Nolan's blog

IRJ-22

nolanm2013 — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:57:49 +0000

In Sports Illustrated, there was a piece about the snowboarder Shaun White. In the article, they said that Shaun was the best of the best. He undoubtedly is, but at what cost? In an interview on the show 60 Minutes, he showed us how he has the big house, the hidden half pipe and the sports car, but when the interviewer talked about a fellow snowboarder saying Shaun has no friends and I s all alone. Shaun does admit that being at the top is a lonely place. This is present in all sports, when your competing with a friend and they beat you or vice versa, you would not really be in the mood to be getting some food after because your angry and would not really want to be around them. Shaun White is making history with his new, challenging and jaw-dropping tricks, so the jealousy of the riders have gotten very high because some are still trying to get a basic backside 900 in their arsenal of tricks. Since Shaun shows no sign of stopping these new and inventive tricks, his competitors do not want to be around someone like that. Tony Hawk was also in this type of situation. He is also the best at vertical skateboarding, doing 900’s before anyone else could do anything close to that. Hawk was also considered a sell-out by making his own skateboarding brand. The history of this in action sports goes all the way back to Tony Alva. These legends now, were considered as cheep sell-outs by their peers back when they were competing. Their peers should have welcomed them and should have been happy to compete with these kinds of athletes, but jealousy is inevitable in sports, and it is true, the top is a lonely place.

IRJ-21

nolanm2013 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:16:38 +0000

Before a father died in bible times, he would give his blessing to his oldest son so he can be the best he can be. If only one son gets this blessing than why did they have so many offspring? Also, the oldest son gets everything the father possess and the others just get gifts and become servants to the older son. This seems like the most unfair thing I have ever heard. If I just happen to be the second brother and I do not get anything after being there for my father and being a good son, I would run away just like Jacob. Is this a thing that God said? Only a blessing shall go to the oldest son? God wants mankind to be fruitful and have as many offspring as the stars in the night. So why does only the older son get the blessing? It seems like the only purpose in life for the other children is to serve the older.

Sibling rivalries happen in almost every house. It starts when you are little and never ends. When there is a new born, the older sibling will automatically hate them because they took their mom from them. I wonder if this started from the story os Jacob taking his brothers blessing from him. There is not telling if this is true or not, but its something to think about.

IRJ-20

nolanm2013 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:35:18 +0000

In the Bible, Lot is sitting outside of Sodom and sees two men walking towards the gates. Immediately, Lot welcomes them and gives them a place to stay and washes their feet. Once I read this, I was shocked. Lot did not know these people, they could have been murders.

I thought to myself, “when’s the last time I recall this kind of hospitality?” I could not think of any example of this kind. I thought of friends opening their home for other friends, but not for a complete stranger. This also made me think of the movie The Blind Side. But, then i realized that he went to the same school as the other children. After thinking about this for a long time I finally found a time when I helped someone like this.

Last year for my old school we went down to a homeless shelter every week to serve food to the homeless. This was a great experience for me because it made me feel so good because i was helping those in need.We did not know these people and did not know their life story, but we were their for them in a time of struggle and this is what made me feel so good about my self. No wonder Lot helped these people, it was not for the strangers sake, it was for his own. He must have feel so good that he made these two mens lives just a little better just for letting them stay at his house for a night. And in favor, the two men saved his life. What comes around, goes around.

IRJ-19

nolanm2013 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:18:43 +0000

In the Bible, God is unpleased with his first version of mankind. So he wipes out all of humanity except Noah, his wife, his sons and his sons’ wives. After 150+ days the water form the flood is gone and Noah and the others repopulate the earth. While this is happening, Noah makes a sacrifice to God, and God sees how good mankind really is. So god promises he will never do it again.

This act happens a lot when growing up. A Child does something wrong and the parent explodes on the child, grounding, or taking away the child’s electronics or something. After this is all over, the parent says they were sorry for doing this and says they will never do that again. But as we know, history repeats its self. This will happen to every child it his or her life time more than once. But, thats just a way of growing up.

Parents are not the only ones who do this also. God also will do this. Later in the Bible it says that jesus will come back to judge the living and the dead. is not that what God did to mankind earlier? He judged mankind, and only let Noah and his family survive. Is he going to do this again, but only with Jesus? Will there really be a second coming of God even though he promised he would never do something of that caliber again? The world may never know.

IRJ-18

nolanm2013 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:43:11 +0000

Since the beginning, humans have been curious about the world around us. This shows that being curious must be human nature. Once Adam and Eve were told not to eat the fruit form the tree of knowledge, they became curious to why they could not. Once the serpent persuaded them it was fine, they went against orders and tried the fruit.

Ever since we were little, humans have wanted to find out how things work. when we are little, we take our moms’ phone and play with it. The human race has survived off of curiosity. We are always questioning things and this makes our technology, health and lifestyles more efficient and better. If we were not naturally curious, we would have never invented fire and other vital discoveries.

But this shows how we are easily manipulated. With just a, “it wont harm you,” Adam and Eve feel comfortable and do what there told not to do. The serpent represents every con artiest there is. These people want you to feel comfortable when they try to deceive you, this is how they get their fast buck. With a smile and a friendly attitude, a person can get anything out of another. This could also mean that we are easily drawn into thing we do not need but what we want. Adom and Eve did not need to eat the fruit, but they wanted to. we are always scammed into buying something we want but is not a need. No one needs a huge house with luxuries, but everyone wants one.

Fear: The Ultimate Weapon

nolanm2013 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:46:25 +0000

A famous saying is, “knowing is half the battle.” There is a different kind of trait that is more than half the battle. Using fear and scaring your enemy is better than knowing. “…then the window tore open completely, and out climbed Iorek Byrison, the bear in armor.” (p. 199). A bear alone scares a man, like how the bar tender fled inside when Iorek looked at him with a harsh expression, but when he has his armor, he is unstoppable. Seeing the fear in his enemies’ eyes makes Iorek more confident and powerful. The men fueled Iorek by showing their fear and trying to attack him when they clearly don’t stand a chance. He shakes off bullets that are shot at him, but they keep shoot him and this provokes him even more and makes him more powerful.

When making an opponent fearful enough they show it, victory is inevitable. Once they express the fear, using their fear against them could be the best weapon during fight. Poker players use this technique to win the pot. They could bet big when the cards they have, have no value whatsoever. This accomplishes their goal, showing your fear. The opponent sees the big bet will get scared and fold, making the original player have an easy win. This could also be used in the opposite way. Many people call it being “hustled”. This is when someone who looks stout and weak ends up destroying his opponent easily. This time the poker player possesses a royal flush, but he drays you in by betting little at a time to keep you in the game. On the last turn he eliminates his opponent by going all in, and stealing all his money.

If Lyra and her army master these traits, they will be unstoppable. Striking fear in an opponent will make victory fruitful. Also, if you act weak but are not, you will be able to catch your opponent off guard at make a victory quick and easy

IRJ-16

nolanm2013 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:45:38 +0000

Who do you think of as a leader? Your parents, family, police officers, the president or someone like that? What makes a good leader? Seven qualities’ that make a very good leader are focused on the goal and ready to make decisions people do not like. Do all leaders have to have this? No. The master in The Golden Compass makes a very good leader and has some of theses qualities.

The Master is focused on his goal, keeping Lyra safe. He tries to poison the Lord just to keep her safe. The act of poisoning a man shows how he makes decisions that people aren’t fond of. When the master talked to the librarian about the insolent, he was very uneasy about the subject and did not want to talk about it. the master regrets telling the librarian because he already knew what he would say. Knowing this information, the master still tries to poison him. Being ready to make a dissension people wont like makes the master a good leader.

When Lyra is about to leave, he still tries to keep her safe by giving her the golden compass. The compass tells the truth so it will help her get out of sticky situations. Focusing on the goal will help Lrya in the long run because she will be able to use the magical aid to her advantage.

The master is focused on the greater good, keeping Lyra safe. He has and will make unpopular choices to keep her protected.

IRJ-15

nolanm2013 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:18:58 +0000

Have you ever been walking down a street and you see someone drive passed you in a very nice car? You become instantly jealous of the person. You should not me jealous of him or her at all. He or she might be wealthy and look better than you, but you might have something better than money and nice things, friendship. “A man’s growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.” This quote, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, shows what life is really about, making friends.

If someone is rich but has no one to share it with, he isn’t living life to the fullest. With out friends, this man is lonely and boring. If this man were with friends, he would be happier and had a better, fuller life. I poor man who has a lot of friends but little money is having a better life that the rich man. Sure, the rich man has better things, like an expensive things, has no one to share it with. The poor man may have old clothes and not that many luxuries, but he has friends to share things with and to converse with.

What is the better past to take? Risk friendships to get ahead in a career or stay poor and have friends? You don’t want to have too much of one or too much of the other. It is important to have a balance between both or these, to know how to be successful, but not to the point where it makes you all alone.

Friendship

What is friendship?

IRJ-14

nolanm2013 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:25:51 +0000

The archeologist and his crew were in a jeep on their way to the dig site. The men were in awe to be in the archeologist’s presence. The archeologist was one of the most famous in the world. He has been in his pinnacle since he started working as an archeologist. He has found at least one major fined each year for 10 years. This man was the best of the best. The crew, who were only hired for manual labor, felt distain about being in his presence. But the man was always nice to them and made them feel welcome and important.

“I have a good feeling about today boys.” He said

The crew was very exited to hear that because he was known for finding sumptuous and priceless items, and they would be acknowledged also for being part of the find.

“There is a big recompense for gold and rubies now-a-days. Were going to be rich by the end of the day!”

The men were easily swayed by this man because of the mans high power.

They started to dig, and they never stopped until they would find something. The archeologist sauntered around knowing that he would find a copious amount of gold and rubies.

“Found something!” said one of the workers.

“It is beautiful.” Said one of the others.

“Dig there! Everyone! I told you were going to be rich! That’s how it’s done. Hard work works boys.”

IRJ-12

nolanm2013 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:45:44 +0000

This person’s room has many trophies for sports and sports equipment. He has pictures of him plays multiple sports. His jersey is folded on his couch ready for the game. Unlike the jersey, his football helmet is full of marks and other dents, not the colors of his teams’, but marks opponents’ color. Pictures of him as a young football player and him as a present day football player are all over the place. Posters of all different kinds of sports fill the room.

One of his prize positions sits in the corner colleting dust, waiting for winter so it could be used. All the accessories for the snowboard like his gloves and boots also wait in the corner collecting dust. By the door there is a Sector 9 long board ready for a ride. On his desk are a paintball and an air soft gun, both cleaned and ready for action. Also on the desk is a calendar with future assignments on it and a computer with iTunes open.

On his nightstand there is a boom box, phone, iTouch, and his phone. In the first drawer there are countless sports, skateboard, snowboard and dirt biking magazines inside.