to read one story. One story on war. One story on love. One story on history. One story on philosophy.
A story on philosophy is exactly what the novel Sophie's World is about. Philosophy. The history of philosophy. The beliefs of philosophy. The greatest philosphers. However, Sophie's World is not one story; it is two.
In this novel there is one story going on that tells of the history of philosophy, what philosophy is, the greatest philosophers, and how to be a philosphical person. In addition, there is another story going on about a young girl named Sophie. Sophie is receiving these letters, which is how the story about Sophie is connected to the story of philosophy.
This isn't the only novel we've read that has portrayed two stories in one. In fact, the novel Shadow Catcher also did this. There was one story going on about Curtis and Edward, which would compare to the story going on about the history and definition of philosophy. On the other hand, there was this story going on about Marianne Wiggins, and this would compare to the story about Sophie.
An outside connection that I made about telling two stories in one is the movie The Godfather II. In this production, they tell the history of the Godfather, and they also tell a present story. However, they tie these two stories together because eventually Michael, the Godfather's son, goes back to where the Godfather grew up and killed the mophia person that killed everyone in the Godfather's family. This connects to Sophie's World because it has a story about Sophie living in the present, and it also has a story about the history of philosophy. They are both tied toghether, just how these two stories are tied together in The Godfather.
This idea of having telling two stories in one is connected to my life, and it matters to me. I feel like I am two people in one. I am constantly part of two different stories. I feel like I'm living two different lives.
One life is me as the Glenbrook South student, who dresses in simple cothing, plays trombone, and participates in model united nations.
My other life is me as an adventurist, who canoes, backpacks, wears bohemian style clothing, plays country music on guitar, and has a motive to make a difference somewhere in the world.
It is as if I have two different stories, just as the Shadow Catcher and Sophie's World do, but these two stories intertwine. They feed off of each other, just as these two stories did in Shadow Catcher. Events, objects, people, and places connect these two different stories, and for me they connect the two different lives I feel I live.