Some things in life are really amazing...........

Chicken Soup for the Soul (according to Mr Dean) a.k.a. my origional Prezi

The American Dream: by Nina Solis on Prezi

Bucket List.....

Ok so today on the bus ride to a museum, (which was two hours away...) Sam and I decided to make a bucket list, and has the help of out fellow classmates we came up with about 120 things. We are still adding to it, and to be honest, I don't think that it will ever be done! Everything is on there, from goals easy and hard to accomplish, things that may not even be possible, and things that we dream of. This list is more than just something that we decide to check off, it is a way to discover ourselves, and grow closer. I think that this is a great way to see how much we expect from not only others, but ourselves. I would love to finish the list by the end of senior year, but some things might have to wait.... like touching every continent. And other things, we may only fantasize of doing.... luring in Sasquatch with beef jerky. None the less, all of these things represent something that we have always wanted to do. Something that brings out out inner child, something that makes us reach deep down to figure out, something that requires time, and patience. When I think of all the amazing things that we will accomplish one day, I feel so proud to say I know who I know. I am so happy that God has blessed me with such a wonderful life, surrounding me with great people who I will cherish in my hearts, forever.

Amazing quote from a book...

"There will be other lives.
There will be other lives for nervous boys with sweaty palms, for bittersweet fumblings in the backseats of cars, for caps and gowns in royal blue and crimson, for mothers clasping pretty pearl necklaces around daughters' unlined necks, for your full name read aloud in an auditorium, for brand-new suitcases transporting you to strange new people in strange new lands.
And there will be other lives for unpaid debts, for one-night stands, for Prague and Paris, for painful shoes with pointy toes, for indecision and revisions.
And there will be other lives for fathers walking daughters down aisles.
And there will be other lives for sweet babies with skin like milk.
And there will be other lives for a man you don't recognize, for a face in a mirror that is no longer yours, for the funerals of intimates, for shrinking, for teeth that fall out, for hair on your chin, for forgetting everything. Everything.
Oh, there are so many lives. How we wish we could live them concurrently instead of one by one by one. We could select the best pieces of each, stringing them together like a strand of pearls. But that's not how it works. A human's life is a beautiful mess."
— Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere)

Book Review-Elsewhere

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Think, just for one moment. Think of the second after you die. Not the second before, or the second it happens, but what about the second after? What happens? Do you see God’s face? A White light? Emptiness? This book is about one girl’s second after. The second Elizabeth Marie Hall arrived in “Elsewhere”. She woke up on a ship heading somewhere, with no memory of falling asleep on the bottom bunk under another girl her age. She wandered about the ship seeing a large amount of old people, and only a few people even close to her age of 15. Every so often she would see someone with a terrible injury, but walking around like they were in no pain. Towards the end of her trip, she was summoned to the Observation Deck, and watched her funeral through a set of sight seeing binoculars attached to the ship. She finally realized she was dead. This was not fair at all. She didn’t get to get married, have kids, go to college, prom, or even turn 16.
When she arrives in Elsewhere, she meets her grandmother that died right before she was born. Liz stays with her for the rest of her days in Elsewhere. Liz has to pick an avocation. This is like a job, but it is something that you just love doing, and it benefits life in Elsewhere. Liz chooses to work at the place where dogs arrive in Elsewhere. She speaks canine, one of the few people who can do this naturally, and quickly learns to love her avocation. She adopts a dog, meets a guy, falls in love with them both, and lives her days in Elsewhere to the fullest.
Her days in Elsewhere were not all sunshiny and pretty though, she had her moments. She was very depressed when she first arrived. There is something in Elsewhere called the sneaker clause. This allows you after spending one year in Elsewhere to go back to Earth early. Not back to your old life, but just away from Elsewhere. Liz wanted to do this, and got about halfway down the river before she realized this is not what she really wanted. Her good friend Owen came to her rescue in a boat after she was missing for three days. When she arrived back at her grandmother Betty’s house, everyone was so happy. Here is a quote from that part:
"We never know what will happen,” Betty says, “but I believe good things happen even when bad things happen. And I believe on a happy day like today, we can still feel a little sad. And that's life, isn't it?” Betty raises her glass. “To Liz!"
At the end of the book, there is an amazing chapter about life. Here is the last part:
“Oh, there are so many lives. How we wish we could live them concurrently instead of one by one by one. We could select the best pieces of each, stringing them together like a strand of pearls. But that's not how it works. A human’s life is a beautiful mess."
This quote means so much about life, and I think that if I tried to sum it up it would last forever. A human’s life is bittersweet. full of good and bad times, and we have to make the best of what we have here.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was an amazing read and I think that if anyone loves reading, that they should read this book. It gives you so much more of an outlook on life, and really does make you think so much about everything. It gives new views and ideas that you never would have thought of, and it is a truly amazing experience.



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The Art of Storytelling.

I wrote this story on http://www.artofstorytelling.org/ . I have shown below the picture that I used to inspire my story, and my actual story written. At the bottom I have listed the reasons that my story connects with my SIP Special Interist Project.....

Gisele walked along the wet path in Central Park, feeling the rain hit her black coat and hearing the drops on her umbrella. She was in no rush to get to the theatre, she didn't even want to be there, let alone be the first one there. Her daughter was visiting town and wanted to watch the ballet before leaving to go back to Chicago. Gisele started walking a bit faster when she heard thunder, and arrived sooner then she had hoped. Her daughter was waiting inside in the front lobby with the two tickets in her hands.

"Mom, I thought you would never show up!" her daughter exclaimed. Gisele laughed. Her daughter had definitely inherited her temper.

"Now  Charlotte, I am only fifteen minutes late, will you please stop complaining? You are lucky I even came! You know how much I hate being in this place."

Charlotte stopped her whining. She got the message. She hated hurting her mother like this, but maybe this would be the cure to her depression, watching what she once loved more than anything in the whole world. When Charlotte was a little girl, she would spend all of her days and nights in this place, watching from the back of the auditorium as the beautiful dancers glided across the stage, looking like they were angels. Now she was the one doing the dancing, but in the Chicago Ballet.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Gisele yelled, "You wanted me here so badly, now you are just staring into space! It's starting!"

The mother and daughter duo quickly retreated to the darkness of the Theatre and sat in their seats. The ballet started, Swan Lake, and the dancers came onto the stage, fluid, speaking to the audience with just their movements. They had so much energy and passion, it seemed as though they were about to lift off of the stage and start flying. Gisele felt tears running down her cheek. In every dancer’s face, she saw her own, 20 years ago. She knew the music by heart, how could she forget? She was the one leaping and spinning and moving so naturally and gracefully even though she wasn’t even thinking, and as the song came to an end and she felt the powerful music running through her body, she felt beautiful. As she came to her ending pose and heard the cheers of the audience, she felt so confident and proud, her whole face was glowing, and she was the queen of the world.

She couldn’t take it any longer. She ran out of the theatre just as the cheers erupted. Everything was in slow motion. Flashes of her carrer here in this very place flashed in front of her. Her extensive auditions, the hard training, everything came rushing back.

The night.

The lights from the stage hurting her eyes.

The feeling of her pointe shoes on her feet spinning and jumping through the air.

The finale.

The silence in the theatre.

The jump.

The land.

The fall.

The gasps.

The pain.

The news, she would never dance again.

The depression.

Gisele ran faster and faster until she was out in the rain, her makeup running. She fell to the ground sobbing. Feeling once again the feeling of pure agony that she would never be able to do the one thing in the world she wanted, ever again. She pittied herself. It was the past! She should not be so mad at herself!

Now she saw flashing scenes from after her dancing career.

Meeting her husband.

Having a baby.

Watching her grow up.

She felt the warm hands of her daughter wrap around her and she leaned into them, calming down

Seeing how great she became.

“I love you” Charlotte whispered.

“I love you more” Gisele said with a laugh. “I think...we should go back in..”

“No, mom, I don’t want to hurt you any more.”

“No I want to. I shouldn’t have broken down like that. I want to. Really. Besides, you spent a fortune on these tickets, I would hate to see them go to waste.”

Charlotte smiled and escorted her into the theatre.

This time when she looked at the dancers on the stage, she saw her daughter.

Now watching her little girl live her own dream, becoming a greater dancer than she herself ever was. She was every girl that was twirling and leaping and speaking the secret language of dance. It was Charlotte’s turn to be queen of the world.

_________________________________________________________________

Okay, so I know that it wasn't the best story, but I only had about a half hour. My Special Interist Poject was about ballet, so you can most definitly see the similarities. The statement I want to make in this story is that you have to let the past go, and see how amazing your life is now. Things like dancing give so many people power and strength, that they think without it, they cannot go on. This is not true. When something like this gives you strength, you hold on to it, and keep it with you throughout your life.

Tell A Story

The site that I chose to work with along with my special interist project is.......


http://www.artofstorytelling.org/

A Poem About Book Reviews

I look at the blank page, cursor blinking,
and I really start thinking.
This book took long to absorb,
I am so bored.
I keep getting so distracted,
Even now (thinking of what rhymes with distracted).
I glance at the other tab,
Thinking how much time I had,

earlier.

Now I must start,
I feel an aching in my heart.
Summarize my reading in 5 paragraphs?
One can only start to laugh.
Some things in life are hard,
They are things we cannot disregard.
Maybe I should start to type,
but I can only start to gripe.
Now I know,
that I must go,

and start the misery of typing

a book review.

Just Thinking

Have you ever had a moment so embarrassing that when you think about it later, you roll your eyes in spite of yourself? Well I have those moments a lot. I have noticed that so many people, sometimes even myself, dwell on the past, sometimes too much. I know I have had my fare share of moments....
In 6th grade, at one of my first school dances, I thought that I would look cool and dance in front of a bunch of boys, and ended up slipping on spilled soda and falling on my butt, causing them all to laugh. I also have (many times) tried to stretch stories and make it seem like I really know what I am doing... when I have no clue. I also recall that most of my late elementary school years, I had no idea how to talk to someone of the opposite sex. I have fallen in front of people too many times to count, and always bounced back up, keeping a smile on my face.
These moments, although terrible at the time, will eventually blow over, even though they seem like they could last forever. These are the things that make us, well, us. They are something to look back on. If we never made mistakes, how would we make ourselves better people? If I never fell while dancing, I would have never thought to look at the dance floor before taking it over.
These are also all of the funny stories that we tell at parties, and will someday tell our children when they go through something like this.
Absolutely nobody in this world is perfect, and if everyone was, would life really be that great?

Book Review- A Child Called "It"

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Child Called “It” is probably one of the saddest, most upsetting books that I have ever read. This book was amazing, and I can say that it definitely changed my life forever. A Child Called “It” is about one of the worst child abuse cases in California history, written by the child who actually experienced it, David Pelzer.

At some points in the story, it is so hard to imagine that it really happened. At some points, what this child goes through is so horrific, that you really sit back and think, I have it good. Reading this book most definitely made me so much more thankful for what I have, and how lucky I am to have the parents that I do. I had to remind myself at some points that he survived. I actually thought that he was going to die on many occasions, and seeing that he made it gave me so much hope. This child had the strength to make it through all of this, and make something of himself. He was brave enough to stand up and say, I will not let this stop me. I will survive.

David’s mother played harmful, nasty games with him, that left him hurt, both physically and emotionally. She started beating and starving him at the age of four, and whenever something really bad would happen, or she would hurt him to the point that he could not function enough to do chores, she would try to make light of it. She dislocated his shoulder once, and waited until morning to tell him that he had fallen out of the bunk bed, and took him to the ER with that same story. As he got older, the beatings and “games” got more severe. If he “misbehaved” he would be locked in the bathroom with a bucket of ammonia and Clorox mixed, and have to stay in there for hours, vomiting blood afterwards. David’s mother was once so drunk that she commanded him to lay on top of the gas stove so she could watch him burn. She said that he made her life a living hell, so she wanted him to know what hell felt like. Thankfully, on that night, he stalled her enough to get away when his father came home. This was when David realized that he could beat her at her own sick games, and he could win.

At some points, even David wished that he didn’t have to keep going on. In one particular part of the book, he “would have been relieved if she had returned with a knife and ended it all.” When this quote was taken, Dave had just brought home a wonderful letter from his teacher saying that his parents should be proud of him for naming the school news paper. After seeing this letter, his mother replied, “Well, aren’t you special.” Her voice changes to a sneer, cold as ice. “Get one thing straight, you little son of a bitch! There is nothing you can do to impress me! Do you understand me? You are a nobody! An It! You are nonexistent! You are a bastard child! I hate you and I wish you were dead! Dead! Do you hear me? Dead!”

Eventually, around 5th grade, David confided in his school nurse. He showed her all of the bruises, and even the scar from when she accidentally stabbed him (she dropped a steak knife and it fell on him, but she spent the whole night cleaning him up, letting him play with his brothers, giving him hugs and staying by his bedside, but eventually letting things return to normal-the next day). The school nurse had a conference with the principal, and a few of David’s teachers, and then called the police. David was taken away from his mother finally. His hard effort, determination, and strength paid off. An officer escorted him from the school to get his belongings, and head out of town.

“Dave Pelzer,” the officer says, “you’re free..... You have nothing to worry about. Your mother is never going to hurt you again.”

David sits back, a tear running down his cheek, and thinks, “I’m free?”



I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone. This book is a classic, that will change your outlook and value of your life. Be prepared to cry, as this book is definitely a sad one. You have a rare look into the life of an abused child. You think back to when you were a child, and how much better your life was then this poor kid. You also think, how many kids have I met that were abused that just kept their mouth shut? Child abuse is a terrible thing, but unfortunately, an estimated 1 in 5 children are physically, emotionally, or sexually abused in the United States, and the number is growing. In 1990, over 2.5 million child abuse cases were reported. in 1991, the number increased to more than 2.7 million. As of the writing of this book (1993 originally)--over 3 million. In 2009, there were also 3 million cases. It is estimated that every 13 seconds, a child is abused. People need to become more informed of this awful crime, and put a stop to it. Many people think that Dave Pelzer made this whole story up, that he was delusional, but I do not think that this is true.

I think that whoever reads this book should go into it with an open mind, and heart, because you will need both. You will realize many things, and feel the pain of this poor child, and know that you want a difference to be made.



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Book Review- Flowers in the Attic

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Flowers in the Attic, is a horrific, suspenseful story that will keep you at the edge of your seat. I think I read this book in a week (and it's no tiny chapter book).



This story tells about a family in the midst of tragedy, and their assumptions that go terribly wrong. The narrator, Catherine, is one of four children (Chris, the oldest, and Carrie and Cory, twins and the youngest) in the Dollenganger household. They have the perfect family. A loving, beautiful, stay at home mom, and a handsome, smart, hardworking dad who brings them presents when he goes on business trips. But after their father's sudden and tragic death, the family is forced into a financial slump. They cannot afford the house, or anything in it, because they cannot make the monthly payments any longer. The children's mother, now desperate, contacts her wealthy parents whom she hasn't talked to since before she was married, and asks for help. The Grandmother agrees to let them stay on one condition: that the terminally ill Grandfather doesn't find out. The mother had done something terrible in the past to make him so angry that he had removed her from his will.

She brings the children to the house, leaving out the small detail that they should never have existed, telling them stories of a castle-like house on widespread property. When they arrive, the mother tells them her real plan- to win back her father's love so that they can all share in the wealth when she gets written back into the will.

Until the day that either mother wins back her father's love, or the Grandfather dies, the children are forced to live in the mansion's attic, ruled by the dictator-like, overly religious Grandmother (who calls them the devil's spawn), and one other small room to sleep in. The Grandmother gives the children food in the beginning of the day, enough to last them until the night, even though by then it is cold and dull. When the children misbehave, or talk back, no food comes for that day. Once, when she catches the children apparently being inappropriate, (Cathy is getting dressed and accidentally Chris walks in), she says that for a punishment, either Chris will cut all of Cathy's hair off, or they will receive no food for a week. Chris refused to cut his sister's long, beautiful hair, and so they unwillingly received the other punishment. "Look at you, standing there in your iron-grey dress, feeling pious and self-righteous while you starve small children!" Chris explodes. Eventually, the children get their food back, and learn how far the Grandmother will really go.

Eventually, their mother stops visiting every day, every week, every month. She always comes back with a nice tan, windswept hair, and presents galore, along with stories of her travels and adventures-all while her pale, lonely, and scared children, who have not seen sunlight for over a year watch from a distance as their mother doesn't even seem like the mother that they knew. The children start getting suspicious, especially Cathy. Chris always wants to think positive, and forgive her, but when Cory gets sick and dies without warning, something must be wrong-and they both know it. Cathy finally loses it on her mother, just before Cory dies. "You're not a woman! You're a monster! Something unhuman and inhumane!" she screams to her face. The mother wouldn't be seen for months after that. Only to take the body of her youngest son out of the house. Or does she?

The children must work together to survive, find out what Mother really has been hiding, and save their own lives, before it is too late.



I think that this was an absolutely AMAZING book. I challenged myself with reading it, because I don't usually go for the suspense-type novels, but this was a great read! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a book that keeps you thinking, and surprises you in the end. The book was very well written, and flows very nicely. There are a total of 5 books in the Flowers in the Attic series, Flowers in the Attic (#1), Petals on the Wind (#2), If There Be Thorns (#3), Seeds of Yesterday (#4), and Garden of Shadows (#5). I have read only the first two books, and I still think that the first one was the best. The second one had a good story line and plot, but dragged on and on. I started to read the third one, and did not like it at all, so I stopped reading it. The first one is always the best, especially in this series. I hope to read more from this author in the future, and hopefully her other books are as great as this one.



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Reading History Essay

Reading History Essay

Literacy. There are so many different definitions and ways to explain this one little word. In the dictionary, literacy is written as : the quality or state of being literate, esp. the ability to read and write. I believe that having literacy or being a literate person is saying that you have “a way with words”. Being literate means being able to say, express, or re-tell something that you saw or learned. You apply literacy when you speak, read, and write. Everyone is literate. Some people just may not know it. I believe that the roots of literacy are planted when people start realizing that they are gaining knowledge. When your mind grows and learns, you become more knowledgeable of your surroundings and you can better understand and express ideas, questions, and concerns. When people started learning things and communicating, they could record the things they learned, becoming a literate society. People start becoming literate at a very young age, when they learn to talk, write, and read.

When I was a child,  I was always an avid reader. I think that my family really influenced me to start reading, because for as long  as I can remember, I had a book in my hands.  My first experiences with reading were  having my family read to me, and teaching me how to read. When I was in Kindergarten, I  was reading  at a first/second grade level. Some of my favorite books to read back then were  Goodnight Moon, The Cat In The Hat, and No, David.

After Kindergarten,  Elementary School came. We were no longer reading just picture books, but starting to read books with long chapters and smaller words on each page. In 1st grade I transferred into Folsom Elementary School through the Choice Program, a program designed for kids who lived farther away from the school, but still wished to attend. All kinds of books sparked my interest from first to fifth grade. The ones that stand out are Superfudge, Blubber (and basically every other Judy Blume book ever written) the Harry Potter series, and Just a Little Bit Lost. Teachers influenced me every year to read. Countless book reports and Guided Reading opened new doors to literature.

When middle school came around, much too quickly, I was still in Folsom (it was Pre-K to 8th grade in one building). These years were the turning point in my literate life. I learned to read, and love, genres that I never thought I would read. I read mystery, for the first time, and fell in love with it. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews was an amazing book full of mystery, suspense, and a little horror. It was by far the best book that I have ever read. Then, I was craving a mysterious book that made me think. I read other mystery novels like Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. This was also a great mystery book. I also read a lot of Sarah Dessen novels, which were all very good.

And now we have come to the present. High School. I hope to read even more great books in high school, and ones that I never thought that I would read. Most of the time, whenever I read a book, I love it, no matter what genre. I know that I will read forms of poetry along with the many novels I read on a monthly basis. I believe that I am a very literate person, and always will be. I love to read, write, and express myself on paper, and verbally. Literacy has been, and always will be, a huge part of my life.

At this moment in time, I feel that reading is a great thing for everyone. I love to read, and I hope to be able to share my love of reading. Right now, I am not reading anything, but just finished reading Speak and Wintergirls, and I am hoping that my literate mind will guide me to another great novel to read very soon. Literacy is a very important thing to have, because nobody would be able to get through this world without it. If people couldn’t read, write, or express themselves, the world would be dull, and unorganised. I know that literacy has helped me in life by giving me many opportunities to learn more, and spread my knowledge, and everyone should have the chance to do the same. Literacy is like a tree. Once the roots of literacy are embedded into you, they won’t ever go away. Even if the tree itself is damaged, the roots still remain.  

*Below are links to the books that I have mentioned above*

Goodnight Moon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Moon

The Cat in the Hat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cat_in_the_Hat

No, David:http://www.amazon.com/No-David-Shannon/dp/0590930028

Superfudge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfudge

Harry Potter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter

Just a Little Bit Lost: http://www.amazon.com/Just-Little-Lost-Laurel-Trivelpiece/dp/0590414658

Flowers in the Attic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_in_the_Attic

Wherever Nina Lies: http://www.thisispoint.com/books/whereverninalies.asp

13 Little Blue Envelopes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_Little_Blue_Envelopes

Speak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_(novel)

Wintergirls: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5152478-wintergirls