Going from eating rat meat and old soup to eating fresh bread and cool water is quite a change. Being picked on by elders or being cared for by loving companions are also very different scenarios. The book Soldier X shows many different examples of cultural differences between Germany’s and Russia’s armies.
There were many ways in which these two countries were different, one of them being the way their soldiers were viewed. Being a soldier in Germany meant that you were a young boy that was born to die for their country. They were told, “You are nothing – your people are everything.” You were seen as invaluable and just seen as one group, you yourself didn’t matter, while being a soldier in Russia was pretty different. Each individual was thought to matter. They knew that each one of those soldiers had a family and had a mind of their own. The Russian soldiers all had the same status. If they were young boys or old veterans, they received the same amount of kindness and care. Germans were the exact opposite in this area. The older, more experienced soldiers would get the better treatment while the younger ones had a really hard time. These views of the soldiers came heavily into play when it came to how the soldiers saw each other.
How the soldiers acted towards each other in the German army and the Russian army is obviously different. The German soldiers seemed to live by the saying “every man for himself” while the Russians seemed to want to help each other out, no man left behind. What was most obvious about the relationship between one soldier and the next was that the German soldiers made it very clear when they didn’t like someone, usually the younger soldiers. The Nazis that were older and had been in the war longer really enjoyed picking on and teasing the new soldiers. In this book, Don Wulffson talks about a young boy who gets picked on by an older soldier. The older soldier stole the young boy’s sandwich and then says “This is quite good, did your mama make it for you?” They bullied them and tried their best to intimidate them. The Russians had the exact opposite relationship. It was almost like a father-son relationship among the older and younger men in the Russian army. The younger boys kind of looked up to the more experienced veterans. They supported each other and cared for each other.
When it came to caring for the soldiers, in a non-affectionate way, the Russian army and the German army still were really different. When a German soldier was injured and hospitalized, they would be bandaged up in a small hospital that maybe had been used as a bus or a small building. After that, they would maybe be sent back off to war, going back to receiving a low amount of food and barely any sleep. When a Russian was injured, they would be taken to a schoolhouse or another big building turned into a fully operating hospital to be healed over a period of time. Not until they were fully recovered and examined was there a possibility of being sent back to fight. It was so clear that the Russians truly cared about their injured soldiers because all of the nurses and doctors were volunteers, and they were whole-heartedly dedicated to their patients. A general came into one of the Russian hospitals to inspect it and possibly send some of the inured soldiers back to fight, when he took a liking to one of the nurses. He had asked if she wanted to come back with him to do important work. The nurse replied, “I am already doing important work.” The nurses and doctors of the Russian hospitals cared deeply about their patients. The Russians and the Germans definitely had a different kind of system for caring for their soldiers.
In Soldier X, It became very clear that there were major differences between the Russian army and the German army. There were different ways of caring for the soldiers, they were viewed differently and seen in different lights. Each country had its own way of dealing with and handling its army. Overall, it shows big differences in German and Russian cultures, although they may have a few similarities, Soldier X shows just how different these two cultures are.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Extra Credit #1 (offshore drilling)
When I was little I used to watch a show called Captain Planet. It was about this group of kids trying to help the environment and one episode that I remember watching was about them trying to help animals that were affected by an oil spill. Now, even though this was a cartoon, it still scared me watching the animals go through what they did, it scared me to see how it affected the people. Now this is happening in real life and this is a crucial time for United States to stop offshore drilling.
The US should stop offshore drilling because it can be extremely harmful to our country, and not just ecologically. The United States happens to be in a recession right now. Gas prices are very high and people can’t afford it to get much higher. If the US stopped offshore drilling and found a source of fuel right here in America, the citizens would be so much better off. Gas prices would be cheaper and the United States will be able to support itself and not have to depend on foreign countries or sneaky oil companies who have drilled for oil illegally to supply us with our fuel. The US needs to put an end to offshore drilling because it not only harms our economy, it is also terrible for our environment.
Drilling for oil offshore can cause great damage to the world around us. As people can already see, the offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has only resulted in an uncontrollable catastrophe. It seems that there was no pre-planned course of action by the drillers if a spill ever happened. President Obama has said “’It seems as if permits were too often issued based on little or more than assurances of safety from the oil companies,’” he later goes on to say that this should not happen again, which is true. The Department of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service should by all means, not give permits and/or waivers to any oil companies just because the companies reassure them that its safe, but they should have to prove that they have a system to keep it safe and that they have a plan on what to do if I spill does occur. Although some would say that we need to drill offshore, it is definitely not the only solution.
A lot of people would say that we need to do this because the United States depends on oil to use as fuel. They would think that it’s the only way to get fuel. It seems like the easiest, most convenient way to get fuel, but there are other solutions. The US could use many different types of things for fuel. Oil is not the only substance that can be used. If the United States stopped drilling offshore for oil, we could replace the fuel we would have gotten from offshore with fuels like electricity, natural gases, water, or ethanol. There are clearly many other ways we can get fuel without harming our environment and economy by offshore drilling.
The US should stop offshore drilling because it can be extremely harmful to our country, and not just ecologically. The United States happens to be in a recession right now. Gas prices are very high and people can’t afford it to get much higher. If the US stopped offshore drilling and found a source of fuel right here in America, the citizens would be so much better off. Gas prices would be cheaper and the United States will be able to support itself and not have to depend on foreign countries or sneaky oil companies who have drilled for oil illegally to supply us with our fuel. The US needs to put an end to offshore drilling because it not only harms our economy, it is also terrible for our environment.
Drilling for oil offshore can cause great damage to the world around us. As people can already see, the offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has only resulted in an uncontrollable catastrophe. It seems that there was no pre-planned course of action by the drillers if a spill ever happened. President Obama has said “’It seems as if permits were too often issued based on little or more than assurances of safety from the oil companies,’” he later goes on to say that this should not happen again, which is true. The Department of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service should by all means, not give permits and/or waivers to any oil companies just because the companies reassure them that its safe, but they should have to prove that they have a system to keep it safe and that they have a plan on what to do if I spill does occur. Although some would say that we need to drill offshore, it is definitely not the only solution.
A lot of people would say that we need to do this because the United States depends on oil to use as fuel. They would think that it’s the only way to get fuel. It seems like the easiest, most convenient way to get fuel, but there are other solutions. The US could use many different types of things for fuel. Oil is not the only substance that can be used. If the United States stopped drilling offshore for oil, we could replace the fuel we would have gotten from offshore with fuels like electricity, natural gases, water, or ethanol. There are clearly many other ways we can get fuel without harming our environment and economy by offshore drilling.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Paris' Drunkathons
Paris is right in creating new prohibitants againts alcohol near the Eiffel Tower during the "apéros géants".
Paris is right in creating rules involving alcohol because many dangers can come into play when you have over 10,000 people gahtered at the Effiel Tower drinking. Other people are put at risk as well as the consumers, proven by the fact that "One drunken reveler plunged to his death from a bridge in Nantes." Some of the regulations include not being able to hold or carry any bottles or glass containers and that the consumption of alcohol will be permanently forbidden on the Champ de Mars, so that this Drunkathon Gathering, formed by Facebook, cannot happen. It is good that these laws have been put in place because even though it won't stop all of the people from drinking there, alot of potentially dangerous situations have been stopped before they happen.
http://www.newser.com/story/89520/paris-cops-steel-for-facebook-booze-binge.html
Paris is right in creating rules involving alcohol because many dangers can come into play when you have over 10,000 people gahtered at the Effiel Tower drinking. Other people are put at risk as well as the consumers, proven by the fact that "One drunken reveler plunged to his death from a bridge in Nantes." Some of the regulations include not being able to hold or carry any bottles or glass containers and that the consumption of alcohol will be permanently forbidden on the Champ de Mars, so that this Drunkathon Gathering, formed by Facebook, cannot happen. It is good that these laws have been put in place because even though it won't stop all of the people from drinking there, alot of potentially dangerous situations have been stopped before they happen.
http://www.newser.com/story/89520/paris-cops-steel-for-facebook-booze-binge.html
Friday, May 7, 2010
Free Blog, My Sisters
I have three sisters and there all older than me. One of them is 17, another is 27, and the other one is 29. The two oldest ones are my half sisters, but I don’t really think of them as only being half related to me. I see them as my full, older sisters.
My full sister is named Nikkiy. She is the one that is seventeen years old. She looks exactly like me and she is the exact same height and size as I am, even though shes two years older than me. She goes to Stevenson High School with me and she drives us here every morning. She has long, curly, brown hair which is probably the only difference between us because I have straight black hair. Out of all my sisters, shes probably the funniest. She is probably my best friend and my favorite person to be around because she gets me so well.
My second older sister is one of my half sisters. Her name is Emily and she is the one that’s 27. Between her and my other half sister, I think I look like her the most cause we have like the same face, except she happens to be blessed with freckles. She is a cosmetologist and does my hair for me. She is probably the nicest out of the four of us. She is kind and helpful to everyone and she is extremely caring. Her and my other sister do not live with us anymore because they are married and have kids. But I’d be glad to have them back anytime.
My oldest half sister is named Liz, who is 29. I’ve probably called her Liz twice in my life though, because me and Nikkiy call her Sissy. Which now that I think about it, is kind of weird but I think of Sissy as being her first name. Liz and I do not look anything alike. She looks like Nikkiy, if any of us. She is probably the wittiest out of all of us. She is the one with the most attitude and sass if you ask me, but it’s a good thing in my opinion. She is probably at my house with her daughters more than Nikkiy is and she lives there.
I think I am the most different from my three sisters, looks-wise because, although I am extremely pale, I am probably the tannest one out of all of them. All three of them look like our dad, while I resemble my mom more. The three of them all have light blue eyes and flawless pale skin, while I have dark green eyes and more color. Somehow, we all look exactly alike though in our own ways. Each one of us resembles the other in multiple ways.
My full sister is named Nikkiy. She is the one that is seventeen years old. She looks exactly like me and she is the exact same height and size as I am, even though shes two years older than me. She goes to Stevenson High School with me and she drives us here every morning. She has long, curly, brown hair which is probably the only difference between us because I have straight black hair. Out of all my sisters, shes probably the funniest. She is probably my best friend and my favorite person to be around because she gets me so well.
My second older sister is one of my half sisters. Her name is Emily and she is the one that’s 27. Between her and my other half sister, I think I look like her the most cause we have like the same face, except she happens to be blessed with freckles. She is a cosmetologist and does my hair for me. She is probably the nicest out of the four of us. She is kind and helpful to everyone and she is extremely caring. Her and my other sister do not live with us anymore because they are married and have kids. But I’d be glad to have them back anytime.
My oldest half sister is named Liz, who is 29. I’ve probably called her Liz twice in my life though, because me and Nikkiy call her Sissy. Which now that I think about it, is kind of weird but I think of Sissy as being her first name. Liz and I do not look anything alike. She looks like Nikkiy, if any of us. She is probably the wittiest out of all of us. She is the one with the most attitude and sass if you ask me, but it’s a good thing in my opinion. She is probably at my house with her daughters more than Nikkiy is and she lives there.
I think I am the most different from my three sisters, looks-wise because, although I am extremely pale, I am probably the tannest one out of all of them. All three of them look like our dad, while I resemble my mom more. The three of them all have light blue eyes and flawless pale skin, while I have dark green eyes and more color. Somehow, we all look exactly alike though in our own ways. Each one of us resembles the other in multiple ways.
Friday, April 16, 2010
America Invading Pakistan
Being Cuba, I do not support America invading Pakistan. I believe that Pakistan would be right to fight back and to not accept the fact that America invades their country. All countries should have the right to obtain nuclear weapons, Pakistan Included. America should not be able to just invade any country they want just because they have nuclear weapons, that’s hypocritical. No country should be denied of being able to protect themselves or should have to be worried about being invaded if they have weapons.
America, in my opinion, has no right even considering invading Pakistan, at least not for the reasons that they are. Does this mean other countries can invade America because they have nuclear weapons? America should not be causing problems with other countries when they have exactly what they don’t want the other country to have. It is not only unfair, but it is unjust and hypocritical.
America, in my opinion, has no right even considering invading Pakistan, at least not for the reasons that they are. Does this mean other countries can invade America because they have nuclear weapons? America should not be causing problems with other countries when they have exactly what they don’t want the other country to have. It is not only unfair, but it is unjust and hypocritical.
Soldier X Free Write
I am reading a book called Soldier X. It is about World War Two from a German soldier’s point of view. To me, World War Two is probably the most interesting war that has happened. That most likely because it’s the one I know the most about. The book is interesting to read because I can already see the difference between the way a German man saw the war and the way American men saw it. They had different points of view on it because they were treated extremely different.
Obviously I am glad that America’s side won, but reading Soldier X makes me think that although they were very much so in the wrong with their actions, German soldiers had it very bad. They were very mistreated and had an extremely hard time. Reading this book helped me see the difference between the way soldiers from different countries are treated and what their opinions are on war. Reading this book has also shown me a lot of facts about the war and it would actually be a pretty good source of events in World War Two. I have been shown a different point of view of the war that was extremely different from what Americans usually hear about World War Two. We usually hear about what happened to our soldiers and our troops, our countries and our down falls. It’s not every day that we learn about how the Nazis felt and what they were going through.
Soldier X is a good book to read if you want to learn a lot about World War Two, Eurasia, and opposing opinions. This book is really informational but it is also extremely interesting. It tells about happy times, about sad times, it talks about battles and people. It is showing me that not just the United States of America suffered during this war. The main character is named Erik and he was a teacher in America after he was a Nazi soldier. He tells his students that he was in World War Two but he doesn’t tell them which side he was on. I find this character interesting because I wonder how he is able to keep this from his students. Even as a young boy he is interesting because he stands up for his fellow students and shows me that no matter what country you're from, a soldier is a brave, courageous man who has risked everything.
Obviously I am glad that America’s side won, but reading Soldier X makes me think that although they were very much so in the wrong with their actions, German soldiers had it very bad. They were very mistreated and had an extremely hard time. Reading this book helped me see the difference between the way soldiers from different countries are treated and what their opinions are on war. Reading this book has also shown me a lot of facts about the war and it would actually be a pretty good source of events in World War Two. I have been shown a different point of view of the war that was extremely different from what Americans usually hear about World War Two. We usually hear about what happened to our soldiers and our troops, our countries and our down falls. It’s not every day that we learn about how the Nazis felt and what they were going through.
Soldier X is a good book to read if you want to learn a lot about World War Two, Eurasia, and opposing opinions. This book is really informational but it is also extremely interesting. It tells about happy times, about sad times, it talks about battles and people. It is showing me that not just the United States of America suffered during this war. The main character is named Erik and he was a teacher in America after he was a Nazi soldier. He tells his students that he was in World War Two but he doesn’t tell them which side he was on. I find this character interesting because I wonder how he is able to keep this from his students. Even as a young boy he is interesting because he stands up for his fellow students and shows me that no matter what country you're from, a soldier is a brave, courageous man who has risked everything.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Writing Strategies Blog
My family and I were eating at Kerby’s Coney Island when I was about 7. My mom, dad, sister, and I were all sitting in a booth by the window – our usual spot. I had gotten chicken tenders and my sister got fries. Now, my sister Nikkiy loved fries, especially the crunchy ones. So being the good sister that I am, I would always give her my crunchy fries - so she didn’t think it was odd when I offered her one.
Nikkiy, being a vegetarian and despising meat – especially chicken tenders – she definitely wouldn’t have considered eating meat that day. Before I tell you the rest you should know something first; me and Nikkiy were still at that age where we liked to torture each other and just be plain mean. So, that day I thought I’d be sneaky and play a little trick on her. Finding the crunchiest fry on my plate, I ripped it open a little bit in the middle and hid a piece of chicken in it. Closing up the fry, I handed the fry to Nikkiy and told her that I thought she would like it…
Not knowing what I had done, Nikkiy put it in her mouth. Swallowing; Eating it. Well, I shouldn’t say that she fully ate it because less than a second after she began to swallow, I admitted that I put chicken in it. Bursting into tears, she quickly made herself cough it up. Laughing and teasing, I almost fell out of the booth! After about ten minutes of crying, Nikkiy finally settled down; now she was just plain mad. The laughing ceased, I realized what was to come; my parents.
My mom and dad were pretty strict when it came to my sister and I playing tricks on each other; they are usually stricter with me. Nikkiy wasn’t as sneaky and clever as I was when it came to torturing siblings. My parents began to lecture me about what I had done. I got my punishment and took it like a man; I didn’t cry like usual. I’ll admit, it was pretty mean what I did, but it was still probably the funniest moment of my life and it still makes me laugh. Nikkiy still resents me for it, but now she eats meat. Although she’s not a vegetarian anymore, she refuses to accept food from me; Nikkiy just takes it now.
Nikkiy, being a vegetarian and despising meat – especially chicken tenders – she definitely wouldn’t have considered eating meat that day. Before I tell you the rest you should know something first; me and Nikkiy were still at that age where we liked to torture each other and just be plain mean. So, that day I thought I’d be sneaky and play a little trick on her. Finding the crunchiest fry on my plate, I ripped it open a little bit in the middle and hid a piece of chicken in it. Closing up the fry, I handed the fry to Nikkiy and told her that I thought she would like it…
Not knowing what I had done, Nikkiy put it in her mouth. Swallowing; Eating it. Well, I shouldn’t say that she fully ate it because less than a second after she began to swallow, I admitted that I put chicken in it. Bursting into tears, she quickly made herself cough it up. Laughing and teasing, I almost fell out of the booth! After about ten minutes of crying, Nikkiy finally settled down; now she was just plain mad. The laughing ceased, I realized what was to come; my parents.
My mom and dad were pretty strict when it came to my sister and I playing tricks on each other; they are usually stricter with me. Nikkiy wasn’t as sneaky and clever as I was when it came to torturing siblings. My parents began to lecture me about what I had done. I got my punishment and took it like a man; I didn’t cry like usual. I’ll admit, it was pretty mean what I did, but it was still probably the funniest moment of my life and it still makes me laugh. Nikkiy still resents me for it, but now she eats meat. Although she’s not a vegetarian anymore, she refuses to accept food from me; Nikkiy just takes it now.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Fat Tuesday & Ash Wednesday
This Tuesday was Fat Tuesday which wasn’t really a big deal because I basically celebrate it every day. But the day after that was Ash Wednesday, which was actually kind of a big thing for me. First, because I really religious, second because this is the first year that I actually think I’ll stick to my plan to give something up. For the next 40 days I’m planning on giving up pop. In the past, I have eaten meat on Fridays but I don’t think I will this time, I’m going to try and stay away from it on the other days of the week too. In the morning, I went to church with my dad and then went to school late. I came in in this class actually, 4th hour. I went to a church and got the ashes on my forehead and came into school. Unfortunately I gave in and partially wiped them off cause I was getting weird looks. I don’t blame people either, because if I saw someone walking around with black on the forehead and I didn’t know what the heck it was for, I’d give them weird looks too.
When I was at the church, St. Jenaveve, I was sitting in the pews; in the row next to me was the cutest little girl I think I’ve ever seen. When we stood up, she’d look all around and smile at everyone whose eyes’ she met. Me being one of them, I smiled back and she giggled. She couldn’t have been over 5 years old. I also talked to a lady that was sitting in front of me. I had asked my dad why no one was shaking hands when they gave each other peace. She turned around and explained that it was because of the swine flu. I found that funny for some reason. I remembered at my own church once, I went to shake this old woman’s hand and I got shut down. She told me she didn’t shake hands and gave me a look of rejection. I found both of these situations funny, but I don’t know why. Probably because people are making such a big deal about the swine flu, when the regular flu has killed more people than the swine flu has. But anyways, after church my dad and I went to get something to eat. He brought me back to school afterwards and then I went throughout the rest of the day with a gray forehead.
When I was at the church, St. Jenaveve, I was sitting in the pews; in the row next to me was the cutest little girl I think I’ve ever seen. When we stood up, she’d look all around and smile at everyone whose eyes’ she met. Me being one of them, I smiled back and she giggled. She couldn’t have been over 5 years old. I also talked to a lady that was sitting in front of me. I had asked my dad why no one was shaking hands when they gave each other peace. She turned around and explained that it was because of the swine flu. I found that funny for some reason. I remembered at my own church once, I went to shake this old woman’s hand and I got shut down. She told me she didn’t shake hands and gave me a look of rejection. I found both of these situations funny, but I don’t know why. Probably because people are making such a big deal about the swine flu, when the regular flu has killed more people than the swine flu has. But anyways, after church my dad and I went to get something to eat. He brought me back to school afterwards and then I went throughout the rest of the day with a gray forehead.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Big Fish Story
When I was around the age of six, I became ill with an extremely rare sickness. It was so rare that only 4 people had ever gotten it before me. Not knowing that I had this rare sickness, I went to school like any other kid did on a sunny Thursday morning. I had gotten to school and thought that day was going to be a great day. It was not that much later that I found out how terribly wrong I was…
As I walked into school, I felt pain in my feet. They had been sore the whole time I had walking but I had just ignored it. I looked down, to find my feet two times the size they had been. Being only six years old, I didn’t think much of it, other than the fact that it seemed a little strange. I went and sat down, but not without noticing the strange looks I was getting from my classmates. I heard gasps and groans as I walked to my seat. But again, I didn’t think anything of it. The teacher walked in and began to take attendance. As she called each name, she would look up and see that the child was there. When she called me name, I said, “Here!” She looked up and made a tiny little noise that sounded like a puppy yelping. By now, I was worried. She walked swiftly over to me and asked me how I was feeling. I told her that my feet hurt a little and she laughed. She made a quick call and then walked me out of the room and down to the office. Now I thought I was in trouble! When we got down there, several of the school workers had a look at me and they all didn’t know what to say. I asked what was wrong with me and they quickly handed me a mirror. When I saw my reflection, I noticed that my face was not as it had been at all this morning. It was 3 times smaller and green! By now, I was flipping out. I looked down and my body had started to grow and grow. At first I was just taller than the teachers. But then I grew more and more, now I was bursting through the ceiling and I kept growing up towards the sky. The school nurse quickly got on the phone with my parents.
My mother and father showed up at the school 5 minutes later. They took one look at me and both fainted at the sight of me (apparently they hadn’t seen my 50 foot tall body growing up into the sky on their way there). The teachers called 911 and soon there was an ambulance and a specialist for this particular disease. He told my now awakening parents that I had a sickness called Omicron. I felt a little prick in my heel and looked down. I saw a tiny figure giving me a shot of a dark purple liquid that was labeled "Grape Kool-aid". I began to shrink back to Earth. I passed through the broken ceiling and was back to my normal 6 year old size. That purple liquid had cured the case of Omicron that I had and I went back to class to learn the alphabet with my classmates.
As I walked into school, I felt pain in my feet. They had been sore the whole time I had walking but I had just ignored it. I looked down, to find my feet two times the size they had been. Being only six years old, I didn’t think much of it, other than the fact that it seemed a little strange. I went and sat down, but not without noticing the strange looks I was getting from my classmates. I heard gasps and groans as I walked to my seat. But again, I didn’t think anything of it. The teacher walked in and began to take attendance. As she called each name, she would look up and see that the child was there. When she called me name, I said, “Here!” She looked up and made a tiny little noise that sounded like a puppy yelping. By now, I was worried. She walked swiftly over to me and asked me how I was feeling. I told her that my feet hurt a little and she laughed. She made a quick call and then walked me out of the room and down to the office. Now I thought I was in trouble! When we got down there, several of the school workers had a look at me and they all didn’t know what to say. I asked what was wrong with me and they quickly handed me a mirror. When I saw my reflection, I noticed that my face was not as it had been at all this morning. It was 3 times smaller and green! By now, I was flipping out. I looked down and my body had started to grow and grow. At first I was just taller than the teachers. But then I grew more and more, now I was bursting through the ceiling and I kept growing up towards the sky. The school nurse quickly got on the phone with my parents.
My mother and father showed up at the school 5 minutes later. They took one look at me and both fainted at the sight of me (apparently they hadn’t seen my 50 foot tall body growing up into the sky on their way there). The teachers called 911 and soon there was an ambulance and a specialist for this particular disease. He told my now awakening parents that I had a sickness called Omicron. I felt a little prick in my heel and looked down. I saw a tiny figure giving me a shot of a dark purple liquid that was labeled "Grape Kool-aid". I began to shrink back to Earth. I passed through the broken ceiling and was back to my normal 6 year old size. That purple liquid had cured the case of Omicron that I had and I went back to class to learn the alphabet with my classmates.
Friday, January 22, 2010
First Semester Reflection
This first semester I have learned so much. I believe that I have learned new skills and have also gotten better at skills I already had. All of the things we’ve done this year have played a part in my over all learning this semester and I really think that my classmates and I will learn even more in the second semester.
Writing is something I’ve always had a problem with. I would either procrastinate or I would just write a really bad paper. This year, I’ve already been able to get better at writing. I think that I truly have gotten better at essays, blogs, etc. I’ve learned about the format of papers and I’ve learned how to take a position when I’m writing. I’ve learned how an article may be confusing and that people may only be able to see the tip of the iceberg. They might not be able to understand what is truly being said. I had that problem at the beginning of the year, but now I am learning how to make sense of things and to make sense of how to write my own papers.
I also think that all the reading we’ve done has helped me learn a lot too. I am probably the slowest reader on the face of the earth, but I can tell them I’m, getting better at making sense of things and being able to read a paper and understand what’s going on. Whether it’s a whole book, a short story, or an article from the news, I’m learning to be able to get through a piece of reading and not fall asleep or just give up and not even work towards understanding the meaning. Before this first semester, I had no idea what it meant to understand a piece of reading. That sounds like it doesn’t make sense but I would just read through things and wouldn’t even think about whether I understood the meaning or not. This first semester I’ve learned a lot about regular language arts class subjects like reading and writing, but I’ve also learned a lot about history.
So far, history and culture have played a huge part in my learning this year. I’ve known about diversity and the problems that other places have gone through but I was not aware of what other countries like Australia, South Africa, or Rwanda has gone through. I’ve learned about what hard times they’ve gone through and what has happened to their cultures over time. Learning about these kinds of things really helps me to understand the world around me more. The thing that has helped me most this year has probably been a mixture of writing and learning about history and cultures. When I’m asked to write about the Rwandan Genocide or Aborogines of Australia, it usually is hard at the beginning but I’ve really learned how to put two and two together. Writing about these kinds of things really helps me gain skill in writing and helps me understand the world more.
Learning about grammar, usage, and mechanics was really helpful. I had obviously already known where to put periods and question marks, but it really helped my writing especially to know more about grammar and punctuation. I can easily tell which letters need to be capitalized and where apostrophes need to be. I can write and use grammar appropriately more easily now than I could before this first semester.
Listening to stories also was a good thing to learn about this year. When we listened to “Man in the Well” I think I developed more skill in being able to listen to a story and being able to imagine what’s going on and how to understand it when I’m not reading it or writing it. It helped enable me to hear a description of something and be able to see it in my head.
Watching videos like Rabbit Proof Fence and The Power of One helped me understand more about colonization and the troubles of other countries. Although I didn’t see most of The Power of One, I did see a few important parts and it showed me the struggles that the native people went through. Watching Rabbit Proof Fence showed me how bad some people had it and it helped me learn and understand things like that and how truly awful they are.
This first semester, I’ve learned so much. Not just these things, but all of the others things too, have really helped me this year. So far, I think the class and I have been learning really good techniques and we’ve got a pretty good perspective about different topics now. I’m really happy with what we’ve learned and I hope that the second semester is just as good.
Writing is something I’ve always had a problem with. I would either procrastinate or I would just write a really bad paper. This year, I’ve already been able to get better at writing. I think that I truly have gotten better at essays, blogs, etc. I’ve learned about the format of papers and I’ve learned how to take a position when I’m writing. I’ve learned how an article may be confusing and that people may only be able to see the tip of the iceberg. They might not be able to understand what is truly being said. I had that problem at the beginning of the year, but now I am learning how to make sense of things and to make sense of how to write my own papers.
I also think that all the reading we’ve done has helped me learn a lot too. I am probably the slowest reader on the face of the earth, but I can tell them I’m, getting better at making sense of things and being able to read a paper and understand what’s going on. Whether it’s a whole book, a short story, or an article from the news, I’m learning to be able to get through a piece of reading and not fall asleep or just give up and not even work towards understanding the meaning. Before this first semester, I had no idea what it meant to understand a piece of reading. That sounds like it doesn’t make sense but I would just read through things and wouldn’t even think about whether I understood the meaning or not. This first semester I’ve learned a lot about regular language arts class subjects like reading and writing, but I’ve also learned a lot about history.
So far, history and culture have played a huge part in my learning this year. I’ve known about diversity and the problems that other places have gone through but I was not aware of what other countries like Australia, South Africa, or Rwanda has gone through. I’ve learned about what hard times they’ve gone through and what has happened to their cultures over time. Learning about these kinds of things really helps me to understand the world around me more. The thing that has helped me most this year has probably been a mixture of writing and learning about history and cultures. When I’m asked to write about the Rwandan Genocide or Aborogines of Australia, it usually is hard at the beginning but I’ve really learned how to put two and two together. Writing about these kinds of things really helps me gain skill in writing and helps me understand the world more.
Learning about grammar, usage, and mechanics was really helpful. I had obviously already known where to put periods and question marks, but it really helped my writing especially to know more about grammar and punctuation. I can easily tell which letters need to be capitalized and where apostrophes need to be. I can write and use grammar appropriately more easily now than I could before this first semester.
Listening to stories also was a good thing to learn about this year. When we listened to “Man in the Well” I think I developed more skill in being able to listen to a story and being able to imagine what’s going on and how to understand it when I’m not reading it or writing it. It helped enable me to hear a description of something and be able to see it in my head.
Watching videos like Rabbit Proof Fence and The Power of One helped me understand more about colonization and the troubles of other countries. Although I didn’t see most of The Power of One, I did see a few important parts and it showed me the struggles that the native people went through. Watching Rabbit Proof Fence showed me how bad some people had it and it helped me learn and understand things like that and how truly awful they are.
This first semester, I’ve learned so much. Not just these things, but all of the others things too, have really helped me this year. So far, I think the class and I have been learning really good techniques and we’ve got a pretty good perspective about different topics now. I’m really happy with what we’ve learned and I hope that the second semester is just as good.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Colonization
The best place to live during colonization would be South Africa.
The reason South Africa would be the best place to live because all of the other colonies had a big problem that occurred some time or another. For the American natives, it was moving west. For the Australians it was domestication of aborigine. And for Rwanda it was the genocide. South Africa did have it pretty rough, I’m not saying they didn’t, but I am saying that I think they had it the least bad out of the other colonies and native people. South Africa was the fairest colony in my opinion. They were free people that were pretty much allowed to keep their own culture and go on doing their own thing. There were a few wars between the two different cultures but South Africa had strong fighters which made them capable of keeping their land.
Another reason why South Africa would have been the best place to live in during these times was the fact that they did not have slaves. Other colonies had slaves or servants that were treated badly. South Africa’s people were not treated as well as they should have been treated, but they still were not enslaved. They were free people who worked for what they had. The other colonies would take people into slavery or take children and try to domesticate them and train them to serve white families. Colonies would take natives and try to Christianize and Americanize them. South Africa had it rough, but they didn’t have to go through these kinds of things. South Africa was the safest place to be a native because they were able to maintain freedom, they weren’t forced to change their religion or culture, and they were basically able to stay in their own land.
The reason South Africa would be the best place to live because all of the other colonies had a big problem that occurred some time or another. For the American natives, it was moving west. For the Australians it was domestication of aborigine. And for Rwanda it was the genocide. South Africa did have it pretty rough, I’m not saying they didn’t, but I am saying that I think they had it the least bad out of the other colonies and native people. South Africa was the fairest colony in my opinion. They were free people that were pretty much allowed to keep their own culture and go on doing their own thing. There were a few wars between the two different cultures but South Africa had strong fighters which made them capable of keeping their land.
Another reason why South Africa would have been the best place to live in during these times was the fact that they did not have slaves. Other colonies had slaves or servants that were treated badly. South Africa’s people were not treated as well as they should have been treated, but they still were not enslaved. They were free people who worked for what they had. The other colonies would take people into slavery or take children and try to domesticate them and train them to serve white families. Colonies would take natives and try to Christianize and Americanize them. South Africa had it rough, but they didn’t have to go through these kinds of things. South Africa was the safest place to be a native because they were able to maintain freedom, they weren’t forced to change their religion or culture, and they were basically able to stay in their own land.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Winter Break
This break I didn’t really do anything special. Other than the fact that it was Christmas, it was pretty boring. What I liked best about this break is that I got to sleep in everyday except for Sundays. The only problem was that I got used to staying up rather late and it became a pattern that was hard to break once school started again. This always happens over summer vacation too. I get used to staying up really late. I start going to sleep at around 4 in the morning every night and waking up at 2 in the afternoon. But since summer vacations a lot longer, it’s even harder to get back in the swing of things.
Christmas was the most fun thing that happened over break. All my sisters and their husbands came over. They brought their kids and presents for my family. Usually we go to my dad’s sister’s house (which me and my sisters dread every year). They’re a little weird and they aren’t very friendly so we always try to tell my mom that one of has a stomach ache or that we have a head ache. She usually tries to give us some Advil she carries around with her after so our excuses don’t work. This year we decided to just have Christmas with my immediate family at our house. It was quite a nice change.
The most exciting thing that happened was that my sister, who is 9 months pregnant, thought she was having her baby on the last day of break. It was a false alarm and she still hasn’t had it, which isn’t surprising because her due date is exactly ten days away (she insists it’s going to be early). Someone must have told the baby how cold it is out here. The only thing I’m worried about is if the baby is born on my birthday. I don’t particularly want to share a birthday and I really don’t want people to forget about mine either. Other than that, my break was pretty mellow. All I did was hang out with my friend Bridget a lot. And even then, all we did was eat and play a Harry Potter video game. I’m a little disappointed breaks over, only because I have to wake up so early again now. But I’m still glad to be back at school so I have human contact with people other than Bridget.
Christmas was the most fun thing that happened over break. All my sisters and their husbands came over. They brought their kids and presents for my family. Usually we go to my dad’s sister’s house (which me and my sisters dread every year). They’re a little weird and they aren’t very friendly so we always try to tell my mom that one of has a stomach ache or that we have a head ache. She usually tries to give us some Advil she carries around with her after so our excuses don’t work. This year we decided to just have Christmas with my immediate family at our house. It was quite a nice change.
The most exciting thing that happened was that my sister, who is 9 months pregnant, thought she was having her baby on the last day of break. It was a false alarm and she still hasn’t had it, which isn’t surprising because her due date is exactly ten days away (she insists it’s going to be early). Someone must have told the baby how cold it is out here. The only thing I’m worried about is if the baby is born on my birthday. I don’t particularly want to share a birthday and I really don’t want people to forget about mine either. Other than that, my break was pretty mellow. All I did was hang out with my friend Bridget a lot. And even then, all we did was eat and play a Harry Potter video game. I’m a little disappointed breaks over, only because I have to wake up so early again now. But I’m still glad to be back at school so I have human contact with people other than Bridget.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Rwandan Genocide Debate
I had already had some opinions on what each group did during the genocide and I thought I knew what they were going to say. AS the debate went on I learned that I was wrong about knowing what they were going to say, and I also learned that I had made some pretty false accusations of who was to blame.
I thought that the Rwandan Armed Forces had been good the whole time, because they pretty much stayed out of it. At the beginning of all this, I thought that the Tutsies were the ones that rebelled and were killing everyone, but little did I know, it was the Hutus. The RPF and the Interhamwe were the real culprits. I learned some other things that changed my mind on groups. I thought the UN had no idea what so ever about what was going on. They obviously had some clue, and the just didn’t want another Somalia situation to happen again. Some of my opinions stayed the same though. Paul Kigame and the President that got shot down are examples of groups that I had a consistant opinion on.
This debate helped me better understand the Rwandan Genocide, and I’m glad we had it, cause if we didn’t, I’d probably not understand a lot of things and still have false information in my mind.
I thought that the Rwandan Armed Forces had been good the whole time, because they pretty much stayed out of it. At the beginning of all this, I thought that the Tutsies were the ones that rebelled and were killing everyone, but little did I know, it was the Hutus. The RPF and the Interhamwe were the real culprits. I learned some other things that changed my mind on groups. I thought the UN had no idea what so ever about what was going on. They obviously had some clue, and the just didn’t want another Somalia situation to happen again. Some of my opinions stayed the same though. Paul Kigame and the President that got shot down are examples of groups that I had a consistant opinion on.
This debate helped me better understand the Rwandan Genocide, and I’m glad we had it, cause if we didn’t, I’d probably not understand a lot of things and still have false information in my mind.
Christmas
Okay, I lied. Now that its Christmas time, I’m realizing that this is actually my favorite time of year. Not autumn. Although I do love that season, the weather and the feeling, Christmas is my favorite time of year, and my favorite holiday. Next year around October I’ll probably feel like Halloween and autumn are the best, but for now I’m all Christmas.
Although I absolutely despise snow, I’m overjoyed to say that it’s almost Christmas. This is the first year I didn’t have a Christmas list that was at least a page long. First it’s because I got a lot pickier this year, and second it’s not as fun now that I know the truth about Santa. I sometimes wish that I had a little brother or sister that still believed in Santa Clause so I could go along with the whole idea. But don’t doubt that I still absolutely love Christmas, Santa or not.
What I truly love about this time of year is the atmosphere, the music, the story behind it, the presents (of course), and being with my family. I like coming home on the last day of school before break, drinking hot chocolate, waking up on Christmas morning, sleeping in, and eating as many candy canes as possible. Although I can’t stand walking through the cold snow and having it seep into my shoes and pants, it is good for at least one thing. Sledding. And I can’t lie, the snow is actually really pretty and it does add the Christmas feeling. Snow days are good too. I don’t like being cold very much either, but it’s the price you have to pay for such a good holiday season. Sitting by a fire, wrapped in a blanket, watching ABC Family’s Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas has to be the best thing I’ve ever experienced. Getting presents is good too, but what I really like is going out and getting presents for my family and friends. I think it’s fun to go and pick out a different ceramic cow for my sister (this year it was a wizard cow) and going to pick out incense for my friend Bridget.
It might come as a surprise but I don’t really like Christmas day. I think the anticipation for it all is more fun than getting it over with. I enjoy the day, don’t get me wrong, I just hate knowing that this is it. After that, Christmas is over. No more Christmas movies, no more candy canes, the Christmas tree is taken down, the ornaments and lights are put away and it’s over, but for now, I can’t wait.
Although I absolutely despise snow, I’m overjoyed to say that it’s almost Christmas. This is the first year I didn’t have a Christmas list that was at least a page long. First it’s because I got a lot pickier this year, and second it’s not as fun now that I know the truth about Santa. I sometimes wish that I had a little brother or sister that still believed in Santa Clause so I could go along with the whole idea. But don’t doubt that I still absolutely love Christmas, Santa or not.
What I truly love about this time of year is the atmosphere, the music, the story behind it, the presents (of course), and being with my family. I like coming home on the last day of school before break, drinking hot chocolate, waking up on Christmas morning, sleeping in, and eating as many candy canes as possible. Although I can’t stand walking through the cold snow and having it seep into my shoes and pants, it is good for at least one thing. Sledding. And I can’t lie, the snow is actually really pretty and it does add the Christmas feeling. Snow days are good too. I don’t like being cold very much either, but it’s the price you have to pay for such a good holiday season. Sitting by a fire, wrapped in a blanket, watching ABC Family’s Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas has to be the best thing I’ve ever experienced. Getting presents is good too, but what I really like is going out and getting presents for my family and friends. I think it’s fun to go and pick out a different ceramic cow for my sister (this year it was a wizard cow) and going to pick out incense for my friend Bridget.
It might come as a surprise but I don’t really like Christmas day. I think the anticipation for it all is more fun than getting it over with. I enjoy the day, don’t get me wrong, I just hate knowing that this is it. After that, Christmas is over. No more Christmas movies, no more candy canes, the Christmas tree is taken down, the ornaments and lights are put away and it’s over, but for now, I can’t wait.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The American Scholar
Emerson’s argument in “The American Scholar” about American society still holds true today.
One reason Emerson’s argument still holds true today is that the people in America are all doing their own thing and when we come together, we fail to understand other people’s opinions because we cannot see from their point of view. If we as a country had to make a decision on an important issue, we would never in a million years be able to agree on one way to go about it. A soldier and a priest may not see eye to eye. A farmer and a mechanic might not agree on anything. It proves that we cannot see from another point of view because we are not diverse in our skills. We see it from our own point of view and that’s it.
Emerson’s says “It is one of those fables which out of an unknown antiquity convey an unlooked for wisdom, that the gods, in the beginning, divided man into men, that he might be more helpful to himself; just as the hand was divided into fingers, the better to answer its end.” What I think of when I hear that makes me think that it’s a good thing to have some diversity and for there to be different jobs and what not but the fact that there is diversity should help us all come together and get different opinions and points of view. Similar to how a hand and its many fingers help it to grasp something, our different skills should help us grasp ideas and conclusions. But what’s happening is that people are so involved in their jobs and how it makes them who they are, they can’t see how other people feel and they don’t have the skills to be more than just the one thing. It prevents us from coming together and helping each other out with our diverse skills and being a stronger country.
One reason Emerson’s argument still holds true today is that the people in America are all doing their own thing and when we come together, we fail to understand other people’s opinions because we cannot see from their point of view. If we as a country had to make a decision on an important issue, we would never in a million years be able to agree on one way to go about it. A soldier and a priest may not see eye to eye. A farmer and a mechanic might not agree on anything. It proves that we cannot see from another point of view because we are not diverse in our skills. We see it from our own point of view and that’s it.
Emerson’s says “It is one of those fables which out of an unknown antiquity convey an unlooked for wisdom, that the gods, in the beginning, divided man into men, that he might be more helpful to himself; just as the hand was divided into fingers, the better to answer its end.” What I think of when I hear that makes me think that it’s a good thing to have some diversity and for there to be different jobs and what not but the fact that there is diversity should help us all come together and get different opinions and points of view. Similar to how a hand and its many fingers help it to grasp something, our different skills should help us grasp ideas and conclusions. But what’s happening is that people are so involved in their jobs and how it makes them who they are, they can’t see how other people feel and they don’t have the skills to be more than just the one thing. It prevents us from coming together and helping each other out with our diverse skills and being a stronger country.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Halloween
The best things about Halloween are scary movies, dressing up, and candy. The feel of all the decorations and pumpkins and all the leaves is good too but only candy can last for months after autumn is over.
I’m not one to get excited about having to watch a scary movie but once I start watching it I cannot stop. I get scared so easily it’s unbelievable. In the eighth grade I watched the sixth sense and I had to sleep in my mom’s room with her for a month. The last movie I watched (the exorcist) wasn’t as scary as I thought but I had to sleep in my mother’s room again, just for one night though. What I like about Halloween is that these kinds of movies are always on television. I’ve already got pre-set recordings for the Halloween movies with Mike Myers, and The Shining. The best series of movies, by far, are the child’s play movies 1, 2, and 3. And their sequels Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky. It’s not just that these movies go with the theme of Halloween, but they give Halloween the feel that it has. Without scary movies, I wouldn’t go out at night on Halloween, scared to death with all my friends. And that would obviously be no fun at all.
Dressing up for Halloween is probably the most fun part of the whole thing. I love going through ideas and talking it over with my friends about what I or we are going to be this year. I think I’ve had quite a history of costumes: a clown, Barney, Tweetie Bird, Buzz Lightyear, Mulan, Cinderella, a cat, a mouse, a Spice girl, and this year I will be a cowgirl. There is quite a lot of diversity in my past costumes and I hope to keep it that way for future Halloweens.
Dressing up and watching scary movies are fun, but the absolute best part of the after Halloween is the candy. There are so many different kinds, so many different sizes and colors, it’s unbelievable. Evan after all the leaves have fallen off the tress and been raked up, I’ll still have my old Halloween candy that I had gotten possibly months ago, to enjoy. No matter how old it would get, or how many gross Almond Joys I would get, I’d still have the memories and best of all, the sugar from that Halloween.
Friday, October 16, 2009
My Family
My family is very important to me. When I think about other people’s families I can’t imagine that there as close as they are to theirs as I am to mine, but I know they probably are. My family is my life. I know that without them I’d be nothing. They love me and I love them. We wouldn’t be the same if we were missing a single member. We’re all different but we’re all the same. We like different things but when it comes down to it, we’re all suckers for each other.
My parents. They’re the ones that take care of me. They’re there to drive me around, and they were there to come clean me up after I wet my bed when I was little. I see them now caring for me and my sisters through tough times and I know that when I’m as old as my sisters, they’ll still be there for me. Sometimes we get in arguments and sometimes I resent them but I know that no matter what, we’ll always be there for each other.
My sisters. They make me who I am right now. They’ve done everything they can to help me through things and care for me when I need them. Although I’m the youngest and some of them are a lot older than I am, I know that they’re there to guide me through the tough times and help me when I need them. My sisters Nikkiy, Liz, and Emily will always love me and I’ll always love them. We get along so well and I know it will stay that way. They’re me best friends and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ava , Abbie, Max, and soon to be Ella. My nieces and nephew. They’re absolutely wonderful. They are probably the cutest kids I’ve ever laid my eyes on. All kids get a little on the annoying side when they’re little. I mean, they cry and sometimes don’t cooperate but I live to babysit them. Even when they don’t want to sit down and eat or they don’t want to stay with me, I have the best time. I know that when they grow up, they’ll be just as close to us all as we all are now.
I’m extremely close to all my cousins and aunts and uncles, especially my grandma. I was really close to my grandpa too. They’re all so understanding of each other and they’re so fun to be around. My family is really what makes me happiest and I don’t know where I’d be without them. And besides no one else understands just how good my grandmother’s cooking really is.
My parents. They’re the ones that take care of me. They’re there to drive me around, and they were there to come clean me up after I wet my bed when I was little. I see them now caring for me and my sisters through tough times and I know that when I’m as old as my sisters, they’ll still be there for me. Sometimes we get in arguments and sometimes I resent them but I know that no matter what, we’ll always be there for each other.
My sisters. They make me who I am right now. They’ve done everything they can to help me through things and care for me when I need them. Although I’m the youngest and some of them are a lot older than I am, I know that they’re there to guide me through the tough times and help me when I need them. My sisters Nikkiy, Liz, and Emily will always love me and I’ll always love them. We get along so well and I know it will stay that way. They’re me best friends and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ava , Abbie, Max, and soon to be Ella. My nieces and nephew. They’re absolutely wonderful. They are probably the cutest kids I’ve ever laid my eyes on. All kids get a little on the annoying side when they’re little. I mean, they cry and sometimes don’t cooperate but I live to babysit them. Even when they don’t want to sit down and eat or they don’t want to stay with me, I have the best time. I know that when they grow up, they’ll be just as close to us all as we all are now.
I’m extremely close to all my cousins and aunts and uncles, especially my grandma. I was really close to my grandpa too. They’re all so understanding of each other and they’re so fun to be around. My family is really what makes me happiest and I don’t know where I’d be without them. And besides no one else understands just how good my grandmother’s cooking really is.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Terrorism
Terrorism is a world issue that needs to stop. Terrorism is, in my opinion, the biggest problem in the world right now. I understand the point of war because we can’t always talk things out, but scaring people and fighting unfairly to get what you want is just horrible. We’re in a recession I guess but I believe that our lives and our country are more important than money. This problem should be our first priority and we should be working towards a solution for this world issue.
My father always tells me stories about terrorists and the things they do. Sometimes I think it’s too scare me a little bit into watching out for myself and being careful. But I know there’s truth behind these stories. The things terrorists do are really awful. Being tortured and bombed is far worse than not being able to buy a few nice things you want. Recessions are temporary and easier to solve if we work together. Terrorism is not as simple. If we all band together and had one goal, we could stop a recession, but there are two different goals here, the terrorists, and ours. It’s not even a situation where we can compromise. Obama should be doing something to stop this. We’re already in wars, recessions, and a lot of other problems are going on, we can’t handle terrorism right now.
I had never even heard of terrorism until the first or second grade when 9/11 happened, and even then I didn’t understand what it was. I knew that it was something serious and I knew that it scared me to think about but I didn’t get what was happening. Now that I do understand though, it still scares me. I get that it’s not something to joke about and that it is a truly terrible thing. I know that it can happen anywhere and at anytime. What I don’t understand is the reasons people resort to terrorism, when really negotiation and talking things over is a more effective way to get what you want.
Terrorism is something that really needs to be stopped. There are so many things people can do to terrorize people, there are so many ways that people can be hurt and devastated. Terrorism is a really big problem and I think the sooner we enable ourselves do get rid this terrible thing that is ruining people’s lives, the better.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Autumn
Fall is my absolute favorite season. It’s the best time of the year other than Christmas time. The only reason winter isn’t my favorite season is because its far too cold. Other than that’s its ok, I mean how can anyone not like hot chocolate or christmas lights and trees. I like fall for multiple reasons. I like the fact that Halloween and Thanksgiving are celebrated in the fall. I like the temperatures, how its not hot but its not freezing. I like the clothes I get to wear. I like the colors outside and I like the feeling around my house.
Halloween and Thanksgiving in my opinion are 2 of the greatest holidays ever. I love Halloween because I get to go out at night with my friends and get candy. I’d think a kid was abnormal if he didn’t enjoy that. I like it because you get to dress up as whatever you want. When I was little I used to look forward to picking out my costume all year. I’d plan out and brainstorm ideas of what I wanted to be and when I finally got down to one idea, I was ecstatic. Although it starts getting a little chillier outside by the end of October, I still love going out at night into the cold, thick air and walking around for hours will a pillow case full of candy hanging over my shoulder. Thanksgiving plays a great factor to my love for the fall. I mostly like it because if you’ve read my other blogs, you know that I really like to eat. I like it because since before I was born, me and my family get together at my grandma’s and spend hours just eating everything. My family and I are very close to each other and I love Thanksgiving because it brings me and m family closer. I like it because when we pull up into my grandmas driveway and I get out, walk right up to the door and i breath in the smell of wonderful food that has been wating for me all day and I can still feel the burning of the cold November air in my nose. I’ll walk in and feel the rush of warmth that I know is caused by the oven.
Autumn is my favorite season because of all this and other reasons. I like it because it brings me good feelings and a sense of my family and friends.
Halloween and Thanksgiving in my opinion are 2 of the greatest holidays ever. I love Halloween because I get to go out at night with my friends and get candy. I’d think a kid was abnormal if he didn’t enjoy that. I like it because you get to dress up as whatever you want. When I was little I used to look forward to picking out my costume all year. I’d plan out and brainstorm ideas of what I wanted to be and when I finally got down to one idea, I was ecstatic. Although it starts getting a little chillier outside by the end of October, I still love going out at night into the cold, thick air and walking around for hours will a pillow case full of candy hanging over my shoulder. Thanksgiving plays a great factor to my love for the fall. I mostly like it because if you’ve read my other blogs, you know that I really like to eat. I like it because since before I was born, me and my family get together at my grandma’s and spend hours just eating everything. My family and I are very close to each other and I love Thanksgiving because it brings me and m family closer. I like it because when we pull up into my grandmas driveway and I get out, walk right up to the door and i breath in the smell of wonderful food that has been wating for me all day and I can still feel the burning of the cold November air in my nose. I’ll walk in and feel the rush of warmth that I know is caused by the oven.
Autumn is my favorite season because of all this and other reasons. I like it because it brings me good feelings and a sense of my family and friends.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
First Day of School Memior
I'm sleeping. I'm the most peaceful I've been all night. Just as I switch my position to get more of the covers on me, the sound I've been dreading to hear all summer starts blasting into my left ear. I look to my left and my alarm clock is telling me that its 6 o'clock and time to get ready for my first day of high school. I sit down in front of my mirror. I get ready for what seems like days but was really only an hour. I didn't eat breakfast, I'm far too nervous to add to the already fluttering butterflies in my stomache.
After my mother and I pick up my best friend Kayla, we head towards the school that I'll offically be spending the next 4 years and the rest of my youth at. I look around, I know I'm not the only one who's nervous. The hallways are confusing and the classrooms are silent.
I don't have any trouble finding my classes, I have my older sister's friends take me to each one of them. The only problems I'm having are that i forgot 3 important things at home, my schedule, my locker combination, and a folder, 3 very important things for a first day of high school. The biggest problem though is lunch. My mother had packed me the same thing she had all throughout middle school, a dry peanut butter sandwich, a bottle of water that i could never finish, and about a million other little snacks. My friends Kayla-who is just as nervous as me, Amanda-who is probably more nervous than both of us put together, and brittney-who doesn't have a care in the world if she walked into the wrong classroom and embarrasses herself. We walk into the North Cafeteria for some place to sit. We see a table. We don't sit down, but debate in the one who should gather up the courage to go and sit down first. "You go first." "No, you go first." We argued for a few more minutes. I look over to see that the table is already filled with people. We walk to the South Cafeteria and almost the exact thing happens. At this point, I'm considering getting homeschooled. We're forced to sit on a bench outside the 2 cafeterias and eat our lunch there. I feel so foolish, all I can eat is a Rice Crispy Treat.
I go to the rest of my classes with no other problems at all, but i can still taste the Rice Crispy Treat and the memory of lunch. I push it out of my mind and I can't wait until my next day at high school.
After my mother and I pick up my best friend Kayla, we head towards the school that I'll offically be spending the next 4 years and the rest of my youth at. I look around, I know I'm not the only one who's nervous. The hallways are confusing and the classrooms are silent.
I don't have any trouble finding my classes, I have my older sister's friends take me to each one of them. The only problems I'm having are that i forgot 3 important things at home, my schedule, my locker combination, and a folder, 3 very important things for a first day of high school. The biggest problem though is lunch. My mother had packed me the same thing she had all throughout middle school, a dry peanut butter sandwich, a bottle of water that i could never finish, and about a million other little snacks. My friends Kayla-who is just as nervous as me, Amanda-who is probably more nervous than both of us put together, and brittney-who doesn't have a care in the world if she walked into the wrong classroom and embarrasses herself. We walk into the North Cafeteria for some place to sit. We see a table. We don't sit down, but debate in the one who should gather up the courage to go and sit down first. "You go first." "No, you go first." We argued for a few more minutes. I look over to see that the table is already filled with people. We walk to the South Cafeteria and almost the exact thing happens. At this point, I'm considering getting homeschooled. We're forced to sit on a bench outside the 2 cafeterias and eat our lunch there. I feel so foolish, all I can eat is a Rice Crispy Treat.
I go to the rest of my classes with no other problems at all, but i can still taste the Rice Crispy Treat and the memory of lunch. I push it out of my mind and I can't wait until my next day at high school.
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