Senior's $10 Back On Permits

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Batesville High School.

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Refund Senior's $10 for parking permits.

The graduating class of 2012 should not have to pay $15 for a parking permit that last one year, while the sophomore and junior classes must pay the same amount for a permit that last them two or three years.
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Sincerely,



Nathan Edwards Jr.

Junior to Senior

Going from a Junior to a Senior will be a major change...acutally not really. Being a senior will be the exact same as every year of high school. I don't have a lot to say about it so...have a great year.

Anthem

Ayn Rand has written some very powerful pieces of literature, and "Anthem" is no exception, though it is on a different level than most of her works. First off, it is much shorter than, say, "The Fountainhead" or "Atlas Shrugged" which are both long and intense reads. "Anthem" applies the same principles of objectivism that are found in others of her works, but in a more condensed version. If you haven't read Rand before, I would definitely suggest starting off with this one before moving into one of her 1000-page works; it puts all of her beliefs and ideas into a nutshell and prepares you for the real thing. It is in itself a good story; the story of a man without a name in a society where everyone has a place, whether they like it or not. It is a futuristic world, but not in a sci-fi sense; rather, while the calanders have advanced the world has gone backwards. It is a very insightful look into the dangers of one of the most noble ideas, communism, and a nice introduction to the Ayn Rand mindset.

Night

Night is a terrifying account of a Nazi death camp that turns a young Jewish boy into an agonized witness to the death of his family... Night awakens the shocking memory of evil at its absolute greatest and carries with it the unforgettable message that this horror must never be allowed to happen again.

Thirteen Reason's Why

If you like books that make you rethink the way you act; you will like Thirteen Reason's Why by Jay Asher. This book has a lot of depth inside the pages. The characters go through struggles, and I went through them with the characters. This book drew me in and really made me think about how I treat people.

The plot of this book is dripping with sorrow and emotion. Clay receives cassette tapes. When he listens to the tapes, he hears the voice of Hannah Baker, the girl he had feelings for, and also the girl that committed suicide very recently. Clay is baffled and can't really believe what he hears. The tapes were made to tell thirteen people why they had a hand in her suicide. This causes Clay to rethink every detail of his time with Hannah, but he can't figure out what he had done to make her want to kill herself. Clay learns a lot about Hannah through the tapes. The reader also follows along with not only Hannah's story, but Clays emotions as well.

While Clay listens to the tapes, he struggles to keep control. There are times when he is grieving, when he is angry, when he wants to cry, and also there are the times when he remembers a good time with Hannah. Clay struggles through the whole book because he thinks he could have kept Hannah from killing herself, if only he would have said something. The reader also sees Hannah's struggle. She wants someone to notice, but she distances herself. Hannah's main struggle was with herself.

After reading this book, I really considered how I treated everyone. This book taught me not to be selfish. Thirteen Reasons Why also made me appreciate people more and made me want to become a better person. Anyone who reads this book will question how they interact with others and if there is a Hannah in their lives.

Jay Asher did an amazing job. Thirteen Reasons Why is not a book for younger readers. This book was made to take a deep look at teenagers’ lives and how some things can change one girl’s life forever. One thing can set off a chain reaction. Jay Asher helps us realize this.

2011 Theme Word(s) (A True Leader)

What makes a leader a true leader? You could ask any person on earth that question and you could get millions of different opinions. Well my English teacher has told my class to choose a theme word for the 2011 school year, and told us to blog about it, so here is my blog about my theme word(s).

A true leader to me has many different "good" qualities. If the leader is a General in a war, and he saves a life by sacrificing himself for that person, then that is a true leader because he is leading by example.

A true leader is a type of leader that does more good than bad for his or her country, but only if they do it rightfully and try not to hurt anyone in the process. A true leader would gain a country freedom for their citizens without a massive war or killing spree. But a leader can also be a true leader doing bad things, such as Adolf Hitler. He was a true leader to his people until he became mad with power and tried to take over the world.

The reason I chose (a true leader) for my theme word(s) of the year is because, here in modern day there are not many true leaders. People do not care enough to be a true leader, most would like to take the easy route rather than do the right thing. I think that people should try their best to try to become the best "true leader" that they can be.

The Giver

Jonas lives in a perfect society--no pain, no crime, no unhappiness. But when he receives his life assignment to be the Receiver of Memories, he discovers secrets about the past, and the terrible choices that make this world possible.
In the perfect future world in which Jonas lives, twelve-year-old children are given their life assignments at the Ceremony of Twelve. Jonas is shocked when he is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories, a mysterious position of honor held by only one person at a time.

He is trained by the previous Receiver, now called the Giver. The training consists of transferring to him memories of a past (before the imposition of Sameness) that the others in the community can't even imagine, in which there was war, hunger, and disease, but also color, weather, and strong emotions. Gradually Jonas comes to understand, and resent, the choices that had to be made to create his world, and the terrible secrets behind its perfection.

Together he and the Giver create a plan to change the way his world works, but before they can carry it out Jonas is forced to make a decision that may destroy them all.

The Titan's Curse (pgs. 312)

Can a Goddess be kidnapped? Well in the third book of Percy Jackson's life, Artemis has just proven that question right. Artemis has been missing for some time now, and Percy with some of his friends must find out what happened.

They must find Artemis before the winter solace, or else there might not be no war against the Titans. The Titans have been trying to escape their prison for years, and now they have, but some of the Gods have been corrupt for a long time. They must find her, not only because she is a Goddess, but because Artemis thinks that there should be a war, also she is very talented in the ways of war.

Artemis was also a skilled hunter, when she disappeared she was hunting a rare monster that could very possibly destroy Olympus forever.

The Titan's Curse tells more about the Greek Gods and Goddesses than any other book of the series. This book is full of excitement, adventure, mystery, questions, and answers. For all that have read The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters, this is a must read!

BOOT CAMP

In the middle of the night, Garrett is kidnapped from his home and taken to Lake Harmony, a disciplinary boot camp for troubled teens. Beaten, humiliated, stripped of his pride, and starved half to death, Garrett is abused almost to his breaking point. He will not be allowed to leave until he admits that his "mistakes" were wrong and repents completely...whether he's guilty or not.

Lake Harmony sounds like a peaceful place, but really Lake Harmony is basically a prison for teens. Razor wire tops the edge of the fence that rounds the whole area, there is a place called TI that is basically solitary confinement, but with fewer privileges. You must lay on the floor face down for weeks, and the only time you get to get up is to eat and use the restroom.

Depending on how much trouble you get into during your visit at Lake Harmony, TI can be an uncomfortable place or complete Hell for a teen. If you speak out of line you get put into TI for a week. If you break a rule you are put in for a week and beaten once daily. If you really mess up... well lets just say that TI is literally a living Hell.

Boot Camp has action that keeps you on edge until the final letters. I do recommend this book for a good read, but be prepared for the unexpected twist at the end.

(Pages: 235)

Book 2: The Sea of Monsters (pgs. 280)

The Sea of Monsters, Percy Jackson's life continued in another thrilling book of adventure and excitement. Percy has had an amazingly quiet seventh-grade year at his New York prep-school campus. Not a single monster has set foot on his campus, but all that is about to change.

Percy and his classmates were playing an innocent game of doge ball, when the game turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants. Also, Annabeth has come to find Percy, and tell him that the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy. If Percy does not find a cure in time, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed by all the jealous Gods and Goddesses.

In the hugely anticipated follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family-one that makes him wonder if being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor, or simply a cruel joke. Now Percy and a few of his friends must journey into The Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp.

Will Percy find a way to save the camp, and figure out if being Poseidon's son is an honor or not? Will Percy ever live a normal life? These are only a few questions you will be wondering about when you start reading this amazing book.

The Lightning Thief

Are the Greek Gods and Goddesses real? Could they really blame a twelve year old for stealing Zeus's master lightning bolt? Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief tells of the dramatic realistic adventures of a young boy named Percy Jackson.

Percy, has been kicked out of boarding school ... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook. So how come only he can see them? Why can't his best friend Grover see all the crazy things pop out at him, or can he?

Because Percy has just now been informed by his friend Grover, that he was blamed for the stealing of Zeus's lightning bolt. Percy and his friends must ,within ten days, find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. The complications, that sound almost impossible to complete, really adds to the intensity of this outgoing book.

When the reader reads The Lightning Thief they tend to realize that some of the actions, or events in this story could actually happen. I for a matter of fact have realized that my life has had events similar to the ones read here.

Without a doubt, I would recommend this book to any person who loves Greek mythology, action, mystery, or all the above. The Lightning Thief hits some major points in life, and at the same time tells a great life story of a young boy.

The Not-So-Well Known Side of Chad Kroeger

When the name Chad Kroeger is mentioned, my first thought is Nickelback. Chad Kroeger is the lead singer and guitarist for Nickelback, a Vancouver-based band. What generally isn’t thought of when Chad Kroeger's mentioned is his myriad of other accomplishments. A multitude of diverse happenings also define Chad Kroeger.

To begin with, Chad Kroeger put a lot of work into making Nickelback successful. He taught himself how to play guitar when he was thirteen. According to starpulse.com, Chad was in a band that failed before he assembled Nickelback. After pulling the members together, Nickelback released a demo and a full length record that gained in popularity around Canada. A few years after their break in Canada, Nickelback hit big in the U.S. with their release of “How You Remind Me”. Chad Kroeger was responsible for the majority of the band’s lyrics.

However, Chad did not limit himself to performing with Nickelback. Chad worked with a variety of people. In 2002, Chad paired with Saliva’s Josey Scott to make “Hero”, a song featured on the Spiderman soundtrack. He also was featured on Carlos Santana’s album Shaman, in the song “Why Don’t You and I”. Although Nickelback does not make a habit of covering songs, Chad did a cover of Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” with Dimebag Darrell and Kid Rock. This song was featured on the soundtrack for Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.

Chad Kroeger has not limited himself to performing either. Along with the work he does for his own band, Chad has done production for numerous bands such as; Default, Theory of a Deadman, and Bo Bice. Chad Kroeger also co-founded the Vancouver-based 604 Records in 2002.

With accomplishments such as these, there is really no wonder how Chad Kroeger is doing so well. Many of these accomplishments are made outside of Nickelback, something I was unaware of until I read a biography on Chad Kroeger on starpulse.com.

12-sentence story

Dear old dad was out in the rain, his coat soaked from with rain water, his face freezing from the wind, his eyes straining to see through the dark, his hands burning from the cut as he burst through the door. My dad is the hero of my life; the thunder and lighting was the violent scream of the night. The tree, the victim of the light, can withstand great winds and forces, but this night the lighting strike brought it down. I saw my dad run through the living room, then across the kitchen, into the bedroom, out the door, then he disappeared. I looked and looked, but my dad was gone. Of course. I prayed that he would live, and that he would make it safe, and that the lighting would leave him alone. I thought he was dead, but I could just feel he wasn't. In my heart, I could feel his love. Though was he really alive? Of course he was, he's the hero, nothing could stop him, not fire, not ice, nor lightening. The boldness of his walk was surprising and encouraging at the same time, his speed and strength was boastful yet subtle, and his epic walk towards the house made this day the most memorable of my life, especially the lighting and thunder thumping in the background.

thINK before you drINK

Many have heard that drinking and driving is wrong, but never realizes why this is. Many people think of the consequences of drinking and driving as it pertains to them, but never consider how the consequences relate to others.

In Death of an Innocent, the authors show how one girl’s tragic collision with a drunk driver, could not only be the end of her life, but that this could possibly happen to you or a loved one. In their poem, the authors tell how a responsible girl obeyed her mother by not drinking and driving at a party, but she was abruptly punished for it. The authors have the girl repeat “mom” at the end and during many of her sentences, this shows how the girl is: responsible, reliable, and trustworthy. But, the girl’s family must be punished at this loss, only at the carelessness of another.

Not only was the girl’s family affected by this incident, but obviously the girl was too, in the poem she states that “I’m lying here dying, Mom. I wish you’d get here soon. How could this happen to me, Mom? My life just burst like a balloon. There is blood all around me, Mom, and most of it is mine. I hear the medic say, Mom, I’ll ‘die in a short time.’” Here in these few lines she demonstrates how, one minute everything is fine, and then she is “dying in a short time.”

The driver in the poem probably didn’t even realize his drinking and driving would result in the death of the girl, causing her family such grief and anguish. He selfishly drove after drinking only thinking of himself. To top it all off, he was able to walk right after the crash, all he could do was stare…as the girl slowly passed away.

English Project

Well here is part of our English Project guys...hopefully, Mrs. Huff will give us more time during class to get the rest done. I've put the video on here so that we can look and see whats been done so far. I hope you guys like it...and I hope that we can get the rest on here.

2 Quarter Annotated Reading Bibliography

What I Plan On Reading Next

Well, I've been reading the Kite Runner, and I plan on finishing it. So, this nine weeks I'm going to read: Kite Runner, and The Hunger Games series. Kite Runner has been a good book so far, and after that I will read the Hunger Games, and from what I have heard in the Hunger Games, kids end up fighting each other for food and other types of supplies. I think that this nine weeks I'm going to have fun reading!

Facebook... Good or Bad?

"Facebook is possibly the greatest and most entertaining time waster disguising itself as a unifying college community since study groups." This is a quote from Angela Adair Fowler's, The Facebook Addiction Spreads, obviously this is an older article because in the authors sentence it says that Facebook is a disguised unifying college community. Now, in the world today, Facebook is not only used at colleges but it is used all over the world!

Facebook can be a great source for causing problems. For example, my cousin is dating a twenty-something-year-old "marine" and she's only fifteen! That really aggravates me because: 1, he has hurt her before 2, the age difference and, 3 because he's a bad word and a half and thinks he's the "stuff"! Anyway, because she has insisted on being in a relationship with him, and has constantly lied to her parents any my parents about me cussing her out and threating to "beat up her boyfriend" our family has been in a big argument ever since. By the way, if you're reading this please don't go asking questions or start any rumors because I don't even know if I'm supposed to be talking about this, and I'm tired enough from the drama as it is.

But, Facebook is not just a source for causing problems, Facebook is also a great place to make friends and be happy! :) On Facebook I have met a great many friends and have had a wonderful time enjoying all the different groups and games that are available on Facebook. But, not only can you just join groups or make friends, but you can also make groups and randomly take or make quizzes for you and your friends!

Facebook can be a great website or a horrible one, I guess it just really depends on who you add, talk to, and what your personality is. Also, I would guess it would also depend on how much time you spend on a computer or doing other things. Anyway, Facebook can be good or bad, if you want to find out for yourself go to Facebook.com and check it out for yourself!

Reflective Blog Post

This Blog is going to be about all the books that I have read this nine weeks! The funny thing is... I haven't been able to read any books this nine weeks. So this is not going to be a reflection on the books that I have read this nine weeks, but a blog about why I have not been able to read this nine weeks, and also how I might be able to change for the next nine weeks.

Well, the main reason I haven't been able to read ANY books this nine weeks is because I have been working like a mad man. Between work, school, and my own laziness, plus any other factors that might have caused me not to read, I have not read any books. Obviously I am not going to have a good grade this nine weeks, but possibly maybe this next nine weeks I will be able to get my head on straight and be able to actually read and do some of that reading that I really need to do. Ha, that last sentence was really weird.

Anyway, I have been thinking and I might have some ideas that might make it possible for me to actually read this next nine weeks. One way is to stay up late and read for an hour and so and have less sleep at night. I mean one hour less sleep each night won't be to bad. Also I might be able to bring my grades up big time in English. Well, I could also see if my boss would let me read some at work, or possibly not work me so much. I might also be able to read during my art class and other classes like that. All in all I have very little time to read, and I hope that during this nine weeks I might find some time to read and be able to get my grades back up.

Seven Habit of Highly Effective Teens

Seven Habit of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey is a self/help book to help teens develop their "habits." The book has seven habits that have to deal with emotional, physical, and just some of the things that you will need help with throughout your life.

I guess I would have to say that my favorite habit would have to be habit 3. Habit 3 is about putting first things first, and this is probably the habit I will have to work on the most. In Sean Covey's book he explains why we all need to put first things first. I personally have a bad habit of procrastinating, I also like to do the fun things in my life first, but don't we all. In habit three Sean takes people "by the hand" and helps them take baby steps into this direction.

My least favorite habit would have to be habit 4 because I always think to my self win-win. Thinking win-win for me is almost as easy as breathing, but this book does do a good job of explaining how to help if someone does need help.

The book Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a great book for those that need help with their values or morals. This book also helps people see how they might change something to make their life or other peoples lives better, but in some ways this book is also a complete wast of time.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos...

Aristotle has three persuasive appeal techniques, which include ethos, the appeal to credibility; pathos, the appeal to emotion; and logos, the appeal to logic, by using facts. Most advertisements use these three appeals to sell their items and products.

There is a Peta ad that has a celebrity by the name of Steve-O, that is a great example of ethos. Steve-O because he is in this ad uses all three appeals, ethos; because him being a celebrity makes the ad trustworthy and worth looking at, pathos; because Steve-O is mostly a crazy and hilarious guy, but because he looks serious in this ad people tend to take this more seriously, and logos; because there is info on the ad that explains why Steve-O is so concerned about the seals.

One reason they used Steve-O in this ad is because Steve-O is known for never backing down from anything. So if he will never back down from anything when he is out goofing around, then when he is serious there is no doubt that he will not back down from trying to save the seals, and that more than likely more and more people will try to help.

My Photo Story

I am very random, and sometimes a little crazy!

Of Mice and Men Analysis Detail

In the book Of mice and men "the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green." Within the pages of the book, deep and green refer to the depth and health of the two main characters George and Lennie.

When the "slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains," the book is symbolizing that George is stronger mentally, because he has no mental problems, and has little education. While Lennie is rockier because he is of low mentality and he behaves as a child would.


And "under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp" that anyone who has been there should anticipate that this is the road less traveled. The leaves lying deep, compares the leaves to roots lying deep within the ground, and the crisp is like new or fresh. While Curley is like roots that lie deep in the ranch, Lennie and George are like the leaves, crisp, because they are new on the ranch tying to fit in.


Then there is "a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway," this is a path that is more common to the people in the book. This refers to the men going to ranches to find work, George and Lennie are prime examples of a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to relax. George and Lennie, also went out to the ranch to find work so that they could live happily alone one day.


In the book the people on the ranch work all the time. Every so often someone gets hurt "the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it." The limb refers to someone getting injured or harmed, George symbolizes the limb, because he lets the men talk him into shooting his friend Lennie. Even though he doesn't want to, but because he knows it will be better for Lennie to die quickly, he shots him in the head. Whether than let the others torture him, and then shoot him in the guts.


Of Mice and Men: Analysis of Point of View


Lennie came into the room, he was very quiet, and "Crooks did not see him...on raising his eyes...a scowl came on his face." Crooks was a little bit disgusted that Lennie came into his room, because Crooks had basically no human bonds. Crooks was a bit of a loner and he was a very anti-social as well. Crooks values his privacy, and doesn't want to be interrupted.

"Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends." (p 68) Although his attempt failed at first, later on Crooks tended to warm up to Lennie. Lennie was also very lonely, and he wanted a friend to talk to. Lennie yearns for relationships, and wants to make new friends no matter what the cost.

"No place for rabbits now, but I could easy build a few hutches and you could feed alfalfa to the rabbits." George and Lennie were starting to feel like there was nothing in life for them, but then George started to tell Lennie about how they were going to live very well and things like that. George started talking to Lennie about how life will be soon in the future, he is trying to make Lennie feel better, and at the same time make himself feel better. George is giving them something to look forward to.

"George, how long's it gonna be till we get that little place an' live on the fatta the lan'--an' rabbits?" Lennie is feeling like he has nothing to live for, he is starting to worry about nothing coming true about what George told him, so Lennie asked him how long it would take.

Of Mice and Men: Analysis of Tone


Lennie is desperate to show George that they are different than that of all the other people like them because Lennie needs George to be strong for himself and Lennie."But not us! An' why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." That's why George has to be strong for Lennie. These quotes show how desperate George was to get Lennie this job with him because he knew Lennie couldn't get a job on his own. They also needed both paychecks, since they were trying to get their stake and buy the land from the lady that was selling it.

Lennie was hoping that their dreams would come true, and that "We gonna get a little place, We'll have a cow, and we'll have maybe a pig and chickens..and down the flat we'll have a little piece of alfalfa for the rabbits...And I get to tend the rabbits..And live on the fatta the lan'." These quotes show how George and Lennie kept there spirits up during hard times, and had a plan to get there own land. They worked wherever they could to get money for their stake, and it showed how that was the only thing that kept them going from job to job sometimes. George and Lennie had each other, that's all they needed in the end.

The response to Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother photos.

In the photos provided in Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother, one in particular really sticks out to me. The photo where she is sitting on a chair holding her baby, and her other child resting his head on her shoulder, she is seen with a ring on her finger.

This ring is what caught my eye, not because I want the ring or anything, but because she is in a depression and her ring is probably worth a lot of money. The reason it sticks out to me is because she is dedicated to her husband, and that she will not sell his gift to her that is the symbol of their marriage.

Also the picture stuck out to me because her children are there needing her, we tend to take for granted what we have in our lives; our families, our friends, our belongings, and sometimes even our God. All of us need to open our eyes every now and then and realize what we have and what we might be doing to other people. Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother, really helps me realize what I have and what life could be like.

Orwell's effective use of animals as characters

In Animal Farm Orwell uses animals as characters, he does a very good job at doing this. Orwell makes up a completely new story using real life events that have happened and creates a new perspective from the animals point of view and substituted their actual problems with the ones that we have had in the past.

For example, the name of their manor was "Animal Farm" and what it represents in real life is Russia. Or when he used Napoleon, a pig in Animal Farm, to replace Stalin in real life. There are many examples of how he replaced a great deal of real life events or people with the places and characters in his book. Another example is Snowball (another pig) he was represented by Trotsky, or Farmer Jones who was actually Czar Nicholas II from Russia.

Orwell's effective use of animals as characters and his use of his imagination to create all of this is amazing. I think he did an alright job on creating the book, now I do have to say that this is not one of my favorite books, but it was a good book.

My Cross-Examination

This is a hard blog to blog about (ha ha) because I don't really know what topic I should be cross examined on. I mean sure if I had committed a serious crime I could be cross examined on that, but I have not committed any crimes, so I don't really know what to blog about. I guess I'm going to have to give it a try.

Ha ha! I know what I have been crossed examined on! My work, when I work for my neighbor or when I work for my own family, my family always cross examines my work, and me depending on how good of a job I did. If they think I did a good job then I don't really get cross examined, but if I do a bad job then I really get cross examined on how great my credibility, or how lazy I am, or how much better I could have done.

I know I could always do better, but come on people I'm only human! I make mistakes! I'm not perfect, so please quit trying to correct me on every little detail. Yeah, I would like to know what I did wrong, but when you go on and on and on about it all the time. It gets old! You can cross examine me all you want, but it would be nice if every once in a while you would not cross examine me, and would just say, "Yeah Nathan, you did a great job!" But that's up to you...

Time To Celabrate

FINALLY!!! Okay just so you are not completely lost on why I am so happy, i'll tell you a short story that has happend in english class.

Peter Wood, that's all I have to say and some of you already interested. Well anyway, Peter Wood for some reason always calls me Nick. My name is Nathan! Peter! But, today Peter would call me Nathan, the day when I had nothing to blog about Peter saved the day. Actually I had to blog about some type of celebration, and I had no idea what to blog about, but he called me Nathan, so I had something to blog about!

Well anyway I have a lot of blogs to do so I will say goodbye on this last note... Peter if you call me Nick again!... I'll... Be okay with it haha.

Random Thought Blog Thing Type Stuff ... (Model Poem)

Apparently
we are supposed
to blog about something
random about ourselves.
Im not too sure if that's
correct or not, but what the
heck might as well, I don't
have anything better to do in English.

Something random about myself...hmm...let me think.
My whole life is pretty much just a random mess of assorted goods, sometimes I like to read (very rare), sometimes...well most of the time, I spend my time texting my girlfriend. She is amazing. There you go! I have random topics, I have very many stories, and sometimes for no particular reason I like to tell someone those stories. But lately I haven't gotten that urge.

Um...yeah so I'm in track,just so you know. I have to get my grades up or else I have to pay a lot of money over the summer for my insurance.
But luckily I have a great neighbor and he pays me
$50 a month just to take care of his yard.
Well I could ramble all day, but I
don't even know if that's what
I'm supposed to be doing,
so...bye!

I Wear the Mask

Let those who see me for what I really am revere my secrets to the end.
For I wear the mask.
And for those who shout whim of my infamous past, have an ecstasy that last.
For my baseness of life will fall.
In the end will it be worth it all?
For I wear the mask.
You were vindictive once,
But you have been forgiven.
Your love for me was heedless,
Wild and free.
But now all that is left,
Is a mask…
And me.

Saint Patricks Day

Saint Patricks Day does not have very much importance in my life. I mean, I had to ask what the holiday was just so I could blog about it. Saint Patricks Day is just another day in my life, really Saint Patricks Day is just an excuse for people to wear my least favorite color.

I don't really know why, but the color green is very umplesant to my eyes. Now don't get me wrong I like the color green with trees, or with grass, or with moss, but with material things. Yeah, no thank you.

There really is no reason why I do not like the color green, I just grew up not likeing it. So Saint Patricks Day is not really my favoite day, really Saint Patricks Day is just another day with a lot of green in it.

Writers Notebook1/14/2010 4B

I wish I cold take a stand to all the bullies at my school. I mean they don't mess with me really because they know I do not take any crap from them, but I wish I could stand up for my friends more "protectively" than I do.

I wish that the bullies that mess with my friends would understand that I will beat them down just as much for messing with my friends as they do for messing with me.

I guess what I am trying to say is this...you mess with my friends I will personally take my own stand and make sure that you will not do it again!!! But, I will avoid a fight if I can, I do not pick fights I finish them. I do not mind fighting anyone that is messing with a friend o mine or myself, but I would rather not fight if any way possible.

Writers Notebook 2/15/2010 4B

Right now in my life I have only committed myself to one person. My best friend is the person who I have truly committed myself to; I give all my time and energy to this person, I try my absolute best to be there every single time this person needs help.

My friend has some peroblems that most other people do not have, so I do what I can to be ther for my best friend. Just like my best friend is there for me.

I use to never be able to talk to anybody because there was never anyone there for me. So I understand how my friend is feeling sometimes. Thats one of the reasons I try to be there and give my all for them, and the great thing is... that friend is doing the same for me.

Writers Notebook 2/23/2010 4B

The art of persuasion, I do not use persuasion much, but when I do I use the guilt tactic. I see persuasion all the time on TV, but my family and I hardly use any bad forms of persuasion. So no, persuasion is not very important in my life, but when I do use persuasion I am very good at it.

The last time that I can think of that I used persuasion is ...

That's Right!

Taking a stand has many ups and downs to the outcome of your life. Personally I have taken many stands, but at one point in my life I had not.

For instance when I was in the fifth grade I had a friend who was getting picked on, and my friend was just standing there doing nothing to fight back. The bully or "jock" rather, had thought that he was the best thing around. Well back then I didn't do anything to help out my friend, but wait until he was done and then tried to comfort him.

Now days I will not tolerate anything like that, I will do whatever I have to to stick up for my friends, even if it resorts to fighting. Now don't get me wrong, I will try my best to prevent a fight, but if that person swings at me or my friend, I will not back down.

For example, one time last year, in the ninth grade, my friend Timothy was getting pushed around by a guy named Joey Germany. Joey was the type of guy who always got what he wanted and thought he was a "Bad A." This was the day he was wrong. The day was an A day, a Friday to be exact, and our first period class was P.E. Well on Friday's the whole gym played dodge ball, well we started playing and after the game was over Joey started messing with Tim. Now Tim he is a big guy, but he is not very aggressive. So when Joey started messing with Tim, I headed that way. When I got there I could tell that Timothy was upset, but that he didn't want to do anything. I don't really remember what happened exactly, but I do remember him swinging at me, and that's when he woke up on the ground.

Joey backed off for a while, and left me and Timothy alone, but he got brave one day and had one of his friends come and tell me to meet them in the locker room. I said, "No, I am not going to fight him, if he wants me he's going to have to come at me first. I am not going to walk into a room knowing that if I do, that I will probably get into trouble because I was just as guilty as him for fighting. So no." Well a few weeks later, during that same period, he runs at me with his fist clenched, and I wasn't going to have any of it. So right before he hit me, I ducked and slammed my shoulder into his temple. He was knocked out cold.

Joey moved away, and I haven't heard from him since. Taking a stand is a good thing, if you do it for the right reason. But if you take a stand in order to get what you want, in that since, you are as dumb as a rock.

Taking a stand!

There are people who talk about themselves all the time, and then there are those who gossip about others. Well I don't like to gossip that much so I don't consider this gossiping or anything like that. If anything, this is a great story of how one of my friends has really taken a stand, and how she is still taking a stand to this day.

I will not say who my friend is, but I will say how amazed I am, and how proud I am of her. My friend has really taken a stand that I consider amazing because of how easy it would be for her to do so many bad things.

I have friends who are always talking about how they had sex, or gotten high, or a number of other things that are just not right. Well I have not done any of those things, but neither has my friend. But the reason her story is so much more amazing is because of how much easier it is for her to do those things, when I am not as tempted.

My friend has friends, and family, that if she wanted to she could get high, or have sex, or anything that she wanted to rather easily, but she doesn't do any of it! She makes good grades at school, helps others more than herself, and has fought through so much, but is still standing strong. Everyday she is tempted to have sex or do drugs, but she fights through it because she knows that drugs and sex are wrong. Even her mother sometimes tempts her to go out and do bad things.

My friend has taken a stand that not may others can even compare to, and she is still fighting to keep standing, and to do the right thing, even to this day. Personally I think that this person is probably one of the strongest in the school because of what I know she has been through. I have many friends, I know many stories, but this is the one that really tops them all...

The Last Olympian

For years Percy Jackson has been fighting against all odds to protect what he believes in. There are many books to his story, but The Last Olympian is definitely the best of the best.

Kronos, the main titan in this glorious book, has been trying for eons to get out and take over humanity and the Olympians. Finally he has gotten out and has gained enough power to take over may monsters and kill may of Innocent lives.

There is a prophecy that says that at the age of 16 that a young hero will save the entire way of life... will it be Percy or will it be someone else?

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar not one of my favorite books. Surprisingly, this play of Shakespeare was much less interesting to read than much of his other plays or stories. For me the read was very complicated, and the text was very confusing to read because of all the old terms and phrases used in Julius Caesar.

The first thing that made me lose my attention was all the very long and confusing phrases that the book used. Usually I will not have a problem with that, but in this book it was just to complicated for me. I didn't understand what they were talking about most of the time, and also I would not get the complicated ideas, feelings, or thoughts that Shakespeare was implying at the time.

Another reason I did not like Julius Caesar was because the book was not really about Julius Caesar, it was mainly about Bruits and his decision on weather or not to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar. I think that if a book or play or story is going to be titled after someone, then I think that they should be the main character, not the secondary character.

Julius Caesar was actually the first work of Shakespeare's that I really did not like. With all of the long and confusing phrases, to the play not being about Caesar, I just could not get into the book and enjoy it. But if I was to see the play I am sure that I would change my mind.

What does my name mean?

There are over 6 Billion people on earth, there are just as many names, but I happen to just have one of those names, and that is Nathan. I'm sure that every person on earth has a story of how their name came to be, my story is not long or very interesting, but it's a story.

By now you have already found out that my name is Nathan, well Nathan Edwards, anyway here is my story. About 16 years, 14 days, and 15 hours ago I was born. My mother has just suffered an agonizing 8 hours of labor, and had not really thought about my name. Well, what I mean to say is that she did think of a name for me, but at that point in time that was the leas of her worries. My name was going to be John Thomas Edwards, but when the Dr. came into the room, holding me, he asked what my name was going to be. My mother and father looked at each other and both said "Nathan." Although every time I ask my parents why they named me Nathan the story changed, but this was the first one that told me, so I'm sticking with it.

Nathan means "Gift from God," I personally think that this meaning is both truthful and, yet wrong. The reason I think that the meaning is truthful is because if you ask any of my family they will probably tell you that I am a gift from God. But the reason I think that the saying is wrong is because I think that maybe I might be a gift from God, but just because I'm a "Gift from God" doesn't mean that I am going to live up to all the expectations that everybody has put on me.

For example, I am a big procrastinator and right now I am doing this paragraph right before its due, also I have put in a lot of "its and 'is's" in this paragraph when there are not supposed to e any. anyway that's me and how my name came to be. Later!

The reasons I am thankful for Thanksgiving

There are many reasons why I think Thanksgiving is so wonderful, but I will only list 10 of those reasons.

1. Thanksgiving is a time when people make time to visit their family and friends, that they may not have seen in a long time.
2. Thanksgiving happens to be around the time of my birthday.
3. The month of Thanksgiving, aka November, is the time of the year when all of the exciting things happen in my life such as; birthdays, parties, gifts, being able to see long time friends and family, and eating.
4. As I have mentioned before thanksgiving is a time for eating. I am not a very big fan of eating myself sick, but when Thanksgiving rolls around I am foods #1 fan!
5. The time when Thanksgiving rolls by is also the time when my dad and I get to go hunting. Hunting is one of mine and my dads favorite past times.
6. Another reason I love Thanksgiving so much, is the fact that my school gets to get out for almost a week, for the event.
7. I am also thankful for Thanksgiving because some of my family give presents away at this event, and if you are lucky you might get one of those presents.
8. Another reason I am thankful for Thanksgiving is because when Thanksgiving comes, people seem to be in a very good mood, all the time.
9. The memories are another great reason I am thankful for Thanksgiving.
10. The tenth reason I am thankful for Thanksgiving is the showing of love that my friends and family have for me.

Those are the top 10 reasons why I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

The Good, the Bad, and the Beat

Drums are they good or are they bad? Everybody has their opinion about this topic. To those who do not play may not really care. But to those who play the drums might have a different opinion. There are good things and bad things to everything. Here are the pros and the cons to playing the drums.


Pros to playing the drums:
1. You learn how to keep time.
2. If you get good enough you might be able to join a band.
3. Playing the drums might be able to make you a millionaire doing what you love.
4. When traveling with a band, if you get into a band, you get to meat a ton of new people.
5. Learning to play the drums can expand your memory, and thought process in many other activities.


Cons to playing the drums:
1. Sometimes playing the drums gets very addicting.
2. When you constantly play the drums you tend to want more cymbals, equipment, and time to play.
3. Playing the drums is a perfect tool for procrastinating.
4. Sometimes you have to practice and practice before you ever get it, and it can get very aggravating.

Just knowing the pros and cons to playing the drums, has helped many people decide if they would like to play or not. In the end choosing to play the drums is left up to the individual.

Book1: The Invisible Man (pgs. 135)

H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man is about a man, named Griffin, who has discovered the science to turn living organisms invisible. Griffin the main character of the story, does many more experiments on other organisms, but in one of his experiments he turns himself invisible. He starts to realize that, with the power of being invisible, he can do whatever he wants. The law can not do anything because they can not find him. So Griffin, being the "all powerful" man that he thinks he is, starts to commit various crimes.

Griffin ends up leaving the area, and goes to try somewhere else. He wonders into a little town called Iping, he soon realizes that he does not like being invisible, so he tries to do more experiments to turn himself visible again. People start to get suspicious and soon patrols are set out, doors are locked, and even windows are barred. He becomes very enraged because there are no more accessible supplies.

This story has one of the best illustrated writing styles, that I have read in a long time. This story has slang, matter-of-fact comments, and the tone seems to be rather angry. The Invisible Man has many scripted words and phrases that almost literally include the reader into the story. I recommend this book to any and all who love; drama, action, suspense, and an irregular type of mystery.

Web Site

Don't you just hate computers when they will not let you find a web site? Well right now I am not able to find any of the web sites that I have been looking for. The worst part of not being able to find the web site is when you just misspell one word, and not even just the word its one letter in the word. Anyway that's whats on my mind.

Never Give Up!!!

On the opening morning of last years youth deer hunt, my dad and I hunted together. My brother and uncle hunted together on the other side of the property. My dad and I did not see many deer, only one doe, and I could not get a shot at it. Around 8:30 we heard my brother David shoot. After a few minutes my uncle called to let us know that David had harvested a mature doe. Excited for him, but anxious for us, we still waited to no avail. After about another hour, we herd David shoot "again," and as before we received another call to inform us that David had indeed harvested another deer. This time it was a small spike buck.

After another few more minutes of waiting our curiosity got the best of us, and we began our long walk to see David's trophies. Feeling totally discouraged I was "traveling the trail of tears," about half-way there we heard a couple of deer coming. As they ran by I attempted a "Hail Mary" shot at a running doe. At this time I was feeling lower than slug slime. As we continued on I was walking gun down, head down, and had basically gave up on the whole day. When my dad, and his infinite wisdom, said "Now son don't ever give up, you never know when that big buck is 'bout to come out." In an excited whisper he said "And there he is now!" as he pointed towards the path at our right.

As I looked where he was pointing, I saw the antlers gleaming in the sun as the large eight point exited from the woods, and entered the opening in front of us. My dad having quick reflexes shot the shooting stick into the ground. While doing so he said "Get 'em son!" I raised my 7mm O8 handy rifle, and placed the cross hairs on his chest. I squeezed the trigger, and the deer ran back towards the opening stumbling through the woods. Not knowing for sure if I had hit the deer, we anxiously approached where he had been standing, we began to look for sign to track him by.

As we began our assent up the hill where he had went, we broke though the brush we saw him lying up the hill. Giggling to myself like a little school girl, I was proud to see that I had killed something bigger than what David had killed. Still shaking from all the adrenalin, my dad called my Uncle Sam and could barley talk, but managed to get out that I had killed a big buck.

The End