Krista Ramsey Column Summary

      I read an article about her children using cute phrases.  It's adorable for one, and we should therefore appreciate what they say because it only lasts so long while they are really little.  A quote that stood out to me was: ""..." this is one of the many thought-provoking writer and speaker Maya Angelou."  I really liked the diction-choice she used here.  Based on "lead" she used mostly casual diction, and also (with her great use of the word "thought-provoking") spiced the medium-length sentence up with some elevated diction.  In terms of syntax there's not much spice to it.  I interpreted that as meaningful because that's all she wanted - to state her feelings of Angelou; nothing more.  I like simplicity because sometimes it's great and I'm sure Maya appreciates it.
     All of her columns contain meaningful simple sentences as well - almost always representing her opinion of someone / something like here: "Life is not two-dimensional." (not her words but she placed them strategically at the end of the article)  And her writing craft is very admirable!
     Questions for Krista:
-What provoked your family member to say, "don't mess with a happy baby,"?
-What inspired you to become the person you are today in society?
-How long (on average) does it take you to write and edit one of your columns?
-Why do you choose to write about the things you do? (relating to the world AND to personal life?)
-When did you decide this to be your full occupation and did you always enjoy it?

3. What I like best about my book

     I'm still reading Reached by Ally Condie, and it's very interesting so far.  Something I really like about the author's writing style and how it has changed throughout the series is that in the first book, the only perspective you heard was Cassia's (the main character) throughout the entire book.  Then in the second one you hear the perspective of Cassia and her love Ky, and then in the third book you can hear the perspective of Cassia, Ky and her other love Xander; this increases the drama because it gives you empathy for the different characters and what they are experiencing and what is being played out within the love triangle between them.  It makes decision-making a lot harder for Cassia because although she loves Ky, she can't help but love Xander too because he has always been her friend since childhood and was also her Match in the first book.
     She'll never forget how happy she was in that first Match Banquet a long time ago (well it feels like such a long time ago, although it's really only been about 5 months) when she was Matched with Xander.  But the feelings began coming to her when the Society made a 'mistake' which she later found out to be planned for some silly experiment they were trying on Cassia and Ky to see how they would react.  She's conflicted now; which boy to choose and be happy with once the Rising comes along... IF it ever comes.  No one even knows who the Pilot is (the leader of the Rising) and some even suspect he is dead.  There is much suspense, I'm ready to hear the decisions Cassia/Ky/Xander make in the near future as the story comes to a close.

2. Why I chose my book

     I chose the book I just started reading, Reached, first of all simply because it's the next book in a riveting trilogy called Matched, and I really got into it at the first chapter of the first book because of how well-written it was.  It was a very interesting journey that you go on with a young teenage girl named Cassia whom was born into this futuristic society where everything is based on odds, chances; numbers.  They predict everyone's behavior and moods all based on the data they've collected of them and their ancestors through the years they have been in power and that is what helps the Society stay in control of the people: because they know what the people will do (or there's a good chance of it) and can prepare themselves for it.
     The second book in the trilogy, Crossed, I thought was really dragged out for a short number of events.  There was 'a lot going on' in a sense, but most of what was happening was really in Ky's and Cassia's thinking process which made it really hard to get through and enjoy.  I still reached for the third book because I knew that where the storyline had come to,  that the third one would have very interesting twists.  Xander has come into play now in this love triangle (a lot like 'Twilight') and the readers are now aware that he is a part of the Rising; always has been.  It's shocking because we'd never expect that rule-abiding genius kid Xander would have any opposing views, but turns out we don't know as much about him as we thought.  I can't wait to get further in the book and hear what Cassia is going to do next.