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DP: What is love?

Image not mine, but this is a really cute meaning I found.

Something I have always wondered about is love, what is it? What is the definition of love?

According to the dictionary it means :

” noun 

1. A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2. A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection,

 as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. Sexual passion or desire.
4. A person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart. “

But according to my experience, love is a person or animal or object that you can count on and feel safe with. It is knowing that there is a risk in loving someone, caring for them deeply and worrying about them and that sometimes it might not work out, but it’s fine. It’s knowing that you always have that person or animal in your mind,  there are different forms of love.
A love for an animal could mean always worrying about them and feeling safe when you see that pet, feeling a strong emotion that when they get sick, you feel sick, when they are happy you feel happy. 
From my experience so far, love for someone else means being able to talk to them easily, always thinking about them and what they might be doing. It means listening to silly music and giggling while wondering if maybe, just maybe, that person might like that song as well and it also means pain and regret, knowing that sometimes those feeling you have will not be given back, that sometimes you will have to hear “I am sorry” and see eyes looking away from you.
It’s alright, love is different to everyone. A love toward an object could be feeling comfortable when you have said object, for me it is a pink teddy bear that I named Bren, which one of my best guy friend gave to me for valentine day. When I am feeling stress I hold on to Bren and feel myself comfortable, when I can’t find her, I feel panic and worry for her, to me, that is love.
I suppose love also means reason, there is  a reason why you care so deeply for said things, a reason why you stay with it.
I’ve said my thoughts on the word love, but what do you think?
~A.P~
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Losing

I had been talking about Doodle 4 Google and how I had submitted something that was sure to win…I just found out that I didn’t even make it to the voting part which hurts a lot. I spend months editing the picture, drawing it out and thinking about my concept, only for it to not even be given a chance.

I use to love Google but this just feels like a big slap full of betrayal in it…like, they could have AT LEAST given me a chance. If I had known, I would have never applied to the stupid Scholarship, it hurts more then it was worth it and in the end it just makes me doubt myself and wonder “Am I even good at drawing?”

 

I don’t know what to do anymore.

 

So...this is how failure looks like.

So…this is how failure looks like.

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NMH, how it helped me

Image not mine, that is the art building that you see, which is close to the gym. I walked across that building everyday.

I am in a program call Summer Search, which offers 2 free travels in the summer, one for our Sophomore year and the other for our Junior year.

 

I remember my Junior’s year trip, it was to Northfield Mount Hermon boarding school in Massachusetts. I was to take Introduction to Psychology during the summer for 2 and a half month. I took a nine hour bus ride from New York to Greenfield, Massachusetts. I had my guitar and 2 different baggage plus my backpack that had my laptop and my Teddy Bear plushie as well as my Asthma medication.

 

During the trip, I learned what friendship was. At first, I had gone there only to learn Psychology and get along with my roommate who was Vietnamese and really pretty. She could sing and was the only one that used my guitar, since I am only a beginner and rarely use it. My teacher was a nice, elder lady who was fun bit slightly strict.

 

I remember when I saw her, I disliked her right away and I kept thinking she had something against me since she kept telling me “Stop participating so much” for someone that comes from New York, that’s like telling you “You are annoying” which was why at first I was offended.

 

I would shut down and not pay attention to her, I would go from 8 am to 1 pm to her class, then we would have lunch, after that I would take Badminton practice, my teacher was a small Vietnamese lady that was always really calm and kind. She even told me “Yerenny, you have talent for this, never stop playing, I can see you going pro” which meant a lot to me.

 

The gym was large and we kept sharing it with a guy that was in the wrestling team and always looked angry, his name was Phillip and I kept thinking that I would make him be my friend.

 

I made friends with a quiet girl from Mexico name Sophia, she love anime just like me, especially the anime Death Note and we would spend hours sharing information about it and about where we come from. She told me of her family, how like me, she was the oldest and had to take care of her family. 

 I mostly sat with my dorm mates, the Mackenzie girls which included 11 girls plus me or I would sometimes sit with the Asian groups, that mostly spoke Chinese. I would nod and then whisper to one of them “So…what was this person saying?” but it taught me that language is not a barrier, we can still communicate.

 

The last person I remember is my friend Josh, I met him a month before we had to meet during the daily Friday soccer match. Sophia had given me cookies and I went to him when I saw he had a drawing of Sonic the Hedgehog then told him “You like anime?” and he replied “I love Sargent Frog” and that was how we became really good friends. I learn something knew from him everyday, especially that I am special.

 

I did not get to reach my goal of making over 100 friends, but I did make a lot of valuable friends and in the end, my teacher, Mrs. K, taught me that changes can be good and I learned a lot about Psychology…it also helped me realize that I wanted to be a Psychologist. I left with tears in my eyes but made wonderful friends that I still talk to.

 

I will never forget Northfield Mount Hermon and the lessons it taught me.

 

 

 

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Death Penalty, do we have the right?

Image not mine

I have been following the Boston Bombing since the day it happened, in my school we are discussing it in two of my class and writing about it. What has struck me the most is about the younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19 who is now facing the Death Penalty with lethal Injection if found guilty.

In my government class we had been speaking about Death Penalty and how in some states you can be charged with Death Penalty as young as 16 years old. We talked about the 8th amendment which says “ Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”  One of the things we talked about was if Death Penalty is constitutional or if it goes against the Death Penalty.

At first I thought “You did the crime, you pay the price” but going with this ordeal my mind has changed, I know what he did was cruel, that he hurt many and killed people but I can’t help thinking “He’s only a year younger then me” and I can’t help thinking that, although it’s not an excuse, I feel like he was influenced a lot by his older brother and that there must have been other factors to get him to commit such a crime.

I don’t know, but for me, Life in Prison would be better then the Death Penalty, let him reflect in jail what he did wrong and know that he is stuck his whole life in such a place…but do not kill him, what rights do we have to take someone else life? I truly feel this is against our morals, our ethics and that we truly do not have the right to say “Well you killed people so you are but and we’ll kill you” that would make us all murders as well and to be honest, we would be sinking to their level.

He made a mistake, yes, he betrayed America to an extent and he did a horrible thing but he does not deserve death, we are the better people.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19 {Image not mine]

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Interview with a Vampire

Image not mine, I thought this was a good cover since it shows the name of the main characters.

One of my favorite movies ever is Interview with a Vampire, I am so happy that they are giving it right now. I love the scene where the girl is screaming for help but everyone is just looking at her, thinking that she is acting. It’s such a lovely scene for the simple fact that it shows a lot about the past and I love how cute the girl that use to play Mary Jane in Spiderman look like when she was younger.

“Louis: So you want me to tell you the story of my life?“

For those that do not know what “Interview with the Vampire: A Vampire Chronicle” is, it is a movie about a Vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac (Played by a young, Brat Pitt), who tells the story of his life which includes love, hurt and even betrayal.

 

His main focus is Armand(Played by Antonio Bandera) who is in a way a mentor to him and teaches him a lot about the vampire world, there also seem to be a hint of sexuality toward Louis de Pointe du Lac. 

 

Another person that Louis seems to care a lot about is Claudia( Played by Kirsten Dunst) who is in a way his daughter yet lover figure. She call him his dark angel

“Claudia: Locked together in hatred. But I can’t hate you Louis. Louis my love, I was mortal till you gave me your immortal kiss. You became my mother, and my father, and so I’m yours forever. But now it’s time to end it, Louis. Now it’s time to leave him.”

 

Another quote that is important is

“ Louis: Bear me no ill will my love we are now even.

Claudia: What do you mean?

Louis: What died in that room was not that woman. What has died is the last breath in me that was human.

Claudia: Yes, Father. At last we are even.“

 

 

 

for after that quote an event happens that truly changes Louis forever, it is also the climax of the whole movie. This scene has always been my favorite for it shows that even vampires can have emotions and it also shows the great burden that Louis must carry for the rest of his life. 

 

The last person I find extremely important in the movie and that is tied with Louis is Lestat(Played by Tom Cruise) who is the creator of Louis and later on of Claudia. Lestat seem to be in love with Louis though the other never truly gave those emotions back.

 

“ Claudia: Where’s mama?

Lestat: Mama… mama has gone to heaven, Chérie(Dear), like that sweet lady right there. They all go to heaven.

Louis: All but us.

Lestat: Shh. Do you want to frighten our little daughter?

Claudia: I’m not your daughter.

Lestat: Oh, yes, you are. You’re mine and Louis’ daughter now. You see, Louis was going to leave us, he was going to go away, but now he’s not. Now, he’s going to stay and make you happy.

Claudia: Louis.

Louis: You fiend.

Lestat: One happy family.”

 

I love how sarcastic and devious Lestat is, he makes a really interesting character that is fun to explore and watch. He also has a lot of amazing quotes and helps pulls the movie.  The movie was created in November, 11, 1994 and it has a lot of amazing graphic to be created in the year I was born. 

 

An interesting part is that Anne Rice originally did not wish for Tom Cruise to play the part of Lestat, she wanted Rutger Hauer since it was suppose to be done in 1976 but due to some issues it was delayed.  When Anne Rice saw Tom Cruise playing it, she wrote a letter of apology to him.  Another fun fact is that Tom Cruise wanted a private platform so that the Vampire make up was kept a secret and so that it wouldn’t be ruined.

 

I love the actors, they are all actually my favorite actors growing up and I love the story though sadly I have never been able to read the original nor the sequel to it.  Interview with a Vampire will remain a legend that many will seek, it will make more fall in love with true vampires, not the type that sparkle in the sun and that Hollywood is always portraying, but the original one like Count Dracula and even my sweet, dark Louis. 

 

This movie receives from me a : 

Image not mine. A 5 out of 5!

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Little Pink Tree

This is a Sakura Tree, the tree I was talking about looks a lot like that. Image not mine.

I saw this beautiful tree that was a bright pink color and reminded me of Sakura petal/ Cherry Blossom tree. When I saw it, I thought right away of my friend Caterina since she really loves the color pink and it look like something that she would take a picture of. I tried taking pictures but sadly it came out too bright and you couldn’t see the tree. 

I remember that she had seem rather blue so I’ve been trying to grab the picture to show her and cheer her up. I am not a very big fan of pink but ever since I became friends with her I am always on the look out for something cute and pink so that I can quickly take a picture and show her.

Alas, I am still hoping to take a really pretty picture of the tree so that I can show her, for it is a really lovely tree but it smells awful, I am unsure of the name of it sadly. It grows a lot in New York  but people dislike it because it smells so bad, kind of a fishy smell even though it looks so much like a Sakura Tree.