MY NAME IS BRIE

i forgot to log out of blogger today and so i have this new post. my friends are soooo great. i love them sooooo much. mwah mwah mwah mwah! kisses!

Chiropractor

So I went to my mother’s chiropractor the other day because my lower back has been hurting. I know, I sound like an old person! What would happen is after soccer, or working out of any sort, I would start to get a sharp pain on the left lower side of my back. It was so bad that I could not walk or do anything. Anyway, I went to the chiropractor and they took some x-rays and everything. At the end of the appointment, I figure out that I have severe neck problems and minor lower back problems. Who would have known? The x-rays showed that my neck is strait (it is supposed to be curved a little) and my vertebra curves to the left towards my buttocks (which it is supposed to be strait). When running, the pressure from your upper body weight travels downward through your spine. Well since my spine is curved the pressure exerting on my back was not equal on both sides; therefore, putting more pressure on my left side than my right causing it to hurt. Needless to say, I am messed up. Oh! And my left shoulder is higher then my right so I am lop-sided. Even though it may all sound terrible, it is not. I am only classified as a level 2 (level 1 is normal). So it is a good thing they caught all of my messed up back problems before they got worse. Only three days a week for a whole year till my back is hopefully healed!

Poems for Poetry Anthology

Theme: Death

Poems:
1. My Grave by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
2. Holy Sonnets: Death, Be Not Proud by John Donne
3. And Death Shall Have No Dominion by Dylan Thomas
4. Little Father by Li-Young Lee
5. O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman
6. Remember by Christina Rossetti
7. When I am Dead My Dearest by Christina Rossetti
8. Prisoners by Denise Levertov
9. Dreamers by Siegfried Sassoon
10. Their Bodies by David Wagoner

A Walk to Remember: pages 109-146

The school Christmas play was about to begin. Everyone was gathering in their seats waiting for the curtains to part. Landon did not get to see Jamie before the play begun. She was already in her dressing room before he even got there. When the play started and Landon got to see Jamie, his jaw dropped because of how stunning she looked. Normally she would just wear an old fashioned dress with a button up sweater over it. However, tonight, her hair was down and curled and her dress as magnificent and hugged her body. The play was a success.

The next day after school, Landon walked Jamie home. They agreed to go to the orphanage together. Jamie always volunteered there. A while ago she put jars around the city hoping that people would drop spare change into it. With this money, she would by all of the children something wonderful. Jamie wanted to do something extra special for the children this year. She asked Landon if he would go pick up the money all around town and count the change for her since she does not have a car. He agreed to do so.

They arrived at the orphanage with all of the toys bought with the money they had collected. Everyone at the orphanage received a toy that Christmas. Jamie even got Landon a present. He was so surprised that she would waste her time on him. Later that night though Landon realized he was in love with Jamie.

After Landon drove her home for the orphanage, he asked her if she would enjoy Christmas dinner over at his house. Like always, she was polite in accepting his invitation. The next day, Jamie went over to Landon's house and they talked for a while about everything on mind like they always did. They mention Jamie's father again and about how he worries about her too much, but also about how he worries about Landon. Hegbert does not want them too be together for some reason. And the secret is unknown to why.

Reflection
I have always wanted to go to an orphanage and help out. I do not like seeing little children neglected and abandoned by their own flesh and blood. I believe that you should never do that to anybody. Anyway, this part of the book is similar to the movie because they do have dinner together. However, there is nothing at all in the movie about an orphanage when in the book, it is mentioned many times.

Osama Bin Laden

So everyone know that Osama Bin Laden is dead. How the Navy did it is a mystery to some people though. The Pakistani working for the C.I.A wrote down the license plate of a vehicle that they were traveling behind. The reason why they randomly wrote down this cars license plate is unknown to me. However, they did and it turned out to be one of Osama Bin Laden's most trusted courier. The C.I.A tracked this person down for months. They were on him like white on rice. Every where he went, the C.I.A would be tracking him. After a while, the U.S government believed to have found out where Bin Laden was hiding. They ordered an air lift to take Navy Seals to the sit. There were many people that opposed this idea. They believed that it would back fire against the American's and cause more violence across the nation. However, that was not the case. This mission was so secretive that the Navy did not even know what they were looking for. All they knew was that they had to go in and kill the people living there. The Navy's entering that house did not know who they were about to face.

Once they got to the sit, one of the helicopters was badly damaged, so it had to make a quick landing. The Navy jumped out of the helicopters and an out roar of gun fires started to occur. After the gun shots silenced, the Navy proceeded on into the house. There they found a tall man who was shot in the head. They took his picture and sent it in for analysis. This confirmed that the John Doe was in fact, Osama Bin Laden. Just to make sure, before everyone celebrated and the U.S government announced his death, they did a blood sample test. It was a match. Osama Bin Laden is officially dead.

I was talking in class with my government teacher about this subject. We got on the subject of Obama as well. It was basically about how people will never believe things that are obviously true. For example, some people still believe that Obama was born in Kenya. People!!! Lets learn the facts here. There are birth certificates of Obama being born in Hawaii. There is a news paper in Hawaii that announced his birth the day he was born. The government has proven to America that Obama was born in Hawaii not Kenya. Yet some people still believe, after all that proof, that is not a natural born citizen. Relating to Osama Bin Laden, there will be people who believe that he is not dead, even though there has been many test to say it is him and to prove it. Some people just don't know when to quite.

A Walk to Remember: pages 54-108

Jamie Sullivan picked up the phone a few weeks after the dance and asked Landon if he would stop by for a visit since they had a wonderful time at the Homecoming dance. She has to ask him in person if it would be alright if he played the main male role in the Christmas play coming up. There was no one else to play and Landon was their last option in theater class. He got tricked into it by guilt and said yes. After a long period of time, Jamie and Landon practiced lines in theater class and out of class. They would normally rehearse lines at Jamie's house because she was not allowed anywhere else. Her father forbids it. Landon would walk Jamie home and end up staying with her. On these long walks to Jamie's house they would talk about many things; graveyards, their fathers and mothers, colleges, and anything that popped into their minds. When walking Jamie home one night, Landon got frustrated after having his friends make fun of him. He ended up yelling at Jamie because he has to walk a mile out of his way just to make sure she got home safely even though her father does not even like him.

Reflection
I think that there is something going on here! The book is yet again, nothing like the movie. Most of the time, Landon would need a ride home or something along those lines. Not Jamie. However, her father did dislike Landon in both stories. I believe that this book has a very different story from the movie and I am excited to see how Landon finds out about everything that is really going on.

Art Month

So I know that is Art month and all so I decided to share something with everyone that I thought was amazing. I do not know if everyone went to the Art show we had in the community room but Jamie Law created a few spray paint art and I thought it was awesome. I had know idea how he could create something so wonderful out of spray paint. While I was stumbling though, I found this guy who does spray paint art in minutes and it turns out awesome!
(Sorry if your at school... It's youtube)

A Walk to Remember: pages 1-53

Looking back at his life in Beaufort, North Carolina, Landon Carter remembers every detail. When he was seventeen, he got into lots of trouble. He would vandalize property, cause harm to others, and oddly, eat boiled peanuts in the graveyard near their house. He did not have a great father figure as a child because he was a congressmen and gone away on business all the time. Landon's grandfather owned a company that was not doing the best. His grandfather started a loan banking business but when people would pay him, he would never give them loans back. So, mostly everyone in the town hated his grandfather, including Hegbert. Hegbert is a pastor who preaches every Sunday to the local church. His wife ended up passing away during child birth. He was blessed with a little baby girl that he name Jamie.

Jaime is a star. She is a beautiful singer and an outstanding actress. She is involved in so many after school activities and does not care what other people think about her. Also, she read the bible constantly. Where ever she would go, there would be a bible in her hands. The seniors from the local high school put on a Christmas play every year. However, this Christmas play revolved around Hegbert's and Jamie's life.

School started up and it is their senior year. Landon Carter was not planning on taking drama, but because it was either that chemistry he went with the easier class. Jamie Sullivan is going to play the lead role, since it is about her life situation. But no one knew who the lead male role would be played by. Landon, because his father is a congressman, was also pushed into doing student government by his parents. So, when elected president of his class, they are required to go to the school dances. Since Landon asked late, all of the girls were taken, except for Jamie. Landon used last resort and asked her. She agreed to go with him but he had to promise that he would not fall in love with her.

At the dance, Landon got into a brawl with his ex-girlfriends date. Jamie, however, stepped in and avoided a confrontation. When Jamie left to go to the restroom, Landon fallowed to thank her. Once in there though, Landon saw Jamie cleaning up someone else’s vomit. Even though Jamie and Landon cleaned up vomit the whole night, Jamie still politely thanked him for bringing her.

Reflection
This book so far is way different from the movie. I enjoy how I feel like I am reading a completely different book. In the movie, Landon's dad is a doctor, but in the book, he is a congressman. And Landon often gets in trouble in the movie. I believe that is just because the movie needs to be entertaining so kids do not get bored while watching it. This book so far has a lot of details about the families and has just got to the relationship part of the story. I know most people have seen the movie, and if you liked that, I would recommend the book so far going off what I have read.

Nominated Bloggie

I really enjoyed Tales of a Bibliophile. They had great reading blogs, but at the same time keep me entertained with the videos and pictures. I enjoy a challenge, so when I found the optical illusions, I was surpirised. It did not take me long to find the angry bunny or hidden bear, but it still was entertaining. I tend to like the optical illusions that mess with your eyes.





If your bored one day and just sitting at home, look at all of these optical illusions. There are so many that will just blow your mind! I know they sure blew mine. Things will disappear and you will see something that you thought was never there.

Analytical Paragraph: Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams dull white walls colored with unique art accompanied by open space out looking the city life create a sense of calm playfulness in his modern home in Miami. The colorful ball of stuffed playful flowers open the room when the curtains pull back and let in rays of sunshine. The unique spiral stair case portrays the house owner as adventurous. Pharrell Williams enjoys the bleak white walls of his modern house so he can decorate his palace with bright obscure colors of modern art. When walking on the deck of Williams house, there is a sense of elevated intensity. This is brought on by over towering the chaotic city of Miami. The pool is surrounded by immense green bushes and vines illustrating the calm relaxation of Pharrell Williams. The obscure plastic red chair with replicas of human legs to hold up the structure demonstrates the amused enthusiasm of Pharrell Williams decorating abilities. The boring white walls of Pharrell Williams modern house in Miami creates a majestic cheerfulness in the building over looking Miami's ocean line.

Dear John: pages 100-276

For the next few weeks, John and Savannah started to talk and hang out everyday they could. Not that it is a lot because of the community work she was doing, but they made it work. Savannah even got to met John's father and everything. Savannah was studying child disabilities and autism was one of the first things that they learned. John and she talked about everything you can think of. While John was visiting her house, she met a guy named Tim. Tim is an old family friend that has lived right by her family's farm for the longest time. They were best friends. John from first sight, could tell that Tim was in love with Savannah. That did not intimidate John or make him jealous at all because he new Savannah was all his. Right before John had to return to Germany, John and Savannah promised each other that they would right every chance they got. John was gone for a year. Once 9/11 happened though, John and his buddies reenlisted and he was gone for another two years without seeing Savannah. John could tell that the letters he was getting were becoming more distant. Finally, he got a letter that told him, she was in love with another guy and that they would no longer be sending letters back and forth.
John reenlisted many times after his rejection. He believed that Savannah and he were in love, but I guess they were not. John got sent around the world during the war. When he came back to the States once more, he visited his father and spent time with him. off he went to war again. This time when he went back to the States, it was because his father was sick. He ended up passing away from an illness. After that, John went to search for Savannah. He found her at her house on a farm living right next to her parents house. John new that she was married now, but still wanted to visit an old lover. He soon came to find out that she was married to someone who was sick and in the hospital as well. She was going through some tough times of her own and like always, John was there to comfort her. They went and saw the sick husband and wished him well and everything. They spent time at the hospital and John and him got to know each other as well. Savannah and her husband were having money troubles, but in the end, everything always work out.

Reflection
So if you have seen the movie, you know that they do not get married or anything. I think that is a crappy part of the book. But what John does for Savannah and her husband is amazing. It teaches you that if someone else is in need more then you, you give sacrifices. John in the beginning was a bad guy who ended up getting in trouble, but the army and a love got in his way and made him the wonderful guy that he is. And if i might say, he is pretty darn cute in the movie as well! The book and movie are similar, but if you want more in depth and a better picture in your head, I would recommend reading the book as well!

Dear John: pages 1-99

A young soldier boy named John tended to get in trouble when he was an adolescent boy. His mother ended up leaving his father and himself when he was young. He has had problems ever since. John when he got out of school, went into the army. He was afraid to leave his father because the way he his. John's father was focused on one thing, coins. That is basically all he could talk about and think about coins. So when John was growing up, him and his father would go around the world searching for a specific coin together. This passion of Johns ended once he became a teenager and wanted other things. John started to part away from his father talking about nothing at the dinner table every night.
As I said, John went off to war after he left High School, we went to bootcamp and thought it was the hardest thing considering his actions during High School (drinking and smoking). After bootcamp, John and his fellow soldiers were sent off to Germany were they were told to keep peace. There was not a lot of action going on there, but John returned to the States once his leave had started.
John's passion was to go surfing. When back in the States, John barely visited his father and was always on the water. There is where he met Savannah. She was with a whole bunch of friends on a pier when her purse fell into the water. Neither of the boys with her would retrieve the purse for her and she needed it badly. Then all of a sudden, this muscular man, John, came over and dove into the deep ocean to get it for her. Even though everything was extremely wet, she was still thankful. Over a period of time, John learned that Savannah was there for a mission trip to build houses. John and Savannah started to become real close over the two week leave that John had. But as we all know, all time has to end.

Reflection
I know people may watch the movie and think it is good or bad, but it is different from the book. The book gets more in depth and is better at explaining the details. I have seen the movie if anyone was wondering and if anyone asked, I do like the book better. The movie is just not as interesting as the book. All of the emotional roller coasters that soldiers go through. I enjoy reading books like this because I imagine in my head what is going on. The real world around me is just invisible to me and the only thing I can imagine is what is going on in the book. So far, this book is great and is keeping me interested in what is coming next.

Soccer Star

So this girl is amazing. She can basically do any trick with soccer ball that everyone else just dreams about doing. Although she does not have the ideal life of fiends, she does have the star and fame that her freestyle juggling has landed her. Indi has been playing ever since she was little and has been practicing and training every since she was little. I do not know if I would like to do that. Work on freestyle for soccer for 90 minutes each day. I enjoy my life and like my friends to be around. Indi has a special talent that any soccer player dreams about doing. And through practice and hard work, she gets to be a star.

Predicting the Future

There are many of High School students who are stressed out about college. Half of us do not even know what we want to be yet. There is a ton of pressure coming from not only parents, but from school as well. They are trying to help you decide what you want to become in the future, but some people just have know clue. These seniors at a high school have thought about what they have wanted to be and recorded it for all to hear. I listen to the one who wants to be a physical therapist because I am interested in that type of medicine. She says that she originally wanted to be a nurse until she had to go to the physical therapist a lot. Since she was there, she started to grow fond of the idea of how the body because of personal experiences. There sparked her passion for physical therapy. There was a boy who wanted to become a doctor. I listen to his as well since once again, I am interested in medicine. He wants to become a doctor because it makes good money. I believe that you should go for something that you love doing instead of what makes the most money. I know that may have some factor to it, but doing something that you hate for the rest of your life would suck. These is another boy who recorded his future, and his is undecided. Not everyone know what they want to become when they are older. My parents have pressured me ever since eighth grade because of my bother. He is currently a senior and has known that he wants to be an architect every since sixth grade. Because of that, my parents expect me to know what I want to become too. I am not so sure about medicine, I just know that I want to help people.

I have had a ton of personal experiences to why I want to help children. When I was in fourth grade I was in the hospital for a month and a half because my appendix ruptured. For those of you who do not know what your appendix is, it is a sac in your body that holds toxins and poisons, and you do not need it to survive. Well that was ruptured for 24 hours. By that time, all of the toxins were spread through out my body and into my stomach muscles. I could not stand up strait or do anything. I felt like an old person because I had to bend 90 degrees when I walked. Because of that, I had to go through HELL at the hospital. When I was in there for the first three weeks, they did not remove all of the toxins, so I had to go back in for another three weeks. Finally I was sick of the hospital and tired of the pain. So I did everything I possible could to get out of there. It is torture for a ten year old to be in a hospital for about two months. I never want a little child to go through the same pain and torture that I went through. That is my reason behind my future plans. Whats yours?

My Sister's Keeper: pages 84-118

Jesse thinks about when he was a child and would light bath soap on fire to show Anna. He reflects that Anna is the only proof he has that he belongs in the family. Jesse goes to an abandoned warehouse and sets a fire. He admits he has done it before. He watches the fire from far away until he sees his father arrive. Jesse goes home to find Sara frantic. Kate is vomiting blood. Jesse drives Kate to the ER. At the hospital, Dr. Chance tells Sara and Jesse that Kate is in the end stages of kidney failure. Sara asks if a transplant is possible, and Dr. Chance tells her that the odds are not good. Sara asks if they would do the transplant if a donor were available. Jesse offers his kidney, but Dr. Chance tells him it must be an exact match.

There is a flashback and Sara is pregnant with Anna. Sara knows everything about the baby, from the sex to the specific combination of genes that will allow Anna to be a donor for Kate. She admits that she has thought of Anna only in terms of what she will be able to do for Kate. They only wanted a child who would save Kate’s life. Sara goes into labor on New Year’s Eve. Anna is born, and the doctors take her umbilical cord to harvest the cord blood. Kate begins a pre-transplant regimen of radiation and chemotherapy, which makes her violently ill. The doctors put her in isolation, then give her Anna’s cord blood.

The judge asks Julia if she will be the guardian ad litem in Anna’s case. Julia agrees and goes to the Fitzgerald house where she meets Anna. Julia takes Anna to the zoo to talk, hoping it might loosen her up. Julia can’t determine why exactly Anna filed the lawsuit, but she realizes that Anna will either lose her sister or herself. Julia realizes that it will be difficult for Anna to live there during the course of the legal proceedings without being swayed by her mother.

Campbell works in his office when Julia walks in. The two discuss Anna. Campbell suggests removing Sara from the house, but Julia thinks it is the wrong course of action. The two argue and the dog, Judge, becomes increasingly agitated. Finally, Campbell leaves Julia alone in his office. Campbell straightens himself up in a bathroom. When he goes back to his office, Julia has gone. Campbell goes to see Anna at her house. Initially, he feels awkward around Anna and admits that he usually doesn’t spend time with his clients.

Reflection
I believe that Anna is doing the right thing. Even though it may not seem like it, it is her body and she may do whatever she wants with it even though she is a minor. What if someone created you to basically go through thousands of operations over the course of your life? I am pretty sure you would not want to go through that. I just hope the judge and her mom will figure it out eventually.

My Sister's Keeper: pages 54-83

Sara and Brian see an oncologist who will be in charge of Kate’s treatments. Sara calls her older sister, Zanne, whom she has fallen out of touch with, and later Zanne arrives to help the family out. Since Kate’s form of cancer often resists treatment, the doctors admit they can only do so much. Sara asks what it will be like if Kate dies and wonders how she would survive it. Kate starts chemotherapy and gets extremely sick. The doctors test Jesse to see if he is a genetic match for Kate, since she might need bone marrow if she relapses, but he is not. Their doctor tells Sara that if she and Brian have more children, one sibling could be a match. After chemo, Kate develops an infection and has to be rushed to the hospital. While at the hospital, Sara tells Brian she is thinking of having another child. Brian thinks Sara wants to be able to replace Kate if she dies, but Sara assures him she wants to have another child to see if the child would be a genetic match for Kate.

Campbell wonders how much people are beholden to their parents. Campbell stops for coffee and when he returns to his office, he finds Anna there. Sara calls while Anna is in the room with Campbell. Sara tells Campbell that Anna has changed her mind, but Anna tells Campbell she has not. Campbell goes to the courthouse where he meets Sara, who decides to act as counsel for herself and Brian. Sara and Campbell speak with Judge DeSalvo, the judge for the case. They argue about what Anna really wants until Judge DeSalvo decides he needs to speak with Anna alone.

At the courthouse, Anna speaks with Judge DeSalvo. They discuss the trial, and Anna tries to remain composed. But she remembers memories of herself and Kate, and then starts to cry. She tells Judge DeSalvo she can’t give a kidney to her sister. He assures her no hospital would take a kidney from an unwilling donor, but she says being a donor has never been her choice. She says she never wanted to stop the lawsuit and only told her mother she would because she loves her. Judge DeSalvo decides to appoint Anna an expert who can decide what is best for her. Brian pleads with Sara to calm down, but Sara shouts that Anna practically signed Kate’s death sentence.

Reflection
I enjoy how the book goes into flashbacks. It is hard to understand sometimes when you are in the future or present though. But other then that, it gives you great information on what happened and why everything is the why it is now. I do not know why, but my favorite character in this book is Campbell. I think it is just because he is a lawyer and not really supposed to be handling Anna's case, but because of the circumstances, he takes her case anyway. And I was surprised that in the book the judge is a guy because in the movie, it is played by a woman who lost her daughter in a car accident. There are many differences between the book and the movie.

1000 Awesome Things

There are a lot of awesome things out in this world and this website displays all of those great things. For instance, eating something while you are cooking it. I am pretty sure everyone does that when making cookies or brownies. I know I do it all the time. It is just so good and mouth watering you cannot help it. Also, there is when dogs or cats chase their own tale. I do not know why, but it is just so darn cute when animals do that. I know everybody looks through the oven door while something is baking in there. You have to see how your food is cooking. Do not want anything to burn! I am pretty sure everyone does that too, unless your cold, then you open up the oven to get a blast of hot air in your face. Another awesome thing is reading short chapters. It feels like you are such a fast reader and the book goes by extremely fast as well. That is why I like picture books!

My Sister's Keeper: pages 17-53

(The attorney)Campbell gives his account of his meeting with Anna. He talks with her about her case and notices how angry she seems. He agrees to represent her because he thinks the case will be easy to win and great publicity. He does not think they will even need to go to trial. Anna leaves after Campbell tells her he will file a petition in family court for her medical emancipation. Campbell’s dog, Judge, pushes against him, apparently alerting Campbell to something. Campbell goes back into his office and locks the door.

(The mom)Sara’s mind jumps back in time to 1990. She recalls her decision to give up her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mother. Sara notices a bruise on young Kate’s shoulder blade. The next morning, bruises have spread up and down Kate’s spine. Sara takes Kate to the hospital where Kate undergoes a series of tests. The hospital refers Sara to an oncologist who diagnoses Kate with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It is a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. The doctor tells Sara and Brian (the dad) that APL has a twenty to thirty percent survival rate and they should begin treating Kate immediately. At home Sara and Brian deal with the fallout of the diagnosis and the realization that their daughter may not survive. Sara refuses to let Kate die.

Anna and Sara sit with Kate at the hospital during her dialysis session. Sara talks about kidney donation while Anna thinks about all of the risks associated with the procedure. Vern Stackhouse, a sheriff, comes to Kate’s room. He serves Sara papers for the lawsuit Anna has filed for medical emancipation. Sara responds angrily, but before she can talk to Anna about the lawsuit, Kate cries out in pain. Sara goes to Kate’s bedside while Anna runs out of the hospital room. When Sara, Kate, and Anna arrive home, Kate runs to her room, and Sara demands to know what Anna is thinking. Sara grows even angrier until she slaps Anna. Later, Kate talks to Anna. Sara and Brian walk into Anna’s and Kate’s room at night. Anna overhears her father saying that maybe Anna’s actions are not crazy. Sara holds Anna and assures her they can fix everything by talking to the judge. Anna only nods.

Refection
I feel bad for Kate. I mean she is going through a tough time and cannot help anything that is going on. I do not want to say she is ripping her family apart, but everyone is freaking out about it which is causing everyone to be stressed out all the time. Including the mom, Sara. She is just so fixed on making Kate feel better and get rid of that stupid cancer. By the way, cancer is DUMB!!! I hate it with a strong passion. Anyway, I know I would be trying to save my daughter if she had cancer, but I do not know if I would use my other daughter to do that. It would make me feel like I was taking another persons life that is healthy.

Cody vs. Chris

The bleak diction of Cody’s language and the average diction of Chris’s language portray the way the two teenagers act throughout life. Cody is standing in his temporary guardian’s house responding to her questions with dull yes or no answers. When Cody was at his alternative school eating with his friends, he was being very disrespectful towards a teacher. Using provocative language is a sign of little diction. Chris on the other had demonstrates intermediate diction. At the beginning of the movie, Chris is receiving his diploma and gives a little speech. His terminology is average for normal humans. Also, Chris’s imagination has a great deal of affect on his life. He creates this hero called Xavier. Whenever Chris is sad or feels alone, he pretends he is Xavier knowing that he can conquer the world. Chris gives advice to his younger sister that has been having trouble at school with bullies. He advises her not to let the bullying get to her. Another example of Chris having a higher diction then Cody is because he has a sense of humor. Chris will laugh and chuckle at his own jokes while Cody will give a polite laugh or maybe a fake smile.

My Sisters Keeper: pages 1-16

Thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald begins the story. She talks about the different reasons babies come into being and admits that she was born for a very specific purpose. Scientists used her mother’s eggs and father’s sperm to create a specific combination of genes. They created her in this way so she would be able to save her sister, Kate. Anna talks about visiting a pawnshop to sell a locket. She has a difficult time parting from the locket because her father gave it to her as a gift after she donated bone marrow to Kate. Anna goes on to describe herself as skinny and a freak. She talks about her family, how her sister Kate has leukemia, and how she has had to undergo medical procedures to help Kate whenever Kate has gotten sick. Her mother, meanwhile, obsessively shops online, and her older brother, Jesse, behaves like a delinquent because their parents don’t have time to care about him. Anna shows Jesse a newspaper clipping about a lawyer named Campbell Alexander. Jesse warns her not to mess with the system and the roles everyone in the family has, but he still agrees to drive her to Campbell’s office. Anna meets Campbell and notices he has a service dog, which Campbell sarcastically tells Anna prevents him from getting too close to magnets, because he has an iron lung. Campbell tries to send Anna away, and she explains that she wants Campbell to help her sue her parents for the right to her own body.

Reflection
I am glad Anna is suing for her own body. Her mom should not be able to run a whole bunch of test on her just so she can take the life of one child and put it into another. I think it is wrong for people to do stuff like that. God has his plan and if it is for someone to get cancer, then that sucks, but it is his plan. Sara (the mom) should not have had Anna be a donor in everything that Kate needs. Oh and I like how the attorney Campbell has a dog. Dogs are so cute!

Sickness

So I do not know if you have noticed, but everyone is seeming to be getting the sniffles. I know I sure do! I have had a sore throat and stuffy nose for the past few days. Most of the people in my class do as well. I recommend drinking lots of water. I know people tell you that all the time but it really works. Yesterday during school I carried a water bottle around all day. Every time I could feel my throat starting to hurt I just took a sip of water and it felt better. Granted you may have to pee like ten times in one day, it is still good to stay hydrated when you are sick. Also maybe carry some cough drops around if you cannot carry any water. Those flavored ones are so good. I eat them even when I do not have a sore throat or cough. That is probably not a good thing, but oh well. And please sick people, do not cough in other peoples faces or anything, that is just gross. Use hand sanitizer or cough into your sleeve. I am sick too so I am going to try to do all of these things as well. I do not want the whole school to be sick. That would not be good since spring break is approaching and I am excited for it! Plus I have a soccer tournament this coming weekend. I hope it is extremely warm because I do not want to be running in freezing rain while being sick, then most likely getting ever more sick!

Picture Book Timeline

On this website there is a time-line of different children books through out history. I do no really like the really old ones. I think they are just a little to old fashioned for me and do not spark my interest. However, once the years keep on going, the books start to appear more children like. I remember most of the children books because my mother used to read them to me every night before I went to bed. The Cat In the Hat books were my favorite. I just love the way he can rhyme everything. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Also, the book about green eggs and ham. I never really liked eggs. I think that is just because I read this story too many times and it started to gross me out. Green eggs? The just sounds disgusting. So I just never thought about trying them. It was only till a few years ago that I had my first egg. It was good! But you have to enjoy it with some orange juice. It is the perfect breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is another great classic. That little caterpillar just keeps eating and eating everything around him until he gets so big he just sleeps for the longest time. This book taught me about the cycle of butterfly's. I thought that they were born like that, but it astonished me that they were actually something else before. It is kind of like a tad pole and a frog. It is the same thing only one is a baby and another an adult.
The Napping House by Audrey Wood is another one of my favorites. It was not on the website of children picture books but I just have to mention it. If you have not read it, it is about a house, a granny, a child, a dog, a cat and a mouse fall asleep one by one on top of each other. Then a flea wakes up everyone in the napping house. The house is not a napping house anymore. I do not know why it interest me so much. I like all of these books still today!

Frankenstein: pages 1-133

The narrator in this book is writing letters to his sister at the beginning of this Romantic novel. Frankenstein is the creator of a monster who was once dead. Victor Frankenstein goes off to college to pursue his studies of natural philosophy. When he arrives at college, his professors tell him to stop reading old books because they will not do anything for him. Eventually Victor since in on one of the professors classes and starts becoming interested in the science. Victor then gets the idea to push his mind to the limit. Victor wanted to see what he could create. So that is when the creation of Frankenstein occurred. Victor went outside and took the bones and skin of freshly deceased bodies. He combined them all together to make "the monster." After his creation came to life, Victor started to freak out and ran outside. He could not believe at what he just created. When he returned home, the monster was gone. However, Victor was glad that this monster was out of his hair. Once a few years passed, Victor receives a letter from his father saying that his brother William is dead and has been murdered. He then returns home as quickly as he can grieve with his family. The next day, the murderer was put on trial and found guilty. It was an old family friend that refused to admit the murder. She said that she did not do it, but when in court, she admitted to the crime and was executed. After the trial, Victor went up to the mountains where he was standing alone. He looks to the left of him where he sees a creature sprinting towards his direction. It was the monster. Victor pleads for the monster not to hurt him. The monster just replies, if you listen to me, no one else will get hurt. As Victor suspected, the monster was the one who strangled poor William. None the less, he listens to the monsters side of the story.

The monster tells his story of hunger and thirst. As the monster exited Victor’s house, he ran to a barn where an old man yelled in fear. Then to a village where more did the same. Finally the monster finds a safe warm place to hid in for the night. Through a little crack in the barn, the monster spots a young man and woman, and an old man. He admires these young folks who work hard but are weeping in misery. The monster feels bad, so in order to help without frightening them, he helps gather wood early in the morning. Also, in the winter he shovels the walkway. This helps the couple and their father out substantially. The smiles start to get bigger on their faces. The monster while staying in their barn learns how to speak the human’s native language. He also started to become friends with them without meeting. One day, while the two young humans were out, the monster decides to enter the house gracefully with the old blind man’s approval. The monster was trying to win over the old man’s love by the time the other humans come home. He does this so the old man will become friends with the monster and hopefully the children will to despite his looks. However, when the children returned home, they jumped and screamed with fear. The monster was upset and embarrassed. He ran out of the house as far and fast as he could. When he reached the end of the forest nearby, he stopped and looked back.

Spellbound

Pick any two sets of parents and compare and contrast either their motivations for having their children excel in the National Spelling Bee.

Ted, a young boy from rural Missouri, has parents that have an appreciative empathy for their son. His family lives in a double-wide trailer out in the middle of a farm. Ted's parents are flabbergasted at their son's accomplishments because they come from the lower society of America. The care-free attitude of Ted's parents portrays the relaxing life of children in the lower class. Ted's parents do not push him into studying or make him do specific after school activities to help Ted learn. However, in upper class society Neil's parents drill him to win the national championship spelling bee. Neil's passionate father illustrates the diligent enthusiasm of successful high class workers in America. Neil's father is fixed on his son winning so badly that he hired spelling coaches, goes through words given to past winners, and hires organize prayer circles back in India so that his son could be the champion of the spelling bee. Both Neil's father and Ted's parents want them to excel as much as they can during the competition and they both work on spelling during pre-season spelling bee. Neil's father and Ted's parents demonstrate the different motivational styles for parents having their children excel in not only school, but in extra curricular activities.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: pages 160-200

Death Eaters appear and Harry, Ron, and Hermione join hands and Disapparate (teleport) under Hermione’s direction. They arrive in Tottenham Court Road, a busy street in London, in the Muggle rather than the wizarding world. They all start to debate on where to go now that Voldemort has taken over the Ministry. Harry decides to go to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, the house that Sirius Black left to Harry in his will. They can only hope that the jinxes and charms on the house will be enough to hide them from Snape and the other Death Eaters. Inside the house, small signs, such as a knocked-over umbrella stand, give Harry and the others the impression that someone has been in the house, but it appears to be empty now. Suddenly they feel their tongues raveling and then unraveling, the effect of a Tongue-Tying charm Mad-Eye Moody put upon the house to prevent them from revealing its secrets. Harry feels a burning pain in his scar. Ron badgers Harry about what Voldemort is doing, fearful that Voldemort has attacked Ron’s family. Ron’s father’s Patronus arrives to say that the family is safe but being watched. Harry sees through Voldemort’s eyes as Voldemort tortures one of the Death Eaters who attacked them in the cafe, punishing him for summoning Voldemort but then letting Harry escape.

Harry went into Sirius room and found a letter that reveals that Sirius had given Harry his first broomstick, for his first birthday; that Harry’s parents had known Bathilda Bagshot; and that Dumbledore had borrowed his fathers' Invisibility Cloak. Harry makes up his mind that he wants to go to Godric’s Hollow to meet Bathilda Bagshot and visit his parents’ graves, hoping to find information about his own parents and about Dumbledore’s past. When he tells this to Hermione, however, she tells him it’s a waste of valuable time. Hermione reminds him that their urgent task is to find the Horcruxes, the destruction of which will enable them to defeat Voldemort. Harry and Hermione notice the room belonging to Sirius’s deceased younger brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, who had been a Death Eater. Seeing his name on the door, they realize he may be the R.A.B. who signed his name to the false locket that Harry and Dumbledore recovered from the cave. Hermione remembers with a shock that there had been a locket in the cabinet in the drawing room of the house the last time she’d been there. Unfortunately, the locket is no longer there. The only hope Harry has is that Kreacher, the bilious house-elf he inherited with the house, may have stolen the locket. They summon Kreacher. Kreacher admits that he did steal the locket after it was thrown out two years ago, but he says that it’s now gone—stolen by Mundungus Fletcher. Kreacher explains that after Sirius ran away from home and deserted his parents, Sirius’s younger brother Regulus became more and more involved in the Dark Arts. At the age of sixteen, Regulus joined Lord Voldemort. A year later, Regulus informed Kreacher that Lord Voldemort needed the services of a house-elf, and that Regulus had volunteered Kreacher, who then went to Voldemort to do his bidding. What Voldemort needed Kreacher for was to test the defenses that he had set up to guard the locket Horcrux in the underground cavern. Voldemort made Kreacher drink the potion in the basin until it was all drunk, then he put the locket Horcrux in it and refilled it. Then Voldemort left Kreacher to die as the potion overpowered Kreacher with thirst, Kreacher went to drink from the lake, and the dead hands of the Inferi dragged him under the water. But Voldemort seriously miscalculated by not taking into consideration the nature and ways of house elves. Kreacher had been ordered by his master Regulus to come back after helping Voldemort, so he was bound to return. More important, though no witch or wizard could Disapparate into or out of the cavern, house-elf magic works differently than wizard’s magic, so Kreacher was able to simply Disapparate from under the water, going back to his master Regulus. Apparently, Regulus soon after had a change of heart about serving Voldemort, and he made Kreacher take him back to the underground cavern and show him the basin with the locket. Regulus drank the potion himself, stole the locket, and replaced it with the false one signed “R.A.B.” that Harry found. He ordered Kreacher to return home, never to reveal to Regulus’s family what had happened to him, and to destroy the locket, after which Kreacher saw Regulus dragged beneath the lake and killed. Kreacher returned to Grimmauld Place, unable ever to tell Mistress Black what had happened to her son, and unable to destroy the locket as ordered because of the powerful enchantments protecting it. Harry orders Kreacher to find Mundungus Fletcher and bring him back to Grimmauld Place, but before Kreacher leaves, Harry presents him with Regulus’s false locket as a token for Kreacher to remember his former master by. Overcome with gratitude, Kreacher leaves to carry out Harry’s orders.

Reflection
I believe that Kreacher was loyal to his master but very wrong for helping Voldemort! I also think that Harry, Hermione, and Ron are taking up too much time. I know they have to find all of the Horcruxes before Voldemort takes over the whole entire magic world, but they need to spread out or do something so that they can find all of them in time. No offense, but I like dobby a lot better then Kreacher. The good thing is that Harry, Hermione, and Ron found out who R.A.B is. Also they can find the person who has the real Horcruxes so that they can destroy it personally if Mundungus Fletcher has not already. The only thing I do not understand is why Harry wants to figure out Dumbledore’s past so badly. I know they were good friends but does it really have much to do with finding the Horcruxes or killing Voldemort? Maybe reveling something from Dumbledore's past will help him in the end.

Four Day Weekend / Graduation

So does anybody else love that we have a four day weekend?! I love it. I know this is going to sound bad though, but I kind of want to go to school. If I miss too much of it, I will forget what teachers are telling me, then I will forget to do homework, and it never works out in my favor. I really wander what they are going to do for graduation. I mean we were supposed to end on June 7th then graduation is/was on June 8th. I have heard many different things; Graduation will be pushed back (I don't think so; they already had a hard enough time booking the coliseum on a Wednesday). For every three cancellations we have we only have to make up one day (I don't think so again, it has to be approved by Indiana school board first). We will have school on the 8th and then graduation right after (I don't think our school is stupid enough to do that, but I could be wrong). We will still have finals on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, then do nothing the rest of the following week and if seniors skip they cannot go to graduation (possibly). Then my favorite on of all... They make us go on Saturday’s. I do not know what they are thinking because we all want to sleep in and have fun on Saturdays’. None of us are going to school then. But I will have to admit going 3 hours on a Saturday does sound better then making up another full day of school. I wonder what the schools are going to do. Any other thoughts about it?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: pages 86-159

Harry has taken on a quest to destroy the Horcruxes(the objects into which Voldemort has placed fragments of his soul, making him immortal as long as those objects survive). Harry wants to discuss the quest with Ron and Hermione, who agreed to accompany him in the previous book, but Mrs. Weasley interferes, first by approaching each of them in turn and trying to dissuade them from leaving Hogwarts, then by keeping them busy and apart from each other by having them help her prepare the house for the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur. Finally the three friends steal a moment to meet in Ron’s room, and Ron and Hermione reveal the lengths they’ve gone to in preparing for the quest. Hermione has enchanted her Muggle (non-wizard) parents into changing their names, forgetting that they have a daughter, and moving to Australia so that Voldemort will not be able to find them. Ron has given the household ghoul a pair of his own pajamas and enchanted the ghoul with red hair and pustules, so that when Ron fails to return to Hogwarts, his parents can give out the information that he’s ill with an infectious disease called spattergroit, which would cause him to look somewhat like the enchanted ghoul does. Most important, Hermione reveals that she used a spell to steal the books on Horcruxes, which Dumbledore had removed from the library for safekeeping. She explains that Voldemort is unlikely to try to reassemble his own soul by destroying the Horcruxes himself, because doing so requires that the person who made the Horcruxes suffer the pain of remorse for their actions, which seems contrary to Voldemort’s nature. But for Harry and his friends to destroy them will be very difficult, because only very destructive and dangerous items, such as the basilisk’s fang that Harry used to destroy Tom Riddle’s diary (the first of the Horcruxes) can be sure to do the job.

Harry was muttering the name Gregorovitch in his sleep. Harry realizes that he was seeing through Voldemort’s eyes in his dream and he thinks he recognizes the name Gregorovitch. Harry perks up when he remembers that it’s his seventeenth birthday, and the Trace (a spell with which the Ministry of Magic can track any spell cast by an underage wizards) is broken, allowing him to practice magic freely. Ginny draws Harry into her room and gives him a passionate kiss, but Ron breaks in angrily and interrupts them. Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister of Magic, who insists on speaking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione in private interrupts Harry's party. Scrimgeour has brought each of them a bequest from Dumbledore’s will. Dumbledore has left Ron a device called a Deluminator, a device that can suck all the light out of a room or turn the light on again. He left Hermione a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of fairy tales familiar to virtually everyone raised by wizards. To Harry, Dumbledore bequeathed the first Snitch he ever caught, saved from his first Quidditch match. Dumbledore’s will also bequeathed to Harry the sword of Godric Gryffindor, but Scrimgeour maintains that the sword was not Dumbledore’s to give. Harry takes the snitch in his hand and it does not open. After Scrimgeour has gone, Harry reminds his friends that he caught his first Snitch in his mouth, though he avoided mentioning this fact in front of Scrimgeour. Now he places the Snitch in his mouth again, and though it does not open, words appear on it: “I open at the close.”

On the afternoon following Harry’s birthday, the Weasleys host the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. To keep secret the fact that he’s hiding at the Weasleys’, Harry takes Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as a red-headed boy from the village, passing himself off as the Weasleys’ Cousin Barny. After the wedding ceremony, Krum takes a seat next to Harry and asks him about Xenophilius Lovegood. Krum is infuriated by the symbol Xenophilius wears, recognizing it as a symbol associated with the Dark wizard Grindelwald. Krum’s grandfather had been among those murdered by Grindelwald, and Krum had seen the triangular eye symbol at his school where Grindelwald had carved it into the wall. In his agitation, Krum takes out his wand and taps it menacingly against his own leg, prompting Harry to remember where he had heard the name Gregorovitch. It is the name that belongs to the famous wand maker who made Krum’s wand. Aunt Muriel had rumors of Dumbledore and got them from a woman who lived in Godric’s Hollow (the town where Harry was born and where his parents were murdered) at the same time that Dumbledore’s family lived there. Harry is shocked at these reports about his dead friend, not least that Dumbledore lived in Godric’s Hollow like Harry, and that they both have relatives buried there, yet Dumbledore never saw fit to mention these things to Harry. The wedding celebration is cut short by the appearance of Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Patronus, a silver lynx. (A Patronus is a charm that witches and wizards use to send out an animal-shaped manifestation of themselves. It can be used to send messages, and is also one of the only things that can ward off a dementor.) The lynx tells the guests that Scrimgeour is dead, the Ministry has fallen, and the Death Eaters are coming.

Reflection
Well I am glad Harry is safe and sound at the beginning of the chapter six. Hermione tells them all about what they have to do in order to kill Voldemort. I am glad that Ron and Hermione decided to stick next to Harry's side through out the whole thing. I mean Hermione basically fell off the face of the Earth just to protect and go with Harry. And then Ron made up a lie that he got a disease. But hopefully they can find all of the Horcruxes and kill Voldemort because I really do not like him. I also think that all of the gifts that Dumbledore has given Harry, Ron, and Hermione will come in handy. He was a very intelligent guy and always had reasons. I feel like their gifts will become very useful. Also, the wand thing, I still think Dumbledore has the most powerful wand and that both Harry and Voldemort want it. That is why Harry sees the wand maker through Voldemorts eyes. He is trying to find the most powerful wand. It really sucks that the wedding got attacked by Death Eaters. Would you like that to happen on your wedding day? I did not think so. My mom believes that if you have a good wedding, your love will not last, but if you have a bad wedding; your love will last forever. I guess theirs is lasting forever.

2.23 Diction Exercise

Cruddy
A. cruddy
evil
rain
kill
no take backs
shut up
crudded-out
bash
cruddiest

B. laconic impotence of literal connotation
vague repetitiveness of low elevation of diction
bleak monotonous of harsh sound
bland lethargy of concrete diction

C. The ambiguous monotony in the book Cruddy by Lynda Barry deduces an inane of bitter antagonism toward the authors approch to situations.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: pages 43-85

An unexpectedly large contingent of wizards arrives in the backyard to escort Harry to his new place of safety. Hagrid is there, as well as Ron, Hermione, Fleur Delacour, Mad-Eye Moody, Fred and George Weasley, Bill Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, and Mundungus Fletcher. Moody announces that they’ve had to change plans because Pius Thicknesse has gone over to Voldemort and all Ministry-regulated means of transportation are dangerous to them. Moody’s new plan is to send Harry to Tonks’s parents’ house while six decoys go to other houses. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur, and Mundungus will take Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves as Harry, and each of them will fly with one escort. Harry protests at putting his friends in danger by using them as decoys, but since everyone accepts the risk, he reluctantly agrees. Harry provides hairs for the potion, which the six designated decoys take, changing them into copies of Harry. Harry gets into the sidecar of a flying motorbike driven by Hagrid, and the entire party rises into the air. Almost immediately, Harry and Hagrid find themselves surrounded by at least thirty hooded Death Eaters. They flee, with the Death Eaters in hot pursuit, shooting Killing Curses at them, one of which kills Harry’s owl, Hedwig. Somehow one Death Eather identifies Harry as the real Harry Potter. The Death Eaters immediately departs, but quickly returns with Voldemort himself, who is intent on killing Harry personally. Hagrid leaps onto a Death Eater’s broom and crashes to the ground. Threatened by Voldemort at close range, Harry feels his wand hand come up involuntarily and deliver a warding spell he doesn’t even recognize or know how to cast, shattering Voldemort’s wand, then Harry crashes the bike into a pond.

Harry wakes up, the injuries he sustained in the chase healed. Hagrid and Harry find an anxious Mrs. Weasley awaiting them at the Burrow. None of the others who helped transport Harry has arrived yet. Lupin arrives with George Weasley, who has had his ear cut off by a curse from Snape, who was among the attackers. Realizing that they must have been betrayed, Lupin tests whether Harry is who he appears to be by asking what animal was in the room when Harry first met him in his office. Harry answers correctly that it was a grindylow. Kingsley and Hermione arrive safely, then Mr. Weasley and Fred, then Ron and Tonks, then Bill and Fleur. Bill and Fleur describe how they saw Mundungus Fletcher panic and disapparate, leaving Mad-Eye to die by Voldemort’s curse, right at the beginning of the chase. The entire party discusses how their plans might have been betrayed to Voldemort, noting that Voldemort apparently did not know of the plan to use the six Harry decoys. His scar throbbing, Harry goes outside to get some air, and as the pain in his scar reaches its peak, he can hear Voldemort berating and torturing his prisoner, the famous wand maker Ollivander, who had told Voldemort that the connection between Harry’s wand and Voldemort’s could be circumvented by Voldemort’s attacking Harry with a borrowed wand. Ollivander’s proposed scheme did not work, and the wand Voldemort borrowed from Lucius Malfoy is now shattered and useless.

Reflection:
I think that Harry and all of his friends are very courageous because I could never go up in the air dressed and looked alike some one else and risking my life for them. Well maybe if he was the "chosen one." But I am not in the magic world unfortunately. I am sad mad-eye is dead. He did scare me a little bit, but I just think he did because in one of the other movies he was actually a Death Eater pretending to be mad-eye. But now the real one is gone. I think something has to do with the wand that Voldemort and Harry are using because if Voldemort is worried about it, it must be important. I do remember reading somewhere that Dumbledore's wand was the most powerful, maybe one of them have it, or is out to get it. Does anyone else want to be in a magic world with me? I feel like that would be really fun but scary.

Birthday

So tomorrow is my boyfriends birthday and I am really excited for it. I am up at 11:18pm right now just waiting until midnight so I can be the first one to call him and wish him a happy birthday day. He did the same thing to me a few months ago on my birthday and it just made my day! Plus I am excited because I can not wait to give him his presents! I got him this really cute picture frame that says love on it and I edit this picture that we have (probably are only normal picture) and I put it in the frame. It is cute. I hope he likes it. But then, I also got him another present, well technically three other presents. I got him black, light blue, and a lime greenish spray paints.

He has been waiting to decorate the back of his basement for a long time now. It is where he keeps his x-box so it is basically his man cave. Well I called his mom first, to make sure it was okay with her, and she said, "Oh, of course!" So I got him that. Funny story, the next day, after I bought the spray paint, my boyfriend goes up to his mom and asked if he could use spray paint to decorate the basement. His mom told him no!! Out of the question!! Too messy! I would never let you do that! He started to get upset and asked his mom well can't we at least talk about it? Mom said maybe after I get back from Vegas maybe. End of argument. Funny part about it is that his mom already said yes and I already bought it for him and he is getting upset about it. YEAH go me and his mom!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: pages 1-42

Snape and the Death Eater Yaxley meet outside of Lucius Malfoy’s house and proceed inside, taking seats at a table where Voldemort and his followers are already assembled. Snape tells Voldemort that Harry Potter is to be moved from his place of safety. Yaxley claims that he has heard contradictory intelligence, and that Harry is to be moved later, on the thirtieth of the month. Voldemort indicates that he knows the source of Snape’s intelligence, and he makes it plain that he believes Snape rather than Yaxley. Yaxley, trys to seeks Voldemort’s approval by revealing to him that he has corrupted a member of the Ministry of Magic, a wizard named Pius Thicknesse. Yaxley reports that several Death Eaters are also positioned within the department of Magical Transport, making them better able to track Harry if he tries to travel by magical means. Voldemort announces that he plans to capture Harry while he is being transported. Voldemort makes Lucius Malfoy lend him his wand. Voldemort taunts Lucius and the rest of the Malfoy family, accusing them of being uncomfortable with his presence. Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy’s sister, declares that his presence is the greatest possible pleasure, but Voldemort taunts all of them about the fact that Narcissa and Bellatrix’s niece (Nymphadora Tonks) has just married Remus Lupin, the werewolf.

Harry goes to his room where he has spent the morning sorting the belongings in his school trunk into things he’ll no longer need, and a smaller pile of things he will keep with him now that he’s left Hogwarts and is about to leave the Dursleys’. Harry reads two newspaper articles commemorating Albus Dumbledore. “Albus Dumbledore Remembered,” by Dumbledore’s schoolmate and longtime friend, Elphias Doge, describes Dumbledore’s brilliant career at school, despite his having a father imprisoned at Azkaban for attacking Muggles; his relationship with his younger brother, Aberforth; his struggles following the deaths of his mother and sister; his triumph over the Dark wizard Grindelwald in a famous duel in 1945; and his brilliant career as headmaster. Harry feels regret that he knew so little of what there was to know about Dumbledore’s life and wishes he’d asked Dumbledore about himself. The second article is an interview with the journalist Rita Skeeter, who has just written a biography of Dumbledore called The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. In the interview, Skeeter indicates that her book debunks the supposed accomplishments that Dumbledore is famous for, reveals dark secrets about his family, and depicts Dumbledore’s relationship with Harry Potter in a sinister way. Harry then picks up a piece of glass on the floor and sees a flash of blue. The only time he has ever seen that bright of blue was in Dumbledore's eyes.

Harry’s uncle Vernon retrieves Harry from his room. Harry goes downstairs to find all three Dursleys sitting in the living room dressed for traveling. Uncle Vernon announces that he’s changed his mind: He doesn’t believe Harry that Uncle Vernon and the Dursleys are in danger, and he’s not going into hiding with the help of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry explains that once he turns seventeen, the protection charm that keeps them all safe will break, and Voldemort and the Death Eaters will torture and kill the Dursleys. The Ministry of Magic cannot protect them because the Death Eaters have already infiltrated it. Dudley breaks in and announces that he’s going to go with the representatives of the Order, so Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have no choice but to acquiesce as well. Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle, members of the Order of the Phoenix, arrive to take the Dursleys into hiding. Dudley surprises his own family and Harry by inquiring where Harry is going to go. And they are all about ready to depart the Dursleys household.

Reflection:

I thought because the first movie was out I should probably read it so I can know what happens in the second half of the movie. I do not want to surprise my self in the theaters. I think the book so far is good. The action is starting off right away, which is what I like. I also enjoy how everyone is over at the Dursley's house all trying to free Harry and get him somewhere safe. Even his mean half brother Dudley is trying to help him. I just hope the Death Eaters will not take Harry or anyone else on while trying to get him out of the safe house. Maybe they will be wrong about the date and time. I sure hope so! Oh and I never did like Lucius Malfoy. Well I thought he was always bad until the sixth movie/book. He did not want to kill Dumbledore, but Snape had to go and do it anyway. And what makes it worse is that Dumbledore trusted him. I actually had know idea what side he would be on. Dumbledore trusted him, but so did Voldemort.

A Modest Love by Sir Edward Dyer

The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall,

The fly her spleen, the little sparks their heat;

The slender hairs cast shadows, though but small,

And bees have stings, although they be not great;

Seas have their source, and so have shallow springs;

And love is love, in beggars as in kings.

Where rivers smoothest run, deep are the fords;

The dial stirs, yet none perceives it move;

The firmest faith is in the fewest words;

The turtles cannot sing, and yet they love:

True hearts have eyes and ears, no tongues to speak;

They hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.

I like love poems they remind me of the idea that everyday someone will find their true love. Plus they always make my heart beat a little faster and warm up just a degree higher. I believe this poem is talking about how even animals can love. Animals have hearts and therefore have the feeling to love as well. Also when it talks about the forest and the woods, I think it is saying that everyone has an opposite or a companion. Does anyone else think that there is at least one person out there for everyone? I sure do. You may go all your life search but not find him/her, you may search and find him/her, or you may not search and find him/her standing close by your side. However you find your love, there is always someone waiting for you to find them.

Valentines Day

So for all of you who do not know, this coming Monday is February 14. That would be Valentines Day for all of you who do not know. I heard on the radio this morning on my way to school saying something along the lines that Valentines Day is not actually supposed to be for married people and couples who have been together for a really long time. It is for those single people out there! This is the day were you go out and find someone to spend the day with. It does not mean you have to fall in love or do anything for them. Yes the main gifts are chocolates and flowers but you do not need those. Valentines Day is just a day to go out with maybe one of your good girl friends (or good boy friend) and show that you care about them (even if it is in a friend way). SINGLE PEOPLE this is the day that you go out and possibly find the one you may want to be with. Sorry married and long lasting couples, this is your day to stay home and keep your affection to yourselves for once. Let the single people go out and show their affection for once. (Sorry singles, I will be one of those people staying in and having dinner with my boyfriend. We are going on 20 months next week. That’s a year and 8 months for those not good at math.)

Anyway going on the subject about showing affection, does anybody notice those couples at Homestead that basically make out all over each other in the halls? If you have not, they are always lurking in those tiny spaces in hidden hallways, take a peek once or twice and you will know what I am talking about. Or if they are really open about their relationship, some couples will just make out right there in the halls. Not to be mean, but these couples disgust me. Every time I walk by I crank my head the other way. I am just perfectly fine with a little peck on the cheek during school, but please do not take it too far that people start yelling at you to get a room.

A Saint And A Criminal

So while in Mr. Hills class we had an objective to wright about one of these websites that he posted up. I went to three minute stories and found this good but kind of disturbing story. It is called A Saint And A Criminal. It is a short story about how a father told his daughter and son about a criminal and a saint who meet in a bar. The little daughter was trying to figure out if she was the criminal or if her brother was. Well later in the story it tells you that the son has a wife. And, in my opinion she is the criminal, she was pregnant with some other guys baby. They have only been married for a year and he loves her with all of his heart, but sometimes hurts her. Unfortunately the daughter knows this information but with holds it from her brother. Once he finds out though, he ends up driving his car through a house and injuring (or killing still not really sure which one) a woman. He is sentenced and charged. He is currently in jail but can get out shortly. The daughter still wonders if she is the saint because she kept the story from him, or a criminal because she did not tell him. Like I said, I think the wife is the criminal in this situation. If you marry, you marry because you love and want to be with that person for forever. Not to run and have a little fun with another guy and not tell him. Not a very good wife right there. Plus she was the one that led him to his uproar. Read the story and I bet you will agree with me if you already don't.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1012427134481744604http://www.npr.org/2011/02/06/133542373/a-saint-and-a-criminal

Stumble

So one of my friends found this website that takes you to places of your liking. It is called stumble. You go through this list and check things that interest you. After that the website will stumble through thousands of other websites and choose one that you might like. It can keep you busy for hours! Trust me it has happened to me before. I have done it and these really cool pictures came up. I loved them! I would recommend if you are sitting at home with nothing to do, which I am guessing you are if your looking at my blog, then go to stumbler and type in all your information. You will never be bored again (That is probably a lie).

Mockingjay: pages 101-390(end)

Nothing exciting went on during these pages. I know you would expect a lot but not really. So Katniss and Gale are in District 13 while Peeta is trapped by the capital and being trortured by Snow to get Katniss to surrender her alliance with the rebels. Katniss said she would be the mockingjay only with exceptions.

Katniss and Gale wanted to get actual action in the war against the capital. So the president of District 13 told them that they would be the face of the war. This means that they arranged a group of soldiers to go out into a district with Katniss and just film action shots only pretending to fight in the battle. When one of the members dies, the president sends another person to take his place. This person just happened to be Peeta. Just a few weeks ago however, Peeta tried to kill Katniss by choking her. The soldiers believed that the president was jealous of Katniss and wanted to get her killed by "accident" and having Peeta go was the perfect way to do it. Coin, the president of 13, just needed Katniss to unit the Districts which is what she did, now her job was done.

There are a lot of adventures that go through the shooting of the film. Katniss ends up actually fighting in the war and tries to take down the capital. I already ruined the whole book for you , but they ending you have to read yourself. This ending is great! It is the perfect way to end the series of the Hunger Games. I did not like on thing. I am going to spill, but remember how this whole war started? Katniss believed that the Capital was playing with the kids by putting them into the Hugner Games. Well towards the end of the book, Katniss votes to put all of the Capitals children into a Hunger Games and make them suffer like everyone else has in Districts. It was either they had the Hunger Games for just Capital children, they killed all the children, or let them free with no repremands. All of the victors go to choose, and Katniss chose the Games. The whole reason why they started this revolution is to end the games and the heirarchy in the Capital an Katniss just wanted them to basically start it right back up again. Do you also think this is a little hypocritical? I sure do!

Mocking Jay: pages 1-100

So everyone is in district 13 right now. Well except for Peeta and the other districts. Okay so it is mostly just district 12 and the ones that the rebels could get out of the arena. Katniss had no clue that this was the plan from the begining of the Quarter Quell. Luckily for them, Katniss did not die during the games.

Katniss decides to officially become the mockingjay for the rebels, giving them hope and leadership. However, she does this only on conditions, Peeta and the other victors lives get spared when the come to district 13 (this is just incase they say something to hurt the rebellion). Katniss and Gale get to hunt outside of the walls because district 13 is underground and VERY strict! The president of 13, Coin, agrees to these messures, but if Katniss messes up, all the victors will be charged with the same crime (basically death).

Everyone decides that Katniss should show her rebellion side, but she can not do that without going into battle herself. So, Haymitch, Gale, and other gaurds take her to district 8 where she can see what is going on with her own eyes. As Katniss arrives she sees nothing but ashes besides a few buildings. As she goes inside she sees the wounded all around her calling out her name in the hopes that they will survive the rebellion. A few seconds later, Haymitch tells them that there will be an air strike here soon, so they try to flee but before they can, the first string of bombs deploy. Katniss and her guards run for cover. Before the second one comes, Katniss realizes that the bombers are aiming for the building full of wounded survivors. Katniss then runs on a roof with Gale and starts shooting the third string of air planes shooting one of them down. Upset Katniss stands her ground and the fourth string of bombers come through, but before they could bomb, Katniss and Gale shoot down 5 out of the 6 planes.

Katniss climbs down from the roof and there is a camera in her face to show that Katniss is the one to lead them against the Capital. As she realizes this, she tells the camera that this is war and if the capital burns the districs, the districts will burn them back.

Rebellion starts to happen. One thing I didn't put in there because it was a small part is that Peeta is alive in the Capital having no clue what is going on in District 13 or knowing if Katniss is still alive. I hope eventually they save him from those mean people and can live happily ever after. Well that and I hope that they win the rebellion. They have to don't they? I mean it would be a crappy book if they lost. Plus they good guys always win, and in this case, Katniss, Peeta, and the rebels are the good guys. Bad guys die!

Catching Fire: pages 253-391 (end)

So Katniss once again is put into the arena with Peeta, this time is going to be completely different. Well they have been put up against otehr victors. When they get shot up through a shoot to the arena, right before they leave, Katniss sees the police take Cianna (her stylist) and beats him up. Shocked she does not know how to react, but before she can, she is already in the new arena. All of the victors are on islands surrouned by water with the cornicopoia (where they get all their weapons from) in the middle on its own island. Right as the cannon is lauched Katniss dives into the water to go to the cornicopia. As she reaches it she finds another person there, Finnick. He stands right behind her with a trident in his arms. However, Haymitch has made them allies. They run off out of the Cornicopia together covering each other. They team up with other victors as well, Peeta being one of the ofcourse. They go off into the woods deep.

They wake up the next morning to a dense fog coming their way, but Katniss realizes this is no fog. Everyone gathers their things and run away. Peeta ends up getting burn and scares from this so called "fog". It actually numbs your nerves so Peeta ends up going down forcing Finnick to carry him. Katniss runs for her life and they end up excaping it just in time. Katniss has arms that are uncontrollable as does Finnick. Peeta's legs are twitching as well. Katniss discovers that going into the lake by the Cornicopia helps the twicthing. Eventually those nerves start to come back and they have control again. But they still have scares that aer itching like crazy so Haymitch sends them itching cream. A few minutes later they are face to face with orange monkey's. Peeta accidentally takes one look at them and they all attack. Fortunatelly they make it out alive.

Another victor comes up to Peeta, Katniss, and Finnick asking to join their alliance. Katniss accepts and they end up figuring out the the arena that they are put in is a clock. At each hour something devistating happens. Fog, monkey's, wave of blood, acid rain, jabber jay with loved ones screams, distructive bugs, lighting each one comes right after another. Beetee another one of their alliances realizes that the only source of water is the Cornicopia therefore the other tributes have to be close by. Beetee comes up with an idea. They are going to put a wire that he carries around and tie it around a tree in the lighting area and run it all the way to the Cornicopia water. There for, if the victors are in any area of the beach, they will be eletricuted and die. Katniss and another allie run the wire up to the beach  but it gets cut. Before Katniss can do anything the allie is on top of her telling her to shut up. Katniss is confused because the allie has hit her on the head with a rock thinking that she is betraying her. Other victors pass by and the allie leaves with them leaving Katniss there for death. However, Katniss gets up and try's to go back to the tree with the wire. There is no one insight. A few minutes later she finds BeeTee laying on the ground with the wire tied around a knife in his hands. Katniss remembers that Haymitch told her, "remember who your enemies are in the arena." Because of this she takes the wire and raps it around her bow shooting it into a force field around the arena. After this, there was an explosion.

Katniss is awaken to find herself in District 13.

WOO. There is a District 13. Okay so I really wanna know what happened to Peeta cause he is no were to be found amoung the District. However, Gale is there. I think I am leaning toward Peeta just becuase Katniss and Gale are more like best firends. I quess in the next book it starts the war between districts and the capital. Katniss is their mockingjay and they need her to lead the rebellion.

Catching Fire: pages 188-252

We left off were Katniss and Peeta are going off to the Capital once again. This time, they are up against adults and pros. As they return back to the city, their stylist tell them that they are going to be stunning in the show as they walk out. They end up walking out with a costume full of lights that are colors of fire and coal. However, this time instead of holding hands and acting cute. They act mad and just stare off into their destonation. Haymitch and the other helpers are giving Peeta and Katniss more freedom since they are playing against adults and have already been through this all the previous year.

They all enter the training center. Haymitch told them that this year, their strategy was to become friends and make alliances. Katniss and Peeta split up and try to talk to as much people as they can communicating and becoming friends. Katniss was sick of talking so she went to the bows and arrows and shot everything the trainer threw at her. Every tribute is standing around watching her. By the time Katniss and Peeta return to their room, everyone has called wanting to team up with Katniss. However, Peeta and Katniss decide that they do not want to have a alliance, they want to make it through together, just themselves. Haymitch is still going to try to get Peeta out of the arena alive instead of Katniss this time. So Katniss is going to stay in as long as she can.

For the interviews of all the tributes Katniss' stylist puts her in a wedding dress. It's the wedding dress that the districts have chosen for the wedding of the century. Peeta is wearing a nice fancy tuxido that people would wear in the Capital. Way to fancy for people in District 12. As Peeta gets done with his interview, Katniss runs up on stage and talks about the return of the victors. She also talks about how she wore her dress so that everyone can see her in it now since she won't every be wearing it again. As she twirls in her dress it lights up. She keeps twrilling and twrilling, eventually the flames go down and as she looks down, she sees the same out fit except for a charcol grey color. Katniss looks on her arms and she has found wings. Then she realizes that her stylist has turned her into a Mockingjay. The symbol of her and the rebelious people amoung all the districts.

Nothing exciting has really happend. I think that Peeta and Katniss would be better off if they find friends in the arena and make allies so that they can stay in longer. But also all the tributes seem like they would turn on anyone in a second. So actually I think its better if they just hang out and protect eachother. The out fits, well they just sound like they are cool. I wish I had a stylist that could come up with ideas like that. I hope this game goes a lot quicker then in the last book. I want to know who wins and if Peeta and Katniss will be together. Or maybe Katniss and Gale?!

Catching Fire: pages 121-187

Katniss starts off by running into the woods one last time going to go see a house that her and her fatherused to go to when they were out there (her father passed away in a minning accident). When she arrived she meets two girls from District 8. They ended up running away after the uprising and the shooting. They managed to get away my stealing police uniforms. Katniss joined them in the house. She offered them some of her food and they gladly accepted. As they were eating, Katniss asked about the uprising in District 8 and where they are headed off too. They two girls told her that they are headed to District 13 (that district was distroyed). They believe that there are still living people in District 13 because everytime they show a televized interview at the district live, it uses the same footage; therefore, not being live at all! Katniss wishes them good luck amd runs back into town.

When Katniss gets closer to the fence, seh realizes it is full of electricity. There is no way she would be able to get back across without huring herself. Katniss climbs up a tree about 20ft. off the ground and drops hurting her ancle. She returns to her home to be welcomed buy two policemen. All they came to say was that the fence would be with electricity 24/7 and to let Gale know. After that welcoming, Katniss watched the interview with District 13, and realized that it is just footage that they replay over and over again every year. She wonders what it actually is.

 Katniss' make-up and beauty teams arrives to prep her for her photo shoot. She is taking pictures of all of the wedding dresses that her stylist has picked out for her. The next day the photos were being shown on t.v. and they Capital will be able to pick their favorite one that she will wear one her wedding day. Right after that news, the introduction to the third quarter quell. It happens every 25 years and it is always a special event. The first quarter quell there was an election to decide who was going to fight in the Hunger Games. The second quarter quell twice the many kids were put into the arena. For the third quarter quell, there will be returning victors thrown into the arena. This means one boy and one girl from each District. Katniss, Haymitch, and Peeta are the only winners from District 12; therefore saying that Katniss is back in the arena no matter what.

When everyone gathers in the city the next day, they announce who wins. Of course Katniss is going to be in the next quarter quell, and Haymitch was picked to be with her. However, Peeta interviens and volunteers to take Haymitchs place. He does this so that when him and Katniss are in the arena together, He can help protect her. Because of this, they all decide to start training like careers so that they can get better and stronger. Katniss goes and talks to Haymitch privately (since he will be their mentor again this year) about who to protect. Last year Haymitch protected Katniss, this year Katniss wanted to protect Peeta. They both owe him alot so Haymitch agrees to it. As they leave the city, maybe for the last time, Katniss thinks that will be the last time she will see the city.

Catching Fire is interesting. I like the book a lot. It still keeps me interested even though it is kinda like the first book except for there is a lot harder competition in the arena. Instead of have young kids, they are all mostly adults with experience in killing. I really do not like how they are being thrown back into the arena. They just got out and are sick of doing the same thing. I think that once they win, they should stay out for life. I hope that Katniss and Peeta both survive even though I know that won't be possible again.

Catching Fire: pages 1-120

At the end of the previous book, The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta were faced with coming home to district 12 and not knowing what to expect. Now that they are back things have changed. Because Katniss fooled the Capital into letting two people survive the games, it made them look foolish. They do not like to be messed with. The president, President Snow, came into district 12 to let Katniss know how things are going to be run now. Apparently the skit that Katniss put on in the arena has caused other districts to react and retaliate against the Capital, which is strictly forbidden! Snow came to tell Katniss that she is not fooling anyone with her fake love intrest in Peeta and she better start acting better or people she love will die.

Katniss and Peeta start their trip again. This time it is for the Victory Tour. It is when the victor (or victors in this case) will go to every district and have a celebration in their honor. When they arrived to District 11, Rue's district, someone in the audiance made a noice supporting her and everyone cheered symbolizing the unity of district 11 and 12. This would cause great uproar in the Capital because as the districts unite, the more stronger they get and weaker the Capital becomes. Lets just say that man got dragged off and shot in the head.

The two love birds eventually make it to the Capital , once there they have a dinner in their honor. During this party Peeta decides to purpose to her so that they could convice the President that they were truely in love (Peeta loves Katniss, but Katniss does not love Peeta in return). Snow congragulates Peeta and Katniss and while giving Katniss a firm hand shake he nods to her in approval showing that he believes her now.

They return to the city thinking everything is going good and that the Capital will not interfer with them anymore until the next hunger games begin. They were wrong! Katniss ended up making a plan to run away with Peeta's family and Gale's family to protect all of them just incase. During her planning she hears of an uproar in district 8. She believes that everyone is in danger and it is the best thing to run away into the forest forever.  When Gale and Katniss meet in the woods, Katniss tells gale of this plan and he is on board until she tells him about the uproar in the districts. Gale believes if other districts are doing it, they should too and stealthly declines Katniss' offer to run away.

Once back into the town, Katniss runs to her house all of a sudden to stop and return back to the center. She heard noise not heard before. When she enters the square of the district she sees Gale tied onto a cross and the turkey he killed in the forest right above him. When Gale went to sell the turkey to the mayor, the head police were there and going into the forest was a death crime. Thankfully he told a lie stating that it was roaming around in the district. Yet still a crime, it was less punishable. The head police takes a whip and right before it slashes Gales skin, Katniss steps in and takes the hit for him right across the face. Haymitch also steps in and talks about how he hit the victor. Next, Peeta comes and stands up saying that he hit his fiance. They police guards exit and Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss take Gale down from the cross and take him to Katniss' mother (she is the nurse/doctor in the town). She fix him up, but he still has substantial amount of pain running through his body.

Catching fire is a book that I would not think would be all that interesting considering that it had to top the first book, which in my case would be pretty hard. But the book so far is doing a nice job of keeping you interested. Also I think Katniss is in a big love triangle right now!! Peeta loves her and so does Gale, but Gale is her best friend and she does not know if she has feelings for Peeta or not, or maybe she has feelings for Gales. She has no clue what she wants! I do no know why but I am leaning towards Gale just because they have been friends the longest and know each other better. Peeta just came into the picture because of the games. But also they have to keep this act up for the rest of their lives and they cannot do that with Gale in the picture. I don't know what she is going to do! Hopefully I will find out in the end of this book.

Catching Fire: prequel

So I am giong to start the second book of the Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins if I did not mention before. I have mostly heard good things about the first and second books. Which if you realized, I really liked the first one and so hopefuly I like the second as well. My brother told me that the second on is alright and the third one was just not that interesting. So I do not know if I am going to read that one. I am not really sure what it is about yet (catching fire). I am guessing that it is about how Katniss and Peeta fall in love with each other or Katniss ends up marrying Gale instead. Some future of Katniss. The mystery of Katniss' future is about to be revealed in the next post.