One of my biggest pet peeves is when my teachers do not teach. It's like seriously, you were hired to pass on your supposedly supreme knowledge to your seemingly ignorant little students so that is what you should be doing! Here is just a few things that teachers frequently do when they should actually be teaching:
1. Grading papers from other class periods
2. Assigning busy work while they finish the book they just could not put down or do something else not class related
3. Working on things for other classes
4. Preparing a ten year long test for the class over stuff they have not even been taught (So what's the point of the test?)
5. Fantasizing about three o'clock
6. Sit there doing absolutely nothing (That is right folks! Your teachers really do just sit there and waste your time by doing absolutely nothing else besides sitting.)
Now do not get me wrong, I have some great teachers. They actually teach and they happen to be great at it. I bet the reason why the teachers who hardly ever teach are bad at teaching when they actually do teach is because they do not have any practice. Sounds plausible enough to me. Just a few tips for any teachers who might read this post:
1. If you have other stuff you absolutely HAVE to do, plan a short lesson and then use the left over time.
2. If you do not feel like teaching, quit your job because you obviously chose the wrong career.
3. If you feel you are bad at teaching, PRACTICE! Teaching your class will actually help you improve. It will show you what works and what does not, and I guarantee your attempts will be appreciated more than your students not knowing anything on the semester test.
Note to Mrs. Gillmore: I know there are several fragments in this post. I put them in intentionally because I felt they helped to convey my mood and position on this subject.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar, penned by English playwright William Shakespeare, hooked my attention and presented a controversial issue in a different way.
When this play was handed out to my English class, I was a bit wary because I didn't think it would be good at all. We started reading, and to my surprise, I actually liked it. Though in my opinion Romeo and Juliet was better, I still enjoyed Julius Caesar, and part of that was probably because it was easier to understand than Romeo and Juliet was.
The main characters of the play such as Caesar, Antony, and Brutus were actual people. The reason that I liked this play could have very possibly been because the story involves real people and actual historical events. It was really cool to see how Shakespeare interpreted these events and to see how he thought the characters would have reacted in certain situations.
The tragedy of Julius Caesar tells the story of the murder of Julius Caesar and the repercussions that his killers faced after his death. Marcus Brutus, along with a group of patricians, plotted to kill Caesar. Though most of the group aided only because of their jealousy, Brutus helped because he feared that Caesar would claim absolute power and become a tyrant. Their plan, which at the time seemed brilliant, ended up hurting them because Mark Antony, who dearly loved Caesar, turned the people of Rome against Brutus and civil war was brought upon the empire.
A theme of the play was that all acts bring about consequences and if you are prepared to commit the act, you better be prepared to deal with the consequences. After the conspirators kill Caesar, Antony turns many of the Romans against the conspirators and war breaks out.
I generally like Shakespeare's style and way of writing. He usually writes in poetry using iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter can be recognized by ten syllables in each line, usually with every other syllable being stressed. In his plays, a lot of older language is used because of the time he grew up in. Because people in today's era aren't used to this way of writing, it can sometimes be very difficult to understand, but I think that the language aided to the historical aspect of Julius Caesar.
Though some of the play didn't interest me, all in all I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys plays or an unusual read.
209 pages
When this play was handed out to my English class, I was a bit wary because I didn't think it would be good at all. We started reading, and to my surprise, I actually liked it. Though in my opinion Romeo and Juliet was better, I still enjoyed Julius Caesar, and part of that was probably because it was easier to understand than Romeo and Juliet was.
The main characters of the play such as Caesar, Antony, and Brutus were actual people. The reason that I liked this play could have very possibly been because the story involves real people and actual historical events. It was really cool to see how Shakespeare interpreted these events and to see how he thought the characters would have reacted in certain situations.
The tragedy of Julius Caesar tells the story of the murder of Julius Caesar and the repercussions that his killers faced after his death. Marcus Brutus, along with a group of patricians, plotted to kill Caesar. Though most of the group aided only because of their jealousy, Brutus helped because he feared that Caesar would claim absolute power and become a tyrant. Their plan, which at the time seemed brilliant, ended up hurting them because Mark Antony, who dearly loved Caesar, turned the people of Rome against Brutus and civil war was brought upon the empire.
A theme of the play was that all acts bring about consequences and if you are prepared to commit the act, you better be prepared to deal with the consequences. After the conspirators kill Caesar, Antony turns many of the Romans against the conspirators and war breaks out.
I generally like Shakespeare's style and way of writing. He usually writes in poetry using iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter can be recognized by ten syllables in each line, usually with every other syllable being stressed. In his plays, a lot of older language is used because of the time he grew up in. Because people in today's era aren't used to this way of writing, it can sometimes be very difficult to understand, but I think that the language aided to the historical aspect of Julius Caesar.
Though some of the play didn't interest me, all in all I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys plays or an unusual read.
209 pages
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Top 10 Leaders
1. Al Gore- tries to take carfe of environment, very "green"
2. Ghandi
3. Nelson Mandela- stood up for beliefs
4. Barack Obama- first black prez, now ain't that nice
5. Bill Clinton-helped improve economy
6. Jesus- saved everyone from sin
7. Eleanor Roosevelt- strong woman leader
8. John F. Kennedy
9. Optimus Prime- Optimus is fearless and amazing
10. Mufasa
2. Ghandi
3. Nelson Mandela- stood up for beliefs
4. Barack Obama- first black prez, now ain't that nice
5. Bill Clinton-helped improve economy
6. Jesus- saved everyone from sin
7. Eleanor Roosevelt- strong woman leader
8. John F. Kennedy
9. Optimus Prime- Optimus is fearless and amazing
10. Mufasa
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
What I'm Thankful For
1. God- God helps us all through tough times.
2. My mom and sister- They love me and watch out for me.
3. My friends- My friends are amazing. The make me laugh and take care of me.
4. My grandparents- My grandparents rock. If there was an Awesome Grandparent award, mine would win.
5. Our country
6. A home
7. Education- I'm thankful that I've had the oppurtunity to get a good education.
8. Health
9. Crayons and Uno- I love coloring. I could not live with crayons and Uno.
10. Awesome people- If there weren't awesome people in the world, then everyone and everything would be totally boring.
2. My mom and sister- They love me and watch out for me.
3. My friends- My friends are amazing. The make me laugh and take care of me.
4. My grandparents- My grandparents rock. If there was an Awesome Grandparent award, mine would win.
5. Our country
6. A home
7. Education- I'm thankful that I've had the oppurtunity to get a good education.
8. Health
9. Crayons and Uno- I love coloring. I could not live with crayons and Uno.
10. Awesome people- If there weren't awesome people in the world, then everyone and everything would be totally boring.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Salem Falls
In her novel Salem Falls, Jodi Picoult, not for the first time, managed to allow me to soar into a story that took my breath away. The complexity and intricateness of the book really impacted me. This book showed me what can happen when the smallest of actions are misconstrued, or what a lie can bring about.
A theme of the story is that a rumor or lie can always outrun a truth. In the book, Catherine Marsh, a fifteen-year old girl, wants to bad to believe that her soccer coach, Jack St. Bride loves her. She thinks she is completely in love with him, and starts to write fictional accounts of her day’s events including Jack. When her father reads of these fake inappropriate stories, he gets extremely mad and decides that he wants Jack St. Bride locked up. Jack’s lawyer, knowing Jack will be convicted of sexual assault because of the evidence collected and Catherine’s testimony convinces Jack to accept a plea bargain sentencing him to eight months in prison, instead of seven years, and instructing him that he is required to register as a sex offender wherever he chooses to live.
Another theme of the story is that people don’t often know others as well as they seem to think they do. When Jack finishes serving his sentence, he takes the few belongings taken with him to jail and immediately leaves his former home of Loyal, New Hampshire and goes a little way down the road to Salem Falls. When he arrives in this new place he sees a “Help Wanted” sign sitting in the window of a small building entitled the Do-Or-Diner and is hired as a dishwasher and busboy. The owner of the diner, Addie Peabody is curious about the man, and in just a few short weeks realizes that her mangled heart has made room for Jack. She falls for him, only knowing a handful of information about him, but trusting nonetheless. When Jack is once again wrongly accused of a crime because of his reputation, Addie begins to second guess her choices and does not know if she can put her faith in Jack. While Addie searches for answers, Jack is locked in the county jailhouse and is desperately hoping that someone will believe his story this time.
The character in this story that intrigued me most was Gillian Duncan. Gillian lives in Salem Falls, and like everyone else, wonders about the past of the mysterious and handsome stranger who has just moved in. Though Gillian is curious to know of Jack’s demons, she has secrets of her own. With no one but her coven made of her three best friends Chelsea, Whitney, and Meg knowing, Gillian practices the Wiccan art of witchcraft. Though she eventually learned of his shady conviction, Gill soon becomes obsessed with Jack and uses her powers to try and make him fall for her, or at the very least be attracted to her. When it becomes clear however, that Jack is not going to do anything with Gillian, she decides to cry wolf to punish Jack: she reports to the police that he raped her. Now everyone in the town of Salem Falls is focused on only one thing: whether or not Jack St. Bride is guilty of this crime.
Will Jack once again fall victim to the lies and slander of a teenage girl? Will he have to return to jail and serve another sentence for a crime of which he was wrongly accused? Will he ever get to truly be with Addie, or will he be destined to a life of rotten luck and routine? Read Jodi Picoult’s Salem Falls to find out. I would recommend this book to teenage or adult girls. Because it is a story of love and lies, most boys probably would not enjoy the novel, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery or romance.
434 pages= 2books
A theme of the story is that a rumor or lie can always outrun a truth. In the book, Catherine Marsh, a fifteen-year old girl, wants to bad to believe that her soccer coach, Jack St. Bride loves her. She thinks she is completely in love with him, and starts to write fictional accounts of her day’s events including Jack. When her father reads of these fake inappropriate stories, he gets extremely mad and decides that he wants Jack St. Bride locked up. Jack’s lawyer, knowing Jack will be convicted of sexual assault because of the evidence collected and Catherine’s testimony convinces Jack to accept a plea bargain sentencing him to eight months in prison, instead of seven years, and instructing him that he is required to register as a sex offender wherever he chooses to live.
Another theme of the story is that people don’t often know others as well as they seem to think they do. When Jack finishes serving his sentence, he takes the few belongings taken with him to jail and immediately leaves his former home of Loyal, New Hampshire and goes a little way down the road to Salem Falls. When he arrives in this new place he sees a “Help Wanted” sign sitting in the window of a small building entitled the Do-Or-Diner and is hired as a dishwasher and busboy. The owner of the diner, Addie Peabody is curious about the man, and in just a few short weeks realizes that her mangled heart has made room for Jack. She falls for him, only knowing a handful of information about him, but trusting nonetheless. When Jack is once again wrongly accused of a crime because of his reputation, Addie begins to second guess her choices and does not know if she can put her faith in Jack. While Addie searches for answers, Jack is locked in the county jailhouse and is desperately hoping that someone will believe his story this time.
The character in this story that intrigued me most was Gillian Duncan. Gillian lives in Salem Falls, and like everyone else, wonders about the past of the mysterious and handsome stranger who has just moved in. Though Gillian is curious to know of Jack’s demons, she has secrets of her own. With no one but her coven made of her three best friends Chelsea, Whitney, and Meg knowing, Gillian practices the Wiccan art of witchcraft. Though she eventually learned of his shady conviction, Gill soon becomes obsessed with Jack and uses her powers to try and make him fall for her, or at the very least be attracted to her. When it becomes clear however, that Jack is not going to do anything with Gillian, she decides to cry wolf to punish Jack: she reports to the police that he raped her. Now everyone in the town of Salem Falls is focused on only one thing: whether or not Jack St. Bride is guilty of this crime.
Will Jack once again fall victim to the lies and slander of a teenage girl? Will he have to return to jail and serve another sentence for a crime of which he was wrongly accused? Will he ever get to truly be with Addie, or will he be destined to a life of rotten luck and routine? Read Jodi Picoult’s Salem Falls to find out. I would recommend this book to teenage or adult girls. Because it is a story of love and lies, most boys probably would not enjoy the novel, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery or romance.
434 pages= 2books
I Think My Family Is Cursed...
Wow... My family seems to have some pretty bad luck..
I guess the fact that we're all pretty reckless doesn't help. But then again, other people could be more careful too.
This week alone, my brother Chad's truck has been hit twice. Wednesday after church, this teenage boy slid and ran into Chad's truck. Today Chad was on his way to work when someone side-swiped him and then ran off.
On top of that both Chad and my mom are sick. There's no doubt in my mind that I'll get whatever they have.
Oh well.... Sad Story
I guess the fact that we're all pretty reckless doesn't help. But then again, other people could be more careful too.
This week alone, my brother Chad's truck has been hit twice. Wednesday after church, this teenage boy slid and ran into Chad's truck. Today Chad was on his way to work when someone side-swiped him and then ran off.
On top of that both Chad and my mom are sick. There's no doubt in my mind that I'll get whatever they have.
Oh well.... Sad Story
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sean Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens definitely has a lot of tips about how to live every day life. Though some of the advice is good and helpful, I have trouble believing everything he says. It seems to me that the author doesn't understand that these tips just don't work with some people. Real life is hardly as clean and peachy as his books makes it sound.
My favorite habit in the book is Habit Six: Synergize. Though I am skeptical of some of the tips in the book, this habit really makes sense to me. Synergy is all about working together with other people and combining talents to makes tasks and projects easier. I have realized over my years in school that pulling together the best of two or more people can really take a project way over the top. If a pair has to create a poster and one person is great at organizing facts and collecting information and another is a wonderful artist and incredibly creative, then it just makes sense for the two to combine their talents to produce one top-notch poster. Synergy doesn't just have to be used for group projects though. It's great for studying, jobs, and pretty much anything that involves interacting with other people.
The habit I have the most trouble with is Begin With the End in Mind. The biggest reason for this is that I really don't know what I want out of life. I have countless short term goals, but my biggest stressor is trying to figure out the big stuff: where I want to go to college, what I want to major in, what career I want to have when I'm done with school. I struggle with the endless possibilities and choices sitting in front of me.
Because I have not really enjoyed this book very much, I would only recommend it to a teen who is struggling with adolescence and needs some tips. The author has some good ideas, but self help books just are not the hottest buy.
My favorite habit in the book is Habit Six: Synergize. Though I am skeptical of some of the tips in the book, this habit really makes sense to me. Synergy is all about working together with other people and combining talents to makes tasks and projects easier. I have realized over my years in school that pulling together the best of two or more people can really take a project way over the top. If a pair has to create a poster and one person is great at organizing facts and collecting information and another is a wonderful artist and incredibly creative, then it just makes sense for the two to combine their talents to produce one top-notch poster. Synergy doesn't just have to be used for group projects though. It's great for studying, jobs, and pretty much anything that involves interacting with other people.
The habit I have the most trouble with is Begin With the End in Mind. The biggest reason for this is that I really don't know what I want out of life. I have countless short term goals, but my biggest stressor is trying to figure out the big stuff: where I want to go to college, what I want to major in, what career I want to have when I'm done with school. I struggle with the endless possibilities and choices sitting in front of me.
Because I have not really enjoyed this book very much, I would only recommend it to a teen who is struggling with adolescence and needs some tips. The author has some good ideas, but self help books just are not the hottest buy.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
MLIA
So, over the last few weeks my new addiction has become mylifeisaverage.com. MyLifeIsAverage(MLIA) is a completely random website on which people post things that happened to them that day. There's no point of the website. I guess someone just made it when they were bored, or maybe they thought "Hey this would be funny and entertaining." I had no clue what to write my blog post about, but then I thought that I should write about something I actually like and I pretty much automatically thought of MLIA. So I've compiled a little list of some of my favorite posts. Hope you enjoy!
10)Today, while in the shower I noticed that I have two different kinds of body wash: vanilla sugar and brown sugar. I mixed them because I don't support segregation.
9)Today, I was thinking about how cool it would be if Halloween was on Friday the 13th. I went to an online calendar to see if it ever would be. It took me a good five minutes to figure out the problem. MLIA
8)Today, I noticed that the conditioner I use on my hair smells like bananas and looks like banana pudding. I tasted it. Turns out the similarities stop there. MLIA
7)Today, I met a girl named Unique. She has an identical twin sister. No one else thought it was funny. MLIA.
6)Today I was asking my kindergarten students questions. I asked, "What would you do if you broke a friend's toy?" A girl raised her hand and answered, "Put the parts together so it looks like it's fixed so that the next person who uses it thinks they broke it." I love my students. MLIA
5)Today, I got in trouble in social studies class. My punishment was to sit in a desk facing the back wall. We had to take a test where we labeled every South American country and its capital. Guess what was on the map I was now facing? MLIA
4)Today, my aunt was teaching my cousin about the dangers of smoking. He replied with "You know what else you should never do? Never, EVER lick an axe." MLIA
3)Today, on MSN my boyfriend said to me 'You're such an angle', meaning angel. He didn't understand why I replied 'Aww, you're so acute.MLIA
2)Today, I came home to find my son had gotten himself stuck inside a 70 dollar vase I had purchased for the bathroom. He is 18 years old. MLIA.
And my personal all time favorite!!...
1)Today, I fell and landed on a really cute guy while on the subway. This did not lead me to find my soul mate, or end with us giving high fives. It was just awkward. MLIA
And Mrs. Gillmore here's one more specially for you. It is all about a literary device[[:
Today, I saw that my ironing board cover was wrinkled. I laughed at the irony. Then I laughed again because irony has the word iron in it. MLIA
10)Today, while in the shower I noticed that I have two different kinds of body wash: vanilla sugar and brown sugar. I mixed them because I don't support segregation.
9)Today, I was thinking about how cool it would be if Halloween was on Friday the 13th. I went to an online calendar to see if it ever would be. It took me a good five minutes to figure out the problem. MLIA
8)Today, I noticed that the conditioner I use on my hair smells like bananas and looks like banana pudding. I tasted it. Turns out the similarities stop there. MLIA
7)Today, I met a girl named Unique. She has an identical twin sister. No one else thought it was funny. MLIA.
6)Today I was asking my kindergarten students questions. I asked, "What would you do if you broke a friend's toy?" A girl raised her hand and answered, "Put the parts together so it looks like it's fixed so that the next person who uses it thinks they broke it." I love my students. MLIA
5)Today, I got in trouble in social studies class. My punishment was to sit in a desk facing the back wall. We had to take a test where we labeled every South American country and its capital. Guess what was on the map I was now facing? MLIA
4)Today, my aunt was teaching my cousin about the dangers of smoking. He replied with "You know what else you should never do? Never, EVER lick an axe." MLIA
3)Today, on MSN my boyfriend said to me 'You're such an angle', meaning angel. He didn't understand why I replied 'Aww, you're so acute.MLIA
2)Today, I came home to find my son had gotten himself stuck inside a 70 dollar vase I had purchased for the bathroom. He is 18 years old. MLIA.
And my personal all time favorite!!...
1)Today, I fell and landed on a really cute guy while on the subway. This did not lead me to find my soul mate, or end with us giving high fives. It was just awkward. MLIA
And Mrs. Gillmore here's one more specially for you. It is all about a literary device[[:
Today, I saw that my ironing board cover was wrinkled. I laughed at the irony. Then I laughed again because irony has the word iron in it. MLIA
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Searching for David's Heart
Cherie Bennet’s Searching for David’s Heart sincerely touched me and brought tears to my eyes. The book told a tale I will never forget.
The theme of this book was about learning to live with grief. Darcy Deeton was consumed with sadness over the loss of her brother and let it overpower her. Though she knew that her brother David would want her to be happy, she could not allow herself to be happy because of the guilt she felt for his death. Another theme of the book was putting aside differences. Darcy was greatly influenced by her dad’s racism and, for a little while, let that bias get in the way of her kindness.
I could really relate to Darcy and how she felt. Knowing what it is like to lose someone close, I understood her feelings of loneliness and abandonment. Darcy struggled through daily routine, never straying from her beaten path because of fear. Fear of forgetting David, fear of being happy when he was dead, and fear of her conscience. Darcy was frantic for any piece of David she could have, so she set out on a reckless hunt with her friend Sam for the one thing that remained of David in the world: his heart. David was an organ donor and Darcy knew that someone somewhere had received his precious heart. With greater hope than she had seen in the previous months, she began her journey.
I loved the author’s style. Cherie Bennet is one of my favorite authors. Her books are timeless, capture hearts, and always have a great lesson to be learned. Sometimes I wonder if she creates her stories from experience, from hearing a story of someone else, or if she simply makes them up. Whatever she does, she has a knack for really making her story stick with a person. Bennet is not generally a very challenging author to read. Her stories are simple and easy to read, but she has a way of making her small stories very big.
This book reminded me of another book I recently read. Elizabeth Chandler’s Kissed by an Angel was similar to the story of Searching for David’s Heart. Though Ivy in Kissed by an Angel was mourning her boyfriend, she was always searching for some small comfort or hope that she could grasp and cling on to, a lot like Darcy’s reaction in Searching for David’s Heart.
Though I am sure girls would enjoy the book more, I would recommend this book for anyone. The book has potential to help people through tough times, to relate to them, and possibly even to help them start overcoming their grief.
The theme of this book was about learning to live with grief. Darcy Deeton was consumed with sadness over the loss of her brother and let it overpower her. Though she knew that her brother David would want her to be happy, she could not allow herself to be happy because of the guilt she felt for his death. Another theme of the book was putting aside differences. Darcy was greatly influenced by her dad’s racism and, for a little while, let that bias get in the way of her kindness.
I could really relate to Darcy and how she felt. Knowing what it is like to lose someone close, I understood her feelings of loneliness and abandonment. Darcy struggled through daily routine, never straying from her beaten path because of fear. Fear of forgetting David, fear of being happy when he was dead, and fear of her conscience. Darcy was frantic for any piece of David she could have, so she set out on a reckless hunt with her friend Sam for the one thing that remained of David in the world: his heart. David was an organ donor and Darcy knew that someone somewhere had received his precious heart. With greater hope than she had seen in the previous months, she began her journey.
I loved the author’s style. Cherie Bennet is one of my favorite authors. Her books are timeless, capture hearts, and always have a great lesson to be learned. Sometimes I wonder if she creates her stories from experience, from hearing a story of someone else, or if she simply makes them up. Whatever she does, she has a knack for really making her story stick with a person. Bennet is not generally a very challenging author to read. Her stories are simple and easy to read, but she has a way of making her small stories very big.
This book reminded me of another book I recently read. Elizabeth Chandler’s Kissed by an Angel was similar to the story of Searching for David’s Heart. Though Ivy in Kissed by an Angel was mourning her boyfriend, she was always searching for some small comfort or hope that she could grasp and cling on to, a lot like Darcy’s reaction in Searching for David’s Heart.
Though I am sure girls would enjoy the book more, I would recommend this book for anyone. The book has potential to help people through tough times, to relate to them, and possibly even to help them start overcoming their grief.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Kissed By An Angel
Elizabeth Chandler’s Kissed by An Angel kept me turning the pages until the very end. The book made me look at love in an entirely different way, and I’ll never forget the countless lessons this story taught me.
Though this novel was intended as a thrilling suspense story, there were also many lessons about love and life. A theme that I interpreted was not to let grief rule your life. Being sad and grieving is perfectly acceptable after a death or tragic accident, but if people let it rule their lives then they are not really living. People still need to get out and learn how to live with the sudden change they have experienced. Another theme of the book is realizing that those we love never truly leave us. They may not be with us like Tristan was there for Ivy in the novel, but they will always be in our hearts and minds. The last theme of the book that really stuck with me was to be open to love from all places. Just because a person may have lost a love does not mean that he or she should not accept it again. Though love can never be the same from more than one person, a different love can be just as good. All people need to let themselves love again after a tragedy, for without love in our lives we are not really living.
I loved the style of this book. The author alternated between the two main characters points of view. Ivy is a teenage girl whose mother just got remarried. She has a new step-brother named Gregory. Ivy ends up dating a boy named Tristan, who her friends have been trying to get her to talk to for a long time. When Tristan and Ivy are in a car accident because of dysfunctional brakes, Ivy is devastated that Tristan did not survive. The book follows Ivy in her struggle to get over Tristan and her attempts to find the cause of all the bizarre events happening to her and others all over the town. When the book switches points of view, it follows Tristan trying to find ways to comfort Ivy and let her know he is there, and also follows him as he investigates what’s going on around the city. When he finds out he desperately tries to warn Ivy of the danger that she is in, while also trying to use her friends and a mysterious boy named Will to convey the message and keep her safe.
In this book, Ivy’s life is going pretty good. She’s a little apprehensive about her new step-dad and step-brother, but all in all things are not bad. She has a great boyfriend whom she loves dearly. Then one night, while out making a delivery for work, she sees a mysterious figure in the windows of a dark house. Weeks later Ivy goes on a date with Tristan. On the way to the restaurant the brakes stop working and the two are in an awful wreck, which Ivy survives and Tristan does not. After Tristan’s death, Ivy is constantly mourning and is oddly comforted by her step-brother, Gregory, but she is rudely awakened when horrible things start happening to people around town, and she finds her cat being constantly hurt. Weird things start to happen to her too and she begins to fear for her life.
Tristan discovers that his ghost remained on Earth to fulfill some mission. He learns of the evil going on in the town and spends all his time attempting to save Ivy. He uses her friends to give her warnings and keep her safe, and eventually she learns that Tristan is there even though she can’t see him. When the bad guy around targets Ivy as his next victim, she learns that she can’t trust anybody and she decides to solve the mystery for herself.
I would recommend this book for any girl. The book teaches many life lessons and could help girls cope with many different situations. Boys probably would not like this book very much, mainly because it’s filled with love and grief, the two things boys like to avoid most.
Though this novel was intended as a thrilling suspense story, there were also many lessons about love and life. A theme that I interpreted was not to let grief rule your life. Being sad and grieving is perfectly acceptable after a death or tragic accident, but if people let it rule their lives then they are not really living. People still need to get out and learn how to live with the sudden change they have experienced. Another theme of the book is realizing that those we love never truly leave us. They may not be with us like Tristan was there for Ivy in the novel, but they will always be in our hearts and minds. The last theme of the book that really stuck with me was to be open to love from all places. Just because a person may have lost a love does not mean that he or she should not accept it again. Though love can never be the same from more than one person, a different love can be just as good. All people need to let themselves love again after a tragedy, for without love in our lives we are not really living.
I loved the style of this book. The author alternated between the two main characters points of view. Ivy is a teenage girl whose mother just got remarried. She has a new step-brother named Gregory. Ivy ends up dating a boy named Tristan, who her friends have been trying to get her to talk to for a long time. When Tristan and Ivy are in a car accident because of dysfunctional brakes, Ivy is devastated that Tristan did not survive. The book follows Ivy in her struggle to get over Tristan and her attempts to find the cause of all the bizarre events happening to her and others all over the town. When the book switches points of view, it follows Tristan trying to find ways to comfort Ivy and let her know he is there, and also follows him as he investigates what’s going on around the city. When he finds out he desperately tries to warn Ivy of the danger that she is in, while also trying to use her friends and a mysterious boy named Will to convey the message and keep her safe.
In this book, Ivy’s life is going pretty good. She’s a little apprehensive about her new step-dad and step-brother, but all in all things are not bad. She has a great boyfriend whom she loves dearly. Then one night, while out making a delivery for work, she sees a mysterious figure in the windows of a dark house. Weeks later Ivy goes on a date with Tristan. On the way to the restaurant the brakes stop working and the two are in an awful wreck, which Ivy survives and Tristan does not. After Tristan’s death, Ivy is constantly mourning and is oddly comforted by her step-brother, Gregory, but she is rudely awakened when horrible things start happening to people around town, and she finds her cat being constantly hurt. Weird things start to happen to her too and she begins to fear for her life.
Tristan discovers that his ghost remained on Earth to fulfill some mission. He learns of the evil going on in the town and spends all his time attempting to save Ivy. He uses her friends to give her warnings and keep her safe, and eventually she learns that Tristan is there even though she can’t see him. When the bad guy around targets Ivy as his next victim, she learns that she can’t trust anybody and she decides to solve the mystery for herself.
I would recommend this book for any girl. The book teaches many life lessons and could help girls cope with many different situations. Boys probably would not like this book very much, mainly because it’s filled with love and grief, the two things boys like to avoid most.
Monday, October 5, 2009
The Time Machine
H.G. Wells’ book The Time Machine can really only be described as okay by me. The story was not all that bad, but it was just a slow read and had some dull parts. In the book, the Time Traveller tried his hardest to get back to his own time period after traveling years into the future.
Although I was not such a fan of the book, it was cool to read a book written in the style that The Time Machine was. Most books written in today’s age use common language and quite a bit of slang. This novel, written years ago, is recorded in a totally different style. There were countless allusions to things I had never heard of and a hardcore vocabulary. There were several words in the book that I had to look up in the dictionary. It was neat to be able to observe how much writing has changed in just a short time. It is weird to think that when this novel was brand new that the style it was written was what was common then.
The Time Traveller was an odd character in my opinion. It really annoyed me that he was never called by name. I do not understand why the author would want to do that, because it does not really make him seem any more magical, mystical, or mysterious. It just seemed kind of like a weird thing to do. In fact, there were not very many characters in the entire book mentioned by name. The only person I recall to be mentioned by name was Weena. Weena was probably my favorite character. It was easy to picture everything she did throughout the story, from her near death to the countless dances she performed for the Time Traveller.
Based on the description by the author of the future, I would not like it that much. The book said the future was considerably warmer and that the entire Eloi race greatly resembled each other. Also, the idea of a great rift between groups of people and an inhabited underworld is just creepy. The time of the Time Traveller and his friends seemed like a much more enjoyable place to live.
In this story, the Time Traveller invents a machine to take him into the past and future. He thinks his plan has worked perfectly until he finds himself stuck in the future, due to the fact that his time machine has been hidden. He quickly locates the hiding spot but cannot gain entry to reclaim his machine. Throughout the book, the Time Traveller is struggling to find tools to help him get his machine back, while also warding off and fighting the Morlocks, the inhabitants of the underground.
I would not recommend this book for anyone who hates a slow read, or for anyone who hates being delayed by a big vocabulary. Actually I probably would not recommend this book at all, mainly because I did not enjoy it that much.
Although I was not such a fan of the book, it was cool to read a book written in the style that The Time Machine was. Most books written in today’s age use common language and quite a bit of slang. This novel, written years ago, is recorded in a totally different style. There were countless allusions to things I had never heard of and a hardcore vocabulary. There were several words in the book that I had to look up in the dictionary. It was neat to be able to observe how much writing has changed in just a short time. It is weird to think that when this novel was brand new that the style it was written was what was common then.
The Time Traveller was an odd character in my opinion. It really annoyed me that he was never called by name. I do not understand why the author would want to do that, because it does not really make him seem any more magical, mystical, or mysterious. It just seemed kind of like a weird thing to do. In fact, there were not very many characters in the entire book mentioned by name. The only person I recall to be mentioned by name was Weena. Weena was probably my favorite character. It was easy to picture everything she did throughout the story, from her near death to the countless dances she performed for the Time Traveller.
Based on the description by the author of the future, I would not like it that much. The book said the future was considerably warmer and that the entire Eloi race greatly resembled each other. Also, the idea of a great rift between groups of people and an inhabited underworld is just creepy. The time of the Time Traveller and his friends seemed like a much more enjoyable place to live.
In this story, the Time Traveller invents a machine to take him into the past and future. He thinks his plan has worked perfectly until he finds himself stuck in the future, due to the fact that his time machine has been hidden. He quickly locates the hiding spot but cannot gain entry to reclaim his machine. Throughout the book, the Time Traveller is struggling to find tools to help him get his machine back, while also warding off and fighting the Morlocks, the inhabitants of the underground.
I would not recommend this book for anyone who hates a slow read, or for anyone who hates being delayed by a big vocabulary. Actually I probably would not recommend this book at all, mainly because I did not enjoy it that much.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Spies are among us. They always are. We just never realize that they're there. Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You constantly amazed me with awesome technology and a super cool story line.
The most prominent theme of this book was trying to get kids to understand that we should just be ourselves and love ourselves for who we are. The book encourages teenagers, especially girls, to discover who they are as a person and to figure out what they are going to make of themselves.
Ally Carter's writing style is pretty general with a few tweaks here and there. She delivered a lot of humor and kept the book intense enough to want to keep reading. I could constantly see myself in the setting of the story, strolling along with the characters.
Cammie Morgan is a student at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, which happens to be the best girls spy school in the world. Cammie and her roommates, Bex, Liz, and Macy, set out on a top-secret mission: to get Cammie the boy she wants, but not let anybody find out. Cammie really likes Josh, a local, but can't tell him anything about her school, so she constantly lies to avoid revealing the truth. I loved all the characters and always waited for Cammie to crack a joke or for Macy to spout out a witty insult.
The school that the girls attend is nothing like my world. Every student is fluent in fourteen languages, can hack most any computer system, and is studying PhD level chemistry. Gallagher Academy is covered head-to-toe with outstanding security and the classrooms are filled with mind-blowing technology. The tools these teenage girls use make my cell phone and iPod Touch look like baby toys. As I read the book I could just picture the Gallagher world coming to life around me.
As Cammie and her roommates chase after Josh, they begin the much-anticipated subject of Covert Operations, and use what they learn in this class to sneak around the school so that Cammie can see Josh. Cammie's mother just so happens to be the head of the school, and she is constantly keeping up with Cammie's life. Fortunately, Cammie has always been known as the Chameleon because of her uncanny ability to go unnoticed when she doesn't want to be seen. As Cammie and Josh fall for each other, other big events are affecting the girls' lives and their decisions. Cammie is worried that she will soon have to choose between the two things she wants most: Josh and a life of spying.
This book has a very Mission Impossible-like tone to it. The girls are trying to achieve a goal the seems almost impossible to them. The book reminds me of my mind-set. I'm always dreaming of the impossible and thinking of crazy ideas that seem as though they would never work, and I always find myself wanting to achieve something that seems as though it would never happen.
I would strongly recommend this book to all girls. The book helps people realize who they are, what they want, and what they want to become. The story also proves that if we work for something that we really can have it.
The most prominent theme of this book was trying to get kids to understand that we should just be ourselves and love ourselves for who we are. The book encourages teenagers, especially girls, to discover who they are as a person and to figure out what they are going to make of themselves.
Ally Carter's writing style is pretty general with a few tweaks here and there. She delivered a lot of humor and kept the book intense enough to want to keep reading. I could constantly see myself in the setting of the story, strolling along with the characters.
Cammie Morgan is a student at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, which happens to be the best girls spy school in the world. Cammie and her roommates, Bex, Liz, and Macy, set out on a top-secret mission: to get Cammie the boy she wants, but not let anybody find out. Cammie really likes Josh, a local, but can't tell him anything about her school, so she constantly lies to avoid revealing the truth. I loved all the characters and always waited for Cammie to crack a joke or for Macy to spout out a witty insult.
The school that the girls attend is nothing like my world. Every student is fluent in fourteen languages, can hack most any computer system, and is studying PhD level chemistry. Gallagher Academy is covered head-to-toe with outstanding security and the classrooms are filled with mind-blowing technology. The tools these teenage girls use make my cell phone and iPod Touch look like baby toys. As I read the book I could just picture the Gallagher world coming to life around me.
As Cammie and her roommates chase after Josh, they begin the much-anticipated subject of Covert Operations, and use what they learn in this class to sneak around the school so that Cammie can see Josh. Cammie's mother just so happens to be the head of the school, and she is constantly keeping up with Cammie's life. Fortunately, Cammie has always been known as the Chameleon because of her uncanny ability to go unnoticed when she doesn't want to be seen. As Cammie and Josh fall for each other, other big events are affecting the girls' lives and their decisions. Cammie is worried that she will soon have to choose between the two things she wants most: Josh and a life of spying.
This book has a very Mission Impossible-like tone to it. The girls are trying to achieve a goal the seems almost impossible to them. The book reminds me of my mind-set. I'm always dreaming of the impossible and thinking of crazy ideas that seem as though they would never work, and I always find myself wanting to achieve something that seems as though it would never happen.
I would strongly recommend this book to all girls. The book helps people realize who they are, what they want, and what they want to become. The story also proves that if we work for something that we really can have it.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tosh and Lauren[[:
We're not famous.. Too bad. But we are slowly dominating YouTube. Slowly.
Eight grade choir was crazy and we had a free day, so I've course Lauren G. and I had to get together and do something random. We decided to shoot a video in the middle of the student center all about personal hygiene. Using only what we could find in our purses. It was pretty great. We had people staring at us as we were brushing our hair, applying germ-x, and even plastering the table with spray deodorant.
Since that we've done Tosh and Lauren Talk About Sleepovers, one about Christmas, one that's only corny jokes, and acting like little kids. Our mutual favorite is What Not To Do To a Baby. It's great, we sing Bicycle by Queen.
We have a new studio now. It's really awesome, it has a couch and everything. The wall's are pinstriped and there's a record player in the corner and we use it to listen to Time In a Bottle and then we sing the song for the rest of the day. Well I do at least and Lauren yells at me to stop singing already.
I wish we would be amazingly and randomly discovered. We could be like reality TV stars or something and then we would totally flaunt and show off. We really would. We would pretty much be like two year-olds about it, but it would be funny.
Eight grade choir was crazy and we had a free day, so I've course Lauren G. and I had to get together and do something random. We decided to shoot a video in the middle of the student center all about personal hygiene. Using only what we could find in our purses. It was pretty great. We had people staring at us as we were brushing our hair, applying germ-x, and even plastering the table with spray deodorant.
Since that we've done Tosh and Lauren Talk About Sleepovers, one about Christmas, one that's only corny jokes, and acting like little kids. Our mutual favorite is What Not To Do To a Baby. It's great, we sing Bicycle by Queen.
We have a new studio now. It's really awesome, it has a couch and everything. The wall's are pinstriped and there's a record player in the corner and we use it to listen to Time In a Bottle and then we sing the song for the rest of the day. Well I do at least and Lauren yells at me to stop singing already.
I wish we would be amazingly and randomly discovered. We could be like reality TV stars or something and then we would totally flaunt and show off. We really would. We would pretty much be like two year-olds about it, but it would be funny.
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