Photo Prompts

If you had to do any board game in real life which would you choose?
http://photoprompts.tumblr.com/


If I had to do a board game in real life I would choose Candy Land. I think it would be fun to race people on a land with a bunch of candy. You could start at the begining with your friends and then go through the chocolate pond, through the candy caine fields, and the gumdrop moutains. Who doesnt like candy? Candy land would have every type of candy in the world and you could just walk through and eat it. The point of the game Candyland is to beat your oppenents and get to the end first. So maybe if this was real life, people could race through candyland and cant eat it and only the winner can go through and get candy. I think it would be fun. Its not very realistic but most board games arent.

If Candyland didnt work I would do Monopoly. They give you money in the beginning of the game so you wouldnt have to use your own! Then you could buy places and invest your money. The only bad part is if you get sent to jail or run out of money which usually happens to me when I play Monopoly because I'm terrible at it. But I think it would be fun to go around and buy different places and if someone lands on your property then they owe you money. I think that we should make a real life boardgame. Not Monopoly or Candyland but something really cool. They could put it in Disney World or some amusement park. I know I would go!

Celebrate

In my opnion I thought this video was terrible. The only thing it taught me about life is theres a picture behind everything. There's beauty within everything. The video is about a man named Dewitt Jones and the story of his life. How he grew up reading National Geographic and now works for it and is a photographer. There were six images that I could apply to my life. One picture is of a grandpa smiling and Dewitt says, "life doesnt shine on us, but within us." This is something I could apply to my life. Light isnt given to us, we create our own. The second picture/pictures is of the woman in the end of the video. Dewitt speaks about how he asked to take pictures of her for National Geographic and how she explained to him that her brother was dieing upstairs. He didnt understand that the lady still said that she would do it. Dewitt took photos of the woman weaving and making yarn. He spoke about how he didnt understand why someone would give up their time to someone when somebody was dieing. At the end she made him biscuits and tea and was a very sweet old woman. What I could apply from this to my life is patience is important and Dewitt makes a good point that, do the things you do everyday with meaning. He says "Theres no use walking anywhere to preach, unless your walking while your preaching." The third picture I chose was the man throwing the weight. Dewitts words of wisdom and the picture taught me to do what you love and take pride in your talent. The fourth picture is the landscape of the farm, the moutains, the forest, and all of the land photos of Dewitts. They taught me that there is beauty behind everything. My fifth picture is the bright dandelion picture. Dewitt says, "Woah, it was there. I was lucky enough to see it." I think he trys to make a point that we look beyond whats around us and what we were given(a beautiful earth) and we take things for granted. Sometimes its important to take the time to look deeper into things, becasue beauty is within everything created on earth. My last picture is the picture of the desert. Dewitt says that, "No matter how bleak and desalate, no matter how dry and devoid of posibilities the situation might seem. But if I was open to it I could always find a perspective. A perspective that would transform the ordinary, into the exstrodinary." I learned that you can always find something good out of something that seems bad.

52.Have you ever been to a public Memorial Day celebration? What was the atmosphere like?

52. Have you ever been to a public Memorial Day celebration? What was the atmosphere like?

On Memorial day last year I spent the day at my neighbors house because they had a Memorial Day celebration. They had one because their son participated in war. It was alot of fun and there was alot of great foods. One of my neighbors made red white and blue cupcakes. The atmosphere was very patriotic. There were flags everywhere and everything from the napkins to the tableclothes were red white and blue. They even had balloons that were patriotic. I think Memorial Day is important and people see it more as just a day off than a day to thank and remember our troops. The celebration was a good way to thank all of the people for their work and remembering our loved ones who died. The party was patriotic and lifted alot of peoples spirits. The party was a great success and my family goes every year now to honor the troops and their families. At one point of the party my neighbor read a thankyou to the veterans and their families and they had a toast and took a moment of silence for those who died.

               Another time I went on vacation, I dont remember where but I think it was Maryland and there was this big show for Memorial day. They had troops come out and march and people played music. The troops had guns that they flipped in the air and twirled. It was a really cool show and you could see what they do to train and how hard some of the things they do are. Overall, it was a great show and the marching was great. My favorite part was when a line of troops carried the flag in and the troops all followed and were in sync. It looked like it took a lot of practice.

TU Tuesday - Commencement Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyDo5vFD2R8   --Denzel Washingtons speech

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmTuesdaysWithMorrie16.asp  -Tuesdays with Morrie

The commencement speech I chose was Denzel Washingtons speech to the University of Pennsylvania. Denzel shared with the graduates about becoming an actor and how he failed many times. He told them, "nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks." I believe this is true. If you want something or want to do something you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and take risks in life. Denzel refers to a famous quote by Nelson Mandela where he says, "There is no passion to be found playing small and settling for a life thats less than the one your capable of living." I think every human being is capable of doing something spectacular in their life. We cant settle for a small job that makes minimum wage. We need to work hard and do something we are passionate about. In his speech he says that failing is a good thing. He believes it leads to great things. "Thomas Edison conducted 1000 failed experiments. On his 1001 it was the light bulb. Every failed experiment is a step closer to success." No matter how much we fail in life, we will get better at things and will learn from our mistakes to be smarter than we once were before. Denzel said, "If you dont fail, your not even trying." I agree, because everyone is bad at something. We dont know unless we try. Denzel created this theory that when we go to sleep there are ghosts that stand by us and they are our talent. Its up to us, whether or not we use that talent. It can either be used or be put to the graveyard and go unused. Denzel asks the graduates, "How many ghosts are going to be around you?" I think that was a good part of his speech because hes telling the graduates that everyone has talent, and its up to them to use it. People should use all of their talent in their lifetime and not waste it. I thought it was a great message. He then said, "To get somehting you never had you have to do something you never did." Life is full of mysteries and there is so much to do in life. If we take the  time to try new things, we can develop great skills and talents at the things we do in life. Morrie Shwartz once said,  "So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." This connects to what Denzel was saying in his speech. We need to find what gives us purpose and meaning and life and then chase our dreams. We need to take risks and take chances, because you never know what will happen. For all you know, on your 1001 try you could create something astonishing.

The Music of My Life

The two songs I chose were "Why" by Secondhand Serenade and "Happy" by Leona Lewis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faf9FwlYs4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1l3JbBRpA8

The songs I chose represent my grandmother passing away and then myself moving on from her death. My grandmas death was very sudden and after she died I felt crushed and I asked "why" she had to be taken away from me. The two songs "Why" and "Happy" compare because "Why" is a song about grieving, wondering and hurting and "Happy" is about wanting to be happy and move on. They are completly different songs. "Why" by Secondhand Serenade is the genre of rock and "Happy" by Leona Lewis is in the genre of Pop. The song by Secondhand Serenade is dark and sad. The lyrics, "Why do you do this to me? Why do you do this so easily? You make it hard to smile because, You make it hard to breathe." The reason I picked this song and these lyrics is because it shows how I didnt understand why my grandmother had to be taken away from me so quickly and that after her death it was hard to smile and live life normaly. "Happy" represents me moving on from her death. "So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down? So what if this world just throws me off the edge. My feet run out of ground?
I gotta find my place, I wanna hear my sound. Don't care about all the pain in front of me. 'Cause I'm just trying to be happy, oh, happy, oh." After someone dies its hard to move on and not think about what you lost. You have to tell your self its ok and try to be happy. These are two of my favorite songs. One of them is my favorite because it helped me get through my grandmothers death. Music is a wonderful thing that can heal pain and let out your emotions. These two songs have taught me to let go from the past, and look towards the future.

14. Should cigarette smoking be banned?

Should cigarette smoking be banned?

I think cigarette smoking should be banned. Although I dont think many would follow it or agree, I think it should.
1.Smoking is a bad habit and can cause serious health problems. It is not beneficial to our bodies what so ever so whats the point of having it? People say its important because it relaxes them or calms there nerves. There are plenty of alternatives.
2. People that smoke aren't only affecting their own bodies, but everyone around them. If we ban cigarette smoking then we can be healthier human beings, and for one lower the amount of people that get cancer. Many people get various types of cancer from smoking especially lung cancer. By banning smoking, we can lower our chances of getting these diseases. Also, we can lower asthma attacks and Pneumonia.
3.By banning cigarette smoking, we can help get a cleaner environment! Have you ever walked down a street and seen cigarette butts everywhere? I know I have and its disgusting. Some people dont dispose of their cigarettes when their finished and they are left on the floor to collect and create trash that is bad for our earth. Think about how much cleaner places will be. If we ban smoking we wont have to pay for cleaning and the places we visit everyday will look twenty times nicer than before.
4. This point may sound weird but by banning cigarette smoking, our society will be better. There are people that smoke at very young ages and it influences young kids to do the same. People get into smoking and it leads to other things and problems. So by banning smoking we can clean up our society too.

Conversation Starters

Food/Drink Topics

What is your favorite drink?                                             Dr.Pepper

What is your favorite food?                                              Pizza

What is your favorite meal of the day?                              Salad and soup

Are there any foods that you dislike or will not eat?           I will not eat onions or spinach

Are there any foods that you would like to try?                 Something extreme like shark or duck

What is your favorite restaurant?                                       Panera

What is your favorite pizza topping?                                  Pepperoni

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?                              Friendlys chocolate ice cream with oreos in it.

What did you have for dinner last night?                            Steak, potatoes, and broccoli

What is the signature dish that you cook?                          Chicken stir fry with rice

Tried and True

 http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/17477297690/my-28-most-tried-and-true-writing-prompts


He adjusted his rope and lifted his foot as he took another step. He looked up with confidence that there would be something spectacular. Something no human has ever seen before. He traveled through the fog not knowing what was in front of him. His hands griped the rock as he pulled himself higher and higher. He could feel it getting colder. His lips turned cobalt blue and his skin grew moutanous goosebumps. He could feel the hair on his back start to stand as he went further. His eyes widened as he almost reached the top. All of a sudden his foot slipped. It was so cold he could no longer feel his legs. He felt paralyzed as he dangled from the cliff. He felt his hands start to sweat as his palms grasped the sharp brown rock. The rock pierced through his hand and he screamed as he hung onto the cliff with all his might. Then he remembered what everyone said. Everyone told him he could never do it. They told him it was impossible and that nobody had ever been beyond the cloud. He was determined to prove them wrong. He took a deep breath and kept climbing. He used his hands to carry his legs up further and further. It was so cold now that his skin was a blueish color. But he didnt stop. He was just a couple feet away from getting to the top. Slowly, he lifted himself to the top to discover what no human had ever discovered before. As he hit the top the fog was still surrounding him. He was blinded by the fog, each step would be a mystery. A risk. He took a step onto the top and held his hands out, hoping that he would touch whatever was ontop. He could see his own breath come out and then fade along the fog. It was quiet, he could no longer hear the tides crashing against the cliff. He was higher then heaven at that moment. He took another step, still nothing. He took another, still nothing. Unable to feel his toes, he took one last step. He lifted his hand slowly as he started to hear something. He stood there wondering where the sound was coming from. It started out as a wisper. He bent down to his knees and he could hear the sound getting louder. He opened his hand and reached below him. He couldnt see anything but he felt something other than the cliff. It was solid and felt like glass. He tried to scratch the glass, hoping that he could break it. His nails scratched against the floor like nails on a chalkboard. Then he felt a handle. His heart was beating faster and faster as he grasped the handle in his hands. With all of the might he had left, he pulled on the handle. The door squeaked open and thumped to the other side. He reached his hand inside. The wispers were getting louder as his hand went deeper inside the mysterious tunnel. All of a sudden his handfelt something. His hands were still frozen so he couldnt figure out what it was. It felt squishy to him, and boney. And then it pulled him down into the tunnel.

Santa Clara University

If you could go back and change one day in your life, what would you change and why? (Santa Clara University)

This is a huge question! I think everyone would accept an opportunity like this because we all make mistakes in life and would like to change one. There are so many days I wish I could change but if I could only choose one day, I would have to pick Christmas Eve of 2008. Alot of people would use their day to change a mistake but I think all the mistakes i have made have evened out my life. I believe that something good comes out of something bad. So instead I decided to pick Christmas Eve of 2006. Every year my family would spend Christmas Eve at my grandmothers house. My entire family from aunts and uncles to great grandmothers would be at this celebration. We would all sit together and give each other presents. The kids would always be the ones that got the santa bag with a thousand presents in them. I remember getting everyhting I wanted and more and as a young kid, it was the best day of every year. Except for Christmas Eve of 2008. I don't know why, but every Christmas since I was eight, I get the flu or some outrageous sickness on Christmas break. On Christmas I would be laying in bed, vommitting and just being sicker than a dog. On Christmas Eve I felt fine. I got ready to go to my grandmothers, got all the cards I drew ready with me, and carried out the cookies we bring every year. We went early this year to my grandmothers house because she needed help setting up the trays of food. My grandmother had every kind of cookie and food you could think of out on the table for everyone too eat. Since we were early the adults had the kids watch a movie until the rest of the family got there. While watching the movie I started to feel sick. My stomach turned upside down, I got an instant headache, and my body felt like an ice cube. When im sick I tend to not believe it so I just asked my mom for water, thinking that it would go away. But I began to get that feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong with my body. I told my parents I felt extremely sick, and eventually they brought me home. I was sick all night and I remember lifting my hand and trying to open presents but I was so tired that I couldn't do it. The next day the most unthinkable thing happened. I didn't wake up to the usual Christmas with my parents videotaping us opening presents all day and laughing together while we listened to Christmas music. I woke up to my mother crying in her bed with a huge box of tissues, blowing her brains out. I went in her room and I said, "mommy whats wrong?" She told me that my grandmother had died last night. My whole body froze. I could see my moms lips moving but I couldnt hear anything. I blocked out everything around me. My body felt like shattered glass, unable to put the pieces together. My knees got week and my throat felt like it was closing. In disbelief, I fell to the ground, astonished at what I just heard. I dragged myself to my room and lay my head on my pillow as I thought to myself, I never got to say goodbye or tell her I loved her. On Christmas Eve I didnt even get to say hi. We walked in her house, stayed there for ten minutes, and left. Tears poured out of my eyes like a waterfall and I tried to tell myself it was ok, but I knew it wasn't. I was hard on myself too and I thought that I got her sick and that she died because of me. But really my grandmother died because she smoked alot. So to finally get to the question, I would go back to Christmas Eve of 2006. I would change everything. Instead of sitting down and watching a movie I would burst into my grandmothers house and run into her arms and tell her "Merry Christmas" and tell her how much I loved her. Me and my grandmother were really close. I grew up in her house because she was pretty much my babysitter when my parents had work to do, so she was like my bestfriend. It's hard to let go of something physically when you never let go of it mentally. So if I could travel back into time and change one day in my life, sick or not sick, I would change Christmas Eve of 2008. Why? Because if I had the chance to say hello and goodbye it would set a peace to my grandmothers death. And I wouldnt feel guilty for making my parents take me home, and my mom never getting to say goodbye either. I cant imagine not being able to say goodbye to my mom so I dont know how she did it. I feel as if it was my fault and that a change would do a huge impact to my life. But I have moved on and learned that everything happens for a reason and that God only gives you what you can handle. I have handled my grandmothers death by moving closer to my mother and telling my self that if I changed it the outcome would still be bittersweet.

#40 Ten Guilty Pleasures

#40 Guilty Pleasures- An activity one likes, dispite feeling guilty for it. Or something that a person enjoys, but feels embarrassed about enjoying.

1. Buying expensive clothes
2. Eating snacks at night
3. Watching scary movies
4. The Jackass Movies
5. Chocolate
6. Family Guy
7. Dunken Doughnuts
8. Taking naps
9 Comic Books
10. The Wild Thornberry's (Tv show)

Love to Know Slideshow

http://freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/image/33539~iStock_000009000718Small.jpg

Essentials for a Happy Life

List 10 things that are essential for a happy life and describe why each item is important.

1. Have Self Confidence- To live a happy life you need to have self confidence. You need to be comfortable in your own skin and be confident with who you are. Embrace your flaws and realize nobody's perfect. Sometimes we need to look beyond our imperfections.
2. Find what you love to do- We all have hobbies and interests. People need to experiment in their lives and find out what they love to do. I enjoy painting and it's been very beneficial to my life. I can take the time to relax and be at peace and take a deeper look into life. The way we view things and interpret them. By finding what you love to do and doing it your making yourself happy and that sets yourself up for a happy life.
3. Give Love- Love is a very strong thing. It's powerful and can make many people happy. We need to learn how to love everyone even our enemies. I mean lets face it, the ones that are mean and hurtful to us are probably the ones that need love the most. By loving everyone, whether you recieve it back or not sets up for a happy life with no karma to bite you in the ass.
4. Help out others- When we do something good for someone or help someone out we naturally feel better about ourselves. By helping others out and brightening their day, we can brighten ours and live a happy life.
5. Always have a positive attitude- Sometimes we look at the glass half empty instead of the glass half full. We look at the negative things and we get stressed out! To live a happy life we need to learn how to look at the positives and have a positive attitude. Instead of taking the time to think of the bad, take the time to look at the good. If there is no good, create something positive or remind yourself of something else in your life that is positive.
6. Be Humble- Take the time to recognize the little things in life. Be thankful for what you have and what surrounds you. Whether its a fancy house, or just your family, it's important to see what you have. Never forget how lucky you are. By doing this and not being materialistic and full of yourself, you will have a happy life.
7. Be Ambitious- You can't sit around and let life go day by day. You have to take charge and be ambitious. Tell yourself you can do anything and achieve anything. Anything is possible. Open up your opportunities for a successful and happy life.
8. Surround yourself with family- This one is simple. Just surround yourself with the people that love you and make you happy. Family is the closest thing to you on earth so it's important to stay close and spend time with them.
9. Don't Worry what other people think- Sometimes we get so caught up in fitting in and being "normal." But what is normal? Being far from normal is good. Don't watse your time worrying what others think of you. Dance in front of others, laugh as loud as you want, and dont be afraid to speak your mind. Laugh like nobodys watching. You create memories that will help your happy life and being who you are instead of wasting time trying to fix yourself for others will help you in the end.
10. Laugh- laughing is a cure for almost everything. Take the time to find what makes you smile. Laugh off the pain and stress in your life. Sit down and watch a comedy, tell your bff an inside joke, or have your mom tell you funny stories about you when you were a baby. These things make me laugh and help me get one step forward to living a happy life.
 

The Rich and Famous

 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0479471/
Favorite Actor: Shia Labeouf

My favorite actor is Shia Labeouf. He has done many movies but my favorite one that he has done is Disturbia. It's my favorite because it's a mix of romance but horror and has that captivating plot that will give you goosebumps. I like him because he's not afraid to be himself and hes pretty dorky and very down to earth. Hes an amazing actor and I started watching him when I was a kid. Shia played on the Disney Channel show Even Stevens. The first ever real film he did was Holes. That's where his acting career started off. Ive seen the movie Holes around five times and have read the book too. Since then, Shia has starred in many films such as Transformers(not a fan of) and Indiana Jones. He's special because he has a unique sense of humor. He grew up doing stand-up comedy.

Favorite Actress: Abigail Breslin

  http://celebsalon.sheknows.com/long-hairstyles/abigail-breslins-gorgeous-long-hairstyle/

My favorite actress has always been Abigail Breslin. My favorite movie that she has been in is My Sisters Keeper which made me cry ALOT. She did an amazing job in it and her good acting skills really showed. Shes special because she is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. I loved her films Nims Island and Rango. She started doing commercials when she was only three and made her first appearance in a film called Signs when she was only five! Signs was a box office success and brought in 408 million worlwide. It helped kick off her career. She is also known for her part in Little Miss Sunshine which she recieved many awards for.

 Favorite singer: Leona Lewis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_(Leona_Lewis_album)
                                                                                                  
My favorite singer is Leona Lewis. She has an amazing voice and has worked hard to get to where she is unlike many famous people. She is a british singer and songwriter which is special beacuse there aren't that many singers that write their own music these days. Leona became famous from the show The X Factor, created by Simon Cowell. She won the third series of the show and her career blasted. She is a multi-platinum selling artist and three-time Grammy Award nominee. She is most famous for her song Bleeding Love. My favorite songs by her are Happy and  Footprints in the Sand.  

     

                  

Creative Contest III

fifteen, still dont eat my vegetables

TU Tuesday - Timely Connection

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/With-a-zap-germs-meet-their-match-3507541.php

I chose this article beacuse im a germaphobe and I was curious to hear what this was all about. I also chose it because it seems like an interesting topic to blog about. The first lines, "A new germ-fighting device at Ellis Hospital looks like R2-D2 with a touch of E.T" really cought my eye. This story is relatable to not only me but in my opinion other people. Its the twenty first century and everyone is carrying hand sanitizer and being extremely careful and cautious, especially with all these viruses going around. Im not only speaking for myself when I say, hospitals are probably one of the most unsanitary places. Don't get me wrong, I know they clean and staralize things but the germs in the air and on the furniture is just insane. It's like walking into a building knowing in advance that your probably going to get sick. So when I saw this articles title, "With a zap, germs meet there match" I decided to chose this as my connection. This article explains how a man from Texas created this machine that supposivly looks like R2-D2 and what it does is it,"pulses ultraviolet C light into patient rooms to kill tough superbugs." While reading this article I came across an interesting statistic they provided. The article said, "About 1 in every 20 patients contracts an infection while in a hospital, and, nationwide, 98,000 people die each year from hospital-acquired infections." This is insane but yet it's something we should be aware of. I mean we couldn't possibly think that creating a place where sick people with crazy diseases and viruses stay was going to be "germ free." The reason I say it like that is because germs are evrywhere. They are probably on our skin right now. But this new high-tech machine created kills more than those tiny little germs and really does its job. If they weren't so expensive I bet alot of people would own one. I know I would! "Research has shown that standard disinfecting techniques don't kill every bacteria or virus left in a patient's room. Using a system like Bioquell, Xenex or a another UV light system called TruDefense can reduce the microbial load." This machine gives out the "hydrogen peroxide fog which decomposes bacteria and the remaining vapor breaks down into oxygen and water leaving the room clean and disinfected." Step by step our hospitals are trying to create a more healthy environment for us. This article connects to me and everyone in the world too. Most of us have started out in a hospital and most of us will end up there in the end. The good and releaving part is, it's going to be much safer.

Turn your Inkblot into a Butterfly

I missed my foul shot during a basketball game
I made us loose the game
           which was a huge mistake



It made me want to work twice as hard

So Instead of feeling sorry for myself I tried to turn something good out of something bad

I practiced basketball every day

Until I could make most of my foul shots

I worked on my form and balance and my technique

I took lessons from people
             I grew wings like a butterly and believed that I could make anything
                               And that I was ready

The next year the same thing happened to me

But because I prcaticed I was ready this time

I bent my knees and jumped into the air

My confidence was so high

And I made the basket

Making us win

The mistake helped me beacuse we won the Championship

It made we work harder in succeeding my goals.

Music is Life

Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis

You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much unknown
Along the way
Then I heard you say

(Chorus)
I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand

I see my life
Flash across the sky
So many times have I
Been so afraid

And just when I
Have thought I'd lost my way
You gave me strength to carry on
Thats when I heard you say

(Chorus)
I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand

When I'm weary
Well, I know you've been there
And I can feel you when you say

I promise you (you)
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sadness (when your heart)
And despair (and despair)
I'll carry you
When you need a friend (need a friend)
You'll find my footprints in the sand

(I promise you)
(I'm always there)
When your heart is full of sadness (sadness)
And despair (And despair)
I'll carry you (I'll carry you)
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/girl-walking-in-beach-and-footprints-on-sand-royalty-free-image/137053106

I chose this song because it reminds me of family. WhenI was little I used to see footprints and think people were following me. My grandmother passed away and I always thought it was her. This song has a lot of meaning to me and that's why I chose it. I chose the picture above because it reminds me of myself when I was little and the footprints I saw. The song represents that love is everywhere and it follows you in my opinion.  When your sad and you need someone there will always be someone following you thats there for you. My family is who would be following me.

Behind the Masterpieces

(Cafe Terrace At Night by Vincent Van Gogh)

This is my painting The Cafe Terrace At Night. What inspired me to paint this was this cafe in France. It's my favorite cafe in all of France and I think the colors and the livliness of it at night are just beautiful and amazing. To capture the presence of the cafe at night I drew the dark sky and stars and all of the streets of France with lights out. But I wanted the cafe to pop out when you see the painting so I made the cafe full of life and energy by using alot of bright colors. I wanted the name to be very simple and get my point across. I named my painting The Cafe Terrace At Night because that's exactly what it is. This is one of my well known pieces of art. It's known for its character and bright colors and how I show everything coming to life at the cafe at night.

Guest Speaker

Barbara seems like a unique writer and ive never seen any poems like hers before. I feel as if her poems are just journal entries with a pazaz. She just talks about her everyday activities and the problems she faces on a daily basis. She exlpains what shes doing for the day in a poem, "There's so many interesting ways to spend my time. Like washing last night's dishes, cleaning the toilet bowl or going to the dentist." She also writes her problems, "My poem is stuck in the Mac.  And I can't get it out." Barbara has a different writing style too. In her doll story she named her doll Rita Hayworth who is a dancer/ actress who is known for her vibrant red glossy locks that helped her find many roles in films. I don't know how old Barbara is but maybe when she was young she saw Rita and looked up to her or something. Barbara's story about the doll is very interesting and makes you think a little. Was this a story that actually happened? Or is the doll a symbol for something? But whatever it is, the story had a point/message. In thye end Barbara says, "I’m disappointed that there was no big doll hospital as I had imagined.  Just one man who fixed broken dolls. I guess that was enough." I think what she's trying to say is that a little bit can go a long way and sometimes less is more.

My questions for Barbara are: What poets are your favorite? Or, What poets did you look up to?
Are you working on any stories or broadway pieces currently?
What is your favorite broadway show?
My comments:
I like how you include problems in your poems and make them relatable
I like how in your poems you write about your daily routine and the things that happen to you on a daily basis but you convert it into a poem and make it a very interesting type of poem.

10 things I would do if I won the lottery

10 things I would do if I won the lottery

Well It depends how much I won but if I won the Mega Millions then I would:

1. Buy a car for myself. I'm getting my permit and license soon so a new car would be great.
2. I would go to Atlantis. I have always wanted to go to Atlantis but couldn't afford it. It has been on my bucket list for such a long time.
3. Take my parents on a trip. If I won the lottery I would take them on a cruise or a trip to show them I am thankful for all they do.
4. I would pay for my college tuition and help my parents pay off bills and our house.
5. I would get a mega closet with everything I could think of inside. I mean who doesn't want a mega closet? It would be awesome.
6. I would buy a koala bar because I'm obsessed with them. They are my favorite animal in the world and if I could buy one that would literally make me cry.
7. I would donate some money to a charity to give to those that don't have alot and are living in harsh conditions.
8. I would buy tickets to go to a concert of my choice. Im not sure what concert but it would be cool to go to one and have front row seats and the whole package.
9.I would use that money to help me move to California because I want to live there when im older
10. Buy a house. I think it would be cool to be independent and when im older buy a house for myself.

TU Tuesday - P of S

http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Pregnant-pause-3427804.php
My words are:
Writer and Pregnant

Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech
(e.g Writer, wrote, writing, pregnant, pregnancy, impregnate)

My article was about a writer named Lauren Groff who talked about her third book coming out. Lauren explained how she got the inspiration and ideas for her story. While writing her book, "The Monsters of Templeton," she explained how being pregnant helped change her view of our world. Once Lauren got impregnated her and her husband were a couple that represented a kind of utopian relationship which is where she got the ideas for her book. During her pregnancy, Lauren faced hormonal changes. She says, "I felt like there was a lot of passivity and cynicism, and I didn't feel as if anybody was doing anything to change it. So the book started out from a sense of sadness and a sense that I needed to find hope and idealism." Lauren wrote about "a 5-year-old boy living with his parents in a utopian community called Arcadia in western New York. When Bit is 14, the commune begins to fall apart, and he must grapple with facing "the real world" outside."In the article Groff does a Q&A about being pregnant and writing her book which has gotten alot of good critisism and reviews.

Movies Can Do More Than Entertain

I have a netfliz accout (which I do not recommend getting) and have seen the movie The Crazies recently. The crazies is an american horror film where people who live in Iowa are infected with the "Trixie" virus. I am a huge horror film fan and I love a good scary movie. The crazies had alot of action in it. The main charcters were nomadic to stay away from the infected who turn into crazy killers, hence the name of the movie. There are multiple times where they go to houses and gas stations with infected people inside. When watching this movie I was sitting on the edge of my seat as the camera showed the clueless main characters walking into a building that seemed to me like a death trap. The director does a fantastic job and shoots the characters face and a infected in the background ready to kill. This movie is intense and packed with drama. I do not recommend this movie to poeple who don't like blood or people being killed. This movie wasn't really that scary though. My herat didn't race as it played it was just intense with a lot of drama. If I had to rate this movie 1-10 I would give it an 8. They did a great job!

TU Tuesday - Presidential Speeches

“Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry (1775)
http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm

The Virginia Conventions were a series of five political meetings in the Colony of Virginia during the American Revolution. At the second convention, Patrick Henry proposed arming the Virginia militia and delivered his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech which made him a very well remembered delegate. Patrick Henry's speach inspired many other colonists to partake in the cause. Patrick Henrys speech is very powerful and moving and it helped lift the spirits of colonists. The strongest parts of Patrick Henrys speech to me are the opening and closing lines. The opening line, "No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism" shows how Henry supported Virginia and was a patriot and would do whatever it took to keep Virginia from falling to British crown. Patrick realized that there was no peace at this time, "Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace²but there is no peace. The war is actually begun!Our brethren are already in the field!" He basically was telling people that if they did nothing there would be no freedom. They needed to fight back against British rule to be free. Patrick Henry last line in his speech is the most memorable and moving of all. "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Patrick was saying that if he cant live as a free man he doesn't want to live at all. This line from the speech had a huge impact on the colonists. Patrick believed in his colony, "Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us" and was trying to convince people that the best thing to do was fight. I think Patrick Henry is an important figure in history and made a huge difference. He unified the colonists to stand against the superior ruler.

NCBI

• celebrate their similarities and differences, recognize the misinformation they have learned about various groups, including their own,

We did this activity where everyone chose a sterotype group they belonged to. Then with our group we wrote what we hate people assume about our stereotype, what we value, and how others can become allies to our group. To "celebrate" the differences we would raise our hand to show we are allies and then clap to provide support to the groups.

• learn about and reevaluate personal attitudes and behaviors that are based on the impact of prejudice and discrimination,

There were speakers who volunteered to share their stories about how they've been dicriminated or judged in their life. They explained how they felt anger towards the people that had mistreated them and how they wanted to lash out on them but din't because of self restraint. It was interesting to see how people react to certain situations.

• claim pride in their group identities,

In the begining of NCBI the speakers or volunteers would say "has anyone ever felt/ been through _____." Then people would stand if they belonged to any of those things and everyone would clap. The paper activity where we were assigned to groups and wrote what we valued in our group also showed pride.

• understand the personal impact of discrimination through the telling of stories, and
• learn hands-on tools for dealing effectively with offensive remarks and behaviors.

There were peoplethat volunteered to go up and sit with Mrs. Zeb and explain the problems they have gone through and how they tried to go to the principal or an adult and how it was uneffective.

Overall, I think NCBI was a great experience. I learned that everyone is equal no matter what and that we should not treat others with disrepect because it can be extremely hurtful and even cause a ripple effect and affect others around us. The stories that were shared were extremely powerful and full of reality. It made me realize that in reality people are bullied everyday and it causes pain to our loved ones. I think every student at GHS should attend NCBI because bullying needs to stop and the awareness needs to be brought to the attention of the students. I hope I can attend NCBI next year because it was alot of fun. I will take many things out of this experience and carry it throughout life. I will be an allie to everyone around me because step by step we can help put an end to bullying.

Irish Blog



(I didn't know how to make the background of the text green)

Bucket List

1. Going to Atlantis in the Bahamas- I've always wanted to go to Atlantis because I heard its very beautiful. It has white sand and really blue and clear waters which is paradise to me.

2. Go Scuba Diving- I think this is something on alot of peoples bucket list. It looks like a fun thing to do. It's amazing to see fish and the ocean floor up close and maybe actually touch it. Going scuba diving would be a fun adventure!

3. Learn how to dance- I am a horrible dancer! Im that kind of person that would start doing the sprinkler in front of everyone and make a fool out of myself. I would love to take lessons and learn how to dance before I die. Specifically I would like to learn Hip Hop and classical.

4. Learn how to play piano- Music has always been a huge part of my life. It comforts the soul in time of need and is so serine. I would love to take piano lessons before I die. I have always wanted to learn since I was seven but could never afford it or make the time.

5. Get/have a Dalmation or Jack Russell Terrior- These are my two favorite kinds of dogs. I've always been obsessed with 101 Dalmations the movie and I used to collect them when I was younger. My first birthday cake had dalmations all over it. My parents do not wish to have a dog or any pets because they are alot of work. So before I die I would like to own one in my lifetime.

6.Write a book- I love to write stories and use  my imagination. It would be hard to create a book but what good is life if there are no challenges? So my #6 on my bucket list is to write a book.

7. Learn how to surf- Before I die I would like to take surfing lessons. I boogie board and canoe and kayake and do pretty much everything in the water except for surfing. The only reason I haven't learned already is because my biggest fear are sharks! They terrify me to death! Soone day I would like to overcome my fear of sharks and learn how to surf.

8. Create/Design my dream home- This is a very important thing on my list. If I was ordering my list from the order I most want to achieve this would be #1. I love to construct and design things. When I'm older I want to be an architect or something thats creative. So if I get the money I would love to create/design my own house. I think it's something special to build something out of your mind and what you like.

9. Illustarte a childrens book- I love art and I love to sketch, paint and draw so something on my bucket list is to illustarte a childrens book. My drawing style is cartoonish so I think it would be fun.

10. Hold a koala bear in Australia- Koala bears are my favorite animals and if I were to hold one I would probably cry. They are so sweet and innocent creatures (unlike sharks) and are such beautiful animals that I would like to experience holding one.

I had to make an 11th one because this is something else I want to do before I die.
11. Save up my money and take my mom on a trip- My mom has always been there for me and is the best mom in the world. I would like to repay her one day by saving up my money and taking her on a trip to thank her for all that she does for me.

Write the Story - Stick Figures

Quick Mom! Call MTV!

TU Tuesday - Local

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Potential-threat-slows-down-trial-3386810.php
In Schenectady there are two men who are suspects of the murder of an 11-year-old boy and his brother. The trial ended yesterday when, "a potential juror told the judge he overheard a supporter of one of the defendants mention "taking out jurors," according to an attorney in the case." One of the men named Kody Pierce's lawyer responded by saying, "I don't think they were making realistic threats that they were going to hurt anyone." " The two men are charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon." I think the main theme or central idea of the article is for one, murder. It is explained throughout the article. Also, the main point that the trial had to end and they have to find new jurors is a big central idea. "It was then that one of the potential jurors raised his hand and later revealed in chambers that a group of three males and a female had said something about "taking out jurors" as the potential jurors were lined up waiting to go through security, Gaylord said. Gaylord said he then made a motion for the judge to dismiss the entire panel. The judge agreed and all were sent home about 1:30 p.m." This is a crazy story and it concerns me that this occured localy. The theme starts out as murder but then switches/developes into threatening and loyalty. They had to figure out which jurors had been threatened and who would actually tell them. In the end they were dismissed and are now searching for new jurors.

Guest Speaker: Janine Cammarata

Poise: Mrs. Cammarata looked very comfortable speaking to our class. She didn't look nervous at all and in my opinion looked confident in her books and accomplishments. Some specific examples was when she was reading parts of her book out loud she was clear and steardy and looked very comfortable.
Clarity: I thought Mrs. Cammarata was very clear. When she read excerpts from her book she did it at an even pace so that it was easy to understand. For example, I thought that when answering questions she was answering them honestly and was not using big words to make ditractions.
Volume: She had just the right tone. From where I was sitting I could hear her perfectly which is important. Specifically when she was doing the create character activity I could still hear her even when people were shouting out answers or details.
Information: Mrs. Cammarata didn't include too much detail I think because she didn't want to give away anything important in her book. The information she did give was enough to make her book very enticing for me to read. I'm glad we got a copy. An example was she brought in pictures of what some of the warriors looked like in the book and read descriptions of the characters. I think that information helped her reach her key points.
Organization: She was very organized and her presentation flowed very nicely. She never went off on a tangent. Everything she brought up related to her book somehow. For example she brought up her son Nick and explained how he helped her with ideas for the second book.
I enjoyed having Mrs. Cammarata speak to our class. I thought our class asked many questions, was respectful, and got involved. I liked gettiong involved in the create character activity. It was a lot of fun! I think you should invite her back for next year because i think she did a good job and students will be appealed to her fantasy books. I would like you to invite more speakers to our class. It was alot of fun and really helps me find books im interested in.

TU Tuesday - Guest Speaker

http://www.highlandpub.com/Chapter1.pdf

Janine Cammarata is a writer who writes mostly medieval literature. She became a writer when she was in grad school when her teacher told her she should write novels. In school Janine had a high interest in Celtic folklore. She liked how it incorporated nature and how it included strong female characters. Janine includes her love of fantasy, mythology, and martial arts in her novels. In October of 2008 Janine’s son, Nick passed away from Leukemia. Janine is the president of Nick’s Fight to be Healed Foundation, Inc., which supports pediatric blood cancer patients. The money earned from her books go to the foundation. Today Janine lives in upstate New York. Janine is a unique author. She enjoys reading books that “move her” and make her use her imagination. Her favorite author is Marion Zimmer Bradley. Janine cares a lot about her family and believes strongly that you should always keep them close. After reading Warriors Within I learned that Janine puts a lot of emotion in her stories. Janine has been through a lot because her son passed away and she uses it in her stories. “Tipped off about a drug exchange, Senior Narcotics Officers Jack Sommers and Frank Goodale raced to a local dry cleaner in New York City.” The chapter explains that there are two officers that have been partners for years and how they go on a drug raid and one is shot. “Frank Goodale woke up and saw his partner of 30 years lying in a congealing pool of blood.” When one of the officers, Frank awakens he realizes that his partner had been shot and calls an ambulance. In the end, “Jack Sommers died that night.” The ending explains how Jack’s two daughters Shannon and Michaela deal with the death of their loving father. Janine uses emotion through out her novel. “Shannon and Michaela just sat on either side of their father’s bed, not knowing what to do. Shannon cried and held her father’s cold hand, while Michaela watched her, not wanting to see their father’s face.” I feel as if in some of the things Janine wrote it is really herself at the hospital and Jack is her son. There’s no question this woman adds emotion and drama to the story. The story is breathtaking and brings goose bumps to my arms as I feel like I’m standing right there watching this all happen in front of me.

My questions and comments for Janine are:

Is it easy to pull the emotions out and write it into a story?

Where did you get the idea for Warriors Within?

How do you come up with the titles for your books?

How do you come up with the characters names for your novels?

Comments: I love the way you add emotion to your stories and make the reader paint a picture of what’s going on in their head along with the detailed descriptions of the characters. I can really invision them.

Q=Quiznos

Quiznos are all over the place and the one ive been to is on Columbia Turnpike In East Greenbush. I stopped there fonce before when I was doing a basketball tournament. Quiznos is mainly a sub restaurant but they sell many other foods. They are sorta like Subway. Quiznos interior is a normal sub shops interior. They have a couple tables, cheap paintings on the walls, and an area to stand in line and order your food. The drawback of Quiznos is that its not the type of restaurant where you go and sit and they take your order. It's more for people that want to pick up food fast and that are in a hurry. The positive thing about Quiznos is that they have a big menu with a lot of choices. They have a variety of subs, soups, desserts, sandwhiches, and salads. They also serve breakfast sandwhiches! Quiznos has many choices for their subs. They have a variety of dressings and toppings. When I went to Quiznos I had their Chicken Noodle soup which was delicious and one of their subs. Their subs are delicious and savory. The biggest drawback of Quiznos when I went was they had bad counter service. I remember waiting for a long time just for someone to come to the counter and take our order. Price wise I think Quiznos is a rip off. For one of their signature subs it costs around nine dollars! Quiznos is located in a popular are with many popular shops nearby. Overall, I would not recommend Quiznos. Your better off going to Panera or Subway.

Valentines Day

1. Imagine a world where everyone loved their neighbor as much as they loved themselves. What would it be like to live in such a world? How would families and communities be changed?

I think that if we lived in a world where everyone loved each other as much as they loved themselves that there would be a huge difference. In a good change there would be no hate or arguing and there probably wouldn't be any wars and everything would be peaceful. If we loved our neighbors as much as we loved ourselves I don't think there would be things such as poverty in the world either. In a negative effect, if everyone loved each other like that that would just be plain creepy. There would be no "emotions." How would we find our special loved one and get married if we loved everyone. A world with no hate in my opinion  would eventually turn bad eventually. I think it's important  for us as humans to go through heart breaks, fights and other things because it makes us stronger and even more "human." Communities would probably be clean and happy and families would be loving all the time. A world like that isn't necessarily bad but it's not good. Society needs a balance or eventually it will crumble.

My Blog Idea

Since Valentines day is around the corner I thought it would be cool to do a Valentines day themed blog! Since we've already done a I am Thankful for turkey picture assignment I thought we could "spice it up" and do a heart picture. What you do is first find something you love(it can be anything). It can be food or any object around your house. For example, if you like money you can make a heart out of quarters. The only rule is you can't just draw a heart on paper. I chose apple jacks because I simply just love apple jacks! Then you make a heart out of the thing you love. The next step is you fill in the heart with things you love. On the outside of the heart you write the things you hate or dislike. I chose this because we haven't done what we love and I think it's fun because valentines day is around the corner. I think that this blog will be beneficial to our class because it can make people realize all the things they have and how lucky they are to get to love those things. It was interesting to me when making this to see your likes and dislikes and how they compare or differ from each other. Here is my example:

TU TUESDAY- TANKA

The article was about how the Japanese coastline turned into a disaster because of a earthquake and tsunami. In Japan they have a annual Imperial Palace poetry contest and "the theme for this year's reading of "tanka," or traditional five-line Japanese poems that date back to the shogun periods, was "shore." People wrote poems about the disaster and the effect it had on them and their loved ones and a couple of them were chosen to be read aloud in front of emperor Akihito and his family.

"Emperor Akihito, Empress , their two sons and other royalty in gowns sat silently inside a large room in the palace, as a choir of several men around a table read each of the 10 winning works in singsong, dragged-out tones." One of the poems said, "This reality, Feels so heavy on my shoulders."I think the theme is reality. All these people from Japan feel as if the earthquake was surreal and they can't believe it happened. The article is explaining reality and showing how people reacted to it.

 

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Poems-on-Japan-disaster-win-Palace-poetry-contest-2477420.php#ixzz1lie5cJMe        

     Faith

5Hand in hand we can
7Make a difference in lives
5You need faith and hope
7That something good will come out
7Of this attrocious monster

SCRUPLES

6. You see someone shoplifting in the neighborhood grocery.  Do you tell the owner?

I chose this one because I think it's a relevant problem. People steal evryday and there are people like us that witness this. It is our choice to act on it and tell someone such as the owner or to mind our own business and pretend like we never saw it. So my answer to the question "You see someone shoplifting in the neighborhood grocery.  Do you tell the owner?" is yes. It's the moral thing to do and I don't see what's wrong with doing the right thing. Unless you tell the owner that someones shoplifting and they really aren't. But if I saw someone in a grocery store sneaking food products or other items I would tell one of the staff members. I think alot of people wouold say no, they wouldn't tell because they don't want to be a stool pigeon and rat someone out but stealing is against the law and should be dealt with.

Are you more like a panda or a piranha? Why?

Are you more like a   panda        or a      piranha                 ?  Why?
1. Logan
"I'm more of a panda because their nice and so am I and they are very loving and affectionate. I'd rather be a panda because they are relaxed and sweet and piranha's are fiesty and mean."
2. Aaron
"I'd rather be a piranha because then I could attack what I don't like. I could deffend myself and scare people away."
3.Colton
"A piranha because I like to work in groups and pandas kill their children."
4.Mrs.Geurin
"I would chose a panda because piranha's just seem mean and evil."
5.Azima
"I think piranha because they are very fierce and you wouldn't expect it because they're a fish, which symbolizes women to me because people underestimate women but they can be just as fierce as men.
6.Madison
"Panda's because I've always wanted to go to China and I think it would be cool to experience a different lifestyle."

My Life Motto

The life motto I chose was Success. I think it's important to create goals for yourself and try to achieve it. As a child school was not important to me. I didn't care about the grades I got, how smart I was, or if I passed a class or not. When I got to middle school I told myself that I needed to change. I set a goal for myself to do better in school and to really try my best. I learned that with hard work, everything pays off. I got through middle school in a breeze. Math was my favorite subject. I could solve anything and my teacher would often call on me because I always had the answer. I also started writing and reading and I started to get an interest in history. Writing and reading though were still my favorite things. In gradeschool I was never good at writing. I would sit there and think of something to write about while every one else was writing away. So I set a goal for myself to become a better writer and to do well in school. So on weekends I practiced writing. With alot of hard work and integrity I pulled it off. I started writing historical fiction which was interesting to me because I could involve my love for history with my love for writing. Shortly after, I created a story that won a prize/award for young writers. The story I worte in seventh grade about Pandas got published in a magazine. Success is easy if you try hard and have a clear open mind to your goal. You have to be optimistic. My life motto is success is not just handed to you, it is placed in front of you and you have to grab it.

Feelings I Feel

1.      family and painting                            brings me great joy.
2. Seeing           war                     frustrates me to no end.
3.             death                        creates in me deep sadness. 
4. I am grateful for                      everything (too many things to name)                      .
5. Knowing                   there is peace                         grants me peace.
6.                 spiders                  scare me beyond belief.
7. I find acceptance from        my family and friends                                     .
8.            society                    surprises me.
9. I am utterly disgusted by          greedy and sellfish people                               .
10. Anxiety is created in my life by           work overload                        .
11. I am most offended when people       get into other peoples/my business with bad intentions.                            .
12. I have never felt more grief than when       my grandfather died                      .
13. More than anything I hope for      happiness, peace, and love                                .
14. I worry too much about       school                                .
15. Sometimes, I envy      no one...envying people will get you no where and theres no point                               .
16.      doing good in sports                                makes me very proud.
17.  I feel most              loved                       when I             am around my family and loved ones                             .