"Bad Influence" by Judith Ortiz Cofer

When I read the first part of paragraph about this story. I thought "hmmm this story is probably talking about the bad influence from one to other." When I’m done reading this story, it was amazing. In this story, they have some Spanish speaking that I do not understand at all. Some of Spanish spoken, I understand clearly based on what they saying. It was very interesting. That’s the most reason why I'd like to learn some foreign language such as Spanish and Japanese.

When I read this story, I thought “that’s typical teenager’s age.” When teenager age come to around fourteen years old, they usually curious and doesn’t understand what we parents are trying to tell them. We try to give them good advices. Some of them will listen, others usually don’t. For those teenagers who don’t listens what parent trying to say. They usually frustrating around their parents. When teenagers frustrating, they don’t see things clearly. Sometimes parent have to let them go and let them learn their lessons. It probably not the best options but it’ll do.

Peer pressure also shows in this story. Peer pressures are most common for teenager age. They would do whatever the friends, parents, even commercials from magazine and television. There nothing we can do about it. We parent just have to be patient and try give all advices we have and hope they would understand in the future. There is a show I saw couples time on MTV called Exiled. Exiled on MTV is talking about a sweet sixteen girl who were very spoiled and very brat. Parents send their kid to other place for one week. They usually realized how hard work they did to keep surviving. When a teenager comes back to their home and they normally thanked their parents for what they did.

They have some their beliefs, and spiritual. We have different thoughts of way to help people, and they all end into one solutions. To help each others, make yourself and others happy.

Again, this story is pretty interesting.

"The Circuit" by Francisco Jimenez

I read this story, and thought "wow that was very sad". This story arent about the circuit, but they are related. This story is about mexican family who moves around and work for random people. They work usually work crop field picking the crops. Types of crops are depends on season. In this story, boy's feeling seems so frustrating, sad, and part of the story were exciting. Frustrated because he'd have to work hard with his brother and father. Sad because he doesnt know most English vocabulary. At the end of story, he was happy because he was able to learn English and was offered to teach music as well. Very sad at very ending, He would have be able to learn how to play music. When he got to his family, he found that they will have to move again. This story is related to circuit because circuit people will never stop moving around, they basically live on the road.

I never experienced that feeling, but I can say that that story was very sad.

"The Hands of My Father" by Christopher Jon Heuer

As I said on previous blog, Poem isn't my thing.

This is also a poem about himself and his father's relationship. His father's life is all about farm. He knew a lot about things related to farm, and how weather effects to farm. Author himself is a deaf boy who can't talk. Sign language is his life. Farming is his father’s life. Author and his father's life are two different paths. I think his father doesn’t appreciated that author was born deaf. His father’s attitude towards author was anger. His father avoids signing language. He refuses to learn sign language, because he doesn’t have time to communicate with his son and focus on farm at the same time. Later in this poem saying that his father regret and wish that he would learn his language, be able to communicate with him. Before he died he told author that he was sorry.

This poem reminds me of my mom. Mom told me her story about her and her parents. Her parents doesn’t happy that my mom became deaf when she was three years old. When my mom grew up, her parents refused to learn sign language, but willing to make a gesture. When my parents got married, her parents were so upset because she married to a deaf man. Later in her life, they told my mom that they were so sorry and was very proud of her.

I believe that parents would regret that they treat their child differently. When they are nearly death, they would apologize their mistakes. So, they would die with peace.

"Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan

When I read this story. I thought it was amazing. Its rare to see a bright girl play chess. Wave-ly Jong learned how to play chess with dictionary. She play chess with her brother, and then older guy from nearby park. She develop playing chess with strategy how to defeat her oppontent. She became a regional chess champion. Later, Her mother became so proud she would walk around and tells everyone that she was her daughter. She was so embarssing, she told her mother how she felt.

"Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is" Yoda(Star Wars) The greatest mind of child are truly, innocent mind that child has. Child would go and ask their parents whatever comes to mind of child. I can feel this quote is related to this story. “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." also from Yoda(Star Wars) To win chess, we'd have to think and play with defense. Playing defense as well as offense, defense will always win. She would play chess with a heart and mind. She work so hard to be a successful chess player.

I know how to play chess properly but I'm not really into it. Chess required alot of mental work. Chess would challenge our mental. With our knowledge, and thinking ahead would help us success in future life. It does applied to our daily life. I would play chess for hell of it. I would even play chess on my laptop if I was very bored and had nothing else to do.

"A Gift of Laughter" by Allan Sherman

When I read this story, I thought of my son. Not because the story itself. It's how my son shows me a love. Sometime I feel that I didn't give him plenty of love, which I should. Sometime a parents forget how innocent kids are. Kids doesn't understand why adult acted that way sometime. Sometime we adults trying to focus on problems rather than what kids trying to show us.

The whole 4 years since I first saw my son came to our world. I love him to death. I wouldn't let anything happens to him. We face problems everyday of our life. We have to try solve them everyday. We show our love to a child, and they will love us in return. A child has innocent mind, but how brillant they are. Kid can give us a greatest joy. Love is the most important to children.