As a final post for class I have to do a reflection meeting certain criteria. The first thing I have to do is talk about the books I've read. In total, this semester I read 1625 pages. In the beginning of the year I didn't read very much for pleasure, it was hard for me to find time even though I enjoyed it. But when it became an assignment I did it a lot more often. I branched out a lot too. Books that my I'd seen my dad read I actually started reading. Before I thought they were too hard for me but when Mr. Hill talked about them in class I thought I'd give them a shot. This really expanded my library. I read on vacation a lot and in the summer, but not so much during the school year. Although it was hard to find time to read so many pages in a week with swimming and all. I had to cram a lot on the weekends, but I found a lot of books I enjoyed and had a long list of books to read. It was easy to look in the classroom and pick up a good book, even though some were better than others. I never read with music on because I get so distracted, but I did find myself checking my phone especially if the book was dragging on. So I would make myself read so many pages before I stopped. My dad and I talked about some of the books I read, and I explained to my friends about the books I had in my hands. I still enjoy reading books written in the first person better, I find it easier to relate to.But now I read books that are non fiction instead of just fiction. As for what I might read next, I have a few actually. I would like to read Paradise lost by John Milton and Freakonomics by... I'm not sure actually. I liked the way we studied poetry in this class, it was more relaxed and although we analyzed poems it was more of an open discussion and we could say our thoughts without being afraid of being wrong. The poems we looked at weren't of any certain type, we looked at so many different ones which I enjoyed. Even though the poem journals took time, looking back on it it was fun to be able to explore all the poems on websites. I don't think I would change much about this class, except the diction writing in the middle of the year. I didn't really enjoy that. But I think the vocab will help me, even though it was hard to do the homework, and the blogging was a refreshing change of an assignment.
I guess that's really all I have to say for this reflection.
Finally, I'm done with school posts!
Goodbye.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Guess Who's Back...
Here I thought I was done blogging, but my sister posted on her blog to follow mine. And I wouldn't want people to come to my blog and see nothing anymore. So, I might continue to blog every now and then.
I found this website today. It's a page of shirts with ironic quotes on it. At first, I didn't think they were that funny, but they get better as they go along. Here are a few highlights: "If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?" or "How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges" and my final favorite: "If a #2 pencil is so popular, why is it still #2?" Yes, they're dumb questions, but I found them humorous!
Alright, I'll leave you with my new favorite song: Knee Deep By Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffet!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
It's Wednesday, May 18th.
And you know what that means: last blog post of the year! The last few posts have been pretty boring so check out this website of really cool street art! I love the ones where it looks like something/someone is coming out of the ground but it's really just an allusion. I wish I was that creative.
The final summary of the year...
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 312-328
Chapter 23 starts with Ray waking up the next morning after he has read Ruth's journal like Susie told him to. While he was reading it, Ruth saw him and said she had a lot to explain. Jack and his family finally leave the hospital and head home, together after many years. Abigail doesn't promise anything because she doesn't want to hurt Jack again, but she says she'll try to make it work this time. Then she goes upstairs and goes into Susie's old room which she hasn't been in for years. She tells Susie she loves her, which makes Susie realize she just needed time away to figure things out. Downstairs, Samuel and Lindsey announce their engagement and they toast to champagne. Ray and his mother bring a pie over and talk about a Victorian house Samuel wants to buy but Ray's father owns it. Susie also realizes now that her family doesn't need to want her anymore and she doesn't need them, but she still will and they will too. The lovely bones, she figures out, aren't the bones in her body, they are the connections between her family while she's been gone.
Now Susie knows that the “lovely bones” are not her body; instead, they are the connections created in her absence between the members of her family and she knows that she can see things now in a way that “lets her hold the world without her in it. The chapter ends with Ruth in the cornfield thinking of the ghost she saw. She will always think of Susie and be haunted and for this Susie feels guilty, but there isn't anything she can do about it. The final chapter, called "Bones," starts with this line: “You don’t notice the dead leaving when they really choose to leave you.” When Grandma Lynn died a few years after the last chapter took place, no one was really affected by the loss, which validates the line. Susie hasn't even seen her in heaven yet. Every now and then Susie sneaks away to look at her family, Sam and Lindsey have been married and live in a house they're renovating. Lindsey is even pregnant. Jack hopes that some day he will build boats with his grand kids which makes him excited but at the same time saddened by this because it will remind him of all the boats he built with Susie. In the end Lindsey has a little girl named Abigail Susanne. Naming her this helps her to move on and let go of the need for her sister Susie. The best part of the ending, however, was Mr. Harvey's death. Susie and her grandfather visit an old diner he remembers and they see Mr. Harvey getting off a greyhound bus. He goes up and starts to talk to a girl who was on the bus. After the girl leaves, and before he can leave, an icicle "accidentally" falls and he jumps forward which makes him fall into a ravine. Because of the snow, no one will find him until it melts. With this, Susie finally feels like she can stop holding on to her old life. In her old neighborhood, they are filling in the sinkholes and a random man finds Susie's charm bracelet. He gives it to his wife and she says that whoever it belonged to is probably all grown up now. In heaven, Susie thinks, "Almost. Not quite."
And that's the end! What a great book. I want to see the movie really badly now, but I'm not sure where I'll find it. Mr. Harvey's death was the perfect end, he finally got what he deserved after killing so many people. It's sad to think that people move on and don't think about people who have died, like Susie's family after her death, but I guess that's what keeps you sane. If they constantly morned over her death, they would be miserable.
Well, I guess this is goodbye!
Maybe I'll keep posting... but no promises.
The final summary of the year...
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold 312-328
Chapter 23 starts with Ray waking up the next morning after he has read Ruth's journal like Susie told him to. While he was reading it, Ruth saw him and said she had a lot to explain. Jack and his family finally leave the hospital and head home, together after many years. Abigail doesn't promise anything because she doesn't want to hurt Jack again, but she says she'll try to make it work this time. Then she goes upstairs and goes into Susie's old room which she hasn't been in for years. She tells Susie she loves her, which makes Susie realize she just needed time away to figure things out. Downstairs, Samuel and Lindsey announce their engagement and they toast to champagne. Ray and his mother bring a pie over and talk about a Victorian house Samuel wants to buy but Ray's father owns it. Susie also realizes now that her family doesn't need to want her anymore and she doesn't need them, but she still will and they will too. The lovely bones, she figures out, aren't the bones in her body, they are the connections between her family while she's been gone.
Now Susie knows that the “lovely bones” are not her body; instead, they are the connections created in her absence between the members of her family and she knows that she can see things now in a way that “lets her hold the world without her in it. The chapter ends with Ruth in the cornfield thinking of the ghost she saw. She will always think of Susie and be haunted and for this Susie feels guilty, but there isn't anything she can do about it. The final chapter, called "Bones," starts with this line: “You don’t notice the dead leaving when they really choose to leave you.” When Grandma Lynn died a few years after the last chapter took place, no one was really affected by the loss, which validates the line. Susie hasn't even seen her in heaven yet. Every now and then Susie sneaks away to look at her family, Sam and Lindsey have been married and live in a house they're renovating. Lindsey is even pregnant. Jack hopes that some day he will build boats with his grand kids which makes him excited but at the same time saddened by this because it will remind him of all the boats he built with Susie. In the end Lindsey has a little girl named Abigail Susanne. Naming her this helps her to move on and let go of the need for her sister Susie. The best part of the ending, however, was Mr. Harvey's death. Susie and her grandfather visit an old diner he remembers and they see Mr. Harvey getting off a greyhound bus. He goes up and starts to talk to a girl who was on the bus. After the girl leaves, and before he can leave, an icicle "accidentally" falls and he jumps forward which makes him fall into a ravine. Because of the snow, no one will find him until it melts. With this, Susie finally feels like she can stop holding on to her old life. In her old neighborhood, they are filling in the sinkholes and a random man finds Susie's charm bracelet. He gives it to his wife and she says that whoever it belonged to is probably all grown up now. In heaven, Susie thinks, "Almost. Not quite."
And that's the end! What a great book. I want to see the movie really badly now, but I'm not sure where I'll find it. Mr. Harvey's death was the perfect end, he finally got what he deserved after killing so many people. It's sad to think that people move on and don't think about people who have died, like Susie's family after her death, but I guess that's what keeps you sane. If they constantly morned over her death, they would be miserable.
Well, I guess this is goodbye!
Maybe I'll keep posting... but no promises.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I forgot!
I forgot to add this video to my last post! I'm in love with this song, and lately it's all I've been listening too, ha. It's called "I Won't Let Go," by Rascal Flatts. Wouldn't it be nice to hear a guy say this to you, ladies?
Second to last blog!
Yes, that's right. Only one more blog until I'm done with it for the year! I might still do some fun things but definitely no book reviews. In a way they kind of ruin the book for me. I'd rather give a presentation on the book I read instead of blogging about it, but I guess blogging is a creative way to get class work done. I scheduled my reading for this book so I would finish it just in time for the last blog! Tomorrow I'll have to read 28 pages to finish the book. So, let's get into chapters 19-22:
The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold Pages 262-299
Susie's mom comes home after 8 years to see Jack, Susie's dad, because he had a heart attack. When she gets off the plane she barely recognizes her Lindsey and Buckley says some really hurtful things to her. She cries in the car but he doesn't care and continues to be hateful to her. When Abigail gets to the hospital Jack is sleeping but he wakes up when we walks in. And he's very happy to see her. She stays with him for a few days and realizes that she never stopped loving him but won't admit it. Then the book switches to Mr. Harvey. He goes back to the site where he buried a woman a few years ago, but it's been dug up. That night, he dreams of Lindsey running away from his house. He always has this dream when he's feeling threatened and is worried that he may be found out. Back at the hospital Susie visits while her parents are sleep but Jack wakes up and senses she's there. When Abigail wakes up he tells her he saw Susie and she says that she sees her all the time too. Then they kiss!
In chapter 21 Ruth and Ray go to the sinkhole before it is filled in. Then the detective, Len, goes to see Jack at the hospital even though he knows Abigail is there. When she sees him, Abigail is shocked but moves on after a while. Len gives them a Susie's charm bracelet that they found at the grave. He tells them it wasn't her grave, but this proves she's connected to other murders that have happened. Susie sees Mr. Harvey driving a beat up old orange car. He's still having dreams about Lindsey, plus he keeps remembering things about his other victims. Mr. Harvey drives through the old neighborhood and looks through a window to see Lindsey, he doesn't even care at this point if people see him. A police officer comes to the car once he is back in and asks if he's lost, Mr. Harvey says no so the police officer tells him to leave. He rights down his license plate number though. While Ruth and Ray were at the sinkhole, Ruth sees Susie standing next to her, but she doesn't tell Ray. Then, she sees Mr. Harvey driving toward the sinkhole with bloody people in the car and blacks out. The final scene is this chapter is Susie falling from heaven. In chapter 22, she takes over Ruth's body. When she wakes up from blacking out, she's being held by Ray and they kiss. Then they go back to his house and take a shower together and have sex. He realizes that it's Susie. She tells him how she has watched Ruth and him for years. She tries to call her brother but he can't hear her. Then she goes back to heaven and Ruth returns.
These few chapters were really good actually. The police officer writing down Mr. Harvey's license plate number is like a cliffhanger, why did Alice Sebold put that in the book? It must be important. I'm glad that Jack and Abigail finally meet again, it's sad that Susie's death tore them apart even though they still love each other. I only have two chapters left and I'm tempted to keep reading, but I have to go work on my anthology project!
Goodnight!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Happy Birthday, To Me!
Well, it's that time of year! My birthday. I'm 18 and I can't believe it. How can I already be 18, time really does go quickly. A few weeks ago, I found this poem while I was trying to fill out my poetry journal. And it's quite appropriate for today!
Birthday Lights
Light bulbs on a birthday cake.
What a difference that would make!
Plug it in and make a wish,
then relax and flip a switch!
No more smoke
or waxy mess
to bother any birthday guests.
But Grampa says, “it’s not the same!
Where’s the magic?
Where’s the flame?
To get your wish without a doubt,
You need to blow some candles out!”
Cute, huh? It's true, though! What happened to the magic of birthdays?! Right now, I'm at a swim meet. It's sad... birthdays used to be anticipated so much and now I have to share such a big birthday with a swim meet. But what can you do? Anyways, I'm going to go swim, then drive all the way home and open up some presents!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
List of Poems
In my etymology class, we're doing a poetry anthology. These are the ten poems I plan to use. My theme, though I haven't figured out a good word for it, is the story of lives: birth, growing up, getting married, retiring, having birthdays, and, inevitably, dying. Here's my list:
"Lullaby" By John Fuller
"Mrs. Adams" By Kathleen Norris
"Birthday Lights" By Calef Brown
"Maturity" By Philip Larkin
"Epitaph" By Katherine Philips
"Altruism" By Molly Peacock
"Cave Dwellers" By A. Powlin
"Retirement" By Henry Timrod
"Young Man" By John Haines
"My Grave" By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
"Lullaby" By John Fuller
"Mrs. Adams" By Kathleen Norris
"Birthday Lights" By Calef Brown
"Maturity" By Philip Larkin
"Epitaph" By Katherine Philips
"Altruism" By Molly Peacock
"Cave Dwellers" By A. Powlin
"Retirement" By Henry Timrod
"Young Man" By John Haines
"My Grave" By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there! Sure, we yell at you and tell you we hate you and ignore half the things you say, but when it comes down to it, you're the one we want to hug when we have a bad day, the only shoulder we want to cry on when our hearts get broken, and the one who always knows how to cheer us up. I love you, Mom. For everything you do for me, and everything you will, you're the best.
What did you guys do for your mothers today? My parents went to the Kentucky Derby yesterday so I surprised my mom by cleaning the WHOLE HOUSE, buying her some flowers, and a delicious (looking) cupcake from Fresh Market. Of course I wrote her a sentimental card, too. I think she enjoyed it.
Onto other news... today is the last Sunday I will ever be 17. Yep, that's right, my 18th birthday is next Sunday! I can't wait, but I'll be spending it at a swim meet which is quite a bummer. Oh well, gotta go with what I get. Have a great Mother's day, make your mom feel special!
What did you guys do for your mothers today? My parents went to the Kentucky Derby yesterday so I surprised my mom by cleaning the WHOLE HOUSE, buying her some flowers, and a delicious (looking) cupcake from Fresh Market. Of course I wrote her a sentimental card, too. I think she enjoyed it.
Onto other news... today is the last Sunday I will ever be 17. Yep, that's right, my 18th birthday is next Sunday! I can't wait, but I'll be spending it at a swim meet which is quite a bummer. Oh well, gotta go with what I get. Have a great Mother's day, make your mom feel special!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Chapter twelve starts out with Jack in the hospital after his attack, he had to get a kneecap replacement. Abigail goes outside to call Len and asks him to meet her. The nurses at the hospital think something is going on between them because of the way she touches Len's hand. On the balcony near Jack's room, the smoke and talk about Len's wife who commited suicide years ago. Then they kiss. She finally leaves him and she's Lindsey and Jack in the room finally on good terms. As Susie watches this she realizes that her mother was never really happy, she wanted to teach but since Buckely was born she couldn't. She noticed now how Jack grew closer with the kids and she spread apart from all of them.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Quality Time, Redefined
Hello readers! Today we had a class assignment and I had to read this article. It was very eye opening actually. Recently I've noticed how plugged in I always am. I'll be watching t.v. while texting or looking at Facebook on my phone. And what's the point? Sure, it's fun to look at peoples' pictures and see what they're up to, but in the process I'm just wasting time. I stay up later to finish my homework and inevitably I spend less time actually talking with my friends and family. In fact, I've considered putting my phone away, turning off the TV, and canceling my Facebook account, but it's so hard. I feel like I'll log right back on to Facebook and start my habit all over again. Or right as I'm putting my phone away, I'll get a message and start chatting with a friend. My family isn't too bad about this. We will watch TV together but my parents don't text that much and my Dad usually just quickly uses the laptop to finish some work. And when my brother and I are texting if front of my dad, he'll say, "Tell you friends goodbye. You're spending family time right now." or "Don't you get sick of talking to them?" I get annoyed with him when he says that because I want to talk to them, but it's true. I don't really NEED to be talking to them. Reading this article was really sad. Relationships have turned "enjoying each others company" from talking to sitting in bed together playing games on your iPad. And what's the point? Maybe life is more convenient now, but is it really worth it?
Monday, May 2, 2011
A short blog today
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold Pages 126-140
I know this is a really short blog but after yesterday's I'm kind of worn out! This part was so intense thought, especially followed by all that I read yesterday. I think it's cool that Jack is doing this for his daughter, he's gone through so much and even when it seems hopeless he keeps trying. Mr. Harvey is so twisted. I can't believe he played with the bones and trinkets from his murders, but I guess if it's preventing him from killing again... except he's doing it because he knows the police are watching him, not because he feels bad.
Have a good rest of the day!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
I read a lot yesterday...
I babysat last night and the little girl fell asleep watching T.V. early so I started to read my book and ended up reading five chapters! So I have a lot to blog about...
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold Pages 72-125
Buckley and his friend, Nate, are playing and he tells him that he's been seeing Susie lately. Nate doesn't believe him but Buckley insists that the last time he saw Susie she kissed him on the cheek. Susie tells him not to tell anyone because she isn't ready to talk to her parents yet. Buckley shows Nate a hole in Susie's mattress where she would hide things she didn't want people to see. Something in there was a bloody twig that is wrapped in her dad's handkerchiefs. The year earlier, Nate and him were putting rocks up their noses and the Buckley pretended to smoke on a stick but accidentally swallowed it and Susie drove him to the hospital in their dad's Mustang even though it was the first time she had driven. Buckley remembers the worried look in his parents eyes and how it went away when they found out he would be okay. The same worried look is in their eyes now, but it hasn't gone away yet.
For a long time Mr. Harvey keeps dreaming of buildings in Yugoslavia and other buildings in foreign places, but then he starts to dream about woman and children again. Then Susie sees Mr. Harvey's past and sees him in his mother's arms and his father is sorting colored glass. He especially is fascinated by the piece of amber around his mother’s neck that holds a whole and perfect fly. He thinks about the last time he saw his mom, which was when his father and her had a bad fight and he forced her out of the car. In chapter ten, Susie's grandma comes for the memorial service. She is a very fun loving woman and makes Lindsey feel much better. They go through Susie's closet to find an outfit for the memorial. When they are at the service, Grandma Lynn points out that Mr. Harvey is there and tells Lindsey that is the man Jack thinks killed Susie. Lindsey faints from this thought. Lindsey, Ruth, and Samuel all go to a camp for gifted kids that year. They were supposed to do a activity were they build a mousetrap but it turned into a project to design the perfect murder. Lindsey tries to pretend that it doesn't bother her. As Susie is watching this she thinks about what the perfect murder weapon would be and decides it would be an icicle because the evidence would melt away. Lindsey and Samuel keep sneaking about making out, but eventually they end up having sex. The next chapter is really creepy. Jack walks the dog every morning to try and spy on Mr. Harvey. Who to keep himself from killing more children counts the items from the people he's killed. He can't even remember their names. Susie watches this from heaven and learns the story behind each murder. Harvey also plays with the bones from the neighborhood pets he has killed.
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Royal Wedding
Yes, I'll admit I did get up and watch the wedding, but I was smart and got up at 5:30, not at 4:00 like everyone else. I figured that there would be lots of talking and interviews before the actual wedding. What I really wanted to see was the kiss. Of course that didn't happen until I was at school, which was very frustrating. I got up earlier than normal to watch that, and I didn't even see it. The worst part, I laid in bed waiting for this kiss for so long that I didn't get out of bed until past 7:00 and I walked into school late. Oh well. Here is the picture of the kiss on the big day for those of you who didn't see it.... which is probably one in a million considering over 2 BILLION people watched it.
So cute.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Chapters 4-6
The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold Pages 49-72
Mr. Harvey takes Susie's body into his garage where he cuts her up. Later, when he tries to sell the house he tells people that her blood stains on the floor are oil stains. He puts her body in a safe and throws it into a sinkhole in the neighborhood. The only thing he keeps of her's is her charm bracelet. Even that, though, he later throws into an area that they plan to make into a lake. But he takes of her Pennsylvania charm because it's his favorite. Susie's Dad, Jack, sees Mr. Harvey one day building a tent and he offers to help him. Susie tries to get his attention and give him signs but he doesn't sense her until after he is done building the tent. He asks Mr. Harvey if he knows anything but he is quickly shut down and Harvey tells him and can't help him. Since he is now suspicious of Mr. Harvey, Jack goes to Len, the detective, and asks him to question him. But when Len asks Mr. Harvey about the tent he explains that it is a memorial for his dead wife Leah. When Len tells Jack this it only furthers his suspicion because he remembers that his late wife's name was Sophie. After this he starts a list of the dead.
A boy that Lindsey has a crush on, Samuel, gives her a necklace with half a hear on it for a Christmas gift and he wears the other half. Ruth and Ray are walking through the cornfield where Susie was killed one day and they are talking about how they know Susie went to heaven.
My mom ruined this part of the book for me because she was talking about it and thought I had already reached this part. So I knew about the blood stains and the sinkhole, but I didn't know about the tent. I thought that was really big part of the book so far. It gives Jack a reason to suspect him which I hope helps him figure out that Mr. Harvey did kill Susie. This book is really good so far, I'm curious to see how well the movie goes along with it.
The royal wedding is tomorrow so I have to get in bed early so I can watch it! Goodnight!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Voice!
Alright I just posted, literally one minute ago. But I remembered what I wanted to post today! Who watched the new show "The Voice" yesterday? I loved it. Its the same concept as American Idol but they do a thing called blind auditions. The judges chairs are all turned around and the contestants start singing. Then, if the judges like them, they hit a button and it rotates their chairs and they can finally see the singer. Each judge tries to create "a team" that will later compete against the other ones. So, if more than one judge turns around the judges try to win over the contestant and the singer gets to pick who they want to act as their voice coach. I really enjoy this idea of this show! That way no one will be judged based soley off of looks. The singers are very talented. Tune in next Tuesday to catch the end of the auditions!
Underwater Suite
Yes, I have posted something similar to this. But I think this picture gives a more realistic view of what this would be like. Can you imagine sleeping in this bed?! I have some questions: First, would it make you have to go to the bathroom? Second, how do you get down there? And finally, can people see you down there? I wouldn't really want people to see me sleeping... that would be odd, ha. 
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Man, Fort Wayne is Famous!
First Harry Baals becomes a hot topic on Jimmy Kimmel, then the, excuse my vulgarity, porn star, and now Mr. Gibson. These are all people who have brought fame to Fort Wayne recently. But who is this Gibson character, you ask? Why don't I just show you: 
Aw a clown! No. This man has been arrested for huffing paint. It's not his first arrest, though. Try his 48th!! Obviously he needs to go to rehab because he has an addiction. You can't help and laugh at this picture though.
Aw a clown! No. This man has been arrested for huffing paint. It's not his first arrest, though. Try his 48th!! Obviously he needs to go to rehab because he has an addiction. You can't help and laugh at this picture though.
Monday, April 25, 2011
New Book!
Good Afternoon all you readers!
Today I'm going to start a new book called "The Lovely Bones." I'm sure you've all heard of the movie. My friends have told me it's a really good read so I thought I'd find out for myself. I haven't seen the movie yet so what's ahead is a complete mystery for me.
"The Lovely Bones" By Alice Sebold Pages 1-48
The book begins with a bit of narration for Susie Salmon, the main character. She talks about her death and reveals that she was murdered by her neighbor, Mr. Harvey, a man liked by both her parents. One day while she was walking home from school through some corn fields by her house, Mr. Harvey appears through the heavy snow and starts to talk to her. She says she is cold and wants to go inside but he insists that he show her a clubhouse he made for the kids in the neighborhood. She is quite intrigued by the underground cave and decides to check it out. She starts feeling uncomfortable, however, when Mr. Harvey begins to question her on her personal life, such as if she has a boyfriend. She tells him she has to go, but he tells her she can't and demands she takes her close off. She tries to put up a fight, but he over powers her. He rapes her, then takes a knife out and kills her.
The next chapter starts with Susie describing her heaven. She explains how each person has a different heaven based on what they want it to be but some parts over lap. Her intake counselor, Franny, tells her that she can make heaven into anything she wants it to be. Then it focuses back onto Susie's family, who has just found out about a dog who found Susie's elbow. They also give her a hat her mother knitted for her that Mr. Harvey used to gag her with. They believe she's been murdered because of all the blood they found.
Chapter three introduces a new character, Ruth. As Susie's soul was going up to heaven, it passed through Ruth, who remembers seeing a white blur in front of her in the cornfields. She starts to write poetry to express herself after this event. Then Susie sees her dad in his study building boats in a bottle, the thing they enjoyed doing together. But he can't do it without an assistant and he is so upset that he breaks all of his bottles, even the ones he made years ago with his father. Then he goes into Susie's bedroom and lays in her bed crying. Her brother, Buckley, goes into the room, too, and lays with his father.
This book is so good so far! The story is really sad but you want to keep reading it. It's sad what the family is going through, and Mr. Harvey is so messed up. You can't help but wonder what is wrong with him. As I was reading the scene with Susie's dad, I wanted him to stop breaking the bottles. Years from then I'm sure he would have loved to look back on those bottles and remember his father and Susie, but now they are all broken.
Goodnight, everyone.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter!
Happy Easter!
I hope all of you are having a splendid long weekend! Today is kind of a low key day at my house. We're (my mom) are making brunch and a nice dinner but other than that nothing special! All my extended family lives far away so big family gatherings are difficult for us. While I was looking for this picture I typed in "Easter" in a Google search and every picture for the first I don't know how many lines were all of Easter eggs and bunnies. I think it's sad that Easter is thought of as a holiday for egg hunts and candy now. We should all remember what we're really celebrating: Jesus saving us from our sins. But anyways, time for dinner! Yum Yum. Have a great Sunday!
I hope all of you are having a splendid long weekend! Today is kind of a low key day at my house. We're (my mom) are making brunch and a nice dinner but other than that nothing special! All my extended family lives far away so big family gatherings are difficult for us. While I was looking for this picture I typed in "Easter" in a Google search and every picture for the first I don't know how many lines were all of Easter eggs and bunnies. I think it's sad that Easter is thought of as a holiday for egg hunts and candy now. We should all remember what we're really celebrating: Jesus saving us from our sins. But anyways, time for dinner! Yum Yum. Have a great Sunday!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Last Grayson Log!
Alrighty, folks.
I'm going to make this really short because I've already started my next book and I'm tired of blogging about this book. So here's how the book "Grayson" wraps up:
They swim back to the pier where they are greeted by the lifeguards. They tell Lynne they're happy she came back because she had been out there too long. Then she notices how many people have gathered to watch the baby whale on the pier. One of which who is a young boy with his mother and older brother. Eager to see the mother whale, he climbs up on the railing to get a better look. And he does. He spots a big poof in the distance and they finally find Grayson's mom. Lynne is greeted by the mom and she's quite friendly to her, despite Lynne's initial fears. They both feel a great connection to one another. And after some playfulness, Grayson and his mom depart on their way to Alaska.
Well, what can I say about this book? It has a really neat story and it would be so amazing to experience this, but it was just a little slow for me. I can't wait to start blogging about my next read!
Goodnight!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Grayson
Pages 101-128
Grayson was swimming fast underneath the water and Lynne was struggling to keep swimming. Then, to her amazement, Grayson leaped out of the water, soring six feet into the air. This gave Lynne a chance to catch up, because the whale needed to catch his breath after that. But, for the third time, Grayson disappeared. Lynne panicked, of course, and kept diving down for fifteen minutes. Since he was taking so long, Lynne started to swim back to shore, she was getting too cold and hypothermia was setting in. She struggled with leaving Grayson, and didn't want to give up on him, but she knew she would die out there if she didn't go home. Then finally Grayson appeared and Lynne became ecstatic. Out of no where, dolphins came swarming around them and played with them for a while. Lynne tells a story about how one time her friend and her were swimming in the ocean and two big dolphins were swimming right next to her friend and he didn't even realize it. After this story, which takes up 6 or so pages, Lynne finally touches Grayson for the first time. Both feeling rejuvenated, they head back to the pier.
Grayson was swimming fast underneath the water and Lynne was struggling to keep swimming. Then, to her amazement, Grayson leaped out of the water, soring six feet into the air. This gave Lynne a chance to catch up, because the whale needed to catch his breath after that. But, for the third time, Grayson disappeared. Lynne panicked, of course, and kept diving down for fifteen minutes. Since he was taking so long, Lynne started to swim back to shore, she was getting too cold and hypothermia was setting in. She struggled with leaving Grayson, and didn't want to give up on him, but she knew she would die out there if she didn't go home. Then finally Grayson appeared and Lynne became ecstatic. Out of no where, dolphins came swarming around them and played with them for a while. Lynne tells a story about how one time her friend and her were swimming in the ocean and two big dolphins were swimming right next to her friend and he didn't even realize it. After this story, which takes up 6 or so pages, Lynne finally touches Grayson for the first time. Both feeling rejuvenated, they head back to the pier.
I don't mean to be rude, because I know all literature is noteworthy and I probably could never write a book, but this is kind of boring to me. It was intense and interesting at first but after a while it just lags on and on. It has too many little details for me. The only reason I'm still reading is because I want to know how they find Grayson's mom.
Have a great night!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Grayson
Grayson By Lynne Cox
Pages 79-99
Once Lynne got the jetty with no luck, she returned to the pier to make a new plan with Steve. At this point, she was starting to form a strong bond with the baby whale. She felt that if she communicated to him somehow, he would listen, so she tried talking to him underwater. In fact, she even named him. Grayson. Like Gray's son. Gray, as in his color. Grayson started to swim away, but this time in the direction out to sea, toward the oil rigs which Lynne had only swam to once. This was during a competition, too, where there are many life guards and safety boats, but she knew the baby whale needed her. They swam through jellyfish, which Grayson avoided gracefully, and through many other fish. Lynne was nervous about being out so far, but she was determined to find Grayson's mother. This is one of those sections that are just filled with tons of detail. Pages 91 to 98 simply talk about how Grayson had suddenly disappeared again and Lynne couldn't find him. She continued to dive down again and again to search for him but it was futile. She thought he might be dying because baby whales need food from their mothers (they're too young to find food for themselves). But then she remembered her friend Greg. He had asked Lynne to drive with him at 3 A.M. to a deserted runway to attempt to be the first person to achieve human-powered flight. No one understood why he was trying this, but he never gave up. And he did do it, this inspired Lynne when she thought about it. She knew it might be impossible to find Grayson's mother, but she was willing to give it a shot. So just as she was starting to give up, she tried one more time, diving farther than she had gone the last time, and much faster. She even called his name, "Grayson!!" and with that, he popped out of the water and swam beside her. Lynne knew that she couldn't be this far from shore anymore, she was started to get too cold and she was very tired. "Grayson, let's swim back to shore now" she said, and he seemed to understand her concerns because right then he turned around and started swimming toward the beach. They swam that way for a while until, all of the sudden, Grayson turned in the opposite direction and started swimming faster, as if he might have heard his mothers voice.
The recurring theme of sacrifice keeps popping into my head. She's so willing to give up what she wants to do, and what she is comfortable with to save this majestic animal. But then again, if I was in this position, I feel like I would be compelled to do the same.
Pages 79-99
Once Lynne got the jetty with no luck, she returned to the pier to make a new plan with Steve. At this point, she was starting to form a strong bond with the baby whale. She felt that if she communicated to him somehow, he would listen, so she tried talking to him underwater. In fact, she even named him. Grayson. Like Gray's son. Gray, as in his color. Grayson started to swim away, but this time in the direction out to sea, toward the oil rigs which Lynne had only swam to once. This was during a competition, too, where there are many life guards and safety boats, but she knew the baby whale needed her. They swam through jellyfish, which Grayson avoided gracefully, and through many other fish. Lynne was nervous about being out so far, but she was determined to find Grayson's mother. This is one of those sections that are just filled with tons of detail. Pages 91 to 98 simply talk about how Grayson had suddenly disappeared again and Lynne couldn't find him. She continued to dive down again and again to search for him but it was futile. She thought he might be dying because baby whales need food from their mothers (they're too young to find food for themselves). But then she remembered her friend Greg. He had asked Lynne to drive with him at 3 A.M. to a deserted runway to attempt to be the first person to achieve human-powered flight. No one understood why he was trying this, but he never gave up. And he did do it, this inspired Lynne when she thought about it. She knew it might be impossible to find Grayson's mother, but she was willing to give it a shot. So just as she was starting to give up, she tried one more time, diving farther than she had gone the last time, and much faster. She even called his name, "Grayson!!" and with that, he popped out of the water and swam beside her. Lynne knew that she couldn't be this far from shore anymore, she was started to get too cold and she was very tired. "Grayson, let's swim back to shore now" she said, and he seemed to understand her concerns because right then he turned around and started swimming toward the beach. They swam that way for a while until, all of the sudden, Grayson turned in the opposite direction and started swimming faster, as if he might have heard his mothers voice.
The recurring theme of sacrifice keeps popping into my head. She's so willing to give up what she wants to do, and what she is comfortable with to save this majestic animal. But then again, if I was in this position, I feel like I would be compelled to do the same.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
I Need to Clear Something Up...
Hello readers,
There has been a lot of confusion lately and I would like to clear this up: I am not the girl from the SunDrop commercial! Ha, just kidding! But really, I'm not. This commercial just makes me laugh! Check it out!
The Great ShakeOut!
Well as many of you know today was the state wide earthquake drill! Unfortunately, I missed it because I was home sick today. I was actually really disappointed that I missed out on it. Something about hiding under a desk in preparation for an earthquake seems quite fun to me. Although I think we all know that It wouldn't save us from things falling on us. I guess its a good thing chances of a major earthquake in Fort Wayne are slim!
Grayson
Grayson By Lynne Cox
Pages 56-78
Steve got in contact with all the local fishermen and told them to be on the lookout for any whales swimming around. He also called the coast guard, who also would keep their eyes open. Suddenly, Lynne couldn't find the whale, though. He had disappeared. She figured that he had just swam down far below the water, maybe to attempt to listen for his mother's sonar, but he had been gone for a while and she didn't think he could hold his breath that long. So, she started to dive down to find him. Lynne continued taking deep breathes and pulling herself down over and over for around 30 minutes until finally she spotted him far beneath the surface just floating. When she came up again, she saw her friend Carl, a local fisherman, in the distance. He drove his boat over to her and began to talk. He was bummed that he hadn't caught any fish yet, but when Lynne told him about the baby whale following her, he told her that the whale must have scared all the fish away. The two chatted for a few minutes but then Carl left, promising to keep his eyes open. Once Lynne had finally started swimming again, the baby whale talked! He was calling to her which only caused pure awe on Lynne's behalf.
Pages 56-78
Steve got in contact with all the local fishermen and told them to be on the lookout for any whales swimming around. He also called the coast guard, who also would keep their eyes open. Suddenly, Lynne couldn't find the whale, though. He had disappeared. She figured that he had just swam down far below the water, maybe to attempt to listen for his mother's sonar, but he had been gone for a while and she didn't think he could hold his breath that long. So, she started to dive down to find him. Lynne continued taking deep breathes and pulling herself down over and over for around 30 minutes until finally she spotted him far beneath the surface just floating. When she came up again, she saw her friend Carl, a local fisherman, in the distance. He drove his boat over to her and began to talk. He was bummed that he hadn't caught any fish yet, but when Lynne told him about the baby whale following her, he told her that the whale must have scared all the fish away. The two chatted for a few minutes but then Carl left, promising to keep his eyes open. Once Lynne had finally started swimming again, the baby whale talked! He was calling to her which only caused pure awe on Lynne's behalf.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tax Day!
Happy last day of tax season, Dad!
My dad is an accountant and it has been a hectic year for him, like always. I'm sure he's very glad to finally be done and take a peaceful day off tomorrow! But I'm sure there were those last minute people who gave him their taxes yesterday. So, I'm praying for you today Dad! Almost done!
My dad is an accountant and it has been a hectic year for him, like always. I'm sure he's very glad to finally be done and take a peaceful day off tomorrow! But I'm sure there were those last minute people who gave him their taxes yesterday. So, I'm praying for you today Dad! Almost done!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Chapter Three
Grayson By Lynne Cox
Pages 27-36
Lynne was almost half way done with her swim at this point. Once she reached the jetty, which was 200 yards away, she could turn around and go back. Then sun still hadn't come up, and all she wanted was some breakfast (It's inevitable to think about food while you swim!) She finally turns around and whatever was swimming with her before has seemed to disappear again. She's almost back to the beach where she started and she begins to sprint, and do her self talking, "Pull stronger. Grab more water. Faster. Faster. Burn." (FYI- I don't do this, ever. Not this extreme at least.) She finally reached the pier where she started and she sees her friend Steve, a man who works at a bait shop on the beach. Steve always keeps an eye out for her and makes sure boats know she is swimming by calling over the radio the fishermen use. Today, however, he wasn't standing where he usually was, and this reassured her that something was wrong.
Pages 38-56
Steve was jumping up and down on the beach, which Lynne thought was a signal to get into shore; but as she started sprinting in, he motioned for her to stop and stay there. She was scared and confused and didn't know what to do, but finally he yelled to her that a baby whale had been following her and if she swam in it was likely that he would try to follow her. If he did, he would get stuck on shore and die. Then she saw it all, she looked underwater and saw the baby whale about 25 yards away, she saw the poof of his breathing, and she thought he at least looked to be 18 feet long. The baby whale started to play, rolling over on his stomach and diving down. Lynne knew that they needed to find the baby's mother, he would die without her milk. Steve told her he thought she should swim back to the jetty, he thought that the mother might have lost him in that direction because that's where the baby started following Lynne. The whale had started to swim under the pier, though, which Lynne usually tried to avoid because of the old fishing hooks and crabs and barnacles that surrounded the pilings. But she knew she didn't have a choice, she had to swim that direction to get the whale to follow her in the other.
Can you imagine being so close to a whale in it's natural environment? Think about it, at one point she mentions that the whale is only 10 yards away, and since this is a huge whale, I'm assuming 10 yards was a lot shorter than normal! It's neat the sacrifice Lynne is willing to make to help the whale. The whole swim all she wanted to do was get out, and know she's going to swim her whole practice over just to help the baby find it's mother.
Pages 27-36
Lynne was almost half way done with her swim at this point. Once she reached the jetty, which was 200 yards away, she could turn around and go back. Then sun still hadn't come up, and all she wanted was some breakfast (It's inevitable to think about food while you swim!) She finally turns around and whatever was swimming with her before has seemed to disappear again. She's almost back to the beach where she started and she begins to sprint, and do her self talking, "Pull stronger. Grab more water. Faster. Faster. Burn." (FYI- I don't do this, ever. Not this extreme at least.) She finally reached the pier where she started and she sees her friend Steve, a man who works at a bait shop on the beach. Steve always keeps an eye out for her and makes sure boats know she is swimming by calling over the radio the fishermen use. Today, however, he wasn't standing where he usually was, and this reassured her that something was wrong.
Pages 38-56
Steve was jumping up and down on the beach, which Lynne thought was a signal to get into shore; but as she started sprinting in, he motioned for her to stop and stay there. She was scared and confused and didn't know what to do, but finally he yelled to her that a baby whale had been following her and if she swam in it was likely that he would try to follow her. If he did, he would get stuck on shore and die. Then she saw it all, she looked underwater and saw the baby whale about 25 yards away, she saw the poof of his breathing, and she thought he at least looked to be 18 feet long. The baby whale started to play, rolling over on his stomach and diving down. Lynne knew that they needed to find the baby's mother, he would die without her milk. Steve told her he thought she should swim back to the jetty, he thought that the mother might have lost him in that direction because that's where the baby started following Lynne. The whale had started to swim under the pier, though, which Lynne usually tried to avoid because of the old fishing hooks and crabs and barnacles that surrounded the pilings. But she knew she didn't have a choice, she had to swim that direction to get the whale to follow her in the other.
Can you imagine being so close to a whale in it's natural environment? Think about it, at one point she mentions that the whale is only 10 yards away, and since this is a huge whale, I'm assuming 10 yards was a lot shorter than normal! It's neat the sacrifice Lynne is willing to make to help the whale. The whole swim all she wanted to do was get out, and know she's going to swim her whole practice over just to help the baby find it's mother.
I'm Addicted to Stumble Upon.
They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? Well, folks, I have a problem. I'm addicted to Stumble Upon. It's a good thing I can post this stuff on my blog or else it would be a complete waste of time, ha! So here are some humorous pictures I found while stumbling!
Winston-Salem
Royan
Washington, DC
I think my favorites are the red carpet leading to the sewer, because it's ironic, and the lady halfway in the fountain. You have to wonder what these people were thinking as they saw them! Would you call the police and tell them there was a lady stuck in the fountain? Or just laugh at it and ignore it? I guess you won't really know until you see it yourself!
Tudela
London
Moscow
Winston-SalemWinston-Salem
Seoul
Belgrade
RoyanBordeaux
Puerto del Rosario
Barcelona
Barcelona
Washington, DC
Malmö
Malmö
Malmö
Washington, DC
London
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Washington, DCWashington, DC
Baltimore
I think my favorites are the red carpet leading to the sewer, because it's ironic, and the lady halfway in the fountain. You have to wonder what these people were thinking as they saw them! Would you call the police and tell them there was a lady stuck in the fountain? Or just laugh at it and ignore it? I guess you won't really know until you see it yourself!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Grayson By Lynne Cox Pages 15-26
Lynne was starting to get worried, so she tried to swim to shallower water, but as she was swimming whatever was underneath her was creating a huge whole in the water. Wittingly she realized she needed to create more drag, so she spread her arms and legs out so she wouldn't be pulled down. She thought it had finally swam away, but then she experienced the biggest wave she'd ever felt. Immediately she sprinted to the shore, but the wave caught her and slammed her into the sand. Again, her self talk begins, "You need to stick with it. Refocus. Get yourself back in gear. If you climb out now because you're scared you'll want to do the same when you're on a big swim." This goes on for about a page, see what I mean by all the details, ha. She was right by the Gabriel River jetty, which was very dangerous because water used to cool the turbines from a power plant was dumped here, so the water was almost ten degrees warmer, which meant stingrays would be all over. She had no choice but to put her feet down, which was even more dangerous. As she was shuffling along, she felt something move across her foot, which caused every other stingray to become alarmed and start moving. She tried to stay extremely still until she could get back out passed the waves. Once she finally did, she had so much sand in her suit that she needed to figure out a way to get it all out or else it would rub against her skin making it raw. Lynne looked around for a fin, making sure there were no white sharks around. Sometimes they swam from Hawaii and swam right to where she was, but they had only been spotted there a few times.
I'm amazed at how relatively calm she's staying. If this would have happened to me, I would have gotten out right away, no self talk going on in my mind! She's as determined as anyone in my opinion. The possibilities of what it could be would be so scary to think about. We know it's a whale, though, because there is a picture of a whale on the cover, ha!
Well, see you all soon!
Lynne was starting to get worried, so she tried to swim to shallower water, but as she was swimming whatever was underneath her was creating a huge whole in the water. Wittingly she realized she needed to create more drag, so she spread her arms and legs out so she wouldn't be pulled down. She thought it had finally swam away, but then she experienced the biggest wave she'd ever felt. Immediately she sprinted to the shore, but the wave caught her and slammed her into the sand. Again, her self talk begins, "You need to stick with it. Refocus. Get yourself back in gear. If you climb out now because you're scared you'll want to do the same when you're on a big swim." This goes on for about a page, see what I mean by all the details, ha. She was right by the Gabriel River jetty, which was very dangerous because water used to cool the turbines from a power plant was dumped here, so the water was almost ten degrees warmer, which meant stingrays would be all over. She had no choice but to put her feet down, which was even more dangerous. As she was shuffling along, she felt something move across her foot, which caused every other stingray to become alarmed and start moving. She tried to stay extremely still until she could get back out passed the waves. Once she finally did, she had so much sand in her suit that she needed to figure out a way to get it all out or else it would rub against her skin making it raw. Lynne looked around for a fin, making sure there were no white sharks around. Sometimes they swam from Hawaii and swam right to where she was, but they had only been spotted there a few times.
I'm amazed at how relatively calm she's staying. If this would have happened to me, I would have gotten out right away, no self talk going on in my mind! She's as determined as anyone in my opinion. The possibilities of what it could be would be so scary to think about. We know it's a whale, though, because there is a picture of a whale on the cover, ha!
Well, see you all soon!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
This Day In Music
Happy Thursday to all of you! I found this on Stumble Upon and thought it was neat! It's called This Day in Music and it tells you what song was in the number one place on that day, whatever day you pick, that is. Last year on my birthday Usher's O.M.G. was number one!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
New Book
Well I started a new book today. I found it in Mr. Hill's classroom and I was drawn to it because it's about a swimmer, and the font is really big with small pages, honestly. Its a really quick read, too. I think the summaries will be short as well because a lot of the pages are filled with small details that go on and on and on and I can't really blog about that. But let's get started!
Grayson by Lynne Cox Pages 1-14
As chapter one begins, Lynne is going out for a morning swim in the ocean. She is a long distance swimmer, not to mention very experienced for her age. She decided to go out earlier than usual, at 5 a.m. (I can relate to that, ha.) The currents were very strong that morning but she knew if she wanted to be prepared for the challenges in a race, she would have to struggle through it at practice. Then she started noticing something odd: sounds coming from deep under the surface, water shaking below her, and a current that seemed to pull her down. All the sudden she is being pulled down by the water and feels bubbles rushing around her. As she finally resurfaces, it's almost as it has started to rain, because water is pouring down on her. She lifts her head out of the water, but it isn't raining. Then she noticed little fish swimming around. She usually enjoyed swimming with little fish, but she noticed that thousands of anchovy were swarming around her. As she took a breath, some even flew into her mouth. That worried her, because she knew with all those anchovy, bigger fish would follow, and they did. Now grunion, fish twice the size of baby anchovy, were all around her. Then, a huge 35 pound tuna jumped out of the water and landed on her back, hard. At this point, she began to fear sharks. All these fish would only attract larger ones. She could feel something huge in the water, but hadn't found out what it was yet.
It's crazy to me that she's swimming in the ocean so early and with all these creatures. I swam in the ocean for a practice on vacation of day in the sunlight and I was scared to death. It's pitch black right now where Lynne is swimming and she's so comfortable. Her self talk is really neat too, it's the classic swimmer talk. Encouraging yourself to push through it, pull faster, make your stroke efficient. Most people probably think this book is boring, but since I can relate to what she's doing, I actually find it interesting.
Grayson by Lynne Cox Pages 1-14
As chapter one begins, Lynne is going out for a morning swim in the ocean. She is a long distance swimmer, not to mention very experienced for her age. She decided to go out earlier than usual, at 5 a.m. (I can relate to that, ha.) The currents were very strong that morning but she knew if she wanted to be prepared for the challenges in a race, she would have to struggle through it at practice. Then she started noticing something odd: sounds coming from deep under the surface, water shaking below her, and a current that seemed to pull her down. All the sudden she is being pulled down by the water and feels bubbles rushing around her. As she finally resurfaces, it's almost as it has started to rain, because water is pouring down on her. She lifts her head out of the water, but it isn't raining. Then she noticed little fish swimming around. She usually enjoyed swimming with little fish, but she noticed that thousands of anchovy were swarming around her. As she took a breath, some even flew into her mouth. That worried her, because she knew with all those anchovy, bigger fish would follow, and they did. Now grunion, fish twice the size of baby anchovy, were all around her. Then, a huge 35 pound tuna jumped out of the water and landed on her back, hard. At this point, she began to fear sharks. All these fish would only attract larger ones. She could feel something huge in the water, but hadn't found out what it was yet.
It's crazy to me that she's swimming in the ocean so early and with all these creatures. I swam in the ocean for a practice on vacation of day in the sunlight and I was scared to death. It's pitch black right now where Lynne is swimming and she's so comfortable. Her self talk is really neat too, it's the classic swimmer talk. Encouraging yourself to push through it, pull faster, make your stroke efficient. Most people probably think this book is boring, but since I can relate to what she's doing, I actually find it interesting.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday's Response
It's time for yet another Tuesday's Response. Today we are supposed to look at three people's homes and write a short paragraph about analyzing the homes. These are the three homes: Home Number 1, Home Number 2, and Home Number 3. I can't really say I have a favorite. I liked all of them in different ways. The first one is very modern and clean, while the farm house is in disorder. Yet, it seems to have a home-y feeling to it. I love the eclectic look of the last house too. So, here is my analytical paragraph:
Dan and Shannan's chaotic, yet whimsical rural farm house creates a fun-loving sense of simplicity. Although they may not have the most expensive house on the block, in every picture it is apparent that they have all they need: each other. Their house is simply what they need, not what they want. They grow some of their own food and take pride in the bottles that now act as decor. Dan and Shannan's house focuses on what is important in life rather than what is necessary.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
It's Friday, Friday!
Okay, I couldn't help putting this video in! I know everyone hates it but it's just so perfect! I feel bad for her. I honestly don't think it's that bad of a song. Sure, her voice is a little annoying, but I think its just the auto tune (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called!). I saw a video of her singing it accustically and it's honestly not that bad. She's so young too. I praise her for going after her dreams like that! I think it's terrible they called it the worst Youtube video ever, she has feelings. Especially being a teenage, that must really affect her self esteem! Plus I'm sure her classmates are all over making fun of it. Rebecca Black, kudos to you! Keep trying!
For One More Day By Mitch Albom pages 22-60
Friday, April 8, 2011
Is it summer yet?
Man, I wish it was summer already! The weather has been pretty good and it's got me summer-sick! I can't wait! We started swimming again yesterday and wow, I'm so sore! It was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I was on Stumble Upon today and I found these pictures:
The Floating Hotel in Sweden
Hotel made of Sand in England
Houses in Mexico
Icehotel, Canada
Capsule Hotel, Japan
Survival Pod Hotel, Holland
Cave Hotel, Turkey
Jumbo Hostel, Sweden
Tree House, India
German Prison Hotel
Poseidon Undersea Resort, Fiji
Sewage Pipe Hotel, Austria
I thought this was pretty cool! But some of them are kinda spooky! I wouldn't want to stay in some of these, like the Sand hotel, the German prison cell hotel, and the Capsule hotel in Japan. I think the Poseidon Underwater Hotel in Fiji would be amazing to stay in! They're all pretty small though.
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