12/2

12 Historical Events of 1998
- Bill Clinton impeached
- Capital punishment abolished in the UK
- Chris Farley died
- David Beckham and Victoria Adams engaged
- Earthquake in northeastern Afghanistan that killed 5000
- Elton john knighted
- Google was founded
-The Euro is introduced
-President Clinton outlines first balanceed budget in 30 years
-Unabomber sentenced to 4 life terms
-Matthew Shepard fatally beaten in hate crime
-Line-item veto unconstitutional



12 Best Gifts I've Ever Gotten
-Piano- My parents
-Justin Bieber Concert Tickets- My parents
-A Car- My Parents
-Phone- My parents
-American Girl doll- My parents
-All Saints Shirts- My Parents
-Doc Martens- My Parents
-ipod- My Parents
-Beats by Dre- My Parents
-Laptop- My Parents
-Xbox- My Parents
-Ring- My Parents

Food Memory

                    

A few years ago, after the movie about Julia Child came out, my mom and I decided to cook our way through the Julia Child’s cookbook and blog about our experience much like the main character of the movie did. It started off great, every night we had a new dinner. It was fun, great bonding time, and really freaking delicious. My mom did most of the cooking and I was responsible for the blog posts, but as Mrs. Frazer probably knows, keeping my blog updated is a real struggle for me. Both my mom and I have very short attention spans when it comes to long term projects like this, our mission to cook our way through the cookbook slowly began to fade away.  We never got anywhere close to the end, and honestly, I am kind of glad; I recall seeing a recipe that called for cow brains, and I am very happy that I won’t have to eat that. I will say that everything my mom did make from that cookbook has been delightful. She still cooks our favorites, and every time she does I think of what a crazy idea it was to try and cook through that huge cookbook, especially with the two of us, we can’t seem to commit to anything.

Children's story

Summer Garden

 

My name is Lily. My mom named me after her favorite flower, and boy does she love flowers! She has a garden in our backyard full of fruits, vegetables, and the most beautiful flowers you could imagine. But Momma tells me that I’m her most precious lily and she loves me with all her heart.

 

In the summertime, when the sun is hot and the days are long, I help Momma water the plants. One day when I was watering I saw a small green caterpillar eating a leaf. He was a cute little bug so I named him Henry. I watched him for hours just imagining what he would tell me if he could talk. Maybe he’d tell me about all his ladybug friends or about how terrible it is to eat leaves all day.

I watched Henry for days until one day I couldn’t find him. I was so upset I went to cry to Momma. She came outside with me and pointed at a little green bundle hanging from a stem. She told me that Henry was in there and he’d come out when he was ready, and he’d be more beautiful than he’d ever been. So I sat there and waited, and waited, and waited.

I eventually gave up on that idea and almost completely forgot about Henry. Then a couple weeks later when I was watering my momma’s plant I saw that the green bundle was all torn up. Poor Henry, Something must have eaten him. But before I knew it I saw a butterfly fluttering it’s breathtaking wings of bright pink, orange and yellow. It swiftly landed on my shoulder and I knew right away that it was Henry. Henry was a butterfly! Momma was right, he sure was pretty too.



Books For Kids!

Title: Smartypants (Pete in School)
Author: Maira KAlman
The bio in the back of the book says:
     Maira Kalman is an author of 12 childrens books, she lives in New York City, and it goes on to list the awards she has recieved.

The cover of the book is a picture of a dog sitting at a school desk; the colors are all very bright and vibrant.

38 pages.
Characters:
Poppy Wise
Mookie
Pete
Uncle Rocky
Doreen Parsley
Butch BArker
Judy
Miss HoneyBee
Milton
Mr. Grompi Spitzer
Miss Magma
Miss Lulu Crumple
Mr. Moosebrugger
Mr. Dividar Divecky

The setting is what seems to be an elementary school.
Summary:
      Poppy Wise is the main character. She doesnt like school very much, but when her trouble maker of a dog comes to school, it becomes the best day ever.

Have animals as characters? yes
Use rhyme? no
teach a lesson? yes
have monsters or creatures? No
have kids as characters? yes
adults as charcters? yes
humor? yes
illustrations? yes
color? yes
actual photos? no
sentimental/lovey tone? yes
lots of words per page? yes
one word or phrase repeated? no
Favorite Sentence:
     "Obviously you do not expect me to be a sentient being, biut emerically speaking, you cannot deny that I am speaking."

I think this book would best suit ages 7-10 because there are challenging parts, but the storyline still seems geared towards young children.

  I probably would have liked this book as a kid because it is funny and interesting.

Halloween Questions

                The best Halloween costume I ever wore was a Jacob Marley costume from Scrooge It was my favorite by far, even though I had to tell most people who I was. A couple people guessed it right away though. I made it with my mom and grandma, so that’s probably why I’m still so fond of it. I went all out with chains and everything. I definitely got a workout that night walking around with ten pounds of chain wrapped around me.

                My favorite Halloween was the time I went to a haunted corn maze with my gymnastics team, and my brother. It was a blast! I was absolutely terrified, but I’ll admit, I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie and it definitely got my heart pumping.  I also went trick or treating that year with my best friend at the time. We had a ton of fun, and I will always remember that Halloween.

                My favorite Halloween treat is chocolate, and lots of it! Who doesn’t love candy? It’s the one time a year you can eat as much candy as you want and not feel bad about it. Although, the best treat I ever received was from a dentist who lived in my neighborhood. I got a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a pack of gum. At the time, I was thoroughly disappointed that it wasn’t candy, but now looking back on it, it probably saved me from a cavity or two, and a frightening time in the dentist’s chair.

                I have had a lot of Halloween costumes throughout the years, and here is a list of the ones I can remember:

                -Teddy bear

                -Princess

                -Angel

                -unicorn

                -50s girl

                -Olympic Gymnast

                -Jacob Marley

                -Kate plus 8 (from reality show Jon & Kate plus 8)

                -Samurai

As I looked at the Jack-o-Lantern, It seemed to be looking back at me, and then the front door opened. A scary, bloody face stared back at me. I was frozen with fear, and I could hear my dad at the end of the driveway laughing as I stood completely still. Why was he laughing? I was standing on a stranger’s porch obviously fearing for my laugh and he was cracking up. The red and cut up face reached out log arm with a piece of candy. I stared at it for a while contemplating whether I should take candy from this creepy creature. I decided it wasn’t worth it. I didn’t want to touch those atrocious pruned fingers.  I turned quickly and ran straight into my dad’s arms. Although, he seemed more concerned with catching his breath from laughing too hard than he was with comforting me.

Rearranged Lyric Poem

We don't care-- we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
Grey Goose
Trashing the hotel room
Well that's by me
Even if we're six feet underground
I can't live a lie, running for my life
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
I can't tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start
All this time I was finding myself
And I know that we'll be safe and sound.

Ask a Teacher About Music

What music or songs remind you of your childhood?
   "80s pop and New Wave" - Ms. Hoover

Who is your favorite singer or group or song and why?
      "Tom Petty is my favorite singer and Learning to Fly is my favorite song just because." - Coach Griffin

What music remind you of someone you love? Your child? Spouse? Parents?
      "Lennard Cohen, Jaxx, Miles Davis"- Mrs. Orman

Do you go to concerts? Which concerts are memorable to you? Why?
     "Yes, the most memorable are the ones that were outside."-Ms. Hoover

What radio stations do you normally listen to in your car? Do you sing along?
    "I listen to music on my phone, and yes"-Ms. Hoover

Which music or artist was controversial or offensive to some when you were growing up? Is any music offensive to you now?
     "Growing up- Eminem. None now"- Coach Griffin

Which music or artist do you really dislike or refuse to listen to?
      "Justin Bieber, It's just not for me."- Coach Griffin

Music

1. Depending on what kind of music I'm listening to, music can make me feel many different ways. A pop, R&B, or rap song usually makes me happy and excited. A slow song could make me tired or sad, depending on what it's about. All in all, different music evokes different emotions.

5. My friends and I do listen to the same kind of music. I think this means we have the same interests.

7. Without music, my life would be dull and boring. I listen to it all the time. There would be no more singing and dancing in the car, and what's the fun in that?

9. One event I connect to music is when my dad came home from Louisiana after 8 months. He was working down there right after hurricane Katrina, and when he came back he brought a lot of music he had heard down there with him.

10. Every style of music should be tolerated, it is art. It's a form of expression, and according to the constitution, we have the freedom of expression.

6 word memoir

Always looking for a new adventure.

Through the Window

A simple white house on a small green hill,
A bright red stop sign on two intersecting streets,
Today, there are freshly fallen leaves on the ground,
Many cars always parked along the long and narrow street ahead,
Part of my view is blocked from the large tree with golden orange leaves,
In the distance, there are small kids running, playing in the street,
A far away field with grazing cows.

Memorable Passage

        A passage that I find to be memorable is from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen..

"So many versions of just one memory, and yet none of them were right or wrong. Instead, they were all pieces. Only when fitted together, edge to edge, could they even begin to tell the whole story."

 This is so true. When I recall memories and tell them to other people who were also there, they always seem to tell it a little bit differently.

Pillow

Foggy mornings,
groggy feeling, fuzzy thoughts
go to bed, clear head.


           I  have many restless nights nowadays. I just can't seem to turn off my thoughts. I have so much going on that you'd think I'd fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but unfortunately that's not the case. My thoughts run from school and homework to work, and then of course what's for dinner tomorrow. Anything and everything that I could possibly think of, I usually think of before I can get any sleep.

Edward Hopper

Dine and Dash

     My Husband and I are sitting at the table starting at each other intently, as if to say "are you sure about this?" He gave a small nod, and I took in a big breath. The restaurant is busy, and filled with the sound of chatter from happy customers, so it shouldn't be too hard to leave unnoticed. My face tightens as I think of what I'm about to do, It's so wrong, yet so thrilling and exciting. I feel the heat of my coffee mug against my palms as I finish it off. I take in a quick and anxious breath, and in with it comes the sweet aroma of fresh fruits and pastries. I stand and my husband quickly joins me, and off we walk right out to the car. Not a single person paid a lick of attention. That was easier than I thought.

Artist Profile-- Caravaggio

 Full Name: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
 1571- 1610
 Hometown: Caravaggio in northern Italy

    His father, Fermo Merisi, was a household administrator and architect decorator to the marchese of Caravaggio. His Mother's name was Lucia Aratori.
    Michelangelo Studied in Milan with a 4 year apprenticeship under painter Sime Peterzano. In his twenties, he went to Rome. There he made lasting friendships with Prospero Orsi, Onorio Longhi, and Mario Minniti. Michelangelo had a temper, and often found himself getting into trouble. He was arrested many times for getting into brawls and various other things. In 1606, he got into an argument and let his temper get out of control. He stabbed the man with his sword and killed him. He fled Rome to avoid justice. He became a knight in Malta, but that came to end when he got into a fight with another knight and went to prison. He escaped and continued onto Naples, where a brawl left him very disfigured.
     Caravaggio worked mainly with oil paints on canvas. He painted using realism and theatrical styles of lighting. He was a painter during the Baroque Era.

5 World Events During Lifetime:
First Theatre in England was built
William of orange was assassinated
English Attempted to establish a colony on Roanoke Island, but the colonists disappeared
Henry IV converted to Catholicism to secure the throne

3 Most Famous Works:
The Cardsharps
The Calling of St. Matthew
The Supper at Emmaus

The Cardsharps
  In this painting, a young boy is playing cards with two cardsharps. While the boy is studying his cards, the other two are looking over his shoulder and signaling to each other. The young boy is being duped.

The Calling of St. Matthew
   In this painting, a group of men are sitting around a table. Christ has entered the room along with a bright light. Christ is pointing at one of the men as is to say "follow me" and the man is pointing at himself as if to clarify if Christ means him.

Art{walk}

                  This print brought back some memories of me as a young child. I lived in Columbia, Missouri at the time. There were many really pretty trails and parks around the area. Beautiful flowers filled the gardens. That is what this print reminded me of.

                  At the time, my parents were training for another marathon. They were avid runners and had run a couple other marathons before. A few times a week they would go out to one of the many trails and train. My brother and I went too, although we didnt run, we rode our bikes instead. We spent countless hours out on that trail, peddling away for miles and miles. I didn't mind though it had beautiful scenery, and I always found it relaxing, even at such a young age.

Newspaper inspired Writing

                                                                        Just Look

             Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves and our own lives that we forget to open our eyes and just look. It's so easy to forget to pay attention to the smallest changes in people around us, and one day the realization that something is up with them will smack us in the face...hard.
            This is what happened with my mom. I don't know how or why she started going down the dark and  lonely path she did. She used to be so bubbly and charming- always the center of attention. She could light up a room. She was a nurse and my dad is a cop, so she knew first hand what the consequences of her actions would be, yet she still continued down that dark road.
           At first, I never noticed a difference. I mean, she was gone more often, but she had said that her hours had picked up at work. It was flu season after all. Looking back on it, she was more irritable and there was just something off about her most of the time. There were a hundred signs that something was wrong, but I had overlooked every one. But, I was a little girl at the time, it was my first year of middle school and everyone knows how rough that is.
            It wasn't until we went on a family vacation that I noticed any changes, and they were major. I dismissed my thoughts though because it was a vacation, and you re supposed to relax. Maybe drinking was her way of letting loose.
            After that vacation, My dad knew something was wrong too. He told my little sister and I that mom had some problems that she needed to take care of, and she couldn't do that with him or us. They were getting divorced. Whatever this issue was, it was serious. My dad loved her with all of his heart, it didn't make sense that he'd give up so easy.
             I didn't see much of my mom after the divorce. She only got supervised visits once a week. She was getting skinnier every time I saw her. She had always been thin, but now it was a scary kind of skinny. Her hygiene was poor too. It upset me to see her like this. But, as the weeks went by, she stopped visiting.
           A couple years have passed since the divorce when my dad calls my sister and I over to talk to him. His expression was emotionless, but his eyes were puffy and red like he had been crying. He used a soft tone when he told us that our mother was dead. It was a drug overdose.
            The saddest part was that she was so unhealthy and unclean that she wasn't recognizable. She was cremated. I didn't even get to see my mother one last time before she was buried. I try and remember her for who she was before the drugs took her from us, but most times I can't. The memories of us as a family before all of this happened are blurry. I can only imagine how my little sister feels, for she has even fewer memories of our mom. The part that hurts the most is the fact that all of this could have been prevented if someone had just taken a second and looked at the smallest changes in my mom at the beginning. Maybe this wouldn't have turned out this way.

Newspaper Blackout

Favorite Quotes

"Imagination, of course, can open any door- turn the key and let terror walk right in." --Truman Capote

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." --Helen Keller

"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." --Isaac Asimov

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." --Socrates

"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser." --John W. Gardner

"Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen." --Michael Jordan

Dreams

                  I have a recurring dream. I dream this same dream probably twice a year, every year now for a few years. In this dream, I'm in a very tall building, almost at the top. And i can look out of the window and see my family. My mom, dad, and brother all just standing there looking up at me. A look of worry or concern is on their faces. I don't understand why they look so concerned at first, but then I realize the building is about to collapse. The elevators aren't working, and I can't find the stairs. I run about frantically searching for the stairs, but the building is so huge and the hallways turn into a maze. The floor begins crumbling underneath me and I eventually fall with it. This dream never fails to make me nervous. I wonder what it would be interpreted as.

Color

Tea Stained
Beautiful smile
Red lips and tea stained teeth
Bright eyes, little laughs


The Purple Door
                 I limped up the hard concrete steps towards the bright purple front door that I had painted with my best friend James. I fumbled with my keys- even the smallest of reminders makes me freak- they dropped onto the porch. I carefully bent down to grab them while tears welled up in my eyes. I was still in pain, but the physical pain I could bear. It was the rollercaoster of emotion and the constant feeling of my heart and lungs being squeezed, a tightness in my chest that I had been facing non stop for two weeks now that really had me shaken up. I couldnt shake the thought that it was my fault James had died, I was the one driving afterall. And why in the world would I, out of the two of us, be the one to survive. James deserved this way more than I did. He had a family, a small daughter and beautiful wife he needed to be there for. Without him, I have no one. I was clearly the better option. It just sucks.
                 I finally open the door after fiddling with the keys in my shaky hands for a couple of minutes. I headed straight towards the end table where the bottle of pain medication sat. I doubled up on the dosage that was prescribed becuase I was feeling extra crappy today. The only thing keeping me going at this point is the knowledge that James would want me to be there for his family- help them through this-but right know I think I'm in need of my own savior. I let the medication take me and my saddening thoughts into a deep sleep.

Writers as Readers

1. When you read, what do you need to be comfortable?
    If I'm reading a really good book, I don't need much to be comfortable. I'll always find a way to keep reading the book, even in the most inconvenient of places. When I was reading The Hunger Games, I was reading during my biology class and missed a few entire lectures, but i didn't mind having to catch up with the rest of the class later. But, if were talking about ideal conditions for reading, I like to read on my bed with tons of pillows around me.

4. What is one of your favorite memories connected with reading?
     My favorite memory would be of my mom reading the Junie B. Jones books to my brother and me when we were younger. We thought those books were hilarious. She would read them to us every night before bed. We must have read all of those books one hundred times over.

6. Who was your first reading teacher?
     My mom was the first one to try and teach me to read. I was four years old. I was so jealous because my brother was in kindergarten and learning to read, but i still couldn't. So, my mom tried to teach me, but I don't think I learned very much from her.

8. What is your favorite book or series?
     Right now, my favorite book series is The Hunger Games. I didn't want to read them at first, but my friend kept persisting that I must, and I'm so glad she made me. I really enjoyed these books. Even though i read them a couple years ago, I still have yet to find a book that i like better.

12. Do you think that someone reads a lot might become a stronger writer?
      Yes, I do believe that reading a lot can make you become a stronger writer. When you read you pick up new vocabulary. Reading a lot of different books can also influence your writing style and you will learn what style fits you.

Famous Lines from Famous Books

First Line: It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
This line is from the novel 1984, which was published in 1949 by the author George Orwell who lived from 1903 to 1950. This Author is also known for other works including Animal Farm and Burmese Days.
Summary:
1984 is possibly the definitive dystopian novel, set in a world beyond our imagining. A world where totalitarianism really is total, all power split into three roughly equal groups - Eastasia, Eurasia and Oceania. 1984 is set in Oceania, which includes the United Kingdon, where the story is set, known as Airstrip One in 1984.

Last Line: After a while, I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.
This line is from the novel A Farewell to Arms, which was published in the year 1929 by the author Ernest Hemingway who lived from 1899 to 1961. This author is also known for other works, including The Sun also Rises and The Old Man and the Sea.
Summary:
The novel opens with World War I raging all over Europe. A young American student, offers his services to the Italian army. In Gorizia, he is wounded in the knee and is sent to recuperate in a hospital in Milan. He falls in love with an English nurse, Catherine Barkley, lives with her, and she becomes pregnant. He returns to the front and is caught in the Italian retreat. In order to save his life, he deserts his post and goes away to a hospital in Milan to take Catherine and go some place where they can start life anew. They go to Switzerland but cannot live happily, for a fresh tragedy awaits them. Their eagerly awaited son is stillborn and Catherine who can never have a normal delivery, dies after a Caesarian operation.

Maya Angelou

1. In Maya Angelou's first autobiography she said that the caged bird sings for freedom. He doesn't sing because he's happy or pleased; he yearns to be free. I agree with this, because no one wants to be held back or restricted in any way.

3. Angelou has said that she doesn't like talking about her bad dreams because it "gives them too much power." I think that this statement can be true. When you talk about the negative and are giving it all of your attention, that’s all you begin to think about.

4. Like Angelou, I too believe that dreams "tell the truth" about us. Our dreams are formed using our subconscious thoughts, right? So, it only makes sense that it would represent who we are. It may also show parts of who we are that we didn’t even realize we were. I have had a dram before that took me by surprise, but I came to find out that it was true to me.

5. After going through tragedy as a child, Angelou didn’t talk for almost five years. I couldn’t imagine living like that, although I can understand why she did. It would be very hard to deal with what she went through at such a young age. I would probably cope with it differently though.  I talk a lot around those I’m comfortable with, and I think that if I was a little quieter and paid more attention to those around me, I would learn a lot from other people. I’m sure Maya learned many things during the time of her silence just from listening and observing.

6. I find speaking more than one language very impressive. I wish I had put more time and effort into trying to learn one. I would like to be fluent in Spanish eventually. My mom spent a few years of her life as a child living in Mexico, so she is fluent in Spanish. It’s amazing to see just how often that skill comes in handy.

10. I agree with Angelou when Angelou quote Nathaniel West saying, “Easy reading is damned hard writing” and writing is “just hard work, you know?” For me, writing is very difficult. I struggle with putting my thoughts in writing that others can read and easily understand.

11. I disagree with the statement that “One can’t really learn after one is twenty-five.” Yes, it may be more difficult to retain new information at that age, but it certainly isn’t impossible. I have known many people well beyond the age of twenty-five to pick up new skills and learn new things.

My Grandmother's Ring

It was my 14^th birthday, and I was ecstatic. My grandmother usually gives me a little bit of money for my birthday, so I was surprised to see a small silver gift bag gently placed on the table with a beautiful blue ribbon. I had no idea what it could possibly be. As soon as my mom told me it was time to open presents, I went straight for the dainty little bag, because the curiosity was killing me.

As I carefully untied the perfect bow that had been tied with the shiny royal blue ribbon, my grandmother said, “You don’t have to like this, but I just wanted you to have it.”

Okay, now I couldn’t wait any longer, what could possibly be in this bag? I managed to slip the ribbon off and I peered into the small bag. At the bottom, there was a small ring. It was a beautiful ring made from gold, with a huge amethyst stone in the center. My grandmother told me that this ring had been passed down in her family for over one hundred years. She got it from her mother on her 14^th birthday as well. I looked closely at the ring and noticed that the gold band had thinned from years upon years of wear.  I was honored that she chose to give me this ring. She could have chosen her daughter or another granddaughter, but for some reason that I do not know, she decided to give me this old ring that she holds close to her heart. And, because she loves this ring so much, so do I. I don’t have very many possessions that I have a sentimental attachment to, but this ring I really cherish.

I am..Allison

I am...
A tall girl with dark blonde hair and blue eyes
A complex person
A dreamer,who refuses to take no for an answer
A unique individual, always true to myself
A daughter to parents who are,at times, even more immature than me
A sister to an unpredictable 18 year old boy
Always thinking positively, even when its the most difficult thing to do
Always trying to lighten the mood
Someone who looks for the good in all people
Always there for those that I care for
Someone who loves to try new things
Always up for an adventure
Shy, until I get to know you
Spontaneous, and leading a crazy life that I can't imagine any other way.