Week 5 Comments

The City of Bones- Sa'Veon

Cruise With Harley and Mose- Mary Francis

Autumn Flash Story

Autumn is the best time of the year because the weather is perfect, the air is crisp, and the holidays are on their way. Not to mention, it was her name. As Autumn made her way to the park in the wonderful autumnal air, she rejoiced at all of the Halloween decorations in her neighbors' yards. Approaching her neighborhood park, she noticed all of the children playing and saw one of her friends sitting on a bench. "Hey, Marie! Isn't the weather lovely?"

Autumn knew that Marie adored fall as well and so they decided to spend the day together outside. They walked from the park to Autumn's house and made hot chocolate weighed down with marshmallows, then went into the backyard. There, they started to make designs for jack-o-lanterns, with Marie taking the creative lead. As they worked, they took turns going inside to refill their hot chocolates and took tons of artsy nature pictures that were sure to go straight to their VSCOs. Later in the night after an impromptu bonfire, Marie went home, and Autumn was sure that days like that day were why she loved fall.

Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron seemed to be an average dystopian story but by the end, I was questioning what I read and who would consider this art. Though the whole premise frustrated me. I could deal with it though, because all dystopian pieces of writing seem to have the effect of, "Whose idea was this and why did they think it would work?" Harrison Bergeron really made me wonder that though, because how on earth would weighing strong people down make them weaker? Does the government know that that is exactly how you build muscle? Also, why would the government want everyone to be idiots?

I guess what I'm saying is that all of the attempted equality makes the people even less equal. By trying to slow smart people down it probably makes them think harder about how to get around their handicaps. By weighing down strong people, they're building muscle. By covering pretty people's faces with masks that vary based on their level of beauty, the government is only showing to others how much prettier those with masks are than those without. By making sure that announcers and people on television and radio have speech impediments, they're only making those people feel worse about themselves. Overall, the government is not making people equal, it's just making the community as strong as it's weakest link.

Week 4 Blog Comments

Dear blank, Signed, Confused-Makenzie Daugherty

Nap Time- Jett Turnley

Dear Thirteen Year Old

Middle school is really stressful. All of the adults in your life are probably reminding you how scary and important high school is soon to be. Not only that, but your friend groups are changing and you're trying to keep up with the popular kids and have tons of friends. These things are good, and every one does it, but it is not near as important as it seems in that moment when you're trying so hard to find the right dress for Hollyball. Getting a dress, or anything, that fits in with the other girls' things but not enough to look like you're copying them is not going to ensure that you have a good time and make good memories. What matters is that you like what you're wearing, and if you do that, I promise you will have a better time.

You will also find yourself in situations where you're expected to talk bad about people. We've all been there, and we've also done it. Let me tell you, it doesn't work out. The girl who says that she's definitely not going to tell her best friend what y'all said about that best friend is lying. Squads, crews, whatever is popular right now, are really fun until you leave out one of your friends that you know should be included. I'm not that person who's going to say that you shouldn't ever have a squad, but if you know that a girl is in your actual friend group and you leave her out, that's not going to end well for you. I know that people will talk about people, and I know squads will form, but if you feel like there's a chance something could turn around on you, stop doing that. Overall, copying what everyone else is doing isn't that fun.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

This week I have been reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but not as avidly as I have in the past few weeks. I am now reaching the climax and I am panicking. There is only about twenty pages left and it is not looking good for Miss Peregrine. Hollows have taken some of the other ymbrynes and now a wight took Miss Peregrine and Miss Avocet in their bird forms. The peculiars are trying their hardest to get them back but in the midst of an attack by a U boat, but it is proving very difficult. The detail from Riggs during this part has made me feel like I was there so much that I swore I could hear the guns firing.

As chaos falls upon the peculiars and their life, you can see how tightly knit of a family they actually are. The moment they were able to get to Miss Peregrine, they organized a plan and executed it to the best of their ability. Not only has Riggs made it apparent that the kids really do love Miss Peregrine no matter how much they complain about her, but also how close Emma and Jacob have gotten over the short time Jacob was on the island. I really like Jacob and Emma's relationship because you can tell they mean a lot to each other but they are also good at accepting that they are both stubborn and brave, unlike in a lot of books where the couple tries to protect each other and argues for a longer time than it takes to get the action done. Overall, this book has been intriguing and descriptive, with the likable characters and use of pictures bringing it all together.

The Falling Man of 9/11

http://www.news.com.au/world/the-story-behind-the-most-powerful-image-of-911-the-falling-man/story-fndir2ev-1226717247792

I read an article about one photo from September 11, 2001. In the photo a man fell from one of the top stories of the Twin Towers. Supposedly around 200 people jumped or fell from the buildings on this day. It is terrifying to think back on this event and of the ways people lost their lives. So many families were devastated and this picture shows but one of the lives lost by unsuspecting victims. 

September 11, 2001 was one of the most photographed and documented days in history and this terrible photo was only a fraction of it, but it is powerful. No one knows who the man is but there has been speculation of his identity. So many people jumped from those buildings but his jump was documented for the world to see. But the world didn't want to see this. Many people hated this photo being used in newspapers or articles because it was too disturbing. But the event was and still is disturbing, and that's why this photo matters. People lost their lives because of terrorism and people will continue to lose their lives for terrorism until it is ended.

"The Falling Man" taken by Associated Press
 photographer Richard Drew

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children certainly wasn't slow for long. After a while everything started moving considerably quicker and now the characters are being portrayed more as themselves and not just their as their abilities. The peculiars are all getting their own personalities and I can see the relationships forming between them and Jacob. Jacob's bond with Emma is certainly getting stronger and I'm all for it. He seems to really be hitting it off with the pyrokinetic girl who also had a relationship with Jacob's grandfather.

The fact that this is the same girl that his grandfather had a relationship with in the 1940's seems odd and messed up but time doesn't work the same way for these peculiars, so her and Jacob are actually the same age. Though you can tell Emma still cares about Jacob's grandfather, she is really taking a liking to Jacob. I really like them together because she's very strong and Jacob needs strength right now with everything he's going through, so they can lean on each other. I'm also kind of worried about this pairing because Jacob will eventually have to go back to America and what will they do when they part? Emma can't go with him because she is still living in the 1940's and if she leaves that time she will die in hours. But if Jacob stays with her he will be stuck in the 40's and have to leave behind his modern life. Either way, Ransom Riggs has made this tricky and I also don't know what will become of the other children. Will they live on the island on the same day on repeat forever or can they break the loop without dying?

Week One and Two Comments

Makenzie-Actually Nothing Plus Some Negativity

Ella-Over the summer, I became a certified scuba diver

Madisyn Paige-St. John

Lane-Something Exciting

Panic! at the Disco Meet and Greet

Ryan, Mary Francis, and I walked into the catering room at the back of the Champion Square concert venue in New Orleans, LA on June 12, 2016. It was sometime around five o'clock and we were full of nerves and excitement. As we walked in I saw and pointed out Zack, Panic! at the Disco's tour manager, body guard, and close friend. I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to be in this situation. I was ecstatic just to see Zack, so could you imagine how I'd be in a few moments when I finally got to meet the real band? All 150 of us filed into the catering room and were chattering nervously until Zack walked in again and told us how it was going to be. There would be no hugging, no screaming, and no scaring the band members. These seemed easy enough though the no hugging was a letdown, but who would want to hug 150 people who had been standing outside in New Orleans heat? I wouldn't. As we got closer and closer to the front of the line my pulse was rushing. I wanted to talk to them but it seemed we didn't have too much time when we got in there and I didn't want to do a pose for our picture and then not like it, so I took the most bland and basic route I could, and it was a mistake.

"Oh my gosh, sorry, I didn't realize it was my turn! Hi! OH MY GOD. BRENDON. HI! Hi! Hey! Yes I'd love to stand between Dallon and Brendon!" I then smiled for the picture and thanked them a ton and walked out. The second I was handed my signed poster I broke into tears. What had I done? I met my favorite band and I don't even think I made eye contact with Dallon Weekes! He's literally 6'4" of intimidation! I was the first of our group of three to go in and meet the guys and why had I done that? Of the three of us, I'm the biggest fan of Panic! and the other girls knew that and still let me go in first, full of nerves! Ryan, who went last actually talked to them and made a memory, I barely even remember what happened. I blanked. I don't know if I made eye contact, or looked at them closely, or noticed what they smelled like. I was just in utter shock. I was finally there and I let the moment slip away. But after those few moments I made my way to barricade and made up for the lost memories by being front row for the best concert from my favorite band.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is the third book I read last week and I understand why it seems everyone loves it! It started off considerably slower than I would've liked but I think I only thought that because the series I read before was very fast paced. I love the way Ransom Riggs has worked photography into the story and it most definitely contributes to the intrigue of the book. I had absolutely no idea what this book was actually about going into it but I knew that I have had copies of it on my shelf, one being signed, for almost a year and everyone raves about it so it needed to be read. I now know what the book is about but I don't know what is going to happen in the slightest, and not just in the good way like not knowing the end but I literally have no idea if the children and Miss Peregrine are still alive, or if they are actually mutants or magical, or something but I'm really ready to find out.

At this point in the story I still feel like it's basically an introduction even though I'm a hundred pages in. This book certainly isn't for those who can't or don't want to focus and dedicate time to a book. It's a bit of a slow read but the fact that it is moving so slowly makes me want to read more and more instead of just stopping because I still want to know what will happen, no matter how long it takes! Also, I don't know what the deal is with the photos used in the book and why they were actually taken or how old they really are but I love the creepy feeling of them. They are all strange and interest me not just in the context of the story but also in what went through the photographers' heads when taking them. Overall, I'm not sure what to expect from Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, or what will happen, but I'm looking forward to finding out and hopefully getting spooked.