Nathan's English Blog

How do you typically respond when people give you advice? Do you usually accept it, question it, or ignore it? Explain your reasoning. (pg. 118) When people give me advice, I usually question it before deciding what to do. I don’t automatically ignore it, but I also don’t just accept it without thinking. I like to consider where the person is coming from and whether their advice actually applies to my situation. Sometimes people mean well but don’t fully understand what I’m dealing with, so I try to balance their input with my own judgment. This approach shows that I value independence but still respect others’ perspectives. It’s kind of a middle ground between being open-minded and staying true to my own decisions. summary: we answered questions about into the wild with the whole class reflecction: i want another truck, specifically a 1996 or 97 f350 Crew cab long bed srw 4x4 with a dually conversion

The film version of Chris’s journey makes his choices feel more justified compared to the book, especially in the first 40 minutes. Seeing the landscapes, his isolation, and his emotions on screen makes it easier to connect with why he wants to escape society. In contrast, the book provides more background and narration, which highlights the risks and makes his decisions seem more reckless at times. The visual medium focuses more on emotion and experience, while the writing adds context and analysis, so the film pulls you into his mindset, but the book makes you question it more. Summary:idk what we did i forgot reflection: if it was tuesday i went home sick cuz i threw up

 As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to see my family less as perfect authority figures and more as real people with flaws, stress, and complicated pasts. That shift made me realize that a lot of things I didn’t understand before actually had reasons behind them, even if I didn’t agree with them. In Chapter 11 of Into the Wild , Chris goes through a similar realization when he learns the truth about his father’s past and feels betrayed. Instead of just accepting it, he reacts strongly and lets it reshape how he sees his parents. While my perspective change led to more understanding, Chris’s leads to anger and distance, showing how the same kind of realization can push people in very different directions. Summary: almost threw up during 1st, went home reflection: sick :(

The chapter that stood out to me the most was Chapter 8 because it goes beyond just Chris McCandless and compares him to other people who also chose isolation and extreme independence. This made the story more interesting because it showed that Chris wasn’t completely alone in his mindset, but also highlighted how risky and uncommon his choices were. It made me think more deeply about whether his actions were admirable or reckless. Krakauer’s storytelling in this chapter stood out because it added different perspectives, making the reader question their own opinion about McCandless instead of just following one viewpoint.  Summary: we had test Reflection: test :(

At this stage in my life, success is mostly defined by things like good grades, getting into a solid college, and doing well in activities like band. A lot of that comes from expectations set by school, family, and society, where achievement is measured by performance and future opportunities. For me, success also includes improving as a musician and being able to perform confidently, since that’s something I care about personally. While some of my definition of success is influenced by others, I think part of it genuinely reflects my own values, especially when it comes to music and personal growth. Still, it can be hard to tell where my own goals end and outside expectations begin, and that’s something I’m still figuring out. Summary: we did something in class Reflection: idk what we did in class

There have been times when I’ve chosen to rely on myself instead of others, especially in music. When preparing for auditions or difficult parts, I’ve spent hours practicing on my own rather than depending on others to help me improve. It was challenging and sometimes frustrating, but it made me more confident in my abilities and more independent as a player. Looking back, I would make the same choice again because it helped me grow and trust myself, even though I know there are still times when asking for help is important. Reflection: miss the truck Summary: probably read knto the wild

  The word luminous   stands out to me because it represents shining even in moments of doubt. As a trumpet player, I often feel nervous before performing, especially when I have an important part, but once I start playing, everything shifts and the music feels almost luminous. I remember a time when I was really anxious, but I still played my part well, and people noticed, it showed me that you don’t have to feel confident to shine. To me, luminous   is about pushing through uncertainty and still standing out, which is something I want to keep doing both in music and in life. Reflections: not sure what we did in class Summary: was planning to do this tomorrow but here I am

My desired SAT score would probably be around a 1200 or higher so I would have more options if I decide to go to college. One school I would consider is Kennesaw State University because it has a lot of different programs and it is still fairly close to home. Another school is Georgia State University since it has a lot of opportunities and is located in a big city. I would also consider Mercer University because it has a strong reputation and a good campus. Summary: we ready chapter 7 and completed a worksheet Reflection: i turned the worksheet in on canvas by submitting pictuers of it.

The time change from daylight saving time usually makes my schedule a little harder for a few days. Losing an hour of sleep makes it harder to wake up in the morning, especially on school days when I already have to get up early. I usually feel more tired during the day and it takes a little while before my routine feels normal again. After a few days I adjust to it, but the first couple mornings are definitely the hardest. Summary: Im assumiong we read chapter 6 of into the wild Reflection: needa practice trumpet, have lgpe next week

A musician who has influenced the way I think about music is Jonah Jones. When I started listening to his recordings, I noticed that his playing was not about being flashy or playing a lot of notes. Instead he focused on a clear sound and simple melodies that still sounded really good. That made me think differently about trumpet playing and realize that sounding good is more important than just playing high or fast. It also motivates me to keep practicing so I can develop my own sound and play music that people actually enjoy listening to. Summary: im assuming we read chapter 5 of into the wild reflection: i want my truck back

 In Into the Wild , Christopher McCandless gives up most of his possessions to try to live more freely and focus on experiences instead of things. If I had to simplify my life and keep only a few important possessions, two of the main things I would keep are my truck and my trumpet. My truck is important to me because I like working on it and learning how to fix things myself. It also gives me a lot of independence and lets me go where I need to go. I would also keep my trumpet because music is a big part of my life and I spend a lot of time practicing and playing in band. It is something I want to keep improving at, especially since I will be lead trumpet in jazz band next year. The hardest thing for me to leave behind would probably be my other instruments and the equipment I use for band, because music is something I care about a lot and spend a lot of time doing. Even though simplifying life might help someone focus more on experiences, it would still be hard to give up things...

 One time I needed distance from a situation was when I was feeling overwhelmed with band and everything going on at school. Being in marching band, jazz band, and concert band can get stressful sometimes, especially when there are performances or a lot of music to learn. I remember taking some time to step away and just focus on practicing by myself instead of worrying about everything else going on around me. That time helped me clear my head and think about why I actually enjoy playing music in the first place. It reminded me that I like improving and working toward getting better, especially on trumpet, instead of just stressing about mistakes or what other people think. That experience taught me that sometimes I need a little space from everything to reset and focus on what really matters to me. Summary: idk what we did we probably ready into the wild or something Reflection: I really just wanna work on my truck don't see a point of being couped up in a building all day and ha...

 Based on Chapter 1 of Into the Wild, my first impression of Christopher McCandless is that he was very determined and confident in what he was doing, but he probably did not fully understand the risks of going into the Alaskan wilderness. In the chapter, he asks Jim Gallien for a ride to the Stampede Trail and does not seem very concerned about the danger. Gallien even notices that McCandless does not have enough supplies for how harsh Alaska can be. He only has a small amount of food, a .22 rifle, and very basic gear, which shows he might have underestimated how difficult it would be to survive there. McCandless also seems very confident and refuses help from Gallien when he offers to buy him better boots and more supplies. This makes it seem like McCandless believed he could handle the wilderness on his own. Because of this, it seems like he understood that there were risks, but he did not fully realize how serious those risks actually were. reflection: I dont remember what we d...

 Creating the vocabulary digital cards in Adobe Express helped me understand the words better. The word that was easiest for me to understand was goad because it means to push or provoke someone into doing something, and that was pretty easy for me to picture. The most challenging word for me was soporific because it is not a word I hear very often or have ever used, so it took a little longer to remember that it means something that makes you sleepy. Picking images also helped because it gave me something visual to connect with the definitions.  summary: we worked on our vocab in class reflection: wish I was working on my truck instead of being stuck in a classroom