Look At Me Now
Theme:
My name is Benjamin Daniel Callaway. I reside in 2 houses, My Mom’s, and my Dad’s. They harbor very different dynamics, and neither of them would qualify as a normal american household. I am a kid trying to live my life to the fullest. I try as hard as I can to take things to the limit, and then some. Whether it be the ocean, school, or just plain life. Most people don’t see me as what I try to be though. Lots of people see me as an annoying high school student who isn’t really that “cool”, per say. I am very involved with music and people definitely know that. The message I try to give people is that I don’t live a normal life, and I am pretty satisfied with the way I do that.
Setting:
My life takes place in Downtown Oceanside; a not-so favored surf town in Southern California. The reason I say it isn’t very favored is because its level of “Sketchiness” you could say. Oceanside is not a very wealthy area, and there is a lot of poverty. Because of that, people are homeless, and will resort to crime, stealing, and selling drugs. There are also lots of kids who have gotten into marijuana. Most people in upper class don’t look fondly on that, and wouldn’t want to raise their kids there. I on the other hand, think it's a perfect spot to raise kids. Sure, Oceanside has its crime and other negative things, but that is real education. “Book Smarts”, the stuff you learn in school, will of course help you with getting into a good college, and getting a good job, but the “Street Smarts”, the stuff you learn about life, I feel will help you more. I am a 15 year old boy, and I am allowed out on to the streets of Oceanside, alone. I build up lots of character on the streets. Kids need to know who to talk to, what to say, and how a community works. Also, Kids need to see the poverty and crime going on. Because that, my friend, is real and raw. That, is an issue going on in our world. College and good jobs aren’t raw, they are sugar-coated to make it appealing.
As well as having those benefits, Oceanside also has one of the best beach breaks in all of Southern California. I, being a surfer and waterman at heart, love this aspect. Oceanside also harbors my Mom’s law office, and my Dad’s restaurant. In the end, I love my town, and wouldn’t live any other place in Southern California.
Conflict:
The most recent conflict that has come up in my life involves one of my past music acquaintances. Back in early May of this year, (2016), I started a band called The Traditions. It consisted of me on guitar, a bassist, another guitarist, a vocalist, and a drummer, (The drummer is the main reason for this conflict). He is an interesting person. The rest of the old band, including me, did some research and decided on a scientific term for what he is. The answer is a narcissistic sociopath. This person has tried to ruin many lives by making up lies. He makes these lies about people in order to get what he wants, and then he blames the other person for the conflict. During the conflict, he thinks that he is absolutely in the right, and that he has never, and never will, do anything wrong. He is also a firm believer in God, which causes him to think that he is a perfect person, which he is far from. I have tried many times to get away from this person and his drama. He just keeps bringing it back, even when I am out of the country. I could tolerate it when it was just me that he was affecting, but he has started hurting some of my friends. I am normally fond of peace, but I will not let my friends get hurt from this person.
Characterization:
There are 3 specifically important people in my life right now. And to whom it may concern, this is not a matter of who I love the most. Of course that would be my family. This is a matter of what these people bring out in me. Number 1 would be my best friend, Nick Murphy. Nick and I go together like Yin and Yang. He brings out the crazy person, daredevil, and adventurer in me. I calm him down and keep him from doing things that will kill him, and show him the life skills he needs to know. The next person would be my father, Dan. My dad, even though we have conflicts here and there, shows me what life is all about. He is the one that started my surfing life, and has been drilling me on my music ever since I was 3 years old. If not for him, I wouldn’t have the courage to do anything that I do. The third would have to be my dad’s lifelong best friend, Tim Dye. Even though I don’t see him much, Tim has been a big part of my life since I was born. He took me up to the top of mammoth mountain, in the middle of a snowstorm, when I was just 5 years old. Tim has been pushing the limits his whole life, and I would like to do the same.
Protagonist:
I don't have a specific protagonist in my life. I have certain traits that I look for in a person. Honesty is the most important thing a person should have. Not only honesty to other people, but honesty to themselves. If someone messes up, they need to own that. They can’t lie to themselves about who was right and who was wrong. Another big trait that matters in a person to me is effort. Someone can’t go through life putting in no effort. If someone wants something, they have to try.
Antagonist:
The antagonist of this story is the same person that I talked about in the conflict. The drummer of one of my old bands. Let’s call him A. A has made it his mission to care only about himself, and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process. He has hurt so many of his old friends, and so many of my friends. I did only nice things for A. But in return he told me how I was doing things wrong, and what a bad person I am. So I drew the line. I now talk to him as little as possible. I only talk to him when he hurts my friends. For example, he started telling people that a friend of mine is tone deaf, and now nobody will be in a band with him, so I intervened there. But other than that, there is no contact, and I like to keep it that way.
Flashback:
I was about 8 years old. It was a beautiful summer morning, about a 6 foot day, and my dad and I had gotten up and gone surfing. I was riding his 9 foot longboard. I had paddled out and hadn’t even gotten my hair wet. I tried to catch one wave. It didn’t work. Because of that, I was washed in towards the beach a little bit. I looked out to the horizon and I saw the one thing I didn’t want to see. A set of waves. My little 3rd grade self froze as I looked at the upcoming wall of whitewash. Just before the wave was about to hit me, I noticed that it was reforming into a nice faced wave. I turned sideways, gripped my board, and hoped for the best. I felt the wave slam into the side of my body. I thought I was in for a beating, but instead, I felt the wave pick me up, turn me around to where I was facing the beach, and throw me down the newly reformed face. I stood up in amazement. I turned to the right, and started flying down the line of the wave. Me, being a beginner, had no idea what to do when the wave ended, so I belly flopped off. I came up from underwater, and I knew that the ocean was my home.
Irony:
The most ironic thing in my life right now is that when I was young, probably 6 or 7, I would always try to convince my friends of how much better skiing is than snowboarding. In second grade, I tried snowboarding and it completely changed my perspective. I realized that there are 2 sides to every argument. I finally saw the second side, and it changed my opinion. I have now only skied 4 days since I started snowboarding. And have snowboarded too many to count. This shows me that I shouldn’t be bias to one thing if I don’t know the other side.
Symbolism:
The thing that represents me most is my beaten up acoustic guitar. It doesn’t look great. But it plays amazing. It doesn’t appeal to anyone, and everyone abuses it. For example, an old band mate of mine scratched in a bunch of swastikas on it. No matter what anybody does to it, it is always there, and it always makes beautiful music to make the bad times go away. It is always by your side, and always the one thing that you can fall back on, no matter how terrible it looks.
Foreshadow:
Music is my life. I have played in many bands throughout my life. One of those bands, XIII, made it to the Whisky-A-Go-Go. That was a very big event in my life. Music is something that will bring people together. I really would like to have a future in music. It is my passion, and I want to be involved with it for the rest of my life. There are lots of different options when it comes to a profession in music. You can have a recording studio, be in a band, solo, and many more. I of course, would like to be in a semi successful band. For career day in freshman year, I shadowed a friend of mine named Josh Weigel. He is a musician, but he also co owns a small business. He is what I would like to be when I am older.
Theme:
My name is Benjamin Daniel Callaway. I reside in 2 houses, My Mom’s, and my Dad’s. They harbor very different dynamics, and neither of them would qualify as a normal american household. I am a kid trying to live my life to the fullest. I try as hard as I can to take things to the limit, and then some. Whether it be the ocean, school, or just plain life. Most people don’t see me as what I try to be though. Lots of people see me as an annoying high school student who isn’t really that “cool”, per say. I am very involved with music and people definitely know that. The message I try to give people is that I don’t live a normal life, and I am pretty satisfied with the way I do that.
Setting:
My life takes place in Downtown Oceanside; a not-so favored surf town in Southern California. The reason I say it isn’t very favored is because its level of “Sketchiness” you could say. Oceanside is not a very wealthy area, and there is a lot of poverty. Because of that, people are homeless, and will resort to crime, stealing, and selling drugs. There are also lots of kids who have gotten into marijuana. Most people in upper class don’t look fondly on that, and wouldn’t want to raise their kids there. I on the other hand, think it's a perfect spot to raise kids. Sure, Oceanside has its crime and other negative things, but that is real education. “Book Smarts”, the stuff you learn in school, will of course help you with getting into a good college, and getting a good job, but the “Street Smarts”, the stuff you learn about life, I feel will help you more. I am a 15 year old boy, and I am allowed out on to the streets of Oceanside, alone. I build up lots of character on the streets. Kids need to know who to talk to, what to say, and how a community works. Also, Kids need to see the poverty and crime going on. Because that, my friend, is real and raw. That, is an issue going on in our world. College and good jobs aren’t raw, they are sugar-coated to make it appealing.
As well as having those benefits, Oceanside also has one of the best beach breaks in all of Southern California. I, being a surfer and waterman at heart, love this aspect. Oceanside also harbors my Mom’s law office, and my Dad’s restaurant. In the end, I love my town, and wouldn’t live any other place in Southern California.
Conflict:
The most recent conflict that has come up in my life involves one of my past music acquaintances. Back in early May of this year, (2016), I started a band called The Traditions. It consisted of me on guitar, a bassist, another guitarist, a vocalist, and a drummer, (The drummer is the main reason for this conflict). He is an interesting person. The rest of the old band, including me, did some research and decided on a scientific term for what he is. The answer is a narcissistic sociopath. This person has tried to ruin many lives by making up lies. He makes these lies about people in order to get what he wants, and then he blames the other person for the conflict. During the conflict, he thinks that he is absolutely in the right, and that he has never, and never will, do anything wrong. He is also a firm believer in God, which causes him to think that he is a perfect person, which he is far from. I have tried many times to get away from this person and his drama. He just keeps bringing it back, even when I am out of the country. I could tolerate it when it was just me that he was affecting, but he has started hurting some of my friends. I am normally fond of peace, but I will not let my friends get hurt from this person.
Characterization:
There are 3 specifically important people in my life right now. And to whom it may concern, this is not a matter of who I love the most. Of course that would be my family. This is a matter of what these people bring out in me. Number 1 would be my best friend, Nick Murphy. Nick and I go together like Yin and Yang. He brings out the crazy person, daredevil, and adventurer in me. I calm him down and keep him from doing things that will kill him, and show him the life skills he needs to know. The next person would be my father, Dan. My dad, even though we have conflicts here and there, shows me what life is all about. He is the one that started my surfing life, and has been drilling me on my music ever since I was 3 years old. If not for him, I wouldn’t have the courage to do anything that I do. The third would have to be my dad’s lifelong best friend, Tim Dye. Even though I don’t see him much, Tim has been a big part of my life since I was born. He took me up to the top of mammoth mountain, in the middle of a snowstorm, when I was just 5 years old. Tim has been pushing the limits his whole life, and I would like to do the same.
Protagonist:
I don't have a specific protagonist in my life. I have certain traits that I look for in a person. Honesty is the most important thing a person should have. Not only honesty to other people, but honesty to themselves. If someone messes up, they need to own that. They can’t lie to themselves about who was right and who was wrong. Another big trait that matters in a person to me is effort. Someone can’t go through life putting in no effort. If someone wants something, they have to try.
Antagonist:
The antagonist of this story is the same person that I talked about in the conflict. The drummer of one of my old bands. Let’s call him A. A has made it his mission to care only about himself, and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process. He has hurt so many of his old friends, and so many of my friends. I did only nice things for A. But in return he told me how I was doing things wrong, and what a bad person I am. So I drew the line. I now talk to him as little as possible. I only talk to him when he hurts my friends. For example, he started telling people that a friend of mine is tone deaf, and now nobody will be in a band with him, so I intervened there. But other than that, there is no contact, and I like to keep it that way.
Flashback:
I was about 8 years old. It was a beautiful summer morning, about a 6 foot day, and my dad and I had gotten up and gone surfing. I was riding his 9 foot longboard. I had paddled out and hadn’t even gotten my hair wet. I tried to catch one wave. It didn’t work. Because of that, I was washed in towards the beach a little bit. I looked out to the horizon and I saw the one thing I didn’t want to see. A set of waves. My little 3rd grade self froze as I looked at the upcoming wall of whitewash. Just before the wave was about to hit me, I noticed that it was reforming into a nice faced wave. I turned sideways, gripped my board, and hoped for the best. I felt the wave slam into the side of my body. I thought I was in for a beating, but instead, I felt the wave pick me up, turn me around to where I was facing the beach, and throw me down the newly reformed face. I stood up in amazement. I turned to the right, and started flying down the line of the wave. Me, being a beginner, had no idea what to do when the wave ended, so I belly flopped off. I came up from underwater, and I knew that the ocean was my home.
Irony:
The most ironic thing in my life right now is that when I was young, probably 6 or 7, I would always try to convince my friends of how much better skiing is than snowboarding. In second grade, I tried snowboarding and it completely changed my perspective. I realized that there are 2 sides to every argument. I finally saw the second side, and it changed my opinion. I have now only skied 4 days since I started snowboarding. And have snowboarded too many to count. This shows me that I shouldn’t be bias to one thing if I don’t know the other side.
Symbolism:
The thing that represents me most is my beaten up acoustic guitar. It doesn’t look great. But it plays amazing. It doesn’t appeal to anyone, and everyone abuses it. For example, an old band mate of mine scratched in a bunch of swastikas on it. No matter what anybody does to it, it is always there, and it always makes beautiful music to make the bad times go away. It is always by your side, and always the one thing that you can fall back on, no matter how terrible it looks.
Foreshadow:
Music is my life. I have played in many bands throughout my life. One of those bands, XIII, made it to the Whisky-A-Go-Go. That was a very big event in my life. Music is something that will bring people together. I really would like to have a future in music. It is my passion, and I want to be involved with it for the rest of my life. There are lots of different options when it comes to a profession in music. You can have a recording studio, be in a band, solo, and many more. I of course, would like to be in a semi successful band. For career day in freshman year, I shadowed a friend of mine named Josh Weigel. He is a musician, but he also co owns a small business. He is what I would like to be when I am older.