X is Known

         This is probably trying to say how Malcolm is moving on from doubting himself when it comes to his participation in his Temple. He is slowly starting to grow more secure in his understanding of racial tensions and more confident in expressing these feelings. He is even starting to give speeches at his Temple and trying to let the Negro know that he has HUMAN rights to be treated equal to the white man. He also lets them know that the origin of man was a black man and therefore the white man has descended from a black man so if anything the white man owes the black man something. X is slowly starting to know himself and therefore is starting to get more into what would later become his civil rights movement. This is how I think X is known.

X Marks the Spot

      

    Malcolm X is starting to realize what he's all about. He is starting to find his new philosophy in life through his Islamic religion. This is the creation of the spot he is marking. Thanks to his family’s encouragement and his newfound love of reading, Malcolm is quickly becoming more involved with his religion mentally, physically, and emotionally. This X is showing a new point in his life where he has given up all his bad morals and viewpoints that he had during the time he was a hustler and peddler in Harlem and Roxbury.

  This X also represented a new life in a literal sense since he was willing to give up his name Little in exchange for Little. The reason why was because he believed Little was only giving the white man more power since that is the name that was given to his descendents when they entered America as slaves. X is marking an important part in Malcolm’s life in which he is able to open his eyes and broaden his horizons thanks to his newfound religion.

Album Review

             It’s really hard for me to do a whole album review because I get most of my music from Pandora so I tend to have a lot of different songs from different artists. One of the albums that I really love though is Everything in Transit by Jack’s Mannequin because it’s one of extremely few albums where I love every single song in it. Lately, I’ve been listening to “Bruised” so I guess I would say that song is my favorite. It is probably my favorite album just because it’s been six years since it came out and I’m not tired of listening to it. I think that’s when you know you’re pretty much in love with the music.

            A great part of the music in this album is the variety of artists that are included. The producer of the album was also the producer of Incubus (Jim Wirt) and Tommy Lee (from Motley Crue) did an amazing job playing the drums. Andrew’s voice is the part I love the most, it’s full of emotion throughout all his songs, and you really can feel the emotion he is trying to represent. All of this adds up to a great album which I love to listen to all the time, whether it’s after a super long exhausting day to calm me down or right before going out to get me pumped up.

I Know This Means Something

For some reason, this week has dealt a lot with self reflection for me. In my Brit Lit class, we’ve started a new theme called Faith and Doubt. At first, I thought it would be the same as with the other themes we’ve done but as tacky as it sounds, it’s really led me to wonder a lot about things I believe in. The hardest homework assignment I’ve had this whole week was to make a drawing of something I have absolute faith. It wasn’t until then that I realized how much doubt and mistrust makes up today’s world. The drawing aspect was completely doable; finding something that I really truly do believe in was another. Some important person once said that in order to really have faith in something, you had to doubt it and overcome that doubt in order to have faith in it. Our belief that we are living in a physical world and not in just someone’s dream shows the faith that we live in a real, tangible world. I guess what I’m trying to say is that up until this week, I never realized how important it is to have faith, and not always necessarily have proof or evidence in order to truly believe in something. Having faith in the people you love, in yourself, in humanity, and in the world is something that means something. I know it does. 

Ultimate Recipe

        One of my favorite snacks would definitely have to be arepas which are a Colombian delicacy. They are delicious and my favorite part about them is how easy they are to make. They also are perfect for just about anyone, whether you enjoy exotic or more ordinary foods. The following ultimate recipe will ensure you the most amazing, tasty arepas possible.

Ingredients:

·  1 cup arepa flour (precooked cornmeal)

·  1 cup crumbled ricotta salata or grated mozzarella (1/4 pound)

·  1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

·  1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:

Toss together arepa flour, cheese, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then stir in water until incorporated. Let stand until enough water is absorbed for a soft dough to form, 1 to 2 minutes (dough will continue to stiffen).

Form 3 level tablespoons dough into 1 ball and flatten between your palms, gently pressing to form a 1/4-inch-thick patty (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide), then gently press around side to eliminate cracks. Transfer to a wax-paper-lined surface. Form more disks with remaining dough in same manner, transferring to wax-paper-lined surface.

Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry arepas in 2 batches, turning over once, until deep golden in patches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Drain on paper towels.

Once you complete all these steps and are left with scrumptious arepas, go ahead and add a slice of cheese or some sausage links to finish off a guaranteed flavorsome snack that is sure to make your day!

Good Food Review

           In this world, there are a lot of people with a lot of different interests and hobbies. Something that the majority of us can agree on though is the enjoyment of good food. This past week, with the assignment we had and everything, I was able to go to restaurants more than I usually do. I really do like going somewhere new and eating something I’ve never tried before, especially when it turns out to be delicious.

           Well since this is supposed to be a good food review, I’ll review the latest food I had that I thought was well, good. Last night my Mom decided to make some tostadas which are one of my favorite homemade meals. They have just about every single flavor in them with the crunchy shell, spicy chicken, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, and red beans to finish it off. I’ve always loved food that contains a variety of contrasting flavors that come out to an amazing delicious, yummy taste. I’ve never liked dull bland foods that consist of just one thing such as plain pasta or grilled cheese. I don’t mind them, I just don’t prefer them. Overall, good food for me is food that consists of several diverse tangy tastes. Again, this probably comes from the fact that I was raised up being exposed to so many different, out of the ordinary foods.

King Still King

            At first I took this the literal way, thinking of Medieval Times and whatnot. I then realized that Martin Luther King is this upcoming Monday and thought maybe that was the whole intention of this blog. Do I still think that King is King? In a way yes and in a way no. He still known for being one of most, if not the most important civil rights figure. There are very few people in this country who do not know who King is. The truth of the matter though, is King has turned more into a day where we have no school or work because after thirty years, the importance of his actions have not necessarily been forgotten but they just are not remembered in the same way. He is still a hero for his courage and guts to stand up for what he truly believed in, something many attempted. What exactly made him so different from all other activists? He not only had a humongous impact for the advancement of African American civil rights during his life but afterwards as well. He is really someone we could refer to when asking ourselves where our current society and culture would be if it weren’t for him. It’s odd to think that this great movement was around as little as forty years ago. Thanks to people like King though, humanity has been able to greatly advance in so little time.