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Reading Into The Wild & learning about Christopher Columbus was an absolute ride. He makes such huge decisions & sometimes, I feel like he's making the wrong decision such as when he declines help from people, even when he isn't in the wilderness yet. I do admire his inspiration & ability to go after what he wants to achieve like going into the wild or graduating from school. If he wants something, he will set out to achieve it. I like his way of inspiring others, he'd try to inspire others to run by telling them to imagine themselves running from the darkness or something along those lines. He can be quite a cool guy as many other have seen & experienced. He met quite a lot of people & I think he kinda enjoyed it but he definitely did not enjoy getting too close. He doesn't want to feel stuck, probably similar to how he felt with his parents. I also understand why he left but I can admit, I do feel for his family as it would be so difficult to lose someone you love especially after they left without much to say. It also saddens me that Ron wanted to help him too but Christopher still left. Yet, I know that Chris cared about Ron as he also left Ron some advice about living on his own. I'll admit, it's not the best advice or even good advice for someone who isn't as young as Chris but I can tell that's probably how Chris was trying to show Ron that he did care & appreciate him in some way. I understand why he may want to push others away but it does suck seeing from an outsider's perspective about how hurt they must've been after just wanting to help him out. It really sucks but I can't get over that he actually went out to live his life the way he wanted to. Most people won't do that, most don't take that risk & most usually don't want to try & survive in the wild without much but to each their own.

#DeterminationIsKey #NotSoCool #HeLivedHowHeWanted

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My dog, Benji, is a big part of my life. He's been with us for at least 4 years now. He is very playful & energetic. A very happy dog. He loves to lay in my lap as I do homework or beside me as I watch TV. He loves to play fetch with his favorite toys. He'll run around & steal our socks. He really brings happiness to my life. Not just him, but dogs & all other animals in general. I love to see them happy. Sadly, Benji isn't always as okay as I would hope for him to be. He has seizures, likely due to his breed. It's always so hard to see him in that state. Over the past few years, I've learned how to help him & take care of him. After it's over, & some time has passed, he'll become more playful again & happy. That's always a relief yet there is always some lingering worry left over. I want to help him & all other animals that may need help. He has inspired me further to start my path to become a veterinarian or to at least work in that area field to help other animals as well.

#HeIsMyInspiration #IWishToHelp #LoveAnimals

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Summary: Jon Krakauer continued to ponder the question (para. 3) of Christopher's death for almost 23 years. The more he searched for his answer, the more times he came back to the diary. A specific food that even Chris had shortly took note of in his diary. Krakauer had been researching so much that he believed the seed had a certain toxicity (para. 6) could have killed Christopher. After conversing with a writer who wrote about poisonings in Nazi camps. Krakauer decided to send the seed to the seed for a neurotoxin called Beta-ODAP. He had worked with chemists, studied up, & sent seed samples to different places to analyze (para. 6). He believed he found that to be the reason & cause of death for Christopher but after more tests (para. 9) being done, he found that the toxin (para. 9) he was looking for was actually another amino acid called L-canavanine. With more research, Krakauer found that many people ate this potato plant yet there was no record (para. 11) of people eating the seed as Christopher had done. So, there wasn't much research of what the seed could have done or the full effect but what was known was that the seed had weakened (para. 20) Christopher & was part of the reason he did not survive.

Analysis: The afterword really shows Krakauers' dedication to figuring out what exactly caused Christopher's death. Sadly, there isn't much research or much evidence as to what the seed can really do since most people don't actually eat it but at least he was able to figure out why & how it affected Christopher & his death.

#SeedsCanBeDangerous #BeCarefulWhatYouEat #Research

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Summary: Jon Krakauer had taken Walt & Billie to visit the bus that Christopher stayed at & was found. They had a last-minute decision to take a helicopter (p. 200) because Billie wanted to follow (p. 201) the trail that Christopher had traveled. After the helicopter had dropped them off, they understood why Christopher could have loved (p. 202) the space & Walt admitted to the beauty (p. 202) that it held as well. Going through the bus, they found some of Christopher's belongings which they found comforting (p. 203) to know (p.203) that he actually resided in that space for some time because the other places they visited did not give them much of an indication that he was there yet the bus did. When the helicopter returned, the peaceful quiet (p. 203) disappeared as they took their leave, watching the bus grow small the further they moved away.

Analysis: A peaceful ending was achieved within this epilogue. There's the satisfaction of relief from the parents finding comfort in Christopher's previous presence on the bus. They were able to connect with Christopher & see what he saw in the wild & in that area. It's so calm & peaceful like the sunshine after the storm yet there is still the lingering pain that he is gone but comforting for them to have felt his presence one more time in a connection of his last place alive.

#APeacefulEnding #ComfortInThePast #ABusFullOfMemories

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Summary: Christopher had wanted to take his dog Buckley with him to Alaska. He cared so much for Buck it's possible he wouldn't have taken the risks he had if Buck was with him yet his parents didn't let him as Buck was recovering (p. 128) from being hit by a bus. Christopher & Carine were quite alike in many ways that they were frequently (p. 128) asked if they were twins. It was so difficult for his family to process his death as his sister cried & screamed in pain than her husband worried the neighbors would think something else. Billie absolutely refused (p. 131) to believe it was Christopher until the dental records proved it was. When his ashes were cremated, his name was spelled wrong (p. 131) which really upset Carine until she figured that Christopher would think it was funny. Carine & Billie lost their appetite (p. 131) & lost weight while Walt had the opposite & gained (p. 132) weight instead.

Analysis: The effects of losing a loved one can be tough. Carine & Billie couldn't believe the information, they had to take time to process the truth. All three of them had a major change in appetite as Carine & Billie lost weight from losing their appetite & Walt gained weight from an increase in appetite. The effects of losing a loved one can affect people in different ways, their bodies react in different ways & find different ways to cope.

#HeWasLoved #HeIsMissed #ItsHardWithoutHim

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Summary: After graduating from high school, at his celebration party, Christopher gifted his father a birthday present & gave an emotional speech (p. 118) about his appreciation for him before leaving on another trip. When Chris came back, he had grown a beard & lost (p. 118) a lot of weight because he had gotten lost in the Mojave Desert & almost given up from dehydration. While being at school, Christopher readjusted to that life-style again & even started talking enthusiastically (p. 119) about getting a law degree. After some time, he had become mad (p. 121) & angry with his parents as he had learned the painful (p. 121) truth about his father's two families while re-visiting their old neighborhood on his own. After Christopher left & not hearing anything from him, his mother had woken from a dream in July of 1992 as she said she heard Christopher was calling for her help (p. 126).

Analysis: Going over his post-high school & college years, we figure out the many different changes Christopher had gone through. We are told & can see more of his different beliefs, why he believes them, & how he reacts to different scenarios. It was a rollercoaster, it must've also felt like one for him as well, especially after seeing what he had experienced & how it could've affected him.

#OutOfHighSchool #CollegeYears #MoreTrips

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Summary: Walt wonders how his son who had so much compassion (p. 104) could cause his parents so much pain. Walt was said to be the type of guy who is a leader & took control of situations with a strong voice. After his son's disappearance, that changed (p. 105) as he became softer. Chris & Carine had become close due to not having their parents around often as they worked hard especially since Walt had another family from his first wife. Billie's father & Chris were quite alike (p. 108) as they both shared a similar affinity for the wilderness & a few other things. Even when Christopher was a younger child, he was said to be quite fearless (p. 109) as he would want to climb to the top of a dangerous mountain on a family trip. He was also captain (p. 112) of the cross country squad & was said to be quite serious about running & many other things while using a spiritual aspect to motivate others. Christopher would do what he believes is right (p. 113) & would help others as he had even provided a homeless man a place to stay in secret. He was also mentioned to have been great at selling (p. 116) since a young age as he was a great entrepreneur despite believing wealth was evil. He had a job offer to stay after high school yet he declined because he had plans (p. 116) to drive across the country.

Analysis: This chapter explores the backstory of the family, going in-depth about some of Christopher's beliefs with examples. We find out about his family situation, what he thinks of money, others, & doing what he believes is right. He does not like to take orders from others, he prefers to take action on helping others.

#Backstory #FindingOutTheTruth #HisLifeGrowingUp

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Christopher McCandless (A happy picture, A happy memory)

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Summary: When they found Christopher McCandless, they knew absolutely nothing (p. 99) about him, as his possessions had given them no leads. After the news was first posted in the Anchorage Daily News headline (p. 99) about a dead hiker found, they had finally gotten a lead on his identity as Gallien had called to report that he knew Christopher since he drove him. Westerberg had learned of Christopher's death on the radio, he had called to let them know that he knew him & had his information too. It took some time since they didn't believe him due to the amount of calls they were getting that turned out to be false. Yet, Westerberg was able to prove his friendship as he was once Christopher's boss so he had his W-4 forms (p. 100). With the information given, they now could try to contact Christophers family yet they couldn't because his family moved. Although, his half (p. 101) brother, Sam, had been informed & was shown a picture of Christopher. Christopher looked so different in the photograph, yet Sam knew (p. 102) that it was him so he had drove to Maryland to tell Christopher's parents.

Analysis: This was an emotional chapter. It's terrible of the ways that they had learned of Christopher's death. It's truly terrible that they all had lost him as well. It seems to have been a long & tiring process yet they were persistent in finding his identity & his origins.

#Emotional #TheLossBecomesKnown #HorribleNews

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Summary: Everett Ruess & his parents had moved to & from many places until Everett became fourteen. Although, he decided to continue to stay on the move (p. 90) for the remainder of what is known of his life after graduating from high school. Similarities & parallels (p. 91) are shown between Everett Ruess & Christopher McCandless as their beliefs & preferences are shown through their writing in letters. Similar to McCandless, Ruess had also had name (p. 93) changes during his journey, even though his final name decision came back to be his birth name. When searching for Ruess, after a sudden disappearance, they had discovered "Nemo" (p. 94) along with a year carved in the same places & same year that Ruess had traveled to. It was also made aware, by his father, that Everett had possibly been inspired by a book & decided to live by it as there had been similarities between a character & Everetts actions. The last similarity is made, not only between Chris & Everett but, with monks who had moved due to their desire to be alone like Chris & Everett do.

Analysis: There were a lot of similarities made known in this chapter. It's a wonder that they both had such similar thought processes & beliefs with such similar stories as well. It really does bring awareness & could be helpful to how or why both of them could have made the decisions they had made. It also shows the mystery of it all as well, due to the fact that this is all the evidence & resources known. There is no way to ask them about their thinking, experiences, or anything anymore. Yet, this allows a chance to view the similarities & differences between them, their lives, & the paths they took.

#twins #brothersfromanothertime #besties

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Summary: Chris Mccandless was said to have visited a sleepy (p. 15) town called Carthage many times as he developed a bond with the town & a person named Wayne Westerberg who lived in that town. Wayne says he met Chris, also known as Alex when he picked him up as a hitchhiker. He described him as an amiable (p. 16) kid. He was only supposed to drop him off at a certain area but due to the rain (p. 17), Alex had stayed longer & was even known to come back several times to work. He did lots of physical labor (p. 18) & he was determined to finish all his tasks well. Although his family was also wealthy, he didn't care much for money. He had a good education & a good car that he cared much for. After his graduation, he told his parents that he wanted to disappear (p. 21) for a while & so he left. After some time, they went to visit him since they hadn't heard from him in a while yet when they got to his apartment, it had been empty as he moved out. He planned on starting a new (p. 23) life & decided to adopt a new name as well which would be Alexander Supertramp.

Analysis: Chris had made his decision on leaving & starting his new life with a new name. It seems so sudden to everyone else yet he most likely planned it all. He mostly resided in a town called Carthage where he would work at yet was said to return several times due to his liking of the town & a person named Wayne Westerberg. They seemed to be decent friends & Wayne helped Alex out when he could.

#FirstNewFriend #FavoriteTown #NewLife

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Summary: In the 2nd chapter, we are introduced to three people: Thompson, Samel, & Swanson. All of them enjoy driving ATVs, (p. 12) motor vehicles, where they shouldn't be driven. While driving around, they came across a bus (p. 12) & two other people who seemed scared. They mentioned a bad smell coming from the bus yet hadn't gone inside. At the rear exit of the bus, a handwritten (p. 12) note was taped to the door. The note is a call for help, written by Chris, explaining that he is injured & too weak to hike out of the area or to safety so he'd remain at or near the bus. Samel had gained the courage to look within the bus & found a few belongings as well as a blue sleeping bag (p. 12) which seemed to hold something or someone within it. They took a closer look & saw a head sticking out. It was Christopher Mcandless's body who is said to have been dead for two & a half weeks. They suggested he be evacuated & a new person arrived who had to drive away a bit to make contact (p. 13) with troopers to handle the situation properly. A helicopter arrived to pick up his remains, (p. 13) a camera & its film, the note, & a diary containing his journey in his final weeks as well as a guide to edible plants. They did an autopsy, weighed his remains at 67 lbs & figured that his most probable cause of death (p. 14) is starvation although they couldn't figure out exactly when he died due to the state of his decomposition.

Analysis: This chapter would seem to be a lot, especially since it is only the second chapter & we are learning about his death. Though it does allow so much curiosity about what happened between the time he had gotten there & his last day. I genuinely enjoyed this chapter. It is upsetting that he was unable to survive but I think he really tried & he did a great job with what he had with him. In the last chapter, Gallien mentioned that most, normal people would leave before anything got too bad but Chris stayed for quite a while & it has me entrapped & curious to know why. What was his determination & reasoning for all these risks? I want to know who he was & who he become to make such decisions.

#TheBus #142 #tragedy

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Summary: Into the Wild is a book about Christopher Johnson McCandless, also known as Alex.  The first chapter starts with Jim Gallien driving out of Fairbanks where he picks up a hitchhiker named Alex. He agrees to take him to the edge of Denali National Park so that he could "'live off the land for a few months'." Gallien knows that many have attempted to do the same & that Alex did not have enough gear (pg. 5) for him to be considered safe. Gallien decided he could try to dissuade (p.5) Alex from trying to live out there for months by telling him stories yet Alex seemed to be excited (p. 6) no matter what he had said. Gallien asked whether he had family or someone who knew of what he was doing in case something were to happen. Alex said that nobody knew of his plan & he hasn't spoke with his family in almost two years. He is so sure that he won't run into anything that he wouldn't be able to deal with on his own. (p. 6) Gallien was concerned with Alex, his actions, his gear, & how he wouldn't be prepared for what truly lies in the wild such as even the road began to become a rough, (p. 6) unmaintained track. Alec insisted on giving (p. 6) his stuff away to Gallien as it wouldn't be needed in the wild & he would probably just toss it anyways so Gallien decided to give Alex some boots to take with him. Before Alex walked off into the wild, he requested that Gallien would take a picture of him at the edge with his camera. (p. 7)

Analysis: After reading the first chapter, I do admire his determination & will to try & survive off the actual land but it will most definitely be very dangerous. He definitely had plenty of time to think it through so it was completely his choice to go through with it without much gear.

#Start of a New Journey #NatureisCool #Bye

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The Beautiful Elephant. She was so sweet.

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This was a photo taken 4 years ago. I was on a vacation with some family. We stayed at a few places in Bali, Indonesia. All places we're surrounded by the beautiful nature. This specific spot had elephants. We took some pictures with elephants & even got to pet them too. It was a nice adventure. It was enjoyable to be able to see what was around as well. There were lots of beautiful plants & flowers around as well. It left a very calming, peaceful, & happy feeling with me. I would absolutely visit again or try to be in nature again whether it is an experience like this or a hike/walk in a forest, which I have done as well.