Justin's Blog

  As of today my weight is 323.8lbs. At the start of the year (or when I wrote My 100th Post ) I was at 327.4 lbs. I haven't really worked out, or dieted, but I cut my hair today, and I'm going to go for hopefully a run if not a walk to the border tomorrow. 

 Justin Vera April 13, 2018 Creative Writing Meae Vitae Fuit Mirabile Omne quod coepit ... A freshman, he had no idea what was in store for him. How could he? Primary had been so ordinary. He associated in routines that were predisposed for him. Yes it was true he was an athlete that had gotten along great with his fellow players, but other than that he had not known true companionship. He lived as a sun, rotating, spinning around in circles just because it was told to do so. His mind was crude and needed molding and sculpting and perfecting. The raw material was there, what was not was the intricate contours that would make him into a sentient being.  Sequitur... High school. He knew none. The players that had been alongside him had fallen into the murky clutches of drugs and alcohol. An outcast now because he did not fit into the puzzle that produced a blurred image of disease, pain, and immorality. He went through first form not … What?! This is not how you narrat...

 Justin Moses Vera John Paul II Junior College Trivium 101 September 22, 2017 The Middle Ground “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em” (Shakespeare, pg. 82). The writer from the renaissance stated an argument of how people become who they are today. Back in his time opportunity came to some by birth right, others toiled and bled for their opportunities, the rest were the fortunate to have opportunity knock on their door. This nowadays can be tied into another common issue of the effects technology has on young people today. This issue can be explored from sides. Technology helps youth obtaining a better education, but technology can also devour ones time with useless habits. The idea that technology is good or bad is all up to the user. One can come to the conclusion that technology works not to build or destroy but to guide and be guided by the user so as to seize and achieve greatness. To illustrate, go back a hundred or even fi...

JP2 Year in Review            By: Justin Vera               ‎February ‎6, ‎2019 Greetings reader, we here at the only junior college in Benque Viejo Del Carmen, John Paul II Junior College, applaud your efforts and admire your taste in writings of the truth brought to you from the source (NAME OF NEWSPAPER HERE).  The following article is the short 2018 year in review for the school. As you will see the school partook in many new endeavors, and continued many old traditions as well. Perhaps you participated in some of them, perhaps you saw us carrying out some of them, or perhaps you have never heard of such endeavors being taken, without further ado, here is what you so long to read: August- This Month kicked off the second half of the year for the school. The beginning of the month (1st-9th) saw the end of the Summer English Course. This is a one credit class that all incoming students are encouraged to ta...

 Justin Moses Vera Ms. Angela Kendrick  THEO 201 5 September 2018 Explanations and Similarities Based on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, he claimed that man is a rational animal. If so, then we all rationalize or we all justify. To justify you have to think. To think you have to question. So if you question you end up with many bizarre a jarring questions. Have these questions ever popped in your mind:  “What are philosophy and theology, and why are they crucial to a young person’s education today?” or “Can’t you live a good life without believing in Christianity?” If those questions have ever been at least in the back of your mind, then Peter Kreeft and C. S. Lewis answered those questions brilliantly. The task at hand will be summarizing and explaining what both articles have to say and what they have in common.  First of all in the paper by Peter Kreeft, “Why study Theology and Philosophy”, we learn once and for all why we need philosophy and theology now rather th...

 #1) how did you encounter Christ very clearly this week? Playing with the kids. I had retired from two of the various sports that I once played. On the first day we went to it and just went all out and played with Domingo's kids whom I had no idea who they were. However as the days passed, I had the time to reflect on why I would play and participate in so many sports. It basically boiled down to wanting to impress girls. But within that I had time to recall something I had promised with a friend long ago. We would not share our first kiss until we were at the altar. Even if it wasn't to each other. As the memories came back of the girlfriends I lost because I kept firm to my promise I became super bummed out. I had lost so much for something I promised so long ago. Coupled with the fact that I just kept remembering the words of so many people scolding me because I have so much talent but I refused to let it grow. All the silent time in prayer showed me that it is and always w...

 Justin Vera Philosophy 102 January 29, 2018 Democritus’ assumption Being based on Democritus’ assumptions it can be inferred that atoms have always existed and will always exist. This raises a problem…what about the creation of new things? According to Dalton's Atomic Theory, Atoms of one element cannot be changed into atoms of a different element by chemical reactions and atoms can neither be created nor destroyed in chemical reactions. Thus in a chemical reaction, only the atoms present in the reactants can end up in the products. No new atoms are created, and no atoms are destroyed. In a chemical reaction, reactants contact each other, bonds between atoms in the reactants are broken, and atoms rearrange and form new bonds to make the products. Combinations of elements form molecules or chemical compounds, for example water, H20, contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen. You cannot create new elements by mixing different compounds. In order to create a new element you ...

 Justin Moses Vera January 14, 2019 What it means to be a Belizean As the title may give away, the purpose and driving cause of this paper will deal with what it means to be a Belizean. To fully grasp this, three things will be explained, two of which are: What Belize, and what being Belizean means. The final point, more opinionated, will be concerning what Belize can become. The following is meant to inform and inspire you, the reader. Enjoy! First of all, many Belizeans are aware that the country was formerly known as British Honduras, then in 1973 its name was officially changed to Belize. The name of our country “Belize”, as many tourists have noted, is very exotic and unique and over the years has generated various “origin” stories.  The origin of the name is unclear; however, there exist two popularly espoused possibilities of the etymology of the name Belize. The first, one of the more logical origin stories, was probably derived from the earliest records of the settlem...

 Justin M. Vera March 19, 2019 https://forebears.io/surnames/vera So, the above link is to a surname meaning website that I found after doing a bit of surfing on the web. I found out that approximately 786,731 people bear my surname, and that it is most prevalent in Mexico. It is the 689th most common surname in the world. I also found out that it originally meant 'truth' (from veritas, 'truth' in Latin). Another meaning is from ancient Spanish, referred to a little road o sidewalk boundary ("la vera, vereda"). So, to many that might be met with a resounding “So what!” Well, not exactly how I feel. Not only because it is my surname, but because I have always heard that my father was Mexican, but I never believed it. Before Belizean studies, moreover, before John Paul II Junior College, I cared very little for my specific ancestry. Mainly because I thought that there were no records being kept personally. So, I just never bothered with it. I was intereste...

 Student life My name is Justin Vera, 18 years old now, and I am the schools president and a second year enrolled at John Paul II Junior College. I am pursuing an Associate’s degree in English and I am a perspective graduate of their 2019 commencement exercises.  I am delighted to talk to you all today about the student life at JPIIJC. Where to begin, from the outdoors to in the classroom environment, there is never a dull moment with our friends. The atmosphere is one of the main reasons as to why this is possible. Matter of fact, this weekend I spoke with an old colleague that is currently enrolled at UB and his reaction is not what I expected. He seemed exhausted, he said that his main drive for going forward was that he had to, so that he could get a good job. He said that and it broke my heart what he followed up and said, he does not go to our school but the face and the smile he had when he told me he heard about the parties and activities that the school had, and h...

 Justin Moses Vera John Paul II Junior College Outdoor Leadership Adventure 21st August, 2018 Reflection The Outdoor Leadership Adventure, or OLA for short, is unique. It is an experience that drives incoming students at John Paul II Junior College deeper into nature and themselves. The week long activity places individuals at the top of the mountain, here they overlook the valley below, and being able to step back, they realize their weaknesses and also their strengths. However, the experience comes at a price, thought the week may be rigorous: Physically, Mentally, and spiritually, the students are faced with a challenge and a call on the final day. Despite having grown immensely the past days, here at JPII you are called to keep growing, and keep challenging yourself to overcome and conquer the valley. The OLA is not just a camp, or a retreat, it is a mindset for life. 

 Reflective Letter Justin Moses Vera, he is currently enrolled in the second year of Junior College at John Paul II, and is pursuing an associate’s degree in English.  Writing in his life has been a form of decompression from the world around him. He writes for others, not for himself. His writings have been acclimated from the classroom environment to the public ears. Yet, he remains humble. Many do not know him because he keeps his talents from overlooking others and making them feel uncomfortable.  Since high school he has been an amazing writer, with a rival that always came up short, he began to get cocky. He put minimal effort because that was enough to get a hundred. That was until he went to a competition in Cayo. He recited a poem that he did in less than five minutes and he came up short by getting fourth place. The memory haunts him to this day. Yet that was a wakeup call for him to work hard and give his all.    Today, Justin keeps writing. From poet...

 Justin M. Vera March 18, 2019 Reporte de Lectura En el libro que leímos en clase, Old Benque escrito por el Sr. David Nicholas Ruiz Puga, cuyo tema es el de las misteriosas creencias ficticias de los del Benque. Aunque el libro es ficticio, se basa en varias entrevistas realizadas por el propio autor. La razón del título del libro es realmente muy interesante. "Old Benque" es una referencia no solo al nombre de Benque, sino también a sus orígenes. "Benque" es en realidad la palabra en inglés para "orilla del río" o “Bank” que se ha pronunciado mal y, finalmente, se ha convertido en la palabra que hoy conocemos como "Benque". ¡Eso es genial! El nivel de importancia histórica es excelente y proporciona más profundidad no solo al título, sino también a un nivel más profundo de autenticidad de las historias en sí. Bien, entonces, el libro contiene cuatro cuentos, sin embargo leemos uno en específico, el que se titula "el duende".  L...

 Justin M. Vera Ms. Katie Jones Eng. 210 June 1, 2018 Responses to the Rhetorical Reading Summary Dana Gioia, article, and “Why Literature Matters”, (April 10, 2005), asserts that civic and historical knowledge are directly affected by the increase or decrease of literary reading. The author develops this by stating, “the interest young Americans showed in the arts- and especially literature- actually diminished,” (Giona, 2005) and he continues by highlighting the effects caused as a result by saying, “declining rates of literacy reading coincide with the declining levels of historical and political awareness among young people” (Giona, 2005). The authors apparent purpose is to sway the population (an age group of around 15 – 26 mostly) in order to get them, if they are not already, to read literature. By doing so he singles out this age group and tries to sway them to read by saying if they do they, “are more likely to perform charity work, visit a museum, or attend a sporting e...

The impact of religious studies can be either beneficial or detrimental in Belizean education. Many people thus question why should schools in Belize continue, or if they are not already: start, to implement religion into their curriculums? While other people may claim that including religious studies into a curriculum is an insignificant addition, I, as a student who has always had religion be a part of his curriculum, disagree that it is an unimportant addition; rather, the incorporation of religion provides a wholesome education as an enlightening experience. Religion in many cases, has been, and can continue to be beneficial. The reason for that is although many blame religion for most of the world’s problems today, it is very clear that religious studies provide purpose in life, a moral or ethical framework for how to live our life, and the belief in consequences for having lived properly or not. Today’s people are influenced by many things, from media, to social conduct, to perso...

 Justin Moses Vera Mr. Jacob Oster Speech (TRIV201) November 1, 2018 Should Music be a Crutch? Interestingly, many people consider music a crutch without knowing it, are you one of these individuals? There is no need to answer immediately, and there is also no need to fret if you are uncertain where you stand. Consider this…a crutch is “a support typically fitting under the armpit for use by the disabled in walking” (“Crutch”). Simply said, it is something that helps you around when you are unable to move forward on your own. Music has the same ‘use’, so to speak, because it helps many people get through things like depression, work, or boring activities. To illustrate, a person that has had multiple injuries, that has had various surgeries, who has heard doctors tell them countless times that they will never be able to walk again, that individual can be motivated by songs with energetic and inspirational lyrics to never give up. Many people’s lives have been saved due to inspira...

The Belizean Howler monkey Belizeans interviewed on the ICJ Reported by Justin M. Vera, Media Correspondent, Belize  ‎June ‎20, ‎2018 Today at 9:00 A.M. a reporter went out into the busy streets of Benque Viejo Del Carmen to ask local residents about the International Court of Justice, the speculations, controversy and resentment, felt toward the court and the upcoming referendum. This all in attempt to inform you, the reader, about issues facing this nation and you, today. June 19, 2018 was a historic day for many Benqueños, this media correspondent took to the streets and asked several questions to the general public. Many people were interviewed, their religious, economic and political views set aside, and they were asked questions that pertained to the future of their country. Several people were asked if a qualified person has explained to them what a referendum was, shockingly all answered no. Not a single individual had been taught anything. One would think that it would b...

 Justin M. Vera Ms. Katie Jones Eng. 210 June 4, 2018  The Indigenous Developing Society “Indigenous people believe that Man belongs to the world; civilized people believe that the world belongs to man” (Quinn, n.d.). These words from Daniel Quinn highlight many truths that will be discussed here. First and foremost, who is an indigenous person? As Mr. Joseph states, “As it stands, there is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous Peoples in a global context. Some countries refer to Indigenous Peoples as the nomadic peoples within their borders” (Joseph, n.d.). Ranging from Aztec to Yucatec, from Aborigine to Eskimo, from Inca to Mopan, all those and many more indigenous people share common roles, they are not just as a statistic or a percentage of the entire country’s population. Indigenous people give us concrete proof from where we come, and their mere existence shows us where we can go. In fact, the indigenous help in the development of society because they provi...

Justin M. Vera John Paul II Junior College Man: The Image of God November 18, 2018 Ms. Angela “The Jeweler’s Shop”-St. John Paul II  The Jeweler’s Shop is a meditation on marriage by the future pontiff, told with warmth and wit through the stories of three couples: a young couple torn by war, an older couple tempted by infidelity, and lastly the children of these two marriages who themselves are called to love. These acts focusing on each couple are tied together by encounters with the “Jeweler”, whose store seems oddly supernaturally attuned to the truth of marriage. (Coincidence??? I think not!)Near the beginning of The Jeweler's Shop, one of the characters, a young woman, recalls a hiking trip she took with friends. At night, in the mountains, a mysterious cry sounded, and everyone became quiet to listen for the call to sound again. The hikers call back, and there is no response. And the young woman, Teresa, begins wondering about signals sent and missed: “Then I was thinking ab...

THE STUDENT SCRIPT  The only news you need DEFENSELESS TREE MASACRED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT!!! By: J. M. Vera On the 1st of January, 2000, the last remaining Silver Torch Cactus was cut down in the Atacama Desert to build a basketball court for the residents in Chile.  The event that brought in the new millennium saw rise to a heinous crime transpiring at noon.  Construction workers went in guns blazing to clear the land with their bulldozers, chainsaws, and machetes. This would for them result in just another day at the office had there not have been an endangered species calling the place home. The rare and now extinct Silver Torch Cactus. Residents there rose up and tried to protect the plant, but despite their best efforts, were futile. One 89 year old resident living on the property, Mr. Jordi Reyes, had this to say: “I have lived here long. I grew up here. I fell in love here. For all my life I have called here home. They just came in here without considering the little ...

 Justin Moses Vera John Paul II Junior College Trivium 101 December 8, 2017 Ms. Megan Vitam Patriae Antiquae Oh civilization! How have you corrupted over time? You congregate towards obscurity and agony and find pleasure in its prospering. One can perceive this in its quintessence when the world flocked when there was a solar eclipse and everyone congregated in the shade and basked where no light shun. That action mirrors society’s preference for the negative obscurities instead of the wonderful blessings that shine every day.  Hearing the muted cries of the people one can only halt to ponder of the cause as to why the interminable lamentations. Perhaps one may perceive a blissful individual frolicking untroubled, when in reality their soul and existence is being consumed within an interminable contention for knowledge and peace of mind? Where is the spring from which the people can quench their thirst? Could it be the comparable with the words of Horace, “Fortunam et Vi...

Justin M. Vera Ms. Katie Jones Eng. 210 June 14, 2018 Which is Greater? “21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21-22, Bible Gateway). According to the Biblical origins of man, women were taken out of the side of man, God could have taken any other part of the body, the head, the foot, or even created woman the same way that He created man. Scholars have debated over why is it that this was done, Simple. To show that man and woman are equal partners, and neither is above, or below one another. Then, there is to say: parents. The question also arises; which is Greater? Well this is like asking which of the two is more important for survival: air or water. As you need both air and water for your survival. You cannot replace their importance. Both...