This is me

This is me
Fighting to make it through Sea Trials
Preforming the tasks asked of me
Pouring down rain
Making it hard to stay on my feet in the plank
War paint on my terrified yet determined face
My body trembling with fists clenched
Midshipman yelling and candidates crying
Cameras all around me
People telling me to keep going
Scared to quit but cannot keep going
Finally the other candidates fall
I finish second out of 80 men and women
Beaten by a young man who did not give up
Finally I fall, unable to hold it any longer
But I never gave up and never will

This is a young girl
Her hard work is paying off
She has discovered what she is made of
She has joined a brotherhood

This is a girl who was nominated to sing "Navy Blue and Gold"
An honor that many will never have
An honor that many do not know of
A feeling that cannot be explained
This is a moment that she will never forget
and a moment that changed her forever

Photos from the 200s

As a competitive swimmer, Michel Phelps has been an iconic figure in my life ever since I can remember. He is all anyone talks about in the world of swimming. Even if you are not a swimmer, you know who he is. He changed the world of swimming and the day he left the swimming world changed it too. Everyone wanted to be him, being compared to him was like being compared to the god of swimming in a way. Especially if you were a butterflyer which of course was his best stroke. He makes it look so easy as he glides through the water but all butterfliers know, it’s the last thing from easy. Michel Phelps was once my hero as a young swimmer. He was everything that I and everyone else wanted to be. There were even drills named after him… that is when you know you are famous in the swimming world. I remember being glued to the TV during the Olympics, just waiting for him to swim. The next day my coach would show us all the video of him racing and explain why he is so good and how we should be more like him. The day after that we would all try to be just like Phelps even though we were no where close to being like him, it was still fun to pretend. Phelps was once my hero just as he was to all of the other swimmers at the time and his name will always be known in the swimming world. 

Photo Hunt

Someone who has taught you a lot: Collin has taught me so much, even though it was not all vital or appropriate information. I learn something new everyday #WhatHaveITaughtYou??

Someone who makes me laugh and I want to be more like: My friend Jamie makes me laugh in AP calc and I wish I was more like her because she actually does her homework and studies #WhyAmIInAPCalc

Something a kid would notice: A kid would notice this giant random dinosaur head without a doubt. Reminds me of being an underclassman and thinking we were bad*** for touching the dinosaur. #BringBackTheRocket 

Something that annoys you: Dear peers, why are none of you smart enough to walk up stairs? Sincerely , the people trying to get to class without punching anyone. #WHY 

Something beautiful: It is not surprisingly hard to find anything beautiful at Kickapoo High School but these words are beautiful thanks to Mrs. Nance. #StayCoolNance

Something from a cool angle: I never took a photography class so I dont know what a cool angle even is. I think I have a locker somewhere but I am not sure where it is at. #WhyDoWeHaveThese

Something that is round: This emblem is round and made of stone or brick or something like that. Everyone always takes pictures in front of it for like sports and clubs. #StoneOrBrickOrWhatever

Something that is square: This picture is square and I can't really tell what is going on but it is pretty cool looking. It is so much better than anything I could ever do. #INeverTookAnArtClass

Something that looks like a face: Someone came in during the night and stole all of the ceiling tiles. This guy seems pretty shocked about it. #WhyDoWeNotHaveCeiling? 

Something nostalgic: The lunch room is something that will always remind me of freshman year. That awful first day of high school where every one thought they were hot stuff until they entered the packed lunchroom for the first time. #WhereYouSitDeterminesYourLife

A book: This is some random book found inside the school library. Turns out there are lots of books in there. This one seems like it would have very useful information. #CanIDisappearNow?

Something hand written: So many random school signs through out the school halls but this one has got to the best of all of them. Totally inspires teens to be sober. #ThereAreNoTacos

Something from nature: This beautiful purple tree is surrounded by the four walls of torture that we call high school. I do not understand why the doors are locked to the courtyard. It's not like we are all spiderman and we are going to scale the halls and escape. #SpidermanStudents

Something that reminds you of being at KHS: The iconic Kickapoo Seal that no one may step on. If you step on it as an underclassman, a big senior guy would come out of no where and pummel you to the ground. #IsThatReallyNecessary 

101 things

1. I am under five feet tall but my personality is much bigger than my size 2. It’s not that I am bad at math… Math just doesn’t understand how I work 3. I still listen to the Jonas Brothers 4. I can’t stand the taste, texture, or smell of coconut. If I accidently eat something with coconut I will spit it out no matter where I am or who I am with. 5. I did not speak as a child and was almost placed in Special Education 6. I should probably care more about what people think 7. I am a sucker for cliché romance novels 8. I’ve been in one fight and I was the instigator 9. I grew up in a very religious private school and now I am just confused about it all 10. I secretly enjoy challenging chemistry homework 11. Some say I am a nerd but I say that I will be rich, it’s all in how you look at it 12. My idea of “going out” is a fairly early movie with my mom 13. I had a speech impediment when I was young and still struggle with words sometimes 14. My best friend in elementary school had a stutter, we were friends because we didn’t make fun of each other for our speaking troubles; we understood each other 15. I grew up only wearing rain boots and sunglasses with a bow in my hair 16. I believe that I am secretly a princess in my own world 17. Everything I own is pink, even my car 18. My biggest fear is not being someone someday; I want to make a difference somehow, I just don’t know how yet 19. I am allergic to adhesive which means I cannot wear band aids 20. I am an Alex and Ani bracelet addict 21. I hate physics 22. I fell down a whole flight of stairs my freshman year… I have never experienced so much pain and embarrassment before 23. I hate Yogi Bear because so many people say “Hey Boo-Boo! Wanna go on a pic-a-nic” You probably just read that in Yogi Bear’s voice… imagine hearing that over and over and you’ll understand my hatred for yogi bear. 24. If my nails are not done then I am not myself 25. Ferris Buller is my hero 26. I have a strange obsession with Killer Whales… SAVE THE WHALES 27. Batman is my favorite super hero 28. It drives me crazy when people say “You’re really short” like thank you captain obvious, what else would you like to share with me? 29. I am 17 years old, almost 18 30. I want to be an athletic trainer and a physical therapist 31. I carry a spider man lunch box every day 32. I eat dry tuna every day for lunch 33. I sometimes find cleaning to be relaxing 34. I am not a very social person, my best friend is my chemistry book 35. I believe that Dr. Seuss is a wise man 36. I believe in soul mates but not love at first sight 37. My phone is bigger than my hand 38. I struggle with technology 39. I hate math but have an A in AP Calculus 40. Most of my friends are guys because I find most girls to be overrated and too dramatic 41. I bottle my feelings up until they explode on one unlucky person, it could happen at any time 42. I have played about every single sport, including acrobats 43. I was once a top swimmer in the States of Missouri and Arkansas, now it takes everything in me to just swim a lap in a pool 44. I’ve only skipped school once and I got caught 45. I am not creative at all and find my creative writing class to be more difficult than Advanced Chemistry 46. I have had many dreams crushed but all of them have opened new doors 47. I believe that everything happens for a reason 48. There is nothing more important to me than family 49. If you mean anything to me then you are my family, even if you don’t know it 50. My third favorite color is turquoise 51. I wish that I would have not quit swimming 52. My mom is my rock 53. My dad and I don’t talk much but can happily sit in silence for the longest time; we are both very quiet people 54. The older I get, the more I can tell that I am turning into my mother. It’s a good thing. Now I understand everything that she does because I do it too. 55. I am not creative so this list is very hard for me to write 56. I believe in happily-ever-afters 57. If I could go back in time and interview anyone, I would pick Rosa Parks 58. If I could ever talk to or take a picture with Bruno Mars I think I would just die for excitement 59. The Spanish culture interests me, I hope to travel to South America someday after I complete my Spanish minor 60. I hate running but I do it everyday 61. I am easily confused 62. I am not easily offended 63. I have no problem with standing up for myself or for my friends 64. Some may say that I am hard headed and stubborn 65. Others may say that I am grateful and kind 66. I hate English but my favorite class in high school was Ms. Self’s Advanced Gram and Comp Class 67. I am technically a sophomore in college 68. I have two older sisters 69. I am the youngest in my family 70. I do not understand calculus 71. I will not allow anyone to walk on me, no matter who they are 72. My favorite flowers are Sweet Peas 73. I enjoy dressing up once and awhile but generally I am too lazy to put much effort into my appearance 74. I have no clue how to put on makeup because I am so lazy and my mother has to put it on for me or else I look like a 5 year old who got into their mother’s makeup 75. I am small but mighty 76. I am terrified of possums, there is no explanation needed. They are like giant rats and they sleep like bats. That’s just crazy 77. Air planes are a little scary but I absolutely cannot stay awake on them 78. I work at a retirement home and it is like a second home to me. I love my job 79. I want to go skydiving 80. I want to swim with sharks 81. I am a Key-clubber and I am proud of it 82. I plan on chartering a Circle K at Missouri State University but I am nervous that I won’t be able to do it 83. I am not easily embarrassed. I laugh at myself all of the time 84. I think that laughing is the best medicine 85. My dream wedding is to get married at Disney Land 86. I want to have lots of kids, maybe even be a foster parent 87. I am not scared of death but I am terrified of hospitals 88. My dad has been sick all of my life 89. I am scared of losing my parents 90. I reallyyyyy want a pet hedgehog but my mom says no 91. I want to see the world 92. I’m scared to share my feelings 93. I struggle with reading, especially out loud 94. I am very excited to move on from high school and start my degree 95. I never thought that I could think of 101 things about myself because I am sorta boring 96. My cat is named Slim Shady and yes… She is the real Slim Shady 97. My dog is named Peeka and together we are Peeka-Boo 98. I think that education is the second most important thing in life besides family because no one can take that from you 99. I wish I was more social sometimes 100. Sometimes I'm so quite because I have so much to say 101. I will always be myself, unless if I can be Batman

Lyric Shuffle

I'm thinking out loud I love you when you're singing that song and I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways Maybe just the touch of a hand Well, me I fall in love with you every single day So love me like you do, like you do We'll take this way too far Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars I got a blank space baby And I'll write your name

freewrite

Loving him is hard living in different states being in different stages of life and when doubt overcomes me I listen to his voice as he sings the sweet songs to me I am reminded of who he is and who we are together listening to the love songs on the other end of the phone the doubt is replaced wiith hope and joy They say you'll know when you find the one Hearing his voice sing this song, I know he is the one

Lyrics

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon

What a Wonderful World by Luis Armstrong

Teachers+ Music

Ms. Hoover said that the "New Kids on the Block" reminds her of her childhood. She added in that she was particularly found of Donny because he wore his pants low and showed off his boxers.
She also said that music that music that promotes hate is the only type that she finds offensive.
I loved the story about her childhood crush on the guy that wore his pants low!

Mr. Wilbur said that his favorite singer is Allance Mersted is his favorite singer because the words of the songs make you think and feel different emotions and it is also catchy.
I've never hear of his favorite artists before?

Mrs. Stenett said, "Neil Young "Harvest Moon"" reminds me of my husband- it was the song that we danced to when we got married. All Taylor Swift songs remind me of my daughter- I always picture my girl singing when I hear them on the radio."
I think that it is too cute that her daughter sings so much Taylor Swift.. Her daughter is adorable!

Mrs. Nunez said, "I went to see Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull in kansas City this year. It was memorable because these artists never preformed this close to my home and I went with my BFF from high school."
I am really jelous that she saw Enrique! I've wanted to see him in concert for sooo long! I plan on seeing him after I complete my Spanish minor.

Ms. Self said that she listens to several different radio stations and continually listens for new songs that she likes. She also said that she does not refuse to listen to any type of music but there are types that she prefers more than others.  
I think that it is int
eresting that Ms. Self would say that she listens to ALL types of music.

This is a picture of the New Kids on the Block

Music

2. My favorite song is What a Wonderful World by Luis Armstrong. I don’t connect this song with any particular person, event, or place. I think that it is just a great song that puts me in a good mood and puts a smile on my face.

3. My taste in music has definitely changed over the years. At the beginning of high school my taste in music was whatever was “trending” at the time. As in, the top pop hits and popular rap songs because I thought I was pretty cool back then. Now my taste leans more to the alternative side and older songs. I enjoy the songs that make you think and feel and are not derogatory in anyway. The best songs are the ones that remind you of a person/event or make you feel good, not the ones that are nonsense and mean.

4. I gravitate to the older and alternative songs. I think this is because of the kind of music that my family listens to. We listen to a lot of blues in particular because we are from Tulsa OK and my god father (Ace Moerland) was a blues artists. I do not like rap or heavy metal because you cannot understand either of them and they are unpleasant. I don’t understand how people sit and listen to either of them.

10. Heavy metal and that Screaming stuff (whatever people call it) should never be tolerated by ANYONE. I dated a guy for a year and half during my last two years of high school who listen to a lot of heavy metal. I would never let him play it in the car when I was with him, I hated it! The few times that he would try to play it around me, it was the worst few seconds of my life. Why would anyone want to listen to people screaming through their car speakers? There is nothing pleasant or enjoyable about that. I can almost understand that certain people can relate to it but I never did see how my boyfriend could relate to it so I found it to be extremely obnoxious,

15. I would never never never ever want to sing professionally because I sound like a dying animal for the most part… maybe I’m tone death! It’s that bad… anyways everyone would leave after the first song which would be pretty embarrassing. 

This is a picture of one of my God Father's CDs

Poems for Paintings

This man is very sad
He lives in poor conditions
and only owns a guitar
He fears for his life
and he hopes for change
but he knows that things will never get better
So he sits and plays his guitar
he fills the fear and emptiness with music
the sounds of music helps his fears.

The three man try to play music together

but the sounds do not sound right

They are confused and chaotic 

The sounds that they produce do not sound like music

But at least they have the ability to play

They wont give up

They keep trying

maybe someday they will meet with success

Until then they fill the air with sounds and noises

But to them it is beautiful  

Clay Story

This super cool awesome giraffe was made of ceramic. It was made by a women named Natalie Kent. I have no idea where the clay came from because I just don't know and the website does not say but it's okay because the giraffe is super cool still. The piece was for an art class. It reminds me of going to the zoo and feeding the super cool giraffes. I think it is kind of scary because the eyes look like it is staring into your soul and knowing all of your secretes. I think that all giraffes are kind of scary because they are tall and big and have big tongues and slobber a lot which is gross. Even the clay giraffes are scary but still kinda cool. I wish I had a giraffe like this one because that would be super cool. It was handmade last year by Natalie Kent. 

Edward Hopper

The boxcar sat on the rail roads motionless. With no where else to go the young teenagers climbed into the car and a small feeling of relief come over them; maybe they had found somewhere safe for the  night. Left on their own, they were scared and lost but determined to make it. They found comfort in the boxcar and slept for the night. The following day they decided to stay in the car where they slept and ate the little food they could afford. They did this again the day after that and then the day after that; soon the little boxcar started to become home to them. Although it was not ideal, it wasn't so bad. It provided shelter from the rain and cold winds. It protected them from animals and other dangers. No one knew of their little new home and for the first time in a long time, they felt safe. Of course they still struggled, being on their own at such a young age is not an easy task or life. When they started to become short on money for food, they did their best to clean up and find a job. This also was not an easy task but they both finally got jobs at a dinner near by. The money was not much, but it was enough to provide for the both of them. They did their best to save up and after some times they finally had enough to get back on their feet. When it was time to say goodbye to old and abandoned boxcar, it was almost upsetting for them even though they were leaving for a better life. They were forever grateful for the motionless boxcar. 

Pillow Talk

I think that the picture is a pillow in a dark room. It reminds me of the days when I can sleep in and lay in bed in my dark and warm room as long as I want to, which does not happen very often. I think the picture looks like the pillow is in a quiet and calm room. Maybe it belongs to someone who has trouble sleeping at night and they toss and turn which is why it is all messy. The pillow looks warn and old; like it has been well loved by someone. It makes me want to take a nap or read a book in bed. This picture could be seen in so many different ways.

When I close my eyes

He stands by my side again

Like he never left

Tossing and turning

Not able to sleep all night long

Wanting rest to

come

Art Walk

My picture was an up close picture of red flowers. You can see the details of the water droplets and the center of the flowers. This reminded me of when I was younger and I would pick flowers for my mom. Although I was really only gathering old dead weeds, I thought or at least imagine that they were beautiful just like the ones in my picture. They also remind me of when I was younger and would preform at dance performances and would always be given a small bouquet of flowers. It was always the one thing that I would look forward to the most because I loved how pretty they were. Finally they remind me of all of the attempts from my mother and I to build a garden in our backyard. So far it has not gone well but we refuse to give up!  Maybe some day we will have a garden with beautiful red flowers like the ones in the picture.

Bright red in color
Always pointing to the sun
The red flowers grow

She picks the flowers
She brings them to her mother
She watches them grow

Dancing on the stage
Hearing the crowd cheering
Receiving flowers

Artist Profile: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was born on October 25th 1881 in Malaga Spain and he passed away on April 8th 1973. He is the oldest of two sisters, Lola and Concepcion and is the son of Don Jose Ruiz y Blasco and Maria Dicasso y Lopez. His father Jose was a professor of arts and his mother Maria was a stay at home mother. Picasso received his education at the School of Fine Art and the Royal Academy of San Fernando. He was married twice and had four kids with three women. His first marriage was to Olga Kjojhiova from 1918-1955 during which he had several other lovers. He then married Jacqueline Roque in 1961 and they were married until his death in 1973. World War I, World War II, the liberation of Paris, Nazis, and the French Resistance were all important events and time periods during Picasso's life. Three struggles that he dealt with were his overpowering desire for women, the rumors that were said about him such as that he was a lefty and that he stole the Mona Lisa, and he was nearly killed at birth. One thing that most people might not know about this artist is his relationships with so many women. Picasso mainly used oil pastels, cubism and collage. He was most associated with the Surrealism and Cubism Periods. His most famous works include The Old Guitarist, The Portrait of Gertrude Stein, and Les Oemoiselles d' Auignon. Two pieces that I would like to know more about are The Old Guitarist which shows his concerns with the miserable conditions in Spain and The Three Musicians which is in remembrance of his childhood.

Dan in Real Life

23. When I was growing up my nickname was "Boo-baby." everyone called me this so much that I thought my middle name was "Baby."

12. I definitely think that well traveled people are more interesting because of all of the stories they can tell. They experience new and exciting things. They create so many memories that they can share with others.

26. I think that teenagers are very hard on their parents. Being a teenager is hard a lot of the time and we always assume that our parents have no idea what it is like. But in all reality they really do. We refuse their help and tell them that they cannot do anything but we should remember that they were teenagers once too and even though things have changed, the odds are that they went through or at least know what we are talking about. I think that this makes it very hard on our parents because they see us hurting and they want to help but we won't let them.

16. My perfect day would start out with waking up really late, probably around noon. When I did finally wake up, I would eat captain crunch for breakfast, even though it was noon, because it is my favorite thing ever. Then I would curl up on the couch and begin a Friends marathon for the next six hours. My perfect day would be a day that nothing was expecting from me because those kinds of days do not happen very often.

20. I am a terrible bowler. Like on the plant. I am not even exaggerating, literally the worst. It is embarrassing.

2. Three tips that I would give to parents of teenagers are: expecting everything from them, push them to their limits, and understand/ be considerate of their teenage issues.

Movie Quotes

                                                              The Breakfast Club

       Pretty in Pink

Ferris Buller's Day off

"I feel dangerous" 

                                                                               American Sniper

Moies

My favorite movie is hands down, Ferris Buller’s Day Off. This is because, as Cameron says “Ferris Buller you’re my hero.” Ferris Buller is a high school senior who does what he wants, whenever he wants. It is about his day when he skips school and does all of these crazy things including riding a float in a parade and somehow he manages to trick everyone except for his two friends into thinking he is really home sick. He is an inspiration and a role model just for being awesome. I don’t care for sci-fi movies like Star Wars or Star Trek. I can just never get behind these kinds of movies or understand them; I usually end up falling asleep. According to the movie survey I am 50% extraverted, 42% agreeable, 83% conscientious, 33% emotional, and 50% open to new experiences. I would say that these results are pretty accurate although, I did hope to be more emotionally stable but all well. It did say that I am organized and enjoy my privacy which is spot on.

                If my life story was a movie it would be about the life of a young naive girl who gets her life together her senior year of high school and figures out what she is going to do with her life. It would be all about her high aspirations to be an athletic trainer and attend PT school. It would follow her through her college years and tell about her different experiences. It would be about her struggles through school and her difficult classes and about her successes and good memories with friends. There would also of course be dramatic scenes filled with drama for entertainment purposes. She would fall in love with another young man who is in graduate school with her. There would obviously be some kind of twist that makes it difficult for the two to be together of course. Maybe he would have some secrete life or complexity of some kind just to add to her boring life of studying. Eventually everything would work out and they would live happily ever after. They would also open up their own private practice and become super rich and awesome.

6 word memoir

A dad learning to walk again


When I was younger my dad suffered from a massive heart attack. He had 80/20 odds of living. Some of my earliest memories of him was when he was recovering. I remember him learning to walk, talk, and eat. Since I was so young at the time, it seemed normal to me but now I realize how lucky he was to have the chance to learn to walk again; it is a miracle that he is alive and well today.

Girl Choosing Between Two Guys

Dating as a teenage girl in high school has to be the most complex, vital, and stressful thing there is to high school right? Well it sure seems like it for most girls. Your significant other is a very important part to social life in school. They should be handsome, strong, smart and all of those things but at the same time they have to faithful to you and should treat you right. They cannot be weird or nerdy or embarrassing in any way! That seems pretty hard to find at this age. So should you date the guy whose on the football team and popular or should you date the guy who treats you right even though his friends are a little different than most. This was the question that she was faced with. She had to choose between the hot guy with the sports car and the smart ROTC guy who was not drop dead gorgeous like the first guy but treated her like she was a princess? The first guy was a social upgrade and the other could be detrimental to her social status. She did not know if she should choose the guy who got into all of the parties or the guy who stayed home on Saturday nights to study for the upcoming calculus test. Should she choose the one who went out with his friends every night instead of her or the guy who dropped everything he was doing the second she needed anything. Of course the nerdy guy was the best choice for the most part because it is better to have someone who treats you like you’re the only girl in the world rather than the guy who only hangs out with you when it is convenient for him and his “bros.” But teenage girls don’t always make the right choices. 

First and Last line story

“I am an invisible man.” This is what he had repeatedly told the young girl who did not understand him. It was not that he was truly invisible, he was the kind invisible where everyone could see him but they could not know him which made him invisible to society. She would tell him that she could see him, that he was not invisible to her. She did not understand his complexity. She wanted to see him and know him but that seemed impossible. She never gave up even though it seemed impossible. The more she tried to see him, the more he tried to become invisible. It wasn't that he didn't want her to see him. He was just scared about what she would think when she really saw who he was. He was not a social kind of guy. He didn’t have friends or family but he was continent with his isolated invisibleness. He would wake up in the morning, go to work, and then come home to his cat who was the only one that seemed to understand his invisibleness. His days were all the same, repetitive and invisible. Until he met her, then all of a sudden the days weren't all the same which made him anxious and want to really be invisible. He did his best to let her in; to let her see himself for who he was. But he cared for her too much to let her get hurt so after she got past his invisible barrier, he began to disappear even more than before. She sat staring with her eyes shut, into his eyes, and felt as if she had finally got to the beginning of something she couldn't begin, and she saw him moving farther and farther away, farther and farther into the darkness until he was the pin point of light. 

"Winter Arrives"

Winter has arrived in full force. Snow and ice are covering everything in their paths. The bitter cold is taking over. We are having a winter like never before. Some say it is the end of the world while others say it is aliens taking over the planet. Well, whatever it is… it is not safe to be outside. This is a warning to everyone across the country to stay inside at all costs. It is too dangerous to drive, sled, make snow angles, or even build snow men! All the way from New Jersey to California is a white blanket of snow. The cold temperatures and snow are in even in areas that have not seen winter before. Schools and business are closed across the country and it does not look like they will be opening anytime soon. We do not expect to get above freezing temperatures across the United States for weeks to come! Airports are also shut down and people are beginning to lose power across the country due to the freezing ice. Is there anywhere safe? No! There is nowhere safe! Stock up on necessary items, enough for the next several weeks if possible! Make sure that you have plenty of water, blankets, batteries, and non-perishable food because no one knows how long this could last. State of emergencies have been issued across the United States and people are begging to panic. Fear has entered every home in the country. The question is, what is our government going to do to help its people? NOTHING! You are all on your own!!! Well, actually there are currently plans being made in case this lasts for the whole winter so maybe we are not alone or maybe we are? Who knows? No one knows that’s who! There have even been reports of the sighting of Big Foot! That’s rights… Big Foot is on the loose and the government is not doing anything to stop him. Before we know it Big Foot is going to take over the government and start a dictatorship here in the United States! You have all been warned of the dangers that we are facing…

Famous First and Last Lines

"I am an invisible man."

This quote is from the novel Invisible Man written by Ralph Ellison in 1952. Ellison was born in Oklahoma City on March 1, 1914. His famous novel The Invisible Man was his first published novel and is still well known today. He had a good childhood and grew up to be an educated man. Ralph Ellison died on April 16, 1994 of pancreatic cancer. The Invisible Man is about a young black man who is hiding from the world. He is a great speaker who is invited to speak in front of a group of people and is rewarded with a scholarship after being embarrassed in front of everyone during the battle royal. He goes to college where his life is changed after an unfortunate event takes place and he is harshly judged by the president of the college. He then leaves the college and finds work in the city. He is involved in an accident at work and is tortured while being treated by medical personal. He then finds a women and they join the Brotherhood. However he is once again traded by the Brotherhood and goes underground.   

Although this book does sound very interesting, I would not like to read it. Based off of the plot summaries that I have read, it seems very confusing and depressing. This young innocent man is put through so much throughout his life; it seems as though he just cannot get a brake. It is a significant novel in history and would be purposeful for me to read but it is not my type of book.











"She sat staring with her eyes shut, into his eyes, and felt as if she had finally got to the beginning of something she couldn't begin, and she saw him moving farther and farther away, farther and farther into the darkness until he was the pin point of life."

This quote is from the novel Wise Blood by Flannery O' Connor. The author was born on March 25, 1925 in Savannah Georgia. She was an educated women who wrote Wise Blood in 1952. She died from lupus on August 3, 1964, she was 34 years old. The novel is about a blind man who goes missing and is found by police man and taken to his landlord. However, he died in the police car. The police man laid him on the landlord's bed and they never even realized that he was dead. The story speaks of what happens between the landlord and the dead blind man.

I personally would probably not like to read this book. Again, it just is not something that would interest me. It does sound interesting enough but it

also seems to be something that would not be a page tuner for me.

Quotes

Ducky from the movie Pretty in Pink is my hero!!!

Farris Buller is also an inspiration.

Farris Buller inspires me to believe in myself.

and finally a few quotes from the amazing John Green himself

Memorable Passage

"Im on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend" This is my most memorable quote from my favorite book, The Fault in Our Stars. I love this quote because any time I start feeling down or stressed out about something I just think back to reading this quote and it brings me ease. Very wise words from Augustus.I also say it to anyone who is upset about something, I remind them that they too are on a roller coaster that only goes up.

Writers as readers

1. In order for me to be comfortable when I read I need a warm and quite environment. I like to be in comfy close like sweats and of course I have to have somewhere soft and comfy to sit with plenty of lighting! The perfect place for me to read is in my bed with all of my lights on while wearing comfy clothes. 2. I have to be honest here, I am a sucker for cheesy love stories. I am not exactly sure why I am attracted to these kinds of books. Maybe it is the fact that they are easier to relate to or maybe it is all of the drama that they entail or the perfect relationships that the characters have. But I can never put these books down! 5. The book that I read that I just could not put down was, of course, Fault in our Stars. I know how cliché that sounds but hey it’s a good book! It’s a perfect tragic love story of a young couple who falls in love and it tells all of their struggles of their perfect love… so of course that’s why I couldn’t put it down! Oh if only I could love someone like Hazel Grace loves Augustus! For one of my English classes I was forced against my will to read the book The Long Shadow of Little Rock. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that it was a very significant event in history that students should learn and read about but it does not have to be told in such a dry and drawn out manner! 9. When I finished reading The Best of Me I was both angry and sad because the ending was just absolutely uncalled for! I will not say why exactly because I do not want to spoil it for anyone but I was very disappointed when the book did not end as I expected. 12. I definitely think that someone who reads a lot would become a strong writer. I think that we pick up vocabulary while reading books if we are reading the right books! I don’t believe that someone will become a better writer by reading Nicholas Sparks or John Green (Although I do not know why someone would ever read something that these amazing writers did not write!). But if we read classic and challenging novels we usually have to pick up vocabulary in order to understand the text.

Yet He Sings as Loud as He can

I know why the caged bird sings He sings his song of longing and his desire to soar in the open blue sky He cries for something that he does not know He cries for something he does not have He cries for his freedom He hopes that someone will hear his song and set his free to feel the sun on his wings the wind beneath him and the clouds above him but deep down he knows that no one will understand his song yet he sings as loud as he can

My Reoccurring Dream

I only have one reoccurring dream which reoccurs often. I can always see myself lying in bed and everything is in my room exactly how it always is. It seems like a normal night but then a feeling of fear comes over me. I cannot usually tell why I am so scared that I cannot move or make a sound at first, but then I realize that there is someone in my doorway. It is a big man or creature maybe? It is hard to tell. Whatever it is, it is dressed a hooded robe-like outfit. I try to move but cannot. So I try to scream for my mom who is sleeping in the room across the hall but I can’t make a noise. The man walks slowly towards me. He only walks in straight lines, almost like a robot in a way. He drags something heavy behind him, or at least I assume it is heavy because of how he carries it. It seems like it takes him forever to get to me which only makes the situation more terrifying. I believe what he is carrying is some kind of weapon, a sword maybe. I then realize that whatever it is, it is how he plans to kill me. So scared I cannot breath, I try to wake myself up but I cannot. He is finally standing next to my bed. I see him swing backwards with the sword, preparing to swing it at me. It seems to take all of his strength to swing it. I finally wake up right before he finishes swinging. After I wake up I still have the same feeling of fear all over me.

Writers Dreaming

2. I believe that I do have the power to triumph over adversity. This is because I attended a very small, private religious school for both elementary and middle school. I decided after finishing the 7th grade that I was ready for a more challenging education and therefore I skipped the 8th grade and advanced to high school. I went from a class with 12 kids to a class with over 400 students and I did not know anyone there. While this dramatic life changing event took place I discovered that I have dyslexia which has created many academic struggles in my high school career. However, I have made many friends and have held several leadership positions including class president. I have also earned all A’s in my honors English classes and am a leading candidate to the United States Naval Academy. 5. I can easily relate to Angelou when she talks about how she did not talk for five years. Although I did not suffer from any kind of a traumatic event, I did not talk until I reached the age of 6. I could talk but I simply did not want to talk to anyone, including my mother. This caused several issues when it came to school and my parents were told that I would have to be placed in a special education program. My parents decided that I should not be placed in special education so we moved to a different school district and they enrolled me in both speech therapy and a private school. When arriving to the speech therapy on the first day I asked my mom, “This is the place that is going to make me talk?” and after that I did not speak another word until she took me home! I am still very quiet to this day and can struggle with my speech impediment however I am doing just fine! 6. My family is Latino and I have completed all 6 Spanish classes at Kickapoo high school so I am fairly comfortable with speaking Spanish. I became interested in the language at a young age because I wanted to learn more about my family’s history. I do not believe that simply speaking English is good enough because people who think it is good enough will never be able to find the appreciation for other cultures like I have. 11. I agree that the older you get, the harder it is for you to learn. Although it can be true that you are more focused when you grow older it is still easier to learn new things at a young age. For example, when we were young we learned how to speak English. For the most part this was not difficult to learn. However, when we try to learn other languages it can be very difficult even though it was so easy for us at a young age.