Sophmore Year

YAY! My sophmore year has ended. Compared to my freshman year, this year has not been as fun. The homework seemed to be piled on this year. I know we are getting prepared for college, but I still would like to have some free time sometime! Okay...so I am exaggerating a little. I am still very ready for summer to be here!

I went to the homecoming dance for the first time this year, and I have to admit I did not stay long because the dance was just not that fun. The dressing up and going to the football game before the dance were more fun than the dance itself. I still had fun that night, though, with Shelby, my best friend. We get together and fun follows! :)

My grades this year were good. Even though I hated all the work I had to do, in the end, all the hard work paid off. I received many awards at awards night, which made my parents very proud. Plus, I received many comments from people such as, "I did not know you were smart." I guess I showed them!

The sports went well this year for me. We won state in cross country and track again this year (5-peat for both!). That makes 4 state rings for me! :) Basketball could have went better, but I love playing, so even though I wish we could have done better, I still enjoyed playing. I am looking forward to basketball next year because I have a very good feeling about the season.

The teachers this year were great. I enjoyed all of my teachers, and I hope next year they will be just as funny and entertaining. My friends were great! I love them! I do not think I could make my way through school without them. I made some new friends this year and became closer to other people who I would have never thought I would get along with. The drama was hardly present this year, and I was very happy about that. I hate drama!

I drove to school for the first time this year. I turned sixteen on September 30, 2008. I drove 3 different vehicles to school this year, but I drive the same one all the time now. The GMC Yukon's name has not yet been decided. Any suggestions? HAHA :)

I guess now that I think back, this year has not been as bad as I thought. For the most part, the year was enjoyable. More than what I named happened, but I would be typing forever and would not finish this blog in time. I am going to miss the seniors this year, and I wish the best of luck to them. I am ready to be a Junior because Sophmore just does not sound as good as Freshman, Junior, or Senior. This is my last blog for Mrs. Gillmore's Pre-AP English 10 class, and I would just like to thank her and other teachers for teaching me this year. Without them, I would not be who I am today.

I am going to end the year and my final blog of tenth grade with this quote:

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." -Steve Prefontaine
In other words, your best is a gift and you should appreciate what you can do and use what you got! You should work hard and to the best of your ability. That kind of drive and determination makes successful people.

Of Mice And Men...AGAIN

I read Of Mice And Men earlier in the year. Here is the link to my book review of the novelette:

http://overloadingthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/02/3-of-mice-and-men.html

I was still confused of the significance of the title when I read the book again, but as I read a handout of the poem which helped named the story, I came to understand the title more. The way the title is worded still confuses me, but the characters in the poem and the characters in the story relate to one another because they are both being moved around.

I still recommend this book to others as I said in the earlier review. The ending is not one to be given away! Let people read the book for themselves! I accidentally gave the ending away to someone I thought had read the story and ruined the reading for them. The book is so much more enjoyable with all the surprises the plot offers.

#11- The House on Mango Street

At first, The House on Mango Street was just a jumbled mess of random stories. In the end, though, the story all came together and connected to tell a great story.

Sandra Cisneros, the author, has a life much like the one of Esperanza's in the novel. They are both Mexican American women trying to overcome the hardships of their lives. The short stories show how her neighborhood is and what the people who live there are like. Most of the stories in The House on Mango Street probably hit close to home with Cisneros which, to me, gave the book more meaning.

Esperanza's neighborhood is not one many people would be proud to live in, but the neighborhood belongs to the people living there. From the old, small house and apartments to the grown up garden, the people belong to the neighborhood whether they want to or not. They learn many lessons living there and respect what they get because they are not quick to take advantage of what they get.

The biggest lesson of the book seemed to be that people never need to forget who they are just because who they are is not good enough for some people. Esperanza is not happy with the neighborhood and wishes to have a better life. She is eventually able to do this, but others remind her not to forget the person she is and where she is from.

This was not one of my favorite book, but the story was a very meaningful one.

#10 - The Giver

I have read The Giver twice. After reading the novel the second time, the book had a little bit of a different meaning to me. I understood the story better and was more aware of what was taking place. I enjoyed the book very much both times.

Jonas, the main character, goes through a very deep transformation. Being selected as the "Receiver of Memory, he begins to realize his "perfect" community is not so perfect. He sees that his people are deprived of some very special aspects of life that today I know I could not live without. He tries to make his closest friends and family understand that life has a lot more to offer than what they are getting.

After reading this story, plus, many others which are similar, I am convinced that a true "utopia" can not exist. People are going to be constantly rebelling and trying to find loopholes which prove that their world is not perfect like Jonas does. Too many different mindsets and differences among people exist for there to be a world where all people are happy and everything is perfect. There will never be a "perfect world".

This book is a great read for everyone. I recommend anyone to read the novel if they get the chance. The story is a fast read and very enjoyable. Although, I can predict that some people will be unhappy with the ending. I thought the ending was good, though. You just have to think a little bit. You have to make your own ending.

So Much Depends Upon

So much depends

upon

an ancient basketball

goal

damaged from endless

weather

behind the abandoned

house.

Now, many of you are probably saying, "What could depend on that?". That is a very good question. Definitely a question requiring a little thought, so do just that.

#9 - Animal Farm

I never thought a fairy tale would have such a deep meaning. Animal Farm by George Orwell is the fairy tale I am talking about.

George Orwell used farm animals as an allegory to the Russian Revolution. The meaning of the story was so much easier to understand with the use of animals as the characters instead of the use of humans in a more history report-like story.

The themes of the story came to me in many different forms including: power is corrupting and ignorance is passive.

Power is corrupting. In the story, power corrupts one of the main characters, Napoleon. Because he is so powerful, he is able to take over the farm and turn the animals and land into what he wants. The farm becomes less and less like the equal land they agreed they were trying to achieve because Napoleon is constantly using his authority to his advantage.

Ignorance is passive. In the story, other than the pigs, dogs, and a few other animals, the animals are very ignorant. They take in and do whatever they are told without resistance. They are very censored as to what is going on, and because of this, they have no idea what is really happening on the Animal Farm. They are easily influenced and convinced because they are so ignorant.

This was more interesting than some books I have read, but Animal Farm is not high on my recommendation of books.

Favorite Techie Tool

My favorite techie tool would have to be this...the blog! A blog enables people to do many different actions. With a blog you can:

• Do school assignments


• Express your thoughts


• Share opinions


• Share facts


• Get information


• If you miss school or forget the assignment, get school assignments


• Comment on other's blogs


• Help others


• AND MUCH MORE!

A blog is helpful both in class and out of class. Therefore, a blog is a very popular favorite techie tool!