Raising my voice

What happens in Vegas...

2010-06-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

Born and raised in Arkansas I've lived a life of black and white.. and now..brown. I've lived a life of frog gigging, mudding and fishing. . . . or rather I watched everyone else live that life. I've been... completely my own person. . Everyone here... they aren't...themselves..Not in my town. People here think this is .... all there is....

I've always.. always...wanted to leave arkansas..I don't fit in here. I'm not like this. I spend all my time.. singing.. dancing.. acting..even writing.. I want to be an actress. I want to inspire people. I want to change the world.

I pride myself in how I can tear apart a movie and determine the quality of the actors. How I can see the deeper meaning and notice the little things producers slip in that no one else notices..

But how can you "make it big" living in small town arkansas? Exactly...

So I'm moving...

Oh happy day..(:

To where you ask??

haha. Vegas.

Night by Ellie Wiesel broken down

2010-05-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Holocaust- Any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.

^ Door to a gas chamber

The Author

Elie Wiesel was born in 1928. He was only fifteen when he was taken to a concentration camp. By the end of the war his mother, father and litter sister had all died. He was set free in 1945.

Symbolism

Darkness was used as a symbol in Night. Darkness is a representation of night. When it is night time you expect it to be dark. Therefore Darkness= night. Second, darkness symbolizes loneliness and sorrow because black/dark is a somber color. Elie/the Jews felt very alone in his/their struggles especially after his father dies..However, darkness doesn't have to stay so sad and hopeless. What always comes after the dark? The light. (:

Courage: Taking responsibility as we make choices....

Dictionary.com says "The Quality of mind or spirit that enables a a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc without fear; bravery."

But can we do tasks completely without fear? I mean we ARE only human. Eliminating all adrenaline claims. . is it possible to be completely without fear. Isn't it only fitting that we fear some things.. Should not the knowledge we've acquired throughout our lives lead us to fear certain tasks in life? So IF we face a problem head on but still are afraid.. according to the definition we STILL aren't courageous.

How about "Being able to PUSH ASIDE the fear that would normally hold us back and face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. Fully aware of what could happen but willing to risk it. Not recklessly.

Therefore proving the aforementioned theme. Courage is taking responsibility for the choices we make. Fully aware of what could happen but willing to risk it.

That one person. . .

2010-05-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met someone that changed your life?
When you first saw them you knew they were special,
whether they be a friend, a significant other or a family member....

That one person that makes you look at the world differently.
That one person that makes you see everything in a different light.
Someone who accepts you for who you are.
Someone who makes you want to be better.
That one person that inspires and encourages you.
That one person you want to spend all of your time with.
That one person that changed your life.

Or.. Are YOU that one person?

Emily

2010-05-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Emily Lowery. . . .

Emily Lowery is. . .an old friend of mine.. We go to church together..

She is a senior this year and is a VERY lovely person. (:

She lives a very comfortable life but DOESN'T feel the need to flaunt what she has around.

Emily Lowery is NOT materialistic.

..All mimsy were the borogoves...

2010-04-19T17:54:00.001-07:00

I love drama. Musical Theater. Acting. Singing. Dancing

I was watching America's Best Dance Crew. On the very first season of ABDC there was a dance crew of men who always wore masks and they won the ENTIRE show. . . They were called the Jabbawokeez. .

When I first heard this.. it didn't register... Jabbawokeez. They are creative.. Cute name..NO. What was I thinking.. Anyone who loves theatre and acting should know that word no matter how it is spelled or pronounced... Jabbuhwahkeys, Jabarwokays, ect. (Google It)

The Jabbawokeez come to the floor, kill all the other competition [with their dance moves] and leave... Just like a real Jabberwoky. (:

Drama is Love.

Gwen Stefani on the roof??

2010-04-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

My Drama class is venturing into the history of musical theatre..We know about Oklahoma!, and Sound of Music. Now we are watching The Fiddler on the Roof.

Now, mind you I have never seen this movie however, I was still extremley excited to see it.

I am enjoying the crazy dancing and catchy songs. My friend Jennifer says " Hey this is the best part. Watch his dance." So my eyes are GLUED to the projector screen and I am ready for something gut busting. I hear the song begin to start. " If I were a rich man. Dada dada da da dada dada da da dadada..." What?! And I hear it again.. " If I were a rich man. Dada dada da da dada dada da da dadada..." NO!

I am trippin. My head begins to play its own song. "If I were a rich girl. Nana nana nana na na nana nana nanana... Where had I heard this song before... "See I'd have all the money in the world..If I were a...." *Gasp* Gwen Stefani.

Gwen Stefani *bit that song. I can never look at her the same again..

*Bite-To rip off another person's style, especially with respect to music or fashion. From early hip-hop culture.(Urban Dictionary)

Chynna in the 20's

2010-04-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

(I realize I made mistakes.. they are intended) heh heh

Hi. I'm Chynna an' I live in Arkansas.[1920's]

I'm 16 an' I go ta Dunbar High School e'ryday I ken get thur.

One day I hope God'll bless me with enuff smarts ta go ta Philander Smith College.

I live in a ALL black neighborhood an' my family is the poorest. I neva get made fun of for havin' less cuz ain't none of us got much of anythin'. So I'm happy wit our money situation.

The KKK don't like my street much. Sometimes I find myself awake at night starin' at a burnin' cross thru my window. I get scared they'll steal Pa away an' Lynch 'em like they did MaryEllen's dad. She cried fo' three days straight. Sho' nuff, I would too. . .

I wanna grow up an' be jus like Josephine Baker.... 'cept wit more clothes on. Ma' always says why buy the cow when yew ken get the milk fo' free. Alls I'm sayin is I wont people ta know my name in otha countries too!

And jus think.. Duke Ellington went ta Dunbar like me an' look wur he is now. . . .[End]

NO! I do not think I would enjoy living in the 1920's for the simple fact that I am a BLACK WOMAN. That is two strikes against me. True, life for black people had improved a little but not enough to want to experience it. I do not want to attend an all black school, be in fear of the Ku Klux Klan and not have any white friends.. I love diversity.

I have been spoiled by the 21 century and would DIE if I had to give it up.

Spring Breakkk 2010

2010-03-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2010

At first SB started off very very bland.

Go to sleep. Wake up. Babysit. Go to sleep. Wake up. Babysit.

Facebook. Facebook. Facebook. Babysit.

Blehhhhhhh!

Then on .... Thursday. No...Friday. On friday...

My churches youth group had a random get together at the church where we just hung out and chilled.

Breanna Bray, Camille Reyes, Wendy Miya and I stayed in the youth room the whole time singing with the mics and dancing around. Then we all hoped in Breanna's car,Crist was with us then, and went to Mi Ranchito.

After Mi Ranchiton we went to Walmart and sang in three part harmony for everyone there. That was awesome.

The next day Wendy, Crist and I went out with the church to hang stuff on doors.. Slightly creepy. Very fun.

Well basically. It turned out to be awesome.. Then it was time for school again.

St. Patrick'sDay is. . . .

2010-03-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

What is this day?

St. Patrick's Day is to celebrate Saint Patrick. He was Irish. Traditionally it was only celebrated in the Catholic Church. In the 1600's a feast was cooked on that day as well. However, now it is a secular holiday celebrated by Irish AND non-Irish.

The original color was blue. However, over time the color green snuck its way into the the holiday and becoming the main color because it was said that St. Patrick used a shamrock to explain the trinity to people. The custom is, wear green or be pinched "lovingly".

What is this day to ME?

St. Patrick's day is nothing. It is a day used to reinforce the fact that people who are different should be "punished". I know what you are thinking. "Whoa, Chynna. You are reading way too much into this." But think about it...

If someone does not wear the "color of the day" everyone is allowed to pinch them. Because they are....different. I know it's not meant to teach bad values but nonetheless it is almost like a subliminal message in our lives.

So it may be a "fun" holiday for some people and a horrible holiday for others.

WHAT IF GREEN JUST IS NOT YOUR COLOR??!

Happy National Hurt Your Neighbor For Being Different Day. :)

Making the Hard Choices

2010-02-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

Making choices in life is just not fun.

It puts so much stress on me.

What if I make the wrong decision.

That one mistake could alter my life forever!

Worry no more because I have a full proof guide to making choices as a teenager.

Step 1: What are your choices?

-Think of (or write down) what all your choices are.

Step 2: What are their consequences?

-Think of (or write down but that could take forever) the possible consequences to each of the choices you have.

Step 3: How will each of these choices make you feel?

-Which choices make you happy, sad, angry or are you just complacent?

Step 4: How will each of these choices make those around you feel?

-Which choices do you think will make your peers feel bad or upset?

Step 5: Action!!

-Now choose and put your choice to action!!

Now I know that nobody wants to sit down and follow these five steps for each choice they make.

No!- I am thirsty. Orange juice or Apple juice? Let me look at my steps....

Yes-He cheated on me. Key his car then break up with him or just break up with him? LOOK AT YOUR STEPS!!!

FUN FACT: People that never weight their choices are typically BULLIES!

Civil Wars

2010-02-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

My definition of a civil war- a war between two groups in one larger group.

I was once on a team. This team will be called. . . . Dashers.

On the team there were twelve girls. Two of the twelve girls were "in charge". However there were three other girls that wanted so bad to be friends with the two girls in charge they would do anything.

Everyone on Dashers got along very well. . . . for a while.

One day the girls disagreed on a topic. The girls in charge and their three lackeys agreed with each other. Everyone else was on. . . The other side. No one wants to be on the other side really because the girls on the other side were TORTURED by the leaders.

DO IT AGAIN! DO IT AGAIN! I'm tired!
HORRIBLE!!! Whatever! THIS IS YOUR SECOND YEAR!!?? Yes!!!
I'M IN CHARGE. YOU DO AS I SAY. DO YOU WANT TO RUN?? No!!
RAWWWWWWRRRRRR. . . Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Needless to say this cycle went on for an entire year.
One side was constantly pulling the other side.

This team was having a civil war. Within the group were two smaller groups constantly fighting with each other for control and to have everything go their way.

If this team had looked past their differences and attempted to work together then there would have been NO limits on what they wanted to do.

Moral.
Civil War=Bad

Speak

2009-12-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a novel about a girl named Melinda who becomes an outcast in her school.

Melinda snuck out to a party and hooked up with an upperclassmen at her school named Andy Evans. Melinda gets drunk and ends up calling 911. The police come and break up the party and arrest some of the students.

When Melinda returns to school no one will talk to her. All of her friends have ditched her and split up to join separate cliques. Melinda is all alone and forced to deal with her problems head on.

Melinda's only escape is her art class. Where she can express herself freely because ever since the party incident Melinda doesn't speak.

Somehow Melinda must find herself, get her friends back and save Rachel, her ex-best friend, from suffering the same fate she did.

This book was so real. This happens to so many teenagers all around the world today. I give this book four stars. I do recommend it. The movie is pretty good too. (:

Boo to Bullying

2009-12-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

Bullying.

I say BOO to bullying.

I believe you should always treat a person the way you want to be treated. That is The Golden Rule.

23% of Elementary School students admit to being bullied one to three times a month.

50% of Bullying incidents go unreported.

77% of the students questioned say they have been bullied

14% of the 77% say they experienced bad reactions because of the abuse.

Nobody fully understands what bullying does to a person until they have experieced the abuse first hand. If you see a case of bullying. . . Do something. Do not stand and watch because that makes you a part of the problem as well.

Bullying can be prevented.

Being Thankful

2009-12-08T15:58:00.001-08:00

Thankful. . .

What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for my friends and my family. I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful for too many things to name!

People sometimes forget that you should ALWAYS be thankful and not just on Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for my mother who works so hard to give me everything I want or need.

Thanksgiving is everyday of the year for me. My mother always taught me that I should be thankful on my birthday. Thankful on Christmas. Thankful on Friday, Sunday AND Monday.

Everyday should be Thanksgiving.

The Breakup Bible

2009-10-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Breakup Bible by Melissa Kantor is a book about moving on.

Jen Lewis,a junior, is dating the editor in cheif of the schools newspaper. . . or should I say was dating. Jen thought everything was fine between her and Max until he said the dreaded words. . "Maybe it would be better if we were just friends." Just friends. Just FRIENDS?

How could they be just friends after he told her he LOVED her? How can she walk through the hallways at school and see him? More importantly, why did he dump her?

Jen cannont function for all the grief she is going through. So her Nana buys her a book called The Breakup Bible by Dr. Emerson.

Can the book help Jen move on from Max?

A True Pioneer

2009-10-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

A pioneer never quits. . .

My Little Brother

My youngest brother, Chauncey, is a true pioneer. When he was born he was put on a monitor. The monitor told us when he stopped breathing , and when his heart stopped beating. Eventually he was taken off the monitor but the doctors decided he was not fully healthy.

They ran tests that showed when he ingested liquids they went straight to his lungs. My little brother was put on a feeding tube for six years of his life. The doctors told us he was not aloud to drink orally. The only way he was aloud to drink was thru his stomach.I cannot imagine what it feels like to be four years old and not be able to drink juice with the rest of the kids at my preschool.

My little brother is a prime example of a true pioneer. He was never down about his situation and he never gave up hope. Even at such a young age he believed God would heal him and he would be able to drink again. Two years ago he was saying his prayers and said " Oh and thank you Jesus for taking my feeding tube away." The very next day the doctors told us he no longer needed it. He has been drinking ever since.

iJERK

2009-09-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

The "JERK" movement.

The jerk is a dance that has THREE separate dances inside it.

Most people do not know this.

The Reject- What is commonly mistaken as the jerk. However it is not. It is the reject. It is basically a backwards skipping motion..

The Jerk- A simple movement of the legs. You bend at the knees and sway your legs side to side. Away from and then towards each other.

The Dip- Drop down to a complete squat and pop back up sticking out your feet in different orders and styles.

Right now the largest jerking crew/rappers is the NewBoyz. The NewBoyz consists of Ben J, Legacy and the hype man. They made it big with the songs "You're a Jerk" and "Tie Me Down" in 2009.

Wanna learn how to Jerk? Contact me(:

So much depens upon...

2009-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

So much depends upon
dreams wide as the sky

and reaching
for the highest point

never letting go

Sophmore year reflecton 2

2009-05-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

o
oh
ohm
ohmy
ohmyw
ohmywo
ohmywor
ohmyword....

The end of my sophomore year. In my head I feel like a ninth grader still because that is the grade almost all my friends are in. However, outside my head I realize the truth. I am one year from graduation...

Wow. That is kind of scary...I like the thought of getting away from all my tenth grade drama and moving on. Even though I am sure there will be eleventh grade drama as well. I do not know what to do with myself.

This year has been pretty amazing despite the drama. Let me tell you there was loads and loads of drama. However it was needed. Sometimes bad things have to happen for you to realize the truth about people.

A way to explain my actions and everything that happened to my friends and me through the course of this year is by a quote from Ferris Bueller's Day off :

I am not going to sit on my butt as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it.

Junior year here I come..

The House on Mango Street

2009-05-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a collection of very short stories called vignettes. This book is about a young Latin girl living in Chicago and its only one hundred and ten pages...I know what your thinking -" Boy, a book full of short stories and its only about a hundred pages! I would love to read that!"
NO! I thought that too.

This book was so BORING. I thought I could read it in one night no problem and be done. However I read the first couple chapters and I nearly pulled my hair out from the horror. She tells little stories of her life but she NEVER explains fully. You never know what happens after. You never know how things start. It is so incomplete.

I would say don't read this book. However, if you are an eleven year old boy.. this book is awesome because my little brother LOVED it.

Anthem

2009-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

Anthem by Ayn Rand is a book about Equality. No, not equality as in sameness in state or continued course; evenness; uniformity but Equality 7-2527. Equality is in a community where everything is chosen for him. He does not decide when he eats, what he eats, or what job he has. He wants to change his community and give everyone choices.

He somehow he realized that there was more out there and he was missing it and so was the rest of his community. Equality is the hope for his community.

Although this story is about oppression towards the people but it is a story of hope and liberation. How? Well, if Equality were not in the story then the citizens would be desperate and lost. However, because of Equality they can have hope for the future that their lives will get better.

The book theif

2009-04-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

The book thief by Markus Zusak [Ten parts]

"I do not carry a sickle or a scythe. I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold. And I don't have those skull-like facial features you seem to enjoy pinning on my from a distance. You want to know what I truly look like? I'll help you out. Find yourself a mirror..."

This book was emotionally stressful. There were so many ups and downs and loopty loops...
I just could not put it down. It starts out and the book is rather boring..When I first started reading it I thought to myself "Oh, my word. Why did I even get this book? 552 pages!! I have officially lost my mind.."

However 20 pages in.. I-was-hooked.

One thing that killed me was this book is a big SPOILER..Every time something is about to happen the narrator tells you 30 pages ahead of time..ugggh.

This book is about Liesel,a nine year old girl, in Nazi Germany. Enough said right.. Right. The story was told in the perspective of DEATH. Woah..innovative right? Yes... yes,yes,yes.

Go out...to a library... or a store.. somewhere and get this book.. It is a must read! (Tears WILL fall)

Relfecting on my Spring Break...

2009-04-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Ahh.. Spring Break....

My spring break was so amazing. The band and I went on a trip all the way down to .....

Texas? ..no

Alabama?..no

Georgia?..no

ORLANDO,FLORIDA!!

Me,myself, I have never been to Florida. We went to Disney World and all the parks in that same general theme..It was amazing. We all got to hang out and just have fun. Also, we competed in a concert contest and we won overall!! A perfect end to a perfect trip..

However, I was very glad to get back to Arkansas and see my family... =)

Animal Farm

2009-04-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

WARNING-TALKING ANIMALS..

There are so many movies about talking animals now days I was a little wary when I realized Animal Farm by George Orwell was one in book form. Such as : Open Season, Madagascar, Barnyard and many more.

Animal Farm is an allegorical fable. A fable-teaches a lesson. An allegory-a story that has a deeper meaning. Basically, its a story a farm whose animals decide that they deserve better than what they are getting and they start a revolt....

What happens when you beg and beg for something different but when you get it....it is not what you thought it would be? Do you...

Ask for more change?
or
Sit back and deal with it....

There is a lot of symbolism in the book and it was an inspirational message to all humans...and to all animals that snuck into their farm houses and learned to read and write.

My favorite Techie tool...

2009-04-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

My favorite techie tool of all the techie tools will definitely have to be Dictionary.com. I use dictionary.com almost every day! If I am in a conversation and someone uses a word I do not understand. I do not want to embarrass myself by asking what the word means... I dictionary.com it.

If I am reading a book and I come across a word that I have not heard...

Do I put up that book or skip that word?? NO! I dictionary.com it..

Listening to a song?... Dictionary.com it.

Watching the news? Dictionary.com it.

Dictionary.com helps me learn new words in a quick and easy way. It is like vocabulary's easy button.

Lush.[[How much did you drink tonight?]]

2009-03-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Lush by Natasha Friend.

Poor child. Such a beautiful girl.(I would assume). but such a horrible home life.

Her father is a alcoholic. A drunk. Not the kind of drunk you can look over and ignore either. Like the kind that is always in your face with breath that can burn the hair right off your eyebrows! Smelly breath that makes your eyes water and your nose tingle.

How is a kid to deal with a drunk father and a mother who does not see the problem or refuses to see the problem . Also a younger brother who needs attention and cannot get it from his emotionally absent parents.

OH.. I know.. WRITE NOTES!! yes..this young girl decides to write notes to a "girl" she knows nothing about and she tells this kid all her problems. Every little thing that goes on is written down in notes.. hmmm.. makes for an interesting story...some conversations... maybe some. confrontation..:]]

A couple of guys thrown in and BAM! Another great story by Natasha Friend.

Good book.. happy...sad..excited..mad.. so many emotions in such a short book.
READ IT.

To perfect my world...

2009-03-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

To perfect the world....wow...that is surely a task.

1.) No one can hurt anyone physically. No war.
This means no hitting, pinching, punching, slapping, or biting (for the little ones). No hair pulling, no scratching, and no Indian burns. No one can harm another person unless you are their parent( which has a whole other list of guidelines).

2.) Music will be limited for every age level.

Ages o-6 years-Playhouse Disney music

Ages 6-12 years- Bubble gum pop

Ages 12-15 years- Disney music and country music and bubble gum pop

Ages 15 and on- Unlimited choices

3.) Every family must put in a request to have children. They must take a parent aptitude test.( PAT).

It is no good when I see unfit parents...I just wanna yell at them and run away with their kids. In my perfect world no one will see unfit parents because they have to pass a series of grueling tests...

4.) No one will die before the age of 67.

It is just so heartbreaking to hear of a child dying before they can enjoy their life or for a teenager to die in the prime of their life. In my perfect world no one will die before their 67 years has passed.

5.) Let it out!!!
There will be allotted time in schools for children to let out their frustrations or happiness. School have much less drama if there was a period in which they could yell and scream and fight all they wanted (just no hitting). The children could confront their problems head on with conversation and for the teacher and onlookers enjoyment, maybe confrontation, BUT NO HITTING. That is the very first rule. No violence.

There is a three times your out rule..
First discrepancy-Warning

Second discrepancy-A firm talking to

Third discrepancy- YOUR OUT. your being released...

Now I know what your thinking. "Child,this is NOT going to help the world. It is just going to make it creepy and controlling."

But I say to you. How else can we make the world perfect other than controlling everyone and creeping them out to a point that they will obey?

Rules-review [[If it fits in your mouth..Its food]]

2009-02-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

Rules by Cynthia Lord.

A very common story about a girl who's younger brother has a disability and she feels like she gets thrown to the side...

You have heard this story before right...WRONG! I started reading the book and I had to keep putting it down because it made me so frustrated. This girl I thought was too shy. She was very selfish and I could not even get into the book let alone think about writing a review about it.

However, somewhere in the story I was pulled in.

Yes the girl is embarrassed by her disabled brother as they are in most the stories.

Yes. She is overly shy around boys even though I am sure she is very pleasing to the eyes

But this girl has rules in which to keep her brother in check.. SHE HAS RULES.

These rules tell him how to behave in public and how to respond to people. Some of the rules are made to make his life better.... however others.. are just to keep him from embarrassing her.

SELFISH.

She finally meets a friend that she thinks she will like and the only thing she worries about is is her brother gonna embarrass her... [[Catherine]]Is only twelve years old. Having a "normal life" is pretty important to her and just the crazy things she goes through while attempting to create this normal life is worth the 200 pages.

NO bad-mouthing at the lunch table!

2009-02-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

The biggest and longest fight I had ever had with any of my friends, and it included my ENTIRE table....

I had been best friends with *Samantha since the fourth grade. We did everything together. We were sisters at heart. However, there was one thing that we did not have in common. I was in band and she was not. Granted, that is not that big of a deal. If you think that. You have never been in band. Band is a social paradise. The people in band are the people you spend all your time with, your best friends sometimes. Samantha was not in band and Breanna was. That is how it all started.

Sam and I had been best friends for so long that it was hard for both of us when we could not hang out as much because of my band trips and football games. We both changed in the three years from seventh grade to tenth. We had both found totally different types of friends and we were not the same fourth grade girls talking about Jesus, music and playing on the computer.

One day Sam came to me and said that I was stuck up. My head was spinning! Really? I am stuck up? All day long I was running round and round thinking "How in the world am I stuck up?" So finally I texted her. She cannot give me any reasons I thought to myself. But oh she had reasons...

I was mean to one of my BEST FRIENDS

No. I will not even listen to that , I thought. She is my best friend and I am NOT mean to her.

2. I talked about people.

Haha. I refused to listen to that one too! I talk about people the same way I did when I was in the fourth grade. Not excessively and not in a gossipy like fashion......

3. I was hanging out with Breanna.

She thought Breanna was just so mean and so horrible. Note: She did not hate Breanna. She just did not like her.

NOT COOL. Breanna had become my very best friend and I could not let her talk about her the way she was. She said Brea was rude, stuck up and she basically was not a good christian. SO SO NOT COOL. I stood up for Breanna and told her how great she was and how nice she was. I also told her that she cannot just make accusations about people when she really does not know them at all! Of course Breanna did not need my help too much...she also stood up for herself.

Needless to say Sam did not like that one bit. There was a big, long argument that went on for a couple weeks. Our relationship is still strained to this day. We get in arguments all the time about the same subjects. Sam still thinks the same things about Breanna and me but I know that Breanna and I will always be close because we always have each others back in any situation. It feels good to know I always have one person that will side with me and vise versa.

* name changed to protect her identity.

The Giver Review

2009-02-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wish life was not always so complicated? That you did not have to make as many tough decisions?

The Giver by Lois Lowry gives you just that. A perfect community, a utopia. In this community everything is the same, everyday. They always know what to expect. They always have enough food. They are always happy.....no [precision of language] satisfied.

The main character in the story is Jonas. Jonas was weighted with memories from the past, before the sameness. Memories the rest of the community could not carry on their own or at all for that matter. They were raised in a world of sameness. Can they have real feelings? Real emotions?

When he was twelve he was entrusted with all the secrets the Chief Elder was hiding from the rest of the community and he had to bear that weight alone. Many people can identify with Jonas. Having to grow up too fast. Seeing the world from a different view point than everyone else.

I complain all the time. Why does she get all the best clothes? Why can not i have shoes like that? I worry about what I will do in the future. What career I will have. They did not have to worry about those things... it was all decided for them. They all wore the same clothes. They all had the same belongings.

But what happens when one or two people decide to push the limits of the community. Decide that they know whats best and only they can bring the people real and true happiness.

The Giver by Lois Lowry. READ IT. It will give you a whole new outlook on life....It did me.

Sophmore Reflection...

2008-12-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

Half the year is done. I wish i could turn back the hands of time and live it all again. There are so many things I would do differently. You never who you affect when you do or say certain things until it is too late. This year has had so much drama. I have lost friends and made friends. I have been up all night debating topics, wrestling with my own thoughts. I have grown more in this one semester than I have my entire life. When I first started tenth grade, I hated it, every aspect of it. The hallways were dark, the teachers did not know me, and the food seemed to taste worse than before. I wanted so badly to be a Junior high student again. To walk down that long, hill of a hallway towards Mamie's room and straight thought the door. I saw myself grabbing the first dry erase marker I could find and writing in big print "I love Mrs. Cuzzort." I told her about my hatred for this school after about the second day and she simply said to me " You will like soon enough, it just takes time." Sure it will, I thought. However I now realize she was right. As much as I love and miss the Junior High School I became so accustomed to. I could not go back. I have to move on and now that I have I can fully enjoy the High School. Although it has dark hallways, rude seniors and much more homework. I love it and I can not wait for the rest of this year.

Was it fate..or was it just me?

2008-12-19T12:36:00.001-08:00

The conspirators in Julius Caesar believed it was fate that Caesar be killed. Was it really fate or was it a sorry excuse for murder? In Shakespeare's time fate played a major factor in every one's life. Your child has small pox and is going to die.... its fate. You go to war get stabbed and are in critical condition.... its fate. Nothing can just happen according to fate. If fate wants something to happen it WILL happen, but was it fate that stabbed Caesar? Was it fate that schemed behind his back and betrayed his trust? No, it was not. Did the conspirators have a choice of whether or not they would kill Caesar? Of course they did! They were not held hostage and threatened. They believed they could do better than Caesar could and they planned to prove it. This was a plan they created on their own and they dealt with the consequences of what they did. Therefore, fate determines nothing, we do. We make our own decisions and no one can MAKE us do anything.

Leadership and Julius Caesar

2008-12-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a play by William Shakespeare. Julius Caesar, determined leader, was brutally murdered by the people he trusted the most. They claimed to have only killed him for the good of the country. They, the conspirators, believed that Caesar had let his position take over him and that Caesar was mad with power. Other people however believed Julius was a great leader who was just determined enough to run the country. Leadership is a funny thing. There is a very thin line between a good-natured leader and a power-hungry dictator. Good leaders are firm but nice. They know how to get the job done without stepping on too many toes. Bad leaders are overbearing and mean. They get the job done as well, but at what costs? There are always power struggles when you have a bad leader because everyone thinks they could do a better job and in some cases, they could. However, a power struggle can also happen with a perfect leader. Determining if a person is a good leader or a bad leader depends on your moral standings. If you have any. What is bad for one person might not be bad for another.

Think Win-Win

2008-11-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

Habit four of Sean Covey's book The Seven Habits to Highly effective teens, Sean Covey states that "Think win-win is and attituede toward life, a mental fram of mind that says i can win and so can you."According to him not everyone has a win-win attitude. In face there are many different attitudes people in todays society thinks with. Such as the win-lose attitude, the lose-win attitude, the lose-lose attitude and of course the win-win.

The win-lose attitude,totem pole, says "I don't care how good I am as long as I'm a notch higher than you are." The world has trained us to think win-lose but win-lose always backfires. The totem pole always has one loser left on the bottom and the winner to rub it in his face sits at the top. Everyone thinks win-lose sometimes but its important not to stay in that way of thinking because you become filled with pride.

The doormat, lose-win, say's I dont like to fight so I'll let you win. Yes, this attitude is perfect for situations where you don't care either way, but you should always know when to back down and when to stand strong. If your attitude is lose-win you will always be following everyone else just to please them. Everyone steps on a lose-win person. That is why it is called the doormat.

The lose-lose or downward spiral attitude thinks "If Im going down, then you're going down with me!" Lose-lose occurs mostly when two win-lose people get together. Lose-lose is nothing you want to be associated with in any situation. Then of course win-win says I can win and so can you! When you have a win -win attitude all your relationships flourish. At times it can seem almost impossible to have a win-win attitude but it always pays off in the end.

Paradigms

2008-11-06T15:42:00.000-08:00

According to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey paradigms are perceptions about the way things are and are usually untrue and incomplete. Paradigms,of yourself, usually hold you back. An example of that would be when i was in elementary and middle school.
I was rather shy and quiet. I had friends but I was too scared to talk to other kids, especially the popular kids. I thought if I was outgoing they would not like me and the would think i was odd. I was afraid I would be made fun of. Eventually, in the fourth grade, I made friends that made me feel comfortable enough to be myself. They were fun and loud and people still liked them. Since fourth grade i have become much more of a people person. I am not shy or quiet in the least and I make new friends everyday.
The paradigm I had about myself is that people would not like the real me. However, I came to find out the people i cared about liked me being myself and once I got used to it I did not care if other people didn't like it.

Sci-fi the..genre??

2008-09-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

In Pre-AP English I read a Sci-Fi book titled The invisible man by H.G.Wells. The novel was written mostly for more mature readers. The vocabulary was very advanced, a little too advanced for my taste. However, i found upon completion that i loved the book. I have never been very "into" the genre of Science fiction but i have been exposed to it many times. Before this assignment I thought Sci-Fi was only for the so called geeks who watch Star Wars and Star Trek. I have now come to realize that science fiction, like any other genre has its good books and its bad books.

Meet Lynn...

2008-09-17T12:24:00.001-07:00

Lynndroida, mother and a wife is also a robot.She was created on the planet Shardon in the city of teeopolis. She was sent to Batestown to rid the citizens of all "evil-doers." "Those who lie, cheat and steal must be corrected," she always says. Whenever she sees someone doing wrong her eyes open wide and her smile fades into a harsh grimace. The platter she carries with her detaches from her hand and flies towards the criminal as fast as a speeding bullet. The platter temporarily stuns her captives and she then forces them to drink her delicious lemon ice tea. The ice tea she hand makes with love and her most top secret ingredient. What does this ice tea do? I will tell you this much, the tea does not ....harm the victim. Lynn was sent here to do good not evil. However whats bad on Shardon is not necessarily bad here on Earth in Batestown. I hope the Shardonites know what their doing.