Nice Technique!

There was one thing that really caught my attention in the first ten pages of Siddhartha: his dad's patience . When I insist and plead for their permission they already lose their patience and just start saying "If you keep on insisting it's going to get worse". If I start giving them reasons for why I deserve to have permission like Siddhartha did, "Siddhartha has always obeyed his father"(p8) they would just ignore me. They'd pretend they're too busy to listen to me being stubborn.
I haven't tried standing there until they get bored of seeing me and hope they give me a yes:

"Siddhartha," he said, "why are you waiting?"

"You know why"

"Will you go on standing and waiting until it is day, noon, evening?"

"I will stand and wait."

(p8)

Siddhartha's father noticed how much his son wanted to become a Samana and was surprised with his persistence. Maybe, I can try that next time... I'll just stand in front of my parents and follow them around to see if my persistence is enough for them to consider saying yes.

I hope that Siddhartha finally finds his "Self" in this adventurous and disciplined journey of becoming a Samana. I hope he doesn't come back with a "vessel that is not full" (p3)

Love You Ted!

I would say that in this poem is addressing agape love, love for mankind. She is highliting the actor's good work and praising him for it. When she says, "but when Mary Magdalene anointed you, when you cast merchants and money changers from the temple, I forgot your thinning hair and wrinkled brow..." So she admits she also underestimated Ted Neeley for his age, but later realized how good actor he was. Then, maybe a bit of eros, physical love, might be involved when she says she forgot about his thinning hair and wrinkled brow. She didn't think of him as an old man anymore. She continues to praise him and she even says "I don't care how old you are..." which might imply her interest on the actor since it's a "Love Poem" as the tittle says.

Blogging Heads AM & CB

Link

The Privilege of Diversity

I agree with what the deans had to say here: “…examine each applicant in detail.” Going beyond intellectual quality is, indeed, important: “The character of our students is relevant to the quality of our leaders…Not infrequently these qualities have a racial dimension.” Asking about a person’s race, during admissions, is not another way to understand someone’s character, but also a way to find the most diverse classroom. Students need to get exposed to those kinds of situations because, in a distant future, they will encounter and learn from people with a different race, ideas, thoughts, etc. “… students learn not only from faculty and books but also from each other.”

They need to get used to those kinds of environments: “Exposure to people with different backgrounds, ideas and views also helps to prepare students.”  In a diverse classroom, with such diversity, where different points of view and culture are found, interesting debates and discussion are guaranteed. Due to their roots, each student would have an important contribution to make. It is a privilege to be able to share with different people, instead of keeping yourself in a homogeneous perspective.

Cowardly Seeking for Answers

"Gilgamesh wandered in the wilderness

grieving over the death of Enkidu

and weeping saying: "Enkidu has died. 

Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that?"

Gilgamesh felt the fear of it in his belly." (48) 

I don't understand why Gilgamesh, being so strong and mighty, would be scared to die. It's a bit ironic.Everyone can fear death, but it's kind of disappointing, coming from a "hero", to be coward in that aspect. This reminds me of Paris from the Iliad. He is not a hero nor a god, but he's the son of a king and he was brave enough to kidnap Helen from king Menelaus. When it comes to confronting Menelaus, Paris is scared because he knows his death is secure.

"He said to himself that he would seek the son 

of Ubartutu, Utnapishtim, he, 

the only one of men by means of whom 

he might find out how death could be avoided. 

He said to himself that he would hasten to him,

 the dangers of the journey notwithstanding" (48) 

I relate myself to Gilgamesh in this section because he never stops until he gets an answer. When I have a doubt or when I want to understand something, I look for different ways to find the answer to my questions. I ask several people and consult different sources of information until my doubt is clear.

Fly

If I had one superpower it would be to fly. I choose this superpower not only because I think it's cool but also to save time or to escape from some situations.
For example, here at school we have to go up and down the stairs to get to each class, most of the time I arrive to my classes almost out of breath because I was way down and my next class way up. I try to walk fast but there are also too many people in the hallway and it's seems impossible to get to each place. I could fly I would be in my classes on time because I would get there in seconds.
Another example is my way to school,usually there is too much traffic in the morning and my bus takes almost an hour to get here. If I could fly I would be able to get to school faster and avoid traffic.

Negative Attitude Yet Positive Result

"The dream you dreamed tonight is fortunate" (22 & 23)

In this part of the book,  Gilgamesh seems a little worried about his dreams and thinks they all mean something bad is going to happen when both of them, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, meet with Huwawa. Enkidu gives an interpretation of each and tells him that every dream is fortunate. I find a connection here,because most of the time I get nervous about things and think they're all going to turn out bad but my best friend is always there to tell me to look at the bright side and that I'm going to be fine.

"and Enkidu found him and said: "Two people, companions, 

they can prevail against the terror."" (26) 

"Enkidu said: "You are the strongest of all"" (27)

Later on, when Gilgamesh and Enkidu arrive to the Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh got scared again. Enkidu reminds him he's the strongest of all and that two people can prevail together against terror. This reminds of the day I had to play the guitar alone in front of a group of parents. I was really afraid to mess up and I also felt kind of sad because the other people that had to play with me didn't come. My music teacher came to me and said "You don't have to worry. You are really good, and if being there alone on stage is what bugs you then I can play with you too."

At the end, they do accomplish their mission. Gilgamesh builds the cedar gate for the city of Uruk and together as a team, they also kill Huwawa. My guitar performance went well, not only did I not mess up but I even made my audience stand up, cheer, sing and clap.