Memoir: Section 1

1.) In the beginning, Chuck seems to have a very obscure, but yet very clear idea about what is going to happen throughout the entire book. He talks about his thoughts a lot, not so much his feelings though. His boss tells him that she has an 'epic' project for him, but she doesn't know what it is. Somehow, they decide that he should travel across the country for three weeks to all of the different places where "rock stars" died. While getting ready for this long adventure, he seems to get side-tracked by a number of different things. He used three pages talking about the CD's he was going to bring, which ones were essential, how many he actually had in his entire collection, and elaborated on a few of them. He finally gets on the road and takes one of his three girlfriends to her cabin where some of her friends were staying. He then heads to Springfield, Massachusetts, where the band Great White played a show that inadvertently turned into a field of flames and conflagrant carnage. Chuck went into the remains of the venue, which was now a club. He met a man who's cousin died at the show. Thy talked about what happened for a while, and ended up snorting cocaine together. Chuck then, went on talking about his three girlfriends, his life in New York City, his childhood, and other things that had nothing to do with the actual plot itself. Chuck went to a place called China Grove, and talked to a few people that resided in the city. Then he left and headed towards North Carolina. He found a hotel, checked in, and went on a run. On his run, he thought a lot about what it would be like if he were to die on his run. He had it all organized and figured out what would happen if he actually did die. Fortunately, he didn't die. After his run, he showered and went to dinner at the Cracker Barrel across the street from his hotel. He ended up having a very in depth conversation about dreams and being hypnotized by television with his waitress. He seemed to be somewhat attracted to this woman. The section ended with him talking about one of his three girlfriends and thinking about things that he did with her.

This I Believe Assignment...

1.) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7572601

2.) Wayne Coyne

3.) Creating Our Own Happiness

4.) I believe we have the power to create our own happiness.

5.) #1: "But then I saw their faces. Yes, they were huddling, but they were also laughing. They looked to be sharing a good joke, and suddenly, instead of pitying them, I envied them. I thought, 'Huh, what's so funny?' They didn't notice the wind. They weren't worried about their clothes. They weren't looking at my car thinking, 'I wish I had that.' "

#2: "...I realized I had assumed this couple needed my pity, but they didn't. I assumed things were all bad for them, but they weren't. And I understood we all have the power to make moments of happiness happen."

6.) "I believe this is something all of us can do: Try to be happy within the context of the life we are actually living."

Alex's Totally Rad Blog

1.) The thing I am most anxious about at Edina High School is:

I guess I'm not very anxious about anything at Edina High School, because I don't really get anxious often. I also don't really have anything to be anxious about. I mean, it's just a new school year. There's nothing to be nervous about...at all.

2.) One goal for myself in my sophomore year is:

To be as self-less as possible, and to be as politically active as possible. I don't like greed or envy at all, so I try to be as helpful as possible and share what I have with those who don't have what I have. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, right?