Ninth Grade!

Ninth grade has gone by so fast. I honestly can't believe we are done with Junior High School. It doesn't really seem like we completed all four terms yet. I swear we are only half way through the year. But it's over. Crazy. This year has been great. I've met a ton of new friends and I've learned so much. I'm glad I rose to challenges this year, it has really made me a better person. Honors Enlgish was one of those challenges I took upon myself this year. At first I didn't think too much of it. The reading was a little challenging for me, but that's normal. Everything else seemed just fine. The assignments weren't too hard and as for the blogs, I was pretty good at getting them done on time. But as the year went on, everthing seemed to get harder for me. I started getting really behind on the reading, and I started missing a couple blogs and discussion boards every once in a while. And most of us know, that once you get behind it's really hard to get caught back up. Well, it was for me at least. I guess I just got really caught up in other things. Since Honors Enlgish wasn't a class that I was being forced to do, it was kind of just getting pushed down father and father on my priorities list. I know that there were times that I really, really wanted to just be done with it. I was ready to be done. But only having a couple weeks left in the class, why quit now? After all the work I had done, I wasn't going to just let it all go at the very end. So i'm really glad that I stuck with it.

The Way to Watch a Game

This is making up a post clear back from April... Ü


THE WAY TO WATCH A GAME


The way to watch a game is this—
Surround yourself with nothing but you,
the game, and maybe some snacks.
Release yourself from the problems of life
and focus in on the game.

The way to focus yourself is this—
Say goodbye to the world around you,
Say goodbye to your family and friends.
Do all your necessary chores in life now,
To leave you with no interruptions
When the game is at its most intense.
Grab your comfy blanket, your popcorn, and a drink-
Enter your room, leave the world behind.
Get comfortable. Get ready. Get cha’ game face on.
It’s time.

But never think your ever alone,
Your never the only one cheering.
There’s millions of people all around
Getting frustrated, then pumped,
Then right back down again until they
take the lead for the win.
This is when your really not alone,
This is when the screams and cheers
are coming out of everybody.
You are now complete. Your satisfied. You’ve won.

I Am...

I am a gymnast trying to achieve
I wonder what my scores will turn out to be
I hear the crowd cheering me on
I see myself on the winning team
I want to be the best I can be
I am a gymnast trying to achieve.

I pretend to be the best there is
I feel the pressure put on me to stick my routines
I touch the chalk to help me grip the bar
I worry about my hardest skills
I cry aobut the injuries that take place
I am a gymnast trying to achieve.

I understand the rules and consequences
I say to myself "I can do it, just like practice"
I dream of all my routines as perfect as can be
I try to improve everyday
I hope to succeed in gymnastics
I am a gymnast trying to achieve.

To Kill A Mocking Bird vs. Walk Two Moons

To Kill a Mockingbird and Walk Two Moons have many ways in which they are alike, and in which they are different. They both share a story about young children realizing life lessons, yet they are different in what they learn. These young children have completely different stories, but share a theme of judging someone too soon, or before knowing the entire story, is one that we can learn from.

Scout and Salamanca are alike in that they both are affected deeply by their friendships. In To Kill a Mocking Bird, Scout is taught by her friends to be accepting and brave in what is around her. In the story, Scout is complaining about school, and how she isn’t getting along with her teacher very well. Jem, being her brother and a good friend, tries to comfort her by saying “Don’t worry, Scout, Our teacher says Miss Caroline’s introducing a new way of teaching…” and later assures her that the older she got, the better school would be. This helps show that Scout is close with her brother, and their friendship between each other helps her to push through school, even though it’s a pain to her. In Walk Two Moons, Sal’s friend, Ben, helps her. In the book, Sal reads a poem in Mr. Birkway’s class about a traveler who mysteriously disappears. “The waves, with their ‘soft, white hands’ grab the traveler. They drown him. They kill him. He’s gone.” Ben said, “Maybe he didn’t drown. Maybe he just died, like normal people die.” I said, “It isn’t normal to die. It isn’t normal. It’s terrible.” Ben said, “Maybe dying could be normal and terrible.” This passage shows how Ben sees life more broadly, and suggests that terrible events are a normal part of life. Sal doesn’t realize that terrible things do happen and they are unavoidable in life, until the end of the book, when things start to make sense to her. Both these characters, Scout and Sal, have really strong friendships and are taught by their friends constantly throughout the book.

These two narrators are also alike in which they both figure that people aren’t always who they think they are. They aren’t always who you expect them to be. In To Kill a Mocking Bird, Scout tells her father about how she feels about Boo Radley. “Atticus, he was real nice…,” Her father replies by telling her “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” At first, Scout and her friends are suspicious and a little terrified of this Boo Radley. Making accusations, they think of him as a bad person, why else would he be locked up in a house for so long? There perception of him changes by the end of the book when he saves her and her brother’s lives. They then see he isn’t a bad person, but a kind, caring, and loving guy. In Walk Two Moons, Sal and Pheobe also tend to make such accusations towards Mrs. Cadaver of her being a murderer. Sal comes to realize later in the book that people are often different then they seem, just as Mrs. Cadaver ends up being a comforter to her father, and to her mother when she was on the bus. She says “…although there might be axe murderers and kidnappers in the world, most people seem a lot like us: sometimes brave, sometimes cruel and sometimes kind.” Both narrators seem to realize that no matter what they seem to be, people can be just as normal as anyone else, or end up not too different from yourself.

Although these two books have many similarities, they are also in different in a couple of ways. Both books seem to share a common theme of family, and being close to each other. But even though they share this theme, they share it in different ways. In Walk Two Moons, Sal is determined to find her mother, and is willing to do whatever it takes to reunite her family. “I prayed all night to the elm tree outside. I prayed that we would not get in an accident, that we would get to Lewiston, Idaho, in time for my mother’s birthday, and that we would bring her home…” Sal’s determination is completely different that Scout’s in To Kill a Mocking bird. While Sal’s is trying to get her family back together so that they can become happy again, Scout uses her family for comfort and advice, as she tries to figure out the world around her. “Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment.” Scout’s father was good to her family; he taught her many things, including many life lessons and was a great person. Using his example, Scout learns to judge people the way they should be, and not by what they look like. Although both these books stress on family a lot, they are different in their ways.

In conclusion, these two books have many similarities and differences. Including how friendships have such a great impact on others, how people shouldn’t be judged too soon, and how family plays an important role in people’s lives. These themes are great lessons taught, that not only the characters of these books will take in, but also the readers.

Mother's Day

Mothers are amazing, don't you think? They do so much for everybody. I don't know what I would do without my mother. She is so helpful and loving to everyone, especially my family. She is always willing to help others out, and to have fun. She's smart, funny, and just has a great personality. She is loved by everyone, and is always getting compliments. She's told she looks way young for her age (she likes that compliment), and is always complimented on her entire appearance. From her hair all the way down to what shoes she is wearing. She works so hard to help support my family. She really does work like crazy, and we appreciate her. Her and my dad both work full time. She leaves for work as I leave for school, and she returns late each evening around 7:30-8:00ish, depending on how busy she is. She works for a company called JDClark & Company as an accountant. She is also one that likes to just kick back and have some fun whenever she can. She loves to take vacations, and just spend time with her friends and family. She loves to try new things all the time, even if we have to force her into trying some things (like big rollercoasters). She always gives into our peer pressure and ends up having a great time. She's very supportive of our family. She calls herself "A Proud Momma", because of all the things that her children have accomplished. She loves cheering us on at soccer games, gymnastics meets, football games, and all the other stuff our family does. She loves to see our family all together, especially when we all love eachother. She loves everything about our church, and our neighborhood. She is currently the second counselor in the Beehives, and she really loves it. She enjoys being with kids, and working with them. Her favorite is little babies. She loves them so much, and is always wanting to hold one that is nearby. And once she gets one, she never likes to give them up. My mom is an amazing volleyball player, and we tease her for playing on an "old lady league". She actually works out every week, kind of crazy huh? All around my my is just an amazing lady and mother. I love her so much, and I honestly don't know what I would do without her. She is seriously one of my favorite role models in life and I look up to her so much!

I decided to write this blog about mothers, but as you can see kind of turned out almost like a letter to my mom. It's all her instead of mothers in particular. But that's ok, she's that amazing that she deserves an entire blog dedicated to her. And your guy's mothers should too! It's Mother's Day! Don't forget to tell you mom how much you love her and all that other stuff. Oh and by the way, Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you! I forgot to put that at the end up there Ü

No Time!

Do you ever have days that just seem like they are packed full of so many things? And you feel like you day is never-ending? Or too short to fit in everything that needs to be done? I've felt this way for about a month or so. It's crazy. With gymnastics, school, church, and everything else in my life, things are just getting hard. Gymnastics has always been a huge part of my life. I would go to school for the first half of the day, and then for the other half i'd been in the gym. It's been this way for a long time, ever since I started competiting in gymnastics, which was about 8 years ago. So it's been awhile. But I've gotten used to it, it's just become a normal habit. School, then gym. That's how it's always been. But lately things seem to be getting harder for me. It's hard for me to fit everything in my life that I want to. Before it's been easy, there wasn't much to choose from. But as I get older, it just seems like the possibilities are getting endless. I'm having to pick and choose what things are more important to me, and what things I could live without. Take Honors English for example. At the beginning of the year it wasn't too hard. I mean yeah, the reading was really hard for me, but it seems like I had the time to really focus on what I was reading without stressing over getting other things done also. And even though I didn't use it very wisely, it just seems like I had more than enough time to read and really understand the book. But lately, i'm falling behind so bad, it's getting hard for me to catch up. Like these blogs, I think I'm missing about three...not including this one. :( . I have actually thought about dropping this class so many times, but then I just think of what a waste the first three terms would of been. I can't give up now, that would be really dumb of me. Might as well, stick it out til the end as best I can. I don't know why it's getting so hard for me, but it's not helping me at all. I think that my gymnastics is a huge part of why I don't have enough time. It's not to hard to figure, i'm in the gym almost every single day. But just like honors english, i've put so much time into that quitting now would just be a huge waste. I should of known when I got so serious in gymnastics that I would be dedicating so much time into it. But still, like I said, it's been this way for a while. So why is it coming back to haunt me now? Not only is it with Honors English, but it's also with school too. I was gone to California last weekend, and I ended up missing about 3 days of school. Thursday, Friday, and Monday. And after checking with most of my teachers, it didn't seem like I was going to miss that much, or at least it wouldn't be too hard to make up. But when I got back I was in for a treat. For the most part, my teachers were right. I had only missed a quiz, and some notes, and just some stuff that I could easily make up within a night. That wasn't the hard part. Fitting that in with the rest of the new homework that was given to me that day was kind of a challenge. For those next two days I was back, I don't think I've had so much homework in my life. And trying to get it done within so little time is hard. I even spent a whole day of doing just homework to get it done. I didn't quite finish it all, and to tell you the truth i'm still finishing a couple things up tonight. Crazy. But it's not like I could have asked my teachers for extra time or something because that wouldn't be fair. But let me tell ya, sometimes I sure wish I could. Life is just crazy right now. My friends and I have come up with a theory that time is being shortened as we get older. Doesn't it seem like it? I think so. Well, I'll tell you about that later. Maybe in one of the three other blogs I still have to make up. I am such a procrastinator. :(.

Aquarium of the Pacific

During my vacation to California for gymnastics, we did many things. One of which was visiting the Aquarium of the Pacific, which is located in Long Beach. This Aquarium is home to more than 12,500 ocean animals, and it represents nearly 500 species. Since there was so much to see and do down there, the main gallery we focused on was the Southern California/Baja Gallery.
The Southern California/Baja Gallery represents the diverse marine environments which are mainly found within the California and Baja California waters. Part of this gallery features a large bed of giant swaying Kelp, some colorful garibaldi (which is actually California’s state fish), giant spined sea stars, California Scorpionfish, and many other examples of local Southern California Ocean life. Examining this was really cool because of the diversity, and numbers of all the ocean creatures. There was a ton of fish! Also in this gallery is where we found the Seal and Sea Lion Habitat. This was one of my favorite parts of our adventure through the aquarium. The Seals and sea lions were really interesting to watch move around and swim. It was really cool to see how they could adapt from water to land and from land to water. We also got to visit the touch pool area in this gallery. They had many things available for us to feel, but the most common was the sting ray. They had sting rays ranging from very small to GIGANTIC. They were literally huge. Feeling them was really cool because of the texture of their smooth, almost slimy feeling skin. It grossed me out, I have to admit, but it was worth it to be able to examine them up close.
All in all, this trip was really fun and I definitely learned a lot about ocean life. I learned how many different kinds of fish there are, and that there’s still a ton more out there for us to discover. I learned that there are so many different types of one creature or fish, and that none of them are alike. Each type has their own characteristics that make them unique and interesting to learn about.

Internet Connection

Do you know somebody who just thinks that they can do anything? No matter how hard the task? Well, I do...he's my older brother. He once took apart one of our old TV sets just to see if he could put it back together. I don't think its worked properly ever since. My brother's just one of those kids who is up for any challenge, no matter what it is, even if it's not for him. And if he doesn't get it right the first time, he'll keep at it until it works, or until it's impossible to fix anymore. (Like the TV set). Well, for the past week my internet connection has been all messed up, and normally I don't really mind because most of the time it gets fixed within the same day. Not this time. It's been a while since i've been able to do anything on the internet at home. (This is why i'm having to make up the last two blogs before this weeks). And it's all be cause of a 18 year old's passion for video games. My brother has this game that he likes to play online. Him and his friends are so into it that when they come over to hang out with him, that's all they do. They all huddle around the computer area to play. I don't understand how they could be entertained by a game for that long, I mean is it really that fun? But I guess I have no say in what I think about it until I've actually played the game for myself. But still? Anyway. This game of his. For some reason or another, to play the game with all of it's special features you have to connect it to something to make it work. (This would be a lot easier to explain if I knew all the technical terms, but I don't...sorry). It has to do with the internet connection, I know that much. Well, when he found out he had to connect it to whatever it is he had to connect it to, he decided he'd do it himself. Because that's the kind of kid he is, he likes to do things himself. So he went downstairs to the "connection box" (I wish I knew the name for it, but that's what we'll call it) to try to switch it so that his game would work. But he found that he needed a password. So without my parents permission, he secretly logged onto their computer and searched until he found what he needed. Once he got the password, he went back downstairs and started fittling around with things until he thought it worked. Once he realized that he had done something wrong he just decided to go put everything back where it was before. Well, when he switched everything the first time, he had messed up the internet connection somehow. When he tried to put everything back in order, he couldn't figure out how to get the internet working again. So he tried, and tried, and tried some more. It never worked, he was stumped. So when it was sunday afternoon, my time on the computer to get all my homework done -- the internet wasn't working. So I told my mom, and she told me she'd fix it in a minute. Well, she was preoccupied but when she finally went and fixed it later that night. We all realized something was wrong. We ended up somehow blaming my brother for it, and that's when he confessed. "I couldn't get it to work again, I was just trying to play my game." he said. This made my parents mad, especially when they found out he went searching on their computer for the password. Boy, was he is in trouble. I was mad at him because none of my homework got done that day, but i'm over it now. It's back and I'm liking it. So, my moral of this story is don't do things that you think you can do, it doesn't always work out in the end. Ü

Dinosaur Park

On April 11th, a couple of my friends and I decided to go visit the Dinosaur Park down in Ogden as part of our term project. We were able to see many dinosaur findings, some of which are the most recent found in Utah and all around the world. We were able to examine the bones and such of full-sized dinosaurs, watch robotic dinosaurs in their habitat, and actually dig up some dinosaur fossils of our own.
While we were at the museum, we saw so many bones and fossils. It was crazy. They had things such as a dinosaur tooth and a footprint, to a full size built together model of the creature. It was really cool to be able to see what happened such a long time ago. It was also really cool to see everything up close. Some of the things they would actually let us touch and feel. It was interesting to feel the bones that were on display. They felt just like ‘bone’ but it was weird to think that it came from a creature from so long ago. It just felt a little weird. We were also able to observe as real dinosaur bones and teeth were being prepared to put on display. We were able to see the process that they put the fossils though before they are ready for our eyes out in the museum. Another really cool thing about the museum was the robotic dinosaurs, they honestly almost looked real. It was cool to see how scientists can display for us what they have discovered and researched. The robotic dinosaurs helped us see what kind environment they lived in, and especially how they moved about and sounded. It helped to put a picture in my head of how things could have really been back when dinosaurs did rome the earth.
I really learned a lot from this visit from observing fossils to uncovering some of my own. I was able to see how scientist work, and what they actually do. It was a cool experience to how life was a way, way long time ago!

What's Wrong With TV?

What’s wrong with TV? Why is it that so many of us use the TV as if we couldn’t live without it? The TV is addictive. It really is. It draws us into watching things that really don’t even matter in life. Like game shows for instance, when is the last time you watched a game show? Was it really necessary for you to watch it? Could you of been doing something else? Something you needed to get done, something productive? But you had to see if the contestant won the million dollars, right? A lot of the time when we watch TV we do it just because. We don’t really have a reason. Maybe we’re just bored and want something to do, or are too lazy to do the things we’re supposed to be doing. Most of us could just sit on the couch and search through channels and channels just to see if there is anything on, even though we’ve already gone through the channels twice before and know that there’s nothing on that would be worth watching. But yet, we still search. The TV is honestly addicting, it pulls us into many shows and movies, and even commercials. It’s like chips or candy, you can’t eat just one. Once you’ve gotten a taste and liked it, you have to go back for more. Think about it. A lot of us have our TV shows that come on once a week, and we’d die if we missed a new episode. But lucky for us, technology invented Te-bo, which lets us record our favorites so that we don’t miss anything important. So many things and new technologies make it so easy for us to be lazy. When I come home at the end of the day and walk in the door, most of the time our TV is on and my family is gathered around watching. Whether it be educational shows, cartoons, comedy shows, investigation shows, or even just the news, it catches the attention of them all. And when I arrive I can’t help but join in on the watching, and try to figure out what’s happening. I hadn’t even been watching the TV show, but yet I became so interested, so fast. When my family watches TV, they watch TV. They don’t like talking during the show, especially when people ask questions to try to understand. They hate that, it annoys them so bad. They become so into the show that they don’t care about anything else in the world it seems like. You have to wait for commercials to even get a question in about reality. It’s crazy how the TV does this. Another example is my mom. If you’ve ever watched the lifetime channel, you know there are a lot of shows about drama on there. My mom loves that channel, and can be caught watching it a lot. She doesn’t care if the show has just begun or if it’s in its last 15 minutes, she’ll get drawn in by the movie, and watch it until it’s over. I’ve caught her crying when watching a movie that she’s only seen the end of. I mean talk about getting your attention. She hadn’t even seen the show before, let alone she was only watching the last ten minutes. But it drew her in enough to make her cry. Addictive, that’s what the TV is. We get so caught up in the action and drama of the television that it takes us out of reality and places us in place where we just sit and watch. It shows us things that we know we don’t really have to be watching, but for some reason it just seems like you can’t get away. You’re stuck in the show, and you can’t get out of it. That’s what’s wrong with TV— once you’ve started, you just can’t seem to get enough.

Great Expectations

Great Expectations is a novel written by Charles Dickens that tells about a young boy who strives to be greater in many ways, but ends up realizing a lot of what wished for wasn’t really what he wanted. Many themes are illustrated in this book, such determination, self-improvement, and friendship. During the book Pip experiences these, along with the other characters. But one theme in particular that Pip finds is that affection and loyalty are more important than social advancement and wealth.

“Pip, dear old chap, life is made of ever so many partings welded together, as I may say, and one man’s a blacksmith, and one’s a whitesmith, and one’s a goldsmith, and one’s a coppersmith. Diwisions among such must come, and must be met as they come.”

- Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. With Connections. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1990. Page 237-238

This passage is said by Joe to Pip as a farewell after their awkward meeting in London. Pip, now a gentleman, has been uncomfortably embarrassed by both Joe’s commonness and his own lifestyle. Becoming a gentleman changed Pip’s life and brought length to his relationship toward Joe. While at the same time, Joe feels like a fish out of water in Pip’s luxurious apartment. They have just become so different now because of Pip’s expectations that being in each others presence has become awkward.

In the passage Joe is telling Pip that he does not blame him for the awkwardness of their meeting, but he does blame the natural divisions of life. He creates a metaphor of metalsmithing to describe these natural divisions: some men are blacksmiths, such as himself, and some men are goldsmiths, such as Pip. In these terms, Joe arrives at a wise and resigned attitude toward the changes in Pip’s social class that have driven them apart, and he shows his inner goodness and loyalty by blaming the division not on Pip, but on the unchangeable nature of humanity.

When Joe tells this passage to Pip, he tells it in a way that most people wouldn’t. Although Pip acts annoyed and uncaring towards Pip, Joe doesn’t change his voice and actions to match the situation. In other words, Joe doesn’t react in ways that some of us might, when talking to someone who doesn’t seem to care. He doesn’t change his values and act annoyed back, or become stubborn towards Pip. He takes it in and tells pip part of reality. Joe explains that even though he might not notice, Pip’s new way of life, or great expectations, have changed him, and others as well. He doesn’t see people the same as he should. He sees where people stand, or what their worth according to the world instead of who or what they really are.

By the time Pip realized what Joe had really said, he was gone. He didn’t have time to adjust his behavior and prove to him right then that he understood and wanted to change. He realized that one’s social status is in no way connected to one’s real character, and that wealth and class are less important than affection, loyalty, and inner worth. Although Joe said to have forgiven him for his choices of becoming a gentleman, Pip felt guilty for leaving behind the most important things for things that didn’t gain him much at all. He had lost part of a close relationship because of his wants to be higher and greater.

There are many examples of this theme illustrated in Great Expectations. All throughout the book there are many little things that happened that should have stuck out to Pip in helping him to realize what he was leaving behind. But a lot of the time Pip was too focused on what he wanted to become. Not realizing until later that what he had of loyal friends and affection towards others was far greater than what his desperately wanted expectations turned out to be.

Great Grandma Nola

When’s the last time you spent four hours visiting with someone over the age of ninety? I know most of us don’t have many relatives or close ones that live to actually be that old, but there are some of us that are lucky. I happen to be one of those lucky ones. I’m the type of person who loves to be around older people. I love to hear what they have to say about their lives. Whether it be about when they were young and reckless, or gray and old, or even just the wise advice they have for everyone. I don’t know why but I really do find it interesting and entertaining to visit with the elderly. (So, if you ever need anybody to go visit some older ones, I would maybe go with you.)

This past weekend my family went up to visit my great grandmother. She is living in an assisted living home and is taken care of very well by her family, and the staff there. She has been in and out of the hospital escaping death many times, but has always seemed to make it through in the long run. She is doing a lot better now. She is on oxygen and medication, but not nearly as heavily as she was before. She is 92, and will be turning 93 during the summer.

Although she claims her life was “full of enjoyment and learning experiences,” she would prefer it if her life came to an end soon. Her relatives and close friends would love to have her stay around longer, but she feels the opposite way about life. “I hate being old,” she said, “It makes you feel… well, just old.” She told us this while visiting her almost every time we had to walk her somewhere. Whenever she takes a step her knees give her pain, causing her to take her time to get where she needed to go. She also is almost blind. She has special glasses that help a little, but for the most part she can only see figures and lot of purple dots. These add to her list of reasons to give up on life. She told us, “I’m knocking on heaven’s door, but no one’s answering.”

Well, I do have to say, thinking of her not being alive anymore really does make me sad. She is the most fun person to be around. She’s always making everyone smile with her funny jokes and stories. Even if they aren’t too funny themselves, the way she tells them, and the way she laughs and smiles will definitely crack a smile on anyone’s face. But out of all the stories and memories she tells, her dreams are the most interesting to listen to. Like one she told us about was while she was lying in a hospital bed. She had woken up to a purple room (that may of just been because of her eyes, but who knows?) that was filled will peaceful animals. She told us they were everywhere, all around her bed, just silently watching her. She called for her son to come in, but no one came. It was just her and the animals. But it was peaceful, she wasn’t frightened or scared, she was just amazed at what she was seeing. She said she saw a bright light, but then was woken up by her doctor for real. She told us she honestly thought she was dead, and then brought back to life again. Crazy story huh? That was just one of the many stories she’s told us about being “practically dead” as she calls it.

Although none of us would like to have her gone, I almost think that putting her out of her misery here on earth would be better for her. Not saying I’m going to kill her or anything. Just saying that if she were to die soon, I wouldn’t be able to get too upset over it because I know that she will be loving where she’s going a lot more. When she does go though, no one will ever forget the loving, thoughtful, and wonderful person she was while she was here. It’ll be hard to forget such an amazing lady like her.

Olympian

As i'm sure you all know by now, I'm really into gymnastics. Because of that, I like to compete myself, but I also like to watch others compete. Like all those really good people on TV, and the college teams - they're fun to watch. Well, anway. This past weekend I go to go down to the University of Utah with a couple of my teammates to watch a gymnastics meet. If you didn't know, The U of U is one of the best college gymnastics teams in the nation. I think they're ranked number 2 in the nation right now. That's how amazing they are. Well, at the meet my teammates and I were all naming the tricks and skills that we could do and telling each other how much we wish they could be as perfect as they do them. I mean, they seriously make everything look so easy. It's crazy. Anyway, we were just having a fun time hanging out watching the sport we all love. The scores were kind of close, but the U of U won the meet. As most of us had predicted, because there ranked number 2. Makes sense huh? Well, at the end of the meet when the stadium was pretty close to being empty, instead of heading out to beat the traffic, we decided to head in and get autographs. Yeah, may seem like we're kind of obsessed, but hey, they were really good. I didn't have anything to be autographed so instead I just got a couple pictures. Well, Ashley Postell, probably the best gymnast on the U of U team, let me take a picture with her and this other amazing gymnast. It's now on my phone, and I think it's gonna be worth something someday. Haha. I really think it will because Ashley Postell as I said is amazing and is pretty much close to being perfect. Well, I asked her if she was ever going to be in the Olympics, in a compliment kind of way just to imply how well she did that night. But she took me seriously and told me that she was really thinking about it. She had planned on trying out earlier, but ended up getting hurt or something, so she couldn't make the cuts for the 2004 games. But from what she told us, I really think she's going to go for it again this year. And if you knew what I was talking about when I say she is amazing, I really mean it. I don't doubt that if she does try out that she won't make it. I'd bet you she would make the team. So anyway, how cool is that? I have a picture on my phone with a future Olympian. I'm thinking that picture is going to be worth something someday. Haha. I don't really know, but I do have a picture with her. And I think that's pretty cool.

Are you busy?

I was hanging out with my friend this past week, and while I was waiting for my ride to get there we were reading the newspaper. Sounds kinda funny, I know. But we weren't reading all of it, just this part about horoscopes. Well, I can't quite remember what my friends said, but we laughed about it cause it totally didn't make sense at all. Then we read mine. It said "Your trying to do too many things at once, slow down and balance your life." Then we really started laughing because that is the total truth with me. I do a lot. I go to school, I do gymnastics, I do church things, I take honors english, I'm trying to do honors society, and the list goes on. Oh, and I try to add a social life in there sometimes. It might not seem like a lot but it really is, well at least I think so. My day starts out at about 6:30-45 depending on the day. I get ready for school, getting all the stuff for the entire day into my little backpack. I leave for school at about 7:50. When school gets over at about 3:00, I go straight to gymnastics. I then work out for about 4 hours. When I'm done with gym I finally get to go home. By the time I actually get home it's about 8:00- just enough time to do finish up the day. (Unless it's tuesday nights, than I still have young womens to attend). I usually eat dinner right when I get home, then it's off to do my homework. I do get distracted though, there is a couple of TV shows that catch my attention sometimes. When I'm finished with my homework, it's normally between 10:00 and 10:30. By that time, I'm so tired that I jump in the shower and head right to bed. Depending on if I read or not. (Which I haven't been doing much latetly... :S). Then the cycle repeats itself, day after day after day. Except on sundays because I don't have gym that day, and saturdays I go earlier so there kind of on different schedules. But for the most part that's my main routine I do every week. People always ask me if I get sick of gym because I do it so much. I sometimes do, but not really because I don't know what I'd do without gym in my life. I've being doing it since I was about 4 so it's kind of been a lifelong thing for me. It would be really different if I wasn't doing it, I probably would get bored with myself. So with that kind of schedule I try my best to get things done, but I do mess up a lot. I try to get straight A's and be a good student and everything, but I really does take a lot of effort, especially just to find the time for it. I like to procrastinate a lot, putting things off thinking i'll do them later when I have time. Not a good habit to get into. That's part of the reason why this blog is late. But that's not the whole reason. I was really planning on doing it yesterday, but my internet freaked out on me just after I had finished my discussion boards questions. I know if I would of done it earlier that wouldn't of happened. But I told you, I'm a procrastinator. Ü. So anyway, I kind of have a busy life. And that's part of the reason why I don't get things done on time. If I'm really not into something, like a book for instance, it's hard for me to get myself through it. Hence, that's why a lot of the time I'm reading on the last day possible. I'm telling you, I have a real problem with procrastination. I really need to work on that. I think my main point of this blog was to warn you that you shouldn't get to caught up in life and try to do too many things at once. It leads to procrastination. Haha, just joking. My real advice is to get the important things done first. It always works out better that way. Ü

Block Schedule or Not?

The scheduling in our junior high’s today is not as beneficial as it is in our high schools. The block schedule our high school’s use allows students to learn more within a class period, gives students a variety between their teachers each day, and also helps lessen the amount of homework each night. With that said, in my opinion I think junior high schools should use block schedules like high schools do.

With longer class periods in a day, a lot more could get done. With extra time, more of the required curriculum could be taught. A lot of the time teachers run out of time while teaching, simply just because there’s only so much of it we can use. Switching to a block schedule would help with this simple inconvenience. Knowing that this situation doesn’t happen all the time, the extra class time wouldn’t be wasted. The time could be used for additional one on one help with the teacher if needed. I know that sometimes I get home to do my homework only to find out that I’m still confused. With having extra time in class, students could get a head start on homework. This could not only save them time, but allow them to get the additional help they need to completely understand the subject before attempting the assignment on their own.

Having more time in a class period leaves less class periods able to take place during the day. Instead of having seven classes a day, the block schedule would only allow four. This requires students to take eight classes total each semester. This could benefit the students by giving them a variety in their education. First of all, having eight classes lets students have even more of a say of what classes they take during school. It gives the students an opportunity have another class of their own interest put into their daily schedule. Not only does it give students more variety, it also gives them a break every other day. We’ve all had that one teacher that’s never liked you, or that one that you dread going to because of his ridiculously long lectures, or even just one that you have never really like… just because. We all have them, and all know what it feels like to want a break from them. Having the block schedule can help with that. It would give students the pleasure of only seeing that teacher every other day, instead of everyday.

With having four classes a day, you only have four teachers a day. Therefore only four teachers that can give you homework that’s not due until you see them again. This would be not the next day, but the next. Students have very busy lives these days, and they seem to only be getting busier. Many students are overwhelmed by the amounts of homework each night. I personally am, trying to juggle sports, church, family, and school all at one time. It’s possible, but it’s hard. Having the block schedule would lessen the amount of homework each night, leaving more time for students and their lives. Knowing that homework can’t be taken completely out of the picture, having four classes a day would help benefit the students and their accomplishments in life by allowing time for other things as well.

All these things would help assist the students in their education, leading them to become successful. Having more time within a class period, giving variety within classes, and lessening the amount of homework are just a few of the many ways students could benefit from the possible change in the schedule. Therefore I think Junior High Schools should have a block schedule like the High School’s do.

Any suggestions? I know it needs some work, but besides all the obvious stuff is there anything you guys see that needs to be fixed? Think differently? Leave me a comment about your opinion.

Coincidences

Do you ever have those days where everything just seems to be happening right in a row, or at the same time, or you either have a really good or really bad day? Do you think of those as coincidences? Or do you really think that everything happens for a reason? Well, let me just tell you about my weekend and then we'll start talking about coiencidences (I don't think I'm spelling that right :S).

Well, first of all this all started on Thursday right after school. I had a gymnastics meet on friday in Boise, Idaho so I wouldn't be attending school on that day. So on thurdsay I had to go take a test that I would of been taking in math that day. Well, come to find out that the test had some problems on it that I was totally confused on and I needed my other study notes to help me out. I didn't have them with me so I just had to go from memory, let's just hope for the best. Ü. That part wasn't so bad, just something I forget... no biggie. Well, after taking the test I called my dad and found out that he was stuck in Ogden and wouldn't be able to pick me up for another 45 min. or so. I didn't know what to do with myself, what was I going to do at the school when no one's there for 45 minutes? Well, as I was walking down the hall to go to my locker, just cause I didn't know where else to go, I called my aunt and she said she could come get me. So that made me kind of happy. She shortened my wait to only about 10 minutes instead of 45. As soon as I hung up the phone with my aunt I had received a text message. It was from my teammate that would be competing with me the next day. I was kind of happy she texted me so that I would have something to do for a minute. Well, when I opened the text, I wasn't too happy anymore. It said "I just got in a car accident." That wasn't good at all. Her and her mom had just picked up my other teammate from their house and they were all on their way to Boise for the meet. Well, they hadn't gotten past the Farr West exit when someone ran right into the side of their rental car. It scared me really bad, I couldn't wait long for her texts, I was worried cause at that point I hadn't really known what had happened. It turned out that everyone was ok, just some bumps and bruises. My two teammates had it the worst though. One had a huge bump on her head, and the other had done something to her back. They were both in lots of pain and had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out. So when I got home, I told my parents and they were calling around to see what was going on and if they were still going and everything. During all this my coach that had left at about 12:30, called at about 5:30 telling us that we shouldn't go because the weather was so bad. He had been driving for 5 hours and had only made it to Pocatello. A lot of the roads were closed, and there really wasn't a way for us to get to Boise until they were opened again. Well, long story short (I only have 5 min. til this is due :s). I'll just tell you my chain of coincidences...
Forgot study notes. No ride. Car crash. Hospital. Bad weather. Teammates had no way to get there anymore. Crammed Car. Friends mom had to fly to see to Boise. Got stuck in Pocatello. Got Lost. Locked Keys in car. One of my teammates sisters got robbed at gunpoint. And on and on and on. And to top it all off, at our actual meet. Our first event, bars, every single one of us on the team fell. It didn't work out so well. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that do you think that coincidences just happen just cause, or do they happen for a reason? Just wondering...

While I was doing my homework for one of my classes earlier tonight, i came across this quote:

"The man on the mountain didn't fall there..."

I don't know why but it just really made me think. It made me think about my life and all the stuff that I dream about being able to do. Being a gymnast, I dream about a lot. I am always thinking about my routines being perfect, and just me being able to do them without any mistakes or flaws. I think about how cool it would be if I was in the olympics, or even just on a good college team. I think about being on TV and all this other stuff that I'm sure you've all thought about before. And even with other things besides gymnastics, like school, or even just making friends, I used to dream about those kinds of things all the time. Maybe not always dream about them, but you know when your trying to fall asleep and your just laying there thinking about stuff? Like that. That's what I mean by dreaming. To tell you the truth, I really don't remember a lot of my dreams. Only every once in a while one will stick with me. It's kind of wierd. But anyway, just that time before you actually fall asleep. I think about everything. Most of the time it's just gymnastics, thinking of how good I could be. Well, to me all this thinking is kind of like goals. I tell myself that next practice I'm really gonna make this "dream" come true. I'm going to be able to do all my routines perfect. That never really happens. I don't think I've ever done any of my routines absolutely perfect. But it really does make a difference when I go into practice with a positive attitude towards myself, with goals in mind. I may not be able to have a perfect practice. But when it turns out better than normal, or I'm able to improve on one little thing, it really makes me happy with myself. I feel like I'll actually be able to progress in this sport. Other times, it doesn't work very well at all. I'll end up having the worst days, which is ok. Because it happens. But I never feel that way with myself. I'm always telling myself how bad I am, and even sometimes that I should just quit. All those years of hard work were for nothing. But, lately i've been trying to keep positive and be "PP". That's an inside joke, none of you will get it. But it just means to be positive all the time and just think of the best of things, even when times get hard. I kind of feel like some inspirational speaker or something. Oh well, I didn't know what to talk about and I saw that quote and it reminded me what I think about at night. Random I know but, if you didn't notice the name of my blogspot... it's called RANDOM, cause I never know what i'm going to be telling you about. Sorry if that really didn't make sense. I'm tired, and I'm ready for bed. Ü Oh, I kind of forgot about this part. But the whole quote and picture thing, it's just saying that guy didn't fall on top of that mountain. He had to work for it, and climb higher to reach his goal. So when your down and sad and stuff that just remember that your not always going to be able to have a perfect life, and it will get better. Just keep climbing. Oh my. That just made it sound even more like some inspirational speaker. Oh, well. Time for bed.

So much for new years resolutions...

I really wonder why I even set new year's resolutions sometimes. I really do. Because I am the worst at fulfilling them. Seriousally I really am. Like one of my main one's was -- Don't procrastinate, get stuff done early so you don't have to worry about it. Well this blog is one of many examples of how i have already broken that resolution. And it's only been a month! Actually, less than a month. Crazy. Let me just share with you some of my mini life stories... haha.

Well, first off let's just start with this blog. You see this blog, it was supposed to be due Sunday at 11:59 P.M. And if you look at the date of this blog, it says Monday. Not sunday. Monday. I'm really bad at getting things on time. Normaly I'm ok with schoolwork and stuff, I only mess up once in a while and forget my assignment or something. But with stuff that's kind of more my choice, or stuff that doesn't have consequences for being late, I'm normally one to take my time. And truely I sorta hate myself for it. So the reason this blog is late is because of my procrastination problem. You see, I do gymnastics as most of you all know, and I compete. Well, this past weekend I had a competition down in St. George. So after school on Friday, we left for that long road trip. It actually wasn't bad. Only about 4 1/2 to 5 hours, but still with my siblings in the car, it seemed like an eternity. We stayed with some friends down there for 2 nights, but for the last night we stayed in a hotel with all of my cousins that live in Reno, NV. We hadn't seen them in about 2 years, so they decided to come watch my meet in St. George. Well, anyway long story short. I forgot to do this blog before I left because I usually do it on sunday after church, but because I was in St. George i didn't have internet access so I couldn't get on and do it. So I could say that was my excuse, but really I could of done it earlier and I wouldn't of had that problem at all.

My other example is reading. If you read my last blog, it told you all about how i don't really like to read so much unless I'm really into a book. I also told you how I'm not quite done with The Chosen, one of the choices we had to read for honors english. To tell, you the truth, I'm still not quite done with it. I was totally planning on reading it on the way up and back from my trip, which would be about 10 hours, which was more than enough time to finish it. I'll let you guess. Do you think I opened it once? Actually I think I did, but only cause it fell out of my backpack and i had to put the book mark back into it's spot. But other than that. I didn't read a single word. I am so bad. I thought about it. I really did, a couple times actually. But I never read it. And it think it's cause we figured out how to set up the wii in our car, which therefore means we could play guitar hero. And if you were given the choice between guitar hero and reading, what would you choose? Haha. I know I don't have to think twice. Well, it's a good thing we don't have school tomorrow, i'm gonna be reading all day. Joy. But it's my fault, and I gotta deal with it. So, oh well.

So I mess up on school assignments sometimes, and reading doesn't always get done as quick as possible. Those are normally the usually things I put off. But one of the bigger things I avoid more often is cleaning. I really don't like doing my chores. I just don't enjoy it. Sometimes I'll get in these moods where I'll be like I should clean my room, and I go start this huge project. That doesn't always last too long. I normally just get myself into a bigger mess by pulling every out to "clean" it. Cause once I do that then everything is everywhere in my room, which is just an even bigger mess. I just hate myself so much for doing those types of things. So when my mom asks me to clean my room or something on a saturday, I usually put it off. For a long time. My sister and I share a room, and she likes to get it all over with. So she normally starts cleaning and pretty much does it all. But don't worry I step in now and then to do somethings. This really sounds bad. But sadly, it's kind of true. Not all the time does this happen, but enough for me to say "most of the time". The only time I really like to clean things up is when I know somebody is going to be looking at my room, or if I can't go somewhere unless it's done. Then I normally do a pretty good job. I also like to clean things up when i'm not at my house. I always feel bad when I make a mess somewhere else, so normally I clean up extra good for those places. Or what I think is "extra" good. I don't know about other people. So pretty much I just like to put off my cleaning cause I don't really like to do it. Plain and simple isn't it?

So here's just a couple of my many examples of how I procrastinate. I could probably tell you much more right now, but I'm going to save those for other days when I don't know what to write about on my posts. Ü. Oh, and if it's ok, I kind of made sure this was about 1,000 words so that I could make up last weeks post and get credit for this one. I'm really hoping that will work out because if not, I just wrote a really, really long post for nothing. Anyway. There's my mini life stories for ya. Sorry that my blog late, along with everything else.

Reading

Just to let you know before you read this, all I do is ramble on about reading. It's not too exciting and it probably doesn't make sense. But if you would really like to read it; go for it.

Ok, so everyone's always been asked the question of "Do you like to read?" Well, normally I answer yes because I like reading good book that interests me and let's me enjoy doing it. While other times I say no, because I'm not the type of person who likes to read whatever is thrown at me. Like old classic books, unless I'm forced to read through the whole thing, I normally don't get through the first hundred pages. Except there are a couple exceptions to that. I always put off reading. I know I shouldn't, but I do. It's kind of like a procrastination problem I have. I guess it'll have to be added to the list of my new year's resolutions. But I really do always put off reading til the last minute. Like AR points for instance. I only have eight. And that's only because of having to read Dandelion Wine before midterm for this class. But don't worry I actually just finished New Moon a couple days ago, so I can go take a test on that. (It's way good by the way). So, with taking the AR test on that book, I should come really close to getting thirty points. But even with that, I still have to finish "The Chosen" book by this week i think... that should be a challenge. I'm not too far into that book I have to admit. But don't worry I'll find time. I hope, that's what I always say. I think that's one of the reasons why I don't finish all the reading I should until the last minute, because I don't have enough time. Here's my daily schedule, you ready: wake up, get all ready for school, go to school, go straight to gym, go straight home, eat dinner, do my homework, go to bed. That's pretty much my week day schedule,except for thursdays. I don't have gym thursdays. Ü. So since I usually don't start my homework til about 8:00 or 8:30 everynight, and then I don't finish until about 9:30 or ten, depending on how distracted I get, I guess I would say I'm too tired to read. So there's one excuse. Just kidding. That's not much of an excuse, I should be able to find time to get my school work done. Another reason I guess I don't get my reading done is because during those 25 minutes the school actually gives us to read in the morning, I don't read. I'm usually talking or finishing up my assignment for 1st period. Brinkerhoff doesn't care, and it gives me less to do at home, but it doesn't help me get my reading done like it should. I should try to do better at that. Well, speaking of all this reading I don't have done, I think I'm going to go try to get at least a little bit of it done. Sorry for all the rambling. I didn't really know what to talk about so, sorry!

Child Soldiers

In Mr. Carter's geography class, we were each assigned to do either a powerpoint presentation or a scrapbook about one of the world issues he had listed on a paper. I ended up doing a powerpoint presentation on Child Soldiers, or Children at War. Doing this assignment actually was almost depressing to me, not the actual assignment part, but the topic about child soldiers just made me sad. It was really hard to look up all this information about these inoceint children being forced to participate in war. This is the essay I wrote about it. (Have to put together this huge presentation and then having to write a two page essay on it... annoying I think).

Anyway, Here it is:

Child soldiers are a major problem world wide. In over twenty countries around the world, children are direct participants in war. They are denied a childhood and often subjected to horrific violence. Children also participate in terrible aspects of war. They serve as human mine detectors, participate in suicide missions, carry supplies, and act as spies, messengers or lookouts. These types of things are what make this situation so bad. Many Armed Conflict Recruitment units use children to their benefit, while others participate in many programs that are attempting to prevent children of war in all they can do.

Child soldiers are recruited in many ways. Some are voluntary, with the attempt to get even with others for the killing of their close ones, or to get away from domestic violence. Some have no other choice; joining seems to be the only way to survive. But on the other hand, most recruitment is not voluntary. Most is forced; children are taken from there families and made to do terrible things. Some even witnessing the killings of their parents, or having to kill them themselves, to ensure the children have no place to escape to once taken in. If caught while trying to escape, a new child will have to then kill the attempter, to make sure he knows what will happen if he tries to get away also. Another way children are recruited is by forcing pay. If unit officers come in demanding a high amount of money and your parents can’t give it to them, your parents are killed and you are then used to be another participant in war.

When Officers recruit all these children into their army, they do it with a purpose. They do it so that they have ways to do the “dirty work” without hurting themselves. For instance, kids are the ones to set the time bombs, and lead the pack so that they newcomers will be killed before the experienced. They also let the children do most of the suicidal attacks, and major bombings around so that again, the experience will be saved for last. Many children do often become unaware of what’s happening to them with all the war going through their minds. They just do as they’re told, for they’ve learned if they don’t. They’ll be killed.

Child soldiers are not always men, or boys. One definition recalls that a child soldier is any person less than 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, other than family members. The definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage. It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms. This definition tells us that a child soldier could be anyone. Some recruitment units take children as young as eight, even though obviously under age, and give they fake documents claiming there eighteen just to get past government laws. Girls also are taken in to become soldiers in their own way. Some cook, and prepare meals; others are forced to marry with former soldiers and are sexually abused.

With this world wide problem happening everyday in our world, there of course are many organizations and programs that are trying their best to do what they can for these kids. Many of which are fighting with and siding with governments about age-limits and what not that should be set within each country. The most common age that a child should become a soldier is eighteen. Very many countries are breaking this law, especially the ones with children that start ranging from 8-12 years old. Organizations like the ‘Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers’ and ‘Amnesty International’ are just two of the many who are trying to put an end to this issue.

With all this said, I feel that we need to pay more attention to the global issues around us and try to help as much as possible. There are so many things like the Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers that we could participate in that would just make this world a better place by the simple little thing we stepped into do. I think we should all try to do better at helping out others in need, even if it is just a little bit at a time.