Common People

Today we have to write the most exciting topic ever. It's so exciting I'm not even going to give you pointers, you have to let your creativity do the work.

I would write it myself but it's too late and I have to sleep xD

Today's topic is: Normal People. Whatever that means... Well, I know you know what it is, and if you don't, find out ;)

Word count: 280 words

Leave comments on 3 of your classmate's entries!

:D

The Village Green Preservation Society

Today we're going to get green, but not the JGM green! The other green, the one that concerns the environment...

This means you'll have to answer the following question in your blog entry:

HOW GREEN ARE YOU? (huh?!)

In order to do so you must use the following questions as a guide. And I mean it!! ¬¬

- Where do people learn about enviromentally friendly practices?
- Have you incorported recycling into your habits? Describe
- Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?
- Have you joined or supported any eco-organisations? Why/Why not?
- What else have you done /would you like to do?
- What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint?
- What's missing in our society/Santiago regarding this issue?

Include an image of something catchy, somewhat related to the topic...

Number of words: 250 - 280
Don't forget to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates posts.

Sci-Fi Lullabies

Today you have to write about sci-fi things, whatever that means. I wanted to introduce the topic, but when I was going to start to do it I realised I had nothing to say... OK, I can say I like some sci-fi books, and I've seen some sci-fi movies, but that's about it. I don't look for sci-fi things to watch or read, it's not my favourite genre, but I have to admit some of that stuff is really good... even if it's mostly because of the stories instead of the genre proper.

Well, if you're not sure what sci-fi things are, you can read this wikipedia article on it. ;)

Now, as you have to write about sci-fi things, below you'll find some pointers that can help you write something. However, if you already know what you want to say about it just write on!

Pointers:

- Are you a sci-fi fan or just a casual sci-fi watcher/reader/etc?

- What do you think about sci-fi things?

- What is the first sci-fi thing you read/saw/etc.?

- What is the best and/or worst sci-fi thing you've read/seen/etc.?

- Etc.

Word count: 230-250

Leave comments in 3 of your classmates' entries.

Include a photo, video, whatever.

Strange News From Another Star

Hi all! This week you'll have to write a summary of a newspaper article. So don't get confused and remember that a summary is what in Spanish we call a 'resumen'.

Now, here's the task:

First, go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Then you'll have to:

* Select a piece of news connected to your area of studies/future career
* Write a summary of it.
* In the entry you must include the link to your piece of news, so I can check it.
* Do all of this in 200 - 230 words

* Leave a comment on 3 of your partners' posts.

Let me know if you have any questions!!

This is Hardcore

For me drugs are like religion, something people need because they're weak and can't cope with life. Except for marijuana, which I think should be legalised but I still wouldn't spend a dime on it. I prefer food.

On the other hand, I think porno is (a) for having a laugh, (b) for losers. Those who cannot have fun in real life get excited with things which are fake as hell. I pity them.

Now, I personally don't like this post because it reminds me of my ex who was something like a porno addict and a pathetic loser. I pity him too.

However, I remember I once saw this movie with Nicholas Cage where he was investigating a porno network and he became addicted to it. Big L for him! But definitely, the best movie I've seen about these two issues is Boogie Nights. Big L for all the characters, anyway (just look at them, will ya?)

Now, as you know, today you have to write about this topic because this is a democratic course and if you want to write about something shuper crazy like this you can do it. However, you have to include the points I want you to include otherwise I'll fail you for not obeying and you'll have to do English IV FOREVER!! Well, not really. It's not as easy for me to fail anyone, but you do have to write what I say otherwise you wouldn't have accomplished the task :P

So, in this post you have to try to answer the following questions:

- Do you think this is an interesting topic? Why?

- What do you think about drugs and porno?

- Do you seriously think porno actors and actresses feel anything?

- Do you think drugs should be legal? Why? 

- Do you think child pornography should be legal? Why?

- Word Count: 180 - 200 words words

- Comments: leave a comment on 3 of your classmates posts

Please, DON'T include X rated videos or pictures.

Down In Albion

When I was 16 all I wanted in my whole life was to learn English, go to England and work there doing the dishes at some bar or restaurant. Seriously, with my friend Veronica we used to daydream about this (well, I'm not sure she daydreamed about the 'washing the dishes' part, because she's never liked doing dishes in the first place, but she certainly dreamt about being there with me).

We were so silly, really, because we had this strange idea that life there would be different and funnier than life here (as if there was no Sunday in England or something) and that we would meet Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, and Thom Yorke so easily just because we were Chilean, hence, exotic (yeah, right) and we would have their thousand babies and all.

Well, our original plan didn't really include the washing the dishes bit as part of our goal, really. What we wanted to achieve once there was higher education and stuff. We wanted to study film making and become film directors and make movies and meet Ewan McGregor and have his babies also (OK. We didn't really want to have their babies, but we wouldn't have minded...) I know we were kind of desperate back then, but that's one of the things that can happen when you study at a girls school... among other things I'm not going to discuss here. :P

For us, England was a dream. We were young and shallow (the latter I still am, though), we didn't care about imperialism, we thought our lives would change if we spoke English, we wanted to go to England and visit all those places we'd heard about...

I think we were stupid, really, but one is allowed to be stupid when she's in her teens, I think... so I don't feel embarrassed about it at all.

Now, what you have to do today is tell us what country you'd like to visit. In your post, include the following:

- Which country would you like to go to? Why?
- What do you know about it?
- What would you like to do there?
- Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.

Remember to:
- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts
- Word Count: 150 - 180 words

Ask me if you have any queries!!

I Love Your Friends They're All So Arty, Oh Yeah!

Hello again! I was thinking about art and its different expressions and I got to the conclusion I don't know what to write about. Probably I should write about music, because music is the artistic expression I'm more familiar with, even when the only musical instrument I know how to play is my dad's musical calculator... Seriously, I played the flute at school but the simplest one and I didn't even know how to read music, I had to write the musical notes under each symbol...

Anyway, when it comes to music; actually, to listening to music, I guess I could choose my favourite artist, although I have more than one and I wouldn't really know what to say about each one of them, because I don't know the right words to refer to their (supposed) talent or skill, being only a listener who follows her gut when it comes to liking something, as opposed to some learned knowledge. However, since you're arty artists and all and you study art and probably are more familiar (in a nerdy way) to some other artistic expression... and also considering the fact you chose this topic, I'm sure you'll have more to talk about... sorry, to write about.

Now, these are 2 photos of my favourite dummer. Her name is Maureen Tucker and she's only six years younger than my grandma, that's one of the reasons why I admire her, because she was playing the drums and 'rocking' the world when women didn't use to do that (not that much, at least). I also like her because I like the sound of her drums... I don't even know how to describe it, but I found this explanation of her playing style on Wikipedia (a source I'm embarrassed to quote but this is only a blog not a Dissertation for a PhD, so give me a break!)

"Tucker's style of playing was unconventional. She played standing up rather than seated (for easier access to the bass drum), using a simplified drum kit of tom toms, a snare drum and an upturned bass drum, playing with mallets rather than drumsticks. She rarely used cymbals; she claimed that since she felt the purpose of a drummer was simply to "keep time", cymbals were unnecessary for this purpose and drowned out the other instruments."

Here's a video with very poor quality and, honestly, it sounds like rubbish, but it's old so there's nothing to do about it. It was either this or another video like those that people make with moviemaker who knows why:

Today you'll have to write about an artist (that's how we called the topic and you said it could be any artist: painter, sculptor, singer, musician, drummer, flute player, doorbell ringer/player, writer, etc).

You can write about an artist you like or dislike...

You can mention:

- Why you like/dislike him/her/them.

- What artistic expression they are related to

- When you first got to know him/her/them

- Etc.

You have to write 120-150 words

Additionally, include a photo or video link or something that can show us their art.

And don't forget to post comments on 3 of your classmates posts.

I'll be checking your last posts, but you can still ask me if you need help!