Poison

          May 20, 2008, the spring of my junior year of high school was when I heard that my father was going to jail for 18 months due   to multiple infractions of drunk driving. As a result senior year was hard for me. I was living with my twin sister in our uncle’s house. It was not a home, but merely a living arrangement. Despite the adversity of living in a place I felt unwelcome; I worked so hard to show my father that if I could succeed, he could too. However, the night he was released my boyfriend, Will So, and I met with my father to see our new condo. When I walked into the room at the Ramada Inn I was welcomed by the almost forgotten scent of Old Granddad Whisky. It wasn’t much longer before I realized his lips had touched the bottle. “You’re just being paranoid,” Will said, but I knew better. Slurred speech, stumbling, the nauseating smell; I could just tell he was drunk. When we dropped him off I waited for my dad to t urn the corner before I ran into the bar that was attached to the inn. I asked the bartender if she had been working all night. She curiously answered, “Yes.” I slowly took a picture of my father and me out of my wallet and asked, “Did you serve this man?” The next thing I know I was collapsed in the parking lot, crying. My heart was broken.

            I never knew how much alcohol could ruin lives. It ruined the respect I had for my father. It depleted all self motivation and killed my entire sense of senlf. It’s been two years and I’m still trying to revive it. Will my life ever be rid of this poison?

Word Count: 300

Educational Influences

The Best of Both Worlds
     My passion in education has always been geared towards the social sciences. I took AP Psychology with Ms. Weinhold. I had never had a teacher like her before. She was so engaged in her lessons and did everything and anything to help her students succeed. However, when it came down to the difficult stuff, she was brutal. She knew what each student was capable of and pushed them to their full potential. She was the best teacher I’ve ever had because she pushed me to reach my potential. She was tough but she was clearly the best of both worlds.



Bobby Joe Burnout
     Mr. Gounaris was my eighth grade English teacher. The entire year all we did was talk about theme. I felt like I didn’t learn anything. The weirdest part about him was his method. He would record over good songs, classic songs, and destroy them with pointless lyrics and scratchy voiceovers. Mr. G would say that a pseudo artist named “Bobby Joe Burnout” recorded the songs while we had to figure out the theme of each musical train-wreck. I swear, I learned nothing of substance that year in English. He was clearly the worst teacher I’ve ever had.



Word Count: 199

Believe Freely

       Although it is a sensitive subject I believe that every individual has his/her own beliefs. Whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc., religion is a personal decision, meaning that every person has a choice in what they want to believe without discrimination.
Many families force their ideals onto their children as if they are born into that belief. I’ve even seen schools represent particular faiths and educate their students in that one religion while others teach the belief of evolution.
I believe that faith is an independent practice, not a group activity. Why is it so hard to understand that every individual is born with the right to hold their own views without external influence. Religion is personal. If people are so touchy regarding their own religious beliefs, they should respect others’ opinions. How would they feel if the reciprocal action occurred and their beliefs were questioned. This concept applies to all systems and individuals.
No matter where it comes from, outside influence on faith needs to stop. Judgment is thrown down upon people of certain faiths. They are discriminated against because people are brainwashed by their surroundings to believe that their belief is the only one. My friend Rachel once said to me, “I honestly believe that all religions lead to the same thing, the end of life. And what happens after that is up to what you believed in.” I may not have a personal story, but I’ve always felt strongly about this. I believe that her statement is absolutely correct. I believe that all religion is the same in context not content and that people shouldn’t discriminate based on faith. I believe that people should have a right to believe whatever they feel is right and be able to feel okay about it.

Word Count :296

I believe that people should be able believe whatever they feel, be to feel okay about their decision and not be discriminated based on that.

Belief Brainwashing

Although it is a sensitive subject, religion is an important topic. Every individual has his/her own beliefs. Whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc., religion is a personal decision. Decision meaning that every person should have a choice in what they want to believe.

  Many families force their beliefs onto their children as if they are born into a certain belief. They are raised, many their entire lives, in that faith and as a result are restricted from exploration due to set limits. Schools represent particular faiths and educate their students in that one religion. Evolutionary perspectives are taught within the educational curriculum. Although it may not be considered a religion, evolution is still a belief. These narrow-minded influences are hindering the curiosity of the naïve who need to discover faith on their own. Faith is and independent practice, not a group activity.
 
     No matter where it comes from, outside influence on faith needs to stop. Stop the belief brainwashing! I personally can't stand it. People should understand that every individual is born with the right to hold their own views without external influence. Because he topic of faith is so sensitive, it should be implied that it is also personal. If people are so touchy regarding their own religious beliefs, they should respect others' opinions. How would they feel if the reciprocal action occurred and their beliefs were questioned. This concept applies to all systems and individuals including but not limited to schools, families, and friends. Give people the chance to explore and expand their minds, opinions, and beliefs. Therefore every individual has a right to their own beliefs, and in this I strongly believe.

Word Count- 288

A Generation Full of Irony

    The concept of the irony in this generation comes from a line of teenagers who strive for originality, but never achieve it. Generalizations can be made about today's youth such as they lack originality, try too hard to avoid being stereotyped, and care too much about what others think because they want to be unique.
     In fact, these teens try so hard that they become the mainstream of what we can call the "anti-mainstream." In simpler terms, their attempts at being different identify with everyone else, and therefore becomes the norm.
     

Murder at the Mansion....?!

     Every teenager in Perry Hall, Maryland has heard of the Perry Hall mansion. Supposedly, this historical building on Peppermill Road is haunted. Stories have said that when looking onto the property at night, lights flicker and ghostly apparitions can be seen through the windows. Of course, this attracts skeptics and ghost hunters alike.

     This mansion and its property were the beginning of what is now Perry Hall and was home to English settler Harry Dorsey Gough in the 18th century.  Gough was a wealthy man who often hosted boisterous parties and gatherings. One of the legends says that Gough invited a Methodist group to his house for a party and after, Gough went to see some of his guests off. When he returned he saw his wife Prudence and one of the slave men together. He brutally beat Prudence, murdered her adulterous lover, and tortured the others. 

      Although graphic, this story shows historical and cultural contexts including religion, racism, and sexism. The Perry Hall mansion is of historical importance in my hometown as well as an icon for the curiosity of the town's inhabitants.
      Places such as this need to be preserved because they hold such historical importance. The mansion should be preserved not only for that reason but also because it is a popular haunted attraction, just like the many haunted castles in Europe. For, as all Perry Hall teenagers know, it is a right of passage to attempt to break into the mansion to find out what ghostly inhabitants await those who dare to enter. In regards to my personal visit to the mansion, I can honestly say that the spook skeptics are wrong.
     

Gough's Ghostly Mansion

     Every teenager in Perry Hall, Maryland has heard of the Perry Hall mansion. Supposedly, this historical building on Peppermill Road is haunted. Stories have said that when looking onto the property at night, lights flicker and ghostly apparitions can be seen through the windows. Of course, this attracts skeptics and ghost hunters alike.

     The mansion was home to English settler Harry Dorsey Gough in the 18th century. Gough was a wealthy man who often hosted boisterous parties and gatherings. One of the legends, the one that makes most sense to me, has it that Gough invited a Methodist group to his house. After the party Gough went to see some of his guests off. When he returned, he saw his wife Prudence and one of the slave men together. He brutally beat Prudence, murdered the slave, and tortured the others. 

      Although graphic, this story shows historical and cultural contexts including religion, racism, and sexism. The Perry Hall mansion is of historical importance in my hometown as well as an icon for the curiosity of the town's inhabitants.
      Places such as this need to be preserved because they hold such historical importance.This mansion and its property were the beginning of what is now Perry Hall. The mansion should be preserved not only for that reason but also because it is a popular haunted attraction, just like the many haunted castles in Europe. For, as all Perry Hall teenagers know, it is a right of passage to attempt a "B&E" at the mansion to find out what ghostly inhabitants await those who dare to enter.
      

Word Count: 223

An Escalade Nation

      Everyone has heard of the Cadillac Escalade. It's an icon of the hip hop culture and as a symbol of high socioeconomic status. The Escalade is an example of how America abandoned old values and instead has adopted new values such as materialism. self importance.

      People care more about their own personal prestige than they used to. In the old days, people weren’t as materialistic in their values. Of course family values and such are both evident now-a-days as in the past, however the main point is that there used to be less of an emphasis of appearance of material things than there is now. A good example to show this would be looking at older versions of Cadillacs and comparing them to newer versions.

      In the beginning, Cadillac cars were compact. They were considered a "luxury" vehicle company that was well known for it's reliability and quality. Beginning in the post-war era, Cadillac began to sell their cars to wealthier clients. However, Cadillac made attempts to sell to those of a lower economic bracket. In fact, the company tried to sell a car known as the Cimmaron, but it failed. After the fall, Cadillac became an icon of the wealthy because everyone knew that the company was only marketing to those of higher socioeconomic status (ex. Escalade).

       With a V-8 engine (originally pioneered by Cadillac) the vehicle was monstrous and now a symbol of status for wealthier America who value what Cadillac had marketed throughout their company history: wealth and self importance. Cars that large say something about the ego of a person. Either their ego is too large, or they are overcompensating. In both cases, people use the Escalade to prove, to the world and sometimes themselves, that they are the elite in American society.

      Either way Cadallic, specifically the Escalade shows how materialistic and self important America has come to be. Many people struggle to afford their mortgages but have these massive vehicles just to show-boat it around. Americans need to save themselves by ceasing to compare themselves to others, and just stop being materialistic and haughty.

WORD COUNT: 350

Status over Practicality

    We can all agree that cars, especially the use for cars, has changed tremendously within the past few decades. The change throughout these years has shown how people in the world have changed; becoming more lazy and self absorbed.
     In the beginning cars were a luxury. Most people were too poor to afford them, and those who couldn't afford them worked in the factories they were mass produced in. Everyone knows which car I'm talking about: the model T.
     After technology boomed, different modifications on the basic style emerged and eventually there were trucks, vans, SUVs, etc. All of these were again, basic models, and they were used for the basic purpose of getting people from point A to point B. Nowadays having a car is still a luxury, but everyone has one. There are cheaper models for those on the lower end of the income scale. However, the majority of the population with motor vehicles are spoiled with its features.
      Cars in the 21st century have built in GPS systems, wireless phones, seat warmers, V-8 engines, etc. Bottom line; the cars are packed with extraneous things that are completely wasteful. Teenagers even have cars. Think about it, sixteen year olds having their own cars, sometimes even multiple cars.
       Why does someone need a larger car, like an SUV, to haul family, equipment, pets, etc. when a smaller car can do the same thing just as well, if not better? Larger cars generally show status, because they tend to cost more in regard to gas prices. Back in the day people were more practical and made due with what they had.
       The point that I'm trying to prove is that by looking at cars and how they've changed, in general, over the past fifty years or so, we can see how society has changed. People care more about their own personal prestige about how the world views them rather than practicality and rely more on their vehicles to do simple tasks, and therefore are more lazy.



WORD COUNT- 336

I am a recovering Wallflower

     As a child reading wasn't exactly my favorite leisurely activity. I would rather jump in a stream and dig holes in the mud. Unfortunately, reading was required every year. There were several novels required every year, and they even made me read over the summer. As a result of this buzz kill, I hated reading.
     In tenth grade it all changed. I remember sitting in my 10th grade GT English class with Ms. Yencsik. To my right was Katie Horner, soon to be my reading mentor. As the friendship between us blossomed, she began to recommend books. First was Burned by Ellen Hopkins, I liked it, which encouraged me to read more. But the one book that really changed my perspective on reading was The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It was easy to relateto. Not to mention the fact that it was pure, the novel was beautifully written. It changed my life and I recommend it to everyone in the world!
       My favorite quote from the novel is something I live my life by. It ia as follows:
 "I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons, and maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still change where we go from there."
     From the moment I finished this book, I knew that I was a "Charlie." I was a recovering Wallflower.

Fearless

    When I was younger I was fearless. I was a tomboy, one of the girls that made a valiant effort to truly prove that girls could do anything boys could do. In fact, I wanted to prove that we could do it better.
     I remember one time in particular, my friends (Josh and Thomas) and I decided we were gonna have a tree jumping contest. The point was to see who could jump out of this tree from the highest point and remain "unbroken". Well, as stupid as this idea sounds now, it was an amazing chance to prove my superiority at the time.
     Thomas went first. He went up to the fourth highest branch. Success. I remember thinking, "Pshh, piece of cake". Josh was next. As he climbed to the 5th branch I got a little worried. He stuck the landing like Nastia Liuken at Worlds. Now I was under some serious pressure.
      After a gold medal performance like that, I needed to come up with a plan B. So I decided upon a more ambitious act. I decided to take a leap of faith from about 10 feet in the air into mother nature's malicious trap; the thorn bush. Ouch.
      However, after extensive medical care, I returned to my friends. They started saying how "cool" I was, which temporarily alleviated the pain that radiated my body.
      Our friend Danny walked over soon thereafter and was told the tale. He looked at me with a surprise and said "OMG! Kati... You're fearless!"
       From that moment on, I knew there wasn't anything that I couldn't do if I put my mind to it.

                             From that moment on, I was forever..."FEARLESS".

Who Am I?

     I'm Katlin Burley. Psychology major (B.S. track). I was born in Baltimore. I have a twin sister (Sammie- 18), Cortney (20) and two older half sisters (Kristin -24 and Heather- 27). Parents are divorced. I live with my friend and her family. I've been through hell and back in my life which I think helps to define who I am now.
     My best friends from home all attend different colleges, which makes us closer. Friends + Family = FOUNDATION. I'm a sporty/outdoors-y kind of girl. I enjoy new experiences and welcome life and all it has to offer. I'm still discovering who I am, and I'm pretty sure I won't know the final product for a while...which, at the moment, is alright by me.