Final Blog

This year I have read 2131 pages (more if you count the books I read in English)

Before this class, I read all the time. I would usually read before I went to bed at night, which sometimes was a bad idea because I wouldn't be able to put the book down. However, for some reason when I was in this class, I never wanted to read. I think it was because reading became my homework, and not just something fun to do. I also really didn't like to blog about it. It was hard to blog 4 times a week because a lot of the times I would read too much of the book, so I would have to try to remember what happened in certain pages to make this. Once you changed the number of blog post, it did become easier.

Like I said before, I tend to find myself reading in my bed right before I fall asleep. Sometimes when I read my mind wonders, and I read really slow. That depends on if the book is at an interesting part, or if I am drawn in to the drama, or mystery. I love to talk about books with my family and friends. Me and my mom talk about the books I read all the time, and I can always get her to check them out too. I enjoy reading the same books as my friends because I find it more fun to read when you have someone to talk to about it.

At the beginning of the semester, I was signing and angry that we would be doing lots of poems, however I have to admit that they aren't that bad. Their still not my favorite things, but I do enjoy some of them. :)

Over all I enjoyed this class, and I will keep reading, and maybe even reading some poems ;)

6 Poems!!!

Poems:

1. What Do Animals Dream? - Yahia Lababidi

2. Thoughts in a Zoo - Countee Cullen

3. The Animal Store - Rachel Field

4. Turtle - Kay Ryan

5. Rain at the Zoo - Kristen Tracy

6. Golden Retrievals - Mark Doty

Theme: Animals

Flawless (pg. 1 - 52)

The next book in the Pretty Little Liars series (I plan to read them all)

How it began: So the book begins with a "How it really began" part before going into chapter 1. It explains how the girls were having a sleepover, just goofing off doing girly things that you do in middle school. Everything is fine, their having fun, when Ali sees someone outside watching them. Toby. Toby is the neighborhood creeper. All the kids steer clear of him. They say the only person who talks to him is his step-sister, Jenna!! So as revenge for scaring them, Ali comes up with a plan to scare him in his tree house. They get his fireworks, and were just going to light it out, but Ali messed up, and it went in through the window, and hurt Jenna....not Toby. Anyway, Toby took the fall. :O

Spencer: Spencer thinks back and remembers the day that Jenna got hurt. She knows something that none of her other friends, except for Ali, know. Spencer was talking to Ali when Toby marched up and said he saw everything and was going to tell. However, Ali said she saw something and would tell if he didn't say it was all his fault. He agrees. (we don't know what Toby did that was so bad yet in the book, but if you watch the show then you do ;)). Anyway, Spencer wants to tell her friends this now, but is afraid that they would be mad for not speaking up sooner. Because Toby had said he would get back at Ali, and now she is dead...

Hannah: Mona is now upset with Hannah because she is talking to her old friends, who use to pick on her. But that is not the core reason for Hannah's pain. Her mom called her dad about the car and the shoplifting. Hannah hasn't gotten so much as a phone call from her dad in a long time, but now he is sitting in he kitchen trying to lecture her. She talks about his family some more, and how that's the reason she did the whole "toothbrush" thing way back when. She says that was the old Hannah, and she is never going back. We also learn that instead of going to court or anything like that, Hannah will be going to Sean's dad's work a few times a week.

Emily: Emily, Emily...she is still confused about her feelings. So goes and sees Maya, who is staying in a hotel until the cops say they can go back home, and invites Emily up to her room. They start kissing, and almost goes to something more, but Emily kinda freaks out. Scared someone at school might find out about this, scared of what her parents might think. She runs out pretty fast.

Aria: Aria goes to a bar with her brother. They are goofing off, having fun with their fake ID's and stuff. He talks some about Ali, and says "I didn't even think you liked her much." Aria thinks about that and knows on some level it is kind of true, but she would never admit it out loud. Anyway, while their there, Aria spots her dad, with another women! She tries to get her and her brother out of their fast, but her brother spots them too. He gets upsets, and storms out, disappearing before Aria can do anything about it. :(

The Voice!

By Now I am pretty sure must everyone has heard of the newest singing show, The Voice. For those of you who haven't, their are four "coaches" (all singers themselves). These people sit in their chairs facing away from the singer, so they don't know what they look like, or what they do on stage. Each of the coaches need a team of 8, and based just on their voices, they make make up their teams. If more then once coach wants a singer, the singer gets to choose! What I like most about this show is that it based on just their voice. Where on American Idol they want this perfect looking person who would have a good image. Also, from what I heard last night, the people can actually sing! You can be any age, sing any song, and you can even be a dual. It's pretty cool. I sure like it more then American Idol. I think that it could be the next big singing competition. They do want to outshine American Idol, since it comes on at the same time...and I think it just might. But you never know. Either way, I'll be watching it, so they have one viewer! ;) haha

I thought that this guy was incredible! And he impressed all of them...which is awesome!! haha :)

Pretty Little Liars (pg. 256 - 286)

Aria: Her and her family sit around the table at 2 a.m. talking about Alison and how she was found. Aria is pretty upset, of course, and finds herself wanting to be comforted by Ezra. So she hops in the cars a drives to his place. Things did not go the way she thought they would. When she got their, he was so angry. She had left her phone their, and it kept beeping because of text messages, so he opened it to shut it up, and saw the texts from A! She tries to explain, but he won't hear it. She bits him by mistake when he places his hand over her mouth, and he throws a book at her :(

Spencer: Spencer could see out her window as they took care of Alison. Her parents are still angry with her, and wouldn't even see if she's okay. She had a semi panic attack, and Andrew helped her and gave her a blanket. She didn't know this until she saw him put a letter in the mailbox asking if it helped. This upsets her. Wren comes, and they have another little moment. I really hope they don't do anything together...that would be so wrong! haha

Hannah: There was a really small chapter on Hannah. She was sitting on the couch watching the news about Alison. She wants someone to talk to, but realises there is no one. No Sean anymore, Mona is out of the question, and her mom is on a date. So she sits and thinks if A is Alison. But knows that can't be. She also wonders why her mom would say "I'll take care of it" about her drunk driving and theft, instead of yelling and being mad.

Emily: Well it's the funeral. Alison's mom wants all the girls to sit together in the front, so after not have spoken in a long time, the feel a little awkward. But soon old memories bring smiles to their faces, and they feel better. Aria is wearing a knitted bra she made for them all, and Hannah brought some alcohol to help them get by. It's a sad day, but Emily realises that they can be their for each other, and that being with her old friends...made her feel good.

Spencer (again): Well they see Jenna and Toby at the funeral. A big shocker for the girls. A cop pulls Spencer to the side and asks if he can come y to ask her questions about Alison and stuff. The girls are a little nerves, because of the Jenna thing, but don't think much of it. They walk away from the funeral, and are about to say their goodbyes, and Spencer wants to say how much she has missed them in the last three years, when they all get a creepy text from A.

This was the end of the book...with just a long text from A, that is kinda creepy. haha.

Oh technology...

I think just about everyone knows what it is like when your whole family is all doing something with electronic devices. In my family, it is my mom watching TV, my dad on his Ipad, my sister on the laptop, and me on my computer. I remember the good ol' days when we would have family game night. This would either be on Saturdays or Fridays, depending what we were doing, and it was just tons of fun. Now instead of sitting on the floor laughing over silly games, we sit on the couch watching Netflix together. Do I think this is a bad thing? No. We still do play board games everyone once and awhile, and we go on walks and bike rides together, but most of the time we are on our electronic items. It is perfectly fine to spend time on your own separate gadget, but the key is knowing boundaries. If the family only does this, and never really talks, then that's not right. I remember once when my family went out to eat, and I noticed this family at another table...all on their phones texting. Were they texting each other? I sure hope not. That is just sad. That is when technology gets in the way of family and you are over using it. If you can't put your phone, or you laptop down for a nice family dinner, then that is when you need to SEEK HELP!! :)

Pretty Little Liars (pg. 230 - 256)

Aria: It starts with her dreaming about Alison, being alive. It's just a little creepy, I can imagine it was for her. Anyway, when she wakes up she talks to her dad about if ghosts can send text messages. He asked her what a text message was. This is funny, but a little cheesy. I mean, I know it's fun to make fun of older people for not being as "smart" in technology, but really? lol. Anyway, Emily shows up at her house, and she wants to know if Ally ever said anything about her to any of their friends. Aria wonders why, but then she gets to thinking and wonders if Ally told her secret to any of her friends behind her back. We find out that Alison was nice and comforting the first day she found out about Aria's dad, but then was demanding and asking a lot of questions...not a very good friend.

Hannah: Hannah wakes up with a hangover after her big night of drinking. She has very little to no memory what happened last night. Someone knocks on her door, so she kind of straitens herself out, puts on sunglasses, and answers the door. It is the same police man as before. He tells her she stole a car, crashed it, and walked away. She says no way, but kinda confesses by saying she didn't steal it, Sean let her borrow it. Since their was an empty bottle of alcohol, she has to go to the station. She wonders if Mona will get in trouble too, since she was also in the car. She calls her mom, and once again, her mother says she will handle it. Hannah sure has been messing up a lot lately. We learn more about her secret, and the story of a toothbrush that only Alison would know, but now someone else does.

Spencer: Oh my goodness Spencer's parents are horrible!! I mean, what Spencer did to her sister was horrible, but the way her parents handled it...its no wonder she does things like she did. Her dad told her he wished she wasn't his daughter, her mother said she is a horrible person, and Melissa (who has a right to be angry) said she is a b**** and a whore. :( I feel bad for her, yet in a way, she deserved it from Melissa, but not her parents! They should hug her and tell her it will be alright, but what she did was the worst thing one sister could do to another. And blah blah blah. I hope everyone forgives and forgets soon...however something tells me Melissa is not the forgiving type.

Emily: So After her talk with Aria, she decides she needs to go see Maya, and that maybe Maya was the one who wrote her the note. She decides she wants to go back with Ben, if he'll have her, and that she just wants to be friends with Maya. On her way their, she see police cars and ambulances speeding down the street to Maya's house. She remembers that she told her sometimes she cuts herself, so she freaks out a peddles faster to her house. When she gets their, she finds out Maya is just fine, but they found somebody. They found Alison's body!!

Sandcastles!!

It's a dragon eating someone. haha.

Something every little kid does at the beach, something teens and young adults do with friends at the beach, and something artists do...MAKE SANDCASTLES! I know when I was younger I would play in the sand and make sandcastles. Of course those were usually just buckets of sand piled on each other. Every now and again when you go to the beach, you see an amazing sandcastle that must have taken someone days to make! And you stare at in amazement wondering how anyone could make something so cool, using sand as their building material! When little kids make sandcastles, they don't think their making art, neither does anyone else, until you see it, and it really is incredible. I sure don't have the patients or artistic ability to make anything like these, but it's fun to look at. So here are some pictures of some pretty awesome sandcastles :)

Look at the detail...so cool.

this one is so creative and would of taken forever!!

I thought this one was neat :)

I think this one is my favorite

Pretty Little Liars (pg. 213 - 230)

Spencer: Oh Spencer...still making those bad choices. haha. Let's she...she kisses Wren, her sisters boyfriend. As far as I know...that's a big no-no. We also find out that it is not the first time this has happened! :O It turns out that when Spencer was in 7th grade, she kissed her sister boyfriend, Ian. Ian is now her lacrosse coach (awkward). Anyway, Spencer had told Ally all about it at the time, and she threatened that if Spencer didn't tell Melisa, then she would. Spencer threaten to tell about the Jenna thing if that happened. From what it sounds like, those two had a great friendship (...she says sarcastically). Anyway, I was a little confused at this part, but I do believe Melissa saw them kissing and Spencer knows that. But I'm not sure...I think I'll have to go back a re-read that to make sure. haha.

Hannah: Poor Hannah. She has just been rejected by her boyfriend when she tried to sleep with him. He says he wants his first time to be special, and that special girl would not be her. Ouch. I know Hannah has been a little...lets just say behaving poorly...but nobody deserves being told that by their boyfriend  
:( . So she finds Mona, who is stoned, and they drive off to let off some steam...in Sean's car. At a red light, a car pulls up next to them and wants to race. So when the light turns green, they take off...going 80, 90, 100...then a deer runs into the road in front of Hannah's...er Sean's car!! She slams on the breaks and swerves to miss it, but crashes into a pole. Their okay, but they do something terrible....they just walk away, leaving his car and for him to take the blame. :(

Emily: Well Emily sure has been thinking about what went down with Ben and Maya a lot. She bolted the party after it happened, without saying goodbye to Maya, and called another friend to come get her. Let's just say when she woke up the next day, she still felt terrible about it all. She hates thinking that she might be gay. And something creepy happens!! The letter she gave Alison after they kisses saying she loved her and stuff, was sent to her, with a note from A!! How the heck did A get it?? Well that's what Emily thinks. Emily needs to get away, so she gets on her bike, and peddles away, even after her parents yell that she's grounded and to come back.

Aria: I didn't read anything about her in these pages :(

African Safari

One of my biggest dreams and one of my top items on my bucket list (yes...I already have one. haha.) is to go on an AFRICAN SAFARI!!! I plan on being a zoologist, and if I could go to Africa to research the animals in their in their environment...it would just be a dream come true. I'm really into photography too, so I would take professional photos and maybe get them put in a magazine, possibly write a book about the experience. Yeah yeah...probably won't ever happen, but a girl can dream, right? :) My favorite animal in Africa is a Giraffe. They are so cute!! Although I'm pretty sure everyone loves Giraffe's, and why wouldn't they??

Now THIS would be cool...you know...as long as it steps around you ;)

I want to do this so much!

Another scary one, but the guys like "this will make a good picture"

I also think this is super amazing! but still kind of scary.

Two Way Street (pg. 250 - 288)

I loved the ending of this book!! I was a little worried that they wouldn't get their happy ending, but don't worry, Courtney and Jordan do get that certain ending. But not before drama happens. After all the things they went through on their jouney to get to the college (food posing, hotel nights, visiting creepy boyfriend ;)) they make it to the college! When they get their, they are greeted by the way to friendly orintation student person, haha, and let's just say they are not in the mood for a perky excited person. I mean, they did just spend over 48 hours non-stop with each other, Courtney broke off whatever she had with her "best" guy friend that was becoming more then that (because he's a major jerk!!!) Anyway...to get their happy ending, Courtney's dad comes. He and his daughter have a little talk, and she knows the big secret! SHe is super mad at Jordan for keeping it from her, and wants nothing to do with him. He explains, she comes to her senses, and they forgive and forget. (it is a little more then just that, FYI).

My favorite things about this book!

1. The characters

2. Showing both sides of the story (different points of view)

3. The plot in general

4. The drama that happens on the trip, and the cuteness that happened before.

5. The flashbacks of course!!

Those were some highlights of this book in my opinion. It is a good book, and a pretty quick read if anyone is looking for that type of thing ;)

A Pretty Cool Blog

I really enjoy Te Amo's blog!! I love the fun pictures and bright colors!! She also has nice reading post's and a great personality to it! She makes it her own, and it's fun to read :) GOOD JOB!!

Pretty Little Liars (pg.150 - 213)

Emily: This girl. I feel so bad for her boyfriend. But before I get there, let's talk about Emily's mother. She does not want her daughter to hang out with Maya. Not because of reasons you might think, but because she is black. :O That kinda angered me, and Emily. haha. Anyway, I feel bad for her boyfriend because at Noel's party, her and Maya go into a photo booth, and after they take there pictures, Ben walks in on them...and thy are making out!!

Spence: Spencer is still the same. Falling for her sisters boyfriend. She got the barn back. She got it because her her good tests grade!! And now she wants the man. She still is getting massages, and when she gave him a tour of the barn (her room) he basically told her he wants to see her naked. Kinda gross, but she liked that. haha. I do like Spencer, but at the moment, I'll like jeez girl! haha

Aria: All I can really say about her is that she wants Ezra! But who wouldn't, he's hot! She is using Noel to make him jealous, by flirting in front of him and stuff. She goes to his party with him, but ends up getting a phone call from Ezra, who now wants her. She goes to his place, and they kiss and make out, but nothing more then that happens. She gets a text from A, who knows where she is and what she did, so she freaks and leaves.

Hannah: Not much about Hannah this time. :(

Survivor Impressions

I'm a Survivor fan!! haha...and I don't know if any of you remember this Rob, it was awhile ago since he was on. But I found this video of him doing impressions of other players during the Survivor All Stars (season 5 I think). It made me laugh, but I guess if you don't know who he is, or the people he is impersonating, then you wouldn't find this that funny. haha.

Sea Change (pg. 1 - 40)

Miranda is stuck for the summer going with her mom to where she grew up to sell the house after her grandparents die. She doesn't really want to go. She finds the idea of the beach fun, but the type of people who live on this small tiny Island all are those rich snobby people. Except for the locals. On the fairy ride over, she talks to this strange man who tells her to beware of the sea creature. She thinks he is nuts and that there could be no such thing. However, she sees something in the water making her think it may be true. She gets to the island and greets her mother. They go to the house and talk and unpack. Miranda then goes out to explore and sees someone out in the water. He is just floating there, loving the feel of the water. She meets some people at a party that her mom drags her to. There is a cute boy, that she may like. But she keeps thinking about the guy in the water. She becomes "friends" with the teens she meets at the party, and they are all very hyper and happy people. haha.


Review: I loved the feel of the first little bit of the book. It had a sense of mystery to it, which I really enjoy. Miranda seems like a fun character that I could enjoy. I'm excited to read more of the book.

Two Way Street (pg. 180 - 250)

The road trip continues as we see these two ex's start to grow closer together. I don't want to give much away (since I enjoyed this book so much) but here is some things that happen. It flashes back to this trip they took at the beach that is mentioned a lot in the book. All of them went, and while Jordan and Courtney's two friends fought, they went down to the beach. They got in a heated make out session that almost went to something more. However, feeling guilty about a certain piece of information that he knows, Jordan stops it. They break up shortly after. :( this makes me so sad!! Haha. They then flash back to the trip and they find out that they are both staying in the same hotel (because they split up to visit different people at a college they stopped at).

Review: I want these two back together. It is not fair that it keeps flashing to them all happy and cute, and then takes us to see how they are fighting and apart. :(  I do love how we get to see both sides of the story. It makes it harder to choose sides (or maybe easier) haha.

Pretty Little Liars (pg. 71 - 150)

Emily: Emily is still hanging out with her new friend Maya. We find out that Maya has a secret to why she and her boyfriend broke up...she likes girls. Emily doesn't feel uncomfortable around her because of this, it's more because maybe she is the same way. So she decides she needs to focus her free time on swimming and and with her boyfriend, Ben.

Spencer: Spencer, Spencer, Spencer. She is starting to fall for her boyfriend, which is a big no-no. haha. She is letting him give her massages after her hard and tiring lacrosse practices. He is a doctor, so on some level Spencer thinks what they are doing is okay. However she keeps getting these creepy texts from A, who knows just what she is doing.

Aria: Oh no, that oh-so-cute boy she met and totally fell head-over-heels for, is her....ENGLISH TEACHER!! Let's just say drama. She believes they are meant for each other. They had a ton in common, and had that spark. But he is her teacher, so she is going to have to make him want her again, and she'll do this with another cute boy who likes her, Noel.

Hannah: Trouble appears for Hannah when a cop shows up at her house. She was caught on tape shoplifting. At the police station, her mother covers for her. She doesn't really seem that made, but their is a hint of disappointment...but more in herself then her daughter. We learn more about her secret on how to stay skinny...and that creepy person A knows too.

Review: This book is really good. I want Emily to come to her senses and stop doing what she does to please her parents, and do stuff to please herself. I want Hannah to grow up and act more like herself, I want Spencer to step away from her sisters man, and I want Aria and Ezra to be together. haha.

The Home of a Star

Pharrell Williams home's bright white walls, giant photographs of the cartoon show Family Guy, and an ocean side view emphasize his want to buy expensive things, a cold feeling of emptiness, and a feel that is more like a vacation home than a real home. He has items like a dark red chair with feet that seems as if it's only for show. He has a pool to relax and swim in. The openness to to rooms makes it seem lonely and empty. Williams home is big with neat accessories that most people dream of having if they could afford it, but his home lacks the feel of warmth and company.

Beastly (pg. 149 - 300)

Okay...so I realised I didn't blog at all while reading the rest of this book. So bare with me, this review is gonna be pretty general because I really don't want to make a super long post that no one will read.

So, Kyle...or Adrian, now has a blind tutor named Will. He is a pretty cool guy, I would want him as my teacher. haha. Anyway, Kyle actually missed school, so he made his dad get him a tutor. He also becomes pretty close with the maid he once was horrible too. Now on to the girl. Well there is two girls, Kendra, and Lindy. Kendra is a witch who put a curse on Kyle, er, Adrian. She made him look the way he acts on the inside, an ugly beast. Lindy is this sweet girl who lives with her alcoholic drug using father. :(  pretty sad deal she has there. What is even sadder is that her dad trades her to live with Kyle if he doesn't call the cops for breaking into his house. Of course Lindy is mad about this, and thinks Kyle is a creep without meeting him. However they become friends, and then more then that. It's your classic fairy tale love story!!

Review: Great book. I recommend everyone should read the book, and then watch the movie. Or if you already saw the movie, read the book. They are pretty different from each other. I think the book did and had some better things, but then I think the movie turned some things for the better.

In 10 Years...

High School Students Predict Their Future!! This website is pretty cool because it really makes you think about what you plan to do in your future. Their is one guy that hasn't decided what he plans to do yet. I have a pretty good idea about what I want to do, but sometimes I just don't know, so it was nice seeing that I am not alone in that. I also can relate to the students that are going into a job because it is something they want to do, not because of money. I also could relate to those who want to help others, but their was also one who loves animals, and so do I, and that's where I plan to be...

...In ten years, I plan to be a zookeeper at a zoo. I have always loved and enjoyed animals, but it wasn't until I started volunteering at the zoo as a zookeeper aid did I realize that that's what I wanted to do. I'm not 100% percent sure I want to be a zookeeper, but I am 100% sure I am going to get a college degree in zoology. I know that this job doesn't pay a whole lot, but it is something I know I will enjoy, as well as be good at. I am excited and scared of the future, but thinking ahead and making some plans, is what makes it easier, even if it is a little scary.