4/21/14
FIRST DAY OF BREAK!!!! Today I went to the airport to pick up my grandparents who were flying in from India. It was really nice seeing them again. My aunt sent dresses for my sister and I, so I had a fun time trying all of them on. I was supposed to start on homework, but I was just...eh. I watched a movie with my sister (Turbo, I think) but I'm not even sure what happened because I feel asleep during the movie.

4/22/14
So today my parents went to work early in the morning. My sister got up an an ungodly hour and started to play with our dog, so I had to wake up after a certain point. Seriously though, why can't she wake up early when we have school and late during break? I had swim practice today, though, so that was fun. We played ultimate Frisbee and then got into the pool. Playing Frisbee is always fun with the swim team and I hope we play again tomorrow!

4/23/14
So today I did more homework (I started yesterday)and I feel accomplished. ONLY 4 WHAP ESSAYS TO GO!!!! YAYAYAYAYNO. I also have to do math and study for the AP test, so...yeah. At swim, we played ultimate Frisbee again and it was pretty fun. We swam more than yesterday, and I guess that was okay. I came home, showered, ate dinner, then ice cream, and I'm going to go to sleep now, so....good night, I guess.

4/24/14
So today I did nothing besides homework and go to swim. Break is okay, but it's halfway over. Most of my time has been taken up by studying and homework. That really really sucks, but as long as I do well on all my tests, I guess it's worth it. Honestly though, I was thinking today. In all the movies, spring break is about going to the beach, spending time with friends, Starbucks, ice cream, road trips, and all that good stuff. I'm studying. Like, what the heck. AND ITS FREAKING COLD LIKE WHAT DON'T RAIN IT'S SPRING BREAK.

4/25/14
So, today was probably the most eventful day of spring break. I went out with my friend and little sister to a restaurant. Then, my friend and I went shopping for a while. I don't know why we got Starbucks, because we ended up getting brain freezes because OH LOOK IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE AGAIN. I did end up getting a really nice TFIOS shirt from Hot Topic though, so that was worth it. After I came home, I was tired but I wrote another essay for WHAP and did some English homework. And then, I sat down to write this except I just realized that it was  really bad idea to put all the days into one post because then it looks like I didn't do my homework any of the other days...but I did it! And basically, that's all that I've done over spring break. I really, really don't want school to start again. 

Legend

Today in class, I read a book called Legend by Marie Lu. Although I had read the book over summer vacation, I couldn't remember many of the details, so re-reading most of it reminded me of the characterization and intense plot that was displayed. Legend is a book one of a trilogy that is set in a dystopia. In this dystopia, society is split into two sections: the rich and the poor, and the difference between both is drastic. Fifteen-year old Day lives on the poor side with his family, and has become known as the most wanted criminal. On the other side, fifteen-year-old June Iparis lives in the poor section with her brother, Metias, and dog, Ollie. June, who is a prodigy, goes to Drake University. In the chapters that I read, Day breaks into a rich hospital to steal medicine for his brother, ten-year-old Eden, who has been infected with a strain of the plague. Day finds out that the hospital is out of the cure, so he has to settle for some other medications. Earlier that same day, June had been suspended for climbing a skyscraper well outside the school's campus, so Metias had brought her home from school early. Metias is a young captain in the military who has been sent to the hospital to oversee an important shipment. As Day breaks his way out of the hospital, he shoots Metias' shoulder, then proceeds to run away. Later that night, June is notified by her brother's friend, Thomas, that Metias has died. I can't wait to see what happens to June now, and if she will get back at Day for hurting and even potentially killing her brother. Hopefully, we have SSR again soon!

Reflection on Poetry

All in all, I thought that our poetry unit was very exciting. ALthough I may, have written some poems before(such as haikus and limericks), learning new ones was really fun. I really enjoyed listening to others' poetry during the poetry slam, and hearing the poems helped me realize that every single person has a different voice in their writing. Even if the topic or mood might be similar, the voice of the writer is what really makes each poem unique, especially when performed out loud. Some poems were hilarious, others emotional and heartwarming, and a few thought-provoking. I was pleased with my performance and all the poetry I have written. I received feedback such as "nice imagery, "emotional", and "good flow." These comments really encouraged me, and I hope that through more comments and experience I can become a better writer as I explore more poems. Hopefully, I can even find my own style of writing that really expresses my "voice." Overall, I really loved writing poetry, and while I wish we could write more, I can't wait to move onto Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"!

Mes poèmes

Free Verse
Undiscovered worlds,

Waiting to be found;

Slowly flipping pages,

Fwish, fwish;

Old, new, fact, fiction,

And more,

Hidden in the vast expanse of books

Limerick

There once was a flower named Rosie

Who happened to be very nosy

She would stick her nose

In others woes

Then to tell others she would mosey

Haiku

Flowers Blossoming

Permeating my senses

Calm in the spring breeze

Ballad

When it's dark and you're alone,

And the world is a sea of darkness; 

Hold on tight

To the waning light.

When reality is your enemy, 

And hope vanishes from sight; 

Listen for the sound

Of angels.

When numbness is all you feel,

And fear is a beast that preys on your thoughts;

Look for the end of

The tunnel

When happiness escapes you,

And all you taste is anger;

Hold on tight

To the waning light.

When you're drowning under the weight

And all you smell is decay;

Keep close

Your thoughts of love.

And when all you feel is gone,

Stay strong, stand tall; And hold on tight

To the waning light.

Ode (To the Sky)

The sky,

With many faces,

Showing us,

Night, day, dusk dawn.

Always there, 

comforting, soothing,

Like a trustworthy friend.

Day,

Light blue

Or gloomy,

Depending on how it feels.

Light, fluffy clouds

Fill the sky,

Forming shapes, Firm, yet weak.

Dusk, 

A blending of pastel, 

Pink, orange, blue, purple,

Like colors

Splattered across a painter's canvas.

Signaling the end of another day

As the sun disappears,

Winking as it fades away.

Night, 

Darker than the bottom

Of the sea,

Filled with stars,

Twinkling like Christmas lights

Against a dark curtain.

Dawn,

A new beginning,

As the sun appears,

Lighting up the sky

With its bright rays, 

Turning dull grey

To blistering orange.

The sky, 

Always there, 

Changing

With the ways of the world.

Elegy

You never told us,

We never knew,

The anger, sadness, and hate,

Never coming through.

What we didn't know,

Was you were already gone.

You had left long ago,

Your feelings hidden deep.

You never told us,

We never knew,

Everything bottled up,

Inside of you.

I found you already gone,

Draped in crimson red.

You lay there ashen white,

Already cold and dead.

You never told us,

We never knew,

How you really felt

As the sadness in you grew.

All of us cared,

Though it never showed.

Everyone mourned,

And the tears flowed.

You never told us,

We never knew,

The anchor nestled inside you,

Going down, down, below.

And so I sit here

Writing to you,

A symbol of my dying love,

To the woman I once knew.

You never told us,

We never knew.

Stream of Consciousness (Dreams)

They appear randomly

Feeling as if they last for hours.

Sometimes good,

Sometimes bad.

They intrigue me,

Showing me a complex world,

A figment of my thoughts,

My own Inception.

Weaving stories

That I may or may not remember

The next morning,

But perplexing me to no end.

Books- My Free Verse Poem

Undiscovered worlds,

Waiting to be found;

Slowly flipping pages,

Fwish, fwish;

Old, new, fact, fiction,

An more,

Hidden in the vast expanse of books

Bullying

Rebecca Ann Sedwick was a 12 year old girl who was bullied by two other girls, ages 12 and 14. Her story is only 1 example of many that we hear about. Bullying can bring down a student's sense of self-esteem, confidence, and cause them to do horrible things. Nobody should feel put down or less that anyone around them. Rebecca Ann Sedwick was a wonderful girl and I am sure that many will miss her. We should all try to help victims of bullying to give them the comfort and solace they need. Check out the video and article I have have posted below to learn more about Rebecca Ann Sedwick.

Bullying Story- Rebecca Ann Sedwick

Happy New Year!!!

It's a new year! YAY! I hope this new year brings positive outcomes and changes to my life! As for school, I hope to keep proficient grades in all my classes and maintain a good GPA. For English, I really want to improve my essay writing skills and, hopefully, read more books that my class can analyze together. I would like to practice better time management skills because currently, some classes take up so much time that I don't have time for other classes. Learning how to manage my time more efficiently will allow me to study for all my classes and get the rest that I need. Overall, these are my goals for 2014 and this new semester!

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST THIS SEMESTER!