Week 12 Sarah Louis-BBYO my second home

 This past weekend I lead a virtual convention for BBYO over zoom with about 90 participants. It went super well. I have been preparing activities since early October and am so happy that everyone who attended had a fun time. My best friend Sydney and I got chosen to lead the convention and chose 15 people to help us with further preparations. We did new member bonding activities, a Shabbat service, team building activities, and held separates with the girls (which is a meaningful activity). We were supposed to have an in-person portion at Patch Reef Park but it ended up getting canceled because COVID cases are rising in South Florida. Ever since I joined BBYO at the start of 10th grade I have met my best friends and have fallen in love with the organization. I have served on the chapter board and after organizing this convention I realized that I want to go on a BBYO summer program this summer. Ironically you would think that I would not enjoy a Jewish youth group since I go to a Jewish day school, but BBYO is completely different. It has been a great experience meeting teens who go to North Broward, Pine Crest, River, Olympic, West Boca and some of my closest friends live in Davie, Parkland, Weston, and West Palm. Having gone to weekly meetings every Wednesday, multiple conventions and chapter Shabbat I have fully immersed myself in Gold Coast (the South Florida BBYO region). I love BBYO and am so happy I joined. It is truly my home away from home.

Pick a poet week 11- Sarah Louis (Rae Armantrout)

 Accounts...

I was scrolling through poems and I came across Rae Armantrout's poem accounts. This is all about how the light got tangled. "Light was full speed when it got interrupted". This is symbolic of how life goes in general. We may be on top of the world when "bam" suddenly life's course gets altered. I felt this on a personal level. When I was in seventh grade I was planning on playing lacrosse division one in college and was on the path to getting recruited. At that time I was already getting scouted by Johns Hopkins and Stanford. That year my team won nationals and we were considered the best lacrosse team in the nation when my life changed suddenly. I got diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that is triggered by the sun. I was on three lacrosse teams at the time, but my doctor said I had to quit all three as my symptoms were acting up. In one moment my dream to play lacrosse was shattered. I had to find new activities and other things to do in order to fill the 25 hours per week void that used to be filled by the hours of lacrosse I played. Life is a funny thing and at that moment I realized that everything happens for a reason. I channeled all my time into the Drama department, writing poetry, BBYO, and hours upon hours of community service helping children just like me who were in and out of hospitals cope with their disease. Having Lupus ironically made me a stronger person and I am so proud to have helped so many other patients with chronic diseases get through their journey as well. Although the light gets tangled, as Rae says, I believe the light always gets unraveled and has the ability to continue traveling in an upwards path. Creating a stronger path than ever before. 

I got in a car crash yesterday - week 12 - Zoey

I have never been one to say that God is a big part of my life. I only pray when I am told I have to, I don’t eat kosher, and I barely celebrate Jewish holidays. However, yesterday, something happened to me that made me realize that God is real, and maybe I should be doing more to thank Him. 

Yesterday morning, my sister and I flew into Salt Lake City airport to visit our 4-year-old brother. Our mom was already in Utah so she picked us up from the airport. My brother lives 2 hours away from the airport so we began to drive. About 45 minutes into the drive, I was happily eating my sandwich when I saw a semi-truck on our right trying to turn into our lane. My mom swerved to the left, but it was too late. The truck hit us at a 60mph speed, and the impact sent us flying into the cement barrier on the left of us. 

At this moment, I thought I was going to die. The car finally came to a stop, and I was in shock. I asked my sister, who was in the back seat, if she was okay. The entire back windshield had shattered on her. No cuts or scrapes. Nothing. I asked my mom if she was okay. Nothing was sore. She was completely fine. We were all fine. No bruises, breaks, or whiplash. After crashing into a semi-truck on one side and a cement barrier on the other at SIXTY MILES PER HOUR, by some miracle, we were perfectly fine. I don't know how to explain that other than the fact that God, the universe, or whoever you believe in was watching over us. I happen to believe in the concept that everything is meant to be. I really believe that yesterday, We were meant to be in a car accident, and we were meant to be completely fine after it. Someone gave us that experience to teach us a lesson. I hope I don’t sound crazy by saying that “we were supposed to be in that car accident,” but that is how I feel. Thank God we found a way to make it to Logan, Utah where my brother lives, and we are safe in their cozy country home. 

Disclaimer: a LOT happened between the part where we realized we were all okay after the accident and where we are now. I just couldn’t describe it all on here and it’s sort of personal, but if you’re interested, text me or come find me in school. 

Actual photos of what our car currently looks like: 

Week 12 - Eighteen - Noah Rubin

 So, I turned 18 yesterday, and I thought I could write my last blog about all the new cool things I can do because I’m a legal adult omg!

Buy Fireworks - this one’s my favorite one, and I might have to use it to celebrate… I’ll be sure to do it safely with *real* adults around, but to be the one who bought the fireworks would be really cool.

Vote! - This is my second favorite one only because I feel cheated that I couldn’t vote in the 2020 election. I missed it by 2 weeks, and now I have to wait 2 years before the next election comes up. 

Buy Lottery Tickets - I’m looking forward to getting rich quick with this one. I’m bound to win once, right? In reality, I hope I never get into a habit of buying lottery tickets because they can really suck your money away.

Get Married - Now, I might be getting ahead of myself here, but it’s always good to have the option open…

Join the Army - I know, most of you don’t see me as the type to join the army, but I really have thought about it… I think it would be a great experience and has been a pathway to success for many. Injury, PTSD, and dying are real concerns though that can’t be taken lightly.

Sue people - Yeah, you heard me. Stay away! I’ll sue all of you! Our culture of suing each other for every little thing has become excessive, in my opinion, but the general idea is good because it allows people to get compensation from irresponsible people/companies.

Am I missing anything? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll see you next week!

Tired of Corona- Gabriel Winter- 11/19/2020

         Listen its no secret that every single person in the world is tired of corona. I for one have always thought that they are taking it way more serious then it has to be and that it is drawn out by the media. Obviously it is a bad virus that needs to be taken seriously but the media has turned it into something that is way worse then it had to be. Even the weather channel during Hurricanes Isias took advantage of the corona virus and called it the CoronaCane in order to gain more viewership. It is a horrible virus and we need to take it seriously but news sources are just using it to make money. If we had no news covering it then we would just go about our lives and be cautious of corona virus without the fear of the worst because the news wouldn't be pumping the worst case scenario into our heads which is something that happens in less than 1% of cases like the flu. 

    Now lets move on to DKJAs response. If I wanted to feel like I was in prison then I would go to school more often during the corona virus. I understand that every private institute is worried about their assets and that they do not want to be known as an incompetent school that did not take the corona virus seriously but its gone to far. We are suppose to stay a large distance away from each other when the teachers are around but they fail to see that their desks are 4 feet away from each other not 6 and that people take off their masks to eat which is all the time. The rules are just in place to make DKJA look good and are not in place to actually protect us. I was reprimanded for not riding in my car with my mask on with my friends by Rabbi Lesack. News Flash: I have a life and hang out with my friends after school in my house and other peoples houses and I hate to say it because I don't want anyone to have a heart attack but I don't wear a mask in private spaces.   

Yakov Wahnich Week 12 - Traveling During COVID-19

 Up until this past weekend, my family had been planning a reunion in Ohio for Thanksgiving. We were going to drive up to meet our extended family (uncles, cousins, aunts, grandparent) and spend the duration of the holiday with them. Initially, we thought that driving would be safer than flying due to COVID. Now, our plans were canceled because of a recent case surge and resultant lockdown in Ohio, but I’m still curious: is driving really safer than flying during COVID? 

In short, it all depends. Obviously, the general opinion is that airplanes are like a petri dish to catch COVID. After some research, I found out that flying, in some cases, may actually be safer than driving! So, first, airplanes nowadays are all required to circulate their air through HEPA filters, which block 99.97% of airborne particles over 0.3 microns in size. These filters’ pores are so small that they catch COVID-infected particles, inherently making airplanes even safer than most confined spaces. Crazy! So, once you board the plane and it pressurizes, you’re at the same risk of infection, or less, as you would be in a coffee shop, or at school, or even the grocery store! The main issue with flying is airports - no HEPA filtered air, bustling travelers that mind their departure time over social distancing, and a ton of other things that may increase the risk of infection. However, if you can make it through the airport with as much preventative gear as possible (gloves, mask, hand sanitizer, snacks), flying really isn’t too big of a risk. The numbers prove as much. 

With driving, it’s pretty obvious that no matter how safe an airplane packed with 150 people is, you will always be safer in a car with your family. In most cases, driving will be less of an infection risk than air travel. That is, unless, you are driving a small distance. The longer you drive, the more stops you make at gas stations, rest stops, and presumably hotels, all of which are high risk for COVID. The continuous flow of people in and out can bring COVID quite easily, and without HEPA filters, your infection risk goes up with every pit-stop you make. 

 

That being said, here’s your final answer: if you’re traveling a short distance, try to drive, but if the trip is a real shlep, just fly and do the best you can to distance in the airport. 

Week 12: Amy Kraft - The little things getting me through this semester

        So some people watch sports or YouTube, but I watch, and I mean religiously watch TV, and honestly, the season premieres of my shows coming out over the past and next few weeks are one of the only things keeping me motivated. Last week Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and The Blacklist came out. This week, All Rise, Bull,  FBI, and FBI’s Most Wanted came out, and on December 2nd and 4th Magnum P.I., Seal Team, and Macgyver will be coming out. 

        Sure I am addicted to looking up spoilers for a show when I binge it on Netflix or Hulu, but there is just something about watching a show each week looking forward to finding out the next parts of the plots, even if it does get annoying when they end on a cliffhanger. Hopefully, the seasons will actually be able to film and run the intended amount of episodes because last season I felt robbed when Covid caused the shows to end the filming and airing of episodes. So far the shows that have come out have all been amazing and really hooked me on the first episode, so as of now I am really looking forward to the upcoming episodes. But, I swear to god if these seasons do not live up to the hype, I will be so mad.

Ariel Magin- Week 12 Last Blog!

It’s the last blog! For this semester at least. The craziest thing is the point at which we were at in terms of Covid at the beginning of the blog assignment vs now is completely different. When we wrote our first blogs we were still not allowed to come into school yet and at that time that’s all I was thinking about. Hopefully by the time we start up with second-semester blogs, things are even better. This just got me thinking, how many conversations do you think there have been about Covid? I can’t imagine how many times it’s been mentioned. It has most definitely been the most pervasive thing I have ever seen. I always love to think about how big the world is and how some person on the other side of the world has a completely different life story than me and we share nothing in common. However, now everyone is in a very similar situation, which to me is very strange. 

Back to the theme of this being the last blog, I am glad that we wrote these as I know that one day in the near future I will look back on them and hopefully get a chuckle out of myself. If I can get myself to laugh then I’ll be satisfied with what I’ve done. This is also almost like a time capsule. A screenshot of what was on my mind at this time in my life. That’s one thing that makes writing so much better than photos or video. We see what the writer is thinking, photos or videos don’t do that, in case you forgot. I already know I’m going to laugh at what I just wrote. 

I hope that those who have read my blogs have enjoyed them and that it brought a little bit of joy to you. I know reading everyone else’s was fun for me so I hope that I was able to do the same for you.

Sienna Tohar - Week 12 - Recalling the 2016 Clown Sightings (why???)

 Warning: If you’re disturbed by clowns, you might want to refrain from reading the following. 

    Okay, so before 2020 happened, I always recalled 2016 to be one of those really strange and unfortunate years. I won’t explain every little thing that happened that year since we were all there, but thinking back to it, I wondered which one of those peculiar events really stuck out to me. Then I remembered the clowns.

First of all, there are so many questions to be asked right off the bat. How did it start? Why did it start? Where was it all going? What was the purpose, and good grief, why clowns? I’ll be honest, I really have terrible memory, but this is something I surely haven’t forgotten, not because it necessarily scared me, but just because I thought it was so weird. I don’t want to sound insensitive to those who actually are afraid of clowns, but they never really creeped me out. Although, to be fair, I never actually experienced one of the 2016 clown sightings myself (if you know what I’m talking about, you just know). 

So, for anyone who doesn’t know, back in 2016, there was a time where people were reporting a bunch of random clown sightings. It started in the U.S. and spread throughout Canada and an additional 18 or so countries. People would dress up as clowns and purposely make themselves look eerie and threatening, lurking around forests and schools. Many of them attacked and threatened people, as well. Some have recalled this to be the 2016 Clown Incident,  The 2016 Clown Scare, and even The Great Clown Panic of 2016. The hysteria stemming from these sightings was actually so bad, that schools had to close. Sales of clown suits in Scotland went up and many Floridians went trick or treating while armed that year (one family was attacked by around 20 clowns). Many areas banned clown costumes/masks and many stores removed them from their shelves. The World Clown Association even had to comment and release a statement (of disapproval) about it. I didn’t even know such an association existed! And of course, worldwide reports of clown sightings and attacks were made. This is just one of the articles I found that was released during these sightings when the panic started to rise 

https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/7/13191788/clown-attack-threats-2016-panic-hoax-debunked

Apparently, all the clown nonsense started as a marketing stunt for a film called Gags in which a man in Green Bay, Wisconsin roamed streets while dressed as a clown, gaining global attention, which is exactly where the sightings actually started in August. Some also believe many sightings to have been for promoting horror films 31 and the 2017 film adaption of It. A film inspired by these events actually came out in 2017 called Behind the Sightings. 

 

 

    Did I really decide to read up on this? Yes. Did I gain anything from it? I sure didn’t. Is there anything I could use this knowledge for in my near future? Nope, probably not. In fact, I have no clue why this is just one of those weird thoughts that permanently lives in my head, but it just does. Like, when you can’t sleep at night because your brain is just reminding you of strange or embarrassing experiences, this is one of those strange things that I just can’t forget (and believe me, I’ve tried. I suppose I’m lucky for lacking the fear of clowns). Recalling it just feels like a fever dream.

Also, I apparently wasn’t the only one thinking about this in 2020. Here’s an article that came out in September explaining and remembering the sightings. 

https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/clown-purge-memory/ (sorry about the profanity) 

This urge to learn more truly came out of nowhere for me, except curiosity. Although, I did learn that even through all the creepy photos, videos, and reported incidents, clowns still don’t really send shivers down my spine (not in 2016 and not now). Besides, the world is occupied with other concerns right now. So, even though we’re living during a global pandemic (please don’t forget that!!!) at least we’re not living through another Great Clown Panic. Always try to find light in a dark situation! 

Do you guys ever have strange random thoughts that you just can’t get rid of? Do you remember the clown sightings? Are you afraid of clowns? Until next time!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_clown_sightings#:~:text=The%202016%20clown%20sightings%20were%20reports%20of%20people,be%20a%20marketing%20stunt%20for%20a%20horror%20film.

Dana Levine -- Week 12 -- Movie Recommendation: “Clouds”

     On Sunday afternoon last week, with the storm quickly approaching, I decided to watch a sad movie--I love storms and rain in general because I love to snuggle up in a cozy blanket in bed and watch a movie or tv show. I have heard about this new movie called “Clouds” and did not know what it was about prior to watching it--all I knew was that it made everyone cry who watched it. So, I decided to take Zoey’s advice and go into it knowing nothing about the plot.

    Let me tell you...If you need a good cry, this movie will sure help you with that. I began crying 20 minutes into the movie and continued throughout. There were a couple scenes where I was sobbing, but I won’t give any details so as not to spoil the movie.

If you don’t want to know anything about the plot, then don’t read this last paragraph--I will not give anything more than what the trailer gives away: The movie is based on a true story--which obviously always makes it so much more sad--and it shows the life of a child cancer patient, Zach Sobeich, and how he acts upon finding out he's terminal. His dream was to be a musician, but upon finding this out, he realizes his dreams will never be able to come true. He tries to make the best out of what he can and savors every new day he is granted.

I cried the most at the end in the closing scene, and then the clips of the real Zach Sobiech really triggered the ugly crying.

This movie makes you really reimagine life and how fragile it is. They say in the movie how everyone assumes that they will get tomorrow, but once you face mortality, you become less enveloped in the physical world and instead do what really matters to you--you start living every day like it’s your last, because you are more aware that it very well could be.

I definitely recommend this movie to everyone, unless you really do not like sad movies. Let me know if you watch it or if you’ve watched it and what you think of it!

Chaya Brenner week 12 - American Horror Story

    Here we are with yet another review because I’m seriously out of ideas. So pretty recently, I honestly can’t remember how long ago because time doesn’t exist anymore, I started watching American Horror Story. Now I am watching it with someone, one because it’s just more fun to do things with friends and two because I was nervous that I would get scared and quit if I watched it alone. I’m not going to spoil anything so if that’s a concern of yours don’t even worry.

Ok so first off if you’re thinking of watching this maybe look up a list of trigger warnings for each season online. There’s a lot of content that is definitely not intended for a younger audience and if you have certain feelings about more serious things (sorry trying no to go into detail) just make sure you read a quick review or something. I find that it's not so scary as it is quite gory and just graphic in general. I’m usually most scared of jump scares because the sudden-ness of them just always gets me, and there’s little to none of them. 

The first season as far as horror I’d say isn’t scary at all. If you’ve ever watched the show supernatural I’d maybe compare it to that. Things that like theoretically are pretty terrifying but aren’t actually presented in a scary way. Though Bella tells me that the first season is kind of a joke compared to the rest of them. 

One of the biggest problems I had with the first season is that I didn’t like any of the characters. In the second season, there are some characters that though a bit morally gray are good people. In the first season, it felt like there wasn’t a single good person. Not that I believe anyone deserves to have bad things happen to them, but with the way they all treated each other it kind of made sense. You get what you give and they all gave a lot of bad. 

One thing I do really like about the show though is trying to figure out how all the storylines fit into each other. At times it feels like they’re all completely different plots with no relation and then they’ll just suddenly intersect and connect. It’s fun to try and figure out how it all works before the characters do or before it’s revealed. 

My best advice if you’re thinking about watching it is to read a review and try it. If you’re nervous, force a friend to watch it with you. And if you get scared, remember it’s all just a show!

Do you like horror or are you easily scared?

Sammy Hodes Week 12 - Corona's Gotta End

     I'm so sick of this Corona stuff. I don't think anyone on here is gonna disagree with me. COVID is the worst thing ever. I miss hanging out in huge groups, going to sporting events, seeing large events like concerts, and the world not being absolutely insane/polarized. 

    I remember in March when all this stuff happened I was so optimistic. Most my friends would also give predications saying this would only take a few days, weeks, or months. Welp, we're now in our ninth month. After a while I start to get this crazy feeling that life will never return to normal.

 I really don't think that this virus is ever going to "go away" per say but I do think it will eventually no longer be a pandemic and that we will be able to go about our normal lives.  I think it can be likened to the Flu. We live with the Flu all the time, but now that we have a vaccination for it, we're able to go about our normal lives. The positive news on the vaccine is very exciting (because I ultimately think that a vaccine is going to be what brings us back to normal) but I'm so sketched out by the vaccine that I don't even wanna take it. I guess time is gonna tell what ends up with all of this but hopefully there is an end in sight. 

Gaya Avidor Week 12 - Crembo Recipe

• So for those of you who don’t know what Crembo is, it’s a traditional Israeli dessert that is sold most popularly in the winter time. It’s a wafer that is topped with a marshmallow fluff and coated in chocolate. The chocolate flavor is the original one, but they have a few other options to choose from. Now, I’m never in Israel during the winter time, but they used to have these delicious desserts in local Israeli markets here. The problem is that in the past couple of years, there has been a shortage of Crembo, and I haven’t seen it sold in stores, here, in a long time. I decided that I would look up a recipe and recreate it on my own. So without further ado, here is how to make your own Crembo!

Ingredients: 

• You can either buy your own cookie/wafer base or make it on your own

• 3 egg whites

• 1 ¼ cups of sugar

• ½ cup of water

• 1 large bar of any chocolate of your choice

• 1 jar of biscoff cookie spread

• Canola oil

Recipe:

1. Begin with either baking your own butter cookie bottom, or buy one. (I bought it because I was sort of in a rush)

2. To begin preparing your marshmallow filling, beat three egg whites on high power while adding your water to the sugar and bringing that mixture to a boil. (you want to boil the water and sugar until it bubbles and creates a syrup consistency)

3. Then, once your egg whites have formed into fluffy peaks, slowly begin adding the sugar syrup into the bowl with the egg whites and continue mixing on high power. (mix for 5-10 minutes so that they can fully combine)

4. Add your marshmallow fluff to a piping bag (or ziploc bag) and pipe them onto the cookie/wafer base in a dome shape. (the shape doesn’t have to be perfect don’t worry)

5. Put them in the fridge for an hour, but if you’re in a rush put them in the freezer for 15 minutes.

6. Take your large bar of chocolate and melt it in a pot with a bit of your Canola oil to thin it out. Do the same with the jar of biscoff cookie spread. 

7. Take the Crembos out of the fridge or freezer, and begin to dip them into each topping of your choice. Dunk them in upside down (meaning marshmallow part first leaving the cookie bare)

8. Put them back in the fridge for a few minutes to harden, take them out and enjoy!!

You should definitely give this recipe a try, it’s quick and easy :))

Liann Rozenberg Week 12 - Why Dunkin is Better Than Starbucks

So, I’m not really a huge fan of coffee, but ice coffee with vanilla that tastes sweet is pretty refreshing. I used to love Starbucks because of their refreshers and cool drinks, but every time I go there I literally pay $5 for a small drink that’s mostly ice. Don’t get me wrong holiday drinks are very good, but are they really worth the minimum of $5. Maybe once in a while, yes, but when Dunkin is much cheaper and has other options, maybe you should reconsider.

First of all, Dunkin has donuts! One of my favorite parts, which I am always tempted to buy. There is a whole variety and they have other delicious pastries. They also have bagels and wraps which I love with egg and cheese. If you join the Dunkin app and become a rewards member, there are so many insane offers! For example, every Wednesday in November you get free medium ice or hot coffee! 

Starbucks also has this common opinion that I’ve heard pretty often of their coffee having a burnt bean taste and bitter brews. I believe if you were to blindly try many different coffees from different places, you would rank Starbucks the worst for this reason. Starbucks is highly known and on pretty much every street corner, making it very popular. It’s also a trend on social media and just has a “cooler” name; you could even say has “higher class.” 

I truly think that Dunkin tastes way better than Starbucks. I also nearly get a heart attack when I’m paying for my Starbucks small chai (nothing simpler than this drink) and the price is insane I’m scared my dad will call. Sometimes, Starbucks is worth it if you’re craving a special drink, but next time you want to get a regular coffee, just think about where you should go.

Which are you a fan of?

https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/dunkin-over-starbucks

Josh Rosenblatt Week 12 - STRETCH ZONE

If you know me you’d know that I am a very injury prone person, and am constantly hurting myself or straining muscles.  Generally these injuries last either a few days or weeks and I just deal with them, but I have had one that hasn’t gone away for a while now.  I don’t know how I did it, but I injured my back about six or seven months ago at the beginning of quarantine.  It wasn’t bad at first, but I would continue to feel pain from just lying down, running, or even standing still.  

After months of just taking Advil or Aleve, I convinced my parents to let me get an MRI, but even that showed that there was nothing majorly wrong with my back that would be causing me this pain.  So I kept dealing with the pain for about a month until I tried to look up how to fix it.  Then I found StretchZone.

I made an appointment for a free trial for one morning that we had off from school, and that might be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  I went in and they asked me what kind of pain I was feeling, so I told them and then they stretched me out.  I was super skeptical at the idea of this and went in thinking it was a scam, but after a half hour I felt no pain for 24 hours: the first time in months that’s happened.  So I called back a few days later and now I go twice a week for thirty minute sessions to basically treat my back.  I’ve been going for about a month now and now I’m able to run around at soccer practice and can lay down on a flat surface with much less pain than before.  StretchZone is not a cure, but a temporary treatment, but I fully recommend it for anyone with similar long term muscular pain.

Enjoy this picture Ariel edited of me at StretchZone

Zach Klein- week 12 - Miami Dolphins Winning

The Miami Dolphins are on a roll. The team stands at 6-3, their best record in the first 9 games since 2001. Not only that, but we are on a 5 game winning streak after starting the season 1-3. The team is doing great on all sides of the ball starting with the defense. The defense has been making game-changing plays every game helping the offense do their thing as well. Our special teams is also one of the best in the league with speedster Jakeem Grant returning punts and kickoffs, Jason Sanders, one of the best kickers in the NFL kicking field goals, and others making big plays such as linebacker Van Ginkel blocking a punt in last weeks 29-21 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. 

    Many people were anticipating last week's game in the battle of rookie quarterbacks. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was selected 5th in the NFL draft, while Justin Herbert was taken 6th in the NFL draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Both quarterbacks seem like they may have a promising future, but in last week’s matchup, Tua’s dolphins were victorious. It was Herbert that made the mistake late in the game throwing a costly interception leading to a Dolphins touchdown. 

    Right now the Dolphins are a wild card team for the playoffs but are only .5 a game behind the division leaders, the Buffalo Bills. It will be a battle for the division this season, and I’m excited to see how it turns out, even though ESPN says the Dolphins only have a 21% chance to win the division. The Dolphins are looking like a threat though with their defense having a takeaway in 15 straight games, which is the most in the NFL, the special teams playing insanely well, and the offense doing what they need to and improving every game. I see the Dolphins making the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and even making it out of the first round for the first time since 2000. What do you think about this team?

Week 11 - I like Turtles (Pick a Poet) - Noah Rubin

As the saying goes, I like turtles! I came across this interesting and thought-provoking poem by none other than Kay Ryan about Turtles - it’s called ‘Turtle’. The poem makes fun of turtles and explores the hardships and annoyances a turtle must encounter on a daily basis. After some clever name-calling including calling a turtle a “barely mobile hard roll” and “a four-oared helmet,” the poem points out that turtles are slow, always on their way to their next meal, and have lots of obstacles to dodge on a day to day basis. It’s funny and light-hearted at first, but upon analyzation it really made me think about what it might mean to be a turtle - or anything other than a person, for that matter. Having to forage and hunt for food every day, avoid and evade predators, and meet other animals? How does that work? Would it be more like Wonder Pets or Nemo? Anyways, I’ve digressed. 

The poem then shifts to the thoughts of a turtle and ends off by subtly complimenting the turtle, saying that they are contempt and patient creatures. Ryan writes that a Turtle would “never imagine some lottery will change her load of pottery to wings” and that a Turtle’s “only levity is patience.” I personally really enjoyed this poem because it made me think about being a turtle, but I wish it was a bit longer. I would’ve appreciated more wordplay and Ryan really could have given more of how a turtle lives its life. The poem also ended in an almost upsetting place, suggesting that the Turtle is a punished or sad animal - writing that the turtle is “truly chastened.” Ryan could have developed this idea more and explained why she thinks a turtle is  ‘chastened.” In any event, I found the poem fun, and I’m probably reading too much into it!

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50611/turtle-56d22dd3f31c2

Zoey week 11 - pick a poet 3 - History Lesson by Natasha Trethewey

 I am starting to notice a theme in Trethewey’s poetry. A lot of her poetry highlights societal issues regarding racism and discrimination. This poem in particular describes Natasha’s memory of her, at four years old, standing at a beach while her grandmother takes a photo of her. Natasha mentions that the year that the photo was taken was 1970, two years after they opened “the rest of this beach to us.” It was forty years prior when Natasha’s grandmother had stood in the same spot, but it was marked colored. 

I find it interesting that in the first stanza, Trethewey describes herself wearing a flowery bathing suit, posing for the camera. She describes her grandmother, forty years prior, wearing a flowery dress, smiling for the photo. Like Trethewey’s previous poems, this gave me chills. There is something very powerful about seeing two photos taken forty years apart--same family, same beach, flowery outfit--different times in history. So much progress regarding racial justice had been made since the first photo was taken. 

It is also notable that the beach was in Mississippi, one of the most racist states, and one of the last to outlaw racial segregation. Even today, Mississippi has schools that are either all Black or all White. Sometimes it seems that racial segregation ended a long time ago, and it often surprises me to hear that some of our parents lived through segregation. This poem reminded me that even after the civil rights act of 1964, it still took four years for Mississippi to implement those changes in their state. This poem was not only successful in providing a “history lesson” (as the title states) for the reader but also made them FEEL something, which is difficult to get in a basic history textbook. 

Ariel Magin- Week 11 Pick A Poet Blog

“Trouble Man” is one of John Murillo’s earliest published works. It’s a thought-provoking poem which revolves around a man who left for work and inside another car he hears Marvin Gaye music playing, he faintly picks it out. This music reminds him of his father, a strong man who “came up hard.” He fought in Vietnam and had callused hands. Despite the protagonist’s father being a tough man, he was “the boy who became that man, without meaning” which sort of explains the name of the poem. The “Troubled Man”, I believe, is the man who grew up with the pressure to be his father, yet failed. He compares himself to his father and is disappointed in himself. His father lived a life of purpose, while he aimlessly trudges on. As a teenager, I can somewhat relate to the last part of “aimlessness.” At this age people always inquire about what your interests are and your plans and while many of us answer them with confidence, I feel as if it is distant from us, as if our future is an impending event and the present is merely some state of limbo before we reach the horizon. 

This poem is written in a way that is very choppy, yet still follows along a preconceived pattern of events. The story wasn’t too difficult to make out, yet I feel that Murillo, just as in all of his work that I’ve read, intends to be very ambiguous and abstract. I can appreciate this artistic way of storytelling, yet I believe that someone should explore other avenues as well. In addition, while I am totally for an artistic approach to one’s writing, there is a point when something becomes too “artsy.” I’m not accusing Mr. Murillo of this, but judging off what I have read, I can imagine him striving at times for too much of an artistic approach. Now, I understand that he is a professional poet and I am a mere high school student, but it’s my opinion and, with my limited experience with poetry, I have always found more enjoyment in the substance of the story, rather than how it’s conveyed.