Focusing on Friends By Steve Tesich

The fitness gram is a fitness assessment test for the youth. It is a comprehensive set of assessment procedures ranging from running to push ups to trunk lifts. As everyone grouped up in pairs of 3 to spectate each other to do push ups, I was thinking in the back of my mind that I had to impress my friends by doing the most push ups in the class. When it was my turn to take my test, I started off well and did 30 push ups easily. The majority of the class already stopped at 20 but I wanted to do more and I pushed myself to the limit. I finished with 50 push ups but my arms practically turned into noodles, every time I tried to push myself up my hands would give away and I would fall to the ground. Everyone didn't know if they should've been proud of me or laughing at me but they were all impressed. I think that moment was embarrassing but I was more proud of myself that I was one of the many people that did the most push ups. 

Making Connections #2

In "Abandoned but Not Alone", by Thomas Oliphant, Oliphant writes about the how kids are being kicked out of the house by their very own parents just because they're gay. The story of how a freshman at Boston University really touched me because of how helpless kids can be and how unsupportive parents are. If I could be able to talk to him, I would say everyone has a period of time when everything is dark but at the end of every hole, there is light for which he will eventually find. It is unfair for many kids to go without a home for being gay but I'm glad to hear that many organizations are starting to help fund these kids.

Making Connections #1

Everyone has been through a time of miscommunication because of a difference in language in a particular group. I live in a neighborhood mostly with Hispanics and sometimes when I don't feel like going far to get something I need so I decide to go to a nearby store. Most of these stores are also owned by Hispanics and they all prefer to speak Spanish. I only know a little Spanish because my mom lived in Honduras for a good amount of time as a child. However, Most of the times I still wouldn't understand what they're trying to say so I nod my head and try to make hand gestures to make myself as clear as possible. We all might not speak the same language but hand gestures always help, so does google translate and google images.

Let the Colors Run By Ron Suskind

I can relate to the story, "Let the Colors Run" by Ron Suskind because I have written a formal piece on something I passionately care about. When someone writes about something they care about, not only that their happy thoughts are in their mind, but its also written down somewhere where he/she could see and read it. However, when you write about something you care about, its similar to a diary and sometimes a person may not want other people to read it and it is possible that other people can read what is going on in your mind. Writing is a good way to make you feel good about yourself to see what you can accomplish and it stimulates your brain to make you think and reflect on what is happening around you.

Abandoned But Not Alone By Thomas Oliphant

In the story, "Abandoned but Not Alone" by Thomas Oliphant, Oliphant writes about how thousands of kids each year apply for the Point Foundation assistance. The Point Foundation assistance helps kids that are abandoned by their parents just because they are gay. It must be tough for these kids because their very own parents whom they love and trust the most just abandoned them without saying a word. Now that they are alone, it is hard for them to survive in the real world but Point Foundation assistance is there to help as many of those kids as possible. I think that not only parents should accept kids for who they are but kids should also accept their parents for who they are whether they are gay or religious. Family is the most important thing in life.