A million little pieces 3

As I get deeper into "A Million Little Pieces" It seems to me that James is improving. He is still being a little difficult with the process of recovery that he must do. But all in all he is improving. He has been talking and seeing Lily quit frequently which has made him happier. This passage i have chosen is when Lily and James are talking by there usual spot out in the gardens. J

"It was. It was beautiful because it was honest and it was beautiful because it hurt and it was beautiful because you didn't have to tell it to me." pg 211

This passage really stuck out to me, this is when Lily and James are sharing their personal stories with each other. I think this could really be helping James when he talks with Lily, he is sharing his personal stories with other people and expressing his feelings. He is not afraid anymore to talk and he knows now he doesn't always have to be the tough guy. These are some of the improvements i've noticed with James as he steps closer to recovery.

A million little pieces 2

After getting deeper into A Million Little Pieces, James remains in the rehab center after having many thoughts of death. He attempted to leave but Leonard wouldn't let him and talked him into staying. James is connecting more with the other addicts. His brother and friends come to visit him and that is his first happy day in awhile. James has also been talking to Lily more and is considering trying to get better for his family, friends, Lily and himself.

"This is my brother, my blood, the only thing in this world created from that which I was created from, the person in the world who knows me best, the Person who would miss me the most if I was gone. That he cared enough to come here and that he cares enough to nearly break in front of me means something, but in the end, I know that it means only so much." pg 133

In this passage James realizes that if he leaves and decides to kill himself, he would be hurting his brother and friends very much. He realizes how much his brother and everyone cares for him even though he has done and said some pretty bad things when he was 'fucked up'. Also, after the visit from them and seeing Lily, he starts to think that he actually has things to live for. He knows what he wants and will probably end up doing the 12 steps to become sober and start his life over again.

A Million Little Pieces

Im reading A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. So far in this book James has gone to rehab for alchol and drug abuse. He is going through a really hard time, he just got his teeth fixed, and is now slowly getting better. He is finally starting to put his life backc together. I chose a passage to do read and response over.
"I am alone. Alone here and alone in the world. Alone in my heart and alone in my mind. ALone everywhere, all the time, for as long as i can remember. Alone with my family, alone with my friends, alone in a room full of people. Alone when i wake, alone through each awful day, alone when i finally meet the blackness. I am alone in my horror. Alone in my horror." pg79
After reading this quote from the book it make me feel happy that i have so much and i am not alone in the world. Poor James is in the world with not much of a family and no friends... all he needs right now to help him get through these tough times are people who care like friends or family. He is so alone that it haunts him. He can be in a room full of people and still feel alone.

The Hot Zone (36- 81)

I'm still in the middle of reading The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. I left of when doctor Musoke was trying to insert a tube into Charles Monet. But, he ended up getting drenched in his vomit and blood..which led to him getting infected with the disease...but he ended up surviving. The next part of the story talks about doctor Nancy Jaax who works in biosafety containment area four in USAMRIID, who is assigned to research the ebola virus in monkeys. Later while preparing dinner for her family she cuts her finger with a knife. Then while dissecting an ebola-infected monkey her cut becomes exposed and she almost got infected with the virus. She gets very lucky and ends up being fine.

Mr. Jones's personal view of the Marburg outbreak reminds me of a flashlight pointed down a dark hole. It gives a narrow but disturbing view of the larger phenomenon of the origin and spread of tropical viruses. (43)

This powerful metaphor compares the Marburg outbreak to a flashlight pointed down a dark whole. I find it to be very interesting that Mr. Jones compares the outbreak to a flashlight pointed down a dark hole. I guess its true though you only get a quick look and little information on the causes and cures for these deadly tropical viruses.

THe Hot Zone (1-36)

At the moment I'm reading The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. It's about Charles Monet this frenchmen who lives alone in a bungalow. He runs a sugar factory in Kenya. During the holidays, he decides to go on an adventure through the woods with his prostitute friend. While they are on there adventure he explores the rain forest and caves. When he comes back from his trip, a few days later he has a headache and back pains. Later he acquires aching all throughout his body and starts throwing up. His friends suggest he take a plane to a close city. While on the plane he throws up constantly and his face looks bruised and droopy. He arrives at the hospital and is waiting in the weighting room, when he passes out and throws up. They take him in intensive care and he ends up dying. The doctor helping him ends up acquiring the same symptoms Monet had and this ends up spreading through out the world.

Their flashlights disturbed the bats, and more bats woke up. Hundreds of bat eyes, like red jewels, looked down on them from the ceiling of the cave. Waves of bad sounds rippled across the ceiling and echoed back and forth, a dry, squeaky sound, like many small doors being opened on dry hinges. Then they saw the most beautiful thing about Kitum Cove. (11-12)

This passage uses a lot of imagery to describe the scene in the cave. The simile about the bat eyes helps me to imagine what Monet is seeing while in the cave. I can also hear the screeching of the caves as they fly out of the cave. The words he uses to describe the bats in both similes work very well and help set the scene.

Suspicion (1-137)

Suspicion(1-137)

I lost the book I was reading before The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Sparks. Also, i didn't realize that the book had to be 200 pages long and that book didn't cut the requirements. So I started reading Suspicionby Kate Brian over the weekend. The book I started is from a series of books called Private and it is about this girl Reed. She goes on winter break to the Caribbean with her friend Noelle from school. While she is in the Caribbean, she goes on the boat with her friends and after getting in a little argument with her boyfriend she goes to get some privacy on the deck. While she is on the deck someone comes and pushes her off the boat, she is then stranded treading in the Sea for three and a half hours before someone comes and saves her.

The skirt of my dress wrapped around my right ankle and held fast, restricting my movement. Without a second thought I reached for the sipper at the side of the gown and, my cold fingers trembling and slipping, managed to yank it down. After a brief struggle I was free of the thing. It floated off on the waves like a lazy sapphire-blue cloud bobbing in the wind. Instantly, I felt twenty pounds lighter, and proud of myself for having made such a wise decision. I took a deep breath and realized that I was moving my arms much faster than I needed to, so I forced myself to slow down, Soon my heart rate calmed and my breathing stabilized. This was much better. I was strong. I was an athlete. I could tread water like this for hours.(page 3)

I chose this paragraph because it shows perseverance and determination. Reed stranded in the middle of the sea with no floatation device and far off the coast handles the situation pretty well. She remains pretty calm throughout the whole situation when the chances of her living through this is very slim. It shows being athletic pays off and she never gives up.

Go Ask Alice

I just started reading Go Ask Alice by anonymous. It's about this girl who just moves to a new school and she is trying to make friends. She makes a good friend named Beth but they have to part ways for summer. So she goes to visit her grandparents and meets up with some old friends. While she is at a party with them someone put LSD in her drink. The story is told in her daily diary entries.

"Wonderful news, Diary! We're moving, Daddy has been invited to become the Dean of Political Science. Isn't that exciting!" pg 3

Why is she so happy to move? Most people that age would hate to move from all their friends and their hometown. But i guess she gets a new start, if she had a bad reputation at her old school or something. A few years ago, I almost had to move to China for my dad's job. Thankfully it didn't go through but i was definitely not excited to leave everyone behind.