High School IS Hell

                I just completed reading the article “High School Is Hell” and honestly cannot say that I agree with what the author is saying.  I had a great high school experience, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I went to the best high school of all time, and graduated with the best class of all time. Case closed.  I actually wanted just one more year of high school since I loved it so much, but now that I’m at OSU, I wouldn’t go back for anything. I’m having a great time.

                What the author was saying in this article is kind of interesting.  I have heard of a lot of the terms that high school kids say such as “I would kill to be on the cheerleading squad” or “I feel invisible”. I agree that these are commonly used terms that don’t entirely mean exactly what they are saying. These terms are accepted as nothing more than a simple and phrase that is not harmful to anybody.  In the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer these types of terms are used a lot to exaggerate the high school environment.  I believe that Buffy the Vampire Slayer uses these terms to make the high school as stereotypical as possible.  This is done because everyone who has attended high school can relate to all of the terms in some sort of way.  High school kids are definitely good at stretching the truth, and exaggerating certain

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Teacher's Pet

Okay, it’s official. I admit it. I like the show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”.  There, I said it. I’m definitely not saying that I would go out of my way to watch the show, and there are plenty of other shows I would chose over this one, but if it were on TV and there was nothing better to watch, I would probably find myself watching the show, and enjoying it.

                Just like the last episode “The Witch” this episode was unique do to the fact that it wasn’t strictly about vampires.  I found it interesting that they used a praying mantis to be the evil protagonist of this episode.  The episode started out kind of funny when Xander was dreaming about saving Buffy’s life, and having her fall for him.  I knew that he was dreaming all along since she never liked him in any of the other episodes.  I’m not too sure who will be with who by the end of the series, but in my opinion, I think that Buffy will fall for Angel, but since we know so little about Angel, he may be evil himself.  I think he is just trying to lure Buffy into some kind of trap, but I’m not sure.  I found it interesting how this episode used true facts to create an evil praying mantis that eats people’s heads.  I am interested to know if the cliff hanger at the end of this episode will be continued in future episodes to come, or if it will just be over and done with.  All in all, I thought this was a good episode, and honestly, I’m a little bit anxious to watch the next episode, but just a little.

Firefly: The Train Job Again

                In the first episode of “Firefly” Mal has to tell Kaylee, the mechanic, to get back to work and finish her job until she can play around or do the things that she wants to do.  After she argues with him for a very short period of time, Mal becomes firm with her and makes her understand that he is in control and when he says to do something, he expects it to be done.  As Kaylee is walking out of the room am mumbling under her breath, Mal says to her “We work before we play.”  He states this to let her know that her job is the important thing to get done at the moment, and when she does finish her job, it is okay for her to do the things that she would like to do.  Mal makes other comments throughout the entire episode that shows the crew that he is in charge just as he did with Kaylee.  When he tells his crew that they were going to return the medicine, he said it in a way that let the rest of the crew know that his mind was made up, and that what he said was going to happen was the final word even if other crew members did not agree with him, such as Jayne.  All in all, his word was the final say, and his crew worked with him to return the medicine to the people of Paradiso.  Do you think that Mal’s word should be the final say at all times? Is the crew responsible for always backing up the captain in whatever he decides to do? Was Jayne out of place for saying that he didn’t agree with the Mal out loud?

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Witch

I would definitely have to say that I enjoyed this episode a lot more than the others.  I’m not entirely sure exactly what it was about this episode that put it above the others, but I found myself actually glued to the computer screen, and not wanting to be interrupted by other things.  I believe that this episode had a lot more interesting twists and suspense than the others. Certain things about this episode made the plot a lot better than how it originally started.  The fact that this episode was about a witch instead of vampires, made it a lot more unique than the previous two.  I was deeply interested when I found out that the mother had switched bodies with her daughter.  It was at this time that the entire episode changed.  I love being able to watch a movie/episode or read a book and realize where the turning point takes place.  With this episode, I was extremely curious to find out how they defeated the witch.  At first, it seemed that the witch was unstoppable, especially when she casted the spell on Buffy.  Unlike the other episodes, Buffy actually had some difficulty beating the evil person.  The vampires are strong, and they do have a large force behind them, but the witch actually had other powers that she could use in order to beat Buffy.  It was better that Buffy had to actually use intelligence to beat the witch with the mirror she used to counteract her spell, instead of just fighting vampires off as she does in previous episodes.  As I stated in my previous blog, I was able to see Buffy’s friends take on their own roles in fighting off the enemy, and I really enjoyed that.  All in all, this episode was a lot better than the others, and if it continues to get better, then I’m excited to watch the next episode.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Harvest

After watching the first episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”: Welcome to Hellmouth, I was actually looking forward to watching the second episode and seeing how the series continued.  I still feel the same way about the acting, and how the script is a bit corny, but I did enjoy how the episode finished.  It was extremely interesting to find out that the crew’s friend became a vampire.  I liked to see this because it threw the viewer off, and it was also interesting to see how his best friend had to face the reality that his best friend had become a vampire, and how at one point he was put in a situation, where he had to either kill him, or die.  I would have rather have seen him understand that the vampire was no longer his friend, and to man up and kill him, but instead he killed him on accident when the girl ran into the vampire and the steak accidentally stabbed the vampire through his heart.   Another thing that I did enjoy from this episode is how the group of friends is starting to become an alliance.  I believe that when the series continues, each friend will become a more of a team member, each with their own specialty in killing off vampires.  I am also extremely curious to find out where Angel came from, and what his purpose is in the series. I cannot tell if he is good or evil, but I’m sure that will be revealed to me when the series continues.  Although I am not in love with the “Buffy the Vampire Series”, I am looking forward to watching the next episode.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Welcome to Hellmouth

                I decided to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer because I know that it is a popular TV show, so I thought that it would be interesting.  I decided to start with the first episode because I figured it would be a lot easier for me to follow along with the show, and I could also see if the show has potential to become a great success in the later episodes.

                After watching the first episode, I came to the conclusion that the show has a really good plot and it seems like a TV show that I would definitely be greatly interested in.  I like the fact that a high school girl has accepted the job of killing vampires, and trying to stop the spread of evil in the world.  It also interests me that she is strong and knows how to fight.  I also like that the show keeps the traditional idea of a vampire, unlike more recent movies and TV shows such as “Twilight” or “True Blood” where the vampire can be outside during broad daylight.  However, I believe the show could be a lot better if there were better acting, and if the show was not as corny as it is.  Some of the lines that the actors say seem to make the show a little bit cheesy.  I think that if there were better actors and a better script for the show it could be one of my favorite shows of all time.  When the episode first started, I was not looking forward to watching another one, but due to the way this episode ended, I am actually eager to watch the second episode, and find out what happens later on in the series.

The Train Job

In the episode "The Train Job", I learned a lot about all of the characters.  I like how the captain is a guy that likes to have fun, but is also a man that wants order on his ship.  He shows his fun side by him cracking jokes throughout the entire show.  He never ceases to have fun and to crack a joke even through the most difficult times.  I believe that the captain makes fun out of these difficult times to show his crew that there is nothing to worry about, and that they can handle whatever he has to face.  The captains showed his entire personality when the mechanic was getting her hair straightened.  When the captain came in, he was firm with telling the mechanic that he was not paying her to get her hair brushed.  He told her to get back to work and to work hard at her hob that was given to her.  Right after the mechanic left, he talked to the hair dresser about the job that was before him, and also threw in some comic relief by asking of he could also get his hair brushed.  I feel as if he would make a great leader.  I think that that the captain straightens up any wrong doing inside of the work place, yet also makes sure that all of the crew is having a good time with what they must compete during the day.  I believe this is a good idea because it teaches people the best way to be a leader through the most difficult times.  It shows this by taking courage, and also thinking about situations thoroughly before the conclusion is giving.  The Train Job was definitely a good episode, and I look forward to watching more episodes in the near future.

My Name Is Joel

Hello,

My name is Joel Howard.  I am a sophomore, but it is my first year here at Ohio State University.  I transferred from a small school on Long Island New York called Dowling College.  I never really wanted to attend that college, so I decided to transfer.  Although I have been at Ohio State for less than a week, I absolutely love it.  I am having a ton of fun here, and it feels as if I belong here.  So far I’ve been trying to do things that will get me involved at Ohio State.  I’ve been going around to different rooms at in my dorm and introducing myself to other students.  I also like to play basketball at the RPAC with my roommate and lift weights in the gym.  I love to have a lot of fun, but I also stay focused on things that are more important such as doing well in school.  I try to work hard, and play hard.  Being a well rounded individual is what I strive to be like.  I try my best to find interest in the classes I am taking because it gives me a better experience, and I find that I also do better in the classes that I find interesting.  I am trying to meet people at Ohio State so that I may network, and have fun.  I would be more than happy to introduce myself personally to any of my classmates.  If there are any OSU students that would like to get to know me, or network through me, please leave a comment and introduce yourself.

Joel Howard