Carolay > Recent Status Updates

I agree with Belly's discription of Steven's role. She said, "Without Steven everything would be off balance- he was the buffer, the real life reminder that nothing really changes, ..."(95). I totally agree with this, Steven always seems to have it together.

I really enjoy reading the flashbacks the author provides us with. It really gives us as readers a timeline of how Belly has grown up to become the girl she is today. Her character has develop so much since she was 14. She is more confident in herself and happier with herself.

I really like how the author really emphezises how great Belly's relationship is with her mom and Susannah. They have a very free spirited and close relationship with each other. I think that is important in any relationship with a mother or a mother figure. Especially since Belly is the only girl there.

From this section I can infer that Conrad and Jeremiah are very different. Conrad is more serious and keeps to himself. On the other hand, Jeremiah is fun and loud.

I think 14 year old Belly is long gone. She has changed so much ever since last summer. She is no longer this awkward girl with glasses and freckles, now she turns heads where ever she goes. I feel like a little part of old Belly might still be in everyone else's hearts.

The relationship between Belly and her mother reminds me much of mine and my mother. Very close but yet sometimes distant. My mother, as Belly's, knows how I'm feeling without me telling her. Here Belly's mom said to Belly, "I know you don't mean that."(59). She knew her daughter and she knew she wouldn't mean it.

First I thought that Belly was going to be the outsider of the group since there is three boys and only one girl. But then I realized that really wasn't the case, she was a part of the group as much as everyone else. She may not have been when she was younger but the boys no longer see her as their baby sister.

I can tell that Susannah and Belly's mom are and have been really close for a while. Their friendship seems very strong, they act like sisters almost. Also, I can tell that Belly looks to Susannah as another mother figure.

I can prove that the past last past summers play a really important role in the plot of the book because the author keeps referring to it every couple of chapters. This help us as the reader better understand the relationship between all the characters and how this summer is different than usual.

I can tell that this summer house is really important to all of them. They have been attending since they were very small, they must really enjoy it if they keep coming back every year.

Based on the information about Conrad, Jeremiah, Steven, and Belly provided in this selection, I can conclude that they have known each other for a while because they seem very comfortable with each other. Their mother's must have been really good friends.

I am most like the character Belly because I can relate to her and her brother's relationship. They remind me of my youngest sibling and I. We may fight and argue all the time but at the end of the day, we are always there for each other, no matter what.

I first thought that this chapter was going on recently and she was really 12 years old but then I realized that the author wrote this chapter as a flashback to give the readers background information on how summers at cousins beach really is usually.

Imagery for me was the scene where they were in the car and just arrived to the summer house. The author did a good job describing the scene and everything that was going around the characters. I can imagine the boys' faces when they saw Belly.

Tom admits that, " it seems that those people with exceptional talent can rise above adversity, an I must also say that for those special needs folks...pretty good job(189). It opened my eyes to see that the ones in the middle are more affected by the system than those who are really talented and those with disability.

The author states that, "We will not succeed as a global community unless we are willing to accept the concept of interdependence"(181). I am recommending this book because I really like his point on interdependence and I believe more people should have this mindset as well. It may open the eyes of many.

From Tom's thoughts and actions I can infer that he once did feel envious of the traditional external vision. He wasn't always happy and wasn't always the positive thinker he is today. He states that , "[he] no longer [envied] those of you with traditional external vision"(175). By this I know that he once did envy it, but now has got over the fact that he can't change what he lacks of but he can make the best of it

I really like how Tom defines talent. He says, "If talent blends with a substantial work ethic, you have "'it"'(169). Talent is not only skill but also how much detication you put into perfecting that skill.

I first thought that Tom and I had a lot in common, but then I realized we are very different. For example, Tom states, " There is nothing in my time here on earth that cannot be managed into a positive"
(163). I don't usually have this positive outlook, i'm much more of a pessimist.

I know how it feels to find growth and success in failure. Tom states, "In failure we find the learning curve necessary to grow and succeed"(159). Each time we fail at something, we gain experience and knowledge. So even though you may have not done it correctly the first time, now you have more experience and your chances are success chances are higher.

Tom states that "What [he] understood very early was that [he] was going to have to work harder just to be equal"(151). Reading this made me realize the truth of the matter. Yes, he didn't let his disability stop him from achieving what he wanted but he had to work twice as hard than everyone who can see.

Tom states, "A smile really does have a Sound, and it will always be one of my favorites"(143). This makes a picture in my mind of someone having a huge smile across their face and making a clicking sound. It's interesting how for Tom a smile can be so much more than it is to me.

I really love the way on how Tom talks about limitations and all the examples he shared. He states, "We need to accept our limitations but acknowledge that we have the right to expectations"(127). Coming from someone who had the beauty of sight being taken away from him, this is very powerful and it made me open my eyed to many possibilities.

I am most like the character of Tom in this chapter, especially when he goes on and talks about how he fears failure. In the text he states, " My fear of failure has been as significant to my successes as my acceptance of new challenges"(123). I too fear failure and not being good enough. Today in day, we grow up in a society that is all about what you have. Sometimes there's a lot of pressure .

A part I find confusing is when Tom started talking about life and death. First he started talking about advantages, disadvantages, and possibilities. But then, he goes on and brings up the concept of life and death.

I think the title for this chapter does great justice. This whole chapter Tom goes on explaining his idea about "Turning Disadvantages into Advantages". He gives us specific examples to how and why he believes what he does. With these examples, I too believe in his idea. Everyone has disadvantages, but what you make of them is more important.

When I read this, I imagined a dark room with nothing inside of it but then on the far end, there is a small shimmer of light. Here Tom says. " Passion was the necessary energy I needed to break out of the world of darkness"(103). He was no longer living in darkness, he found light.

A good title for this section is "The Importance of Appreciation" because in this section Tom goes on talking about how we need to appreciate each other. In the text he says, "When we appreciate each other, we understand we are truly the luckiest people in the world"(90). Everyone in our lives are there for a reason and we shouldn't take advantage of that because one day, they may no longer be there for you.

I can tell that Tom has a strong faith and a good relationship with God because of how he explains that without God, he wouldn't be were he is now. In the text it says, "Without spirituality in your life you're just not whole"(89). He is saying that without the spirit of God, there is always going to be that feeling of something being missing.

I noticed that there are many people who have impacted the life of Tom. Also, Tom has impacted the lives of many. For example, Tom's piano teacher gave him a broader view of music.