Book of Your Past

The title of the book that I had read is called Terms of Enlistment that was written by Marko Kloos. I don’t recall reading much books throughout my high school years because in the English classes we mostly read short stories and poems, but this book I remember reading. I had read this book three semesters ago here at IVC for my English 9 class. The class was required to read this book, and at the end of the semester take a fifty question test on it.

 The book is about a boy named Andrew Grayson, and his challenges of getting out of crime-filled welfare units to become part of the military to make a better living for his mom and him. Everyone is the welfare units are given weekly meals that were made of soy and only consisted of 2,000 calories.

My favorite part of the book would have to be when he meets up with the girl that he liked after they had been split up through ranking. In the beginning of the book they are taken to a place where they have quarters to live in and are given test in order to determine what branch of military they go to. Grayson is not the best so he is placed in a cleaning unit while the girl he likes is placed in the Navy. They are away from each other for a long time and after for what it seems like forever they get to meet each other.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is willing to explore the genre of sci-fi and open their minds to a new form of world. A world that could most likely become ours one day.

Tortilla Curtain MVP

            Throughout the novel, Delaney has a deep hatred for Candido. After he hit Candido with his car, he would run into him at random places. That’s when things started to go downhill. At first Candido seemed like a nuisance to him, but as time went on he saw him as someone who should die. Delaney wanted him gone. The reason I have chosen Delaney hatred towards Candido is because it is the reason that made Delaney hate Mexicans.

            Delaney is like a ticking time bomb with no one to stop it from exploding. He had no problems with Mexicans before, but after his encounter with Candido events spiraled out of control to where he felt like everything that was wrong was because of Mexicans. He knew that they were crowding the streets looking for jobs, but he felt that it was their right to work. The right that they had to make money. He felt this way in the beginning; however, in the end he didn’t feel the same way. He felt that they were the problem. He started to care less whether or not the labor exchange was discontinued. He had no sorrow or remorse for these people anymore. They were the reason why he had a huge wall around his home that stopped him to see the nature that he moved there for. He had nothing left, he was angry and wanted someone to pay for it.

            Candido is just a guy with bad luck. He tries to do the best he can, and always fails. All he wanted was to work to make enough money to get America, his unborn baby, and him a place. He wanted a new beginning with her, so that way he could take them out of the cave they were living in. He was a guy with a string of bad luck.

            Without Delaney apathy towards Candido, this book would not be as interesting. The back and forth between the two made it a page turner. They were two men trying to please their wives, but were not able to because if so many obstacles thrown there way. Delaney was obsessed with Candido, and did anything he could to make him gone. 

Moving Forward

Question 1: How did you feel when you were diagnosed with depression?

Josselyn: I felt that it explained a lot of what I was dealing with. I never really knew what depression was, but when the doctor was talking to me about it it made so much sense. I was upset a bit because I didn’t, and still don’t, want to be known as that girl with depression or have my family members disregard my actions as me being depressed.

Question 2: Before being diagnosed, did you have a feeling that you had depression?

Josselyn: I never really felt that I had depression, I just thought that I was having mood swings. I am going through so much in my life that I just thought I felt that way because of the stress.

Question 3: In what ways have you learned to cope or distract yourself from feeling depressed?

Josselyn: Well, being an entrepreneur is one of the ways that I keep myself busy. I am a make-up consultant, financial aid advisor, and work at seven eleven. I think that the more I work, the more that I am able to keep myself occupied. It is crazy at times, but I love it.

Question 4: Are there ways or places that trigger your depression? If so what are they?

Josselyn: No, not really. It’s more of a feeling. I will be fine and happy, and then within in second I will be sad. It’s just something that I have to deal with. But yes there are times when I find myself sad. For instance, whenever I get reminded of my ex. He was someone really special to me. When I was told to move out, I packed my things and saw the huge box of letters and gifts that I kept from him. Whenever I look at those things I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with sadness.

Question 5: How do you calm yourself down when you are in a depressed state?

Josselyn: I find many things soothing whether or not if I am depressed. I love my cat Ceaser, he has been with me throughout many break-ups, many jobs, and when I was kicked out of my house. I love to be with him because he always calms me down. I also love makeup. I love that I can sit there and do whatever look I want. The fact that I can be alone with my makeup makes me happy. There are no rules to how it has to be done, and I think that is what makes me love it so much.

Question 6: In what ways do you feel that your medication helps you or doesn’t?

Josselyn: I feel that the medication I am taking does help me at times, but there are occasions where it makes it tougher. For instance, it works very well to help me sleep at night, so I am not thinking about the day I just had and all my worries. The times where it doesn’t is at nighttime. There are times when I take it at night and it makes my insomnia worse. I will stay up till four in the morning sometimes. It’s hard, but it’s what I have to go through.

Question 7: What interest have you loved to do, but seemed to lose interest in?

Josselyn: Um, well I liked to spend time with my family every Sunday to watch the walking dead. We would gather up, make dinner, and watch the show. We would talk and make jokes about how ridiculous it was that these people plans were. It was nice that we spent so much time together as we never really had time to meet up throughout the week. It was a day of fun memories that I won’t forget. But yeah, that’s what I really miss.