Journal Two Philip Mattix

My name is Philip Mattix and I am a nontraditional student returning to the Ohio State University at Marion. I am  majoring in chemical engineering. I am an active person and I like building and making stuff. I have lived on a farm my entire life.  Science and engineering have always fascinated me. Two to three years of my degree can be completed at Marion then I will transfer to main campus.

This is a Hereford cow like on of the ones on my farm.

 In reading a long way gone by Ishmael Beah, the theme that stood out to me in chapter one was the brutality and atrociousness of war.  Ishmael  is only 12 years old at the time when he witnesses the horrid effects of the attacks. The book goes in to graphic  detail of what he witnessed and how it affected him. On page 13 it describes his reaction to what he saw '' . I felt nauseated, and my head was spinning.I felt the ground moving, and peoples voices seemed to be far removed from where I stood trembling.'' These events clearly had a great emotional and psychological affect on Ishmael. Later that night Ishmael had a night nightmare of being made a fatality of the rebel onslaught. He then said on page 15 '' I became afraid, since I could no longer tell the difference between dream and reality.

Journal Two from Christian Poncsak

Hi, my name is Christian Poncsak and I graduated from Olentangy Orange high school this past school year. I was very big into my high school's DECA business program where I won a total of 15 awards and even competed internationally in competitions for entrepreneurship.

I am very big into my faith which is Christianity. I am a born again Christian and am active member of Rock City church down at the Lennox Center off of Ohio State University's main campus.  I have a younger sister who is actively competitive in soccer. She is a goal keeper and is committed to playing soccer at UNC Chapel Hill in college.

There are two bible verses that I live on which are:

Jeremiah 29:11, " For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

Joshua 9:1, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”


Something interesting about myself is that I use to be very involved in acting. I auditioned for Disney shows and played parts in a couple Indie short films. The biggest part I've ever gotten was being an extra in the movie Avengers. I'm one who always try's to stick with my faith and I knew temptation would set in if I continued down this path so I stopped acting immediately.

 I had gained the interest of real estate after my dad started to flip houses. My senior year of high school this past year I had an internship set up with a local custom home builder where I developed a great relationship with one of the owner's where he hired me to work under him. This inspired me to take real estate classes to receive a license to sell real estate. My end goal is to own my own real estate development firm along with becoming a stock broker and owning my own financial company or becoming an executive of a corporation. My major is business finance and once I switch to main campus I plan to possibly double major in accounting and finance.

                                       This is one of many homes my boss builds for clients.
When I first started the book, A Long Way Gone I immediately had flashbacks of my grandpa telling his story to me and my cousins of when he was a teenager escaping World War II in Hungary. The theme that stood out to me in Chapter 1 was the theme of realism. When the main character Ishmael Beah and her older brother, Junior had to deal with the reality was happening in the moment as attacks had been coming in from the enemy. The part that stuck out to me the most out of the first chapter was when Ishmael was back in her grandmother Mamie Knapa's town, Kabati after learning about the attacks going on in her hometown, Mogbwemo. On pages 12 and 13 the passage had talked about how a Volkswagen came roaring out of nowhere sending people to run and hide thinking it was a terrorist planning to attack. In reality it turned out to be an injured man who came out of the car crying and collapsed vomiting blood. His arm was bleeding bad. There happened to be other people in the van with the man but they were all dead. The other people turned out to be his family that had all been killed when they were in the process of escaping.

This part stuck out to me the most because it brought back memories of when my grandpa escaped Hungary during World War II. He was 19 years old at the time when Nazi Germany came into his hometown Ajak, Hungary. My great grandfather was the mayor of Ajak and the Nazi's wanted to hold my great grandfather and his family captive. My grandpa had escaped the Nazi's but as he escaped he saw the Nazi's blow up people that he loved right in front of him. One time he was standing six feet away talking to his neighbors about where to escape when all of a sudden a grenade was thrown and blew his neighbors up right in front of his eyes.

The theme of realism is important to this story because it shows how the characters react to situations in a way of being survival of the fittest. It shows through events that are life devastating. It shows as a society in another country that people aren't creatures to just freeze and fail when disaster strikes. We act accordingly while staying calm.

Journal two from Jami

My name is Jami Riegel I have been married for 17 years and have 3 teenagers. I have 2 dogs and a cat named Ivy, Duke and Ellie. I love the outdoors and going to my kids games.  I waited so long to go to college because I didn't know what I wanted to major in. Plus I wanted to be home with my kids while they were growing up. I also am VERY shy until I get to know people. Then I'm very loud and goofy.

In the book, A Long Way Gone, the part that stood out for me the most is when they see that so many parents and children were either injured or killed including a whole family, someones son and a ladies daughter by the rebels. It is something that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. And at such a young age(any age) seeing that had to have been so awful. I could not imagine seeing things like that or even worse, dealing with the fact that someone has killed my child(ren).

my beautiful kids. Nicholas, Makayla, Austin

Journal Two From Patrick

Hi I'm Patrick lynch and I came from Marysville Ohio. I really like to play golf. For me golf is a way to challenge myself mentally and physically. I'm also a very shy person so I probably want talk much besides answering questions. I came to Marion campus because my act scores where to low for main campus. I plan to transfer to main campus in the next year or two. I plan to major in criminology because I've always like to investigate. My dream job would be in the C.I.A but probably wont happen since I don't speak other languages.  

Me in the newspaper from one of my first tournaments 

The theme that stood out the most for me in a long way gone is family. This stood out because when the rebels attack, Ishmael had the courage to stay and wait for his family to come back even though he knew that danger was coming.  This theme is important to me because in times of need I don't like to abandon my family. It is also important to me because my family means a lot to me because they support and help me through life.

Journal Entry Two Ali

Hi, My name is Alissa Wright. But I prefer to be called Ali. I just graduated from Delaware Hayes and I am currently a freshman at The Ohio State University. I was a cheerleader for many years and I hope to cheer the buckeyes to victory. I was also the Homecoming Queen of my high school.

Homecoming King and Queen 2015

In the book A Long Way Gone a theme that I noticed was how there is not always good people in the world. I think this is important because in the first few pages of the book the author is already talking about how the world is full of war, and hate. This theme is important to me because I don't understand war and why people need o fight. We are all people we all have the same basic needs. Everyone is equal and everyone is the same. Why is there a need to fight and kill something that is just like us.

Journal 2 Carli

I am Carli Swisher I went to Ridgedale High school and I played volleyball and softball. I like to be out doors doing things such as hunting and camping. My major is early childhood education I plan to get this degree in 3 years. I got engaged this summer to a boyfriend of 3 years. I also can't wait to become a teacher.

Me with a baby deer at a deer farm

                                                      


The book we began to read was called "A long Way Gone". There were many themes in the first chapter of the book. One I would like to talk about is family. In the story the boy talks about his family a lot. His parents are divorced and he goes to see his mom about every three days or so. His father had gotten remarried and he dislikes his step mother a lot because she makes his dad very distant from him and she doesn't like it when his dad talks to him or acts like he cares about him. He has a brother that is very close with him and he has friends that they both hangout with often. His mother is very loving but cannot afford to take care of them. I think that the family aspect is very important to the boy and its sad that he has to be taken away from his family because of the war around them he and his brother and friends take off into the woods away from the war that is coming towards them. I think we take for granted our family and who we have in our lives. We never know when one day they could be taken away from us and if we don't spend time with them we will regret it later when they are gone.

 

Journal Two from Sydney

My name is Sydney Alspach. I graduated from Wynford High School last year. I plan to major is Early Childhood Education. I enjoy spending time with my family, boyfriend and friends on my spare time. I really enjoy playing sports, volleyball is my favorite sport but I will play just about anything. I really enjoy the beach, this year my family, boyfriend and uncles family vacation to Destin, Florida. We had such an amazing trip that my mom already scheduled our vacation there for next year.


The theme that really stood out to me in the book A Long Way Gone was family. It stood out to me because I didn't agree what the step mother is doing to the kids father. She doesn't want him to be around the children, which to me makes no sense at all. I would think you would want your husband to be around their kids because that is what is important to him and his kids. It is important to be involved with your family because to me, family is the most important thing in my life. I couldn't imagine my life without my parents.

My boyfriend Nick and I in Santa Rosa Beach in Destin, Florida this summer.

Journal Two - Skyler Buschman

Hello! My name is Skyler Buschman. I'm currently an undecided major, but physics, medicine and anatomy are areas in which I'm supremely interested in. I am from Delaware, Ohio and I graduated from Rutherford B. Hayes high school in Delaware. I'm the youngest of 4. I have 2 brothers and one sister, ages 20, 23 and 25. I am the only one of my siblings to attend a university after high school and I have high aspirations to be the only one in my entire family to graduate from college with a degree.

My girlfriend of almost 3 years, Alli and I on our last day of highschool.

"Too much blood has been spilled where you are going. Even the good spirits have fled from that place." (Pg.11) This quote really shows the main theme in war. Ideals are peaceful, but history is violent. There are boundaries that are crossed in war, where one should never seek to cross, but it happens all the time. Even in our world right now, it is happening. But history has showed us that in order for a situation like this to change for the better, no matter what, blood must be shed. There will be death. The only thing that separates you is the cause you're fighting for. But what really stood out to me, is the fact that it is children witnessing these horrors. There is no way to come back from that...(A Long Way Gone)
       

Journal Two From Gunnar

Im Gunnar, I graduated from North Union High School in 2013.  I grew up my whole life racing motocross and eventually raced professionally. After some medical issues I slowed down that fast paced life and started focusing on something a little more long term. I plan on attending Ohio State Marion for the next two years and eventually transfer to main campus to pursue a degree in Biomedical Engineering.  

Training in Georgia Spring 2015

In the very beginning of "A Long Way Gone" you learn very quickly of the depth of description it reaches.  You also learn the very pace of the book and tone that the author sets.  The theme of this is set by the environment described.  Its very fast paced and i enjoyed that because it kept it interesting and did not drag on like a lot of other books I have recently read.

Journal Two from Gabbie

Hi! My name is Gabbie, I am a freshman at OSU this year. I graduated from North Union High School last year. I live with my mom and my stepdad, along with my boyfriend of three years who just moved in at the end of May. I am currently a Psychology Major. I love to study different theories about Psychology, I often read about different perspectives from different theorist. My overall goal as far as career wise, I would like to become a Clinical Psychologist. My fun fact is that I have a tattoo on my right shoulder that I designed myself. It expresses my beliefs as well as my career passion.

This is my tattoo right after it was finished.

The theme I decided to go with is uncertainty, because it follows a lot with the emotions going on with many of the characters in the first chapter. The young boy in the book talks about how he didn't know leaving his home that day would be his last. Not only that, but no one knew that their home town would be next. Another thing that becomes uncertain as time goes on is food, and shelter. I think this theme is important because it gives people perspective that nothing is "set in stone". This theme will help people be better prepared and make them expect the unexpected. This is a good lesson for not only me, but for everyone.

Journal Two from Ali

Hi, My name is Alissa Wright. But I prefer to be called Ali. I juts graduated from my high school Delaware Hayes as a cheerleader and the Homecoming queen. I am now a freshman at The Ohio State University and I hope to continue my cheerleading career and hopefully become a Social Psychologist.

Journal two from Mohammed

Im Mohammed, I play ice hockey and i plan on going to main campus next year to finish my studies in mechanical engineering. In the future my dream is to be a successful mechanical engineer.

Senior year Hockey

In the first chapter of a long way gone the thing that stood out to me the most was that it was really descriptive so i could picture all the scenes and things that were going on, which helped me understand the story more clearly. He is very descriptive and i think it is very needed to actually portray all the events that is happening in his life throughout the book. I liked the theme of friendship, the main character was really close with his group of friends and siblings like i am so that related to me the most.

Welcome to the Blog! From Mike Lohre

Hello students and welcome to our class blog.

Our goal today will be to familiarize ourselves with the features of the blog, gain authorship, and write an Introduction of ourselves for the class, so that we can get to know each other and have a basis for our writing community.

Once you become a member, write two paragraphs for your first blog post.

Refer to the handout I gave you for the prompt for this writing, and hints on how to use the blog.

Good luck and see you here on the blog!

Mike

My wife Irene and I on Easter last year after a big meal.