Finally!!!

I am finally finished with my blogging!

I would characterize myself as a very non-committed reader BEFORE this class.  Before this class, I would never read because the only material I would be given would be the boring book that we had to do in class with the usual and pointless comprehension questions due at the beginning of the class.  This did not make me excited about reading and so, I never read.  During this class, I would read mainly Sunday night, when I am not worn down from the week and was able to stay up long enough to get a good portion of my reading done.  If I did not read on Sunday nights, I would read throughout the week before I went to bed, that was the only time I would have time! It was always more relaxing to read in my own comfortable bed, make a real quick blog, and the go to sleep ready for school the next morning. Now I would easily pick up any book that is recommended to me by a friend.  Kirstin was the person who I went to with many of the books I read this semester and she and I have similar tastes in books about true love stories or inspirational books, or even books that are made into movies.  Once I read the book, I always want to see the movie after ! This class has opened me up to the kinds of books I should read and made me realize not all books are hard and boring like the Macbeth book we have to read in my English Literature class, I hate... that book.  This has been a good semester and I am glad I took it, I will miss the laid classroom environment this class has !!

GRAND FINALE!!!

This is my last, but not least, blog!!! not going to lie, this is going to make a lot of weight off my chest just because its two less things I have to do this week.  I have still been reading The Help.  The ladies are still working on writing their book about being a maid in a white family and environment.  For some reason, it has been especially hard for Miss Skeeter to talk about her life.  When she was being interviewed, she began to slowly break down, unable to wrap her mind around the answers to the simple questions.  The first attempt at the questioning, she actually walked out and had not been seen for a few days later.  She was ignoring calls and literally blocking out the world.  This just goes to show that the impact African American women's life had on them.  They were not only born into living this way, but they were forced to live in fear as well.  I would hate not to live in complete freedom and I am proud that they are taking a step forward in standing up for themselves.  I found a really good sentence earlier after my vocabulary test while I was reading.. It was:

A question frequently asked within this book

"Shame ain't black, like dirt, like I always thought it was.  Shame be the color of a new uniform you mother ironed all night to pay for, white without a speck a work-dirt on it."

I am pretty sure that is going to be my sentence of the week if I don't find another one by tomorrow, but we will see, I really like the simile the author, Kathryn Stockett, uses in this book.                                                     

Final Countdown

Only two more blogs to go this week and I don't have to blog anymore... Not that I hate blogging... Its just one more thing I don't have to do. And I am about to read some before bed, but I have a headache so we will see how good this goes. 
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Okay ! I just read some and its finally about my favorite character, Minny! She is the one that is working as a maid and cook for that wife, and almost got caught by the womans husband who didn't know.  Turns out she didn't get caught!! (: But not she hates working for this woman, I don't blame her! She is taking Minny for granted and putting their relationship and lives on the line.  And her husband is giving 100% of the credit to his wife, not Minny!

"I sweat like iced tea in August and here I woke up morning to eighty three on the dial"
**********************************************************************************

That was an ADD moment but I just got on facebook and then realized I had to keep reading.  The chapter turned out perfect.  Minny was cleaning the sheets and of all people, Mister Johnny walks into the house... in the bedroom... and finds Minny.  He has an axe in his hand getting ready to kill this black maid, but thankfully, he likes her ! Yay! They sit down and have a deep sit down conversation about relationships and tells Minny she is here to stay.  I was so relieved, and I bet Minny is too..  I can't imagine someone not being relieved... Not the kind of relieved that I get when I finish this blog, but the kind of relieved you get after getting something off your chest that has been sitting there for a long time ! (:

Currently 11/04

1. " My heart is thumping like a cat in a clothes dryer."
- I like this sentence (favorite of the week) because it shows the intensity and fear Minny has as Miss Celia's husband arrives at the house
2. "Thats when the idea came to me, No, I couldn't. That would be.... crossing the line"
3. "My heat rashed had flared in July and hadn't subsided."

Pages read within 2 weeks: 286 pages. 
Read this semester: 1406

First for Everything

The whole time I was reading today, I kept thinking I was still doing my historical research paper for English class, so I kept trying to find facts in my book while listening to every detail.  Over time, my brain remembered I am supposed to relax and enjoy this reading unlike my dumb research.  But, I don't know why but I keep feeling so happy for the black maids.  I know I should feel bad, and I do but they just keep overcoming things that black people- in that time- normally wouldn't.  Turns out that everyone has agreed to write a book about what it is like working for a white family.  They have to keep this a secret.  Miss Skeeter was refuses to

 do this, but she actually had a date, who in my opinion, changed her mind.  She got all dressed up, re did her hair, bought new shoes and a new dress... without approval.  She is standing up for what she wants so she can have one good night.  <---- One reason why I am so happy for her. Her date in my opinion was just funny because it sort of went bad.  The guy turned out to have drinking problems.  He had kept ordering drink after drink after drink, he looks at other women, and by the end of the night, the small talk conversations were being held by Hilly who also had a date.  On the date, Stuart (Skeeters date) asked her what she did.  She said, writer of the household cleaning section of the newspaper.  He laughs at her like that is nothing to be proud of.  He was working with an oil company making a lot more money.  In my opinion, she decided to help in writing this book so she can say she did something useful and something more accomplishing the household sections of the newspaper.  She would be proud of that book, and she would feel more accepted. 

Aibileen !

Famous line of Aibileen while talking to Mae Mobley.

This chapter that I just finished came after the Skeeter chapter I just got finished blogging about last week.  Of course, I still have a lot of questions about Skeeter like what happened to Constintine but I will have to read about two more chapters to even find out.  Aibileen is a maid for a white family as well.  As said before, she takes care of Mae Mobley which is the baby of the household.  Mae's mother does not treat her very well and if nothing like the motherly figure towards her child.  The maid, Aibileen is more like the mother.  Because she is a black maid, she has a separate bathroom in the garage where she can go to the bathroom, it is actually a privilege to have a bathroom at all to use.  Mae Mobley just got to the age where she wants to start going to the bathroom by herself.  But, Mae being a stubborn yet sweet kid as always, wanted to see Aibileen go before she would learn how.  That sounds weird, but I guess that is the only way of learning how to potty train a baby.  So, Aibileen took Mae out to the black bathroom outside in the garage and that is how Mae learned to go to the bathroom.  She was potty trained, a fast learner for sure.  When her mother got home from work or where ever she was, I honestly forget (It wasn't that important), Mae Mobley was showing her mommy how she could go to the bathroom by herself like a big girl.... in the black person bathroom.  Her mom began beating her baby for going in there.  All Aibileen could do is sit in shame because she had no control over what her mother was punishing her for.  As Aibileen was talking to Skeeter, she brings up the topic of starting a new book of what it s like working for a white family.  This has to be top secret, or they could lose there jobs, houses, and possibly die.  SCARYYYY!!!

Skeeter !!

Minny, cleaning for a new white family in hopes the husband doesn't find out

****THIS WAS SUPPOST TO GET POSTED THURSDAY NIGHT BUT I WENT TO MY DRAFTS INSTEAD********

Okay, so I just finished my chapter on skeeter and its really getting me sort of mad because the chapters switch characters every time and leave you hanging.  Like, the next time I am going to read about Skeeter is in like three chapters, and I still do not know if Minny got caught cleaning that one husband that did not know a black lady was cleaning for his house, only his wife knew.  Right now all I know is Minny is hiding in the bathroom praying to God know one comes through that door.  But Skeeter has a completly different story.  She was rasied by someone named Constintine.  He taught Skeeter everything about life, all life manners, how to get through life, was always there for advice, sort of like a role model through his childhood.  All of the sudden, Constinine quit.  Skeeter did not know why, and her parents were not giving her the answers she wanted.  I know how frustrating that can be because sometimes parents don't think you can handle the truth, but really that is all you want.  Slowly, Skeeter is getting answers.  Turned out Constitine was fired! Which was a big shocker because her family absolutly loved him and had him employed for about 29 years!!! That is a long time.  So far, they know Constintine had a white child, who with blonde hair.  He was sort of embarresed due to the different skin colors.  And also, Skeeters mom does know where he went, but she refuses to tell any information.  Skeeters dad is giving the good old excuse of "Ask your mother, she knows" excuse.  I hate when parents say that to me, it even happens in books! I hope I find out what happened to Minny soon!!

****THIS WAS SUPPOST TO GET POSTED THURSDAY NIGHT BUT I WENT TO MY DRAFTS INSTEAD********

Weakness

Baker describes the escalators themselves that rise to his office, “They were the free-standing kind: a pair of integral sins swooping upward between the two floors they served without struts or piers to bear any intermediate weight.” 
-This blogger used a long quotation.  This could have been broken apart and simplified as two sentences or more.
http://thelostmessageofwords.blogspot.com/ 

"H e also uses figurative language when he mentions the escalator"
 - This blogger said the verb "uses" and if makes his observations sound weak.  
http://mbutchko.blogspot.com/


It also seems manipulating and compulsive like there is a hidden problem within the character that is expressed through sharp abrasive language.
- This blogger began to use past tense.  At the beginning he/she used present tense.  This sentence would sound better if he/she said expresses instead of expressed
http://wowfaktor.blogspot.com/

J. D. Salinger is an author who uses very low and denotative words to write his stories.  
- THIS blogger, says the verb "use" when describing the diction.  I think if the writer would say "conveys a low and denotative type of diction" instead of uses.  
http://vikingdeathmetal.blogspot.com/  

Practice Diction

In the excerpt from Nicholson Baker's writing, The Mezzanine, Nicholson Baker portrays a very straightforward and scholarly type of diction. At the same time, he uses a figurative type of language when describing objects such as the lobby.  Baker said the lobby was filled with "towering volumes of marble and glass.  Baker refers to the escalator as the "escalator of daylight" which conveys a poetic yet highly elevated sound.  

Help! - Dedicated to Maddie (:

I am dedicating this blog to the one and only Maddie Clay.  This is because yesterday she did her book talk on the same book I am reading.  I think she liked reading it more than I am but that is probably because I have had a busy week and its hard to read while enjoying it and having homework on your mind on top of that.  But, It is still a very good book! I am so excited for one of the black maids.  She just got hired from a new family and they treat her much differently than most do.  This lady is younger than her.  I think that is weird that a younger girl is hiring an older woman to work for her, it should be the other way around.  But anyways, Minny, the newly hired maid, was SO nervous for her interview.  I understand where she was coming from because when I was at my first interview, I was so nervous! I couldn't even sleep the night before.  But turns out, this lady was actually being rejected by five previous maids that were black as well because of her situation.  She just wants a maid Monday-Friday to clean the house a little for a couple hours while her husband is at work.  She does not was to disappoint her husband and not keep up with the house.  The only problem is, if her husband were to come home to an African American in his home, he would grab his pistol and shoot her.  That is what happened to the last maid.  Minny was the one to actually accept the job unlike the other 5 ladies.  I would not take it if I were Minny but I guess some people just need the money.  I am guessing there will be problems involving Minny and the young couple that just hired her, but Minny is too sweet of a lady for that to happen to, so I hope it doesn't.  I think this week I will be able to find a good time to just sit and read this book more.  There is just not enough hours in the day to find time!

Currently 10/21

Steinbeck uses a picturesque, attractive connotation of nature, an elevated yet familiar altitude, and a melodious sound producing a beautiful scene filled with wildlife. - XC Hoosier 3366
I liked how this blogger used vocabulary words from this weeks list to describe Steinbeck's book. 

The adealine injected cheering of the crowd and violent spasisms of the bull give a noisy claging sound to this excert. - The Chief
 This is a very detailed description that paints a very good picture of the style of writing the author portrays.

The Mud Below is poetic yet basic, it impliments common language with a simple country twang, and it has a sweet and musical sound.- I need a Nap-
I need a nap too.  But when this blogger was describing the Mud Below, they use descriptive tone to describe a very basic type of writing style. 

Pages read this week:: 110
Pages read this semester:: 1120

The Help !

Okay, I am starting another book but this time I am going to finish it.  I don't think this one will be too easy or too hard and will be funny.  I heard it is a very exciting book to read that keeps will keep me addicted the whole time. It says on the cover it is #1 New Yorks Best Seller so that must mean some people like it.  And yes, I did judge this book by its cover but thats okay.  I also am reading it because Maddie told me to read it and she talked about how good of a book it is all the time while reading it.  My sister had a convention thing last night and while she was down, she came back home to take back the CD I had been using the whole time she was in grad school, whoops! But she came home with this book in her hand and asked me if I wanted to read it and then go see the movie with her.  I heard the movie was good, but I guess I can't see it until I read it.  But so far last night, I read the first chapter and I just read it before I went to bed.  It was about a black women who is basically very talented in taking care of babies and she cares for a baby named Mae Mobley, also known as the church baby because it was born on a Sunday.  This was set in a time though where black and white women were treated in the same.  They would have to do different things such as use different bathrooms, drink out of different fountains, etc.  This angers her because she used the white mother's bathroom and it was made a big deal.  I don't blame her though because it is not fair in any way to be treated differently because of how they look.  I am glad things have changed since those times, people would be so different. 

Style Mapping

In the excerpt from The Help, the language seems to be more in a connotative and musical tone.  The narrator talks in a low blunt and course way which conveys straightforward and literal.  Words are used such as "colic" and "chilluns." Chilluns is a slang term for children.  This is an example of why this excerpt is not a denotative tone.  On the other hand, Neil Gaimean's excerpt, Stardust, he uses a denotative and low tone.  His writing uses familiar and common words such as old, native, and treacherously.  The excerpt is very straightforward and literal as it explains the town of Wall.  Cormax McCathy's excerpt titled, Blood Meridian, is written in a poetic way that sounds very musical and harmonious.  That except is the most different compared to the past two passages I had read.  He used phrases such as "yond an endless swale" and "the sun that rises in the color of steel."  This creates a high tone that is elevated and ornate when describing objects such as the sun in the previous sentence.  All diction is different in the styles the author writes.

Another Blog...

Looking back at what I read, I realized I have not read much more from when I blogged last time, I think Tuesday? Some where around that time.  Its because I have been working at my new job and it has been super stressful learning all the new stuff is so stressful! And because it has been the last week of the quarter, there has been a lot of quarterly's to study for to make sure I get my final quarter grades up.  But that is still no excuse I guess.  But from the little I read, it has made me think about some things.  I keep wondering if something traumatic event, such as getting bit by a shark, if I would have the determination to keep doing that.  I remember on Spring Break, we visited a family friend's house down in Florida.  Their brother was an Olympian and a professional cliff diver.  He was one of those kind of people who ramble on and on about determination and strength and self discipline.  I asked him if he ever has got hurt when cliff diving and if he gets scared every time he is about to jump.  He obviously said yes, he does get scared and yes, he has got hurt.  He said every time he jumps he is so scared and sometimes he can't even jump because he freaks himself out.  He later explained that his fear is a good thing.  That is because fear can help keep him safe in dangerous situations.  Without fear, he would never know what to do when he was jumping and his care-free attitude would lead him to get hurt.  I think if Alana who got bit by the shark would be more fearful she would have been more aware of her surroundings.  But on the other hand, you have to make sure fear does not overcome yourself and what you do. 

Quarterly

This year I have surprised myself with how much I have been reading.  At the start of this class and the beginning of the year, I had not even picked up many books before besides the boring books I had to for school.  I think school made me think that all books are hard and complicated to understand.  Now I realize those books are just the way they are because it is not what I like to read.  My favorite book I read so far, the one I am going to do my book presentation on in a couple weeks, was Heaven Is Real.  It was easy and something I was very interested in.  I found this class most challenging on the review days of vocab.  I think it is because by the time the test comes around, I forget the list of words from two weeks ago.  Next semester I am going to try to read more and study harder for extra credit.  The more I read, the more I find myself finding extra credit.  I am happy with this class even though I was doubting it at first, I am glad I am taking it.  I helped a lot during my PSAT test this Wednesday when I had to choose vocabulary words and during the writing portion.  The "SAT boot-camp" was useful to do at the beginning of the year because I could better eliminate answers when choosing the correct sentences. 

Surf without Fear- Currently

It is hard to believe that this soul surfer is still going to keep on surfing after her long recovery.  I am scared of sharks just from watching Shark Week on the TV once a year, let alone after getting my arm completely bit off.  Recently while reading, she described the pain and the way she reacted was incredible.  She said when she was out with her family, all she felt was pressure.  And then red she saw blood red surrounding her.  Then she simply and calmly said, "I got bit by a shark." No screaming, no panic, and no fear.  She just started swimming with one arm back to the shore, even though it was a quarter of a mile away.  There was people there on the beach that called the ambulance.  On the way back, she prayed over and over out loud.  That is probably something I would be doing but I would also be crying and panicking at the same time.  I would also be scared that the shark would come back and attack me and bite off another arm or leg or anything.  According to shark week, the shark usually wants to come back and attack the same person once they get a taste the first time.  It amazing what people can learn just from shark week! When I went to Florida last Spring Break, and when I was relaxing on the beach one hot afternoon and because it was so hot, I sat my chair in the water just a little bit so I would stay cool, while still laying out on the beach.  I was closing my eyes so they would not look directly into the sun, and when I opened them, there was a surprise by my feet, A stingray! It was so scary! I did not know if I should get my feet our of the way but that would scare the sting ray, so instead I just watched it sweep by my feet waiting for it to sting me.  I am so glad it didn't! For the majority of the rest of the day, I just stayed on the sand where no sting rays could sting me.  If I was scared of a little sting ray that did no harm to me, I don't understand how "soul surfer" isn't afraid of sharks who did actually hurt her.

One Less Arm

        As I was reading, I started thinking.  I started thinking about how weird it is that we all started out not be able to read a single word at all, or even speak a single word.  Now we are required to read hundreds of pages a week, all within about ten years ago when I first started to learn to read.  I guess my mind started drifting while I was reading, Soul Surfer, because it is so easy to read.  I sometimes start thinking about something completely random like that and I have to remind myself of what is going on in the book.  But anyways, as this surfer is training her arm to get back in shape she finds it had to do certain things.  Simple things that we hardly think about such as buttoning your shirt, tying you shoe laces on tennis shoes, anything that requires two hands.  But she has learned that she is a strong person and can last through challenges such as those.  She explains her perspective on her situation.  People often ask her why she is home schooled or why she decides to live thousands of miles away from the rest of the United States.  But she wouldn't wanna live any other way! All her other friends, especially Alana, are also home schooled and she already has a busy schedule when she is out surfing all day.  Her responses sounded a lot like my cousins who are home schooled as well.  They just always loved being independent and learning by their parents who became their teachers.  Whenever they were put in a public school, they would feel out of place, especially because they were much more smart than most other students.  I love that the "soul surfer" is not boy crazy like a lot of people seem to be these days.  She is perfectly content with her friends, and family.  She does not need anyone else to make her happy.  I think that is a strong characteristic that is hard to find sometimes, especially if you attend a public school.  This girl is for sure different than most girls, and there is something about her that still has me wondering. 

Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer is a book that was reccommended to me by Kirstin, the same person who usually wants me to read half the books I read for this class. She always reads and we like the same type of material that is easy, yet intresting.  For this book, it is one of the easiest book I have read in awhile.  It is easy to just sit down and read this book while relaxing without thinking very much.  It is about a young girl who has loved surfing since the age of five.  She loves the water, loves the sun, and loves the beach.  When reading it, I felt myself feeling cold and missing summer because the book reminded me of vacation and this summer spending my days out on the beach and at the pool.  I miss those days and the winter is just beginning.  But, this girl one day while surfing was just gliding across the water when suddenly a shark came by and ate her arm.  Literally, the whole arm up to her armpit.  There are pictures of the arm and the huge shark that was caught with the exact teeth marks.  Her arm looks so weird now! But that does not stop of from working hard to keep surfing.  She has the determination to pass through the healing process.  She worked many hours a day getting back into shape after recovery and becoming stronger just so she will be able to do the same type of activities as she did before the accident.  I am halfway through the reading this week and the book is off to a slow start, hopefully is starts to pick up soon tonight when I finish my reading for the week.

Worth more Dead, then Alive

As I wrapped up this book for the week, the same conflicts continue to come up within the characters both interally and exterally.  For me, this book is just dragging on and on and on.  I might stop reading it this week and start a new one.  I think it is becoming boring for me because I have already seen the movie.  That means I basically already know the heart breaking ending.  I am suprised I am thinking about starting another book because I have never put down a Nicholas Sparks book in my life, I usually can not put them down! But back to the story.  Sara is now pregnant with her child.  Thankfully, their childs blood matches Kate's. The parents basically "designed a baby" to match the characteristics needed to save Kate.  For example, her baby's unbilical cord blood could potentially save Kate's life also.  In my opinion, I do not think that is right.  I think God create babies to the way they are "designed" to be, they are be selfish and stop using people to save Kate, even though she is in a life threatening situatution. This arises the same type of problem that Anna is facing.  She does not want her baby to just be born for a single reason, to save Kate.  She wants her child to have her own identity, unlike Anna who had her identity basically taken from her.  People just think of Anna as a donar to her sister, not a sister or an individual person.  It sounds like a complicated situation, also because Kate is becoming more sick emotionally and physcially. 

Currently

 Total Pages read this Week: 124
Total this Semester:  892


 Sentences of the Week::
1. My father says that a fire will burn itself out, unless you open a window and give it fuel
2.  Anger glows around this kid like electricity.
3.  My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night.

The first sentence is my favorite because it sounds like something my dad would say.  He is always telling me that things will fix themselves, just as the fire will burn itself out, unless you keep dragging out the problem (giving the problem fuel).

A Sticky Situation

As titled, this book, My Sister's Keeper, continues to have more and more stuggles that come with the cancer of Kate and Anna.  Anna does not want to be used just as a donar to her sister.  One side of her continues to tell herself.  She actually becomes jealous of Kate.  This is because she keeps thinking of Kate's future funeral compared to her own funeral in the future. I don't know about you, but I know don't compare how me and my twin sisters funerals are going to turn out.  But for some really weird reason, she keeps thinking how no one would come to her funeral when she dies, but when Kate dies, she believes there would be an overcrowding amount of people.  I know I am not in the same situation but I would be glad people loved her and supported her and loved her enough to attend the funeral.  In a way, I would feel honored that I helped in my sister life in donating to her when needed.  Then there is another side of Anna.  This is the side I can relate to.  She thinks of her and her sister and "Siamese Twins."  She thinks she needs to donate her liver and whatever else because they are sisters.  She thinks she can not let her sister down.  I know how she feels because having family look down on you when you could control the problem like she can.  If I were her, I would do whatever I can to save my twin sister.  As much as she drives me crazy, I don't think I would hesitate to donate my organs.  I guess I will never know the exact problem Anna and Kate are going through though.

Friday Currently

1.       When I was angry at God because I couldn't go to my son, hold him, comfort him, God's son was holding my son in his lap.

• This line definitely stood out to me this month.  This just proves that even when you do not understand why something happens, God will always be there and answering your prayers even if it is in a way you do not understand. 

2.       In a boxing match, the fighters absorb some vicious blows because they are ready for them.  And usually, knockout punch is the one they don't see coming.  

3.       When I was angry at God because I couldn't go to my son, hold him, comfort him, God's son was holding my son in his lap.

4.     You can't say "Good I Might" without sounding Australian.

Book pages read this week:: 159
Book Pages read this semester:: 768

And the Story Begins

As I begin reading more and more of My Sisters Keeper, the more I can see how this story is going to turn into a heart wrenching one.  Once again, Kate's mother sees the bruises on Kate's shoulder.  As time passes- the next morning even- Kate has bruises all the way down her spine.  If that happened to me, I would be absolutely terrified and confused.  Just as I would be, Kate's mother and father were also confused and scared.  At this moment, the story changed for the worse.  Kate was officially diagnosed with Leukemia, a disease within the white blood cells.  This is starting to make me think of the last book the I read, Heaven Is Real, but I have a very strong feeling that these hospital visits will not lead to Kate visiting Jesus and having the pleasure of coming back to tell her family and friend's how great heaven is.  In any story, that would be the happy ending but from what I hear, that is not going to happen here.  Anna, as the donor of whatever Kate needs, becomes very stressed out and vulnerable.  To escape from the stress, she finds herself dozing off at the stars with Brian.  This seems to be the only thing keeping her mind away from Kate.  It is so hard for her because she is torn.  She is torn between the choices of saving her sister, or saving herself from draining herself mentally and physically.  Her first instinct is that she will not let anything happen to Kate.  That is the instinct I would stick with if I were Anna.

My Sisters Keeper

My Sister's Keeper is a story and movie that I have heard many people talk about and go see the movie to recently in the past couple years.  I decided, it was my turn to read this heart pulling story.  Before I started to read this book, I knew it was about two sisters; one who has leukemia, and the other who saves her sister through medical treatments.  I also heard there is no way of reading or watching this whole story without crying, so I am going to be careful of where I read this.  So far, different characters narrarate their view of their lives in each chapter.  Anna, a thirteen year old girl, turns out to be the sister who was "created to save her sisters life."  Whenever her sister, Kate, became sick or in poor medical conditions, Anna would help donate any blood or bone marrow the doctors needed.  Anna's family is not the type of family has the most responsible family.  Her mother always shops online even with all the expensive medical bills of Kate.  And on the side of that, Anna's brother, Jesse, acts like an out of control and immature little boy without the control of parents.  This of course frustrates Anna just as it would frustrate me.  Without warning, she hires a lawyer named Campbell.  This is the name of my old biology teacher freshman year who I did not like, so I don't think I will like him either. But I am probably judging too soon.  I guess I will find out soon!(: 

 1.The interior decorator's use of strange, modern furniture, simple color, a careful use of space, and distinct, quirky architecture express an energetic confidence and absurd frivolousness of the inhabitant.

 Claim by : Less than Three

• This top claim is my favorite because the room is unusual and unique.  I would love to have a bed like that!! 

2.In this photo it seems that a group friends are marking the end of an era or the start of something new, the arms outstretched are either reaching for something that's gone or welcoming something that is coming

3.In this Painting Monet uses a brilliant sense of green and bright colors and an intelligent job of making the water calm and cool.

4.The movie poster for The Brothers Grimm's use of serious, determined facial expressions, dark, gloomy color, a full usage of space, and tough, old-fashioned body language expresses an impassioned intensity and dignified confidence of the characters portrayed by Matt Damon and Heath Ledger.  

5.Team illuminate performance on NBC’s Americas Got Talent the groups [jerky but elegant movements, strange and breath-taking choreography, and rapid roaming use of space]

 

Fighting Gravity

In Fighting Gravity’s final Performance on America’s Got Talent, the voiceless and light dancers use graceful, upbeat, and a unique technique that expresses a new and an explosive futuristic type of dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puLZe-IKbnY

5 senses

Movement- solid, swift, quick, graceful

Sound- melodic, voiceless, upbeat

Facial Expressions- lifeless, flat

Space – gravitational, light, crooked

Choreography- unusual, loose, unique

Inferences

Exciting

New

Explosive

Futuristic

Energetic

Friday Currently

Books Read this Week:
Heaven Is Real- 85-163
Surviving The Extremes- 1-31

Total:
This Week: 109
This Semester: 602

Sentences Of The Week!
1. "Child like faith."
2. "Everyone kind of looks like angels in heaven, Dad!"
3. "Yeah, he shoots down power for you when you're talking in church

My favorite one of those sentences is the 3rd sentence.  This is because Colton heard that from Jesus when he visited.  It was weird because every Sunday before the messege Colton's dad prays "God, if you don't help me this morning, this messege is going to fail."  This just proves God hears each and every prayer.

Surviving the Extremes !

As a book on the side this week I have chosen to read, Surviving the Extremes by Kenneth Kamler.  Kenneth Kamler is a doctor who sets on adventures with other specialized doctors who together, conquer challenging surviving environments.  There are obstacles along the way that I can never imagine ever getting past and these doctors someone know what to do in these fatal conditions.  It always surprises me how all these people drop their lives at home just to "Survive the Extremes."  For example, the Amazon Forest where the most plants and animals live in anywhere else in the world.  They also have found other people living in these conditions without medical care.  Thankfully, these medics are there just in time to help this fatal patients.  From what I understand so far, they will also set out at seas, somewhere of high altitude, which I believe is Mt. Everest, Outer Space, and somewhere underwater.  All these things can be fatal to people.  This book is a little more challenging and reads much slower than I am used to.  So I have to still have to find another book to begin next week that reads a little faster.  So far, Surviving the Extremes, is interesting but if I does not pick up soon, I think I will have to drop it for another book to read.  Oh, and I also decided my book project is going to be about the book I just finished, Heaven Is Real.  I am almost positive I am going to make a movie, or at least attempt to.  That book was just so interesting that I could not put it down!

Crazy Life

Yesterday, I finished the book,  Heaven Is Real and this book has kept me glued the whole entire time.  As I have grown up, I have always been raised to believe "Jesus Loves Us" and "God is in control" but this book proves that in so many ways.  The saying Colton keeps repeating is that "Jesus loves kids." He always brings up to his parents that Jesus loves his children at the most random times.  Colton's father and mother as the pastor of their church always experienced Jesus in pictures taught at Sunday School and in other biblical books but when they asked Colton if this is what the Jesus he had seen looked like, Colton would become angry at the misconception people had of Jesus.  Eventually another four year old girl also had an experience in Heaven just as Colton did.  She painted a picture of what Jesus looked like for the whole world would eventually see on the television.  That one painted picture was the one picture Colton had agreed upon.  Also, Colton claims he met his sister he had never met before.  This is because she was a miscarriage.  The young boy had never known of a miscarriage that his mother had previously had so it was crazy how he found her in Heaven.  That is just more proof that this ordinary kid experienced what most people won't until after they died.  It makes me wonder why he had been put through that.  Of all the people in the world, Colton.  I know God did that to him for a reason, but the question is... why?

Currently

Books Finished : The Lucky One (Popular Fiction)- 38
Now Reading : Heaven is For Real (Non- Fiction)- 85
Total pages this Week:  124
Total this semester:  544

Sentences of the Week:
1. In a boxing match, the fighters absorb some vicous blows because they are ready for them.  And usually, knockout punch is the one they don't see coming. 

• This is one of my favorites because it stood for Colton's situation in the hospital and also can symbolize life.  You may be going through a hard time, and continue to think the worst will happen.  But usually when life is hardest, is when you least expect the "punch" to be thrown.

2.  The patient was set in a supine position on the Operating Table.

• This is simply my favorite this week because it has a vocabulary word in the sentence, supine.  Supine means laying on one's back.  In this case, Colton was supine when he was undergoing sugery.

3. When I was angry at God because I couldn't go to my son, hold him, comfort him, God's son was holding my son in his lap.

• This was an important line in the book because in my opinion it was the climax of the whole story.  This made me want to read more because it amazed me how Colton, the sick boy, saw Jesus and was cared for even when Colton's dad was out of control of the situation . 

Red Markers

This book keeps surprising me more and more ! Colton, the young boy claims he went to heaven while he was in the hospital.  He dad who is a pastor is of course amazed by how is preschooler is sharing his experiences and observations Jesus and angels that he saw.  For me, I have grown up in a family that has always gone to church on a regular basis so I have naturally become a Christian myself.  I think that is why this book interests me. 
Colton claims....

• Jesus had a "purple thing hanging from his shoulder" and the rest of his clothing was white.  In the Bible purple was the color of kings and Jesus wore clothes whiter than everyone
• Jesus baptized his cousin- in the Bible, Jesus baptized his cousin, John the Baptist
• Jesus had "red markers" on his hands and feet- This is where Jesus was hung by when being crucified.  The red markers stood for the blood.
• While he was in heaven, he did "homework" then later explained that Jesus was his teacher and also taught other angels
• The angels had lights (described as halos) and Jesus were a "gold thing" on his head- a crown.
• He had wings along with everyone else and other kids.  But his wings were small. 

Colton also described when he came back to the real-world away from heaven.  Previously before returning, Colton's father was in a room by himself, isolated, screaming at God for doing such horrible things to his family.  He believed he was alone but in reality, God was answering his prayer.  While Colton screamed "Daddy, Don't Go !" He instantly became angry with God for not letting him hold his son.  But really, Colton was "sitting on God's lap."  After surgery Colton was screaming for his dad because he wanted to make sure his prayer was answered.  He quickly after got to hold his son.

This book is soooo weirdddd.

Heaven Is For Real !

At the start of this year, I heard the librarian suggest a book to the class about a boy become ill and claiming he "went to heaven"  Since then, Amanda read it and said it was worth me reading as well.  I started it tonight and so far, its nothing as I expected.  First of all, Colton's father is a pastor.  He previously had struggled with a broken leg, kidney stones, AND breast cancer.  A little too much for one person to handle within a six month period of time? Well that was only the start of what his son, Colton, was going to have to endure.  Colton came down with what parents thought of as a normal flu.  Colton had been throwing up for 5 DAYS straight.  From hospital to hospital, doctors could not figure out what had gone wrong.  At last, doctors learned Colton had his appendix burst.  I don't know what is going to happen yet with Colton but what I do know is that I am sooo lucky I have not had any major sickness'.  I honestly do not know how people can endure so much pain.  I always wonder, why them? And why am I not the person with cancer?  It amazes me how people's lives can be changed in one second due to a health issue.  I hope Colton heals and continues to live a normal life as a four year old boy should.  Because he father is a pastor, I believe God will give their family to strength to get through Colton's medical emergency.

Friday Currently

Pages Read This Week: 240
Pages Read This Semester: 370

Sentences of the Week:
1. You can't say "Good I Might" without sounding Australian.

2. The front echo of thunder sounded in the distance, and Beth could hear the crickets beginning their evening song.

3.  Hope springs eternal

The last two quotes were in the book I am almost done reading titled, The Lucky One.  With the second sentence, I simply loved the way the author described the night.  The first sentence, I heard someone say to me recently.  I guess everyone has heard that joke before, except me. Also, Hope springs eternal.  That is so true because hope is not how you feel on the outside but it is how you feel and think on the inside. 

One More Happy Ending

As I begin to finish reading, The Lucky One, I am starting to wonder how this book is going to end.  There has to be some kind of ending I am not expecting.  So far it seems as though Logan and Beth are getting along just fine.  Logan has even got along with Elizabeth's family which includes Ben and her Nana.  In fact, Logan is performing at Elizabeth's church as a favor to Nana.  He is playing the piano.  The book even stated both Beth and Logan would be devastated if they decided to go their separate ways.  They seems almost inseparable and they both are in each others lives more than anyone has before.  The only thing I think might happen in the end is something will happen to Logan through Keith, Beth's ex husband.  I think this because Keith has broke into Logan's house previously for unknown reasoning.  Both Keith and Beth could get back together in the end and break Logan's heart.  I only have less than 50 pages left so hopefully I can finish this weekend.  This book has made me think of some things that I have not before.  Like, "love at first sight." Logan for some weird reason found a picture randomly in the sand and he was determined to find this girl for whatever it took.  And now they are in love and hopefully continue to get to know each other.  It is so weird that Logan could have easily thrown the picture away.  Or what if he did throw the picture away? Does that mean he would have never met the woman of his dreams? It is so weird how little events can change a persons life.  I guess people have to believe everything happens for a reason.

The Lucky One Is Elizabeth !



My Dad and I one weekend just like Ben and Keith in The Lucky One



First of all, this is the 2nd time I have wrote this blog, so I'm frustrated because it was a good one but for some reason it did not save.  ANYWAYS, I am still reading The Lucky One.  Thibault has happened to find his "lucky lady" in his "lucky picture." Her name is Elizabeth which explains the big E on her shirt in the picture.  Elizabeth has a son named Ben who is not like most ten year old boys.  Instead of being athletic and adventurous like other boys, he enjoys chess and studying for his classes at school.  Just like me, Ben visits his Dad, Keith, every other weekend along with two weekdays.  I understand how Ben feels when he gets upset by going back and forth from his mom's house to his dad's. But for Ben, he gets upset for other reasons than I do.  His dad does not accept him like most fathers do.  Keith was hoping for a son that was an all-star baseball player or the quarterback for his high school football team.  Instead, his son is a chess player who hates sports and is not socially accepted by most people at his school.  While Ben is at his dad's house, he pushes Ben to play catch although that usually ends with a hard thrown ball hit straight to the face.  This also reminds me of my life because when I was Ben's age my dad and I would play baseball and basketball on the weekend.  My days usually did not end with getting struck with a ball to my eye.  Elizabeth struggles to send her son to Keith's and just wishes to find a man who loves Ben for who he his.  Lucky for her, Thibault now has a job working at the kennel with her and he loves Ben and Elizabeth just as any father should.  Maybe that picture was good luck after all!

Friday Test

1. erately expressed extravert
2. distinctively expressed sensing personality
3. distinctively expressed feeling personality

4 moderately expressed judging personality
This test explained my personality pretty well.  It was very accurate when it said I distinctively espree feeling personality.  I usually act how I feel.  I do a very poor job of pretending I am feeling something I am not, so I act the way I feel.  I disagree a little when the test said I moderately espress judging in my personality.  I am usually very good at not judging people and getting to know them before I judge them.   

Currently

Total Pages Read This Week: 125
Books I read: Me Talk Pretty One Day; The Lucky One; Tina Fey

Sentences of the Week:
1. "Two peanuts were walking down the street, and one was salted."
2. "Did we really ruin the environment as much as we thought? and Is Glee still a thing?"
3. "Why is this book called Bossypants? One because Two and a Half Men was already taken."

This sentences were from Tina Fey.  I thought her writing style was different because she is so laid back and says what she thinks with complete honesty.  This were three sentences she said in the intro to her book, Bossypants.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

I am just about to go to sleep and thought I would blog about a book I forgot to mention that I read earlier this week.  It is titled, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. I first picked out this book because every chapter is a different story about the authors life.  It is easy to pick up and just read a quick chapter and not have to worry about keeping up with previous events or conflicts within the story.  My favorite story so far was about a time he got pulled out of class one Thursday. David was thinking he was in trouble, but he soon realized he was in speech class.  He always talked with a lisp.  I could relate to that because when I was in elementary school as well, I had to go to speech class with my twin sister.  We both could not pronounce our "R's" correctly.  We did not even know we had a speech problem, but whatever, it was fun missing class. For my sister and I, whenever a word would have an "R-sound" in it, we would replace it with a "w-sound." For example, when we would say the word "rabbit" we would pronounce it "wabbit."  David though was not as oblivious to his speech problem as I was.  He would constantly try to avoid saying any word that began with the letter S, because of his lisp.  It soon became a natural thing to avoid all S words.  During his speech class the teacher was trying to get him to say the letter S, but he would not.  Then at the very end of the class, she began to fake cry to make him feel bad for making her think she was being a bad teacher.  Little did he know, the teacher was trying to get him to say he was sorry. He began to get all concerned about why his teacher was crying and he said he was "sorry." (with a lisp.) 

I chose to start off the semester reading what I knew I would like, Nicholas Sparks.  I have seen many of his movies and have loved all of them.  To be honest, I am not much of a reader. I would rather spend my time watching movies, spending time with my friends, and watching football games with my family.  Since I have been taking this class, I have found reading is not as bad as I thought.  For the past two days, I have been reading, "The Lucky One" which, to my surprise, is very interesting.  It takes place in a young man's tour to Iraq.  He happens to run past a picture half buried in the sand of a women smiling on the beach.  In the past few weeks of Marine Logan Thibault's games of poker, he has lost more money than he had even came to Iraq with.  He posted this picture on the board thinking it was someone's valuable picture they had dropped.  After several days, he takes the picture and places it in his pocket.  That day, the men played poker as they always did.  One play at a time, Thibault wins each hand.  He turns out winning all money he had lost, plus even more.  This picture turns out to be a "good luck charm."  Some people think that luck comes in a lucky number, a lucky person, any object that they want.  But really, I think luck comes with time and good things will eventually come to good people.  It is not what they have in their hand, or what number jersey they are wearing. I am interested to see how this photograph brings more good luck to the table and throughout the rest of "The Lucky One."

My first blog

This is my first blog ever.  I am excited to become a pro-blogger throughout this semester.  This should be an intresting class.  I will be using this blog for school purposes and to keep track of the books I'm reading. YAY BLOGGING!