When I woke up this morning at 9:00 AM, on my way into the living room, my eyes fell on the article on the front page of the People section in the Advocate: "Local players join U.S. team". Scanning the picture descriptions for what it was, I found that it was quidditch. This rung a bell in my mind because I had a friend who knew these people who got to go to London to play quidditch at the Olympics. Of course, we were confused on if it meant as a sport or what, and it turns out that they played in an international tournament- the first one ever- in Oxford, England, before the London games. Anyways, so I'm sitting on my hard wooden kitchen chair reading this article, when my dad comes in, and we shake hands good morning( just a thing we do) and he goes over to turn on the radio. Now I'm reading about the players and listening to news on the after math of hurricane Isaac. My dad says Baton Rouge was lucky because we were on the side of the hurricane with less rain and wind. After that I went to go make some mint tea and let me tell you, it smelled refreshing. So just as I start in my tea, my mom walked in. I now get to help with broken branches all over my yard.
I get the big branches and my brother gets to do the smaller ones when he gets up. Its around 9:15 AM or so that this happens. Outside it smells like water, mud, and pine trees and there is a breeze outside which feels nice and the sun"s not so bad because there are clouds covering the sky. I set to work. So I go straight to the backyard- that's where all the trees are anyways, behind the fence. Luckily they fall into our yard; not exactly the nicest animals live behind there. So anyways, I find this big branch and I start bringing it down my driveway, but there's one problem: a basketball goal is lying right in the way and so is a huge brick pile. After getting around all that, walking through all the mud in flip flops (what? I think they're comfy and my feet were getting muddy anyway) - we just got a pool and theres still a lot of dirt instead of grass- and then down my driveway 4 times with 4 different branches, one of them a part of a pine tree that fell from my neighbors yard. The sap was all sticky and red and is still stuck on parts of my hands. After this my mom and I go to the back again and she tells me I can jump in the pool to feel less disgusting from all the mud and dirt and tree parts all over me, so I do. Its around 9:45 or so now.
Now see, I forgot that rain makes a pool colder. It was freezing but I still swam around for a few minutes to try and fell more refreshed, which worked. I get out and my mom brought out a towel and my laptop so I could write this. I get something in my eye so I dunk my head under water to get it out- I'm not about to use my tree sap- covered hands. Second time in the pool today. My hair kept on dripping on the keyboard and I had to watch my dog because the fence isn't able to close and she wants to always be around my mom who went back to the front and that's when a huge bumble bee decides to land right on my shirt. I didn't notice it at first but then I looked down for some reason and there it was, just crawling around on my wet shirt. I didn't know what to do, I've never been stung by a bee before and didn't plan on it being today, so I screamed. I screamed for my mom ( if you think that's childish or silly, you obviously don't know me very well). My dog came running and she- or as it seemed to me- tried to calm me down by sitting there and making me pet her by putting her head under my arm and lifting it. After a few minutes my mom is back in the backyard and I'm a mess, I'm crying and hyperventilating I don't know where the bee went because I had towels on my lap and lost track of it. Shes oblivious to the fact that I had been frozen there for a few minutes, calling her name. I tell her theres a bee and she helps me up and looks me over to make sure its not there and then tells me to "jump in the pool. Drown the sucker or whatever you want to call him,"which made me laugh. So for the third time today I jumped in the pool.
I'm still freaked out after so I move to sit under the gazebo in a lawn chair. Of course, with my creepy crawly luck, ants and spiders show up on the chair and I move inside, passing a bird house that was wasp infested which got me thinking of one of my moms friends who found some sort of bee or wasp nest in the ground of his backyard unluckily- he mowed over it with his lawnmower, something my dad has done before apparently- and got attacked. That night he went out and poured gasoline all over the nest and lit it with a match. Needless to say all of the bugs died. My mom just used wasp spray though, so theres no big burnt spot on our patio. All of this ended right around 10:15, so a little over an hour, oops. Well two hours later I'm inside, still wet, and about to go make some tea because it was cold when I came back. That is, after I finish up some more work outside. Toodleoo!( that's a neat word, is it not? ha ha) well goodbye!:)
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Independant Reading
Well, even though I still have power at my house for the time being, I decided to do some reading. First, I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which was such a great book! Now, I wont go off and just ruin the ending of it, if you want to know, read it:) Alright, so even though the book takes place in modern day Paris, I often forgot. I don't know why, it just seemed like the descriptions of Renee and Paloma and the other characters and just general setting descriptions never really reminded me of modern day, so I was often confused for a minute when a modern aspect came up that jumped out from other thoughts like when Paloma saw a rosebud fall she went into a detailed description on beauty and its relation to death and poetry and you just don't hear that much thought about something like that nowadays. Especially from twelve and a half year old girls. But I was brought back into reality of the time setting when Renee uses Eminen to relate to her personal life. She also talks about getting songs stuck in her head and how it amazes her each time and I can relate to that also. I get songs stuck in my head all the time. But anyways, I liked the book very much and finished the last 25 pages in 30 minutes.
After that lovely book, I decided to look for my nook which I had lost near the end of the summer. I found it thankfully and charged it and started back up on The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which I had started near the end of the summer. I had been anticipating what Charlie's next letter to his friend would say and I was excited to get right back into it like I had never lost it. I read for an hour to finish the last 50 pages I had left. I really liked this book for multiple reasons. One of them is that the writing style is one I find unique. Charlie- or that's what he calls himself- writes to this anonymous person and tells them all about his life in multiple letters and changed the name of everybody, but you would have never guessed that if he hadn't of told the reader. I also liked this book because I actually felt for Charlie. He wasn't just some book character to me. He was a person. I felt that he could have been writing the letters to me, which is maybe what Chbosky intended with the anonymous "Dear friend" at the beginning of each letter. I don't know, maybe that sounds silly but its what I thought. I really enjoyed this book.
Lastly, I have just started Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. So many books, I know! But I just felt compelled to read today and got a lot accomplished, which I think went well. I read Clockwork Angel last year from the school library and I really enjoyed it. Many of my friends were telling me to read the "first series" The Mortal Instruments, but I wanted and still want to finish The Infernal Devices, the second series Clare has written. It kind of plays off the first one in a different time period is what I've heard and its easier to understand but I started the books that way and intend to finish them that way. The last book in this series comes out in March of next year though, so I guess I'll just have to wait a while, but its worth it. A reason I like this book is its setting. Its set in London in the late 1800s and I don't know hwy, but I like that. It seems like such a different place from just Neverland or somewhere in America which I find intriguing. I also like how Clare connects all the characters. There are all these unique things about them such as Jem and his drug addiction that keeps him alive or Jessamine and her not wanting to be what she is, a Shadowhunter, and her struggle with that. But all in all they all end up like a family in a way, or at least most of them do. That's all I know so far, and its mainly from the first book and 25 minutes of reading that include the first 15 pages. Its not much to go on, I know, but I am confident that I'll like this book.
This is really long, wow, um... sorry if its just long and uninteresting, but that's what you get from 3 books, a laptop, and a teenage girl stuck inside all day due to a hurricane:) The reading times total 155 minutes and 90 pages. I kind of spread it out all over this post, so I just totalled it. Anybody who's going through Hurricane Isaac stay safe!!
After that lovely book, I decided to look for my nook which I had lost near the end of the summer. I found it thankfully and charged it and started back up on The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which I had started near the end of the summer. I had been anticipating what Charlie's next letter to his friend would say and I was excited to get right back into it like I had never lost it. I read for an hour to finish the last 50 pages I had left. I really liked this book for multiple reasons. One of them is that the writing style is one I find unique. Charlie- or that's what he calls himself- writes to this anonymous person and tells them all about his life in multiple letters and changed the name of everybody, but you would have never guessed that if he hadn't of told the reader. I also liked this book because I actually felt for Charlie. He wasn't just some book character to me. He was a person. I felt that he could have been writing the letters to me, which is maybe what Chbosky intended with the anonymous "Dear friend" at the beginning of each letter. I don't know, maybe that sounds silly but its what I thought. I really enjoyed this book.
Lastly, I have just started Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. So many books, I know! But I just felt compelled to read today and got a lot accomplished, which I think went well. I read Clockwork Angel last year from the school library and I really enjoyed it. Many of my friends were telling me to read the "first series" The Mortal Instruments, but I wanted and still want to finish The Infernal Devices, the second series Clare has written. It kind of plays off the first one in a different time period is what I've heard and its easier to understand but I started the books that way and intend to finish them that way. The last book in this series comes out in March of next year though, so I guess I'll just have to wait a while, but its worth it. A reason I like this book is its setting. Its set in London in the late 1800s and I don't know hwy, but I like that. It seems like such a different place from just Neverland or somewhere in America which I find intriguing. I also like how Clare connects all the characters. There are all these unique things about them such as Jem and his drug addiction that keeps him alive or Jessamine and her not wanting to be what she is, a Shadowhunter, and her struggle with that. But all in all they all end up like a family in a way, or at least most of them do. That's all I know so far, and its mainly from the first book and 25 minutes of reading that include the first 15 pages. Its not much to go on, I know, but I am confident that I'll like this book.
This is really long, wow, um... sorry if its just long and uninteresting, but that's what you get from 3 books, a laptop, and a teenage girl stuck inside all day due to a hurricane:) The reading times total 155 minutes and 90 pages. I kind of spread it out all over this post, so I just totalled it. Anybody who's going through Hurricane Isaac stay safe!!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Independant Reading Book
My current outside reading book is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. I have read for 175 minutes this week and am almost finished with it, 25 more pages to go!! I have found this book to be very good and well written but sometimes a little hard to understand, which is understandable because it was translated from French. An example of this wold be the first page in Chapter 4, when Renee, the concierge, is thinking about how on some days she can read a book through and understand it all and then others when it takes a good while to get through a couple pages because you are going back to reread it over having not understood a single word of it. I can definitely relate to that.
Also there's Paloma, who's 12, and very opinionated but hides it. She has her own views on the world and is quite intelligent. She really just cant wait to grow up in a way because of how she thinks and how much she cant tolerate being around people of her age that much. Shes curious, which I can relate to, and she wants reasons for things other than "just because". I like her character and like how Barbery portrays her.
The whole sense of the book is really good, I think because of well how its written and because of the sort of conflict going on individually with Renee and Paloma. They are both smarter than they seem and hide it because of what others- in Renee's case, the tenants of the apartment building, especially Monsieur Ozu and in Paloma's her teacher and family- think of them and how it wouldn't be right. The book dwells a lot on their thoughts specifically and not just mindless dialogue or description. I find it makes me think more than most books I've read and I like that for a change.
Also there's Paloma, who's 12, and very opinionated but hides it. She has her own views on the world and is quite intelligent. She really just cant wait to grow up in a way because of how she thinks and how much she cant tolerate being around people of her age that much. Shes curious, which I can relate to, and she wants reasons for things other than "just because". I like her character and like how Barbery portrays her.
The whole sense of the book is really good, I think because of well how its written and because of the sort of conflict going on individually with Renee and Paloma. They are both smarter than they seem and hide it because of what others- in Renee's case, the tenants of the apartment building, especially Monsieur Ozu and in Paloma's her teacher and family- think of them and how it wouldn't be right. The book dwells a lot on their thoughts specifically and not just mindless dialogue or description. I find it makes me think more than most books I've read and I like that for a change.
In Defense of Music: A Music Lover and Musician's Manifesto
What would life be like without music? TV shows and movies without background music to add effect or set the scene. It would be weird wouldnt it? Imagine spending a day without hearing any music, whetehr background or top of the charts... that would be hard to do.
I personally find music to be a nice get away and use it to focus on things or to just calm down. I even sing it in my head to get pumped up for events and things that I'm nervous to do. Like, for example, I'll find myself singin a whole different array of music in my head in hard and fast sets during swim practice to pace or I'll sing something in my head when I'm sad or scared to calm me down. Weird maybe, but it works for me:)
I'm also in band and a choir so I get to be around music in and out of school with that and then there's my iPod. I don't know what I would do without that, as silly as that sounds, because I am usually listening to music as much as I can during school days and weekends. In fact, I'm listening to Pandora on my laptop now, because its helping keeping me focused on the task, writing about how to defend music. What better way to do that than to be listening to music while writing about it?
In school, having had music education can actually help. Studies have shown that children who have had music education, especially rhythm, are better in some subjects such as math than those who haven't. Also if a young child has had some exposure to music on paper, it helps them learn to read with the lyrics, listen because they are listening to see how the song sounds, and it also helps their speech because they are singing the words.
I think that some people have some misconceptions about how music can really make a difference in what we see or do. What if, instead of the scary horror music played in scary movies, they played a Disney song, like "A Whole New World" from Aladdin? If you hadnt seen a horror movie and known that it should be scary, maybe you'd feel different about what mood it should be in. Of course visual effects make a difference and so do scripts but the tone of the music can make you feel jumpy, nervous, elated, or sad. Just depends I guess.
Also lyrics play a big part in music. Songs are like poems with a tune. They also can make people feel different ways. For example right now I'm listening to "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction and I feel better than I would if I were listening to "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. They have different sounds and feelings that are exposed, but its still music. Also, many can relate to songs such as "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift because of personal experience and music is a good way to show any feeling really whether it be anger or sadness or joy and you can show it without doing anything physical or anything you'd regret. Plus it usually sounds good, so that's always nice.
But just because I find music to be a staple in my life doesn't mean that it has to be one in yours. I just find it to be a good way to stay focused and let my feelings out and just get through most days. So that's why I find music to be an important thing almost everywhere. Most cultures have music they play. Many also listen and dance to it as well. Trying to go almost anywhere and not hear music at all would be pretty hard to do, try it and see...
I personally find music to be a nice get away and use it to focus on things or to just calm down. I even sing it in my head to get pumped up for events and things that I'm nervous to do. Like, for example, I'll find myself singin a whole different array of music in my head in hard and fast sets during swim practice to pace or I'll sing something in my head when I'm sad or scared to calm me down. Weird maybe, but it works for me:)
I'm also in band and a choir so I get to be around music in and out of school with that and then there's my iPod. I don't know what I would do without that, as silly as that sounds, because I am usually listening to music as much as I can during school days and weekends. In fact, I'm listening to Pandora on my laptop now, because its helping keeping me focused on the task, writing about how to defend music. What better way to do that than to be listening to music while writing about it?
In school, having had music education can actually help. Studies have shown that children who have had music education, especially rhythm, are better in some subjects such as math than those who haven't. Also if a young child has had some exposure to music on paper, it helps them learn to read with the lyrics, listen because they are listening to see how the song sounds, and it also helps their speech because they are singing the words.
I think that some people have some misconceptions about how music can really make a difference in what we see or do. What if, instead of the scary horror music played in scary movies, they played a Disney song, like "A Whole New World" from Aladdin? If you hadnt seen a horror movie and known that it should be scary, maybe you'd feel different about what mood it should be in. Of course visual effects make a difference and so do scripts but the tone of the music can make you feel jumpy, nervous, elated, or sad. Just depends I guess.
Also lyrics play a big part in music. Songs are like poems with a tune. They also can make people feel different ways. For example right now I'm listening to "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction and I feel better than I would if I were listening to "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. They have different sounds and feelings that are exposed, but its still music. Also, many can relate to songs such as "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift because of personal experience and music is a good way to show any feeling really whether it be anger or sadness or joy and you can show it without doing anything physical or anything you'd regret. Plus it usually sounds good, so that's always nice.
But just because I find music to be a staple in my life doesn't mean that it has to be one in yours. I just find it to be a good way to stay focused and let my feelings out and just get through most days. So that's why I find music to be an important thing almost everywhere. Most cultures have music they play. Many also listen and dance to it as well. Trying to go almost anywhere and not hear music at all would be pretty hard to do, try it and see...
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Summer Reading Response
My choice book that I read this summer was The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Its about a girl, Frankie, who, when she comes back to boarding school for her sophomore year, has looks that get her more attention in a good way. But everybody thinks she's harmless and she doesn't like that, so she anonymously heads major pranks of a private boys club and, well I cant tell you the rest because that would ruin the book for you.
When my mom brought the book home from Barnes and Nobles, I didn't think I would like it, she didn't. Well I picked it up anyways and started it and then just fell headfirst into reading it and got very engrossed. I found the plot interesting and in some ways different from what I normally read. I liked how Frankie sort of changed that stereotype that just because you look a certain way and are a girl that you cant be suspected of doing something so... smart and powerful as her boyfriend, who is in that club but thinks she couldn't possibly be behind it all. I usually don't read that many criminal- mastermind, kind of action-y books, I like fairy tales and sort of more fantasy, like fiction books better, but not like books that are chic lit or really "out there", but this one was definitely a good read.
When my mom brought the book home from Barnes and Nobles, I didn't think I would like it, she didn't. Well I picked it up anyways and started it and then just fell headfirst into reading it and got very engrossed. I found the plot interesting and in some ways different from what I normally read. I liked how Frankie sort of changed that stereotype that just because you look a certain way and are a girl that you cant be suspected of doing something so... smart and powerful as her boyfriend, who is in that club but thinks she couldn't possibly be behind it all. I usually don't read that many criminal- mastermind, kind of action-y books, I like fairy tales and sort of more fantasy, like fiction books better, but not like books that are chic lit or really "out there", but this one was definitely a good read.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Expectations
High school is definitely different than middle school, that's for sure. More free time, more homework, and a busier schedule oh my! I've made some new friends, so that's making for a good start to this year. I like English class, reading is one of my favorite things to do, so that's good. As long as the book is interesting and fun, I'm happy most of the time,which makes me excited to see what Macbeth and Lord of the Flies will be like. Writing... well I will try to warm up to it more this year. I think that I'll get the hang of the schedule in a few days, so that's good, and I'm ready to take on the challenge that high school will bring this year.
Other than English class, I have other activities as well. I'm swimming for the varsity team at school which is definitely a challenge most times and I have AP World History which is going to be a challenging but fun class. It moves fast and we have a busy syllabus, but the class itself is fun to be in. I'm also in an out of school choir, which just adds on to my schedule, but is really fun to participate in, so I'm excited for that. Once swim is over, I'll be reallysad, but I'll have time to do my homework at school and not later at night. There will also be next year. Sleep will be a welcome change. So even though this year will be a challenge, I'm ready for it. It's been fun so far.
Other than English class, I have other activities as well. I'm swimming for the varsity team at school which is definitely a challenge most times and I have AP World History which is going to be a challenging but fun class. It moves fast and we have a busy syllabus, but the class itself is fun to be in. I'm also in an out of school choir, which just adds on to my schedule, but is really fun to participate in, so I'm excited for that. Once swim is over, I'll be reallysad, but I'll have time to do my homework at school and not later at night. There will also be next year. Sleep will be a welcome change. So even though this year will be a challenge, I'm ready for it. It's been fun so far.
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