I think I'll copy that essay onto my blog to wind down for tonight. Just because I'm bored, and tired. Here begins my essay entitled:

The Five Points of Klein Character Development! (This is me writing to a journal prompt in English. I'm supposed to be discussing respect, committment, integrity, initiative, and responsibility)
If I'm going to write about character development, I might as well take a stand against Klein's attempt at 'turning us into better people'. First of all, it probably won't work. Putting up posters around the school with these five points of a good personality listed on them isn't going to help anyone. Half the school probably hasn't even given a thought as to what initiative really even means. Second, the approach they're taking is wrong. If they just toughen the punishment for wrongdoing, it's not going to make people avoid tardies, absences, or anything else that breaks a rule, or a law, for that matter. Take my electronics class for example. One guy is on probation until next summer, yet he still has a problem with alcohol. Another is rarely in class; truencies and tardies land him in ISS most of the time. I hate to be blunt, but the posters are not helping them.

But since I'm supposed to be writing to the prompt, I'll set aside my teenage urge to 'fight the system'. I do value these five qualities in people, my friends, family, and the traces of them that are in myself. Respect is my favorite. I never have appreciated anyone who slings crude insults at you for being with a certain group of people, having a 'different' style or 'different' beliefs. Respect is something that the world needs a lot more of. I can't stand it when some student will act rudely with a teacher, and afterwards feeling a sort of selfish pride about it. It gives teenagers a bad name.

Moving on to committment, this is something of a less important aspect of my personality. It's good to be committed to school, getting good grades and the sort, but the last time I have done any schoolwork at home was probably in the middle of the first six weeks. I don't study for any of my classes, and I get my homework done in my lunch period so it doesn't plague me at home. I prefer to go home, relax, and have nothing the worry about or dwell on, save my personal life.

Integrity is another quality that I find important, but not wholly. Honesty is a virtue when it comes to school or work, though when it comes to friends or relationships, a certain level of 'tactile honesty' is important. If an overweight friend was planning to commit suicide, "End it all, you fat (edit)bastard" is definitely not the ideal thing to say. A little white lie can sometimes be a valuable asset when keeping friends.

Initiative and responsibility go hand in hand. I'm not good at either one of them, being the aforementioned lazy person I am. I'll occasionally forget a geometry assignment or two, but I try to keep within the limits of what will and will not hurt my grade, or reputation.

I'm done writing. Perhaps I should look into yoga, as I mentioned...