The Secret 12-15

The next section of the book brings up another interesting statement, which is if you can see it in your thoughts you can hold it. This idea of thoughts becoming things is very intriguing. To think that all one has to do to obtain something is to make it there dominate though is just strange. Though a bit weird this is how the book explains days that are either seemingly great and get better or seemingly terrible and get worst. On good days people do not think about all of their problems. Because of this, good things seem to occur over and over simply because these good thoughts are drawing them. The same thing applies for bad days and bad thoughts. The book states that thoughts are magnetic and this is a rule that applies to all people. If you see yourself in abundance it will come to you.

The Secret 12-15

This book suggest reason to why people are successful. This book suggest that the reason that people become and stay successful is because they attract these things to them. The secret states that if you believe something then it will be drawn to you. This is how they explain why one percent of the population controls 96 percentage of the wealth. It says that it is not an accident that this occurs. The book also explains what happens when people become rich, lose all their money then gain a large sum of money again. It explains that these people believe that prosperous things will happen to them, then they start to second guess themselves. Once they stop doing this and return to their original mental state they gain their money again. The statement like attracts like applies to these examples. While the rich people where having thoughts of losing their wealth, they were. Once the changed their thoughts to believing that they will be rich thats what they became.

Rebound Rules The Art of Success 2.0 11-30-08

One year, on fat tuesday, when Rick Pitino was coaching the University of Kentucky they played a game at Louisiana State University. During this game Kentucky found themselves down by more than 30 points at the half. That year LSU had an incredible amount of athletes. They had based their team off of players for years. During years when they had good players they won, but in years when they did not have the players they did not. Kentucky differed from LSU in the aspect that their team was based off of a program and no matter who were the current players they were still "Kentucky". Because of this system Kentucky eventually came back and won the game in regulation. Pitino used the example of this game to show how people should live their lives. If people have a good set of morals to live by they always out succeed, in the long run, those who live in the moment.

Rebound Rules The Art of Success 2.0 12-09-08

Later in the book Pitino talks about the importance of having deliberate practices. He defines a deliberate practice as one that is focused, intense and goal oriented. He uses the example of golf when he is talking about this kind of practice. He says that to succeed a golfer must not only hit a bucket of balls, but have a set of goals as he hits these balls. They must set a goal to hit 80% of the balls within 20 feet of the pin. This is what Pitino says defines the good from the great. He says that many are willing to pay the price to be great, but few go about it the right way. To be great one must not only do the necessary thing but they must do them with a purpose.

Rebound Rules The Art of Success 2.0 11-30-08

After leaving his job as the head coach of the Boston Celtics Rick Pitino returned to his vacation house in South Florida. He told the rest of his family that he needed time alone to reevaluate things. While alone Pitino went through all of the mistakes that he made while coaching the Celtics. He eventually came to the conclusion that he made three major mistakes. He decided that he made too many spontaneous decisions about players, he took too many shortcuts, and he beat himself up too much once he sensed that failure was in the air. He essentially made a list of all of the thing he should have done. Once he made it out of this state he started to look at other job situations. Three weeks after resigning from the Celtics he received a call from the University of Las Vegas. They wanted Pitino to become their new head coach. After being courted by the University of Las Vegas Pitino decided not to take the job there. While waiting on other offers Pitino was contacted by the University of Michigan and the University of Louisville. Once Pitino visited the University of Louisville he decided that there was where he wanted to continue his career. Many in Kentucky saw Pitino's move to Louisville as the move of a traitor. They saw it as this because a few years earlier he had led the University of Kentucky to a final four appearance and Kentucky Louisville is a huge rivalry. Currently Pitino still coaches at the University of Louisville.

Rebound Rules The Art of Success 2.0 11-30-08

Rebound Rules The Art of Success by Rick Pitino

In this book Rick Pitino, head basketball coach at the University of Louisville, gives the keys that he has used over his lifetime to rebound from times of adversity. The book starts on the eve of Pitino's last game as the coach of the Boston Celtics. Pitino tells his good friend and assistant coach, Jim O'Brien, that the game is no longer fun for him and he does not believe in chasing money. In fact, he states that "if you chase money, you're not necessarily chasing success. Give yourself success, and money will chase after you as if its your shadow" (Pitino). Pitino had chased the biggest contract in basketball history. He had signed a 10 year $50 millinon contract to coach the Boston Celtics. In chasing this large contract Pitino found himself in a situation that he had very little success, which led to little happiness. Once Pitino realized this he resigned, leaving behind $23 million. The money that he left behind meant little to him because he knew that once he found success again he would make back the money that he was leaving.

Why We Can't Wait 11-4

In the next chapter King brings up a question, "What is the Negro willing to pay if we give him his freedom" (King 117)? In saying this King is trying to allow other american to realize that the same problems that were apparent during slavery times still exist now. The american people were still stretching the limits to see how far the African American would go for equality. Of course this stretching was done in in a more subtle way. King does an excellent job of reaching out to peoples conscience here. He names something that most would agree is a bad thing and compares it in a way that makes since to most people.

Why We Can't Wait 11-4

In a later chapter of this book King tells an anecdote about a young African American who was waiting to be killed by his own government. They called this capital punishment. But what was different about this killing than all of the other killing that the American Government took part in was that a new method was used. This was the first time that poisonous gas was used to kill people. Because of this the people who were preforming the slaughtering wanted to hear how the people reacted. To do this a microphone was placed in the chamber. When the gas was placed in the young African Americans chamber he shouted something like, Joe Lewis save me Joe Lewis save me. In telling this King is making a comparison to what he is seeing in the African American race. As a race African Americans were looking for one of their peers to help them instead of doing something themselves.

Why We Can't Wait 10-21-08

In reading the first few pages of Why We Can't Wait it is obvious that King is explaining what he believes is the mission of the "Negro Revolution." He states that a non-violent push for the rights and liberties that seem to be guaranteed by documents such as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is the first step that must be taken. He also points out flaws, but also commends the current administration, the Kennedy administrations, for its actions. King states that much has indeed been done by the Kennedy administration, but not all that could have been done was done. It can be easily noticed that King felt strongly that African Americans have had to wither many storms and were currently fighting the battle of time. King expresses in a statement about how African Americans have been looked at as a creature that can endure. King clearly sees problem with this mind set, as he should.

Why We Can't Wait 10-21-08

Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr.

Im starting a new book. I chose the book because after reading a letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. I felt that it would be appropriate that I continued reading a similar type of literature. I expect Why We Can't Wait to be very similar to King's Letter from Birmingham Jail because the idea of why they could not wait was brought up in the letter. Also I expect Why We Can't Wait to contain a level of intelligence of great heights. This expectation is solely based on the fact that King's Letter from Birmingham Jail contained references that most people could not quote even with a computer. I am anxious to see what King can do while not confined in a prison cell.

Native Son 10-14

While Bigger is imprisoned several people come to visit him. At one point Bigger's cell contained his attorney, the case prosecutor, his family and three of his friends, and the Dalton family. At this point the prosecutor is trying to get Bigger to sign a confession that had already been drafted for him. The prosecutor uses tricky language to convince Bigger that they are friends and shows him a mob that has called for his death to convince Bigger that they are his true enemies. Before signing the confession Bigger is recommended to name any accomplices that he might have had because they were sure that a man of his intelligence could not think of a plot that sophisticated. Bigger named no other people but he signs the confession. Bigger will have a court appearance soon. He will probably be put to death.

Native Son 10-14

The Dalton's now realize that Mary is dead and they call a private investigator in to help them find out who killed her. Because of the time period, once the private investigator was brought in, Bigger is his first suspect simply because he is a black man who often came into contact with Mary. Early in the stages of the investigation Mr. and Mrs. Dalton stand up for Bigger; this does not change the belief of the investigator that Bigger was the one who killed Mary. The investigator actually believes that Bigger first raped Mary and the killed afterwards. As the investigation goes on more and more media cover the story. This pressure from the media is what starts to change the way the Dalton's view Bigger role in Mary's murder. They now think that Bigger raped and killed her. Bigger also knows this so he flees with his girlfriend Bessie. While he ends up killing her as well, while he was nervous. Bigger reads in the newspaper the next day that police would be searching all houses on the south side of Chicago for him. Bigger sees that is happening and finds another apartment to live in. There the police find him and arrest him.

Things That Interest Me

I am interested in: watching sports, playing baseball and basketball, fishing, being in the country, doing nothing, sleeping, watching movies, going to practice, the University of Georgia, and video games.

I want to know how to play baseball better.

I play ball or go fishing in my spare time.

Native Son 9-28

On the way back to the Dalton's house Mary moves to the front seat. This makes Bigger a little uncomfortable, but not a whole lot. Throughout the car ride Mary moves closer and closer until she is eventually toughing him. Mary is now leaning her head against his shoulder. This makes him extremely uncomfortable so he hurries to the Dalton's house. Once at the Dalton's Bigger realizes that Mary is to drunk to walk and would wake up everyone if she is left alone so Bigger decides to take her to her room. The two are forced to enter through the back door because if they went through the front all in the house would hear. They slowly make it to Mary's room. Once there Bigger hears a sound and fear that it is Mr. Dalton, so he hides in the closet. It is Mrs. Dalton and she comes into the room. She comes in and checks out Mary she obviously notices that Mary is very intoxicated. Once Mrs. Dalton goes back into her room Bigger comes out. He notices that Mary is dead and he begins to panic. Bigger then stuffs her into a suit case and hurries to the basement. He then decides to burn her and make it appear that Jan killed her. After putting her into the furnace Bigger runs away.

Native Son 9-28

After the three eat dinner they begin to drink rum. Bigger finds this treatment that he is receiving this night strange. Mary and Jan are treating him more like a friend than he is accustom to. They were treating him as if they liked him. After dinner Mary and Jan began to drink rum. They grew increasingly drunk. Bigger drove them around the city park after they finished drinking. At the park the two began to ask Bigger questions about himself. They asked him thing like where was he from and if he had a father. Bigger replied that he was from Mississippi and that his father was killed in a riot. Jan tells Bigger that the communist party was working to make sure that that sort of thing stopped happening. Bigger starts to feel better. Bigger drives to Jan's house and drops him off.

Native Son 9-28

When Bigger took the job from the Dalton's it was more than he expected. One night when Bigger, the family chauffeur, was picking up Mary Dalton she wants to go meet a communist friend of hers instead of going to the university. Once Bigger and Mary meet Mary's friend Jan, Jan begins to talk about communism and and gives Bigger some pamphlets about it. After this they tease Bigger for a while about the color of his skin. After doing this Mary begins to feel bad and Jan comforts her. Once Jan begins to feel better the three go to dinner. At dinner Bigger sees his girlfriend and one of his other friends. He is very brief with them and they find this very strange.

Native Son 9-21

As the boys were planning to rob the store the planned to meet at the local pool hall at one o'clock sharp. After making these plans Bigger was reminded by a man on the street about a job that he was supposed to receive the following week. Bigger was aware that if he were caught in the act of this crime their would be no way he would receive his new job. This thought gave Bigger second thoughts about robing the store. As the small group of four begun to meet at one o'clock one of the members of their group was late. This secretly made Bigger happy on the inside but could not allow the others to know this. Once the final member of the four arrived Bigger stated a fight with the boy named Gus. They begun to fight and Bigger knocked Gus around for awhile before the other two boys stopped the fight.

Native Son 09/18

Right now the main character, Bigger is meeting with his friends at a pool hall. This is no regular meeting because at this meeting they are talking about robbing a store. Normally the group of three would not hesitate to rob a store. They would just go do it if the store was owned by a black person, but this time they are planning to rob a white man's store. This was something that they were all scared to do because these kids were not criminals. They were forced to rob places to survive; They could not live in extreme poverty without taking a few things.

Narrative Essay

I realized at a very young age that my favorite sport to play was baseball. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love basketball, football, golf, and tennis too, but they just don’t do it for me the way baseball does. There is just something about connecting with the ball when it hits the bat that gives me a feeling like no other feeling. Not to mention making a play that seems almost unnatural, but feels like the most natural thing to do. So, it’s hard to believe that I almost gave it up because of someone else’s opinion of me.

I sometimes think about that opinion when I am alone getting my head ready for a baseball game. I was very young and just learning to play the game of baseball competitively. Before that time my dad had been my best coach, and I had played recreation ball, which really was not competitive. My coaches on those recreation teams told my parents I was a good player and that they should take me to a more competitive league. So they took me to a different park to play in a more competitive league so that I could get more experience. They did not know that I would also get my first lesson in people judging me without even knowing me.

I did not know anyone at the new park so I had no friends there. I have to admit this was a little different for me since everyone always knew who I was. I knew that I would be treated as just another guy, but I was amazed by the negative things grown men said about me. I had a certain swagger about myself so I did not allow what others thought faze me. Thankfully my parents had taught me to have confidence in all that I did and to expect to succeed.

The day of my tryout at the new park not much was going right for me. Both of my parents had to work that day so I had to be taken to the park by my grandfather. It felt really strange with neither of my parents there. But I got there just about time for my tryout. Just before taking the field I overheard two men speaking about how bad that they thought I looked. I did not know what to do with those comments so I did what I did best, I went out and played hard.

You know, most people allow what others say effect them and their performances but I guess I had been prepared to put other people’s opinion of me in its proper place. When the first ball was hit to me I could have been thinking about the comment and worrying about what the people thought of me, but I was not. I just went out and trusted my training. I stayed down and made a powerful throw over to first base.

I am glad I trust my inner voice. Outside of the circle of family and friends who love me and support me, there are very few people whose opinion I take seriously; and I take none of the negative ones. I cannot afford to allow anyone to take my confidence or my dream.

Native Son 8-27-08

Wright seems to neither only have a friendly or unfriendly relationship with the content. From what i've read so far it appears that Wright is using personal anecdotes to tell the story. He is simply reliving his life and things that he's witnessed. In doing this Wright is able to express both content that is friendly and unfriendly to him. Based on what i've read I have to believe that growing up Wright didn't have much. Im lead to this by the way that he is able to describe the one room apartment with such detail. 

Native Son is told from the perspective of an angry young African American man. Bigger, the name of the main character, is only angry because he has an aspiration for equality. He does not express his anger in the best of ways but he has a legitimate reason to be angry.