I easily connected to Alexandra’s article, “Car Ride”. She used vivid details to help readers easily picture what she experienced. Her article is about her and her family on the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. The parkway is like “an amusement park ride” and she quickly feels nausea and gets concussed when her father slammed on the brake. Then, she describes how she is certain that her father is a CIA operative. Finally, she starts to fight off all of the random thoughts that were overflowing into her head.

Also, I love many things about the article. First, I love the way how Alexandra incorporates her thoughts of her father being an CIA operative and what he may be doing. For example, going to Europe in shiny black cars. Another thing I love, is that she gives and describes how she feels, like she’s in a movie. I get that sense by the music playing on her ipod, “melancholy music” and being a misunderstood teenager gazing out of the window, is just right.

I know that feeling of a nauseating car ride. But mine was an emotional one without any concussions. There was the overwhelming feeling of scattered thoughts coming all at me at once. “Is this the right choice, to leave Dad and Bobby, my brother, to get better? Instead of spiraling down hill with them? Is this worth a better life? Not seeing Bobby and Dad everyday?” I went through three hours of these thoughts and bawling my eyes out until I had no more tears. But eventually, my mother and I got to the ferry to the island that would take us away. It was for the better; Mom would get better, I would blossom from the fresh start. But, my freedom wouldn’t be worth the lost of my brother and father.