K =KFC

KFC is a restaurant that is in the fast food market. I can not say that I love this restaurant at all. When I walked in my first time, it was nice. I remember it looked clean and cool. I use the word cool because you could see everything. You could see past the counter and watch them make the fried chicken. As any fast-food restaurant, the prices are decent. Such as a 10 chicken bucket is 16.99 and a KFC snacker is only 1.49 of of the value meal. The service was great as well. I mean there are no people coming around when and if you sit down to eat but the people behind the counter are very respectfull and nice. I would defiantly recommend this resturant for someone. There is good service, great food and it's all for a good price!

The Book(s) that Changed My Life

So As you already know, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE HUNGER GAMES, but there are many other books out there than this series, so I am going to talk about another series that I absolutely love.

First: I read and love to read dystopian books. Yes it is weird that they are books that are about futuristic life after a disaster. In my teen age years, these are the books I read. I am currently reading the Birthmarked series. I finished the second book only days ago. This book I thought was almost as good as the Hunger Games. It is about a rebellious girl. This book (As many dystopian books) has a romantic part. The romance in these books are get annoying. But in Birthmarked the love was different. Gaia the main character wasn't suppose to even see the guy she loves. I really do love this series. It connects to the world today actually. There is two rebellions between the two books I read. They ended up messy and it caused problems.Both started from unfair treatment and laws made by a dictatorial figure. It is like today, things in Europe, Greece, The Middle East are going on. Such as revolutions and rebellions. Even though this book can connect to today's world, I love it just because of the characters. Gaia is extremely willful  and courageous when in pitfalls. I love her and how she solves her difficult problems. If you want to find out how to deal with a love square, read the Birthmarked series.        

Bucket List

1. Cure a disease- I would love to do this so that people can not die. It would be amazing to make a cure for something huge like cancer or aids but that is just wishing.

2. Become a successful scientist- I love the sciences. I want to become a famous scientist one day, wither it is for finding a new animal or creating a a vaccine or cure for a disease.

3. Go to Madagascar- I love animals a lot! I also did a project in ninth grade and it was about Madagascar. I fell in love with everything there. I hope one day I can go visit the unique animals and plants that are native to this island.

4. Get a 300- I have bowled my whole entire life. As every bowler, I hope one day to throw a perfect game. A 300. I would love this so much. I have been on the school team for two years now and I have been improving my game a lot so I hope that the day I throw one is soon!

5. Have a pet squirrel-  I love squirrels so much. Everything about them I love. So as would a dog lover, I want a squirrel as a pet. The only thing is that if I had one as a pet, I would feel guilty. I would feel guilty because I really feel like squirrels don't belong in a house. So maybe when I have a house I hope that a squirrel will occupy a tree in my yard.

6. Go scuba diving- I like fish just as much as I like animals. They are unique and colorful. I wish to help save them. I wish to save them because of the "Silent genocide." I feel like fish are being killed too much. I don't like to eat fish because I feel bad for them. I also hate all of the pollution that goes into the ocean which kills the creatures.

7. Ride a whale shark- I have gone to Mexico two times. I learned after these two times that if you go at a specific time, you can go watch the whale shark migration. They are literally gentile giants. I have seen documentaries where people ride them. I would LOVE to do this!

8. Study abroad- When I go to collage I want to study abroad. I think that it would be better than learning things in a classroom. I have never heard bad things about studying abroad. So I want to go one day.

9. Win a gold medal!!- Me and my friends have a joke on advisory. I want to go to the Olympics and compete. The thing is that I don't want to go for swimming or running, but trampolining and obviously as everyone who competes does, I hope to win the gold!!

10. I want to get a 99 average- I hope that throughout my high school years, I get a 99 average for one quarter. I have gotten 96,97 and 98 averages so I really hope to get a 99!!!  

The Language of Song

For your blog today, pick a different language other than English, Google music in that language, and listen to a song sung in the language you chose.  Songs in other languages make you think differently.  If you take a second language you're sure to have heard at least one song in another language!  For this blog write a short story using any (CLEAN)song sung in another language as an inspiration, capturing the tone of the song.  Cite the song title, artist, and lyrics used (both in English and in the other language.)   Call the blog The Language of Song.

Song/artist: La Camisa Negra (The Black Shirt) by Juanes  

Song Lyrics: http://songlations.livejournal.com/17899.html

Why

Before I knew it, I was running down the street. With a bullet wound right through my leg. I am an idiot! All you did was lie to me. I am running after you my love, while you sit in that white sedan waving goodbye. I gave you my house, bought you a karat ring and even payed for your mother to get through her kemo. All you did was run away. I mean I don't think you had to run, the thing that I did wasn't so bad...was it? Anyway all I wanted was some money, I need to get through the week.You knew how I was looking for a job. So I take fifty dollars and you act as if I was murdering you. So you decide to call your boyfriend. This whole time you went behind my back and you didn't even love me. So when Mr. New guy walks in, you cower over to him. He pulls the gun and shot me. What the heck! Your boyfriend shot me because I took fifty dollars from you.

Now here I am laying down in the middle of the street. Staring at my love quickly leaving me behind to bleed out. I look down at my pants and I know. The last thing I see is my black pants. Stained with the blood which used to propel faster and faster when I saw her face. Even now as she leaves, my last liter of blood pumps fast for her, my Rose. 

     

Lucky Blog

I have a lucky pair of shorts. They are gray with a line of white on each side. They are under armor shorts at about knee length. They have the fabric of basketball shorts. I use these shorts when I go bowling. I seem to think that I always do good when wearing these. I got one of my highest three game series (698) while wearing these. So whenever I go to my Saturday league bowling I wear them. What scares me is that they are getting a bit small. I think that by next year they will be too small to wear. Whenever I wear another pair of leg wear, especially pants I do horrible at bowling. Maybe next year I will unfortunately get my lowest series ever!    

TU Tuesday- Crime

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Texas-infant-that-was-kidnapped-8-years-ago-found-3407066.php

http://www.pdi-web.com/kidnapping-investigation-ransom.html

http://www.squidoo.com/kidnapping

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.


My question: What can happen to her (Prison wise), how do you investigate a kidnapping?

My times union article was about a babysitter (Tanner) who kidnapped a kid. After many years of searching for this child, the case ran cold. Recently they believe that they have found the child. " Texas authorities believe they've found a boy who was kidnapped as an infant eight years ago and have arrested his former babysitter." Kidnapping is a serious topic, but to me it isn't as "easy" as a murder. A kid being taken can easily be concealed, rather than a murder. So how do you investigate a kidnap? PDI says that you need to act quickly. Time is relevant and a key factor in finding the person. "Time is the enemy in missing child cases. According to a study by the State of Washington’s Office of the Attorney General, in 76.2% of child abduction-homicides, the murder of the child occurred within the first three hours." Now that we know time is at the essence, what happens after someone is actually caught? Do they get a life sentence? Seven years? Mr. Kavinoky posts that the punishment is harsh. "The punishment for a kidnapping for ransom varies. Where the victim does not suffer bodily harm or death, the punishment is life in prison with the possibility of parole. If the victim suffers death or serious bodily harm, the punishment is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Kidnapping to commit robbery is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. In order to prove this offense, the prosecutor must prove that there was a robbery and there was a kidnapping." The good part is that the child will be reunited with its mother. If the jury decides to punish Tanner, she is going to have to start liking the color orange!      

Creative Contest 2 Blog

 "I never knew running into a boulder could leave hair in your mouth!?"

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=71&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=809&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=paqr5a5AsccQyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.nassaulibrary.org/centreblog/2010/07/we_are_family.html&docid=HJX4plI_0Nln1M&imgurl=http://www.nassaulibrary.org/centreblog/stick%252520figures.gif&w=512&h=384&ei=vnZaT-qhA_TJ0AGO_cGgDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=187&vpy=308&dur=752&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=118&ty=108&sig=107261238629618762088&page=3&tbnh=139&tbnw=192&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:71

Extra Credit is on my blog!

Scruples

2. In a heated tennis match, your opponent returns a ball that looks out, but you’re not sure. If you win the point, you win the match. Do you call the ball out?

There is an obvious answer to this in my opinion. This is because this happens to my cousin and I all the time. My solution would be to redo the play. It is the only fare way. Well actually not. If I was playing where there was a ref, then I would go to them about this problem and if i din't agree I would challenge the play or do anything I can to prove that my call was right. Back to a simple friendly game of tennis. Yes I would just ask if we could redo the play. 

I answered this scruple in the way I did, because it is only fare. If I just lied and said that I saw it go out 100 percent then I would have guilt in the back of my mind for awhile. So I would ask if we could redo it. If the person said no I would be OK though because I wouldn't have lost. I can still keep fighting my way through!   

My Blog Idea

First list five things. It can be anything: animal, person, object etc. Do this before you go on to the rest of the directions.
After you listed seven things, choose one of the following scenarios. 
     1. You realize that you have gotten on the wrong train. No one else is aboard with you. You end up in the city of Mern. It is  a large city but is completely uninhabited.
     2. On the last morning of your tropical vacation, you wake up and see that no one is around. You look out the window and see that miraculously the ocean has risen all the way to the foots of your hut. Besides the tree next to your hut there is only one thing. Something floating on the horizon.
Based on what scenario you picked, write your adventure back to civilization. The catch is that the five things you listed in part one are the only things that you can use to get yourself back. You don't have to use everything. If you picked...
     Scenario 1: Use the five things to get you out of Mern and back home.
     Scenario 2: Use the five things to get you to the thing on the horizon and make sure to include what is in the horizon.


   
My adventure back home! 
1. Ghost
2. Pack of pens
3. Flash drive
4. Toothpaste
5. Blanket
I choose scenario 2
After I get over the fact that I am stranded in a hut I realize something needs to be done. I search through my room and find four things. A blanket, pack of pens, flash drive, and a pocket size tube of tooth paste. I know that I need to get to the thing on the horizon. It's my only chance to survive. I get snapped out of my thoughts when suddenly a small blob appears in front of me. Surprised I black out. 
                                                                 ***** 
I wake to the sound of splashing. I warily get up and walk to the door. I see the same little blob as yesterday throwing my blanket into the water back and forth. I go back and get the toothpaste. I charge the blob and throw the toothpaste at it. The moment the toothpaste went through the blob I knew that the thing was a ghost. It looked up at me. It started to point at the thing on the horizon. I look back at it. The thing makes a floating motion and then points at the blanket. I start to say no it can't hold me but then walk forward and I feel something hard against my leg. It was the blanket. The ghost looks up and smiles. I look closer and see that the blanket is being held up by thousands of pens. I remember how yesterday I found a pack of pens. I originally thought that it said 100 pens in the corner but it must have said 10000. I smile back at the ghost and walk back in the hut. I grab the remaining things: a flash drive and toothpaste. I walk back and get onto the blanket. 
A couple days after leaving the hut the thing that was in the distance becomes clear. I realize that it is a water plane. It is a good thing to because the pens have been separating in the past day. As I get up to the plane, I notice it is locked. You can tell that it said something a while ago but its been faded. In anger I smash my hand against the side of the plane. The now broken flash drive falls out of my hand. The only piece left is a thin wire. As my last hope i decided to try and pick the lot. Vigorously I shove the wire into the lock and it snaps. As my hope fades away I hear a door slide open. I look to the other side and i see that the whole time, the passenger door had been open. Joyfully I jump into the water and I get in the plane. I turn the hanging key to start the engine. Thankfully it roars to life. As the plane speeds off I look to the ghost and thank him for if it weren't for him, I would have died alone in the hut. With nothing but a flash drive, toothpaste, pens, a blanket to entertain me before my final breath.     

Revisions

Original poems submitted

Caterpillar

Inching along a rough terrain,

A monster inside of them: Hunger.

A minuscule thing yearning to grow big

Eventually changing its state,

Into a something that is a feather in weight.

Rapidly flapping its newly formed wings

Her goal to lay babies on the milkweed’s leaf.

Starting just as her,

A miniscule monster,

Eating, yearning, hoping to grow big. 

Free Heart Universe

Sailing yesterdays vast stream

We long magically

Someday to go explore again.

Wild tree flower fly

Liquid fish laugh

Wet morning breeze

& yet I stay

A blind prisoner

Living as ghosts of my foolish thinking.

Believe

  And pretend it gets easier

When your hero moves to another world never to be seen again,

When your best isn't good enough.

And pretend it gets easier,

When your dream is shattered in two,

When you know the going will only get tougher.

And pretend it gets easier
After hours of daunting homework,
after a failed grade.

And pretend it gets easier
only to make your day feel better.
When the real thing to do is believe it gets easier.

Revision advice

Thank you for all 3 poems.  It's good to have an industrious, enthusiastic participant!  Caterpillar and Free Heart Universe have strong images throughout.  Believe is heartfelt and sincere but lacks the imagination that the first two contain.  I suggest you look at the first two and see how you incorporated imagery, and then try that in the third.  Sometimes a 5-10 minute free write will help to develop surprising images.


Mimi Moriarty

Revisions


Believe 
And pretend it gets easier
When your hero moves to another world never to be seen again.
A world above the clouds. 
A world which loved ones go after they are put into the earth. 
You enter a competition with your best dessert,
Only to find that your best baking isn't as good as you thought.


And pretend it gets easier
When your dream is shattered in two.
An audition gone wrong,
An audition that makes you realize dreams don't always come true. 
When you stop chasing the dream.
You realize that you need to start over again, pick a new dream to follow.


And pretend it gets easier
When you get home from school,
Yearning to relax.
You look into your overworked brain and realize you have more to do.
The older you get the more your "Suppose to have"
After you mind grows with knowledge, you find out you didn't even pass.


And pretend it gets easier 
Only so you don't drop down.
From the stress and burden always carried on your shoulder.
Once in awhile you get a break.
The weight is taken off your back from a generous person.
A new hero that shows the light at the end of the tunnel.


Thoughts
I really love were Miss Moriarty's advice took me. I think that the revised piece complements the other two poems a lot better. I used more details and symbols like Miss Moriarty told me I should. I love both of these new pieces that I wrote. I think that I do still like my original piece because I know what I wanted to do with it and it was a success. I liked how in the original poem, it let your imagination run wild (The reader). That's what I thought. I wanted it to be less about my failed grades, lost hero, hardships in school and instead I wanted to the reader to think about what hero they lost and how hard they try in school and then have a moral booster at the end. Compared to my revised poem. My revised poem is more personal to me. It is still connectable but it shows what I think and I really wanted that poem to be open to have people think what they want. If I were to publish a book of poems and I had the first two poems in it, then I think that the revised poem does work a lot better, because it follows the pattern. If i were to just publish the Believe poem then I think that i would choose the first one, because it's simple yet has the potential to spark a lot of conversation about..." what does the author mean when he says 'a lost hero?'" If i chose the revised one the people could easily said "Oh! his hero was someone who died. I was very happy with my revised version of Believe. Both the original and revised believe have their own qualities and they fit different situations.