Lesinski Luke D.

1. Lesinski Luke D. diGitaLpoRtfoiO Abbie McGee 2A

2. contents - A look inside -some things I live by… -writing through the years -before i die… -like clockwork -me, on a piece of paper -throwbacks… “illegal Skateboarding” circa 2003 -throwbacks… “harriettubman” circa 2004 -throwbacks… “a day at the beach” circa 2005 -Obama 08’

3. alookinside…

4. somethingsI live by… “everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold” “only the good die young” “life is for living, not living uptight” “just let the good times roll…” “someday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem funny” “ain’t no one gonna break my stride,ain’t no one gonna pull me down.oh no, I got to keep on moving,stay alive “ “nice guys finish last” “any man who knows a thing knowshe knows not a damn, damn thing at all” “forever young”

5. writingthroughtheyears… Hello all! It’s over! My grade schooling career is over! It’s fun to look back and see all I’ve done, and what I’ve been through; It wasn’t always fun, but it wasn’t too bad. It doesn’t seem like it’s been twelve years ago when I was first learning to write my name. Writing is a skill they pushed early on me. I recall writing truly elementary sentences in kindergarten! That was only the beginning. It didn’t matter what grade I was in, who was teaching me, or the time of day, I hated English, and still do. If I could pin point it to one specific event which made me hate it so much, it might have to be rainbow writing. Rainbow writing was something we did in Mrs. Davis’ first grade English class. We’d write a sentence, choose three colors to write in and have to write the sentence over in each color several times. It just set me off on the wrong foot; hated it then, and hate it now. That was elementary school though; it was there to set a foundation for my educational career. It had to be here where I learned the fundamental principles of writing in the English language, but I don’t recall. Middle school was very similar to elementary school. I felt we wrote a lot, and it was pointless writing. In elementary school, I was stuck with my teacher, all day everyday, and every subject. I can honestly say, I didn’t like any of my English teachers in middle school. Sixth grade through eighth grade, all it was, was boring useless English. High school changed this a little bit, there were no more book reports, most everything had a purpose, and despite it getting more challenging, it was more entertaining. If it weren’t for the teachers I had in high school, I don’t know if I would have survived another four years. It’s impossible to say I haven’t progressed in English and writing more specifically as I’ve gotten older, but I don’t think I’m where I want to be yet. Yes, I’ve become better, but I think I can be better yet. That being said, I’d like to thank my teachers through the years. With what I’ve learned, I hope the only place I can go is up.

6. beforeidie… • Complete an Iron Man • Fly in an airplane • Travel to the west coast • Go a to Steelers game in Pittsburgh • Go to a Penguins game in Pittsburgh • Travel to/through all 50 United States • Run a marathon • Get rich • Scuba dive • See space • Drive a car as fast as possible • Jump out of an airplane • Change the world • Go to • …Europe • …Asia • …Australia • …Africa • …South America • Travel the world! • Bungi jump

7. likeclockwork What is the point of having a clock? A clock is defined as an instrument other than a watch for indicating or measuring time, especially a mechanical or electronic device having a numbered dial and moving hands or a digital display (Clock Def). Its origin dates back five thousand plus years and is derived from the French word “cloche” which means bell; in Latin “glocio,” Saxon “clugga,” and German “glocke.” The earliest clocks were sundials, which measure the time of day by the direction of shadows cast by the sun (History of Clocks). These clocks were reasonably accurate although they did have one major downfall; they couldn’t work unless the sun was out. This encouraged the use of other techniques for measuring time especially with man’s new fascination with astronomy. From this point on, water clocks were used and are the oldest ancestors of analog clock to date. East and West Eurasia were like separate planets, where Asians were dated using clocks in the Song Dynasty, roughly 1000 AD; Europeans weren’t introduced to this for almost one hundred years (Clock). As time progressed, Europeans left the traditional use of water to power such clocks and made a more mechanical form using weights and gears to track time. Clocks became a fascination to everyone, and a useful tool, and before long, they became a part of everyday life (History of Clocks). Believe what ever, but clocks are the universal ruler of our lives, and have been ever since they were developed. They control every thing! What time is it? How long does it take to get there? Is that a good time? Without a clock, none of these questions could ever be answered. Over the years, it has become a habit to look down and check the time, even if it’s irrelevant. It’s something to do to pass the time. They’ve become quite popular. They are worn as jewelry, they appear in movies, and there are songs written about them. Clocks are an unstoppable and unchangeable obsession. Time will never stop, and time lost is never regained. Being human, people live by this rule by scheduling their entire lives. Time to go to school, time to graduate, time to get married, time to have a family. There’s a term for this internal mechanism of the body that is thought to regulate the physical and mental functions in rhythm with normal daily activities, a body clock (Body clock). It’s quite frightening to come to realize the lack of freedom in oneself’s life. And to think, all because of clocks. Clockwork orange is a person or organism with a mechanistic morality or lack of free will (clockwork orange). It is the inability to act on impulse, be random, DO SOMETHING SPONTANEOUS! In Anthony Burgess’ work, A Clockwork Orange, he illustrates whether people are destin to their fate or whether free will and external and/or internal influences control people’s lives (A Clockwork Orange). Aside from body clocks, which are most certainly influential on how people live, Burgess addresses external circumstances. Characters in his story have different opinions about what’s controlling good vs. evil, corruption, and fallacies. Are humans destine to be something or is it on them to become what they want to become? A central part of being a human being is indeed free will, the ability to choose among different options. In Burgess’ novel, the main character, Alex, is a criminal, and has the ability to choose what he wants. In this case, it is crime. After he is imprisoned, he voluntarily puts himself through a mysterious experimental “therapy” clinic known as the Ludovico’s Technique (A Clockwork Orange). The Ludovico’s Technique is a chemical and psychological method of rehabilitation, a forced compulsion for docility and aversion to evil (Scriptorium). After partaking in such mind boggling treatment, he loses his ability to choose, free will. Burgess sends the message that Alex’s inability to choose makes him not human, but a mere clockwork orange. The theory behind this is that people are born innocent, only to then become corrupted by culture and society along with its ills (A Clockwork Orange). These corruptions are neither necessary nor irreversible, but are real and become ruling. This topic of a hidden yet powerful universal ruler of a clock is interesting. It makes a point to reevaluate why and when things happen. Think about all the different influences clocks have and how controlling they truly are. Then consider the “What if they never were invented?” Keeping time is necessary regardless of how controlling it is. Body clocks as well as free will are human, and it’s a human right to have those. Though clocks are manipulative, there’s still the option to choose what to do with or without time. It makes it a sense of urgency not to become clockwork orange.

8. me,onapieceofpaper This is me. I have a solid eighteen years of chaos under my belt and this depiction is what I think it’s all about. There is no rhyme or reason to much of this, its random black and white me. So let’s start with the puzzle piece. I sat down to do this thinking, “What is my soul? My life? Me? What?” I thought about all of those things and the best way I think could describe piecing it all together was a puzzle. Note the puzzle is unfinished, and I figured since I’ve hardly lived, there’s no way I’ve got it all together yet. There are pieces scattered all around and on each cluster, there are different little sketches. The crucifix is obvious, stars and stripes, “757,”gotta represent, and the smiley is a representation of the “Mr. Nice Guy” I’m known to be. With that Mr. Nice Guy status, the teddy bear status almost comes naturally and not necessarily by choice, but that explains it. In the center of the “my soul” I have the beach. Born and raised here, the beach has been apart of my entire life. The picture of my house also has the same explanation. I’ve never moved and that’s the only house I’ve ever lived in. Family and friends are also a big part of my life. The people you surround yourself with make you who you are, and in the case with me, this is true. Above my house I drew these little stick men. They’re supposed to represent the active side of me. The sports paraphernalia located in the bottom right hand corner of my soul also are all about activity and me, as an athlete. I’m a die heart Steelers fan, and the Virginia Tech emblem represents a new beginning. The final pieces of my soul are the lyrics and quotes. “Only Die Young,” Billy Joel, classic song and great lyrics. I don’t know why I selected it, but I’ve always loved the song and it’s stuck with me over the years. In the bottom left corner, “tramps like us,” is a quote from “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen. Anything by Springsteen in my opinion is good, but “Born to Run” is life changing, truly, especially live! The last song lyrics I have are a remake of Alphaville’s “Forever Young” now by Jay-Z. It’s a relatively new song, but the lyrics are fun and all in all make me feel good. Good music. That’s my soul. I had trouble with at first, but once I got going, it was hard to quit honestly. I hope this interpretation helps to show the true me.

9. throwbacks… “illegalskateboarding” circa 2003 Do you always get kicked out of the best skate spots, or do you only skate in the parts on vert? Well in the 70's, legends were introduced to the world. Back then it was Tony Hawk shredding on vert, and Rodney Mullen in the streets. Both were wonderful skaters then and still are today, but as for me, I’ d rather follow in the footsteps of Mr. Mullen. There’s just one problem with that, and that is illegal skateboarding. People usually make the decision whether to skate vert or street. To the general public skateboarding is only vert, but if you’re a skater, then you would probably say the opposite. I think most skaters choose street over vert because of the freedom, or the thought of being able to skate wherever you want. The truth is that there isn’t as much freedom as you think. Everywhere you look, there may be a great place to skate, but are you supposed to skate there? Everywhere you go to skate, it’s just a matter of time before there will be some sort of manager or employee out there to tell you to leave. The worst is if the police come, the punishment can be harsh. The officer will write you a ticket, snap your deck, or even worse arrest you. The “DUMB” thing about it all, is the fact that sometimes there isn’t even a sign up to tell you you’re not suppose to skate there. To me if there isn’t a sign, then there shouldn’t be a problem. I mean the least you can do is ask use to leave without creating a scene. If you asked a skater they’d tell you that they wouldn’t want a sign to be put up. Some would say they would skate even with the sign. The place anyone wants us to skate is in the skate parks. The only park around me is ting, and always crowded. Even if there isn’t a sign and your skating a gap people will try to get you in trouble.We should be allowed to skate wherever we want. In most skate videos all you really see is street skating. I skate street because it’s the thrill of finding gaps. It’s a wonderful feeling landing a gap you just found. There is only one possible way to get us to stop skating, and that is to make more, and bigger, skate parks. I think that if the city can make recreational parks in every neighborhood, then why not skate parks? In conclusion, my question is why? Why, or what, you might ask. Why are bikers allowed to ride anywhere? Why are bladers allowed to ride anywhere? A perfect example is the boardwalk at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Bikers, rollerbladers, even scooters are allowed to ride on the boardwalk. I know many people who have got tickets skating there. The government should let us skate. Let kids be kids, or continue with the law enforcing.

10. throwbacks…“harriettubman” circa 2004 In the mid-1800s, a woman by the name of Harriet Tubman got the nickname of Moses. In the stories of the bible, Moses, once a slave, freed his people from the powerful Egyptian ruler. Tubman, also a slave, did not free her race from an ancient ruler, but started something which would bring up controversy between people of the United States for years to come. Harriet became the founder and first member of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was the conductor of the Underground Railroad , and as the conductor, she was a leader determined to seek freedom for her fellow slaves. In the narrative, from Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad , her determination is shown as she frees slave from there plantations on every mission. Finding shelter and a safe place for herself and her new friends wasn’t always easy. She could not relay on anyone but herself. The “railroad stations” she usually stopped and rested at were shut down. This meant that they would have to go without sleep or stopping. They would face many hardships on these missions , but Tubman’s determination would somehow get them across the boarders of Canada. On these journeys, the stranger slaves would rut their live in the hands of Harriet. Now that these strangers would be under her command, they would have to do everything that she directed. They knew stories of her and how she had freed so many other slaves. Slaves would have to have the courage to trust Tubman in finding safety and getting them their freedom. Harriet, speaking her words of freedom was indeed trustworthy. Harriet did nothing for her self and always put others first, she acted selfless.Her duty after freeing the slaves from their plantations was to find them a home of their own and way of life. Harriet would risk her own life for them. Now living off of nothing but her determination and courage, she went out of her way to keep them away from hunger and comforted as much as possible. With as many as eleven newly sprung slaves, she would take them through any obstacle they faced, and tackled them head-on. Motivating the in anyway she could, she actually said,”Go on, or Die.”Now able to complete her tasks, she, as a leader and hero to many, became a legend. In her may freedom runs, Harriet Tubman expressed many heroic qualities. Harriet was always kind and loyal to her followers and those who had helped her along the way. In her confidence in hiding and reaching her goals to reach Canada, she became invisible and indomitable. At one point, Tubman was so invisible to people, that people thought she was a man. Being depended on in every waking moment, she got the trait of being extremely dependable and helpful to the needy.

11. throwbacks… “a dayatthebeach” circa 2005 Living and growing up in a place where many people come to visit and vacation every summer, means you probably live at the beach. This place is a paradise to many, but if you live here, its just a place to go. Well, we don’t live very far away from the beach, and if we didn’t have anything important, or didn’t have to go to school, that’s where you would find us. I mean, we were there everyday! Yeah, you could call us beach bums, but there were so many different things to do there. My older brothers and I, and all of our friends all loved to do different things at the beach. Mine was skimming and body boarding, but everyone knows the most popular thing to do at the beach is to go surfing. There wasn’t anything from holding us back from going to the place where all the waves broke perfect. There was just one problem, we lived in Virginia Beach, and everybody know that Virginia has no waves. There was actually two places where the waves broke pretty good , but the best was Little Island. That would be the place where the story takes place. It was a bright hot late June morning and I had woken up early as usual. I smelled coffee so that meant I wasn’t the first to wake. I walked out into the kitchen and poured myself a cup. “Good morning Mom.” I announced. She was on the phone so she couldn’t answer right back. “Hi, sorry, that was Donna and were going to the beach today.” She said finally. “Sweet.” I exclaimed with joy. This was the first of many trips to the beach we would take with them that year. It was about 10:30, so I headed towards my room to get a bathing suite on. I had a good bit of because my brother wouldn’t wake up until eleven o’clock. They had awoken at eleven, like I said, so I went outside to load up. Everyone had came outside and we were off. It was only about a ten minute drive . We arrived in good time and I headed straight to the water. Silly me though, I had forgotten to put on sun screen back at the house so I had to get out and dry off. My mom was about the slowest person to get to put sun screen on. I finally got back out where I met my brothers and Donna’skids. The waves were great and we had stayed close to shore because of extreme under tow and current. I went out far once and I was whipped. I headed in and lied on the beach. It was the best feeling anyone could have. Nothing to worry about, and no responsibility, and just lying there in the late June sun. The relaxation was nice but was suddenly I was interrupted by a loud screech. “HELP!” my brother shouted from the water. My brother had drifted out too far out and couldn’t get back in. In no time flat the lifeguards where out and bringing him in but he was in shock so he was near unconscious. They got him in and the lifeguards on the beach worked on him. They told my parents and him he would be fine but to not go that far out. He was still a little rattled. We left soon after that. We had been at the beach for about eight hours and were tired. There was still the other good place to go surfing, skimming, and body boarding though. You know that after that incidence we never went back to Little Island. That was the last time I ever fretted about someone’s life in my family.

12. Obama ‘08 Barack Hussein Obama II was born August 4, 1961. He is the juniorUnited States Senator from Illinois and is the first African Americanpresidential nominee of the Democratic Party. He graduated of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review, and worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney. Barack’s philosophy of the current situations of America is what will bring our country pack to a super power in the global economy (“About”). Among the current situations in American are domestic, social, economic, and international. Of the domestic issues today, Obama focuses on two, or energy crisis and homeland security. “The energy threat is not immediate, but it’s real, and dangerous…” Barack is pushing hard for Renewable energy research. He has proposed a $10 billion ten-year plan on research and fixing the price gauging of oil. To do so he plans to get our troops out of Iraq. Obama makes the point that we cannot spend all our efforts in Iraq especially since the infrastructure of our nation is in the crapper. The commission formed after 9/11 has been ignored, “We are still unprepared for a terrorist attack.” One of the scariest things about that statement is that nuclear weapons are a common thing in the world today (“Issues”). Barack is pursuing a goal of a world without nuclear weapons by taking steps to eliminate them such as stopping the development of them (“On the Issues”). “We need to confront these threats head on…and not let politics be driven by war.”(“Agenda”) Barack believes our country needs to be more focused more on the social issues, such as health care and education. The biggest problem with the health care of America today is affordability. Obama is working for guaranteed health care for anyone who needs it, and the quality shouldn’t depend on the color of your skin. 78% of families are paying more for health care under the Bush administration then they were previously. “ Good health care is the foundation of individual achievement and economic prosperity.” Care for all children should be a requirement, and a national health care program would provide this care (On the Issues”). Obama is also big on education, and believes that to become a committed citizen and become active in the global economy, you must be given the chance to have a good equal quality education. He thinks we need to start early childhood education programs, which would give children better opportunities for their future (“Issues. One of the more unrealistic, but rewarding proposals that Obama has spoken of is FREE COLLEGE for B average students, and this would hopefully help lower high school dropout rates. This plan would be funded by state taxes (“On the Issues”). His probably most respected proposal is to make math and science national priority. Our country is in a miniature economic depression, and Obama’s “Change We Need,” is indeed change we need. He puts most of the blame on the Bush administration (“Obama”), which is currently spending 12 billion dollar in the Middle East A MONTH! The main goal is to make America competitive again in the global economy. To do so Obama says that the most work needs to be done within the infrastructure of the country, energy, education, and research and development, and increase exports, “Sell more, Buy less” (“Issues”). One of the most effected areas of our economy would be Social Security. “Cutting benefits and raising retirement ages are the wrong answers.” Currently, there is a slow increase in the Social Security account, but Barack will make changes to make an even greater increase. By increasing payroll tax, this increase could be possible (“Issues”). Obama strongly opposes privatizing social security. “Our seniors worked hard to take care of us, and now we must be here for them.”(“Issues”) Every problem in our country today seems to come back to the war on terror in Iraq. We don’t need to be there, you don’t defeat a terrorist network by occupying Iraq. The Bush administration has put us in a war with undetermined length, cost, and consequences. We need to spend the “Iraq money” within the United States. “ I will send troops into harm’s way when necessary… I will never hesitate to defend this country.” (“Issues). When it comes to foreign affairs and policy, Obama is looking to strengthen America’s position in the world. His mission is to undo the damage of the past seven years. “ I am willing to take the extra step to make this country stronger.” These are the changes America needs to become America again.

13. the end thanksforthelooks