Money and Work

This was overall a pretty confusing reading. I think that the only reason why I was so high on Thoreau’s writing style at first was because it was much easier to decipher than Moby Dick. Now after doing more reading I’m starting to dislike it because it’s pretty confusing also. I just wish I could read a book written by a newer author so I could appreciate the story more. On the note of Thoreau’s views on money, I thought they were very interesting. He decided to only make money for himself and make all his own food and live off his own needs rather than making profit to attain his wants. He would grow his own food and only take it for himself. He didn’t need an income because he was only focusing on his own needs. I find this approach interesting because it’s just a cool idea that someone could just live off what they make for themselves not working unless it’s to provide themselves a need. On the other hand however, this couldn’t work if everyone did this because economies are built off of people’s drive to gain money. Everyone’s job helps someone else directly or indirectly. If everyone worked for themselves they would need all the skills that they usually would just pay someone else to be good at. If someone is good at something they can provide a unique service that people will pay them to provide, if everyone did their own thing and worked for themselves then everyone would need to have all those skills that we in our world today pay others to provide. This was an interesting take on money and work, although it was a little tedious, it’s a unique thought. 

The Charles River

The boathouse is a place I go everyday of the week but Sunday. I get to spend time next to or on the Charles River every day. Everybody knows everyone on the team of 45. Every practice starts with dynamic stretches while we all talk about our days and the dread of what the days practice might bring. Rowing is an irrelevant sport but it's a growing one and it brings people together. The best part maybe however, may be the scenery. Each day we get to propel ourselves down a river directly down the center of a beautiful city. In every direction is a new interesting sight. I love the Charles and I’m so happy I get to spend so much time there. The trees and buildings all around and tourists sitting by the river taking pictures, even if rowing is irrelevant this makes it so I can at least pretend that I have spectators. The boathouse itself is also quite an interesting building. It’s a very modern, new building with a floor on top full of about 100 ergs, and below endless amounts of different types of boats. The dock is the longest dock in the city and it can hold maybe ten full sized boats end to end. I am very grateful that I get to spend so much time at such a high quality and special place. I will be sad to say good by to it as I am leaving next year

Reading Thoreau

The materialistic value of things is wildly overrated. People spend so much time buying piles of clothes and gadgets they believe will make them happier and more well-liked. In Henry David Thoreau's book Walden he talks about clothing and shelter, he speaks on how living on the absolute bare minimum can be an incredible and eye-opening experience. He talks about how it has become normal for people to work their whole life for a bigger house when really, a bigger house makes you no happier than before. He also writes on how we are slaves to fashion and having more stuff with fancy brand names makes us no more appealing to others and no happier. 

Thoreau talks about, in his clothing section of the essay, what one wears is not an art. The way I interpreted him saying this is that being artistic is a talent, because it requires skill, being fashionable is only for those who can afford to be. If wearing clothes that are stylish was an art then one could simply just buy their way to the top. He goes on to explain how people are constantly buy new clothing and wearing it only while it’s still in style, "Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.” When he starts speaking on shelter as a necessity. He talks about people who spend their whole life working get a big house, but for thousands and thousands of years people lived in caves or wooden structures or tents, the truth is we would be perfectly fine without our big fancy houses, we are just so used to them that we would be helpless without them. If society reverted back to its old ways of living in caves etc. gradually things would be fine and people would still be happy.

I believe the ideas that Thoreau has got his readers to ponder are very interesting and thought provoking. Also, Thoreau explains these thoughts so well that they can make anyone stop and think. The world back then was a 100 times more simple than it is now and that makes him even more correct in his views on clothing and shelter evolution. There is surely a reason why he has become one of the most famous and well liked writers ever. His thoughts are just so interesting and he explores them so perfectly with clear effort not into each word of each sentence. Thoreau is a great writer, I really appreciate his delicate sentences and deep thought. Everything about his writing style fits me as a reader and I can’t wait to read more of his incredible essays

Thoreau's essays get people thinking about new things. I feel like Thoreau is the type of person to have quotes on one of those "Thought For The Day" calendars and he would be perfect for it. In these essay he has people now, in the 21st century thinking about living primitive lives. If we gave up or homes, clothing money, video games, gadgets etc. Would it really be that bad?

A Sense Of Belonging

It is hard for one to name all the necessities of life for there are so many of them; however, those that come to mind immediately when this question is asked, are family and a sense of belonging. These go hand and hand because when one has no where to go, and no sense of belonging, family is always there. The overarching necessity of life is belonging. Everyone has to belong in some place or activity or community. Certain individuals believe that they can survive alone but the truth is every needs to have a place that involves other people, where they feel safe and comfortable. Without any security, any person would go insane. Loneliness is a true danger and nobody deserves the pain that it brings. There is truly nothing worse than feeling unconfident or uncomfortable everywhere, that is why everyone needs a place to go. Family is a good safety valve for anyone feeling lonely but unfortunately not everyone is lucky enough to have that option for whatever reason. Those who don’t must not wait for something good to come to them, it is imperative that they go out and search for it themselves. 

The Contrast of Seasons

Fall

Small brown seeded leaves

Slowly float down from the tree tops

Spinning like helicopters

A small child of three

Drowns in a pile of leaves

A rainbow of autumn tints in the air

Sun peeks through the trees

Like a game of peek a boo 

As the car cruises down the street

Autumn weather

Sunny with a breeze and a nip

We all wear shorts anyway

Metacognition:

I enjoyed writing these haikus. Fall is a very easy season to write about for me because I am lucky enough to live in the best place in America for fall. There are so many colors and the sun shines perfectly on the road. Haikus are actually more fun than I remember. It’s a really cool formatted way to get thoughts condensed and profoundly described and expressed. 

Winter

Bare trees everywhere 

A sheet of white specks fall

From the deep grey sky

I wake up to silence

Roll on my left to check my clock

10:00 a snow day at last

Court vision predicting the future

So smooth as he sprints down the court

Lob and the finish brings all to their feet 

Slicing down the hill

Out of control grinning ear to ear

Dreading the day's end

Metacognition:

Once again the weather in New England comes in handy for this poem. In some places it’s essentially the same weather all year round but here even though I hate the cold we can say that we experience a "real winter" which has lots of aspects to do with weather, sports and so

Now days. It was quite easy to wright these shorts styled poems on such an easy topic that takes up a big part of many people lives who live here. 

Spring

Spring is confused

A recovery from winter

An anticipation for summer

Splashing in the water

Sweat dripping down my face

You can always work harder 

Days counting down

Slowly, patiently waiting 

For the freedom of summer

Best time of year for sports

High stakes all around

Predictions, money, and pride 

Metacognition:

I think this for me is the most difficult season to create haikus for by far. Besides sports spring is nothing special for me. It’s a transition season and there’s no unique thing to write about the weather. I think these are my worst haikus and all the seasons are much easier. Winter there’s cold, fall there’s New England leaves and summer is summer but spring is pretty boring. 

Summer

Outside all day

Living of ice cold lemonade

Stress free and happy

The calm vibe of the lake

Soft laughter and joy all around

No place we’d rather be

Schools out finally

No more worrying, no more problems

Pure excitement and fun

The sun shines bright

Sweat drips and smiles widen

Joy of the outdoors

Metacognition:

I always enjoy writing about summer. What’s not to like. I can write about camp, baseball, friends, the weather or jus how everyone’s mood is better in the summer. It’s such a contrast to the middle of February where every is angry and grumpy to mid June when there is so much fun to be had ahead and nobody can stress about anything. This will most likely be my last summer where I get to do almost purely what u want because after this summer I think it’s important that I be productive whether it’s getting a job, training for a sport or two, or both working and training.