2.23 Diction Exercise

A Farewell to Arms By: Ernest Hemingway


Representative Words: bed, swiftly, powdered, marching, stirred, rich, fighting, flashes


Elevation: Low - casual, mediocre

Sound: Harsh - natural, mono-toned

Concreteness: Concrete - soothing, sleek, mellow

Claim: Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms soothing and mediocre description of the troops portrays mellow battle beginning to erupt.

Survivor Reveiw

My favorite reality show is Survivor. I don't know why, I just have always really enjoyed it. I think it's one of those loves where you completely love it, but you can't explain why. Anyway, with that last episode (last Wednesday) I felt the need to talk about it.

So first I need to discuss to newest weirdo, Phillip. If you have watched the last two episodes, then you know what I am talking about when I say weirdo. The first thing that stood out to me about this former Federal agent, was the pink briefs he proudly marched around in. Really? On the first day? Wow. Anyway, he also made that tribal council the best one in the world (I don't want to go into detail about it, but it was funny). Anyway, this week at tribal council, he made his speech about the lion and the gorilla. The Lion is the King, who no one messes with. The Gorilla is another strong one, but knows when they mess up, they must pay the price.

Secondly, Rob and the little romance. So Matt, and Andria, had started this little lovey duvey flit fest. And who sees it, none other the Rob, the most famous person known for falling in love on Survivor. Anyway, Rob knows the power it brings to have an alliance (cough relationship) like that in this game (hello Amber). So when they lost, and he saw Matt do a kind thing to the winning team, he got him voted out. This kind of disappointed me. Matt was just being nice, but his teammates saw it as betraying his team. What really made me sad was right before Tribal, he pretty much said how Boston Rob is the coolest person ever. Broke my heart. haha.

And third, Russel being a know-it-all. Well we all knew it was coming, his famous line "Your either with me, or against me." Well it finally came out with new country guy Rlaph. Russel went out calling Ralph inexperienced, and dumb. Well Russel, Ralph seems to have something you don't....the hidden immunity idol. Now if Ralph does it right, he may be able to use that to blind side Russel...and you know you all want to see it.

I am excited for this weeks new episode! :)

Two Way Street (pg 80 - 105)

So Courtney's best friend, Jocelyn, does not like the idea of her and Jordan as a thing. She warns her not to go there, and not even to think of going there. Courtney agrees, even though she is already infatuated over him. She then tells Courtney that she was hooked up with someone, the very someone who goes by the name B.J.. Courtney finds this gross (so do I) and never wants to here about it. They also discuss that the only way Courtney can talk to Jordan is if he says hi first, and then all she is allowed to say back is hi.

So Jordan is totally annoyed that Courtney is ignoring him. He doesn't understand. He confronts her about by saying "so is that how you treat a guy who just bought you a meal" and Courtney tells him she "was busy texting." Cute, cute, cute!! He then asks her out to get something to eat, she says no, but that doesn't do for him, so he asks her why. She kind of blows up at him, but when she realises he really wanted to go, she agreed, but made it clear she doesn't want to. So they go out and eat in his car, and talk about family. He also gives her a pet name, Court. Hehe, I found this cute too. This chapter ended with him talking to B.J. about the girls.

Review: I thought it was really adorable how Jordan got all upset when Courtney ignored him. I wanted to go over and give him a hug or something. hehe. Both these chapters was of before the trip, and they were so cute.

Word Count: 105/288

Two Way Street (pg. 50 - 80)

Good, good, good!! That is mostly what I have to say over these pages. Picking off what what happened, Jordan asks for Courtney's number, he gets it, and we find out that Courtney is not dating her best friend Lloyd, even though she has been in love with him since forever (yuck!). Jordan did this to make a girl jealous, and it works, only not to his advantage. He has to go help his drunk friend, and the girl gets bored of waiting around for him, so she leaves with someone else. Then, a big shocker...when Jordan goes home, his mom is making out with someone! Well obviously Jordan freaks out, so he leaves in his car, and calls Courtney to hang out. They do, but its not a date (mhmm, whatever they say). One funny thing is Courtney is facebook...erm, myspace...stalking Jordan before he calls. So when she sees its him that called, she feels like she could see her.

So then we flash back to the trip. Courtney's stomach growls...and this is like very amusing for Jordan, because she wouldn't let them stop for food, so they do, and when they get food at some rest stop his phone rings. Courtney acts all bratty and is like "don't not answer your girlfriend on account of me" and stuff (it's not even his "new" girlfriend). Well Courtney eats her food really fast, because the faster she eats, the sooner this awkwardness can end. Anyway, that was a bad idea, because the food was bad. We find this out when she throws up.

Review: I love this book! hehe. I don't know why, but I was very entertained with these pages. I just adore reading the "before the trip" because we get to see how they met, and later, how they were as a couple. It's just great. Sometimes Courtney gets on my nerves, cause she can be really mean, but hey, she is stuck on a road trip with the person who dumped her, she has a right. hehe.

Word Count: 80/288

Spring!!

I don't know about you, but I am ready for spring! Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the winter, but when all that snow melted, and we had those two days of warmth, I never wanted to go back to the cold. Now I look out my window, and see snow again. It's a little upsetting. So, here are a few spring pictures to put everyone in a happy mood, or a sad mood since it's not spring yet. haha.

Two Way Street (pg. 1 - 50)

This is one of my favorite books to read. Yes I have read it before...about 4 times. haha. But I enjoy it, and I was bored, so that is why I am reading it again. Or at least read some of it.

Anyway, this book starts out with Courtney thinking about how this road trip with her ex is going to suck. You see, she and her ex-boyfriend are going to the same college, and before they broke up, they made this plan to go on a road trip to college together. However, they broke up, but it's to late to get plane tickets, and there parents are still making them go. We here Courtney say how much Jordan is lazy and never on time. We also learn how she just has to follow her schedule, because she won't let Jordan take them out for breakfast because it will put them behind schedule. It then tells us how they met at this party. It's really funny, because they are both friends with these immature people.

Review: The one thing I love about this book is that is shows Jordan and Courtney's different point of views. Also, It doesn't just show the present, as in them on the trip, but flashes back to when they were dating, which is nice, because you get a feel for the characters before now.

Word Count: 50/288

Before I Fall (pg. 430 - 470)

So, Sam has her friends drop her off and leave her at Lindsey's house. They don't understand why, but it is all part of her plan to see Kent and let him be her hero, so that the promise he made to himself is fulfilled. He picks her up, and they have a really heated kiss. She tells him some sweet things, but then runs into the party, leaving him pretty confused. She goes and sees her friends, and spends some time with them. They have some laughs, but then when she checks the time, she knows its time to say goodbye. She does a simple "See you Later" and even tears up some. It was kind of sad, because we knew this was her last time with them. She then goes to find Juliet She finds her, and talks to her. Saying she is sorry and knows what she has planned, and can't let her do it. Kent comes and distracts Sam, and Juliet gets away. She tells Kent he has to trust her, and that she needs to help someone. Then she runs off and gets to Juliet by the road. In the distance, she hears Kent, Lindsey, and her other friends calling her name. When a truck comes rolling by, and Juliet jumps in front of it, Sam pushes her out of the way, getting hit herself. And this time, she stays dead.

Review: Well thats the end, and I thought it was a good ending. I mean, she saved the person who she tortured all this time. She got to spend one last day with the guy she should have been with from the start, and she got to make things good with her family, and just have fun with her friends. Over all, this book was a good read. Would I read it again? No. Do I wish I didn't buy is? Sorta. But over all, it was worth it, and if you want and easy, semi-moral book, then you should read this one :)

Word Count: 470/470

Before I Fall (pg. 407 - 430)

Day 7, the last day Sam will live again. So she wakes up, goes to the rose room like the last time. This time, she buys Juliet a single rose, and writes "it's never to late" and throughout the day she gets roses, but when she gets the one from Kent. She tells the girl who gave it to her it's her favorite, and gives all her other roses to her. The only one she keeps is the one from Kent. After that class, she thanks him, says its her favorite, and tells him he will need to be her hero. It was actually pretty sweet. She also is really into spending one last time with her friends, and thinking about how to save Juliet. Pretty much the same stuff in the last chapter, only she is has learned from all her mistakes.

Review: I enjoyed this, like always. I guess my favorite part was when she was talking to Kent in the hallway. It was so cute. hehe. I wish that he could remember all there other moments that Sam had with him on the other days.

Word Count: 430/470

Before I Fall (pg. 344 - 407)

When Sam wakes up, she is so happy that she gets to have another chance at making things right. Not only for Juliet (though that is her biggest mission) but with all those better in her school suffering. When she gets to school, she spends $40 dollars on roses, all for Juliet. She writes on the card "from your secret admirer." She also takes away the single rose her and her friends bought for Juliet that said "maybe next year, but probably not." She ignores Rob during lunch, until he marches up to her demanding what her problem is. They get in a fight, nothing new there.

After lunch, Sam goes out to find Kent, who she really likes. She feels some sort of connection with him, and feels bad for the way she thought about him and they way she treated him before. She finds him out in the court yard, and she is about to tell him something. I think she was going to tell him her feelings for him, or the weirdness that has happened to her, but she gets dragged away by Lindsey. Kent makes her promise to come to his party, and Sam does. Even while out skipping classes with Lindsey, Sam's mind is somewhere else. She thinks about death. She thinks about how she died, and how Juliet died. If I was Sam, I would be so mad at her, because she is the reason Sam died. But instead of hating her, she wants to save her.

At the party, Sam tricks Rob into an embarrassing situation, and then she dumps him (about time!) Once she loses track of her friends, she runs into Kent. They get talking, and then she hears some laughing and thinks "oh no, not again" She runs off to the bathroom where Juliet is. This part was a little hart wrenching. Sam apologises, and explains why she did the things she did, and so on. It really was a nice speech, but Juliet doesn't seem to hear the words Sam says to her. She calls Sam out on all the things her and her friends have done to her, and she then says that Lindsey and her use to be best friends. She tells about all the things they use to do together, and then how in 5th grade, her parents always fought, and it was really hard on Lindsey. She use to have bad nightmares, and wet the bed. And on that 5th grade camping trip, she wet the bed then, and blamed it all on Juliet. And thats how it all got started. Juliet then runs out of the bathroom, and we find out that her committing suicide has nothing to do with Lindsey.

Review: This was pretty intense. Mostly the bathroom scene, where Sam is talking to Juliet, and we find out about her and Lindsey's past together. It was pretty touching and emotional. I also enjoyed the fact that we can really see that Sam has changed, or maybe finally being herself, and not being afraid. Bottom line, loved it.

Word Count: 407/470

A Little Valentine Sweetness

Yum...chocolate...icing...cupcakes...!!! Yep, you guessed it, I made chocolate cupcakes to celebrate this day of love. Well, my mom made them, but I decorated them. Here is a few pictures of my masterpiece:

Disney Classics

So the other day, I spent 3 hours of my life on youtube, listening to all the old classic Disney songs. I love them all! So I made a list of a few of my favorites, I decided to only do ten, so my list was super long, just note that I wanted to choose a song from all different movies, so not all of these are my favorite, but the favorite of that movie. And I picked the movie based on what song got stuck in my head. haha. So here is my list, hope you enjoy.

1. Why Should I Worry - Oliver and Company

2. I'll Make A Man Out Of You - Mulan

3. Just Around The River Bend - Pocahontas

4. Hakuna Matata - The Lion King

5. Part Of Your World - The Little Mermaid (my favorite Disney princess growing up)

6. Something There - Beauty and the Beast

7. A Whole New World - Aladdin

8. I Won't Say I'm In Love - Hercules

9. Two Worlds - Tarzan

10. Cinderelly (Mouse Song) - Cinderella



I recommend you all listening to some old Disney songs, and making your own list. It sure is fun remembering the good old days :)



Before I Fall (pg. 311 - 344)

So after leaving myself at that terrible cliffhanger, here is what happened next. Sam goes around asking the people at the party if they know where Juliet is. No one seems to know who she is talking about, until in her long list of describing her, she says "might be wet" (you know, because of the drink that would have been thrown on her) and so someone says she is in the bathroom. Sam runs to the bathroom, the door is locked, of course, and no matter how much she bangs on the door, she doesn't get an answer. This makes Sam panic quit a bit. She yells at someone to go get Kent. Kent ends up having to pick the lock, and when they open the door, no one is in there, and the window is opened.


Sam, still freaking out, runs out to find her. She runs through the woods, thinking that is where Juliet ran off to. All she can see in her head is Juliet shooting herself, and all the blood that would pool around her head. Once she realises she is lost, she tries to find the road. Once she is close enough to see it, she sees Juliet sitting on the ground. She starts to talk to Juliet, and Juliet doesn't understand why she is being nice all of a sudden, and she she yells as Sam "why are you talking to me, you hate me!" Sam tells her that she just doesn't know her, but she thinks they have something in common. No matter what she says, Juliet runs out into that street, to be hit by a car.


The Car, is Lindsey's. Lindsey and Ally are both fine, but Elody, who was in the passenger side (the seat Sam was in the night she dies) was the only one of them that died. Sam has a major freak out, hello, she just watched someone commit suicide and her best friend dying! So Kent takes her back to his place, and she doesn't want him to leave her side. She asks why he is so nice to her, and he tells her because in elementary school, she stood up to a bully for him, and he called her his hero, so he promised himself he would be hers no matter how long it would take (aww!).


Review: So here is what I learned. Juliet was the reason Sam died, without Sam, Elody would be the one who died in the car, Juliet shot herself when the girls didn't go to the party, because she wouldn't have been in the woods, and so on. Wow, who know changing such small actions, would change such big things!!


Word Count: 344/470

Is that from One Tree Hill?!

Okay, so I guess it is pretty clear I am obsessed with One Tree Hill. My family knows this best, because last year during spring break, we went close to the town where they film the show, and I made my family drive an extra hour to go see the spots on the show. So here are a few of those pictures I took.

This is Brook's store, clothes over bros. That had the sign over the door so you couldn't really see inside, but this was probably my favorite sight to see!! Brook is my favorite, so I don't know, it was just special for me. haha.

                                                   

Brooks house in the first and second season! This was kind of awkward to take a picture of, because people really live there. But hey, I couldn't call myself a crazy fan if I wasn't brave enough to take a picture of a random person house. I wonder if they are use to that every now and then, hmm...

The river walk way!! I don't know if that is what this is really called, but it's what I call it. Anyway, the cast is often on this, just walking and chilling. It's also where Nathan and Hailey had their first date (well, tutor session) and I sat at the same table they did!! :D :D

The River Court!!! Now I know you all know what this is. I was a little disappointed because I they didn't have the hoops up (weird) or the bleachers. But It was really cool to see it and stand on it.

And here was the sign for the show at the studio. Unfortunately they only give the tours on the weekend, and we had missed it already. I wish I could have seen one of the stars, but it must of been their spring break too. haha. One thing is for sure...BEST DAY EVER!!!

Before I Fall (pg. 287 - 311)

So here's what happened. Sam goes out to a nice family dinner, just having a fun time. Her and her little sister are stuffing their faces in all the sea food the restaurant has. Then the swim team at Sam's school comes in. That doesn't bother her, until she sees this tall, blond, pale girl standing in the door way. She realises it is Juliet's sister. She goes over and talks to her, and is very nice. She lies and says she is Juliet's lab partner. All she can think about is how Juliet is going to kill herself, and she can't stand it. So she tries to stop it. She goes to the party, that she promised herself she would not go back to. But when she gets their, she realises she is too late in stopping everyone at the party from making fun of her...This is where I stop!


Review: AHH...I have to read more. I stopped at a cliff hanger, and I was just getting to the good parts. haha. I really liked this, and I can't wait to read more when I get all my homework done. Sorry this was a lame review...guess I said it all in my summary. haha.


Word Count: 311/470

Driving is Fun!!

In the article, "Teenagers, Driving, and Bad Decisions," it talks about how teenagers act recklessly while driving with friends. Well, sure, some do. But in our defense...so do adults. It's not only teens that drive faster then they should, or mess with the radio. Also, every friend I have driven with, act very responsible. They know that if they treat driving as a fun game, it could end not only their life, but their friends. I think it is a mistake to say teenagers driving with friends in the car makes them act non-responsibly. If they are in an accident, which happens to everyone, one reason may simply be they are a knew driver, which they are. Yes, yes, I am a teen myself just defending my peers, but hey, can you really blame me?

A Whole New World

So, some of you might have already heard this before, it has a ton of views on YouTube, and i think he is starting to get more well known, but this is just so...I don't even know. I mean, the first time I heard it, I was like "creeeeepy" but then I would listen to it more or listen to other songs he has covered, and he is really good. I mean, he sounds better as a girl then I do. haha. After you get over the shock of how much he sounds like a girl, you realise, wow, this guy has some major talent, and sounds great!

Before I Fall (pg. 265 - 287)

Ending with day four of re-living Friday, Sam bonds with someone who is kinda shocking, yet very predictable, Kent. She doesn't want to go home, and since he walked in on her crying, he tells her she can stay at his place...in a guest room, of course. They have those moment where she touches his arm, and feels nothing but warmth. She feels safer then she ever has, just standing in the room in the dark with him. She goes to bed, and wakes up in her own bed, on Friday, again.

So now it is day five. I really enjoyed this chapter. She wakes up, and going against what I predicted in the last chapter, she is happy and excited. She is happy because all the things she did yesterday, like fighting with her friends, and kissing her teacher, never happen. She is also starting to realise what is important in life. Like her little sister Izzy. So she stays home from school, and so does her little sister. She tells us the story of how when she was little, she tried to run away from home. She found this spot, a big flat rock out in the middle of the woods that overlooked a beautiful sight. This became her spot, and she would always go there to escape and enjoy life. When she became friends with Lindsey, she stop going to the spot.

On her list of things she must do in her life, one of them is to take Izzy to that spot that was once so important to her. So once they are home alone, they bundle up in some warm clothes, and head off. The first thing Sam notices, is nothing like she remembered. The big stream she had to cross, only takes one single step to cross, the giant hill that was like a mountain, is only a small incline, there are now house being built, so the spot is not out in the middle of nowhere. But thankfully in her eyes, the look out rock, is exactly the same.

Review: The first thing I really loved about this chapter, is we get to see another side of Sam. We have never seen how she acts with her family, or, her sister. We see that she loves her. Another thing, is that we learn that as children, the whole world seems big and wonderful, but as we get older, we start to see the flaws in life, and the world around us.

Word Count: 287/470

Before I Fall (pg. 184 - 265)

I loved loved loved it!!! You know how I kept saying that before the book wasn't really holding my attention...well, that is not true about this chapter. First of all, I want to say I think I figured something out about the story. You know how she is dead, and keeps reliving that last day (well of course you do), I think that the book displays the steps in grieving, or accepting death. The first couple days back she was in total denial. Then in this last chapter I read, she was angry. Very angry. I guess I won't know if my little theory is correct, until I read more and see if she try's barging and then is depressed, but I thought I would share my theory.

Anyway, Sam wakes up very angry. She is made because of the events that just happened before she died again. She is angry that Lindsey was friends with Juliet, and now hates her and makes her life miserable. She is angry that Juliet killed herself. But most of all, she is angry that this is happening to her. She is finally not in denial anymore, and knows that she is dead, and nothing she does will change that. She gets in a huge fight with Lindsey, and said some pretty mean things to Elody. So she ends up having to avoid them the rest of the day. One big shock is she throws away all her roses in class when she gets them. This is a shock, because in the first chapter, Sam was the one that said "not getting any roses on cupid day is a fate worst then death." She also seduces her teachers, and he kisses her. Another weird thing she does, is spend lunch in the bathroom bonding with some girl that in her eyes, is a nobody.

Review: I am really starting to enjoy this book. You can really see inside Sam, and you learn, that she is not that bad after all. She knows what she does is wrong, and she often feels bad about it. We are also starting to see her change...into someone better. The Sam we first see in chapter one, would never ever go into the old gross bathroom, and then chat with the unpopular girl, the one Lindsey likes to make fun of. It's just cool to read all this happen.

Word Count: 265/470