War and Peace" "The Things They Carried" Short Story Blog Post (Primary and Secondary-2 days)

2/26/2014

Prompt: Think about the items that you carry in your bag (backpack, purse, fanny-pack, man-bag, etc.). Choose two items and explain why you have chosen to "hump" these items wherever you go. What is the tangible and intangible element of each item and why? Then think and write about what these items say about you.

Primary Blog Post: 2 Full Paragraphs (5-7 sentences each - use at least one MLA cited quote from the short story)
Secondary Blog Post: 1 Full Paragraph (5-7 sentences) X 2 (one each for two classmates)

*please note: you may use a "pen name" for this assignment (both primary blog entry and secondary blog entry) but you MUST let me know who you are so that I may give you credit.

-(DAY 1) Primary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of class will be scored.
-(DAY 2) Secondary Blog Post: Only those posted by the end of class will be scored.

Lee :)

2/27/2014 02:44:32 am

Two items that I carry in my bag where ever I go is my phone and my iPod. The tangible meaning to my phone is that it is good for emergencies and contacting people that are important to me etc. I relate this to Ted Lavender because he always carried a “Tranquillizer” (O’Brien 1) because he always has that fear that something is going to happen. The intangible meaning to this for me I don’t have fear, but I always have that idea in the back of my mind that anything can happen. So my phone in certain ways helps me stay calm when those situations happen because I always have an option etc.
The second thing that I have in my bag is my iPod. I always have my iPod because I love listening to my music. It helps me focus sometimes and when I am bored it entertains me etc. I relate this to Kiowa and his New Testament Bible (O’Brien 1) because he carries his faith around as a physically a type a comfort and spiritually. For me the intangible meaning to my iPod is my music it’s my escape from the world. In some ways it gives me strength when I am having bad days because the uplifting words etc

TWillingham

2/28/2014 02:35:37 am

I know the significance of having your phone for you but I dont agree that you should have. I feel like it'll just be a distratction for you from what's going on. Maybe in a way risk the chance of something happening becuase you're going to always be on your phone instead of paying attention to the war. I do agree with the Ipod of a choice because it helps me get through things; helps me focus on the task at hand. Help the days go by faster and be less worried.

Lee :)

2/28/2014 02:46:36 am

I understand you point TWillingham but i am not always on my phone. I just like having it with me,

la chula

2/28/2014 02:37:43 am

really? phone and ipod? hahaha :|

@jBiizzle

2/28/2014 02:46:26 am

Your a meany :(

Lee :)

2/28/2014 02:47:17 am

Yes my Phone and my Ipod...... La Chula

Mass Effect

2/28/2014 02:48:40 am

I support you. You can use your phone as an iPod, but look at your name la chula really.

@Jbiizzle

2/28/2014 02:50:45 am

You're*

la chula

2/28/2014 02:52:10 am

whats wrong with la chula?? :( and yeah why dont you just use your phone to listen to music... much easier lee

The Hebrew Hammer

3/4/2014 08:13:46 am

Your point of view is completely understandable.

@Jbiizzle

2/28/2014 02:39:29 am

I can connect to this because without my phone I feel lost and disconnected almost as if I lost a part of my body also music is important to myself the kind of music I listen to exspresses how I feel at the time. I feel as if Ted Lavender also uses his dope and tranqulizers as a way to escpae and to exspress himself as well as protect himself from the realitys and dangers of war because he was afraid. I also feel like the music can relate to Rat Kiley because he carried comic books as entertainment a distraction a pass time the same way you use your music.

Lee :)

2/28/2014 02:50:36 am

I totally agree with your opinion. WooHoo :)

la chula

2/28/2014 02:54:02 am

how can you feel like that for not having your phone??? really! another lee here hahaha

La Loka

2/28/2014 02:51:16 am

I agree a phone would be useful at the war, you could communicate with your other solders friends, to locate them, and see if their alive. It would be fun to have a phone and iPod, but the bad things of these things are that they would distract you from the enemy, and from trying to text back you could get killed. The I Pod would be distracting to because if you are lessening to music and someone attacks you from the back, you could also be dead, those are bad choices to take to War, where you’re risking your life, to help and protect others. Where you actually need all your senses (touch, sight, taste, smell, and hearing) to stay alive.

la chula

2/28/2014 02:54:44 am

otra lee

@harleymarie_x3

2/28/2014 03:00:34 am

I agree with this, I didnt even think of using my phone to locate people!

keesh

2/28/2014 02:57:23 am

I agree with the whole phone and iPod thing because I personaly caary my phone with me at all times, it is like a saftey blanket for me. With my phone on me I feel as though if something bad was going to happen I'll be saved just because I have it with me.
As for the iPod, music I believe is a big part of everone's life.

Mass Effect

2/28/2014 03:00:47 am

A phone is a very important item, but the phone is not that important. Society including me has become more relied on technology. People now don’t even come out of there houses because of technology. That’s why society has become so lazy and less efficient. If you really need to contact someone meet them face to face.

The Hebrew Hammer

3/4/2014 08:15:11 am

I totally agree with you my Republican brother.

Eric Rodriguez

2/27/2014 02:46:11 am

I have the burden of having glasses on my face every day for the rest of my life, but there are some benefits to having them. These glasses give me the ability of seeing and without my glasses everything will be blurry to me. With my glasses I am able to see the meaning clearly instead of having a foggy vision of the meaning. Without my glasses my understanding won’t be as good because my vision would be impaired and I won’t be able to see through the outside of someone’s tough exterior. My glasses give me the vision to see a different side of others that you wouldn’t normally see.
I carry my phone everywhere I go and I can’t put it down no matter what is happening around me. My phone is my life line and it is my only means of communication. My phone protects me like the soldier’s helmets protect them in battle, “they carried steel helmets that weighed five pounds including the liner aid camouflage cover” (O’Brien 1). Without my phone I feel like I lost a part of myself because my phone is based on my life and has so many memories captured in it. My phone allows me to commute to everyone that I care about in my life and the soldier’s in the story all have something in there own bag that reminds them of home.

spalmer

2/28/2014 02:55:47 am

My phone is my lifeline too because I don't feel secure without it. If I go anywhere without my phone I feel empty. I feel like people are trying to contact me and I'm not able to see it. They probably think I'm ignoring them :(((

La Chula

2/27/2014 02:46:27 am

I’m carrying this rubber band around my wrist. I still remember when she gave it to me. I still remember the park. I always told her just how beautiful she looked with her hair down. But she was insecure of her looks. She always tied it up. Now standing here in a lake of blood, bodies piled, and hope’s crush, I look at the rubber band. Its dark and raining outside but in my head its sunny. The lake is gone and I could see the park. The bodies are people laughing and having a great time. And I see my hope standing there in front of me with her hair tied up.

La LOKa ( tu pimp, Cab..)

2/28/2014 02:59:57 am

NO ERA POEMA ANIMAL pero k chula! xD

TWillingham

2/27/2014 02:46:54 am

The first item I would hump wherever I go is my lucky superman shirt that I wear on game days for sports. The reason I picked this item is because it gives me that extra boost of confidence and kind of in a way makes me feel superior of my surroundings. That I will do well or to correlate to The Things They Carried be safer and protected with it on. Feel like a different person and can be anybody I want to be, not who I have to be. This relates to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. In the novel says “Lieutenant Jimmy Cross received a good-luck charm from Martha”(O’Brien 3). To him this was romantic and allowed to get away from his surroundings and think about her and how romantic it was. He had it in his mouth every day during the hot days and made him picture Martha and Ted Lavender walking on the beach and go through the harsh days; try to get through this war.
The second item I would hump wherever I go is C rations of food and a lot of it. I’m the type of the person that when I get bored or nervous tend to eat a lot. Being in a war, the probability of going home alive is not that high would make me nervous. There’s so much pressure because you want to be known as a good soldier, but want to make it back home to my family, wouldn’t know when you need to put your fears to the side and die for one of your fellow brothers. Food helps me get through things because I’m not worried and just focused on my food and not worried about if I might die today. Also food taste good in general and walking all day and doing activities to check that your surroundings are safe can take a lot. You need food to fill you up and give you energy that you always need to stay on top of things

The Hebrew Hammer

2/27/2014 02:47:11 am

Two items I always carry with me in my back pack are my iPod and my military ID. I choose to “hump” my iPod wherever I go because the music in it enlightens me. My iPod is intangible because the music in it not only enlightens me, but it mentally takes me to another dimension. My iPod is tangible to me because of its color, and the entertainment it offers me.
I always choose to “hump” my military ID wherever I go because of its importance in society and in my part time job. My ID is intangible because it shows what I’m destined to become, and what I’m destined to achieve. My ID is tangible because it just shows a simple picture of a tough and serious person who takes things seriously. A quote from “The Things They Carried” that supports my statements is “Lieutenant Jimmy Cross received a good-luck charm from Martha. It was a simple pebble” (O’Brien 3). In this quote you see how 1st Lt. has a simple pebble to remind him of life back at home, and of his beloved.

JMiller

3/3/2014 10:56:18 pm

I can agree with you that your ipod can be used for relaxation in times of stress. The music you listen to can also help depending on the mood your in. For the id it seems that it is pretty necessary to keep with you because it gives you a sense of self. It is always important to remember who you are and not who others want you to be. It also shows who you are and what you want to do later on in life.

The Hebrew Hammer

3/4/2014 08:17:27 am

I just can't seem to let go of those things.

Kid Buu

2/27/2014 02:47:19 am

In the book “The things they carry” by Tim O’Brien The soldiers must carry not only equipment given to them but items they feel matter to them. “First Lieutanant Jimmy cross carried letters from a girl named Martha. They7 were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping.” (Pg1 O’Brien). Two items that I (hump) carry with me where ever I go always tends to be my Phone and Ipod, both for contradictory reasons. I carry my phone to keep in contact with people I can’t physically see. My phone keeps me involved in the world and connected while my phone separates me from it. Tuning out the noise coming from the people and the world around me, allowing me to visuals the world I want to see, and not the world I’m forced to be in.

Cinnamon

2/27/2014 02:47:36 am

The one item that I notice I always hump where ever I go is my phone. Everywhere I go I notice that my phone is always right near with me by my side. I carry my phone with me so that those who truly care about me and love me can know my whereabouts. My phone for me represents security and safety, I feel that without my phone I would not be safe and I would feel so disconnected from the world. My phone is my sense of togetherness. I can honestly say I love my phone with all my heart.
The other item that I seem to carry around with me is my Blistex. Like Dave Jenson this gives me a sense of hygiene. My Blistex is what I carry around with me because I do admire my lips greatly and I would love to keep them protected and moisturized. Blistex give me a sense of cleanliness.

LOL_leslie

2/28/2014 02:40:30 am

It is a good comment you have, but you should have included a relevant quote from the short story to support your comment.

Lee :)

2/28/2014 02:43:34 am

I agree with you about having your phone with you all the time. For me if I don't have my phone I start to freak out and feel naked without it. Its funny how our generation is so attached to our phones. Its so sad. lol But I don't love my phone with all my heart its just something that I need. I also agree with having blistex, if I don't have it I am exremely upset becasue I hate having chapped lips its so unattractive.

@Jbiizzle

2/28/2014 02:53:27 am

Carmex is better but yes i agree hygiene is very important it improves you're confidence, health, and how people judge you as a person and Dave Jensen saw the importance in this

LOL_leslie

2/27/2014 03:11:26 am

To carry something with you is to say that you might need it to help you along the way or it is actually for a purpose. In our lives, we most at times carry things that will be needed because it is important to you. For example, in my bag, I always make sure that I have my orange necklace made of African beads and my diary. Those are tangible. The bead necklace was given to me by my grandmother before she died. It so beautiful. She carried my love before she died. For this reason, it is so precious and important to me, and taking it with me everywhere I go gives me the superstition that she is with me. Also, it makes me feel her love and care always. Truly, she did love me so much, and I did too. My love for her is the intangible, and mentally, my superstition about she being with me everywhere is an intangible element. Again, I carry my diary. It “keeps me alive!” It is not crazy as you would think. I have so much confidential stuffs in there about my life which will be inappropriate for another to read or see it. There are pages in there that makes me smile, and makes me happy all day; all full of good and bad memories.
In connection to the short story, “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien, there were these men who carried something each for a reason. According to the short story, “Henry Dobbins carried his girlfriend’s panty hose wrapped around his neck as a comforter.” (O’Brien 4). For Henry, the tangible element is his girlfriend’s panty hose, and the intangible element is his comfort. This is because his girlfriend’s panty made him feel comfortable. Now, that is essential. It was something that kept him going and alive.

S Nieto

2/28/2014 02:53:43 am

I understand. I carry around my grandmothers' picture so i can feel his presnece and feel that he is with me. I carry his picture everywhere I go.

Juju

2/28/2014 03:02:01 am

I think it’s cool that you have something to keep in memory of your grandmother. I can really connect to what you are saying about this necklace. I can see why it’s so important to you. My grandmother gave me her ring to keep as a memory of her. Till this day every time I see it, it bring me back to all the good memories we had together. In a way I still feel like my grandmother is always with me everywhere I go.

Juju

2/27/2014 03:35:09 am

Everyone has different items that are highly important to them. Two items I must carry in my bag are my phone and my notebook. These items may not be important to you, but they are very important to me. Everywhere I’m at I must carry my phone with me. My phone means a lot, it’s not only a way to communicate with my family and friends, it is also a way to remain safe in various occasions. “Ted Lavender, who was scared carried tranquilizers” (O’Brien 1) in a way my phone is my tranquilizer, you can always call for help at any time you need it.
“She often quoted lines of poetry” (O’Brian 1). My notebook is important to me. It’s not like any other notebook; it’s a special notebook. It’s where I convert all my feelings into poetry. Instead of putting all my feelings out there I just write about them. This notebook says a lot about me and my personality.

Kid Buu

2/28/2014 02:43:44 am

There can be a lot to us that vary often no one knows. Finding comfort in objects that allow us to be us can be a powerful thing. Could it be because they can not judge us and can not push their view points and standards? I think ever last one of us have at least one item we feel allows us to be us without even knowing it; from note books, to charms, to cloths or other objects. Without these how would we be? Would we become stronger or crumble under stress? More then likely it will be something we’ll never have to figure out.

la chula

2/28/2014 02:49:52 am

i agree with the notebook.. but i dont see how your phone can be usefull at war?

S Nieto

2/28/2014 02:59:18 am

We attched meanings to things to make us feel safe. I carry that card and stare at it for sometimes hours and I don't write on it but i transfer my tears and my feelings through and and i feel like my friend is doing the same, telling me not to mourn his death but to celebrate his life.

LadySkai

2/27/2014 06:04:12 am

Two things I carry are my phone and my house keys. My phone is very valuable to me. I keep in contact with people and in case of emergency I can just call someone or the emergency number. Phones keep secrets and meaningful conversations within it. Although I keep close friends I have also deleted some people and never contact them again. I feel like it’s something like when Jimmy Cross burned the letters “First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha’s letters” (O’Brien 10) even though we “deleted” people we still have the memories of that person or people even if we moved on with our life. The now painful memories of what used to be but it’s not there anymore.
My house keys are important because it helps me get inside my house. In another meaning it’s the place where I feel the safest. It’s where I see my family and get time alone. If I have a bad day I know I will always get to go home and just forget for a while by taking a long bath or a simple nap. A house it’s having a roof over your head but a home it’s where you can be yourself and express who you are. Without my keys I couldn’t have all of that, I couldn’t open the door to something better. “it was a flight, a kind of fleeting, a kind of falling, falling higher and higher, spinning off the edge of the earth and beyond the sun and through the vast, silent vacuum where there were no burdens and where everything weighed exactly nothing” (O’Brien 10) is talking about the great feeling of dreaming of going home that the soldiers felt. Every single of them wanted to feel that safe place to go back to but there are not sure of going back.

Kid buu

2/28/2014 02:38:19 am

I agree with the remaining memories even of those we hope to forget. Sometimes memories can be a great thing or a curse. You can end up remembering the happiest moments with that person, possibly having them be apart of the best time of your life, or even a part of it, but those same memories can be curses. They can remind you that continued fantasies are all in your head, that everything you want and hope for wont actually happen, that you are cursed to feel an even greater isolation then before because their gone with no way of getting them back either because of their mistakes, yours or a combination of both.

Cinnamon

2/28/2014 03:00:12 am

I COMPLETLY agree if i don't have my house keys i will be completly lost especially in this weather!! There is noone to let me in fast enough i feel like i would be waiting outside forever.

JMiller

2/27/2014 10:07:12 am

One of the items that I carry with me all the time is my car keys. I choose to “hump” them around with me all the time because I need them every day. They are tangible to me because I need them in order to get from place to place. I need it to go to and from school and to go home or help my family if they need me. I’m able to leave to do go and do things when I want to. This makes them intangible to me by giving me a sense of freedom and having a choice in where I want to go. Without them you would have to rely on others to go from place to place and you would never really have a choice in when you go because you’re not the one controlling the wheel.
Another item that I carry around everywhere with me would be my phone. I choose to carry it around with me at all times because it has multiple uses that can all come in handy. It allows me to communicate with my friends in family and it is always there in case there is ever an emergency. It gives you a sense of safety in knowing that you would never be alone when you need someone else to be there by your side. These are two of the most important things that I think it would be hard to go around without.

The Hebrew Hammer

2/28/2014 02:47:29 am

In my opinion one’s car keys and phone are important things to “hump” for many reasons. For example one’s phone can bring one together with others and achieve great things. Also a phone can mean the difference between life and death because it can get one out of rough situations. Also with a phone one can help out and reach others who are in need of companionship and counseling. I think one’s car keys are important because they can help get you to places, and they can be the meaning between life and death.

Juju

2/28/2014 03:02:57 am

I feel the same way about my phone too. I usually have it everywhere I go. Just like you, it gives me a sense of safety. You never know when you’re going to need it. A phone is very handy like you said because it keeps you connected to family, friends and the people around you. You can also look up anything you are uncertain when you need the help.

Mass Effect

2/27/2014 11:22:19 am

Two items I would carry is a pocket knife and my wallet. Most people would think the knife is for protection, but for me it’s for power. I always like to have the advantage. I always like to be in control of any situation at any cost. The knife will give me power and confidence. For you it’s just a knife, but for me its apart of the body. Stainless steel so it’s easy to clean. It’s a symbol of what I want to be stainless steel so emotions will not get me off track. People say emotions are good and everyone should have them, but I see it as weakness. Emotions are the key to any human flaw. See a knife has no eyes and can’t be stained. It explains how I act I try to cut away from everyone so I can think what is my goal what is my mission. Emotions are for the weak. I am human so I am weak so that why I carry this pocket knife. I carry my wallet so I will not depend on no one. People are people you can’t depend on them. Why god did not make them perfect at first no one will know. Maybe to see us struggle and fight, but no that’s not why someone one will say. The wallet is so I will have power as well who says no one has a price. Don’t blame me that the way society makes me think. People are pieces on a game board they just need the right motivation. I’m not the piece on the board I’m the one playing the game. I compare myself with Mitchell Sanders. “Mitchell Sanders carried brass knuckles. (O’Brien 4)” It’s a weapon for the last resort. No matter what happens he was going to go down with a fight.

Mass Effect

2/27/2014 11:44:49 am

PLEASE INSERT CRITICISM HERE

The Hebrew Hammer

2/28/2014 02:40:01 am

I agree with a lot of the stuff you mentioned in your blog for many reasons. For example, you said that emotions can hold you back and that they are the key to human flaw. In my life I have noticed that in many people, and a lot of times I noticed that those emotions betrayed them, and set them back on their goals. A quote from the story to support your statements is “Briefly, in the rain, Lt. Cross saw Martha’s gray eyes gazing back at him…..He almost nodded at her, but didn’t” (O’Brien 10-11). In this quote you clearly see that Lt. Cross almost fell for his emotions for Martha, but pulled himself together in order to continue with his duties. I partially agree and disagree with what you said about how emotions are for the weak. If you look in history some of the great master minds of the ancient word and the modern world had emotions, and this didn’t set them back.

timtimsleh

2/28/2014 03:09:04 am

i disagree with basically every part of what you said. when you are on the battlefield, teamwork is key. its not about having the power or being a loner. its about working as a brotherhood, together. also, from my expierience, its never good to be alone. its a sad way to live and a path that will get you nowhere. also, it shows that you are a religious person. if you read the bible, then you would know that everything you had to say was nonsense. god in fact made people for the purpose of companionship. to isolate yourself and abandon your emotions, and then to call that "perfection" is unsettling to say the least. honestly, all in all, this whole entry says a lot about who you are and your character.

Mass Effect

2/28/2014 08:13:16 am

You're sounding pretty weak there. The people that have emotions get stepped on. On the battlefield theres you and the enemy and no one else you do your mission and done. Feelings make me sick. I seen men and women die because they feel. The only way to make money or have any type of success is to cut emotions. Do you think the people in power have emotions. No they make their success by taking everything and stepping on peoples feet. Religion is just another animal. Religion in some cases brings out the emotions and makes you weaker. In religion they feed on your emotions so they can make money which to me makes me sick. Yea I go to church, but its only because it keeps me from bouncing off the wall. Religion can be used as a weapon because of peoples emotions. Look you can have your emotions. I want to have no emotions so my mission will not die.

S Palmer

2/27/2014 02:48:20 pm

Two items I hump around everywhere I go is my wallet and phone. I carry my phone for tangible reasons in case of emergency. And intangible reasons, to communicate and make plans with friends. I carry my wallet for tangible reasons like having my license and cash in case of emergency. And for intangible reasons, to spend money carelessly on things I want and don't need. "Ted Lavender, who was scared, carried tranquilizers until he was shot in the head outside the village of Than Khe in mid-April. By necessity, and because it was SOP, they all carried steel helmets that weighed five pounds including the liner aid camouflage cover."(O'brien, 1) He carried these tangible items for safety precautions and nothing unnecessary because it would be too heavy. My items say that I like to feel secure at all times.

LOL_leslie

2/28/2014 02:36:56 am

I do agree with you. It is a good comment. We all carry something necessary in our lives. Ted’s case is a sad one. Lol…he carried a tranquilizer to protect himself, but within a short time he was gone. Boom-Down!! It’s all good everything happens for a reason.

Cinnamon

2/28/2014 02:57:34 am

I completely agree with this hump. i say this because a wallet and phone are defiantly an essential. Never know when you just might be stranded in the middle of nowhere.

La loka

2/28/2014 01:24:02 am

What would I carry with me would be a pic of my wife and kids because they would be the ones that would be keeping me alive and would make me fight for their safety. They would force me to keep myself safe, and think clearly on what to do, on a critical situation. They would be my inspiration to stay alive, and help my comrades, because I wouldn’t like for their kids to be without a father, or a mother. I would remember my wife’s kid’s love which would make me come back alive and in one piece for them. I would go back if I am crippled because they wouldn’t look at me the same way they used to, I hate that felling when people feel sorry for you or change the way they talk or look at you.
Another item I would take to the war would me my woman’s panties like Henry Dobbins. “Carried his girlfriend’s panty hose wrapped around his neck as a comforter”(O’Brian 4). The reason I would be taking it is to remember her. To remember I have someone back home, and to not cheat on her with some women I meat around the places I would be. I would have to remember the nice times I would have with her.

La chula (tu pimp)

2/28/2014 02:35:02 am

poeta poeta

TWillingham

2/28/2014 02:42:47 am

I do agree with both of your decisions I would pick the same items to hump. Having a picture of my family would make me determined to do whatever I have to do to survive to see them again. When I need insperation and something to keep my fighting all I would have to look at is that picture. I will not allow my kids to grow up without a father and I need them as much as they would need me and cant let them down. The second is something i would probably do to because its the closes thing to home and to my wife. Would miss seeing her and knowing her smell so her panties would help in that area the most it can. Again this would motivate me to want to see my girlfriend/ wife. Also remind me of home, and have something to look forward to.

Keesh

2/28/2014 02:44:59 am

Two items I would hump around and carry with me everywhere I go are my phone and my wallet. The tangible reason I carry my phone with me is because I use it for emergencies. My phone is intangible because, it's there to communicate with my friends and family. I also carry my wallet with me everywhere I go because; it has my id in it and my money which are tangible because of emergencies. For intangible I carry them around because I have a picture of my family and they are what keep me alive day by day.
This is just like Ted Lavender and his tranquilizers; he has them for safety and precaution "Ted Lavender, who was scared, carried tranquilizers" (O'Brien 1). That's mostly why people carry their phones and wallets.

spalmer

2/28/2014 03:01:04 am

me too keish! I feel like if I didn't have my phone my life is incomplete and everyone needs extra pocket change wherever they go,

Lee :)

2/28/2014 03:02:26 am

I agree with you keesh having your phone and your wallet are pretty important. If you don't have your phone you have no type of way of having help its like the men if they don't have any type of weapon they are screwed. and For the wallet i agree to becasue if you don't have it how are you suppose to buy anything or get identified if you die.

S Nieto

2/28/2014 02:47:29 am

One item that I carry with me in my bag is a United States Marine recruiting card. Some people may not see the importance of this but it belonged to a very close friend. A recruiter gave him the card and he stared at it for months before joining the military. About four months into his deployment he was killed. His mother received all his personal items, but she gave me the card and a letter he wrote me before he died. He wanted me to have the card, he said the piece of paper saved his life so he always kept it to remind him how he changed and to never turn into the person he once was. He said that if it wasn’t for the Marine Corps that he would have needed up in jail, or dead in a ditch somewhere. He said he knew there was a possibility he would not come home. He wanted to make a difference. He did not want to be the same person his was in high school but wanted to make his mother happy and proud for once in his life and he did. My friend saved four other guys in his unit by his last actions. Someone of them suffer from survivor’s guilt. My friend was the heart of the unit. He was like the goofy little brother to the other marines. The tangible reason is because I would like to join the military and I can call the recruiter when I feel like I am ready. He is the reason why I support our troops so much.
Another item I carry with me is a picture of my grandfather. I never got to meet him because he died when he was 33 and my mother was only 13. Everyone says I’m exactly like him quite, laid back and shy. I carry his picture so I won’t ever forget him and to remind myself to make him proud. It also gives me a sense of security, to know that he always with me.

LOL_leslie

2/28/2014 02:58:54 am

That is so sad. I'm sorry for his lost. It happens. It takes a lot to be in the military. My dad's uncle died after completing a mission. On their way back to my country, he was shot by a friend. That I do not know why his friend killed him. I like your comment.

la chula

2/28/2014 03:00:58 am

wow thats quite a story.. i agree with you.. i would carry that card with me too

AA link

2/28/2014 02:56:44 am

Items I carry around are my keys and phone. These items are important for communication and for shelter. The keys are an intangible item because they only hold value to me. They can’t be sold or used for anything else then opening my door. A key also represents safety and shelter. It doesn’t just open a door to nothingness. It opens a door to family, comfort and the ability to feel free in your own personal space. My phone is both a tangible and intangible item. It is tangible because to someone that has no use for its just metal, glass and plastic. It is intangible to me because my phone is my way of communication and music. I can’t go anywhere without having music so my phone is very important to me. It also gives me safety because I can call for help if something happens.

JaDe

2/28/2014 02:57:58 am

One item I would hump in my bag is my diary and pens. I would want to carry my diary in my bag to be able to vent and elaborate on my feelings. My diary would also give me hope that someone will one day understand my thoughts or opinions on things. My diary will symbolize my emotional stability. I know that without my diary, I would feel like I would not be able to express myself the way I’d like to and that would affect my mind in a negative light. Another item I would hump in my bag is a picture of my family. This photo of my family would make me feel like I am not alone and will motivate me to get back to them as soon as possible. By looking at this picture, I would feel a sense of inspiration and determination to accomplish any hardship I was faced with. I would be able to live without these items, but knowing that I can have them will provide happiness and positivity.

@harleymarie_x3

2/28/2014 02:58:06 am

One thing I carry with me all the time is my phone. I have my phone with me everywhere I go all the time. My phone is important so I can contact anyone I need to at any time I need to. In a case of an emergency, I can call someone for help. Also, I like to talk to people. I'm always talking to my friends and without them I don't know what I would do. Talking to them makes me happy. "In his wallet, Lieutenant Cross carried two photographs of Martha" (O'Brien 2). Cross carried a picture of Martha to keep the memory of her always with him when they can't be together. I carry my phone to keep my friends with me when we can't be together.
Another thing I always carry with me is my wallet. I always have my wallet with me so that I'm never left anywhere with no money. Having money is important in any situation, and is important to have just in case for anything. In my wallet, I always have a picture of my family. Having a picture of my family in my wallet makes me happy because it reminds me that I havesomething positive to go home to.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Mass Effect)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2/28/2014 08:42:09 am

Having a picture of family is a respectable item to carry. Still weak but ok. Family is a beautiful thing they will be there no matter what, because of that I try to stay out of trouble. Do you ever feel that your act like different when you're with a specific group? I feel so fake like theres a mask over my face. Its like my true self never comes out. You try to keep this mask and show it to your family and friends, but when you're with a specific group your mask falls. Sorry just me.

timtimsleh

2/28/2014 03:00:02 am

I would take my saint christopher necklace. I'd take this because its small, light, and easy to wear, but also holds a lot of sentimental value. I already wear the necklace everywhere and it brings me comfort. when im in an awkward, uncomfotable, or scary situation, or if im just a little bored, i always kiss the pendant. It also symbolizes family. Everyone in my family has their own saint christopher and its just something that hooks us together.

I would also cary an ipod. Music is very important not just to me bnut to everyone so i would let others borrow it as well. The ipod would be for downtimewhen we need to unwind or relax. because i would let others borrow it, it would not just bring comfort but also pull my troop together.

Savage

2/28/2014 03:01:28 am

Two things I carry with me wherever I go tangibly and intangibly are my phone and my keys to my home. I choose to carry my phone every where I go because that is my communication to the world basically. I look at my phone more than just a phone. That is where my most close people are and it helps me keep in contact with everyone. My phone is where I go to get away some times and where my social life is basically. I don’t know what I would do without it because it can be used for so many beneficial things like emergencies and keeping in contact with important people.
My keys are similar to my phone because they hold a great meaning as well. My keys are a very important possession to me for the simple fact that I wouldn’t even be able to get into my house without them. There have been times where I came into my house late and I know i have that them around my neck so I feel comfort. This can connect to the novel in a way or a character. “Henry Dobbins carried his girlfriend’s panty hose wrapped around his neck as a comforter.” (O’Brien 3) My keys make me feel secure because they have access to my home which is a secure place. They are a mandatory item everywhere I go.

JaDe

2/28/2014 05:51:19 am

I agree with Eric Rodriguez with his opinion on the glasses situation. I too have the disability of imperfect sight, and I believe that having glasses is an essential item to carry. A pair of glasses was not on my list of things to carry, but after reading your explanation, I realized how essential having a pair around was to me. I value my glasses more than I value a diary. I say this because without my glasses, I would be unable to even see or write anything anyway!

JaDe

2/28/2014 06:01:35 am

I can compare my anwser with JuJu's explanation. While I didn't put a phone as an item to hump, I feel as if it could be used as a safety device for emergencies. A phone can be used as a commuinication system in case anything bad happens. While some view it as a materialistic item, some view it as a life saver. Another item I can compare with JuJu is the notebook. You can generalize a diary as a notebook. I feel like they both have the same reasoning behind possesion. I feel like we have the same sort of personality. We would both like to put our thoughts, feelings, and opinions in to a book rather than express them to everyone.

Joooooooo

3/3/2014 04:22:25 am

Everywhere I go I carry one of my mom’s old rings with me. Whether it’s in my pocket, my bag, or on a chain around my neck it’s always with me. I never go anywhere without this ring because it helps me feel like I’m still connected to her. Whenever I look at the ring it reminds me that she’s still watching over me and protecting me even though I can’t physically see her. It brings me comfort knowing that I always have something to make me think of her. This is similar to Jimmy Cross carrying letters from Martha because he does so to always remember her. Another thing I always carry with me is money. I always need at least a few dollars with me in case of emergencies. When I have money on me it makes me feel a little safer in case I get stuck somewhere and need to take a bus or if I need to buy something to eat or drink.

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War and Peace" "The Things They Carried" Short Story Blog Post (Primary and Secondary-2 days)

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