comments week 14

Caroline- Student prompt


Max-Writing center appointment 

Writing Center

At first, the thought of the writing center for me was just one of those priorities that I had to get done before the end of the semester. I realized that the end was coming and that I had made some pretty good progress with my paper, so I made an appointment. Now that I've been I would definitely go again, my writing fellow helped me with several things that I would not have thought of on my own.

 Going to the writing center was a great way to get another opinion on my paper and the great thing is that I could trust this opinion because I knew that all of the writing fellows are great writers! I made progress in areas that I was unsure about and I asked questions that helped me figure out what direction I was going to take with my paper!  I would recommend going whenever you could use just a little extra help on some writing, I know that I will go again because overall I found the experience very helpful and friendly. 

comments week 13

Madisyn Paige- How a dance copetition works. 

Makenzie- Spootify

Words.

Click. Click. Click. I hear the sound of the my fingers tapping the keyboard as I try to think about what I should write. I type and erase, and then repeat. Then it comes to me; what I did not realize was that my topic was right in front of me. Words. I never really take a minute to think about words. They seem so normal to us, we learn them as little kids and then they just become our lives. Where would we be without words? Why do they matter? I think in words, I speak in words, and I type words. My life is full of them. 

 I get out what I want to say, and I am able to make my point. Our speech is on of those things that we take for granted, if we actually stop to think about it, our lives revolve around what we say. Our realtionships become something more, and we express oursleves through what we get out. Words give us a whole personality, and we become us. Something that seems so simple can become so complex. I sit back and think, my mind filling with words that keep my life running. 

literary analysis process

I enjoy writing and to my suprise I actually have really enjoyed writing my literary analysis rough draft and going through the process. My topic is something that I am interested in and something that I can write a lot about, maybe even a little too much. Right now, I am almost finished with my rough draft with just the conslusion left to write. So far im on the fifth page, and I feel like there is so much more that I can say. That has probably been one of the most challenging things for me, because I do not know what I need to say and also what it not important. I think that will be one of the things that I can work on for my final draft.

 Overall, the process has been pretty easy for me because I completed a thorough outline and have a strong thesis. Once I had those I just started to build on to them. I also went to the writing center and I found it very helpful, I will probably go back near the end of the writing process. It is nice to get another perspective on your paper from another student who is confident in what they are saying and they know what they are doing. I am looking forward to my final draft and getting out the message that I hope to through my writing.

comments week 12

Megan's blog- How to make a person happy. 

Jack C- Symbolism story 

Eagles wings.

I look out over the Eagles wings. I sit on her back and can see the puffy clouds and we fly through them, I feel free as she dips in and out of the clouds, and sweeps from one side to another. My mind is clear and I realize how magical the world is. This world from up above is a maze of different colors and shapes. Different terrain; the ocean, rivers, mountains, deserts, all so close. We pass from one world to another. All so different and all the same. She calls out to me and tells me that she is about to start landing in the land of enchantment. I look down as we drop lower and lower and become familiar with the magnified cities and towns that I am so used to. Then we touch the earth, and slow to a stop. I have just reached my second home, New Mexico, all on eagles wings. 

My symbol was the eagle, who stands for an airplane. This is important because I travel very often back to New Mexico to visit my dad and every time I do I love to look out the window of the airplane and think about all of the things that I mentioned. 

How to take the perfect hike in the fall

Step outside and start walking.

notice the crisp air prickling on your skin. 

the orange, red, yellow leaves surround you.

you are an ant compared to the towering aspen trees. 

keep moving your feet and feel the drops of sunlight hit your hair. 

when you find the perfect spot, sit down. 

take a minute and notice yourself.

notice your surroundings, and be in touch with yourself and nature. 

smile at the beauty around you. 

be happy and clear your mind. 

just be.

week 11 comments

Bea- Free Post

Laura- Free post

LOTF important scene

On pages 152-153 in Lord of the Flies something very heartbreaking and interesting scene. In this scene, the boys kill Simon and accuse him of being the beast. The boys turn into animals in the scene and lose control of all of their rational thoughts and their clarity. "At once, the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, kept on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. We can tell from this quote that the boys have lost all control of their sanity, and all of them have turned into beasts themselves. Also, on pages 152-153, the boys refer to Simon as it, him, and the beast, they never realize or can see that this is Simon until the deed is done.

This scene is very important to the book because Simon was the last bit of pure kindness and good on the island. When he is killed, all that was good has now turned bad. We also can tell here that the boys have really lost it and have turned into beasts themselves. After this point, the boys break apart even more, and everything falls apart. Things were bad before this, but they just get worse after Simon's death. This scene is also important because even Ralph and piggy helped out in the killing, and all of the boys were responsible. None of them felt the urge to stop and none of them realized what they were doing. This is a sign that more tragedy and bad is to come, which it does.

gratitude

As fall comes around the weather gets cooler, and the trees start to change. The changes are not as visible here in Louisiana but they still give me the same feeling as they would anywhere else. I feel a warmth and happiness as I think of hot apple cider, and turkey and gravy. I feel a sense of comfort as I think of all of my family getting together and sharing a meal. Ever since we moved from New Mexico and away from my dad, my brother and I travel back there for thanksgiving and go to Crested Butte to have thanksgiving dinner. I can not wait to go back to the mountains and see my dad and the bright oranges, reds, and yellows on the thousands of beautiful trees that cover the mountains.

I always have so much to be grateful for, but around this time of year is when it all becomes vivid. I am thankful for my family, my friends, my dogs, my siblings, my home, and all the blessings that have been given to me. I am thankful for my happiness and the chance that I get to spend time with those who I love. I am thankful for all my experiences because they have shaped me into the person that I am today. I am grateful for my life, and I'm excited to go see my family and have a fun thanksgiving full of gratitude. 

week 10 comments

Ricky- LOTF response 

Sutter- Write your own Prompt 

LOTF response

The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away.  Once there was this and that; and now--and the ship had gone. [... Jack refusing to give Piggy the floor when he has the conch...]
"The rules!" shouted Ralph.  "You're breaking the rules!"
"Who cares?"
Ralph summoned his wits.
"Because the rules are the only thing we've got!"
But Jack was shouting against him.
"Bollocks to the rules!  We're strong--we hunt!  If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down!  We'll close in and beat and beat and beat--!" (91)

In this excerpt from " The Lord of The Flies," things are starting to fall apart in the small civilization that was created under Ralphs rule. Ralph realizes that things are not going to work out the way that he planned and that some people were going to make getting rescued more difficult, such as Jack. Jack shows us in this part of the book that he doesn't care much for order and rules. Jack is violent and really his main priority is to kill. 

Both of these contrasting points of views add a big person vs. person conflict and add much more depth to the book. This small portion of the book gives us foreshadowing as to what chaos Jack might create in the future of the book, and we understand that Ralph is very frustrated and does not have much of an idea of what to do. This idea leads on later in the book and leads to a few major situations. 

Fulfilling My Life :)

Write about how you see yourself living in the future and how you wish to fulfill your life to the best of your ability. How do you want to look back on your life and remember it ? What things do you wish to accomplish, and what will make you happy in the long run ?

As I get older I become more aware that it is my responsibility to live my life to the fullest, so that when I look back on it, I am happy with how I chose to live in each situation that I was faced with. Getting older scares me in a way because I know that we all have a limited lifetime. But this fact also is a great opportunity. I can do things that make me happy and not only that but I can do things that leave a positive impact on other people and the world.

 I am excited to create a future for myself that is full of helping others and being positive in tough situations. I want to have goals, and I want to accomplish those goals by doing what I love. I also want to take chances, some that may be scary. Even if I may be reluctant to take these chances at first, I know that I won't regret most of them in the long run and that I will be happy that I tried something new. That is what life is all about to me, trying out the things that this world has to offer and not worrying about what others think of you as long as your results make you happy, and make you feel good about yourself.

week 9 comments

Gautam- The Lord of the Flies 

Sutter- Lord of the Flies 

Lord of the Flies chapters 1-2

Even though we have only read a couple chapters of "Lord of the Flies," I already have many questions and also many thoughts about the future of the story. It is a very interesting plot, and as I look into it closely I can see many things that all relate together and foreshadow what's to come. One of the main things that I find very interesting is how the island is very much pig-oriented. First off, one of the main characters is piggy, the island is mostly pink, and has a pigtail, and also there are pigs all over the island. I feel like piggy might have more to him than is shown right now. He is already a very interesting character and seems to be smarter and more careful than many of the other characters, which leads many people to gain a disliking for him. 

  I also find the way that the characters act to be very interesting. I found it strange how they were so calm and almost excited to be on this island with no adults. But in chapter two I can already see how their mindsets are changing. They realize that they may be there for a while and that the island holds more to it than they thought. They become a little bit negative and also make a couple irrational decisions, like starting a forest fire. Fear can do a lot to people, and I think that it will affect many of the characters as the story goes on. 

Human Nature

I believe that all humans are born with a clean slate. We all start off with a clear mind and all have the ability to be good or bad. Then our minds get shaped with everything that goes on around us and by the people who we are most close to. If someone's parents teach them certain things and set an example of how to act then they will probably think and act very similarly. But still, as we get older we have the ability to change.
 Once we know how to think for ourselves we all have the ability to be the way that we want. It all depends on how open minded you want to be. If you let yourself truly think for yourself it is much easier to see the good in things, and therefore be a good person yourself. In conclusion, I think that everyone is full of possibility and the ways that they choose to develop themselves shapes who they are as people.

comments week 8

Anna- fall 

Ella- fall break 10/17

All the Bright places

This week my book has gotten me very involved and excited to read. I have learned more about both characters, Violet and Finch and have been have learned more about them as characters. Finch seems to be starting to fall for Violet even though he denies it to her. Violet is also having some of these same feelings but is very reluctant about them. Violet is having torn feelings about whether to stop hanging out with Finch and stay with her judgy friend group, or hang out with him anyways and ignore what her friends think. 

  

  This problem that violet is experiencing is very present in many real life relationships. Many people like to have the approval of their friends and people who hold expectations of them. This sometimes stops people from hanging out and getting to know certain people. I hope that violet decides that what her friends think of her doesn’t matter because I think that Finch brings out something in her that is making her happy again. 

fall break

For fall break this past weekend I went to Malibu, California to visit my best friend Jamison. Jamison moved to California from Baton Rouge right before school started. It was very sudden, and a big shock to all of us. It was very sad to see her leave and I have missed her every day since she has left. This weekend was amazing. I had never been to California before, and now I see it as one of my favorite places. 

     I flew on a direct flight from New Orleans to Los Angeles by myself. I felt very independent and free as I stepped onto the plane and took my seat. I was beginning a new adventure all by myself and my heart raced as the plane picked up speed and we touched off the familiar ground. When I landed I met Jamison’s mom at the baggage claim and we headed for Malibu. The traffic was pretty bad, but I didn’t really mind because all that was around me was a new sight to see and it was beautiful. 

   

 We then picked up Jamison from school and as soon as we saw each other everything was exactly how it was two months ago. We did so many fun and breathtaking things over the couple of days that I was with her. We went shopping in Santa Monica, we went on a hike with amazing views of talented surfers and bright blue water. We went to the beach and jumped into the crashing waves. Today we went to the Venice boardwalk and got some good vibes. it was great to see my best friend, and to also experience a new place that I had never been before! I already can’t wait to go back! 

comments week 7

Sydney- procrastination 

Laura- response 

Procrastination: Is Your Future Self Getting a Bad Deal?

   I read "Procrastination: Is Your Future Self Getting a Bad Deal?" by Timothy A Pychyl Ph.D. for Psychology Today.  As I started reading I was confused on what the author was trying to express. At first, I thought that the article would be about the long term consequences on ourselves due to procrastination. As I continued I realized the main points that the author was getting out. He explained how procrastinating is due to a lack of willpower and courage to get the job in the present done, but also the moral of the present self in relation to the future self. Pychyl expressed that if we had more empathy for our future selves it would prevent us from making such present-based decisions. Because by putting the job onto our future selves, we are assaulting them.

    What I especially thought was very interesting was how Pychyl linked our future selves to our relationships with other people. Normally, we think about other people and we don't put our responsibilities on them. If we were to think about our future selves like other people and put ourselves in their shoes it would help us get the job done now, and not put the burden on our future selves.  I think that this point is very helpful and is a good way to think about things that need to get done that we don't necessarily want to do.

comments week 6

Bea- Free post 


Danny- my school 

All the Bright Places

I am reading "All the Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven,  so far I really like it. It switches back between the two perspectives of the two main characters Violet and Theodore finch. They both are going through a really hard time and are trying to find their way back to normal. Theodore chooses violet to be his partner for a project. Niven uses details to bring us into the story, and I can imagine how the characters are feeling.
 I also have been frustrated with a few of the characters decisions, which shows that the author, doesn't always choose things that are going to make the readers satisfied, which in my opinion makes the story better. The mood of the story so far is a little depressed, but also hopeful. I think that the project where Violet and Theodore have to go travel and see places from their hometown will bring them closer together and help them resolve their personal problems. I am anxious to see how both characters change and grow.

How I see it

Today I had a swim meet, we are two meets away from our city meet, and after that is the state meet. One of my main swimming goals this year is to make the state cut for breast stroke. I did not necessarily come into this season even thinking that I could possibly make the state cut. But it is a possibility. Today I did not swim as well as I wanted to, and as I pulled myself out of the pool after using all of my energy in a competitive race of 100 yards of breaststroke, I realized that my time had not even dropped, but instead it had gained about 1 second.  My mind sank back to the bottom of the heavily chlorinated pool and I reluctantly went to go talk to my coach.
 I know that It is possible for me to make the state cut, but I also know that part of it all depends on How I see it.  I need to want it, I need to want it so much that I go to practice every day with the mindset of turning my current one minute and thirty-two seconds into a one minute and twenty-five seconds. There is no need for me to take over my life with this goal, and I need to let myself relax. I know that the best that I can do is trying my hardest, and working towards this. I will be very proud and overjoyed if this dream comes true. But, sometimes it can't always go my way, and if it doesn't happen this year, I will be open to the possibility of next year. No matter what, I will keep a positive attitude, and not let myself get brought down.

week 5 comments

Hayley- short story 

Griff's blog- Harrison Bergeron  

Two summers/ questions

As I am nearing the end of Two Summers, by Amy Friedman, I have come across many questions. All of my questions could be put into different levels. As the book started to progress I was becoming curious about who Eloise and Vivienne really were. There were a few hints that gave away that they were more than just artist friends staying in Summer's dad's house. Later in the book, it is revealed to summer that these people are actually her dad's second family and that she has a secret half family in France. It is revealed differently in both versions of the same summer. But we do find out who they are, so I think that this would be a level 1 question. 

 Jumping to a level 3 question, I would say that one I have would be "how would my life be different according to the different life-changing decisions or events that have happened to me, and what would my life be like if they hadn't have happened?" This question can not be answered, and I do not know if some of the same things that I have discovered would have happened, just in different ways. I can have ideas about this question, but I will never know the answer. This question leads me to what I really enjoy about this book. Because it showed me how much everyday decisions affect how our lives turn out, but even so there are some things that happen no matter what, in whatever path we take.

A day to get away

A long day of hiking through the majestic forests of colorado was a happy day. Delilah and her best friend Skye got to see a side of the world that they had never seen before. Mountains of hope surrounded them. They Were filled with colors from the vibrant wildflowers. Delilah felt in touch with her spirit, as she saw those flowers sway in the wind and Skye saw herself in the reflection of the clear sky in the calm streams. They sat and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and laughed as they retold stories from the past. It was a good day, a day that let them get away.

week 4 comments

mary francis- dear 13 year old 

Sydney- Dear 5 year old 

The stained wedding dress.

I wrote my personal narrative about the recent flooding in Baton Rouge, and how the natural disaster affected me. I wrote about the emotional process of the whole thing and I also wrote about the clean- up the process. I included my mom's wedding dress into the story to make it more interesting and to bring a different kind of meaning to it. I had a lot of fun with using vivid details and using my voice to bring the readers into my story.
  As I read my story out loud to myself, I could really hear my personality and emotions throughout the whole thing. I had to add more to each part, and I had to take a few things out. But overall, It was like an art project for me, Designing and creating a piece of writing that has just the right amount of everything, and is creative. I am anxious to see what readers think of it and if it will be a powerful piece of writing.

dear 13 year old

   Dear 13-year-olds, becoming a teenager can be hard. Everyone has opinions, and kids haven't quite figured out how to think for themselves. Many of you may want to look just like the "popular" kids or act the way that the "cool" people do. I know this, because when I was thirteen that's exactly how I thought that I had to be. I bought the same shoes, I used the same brand of backpacks, I even tried to have the same ideas as everyone else. Because in middle school that is what is imprinted on the back of our brains. Being different is weird. But Weird is good. So be Weird.
   
        Now as a 15-year-old, I like being different; I don't want to be the same as anyone else. So, do what you like, think what you want, do the right thing, and don't judge those who have individuality. Because as you become older, being different is cool, and you shouldn't care what anyone else thinks, because the only approval you need is your own.

 sincerely,
a 15-year-old

comments week 3

Merritt's Blog-  hurricane Katrina 

Megans Blog- nighttime in new orleans 

ellens blog- 9/11

Two Summers 9/11/16

This week I really enjoyed the pages that I read of Two Summers. Summer faces new problems but also new adventures and new happy times. What I really find interesting and smart, is how Friedman connects both versions of the same summer together, and even mentions what happens in one version in the other one. I can relate to summer because her dad lives in a different place, and I get how she feels, and I understand how it is to be let down by both of your parents. She also has new beginnings with people who she would have never even expected to talk to, and I think that this is an important thought, because sometimes the people who we never even think of can become some of the people who we hold the closest.

 Summer finds out about something when she is in France that makes her question everything. But, Friedman switches to the other version right before we find out what the answer is. I think that this strategy really does make me want to read more so that I can find out the answer. I'm excited to find out what the secret is and how it is going to affect the rest of Summer's summer in that version.

Response to 110 Stories by Sasha Taylor

     I decided to read a poem for my response to 9/11, because I feel like poems have a lot of emotion and true thoughts, and I know that 9/11 was a time of pain and tragedy for everyone. Taylor Writes as if she had died in one of the twin towers, and uses vivid details to explain what what going on around her. As I read I could imagine being in one of those towers, feeling terrified and hopeless.

   This poem is filled of the feelings of the writer and probably the feelings of many others too. Taylor   really emphasizes on the fact that so many innocent people died that day, and what had possibly been going through their heads when their whole world was crashing down on them. In every stanza of the poem their is a descriptive part and then below it is where she records the thoughts that came from what is going on around her. This poem is very intense and heartbreaking, but I think that it is important to see a little bit of what other people went through and how this catastrophe affected them.

http://www.dtl.org/ethics/article/sept-11/poems-9-11.htm

my comments

lizas blog- about me 

wyatts blog- pandas 

sydneys blog- brother vs sister 

ryans blog -water 

Two summers

I am reading "Two Summers," by Aimee Freedman. This book has a very interesting because it goes back and forth between one choice that creates one summer, and the opposite of that same choice, that results in a different summer. Even though they are completely different, in many ways the same things happen, just in different ways. So far, Summer, the main character of the book, has already met a boy in both versions, and has felt like her best friend, Ruby, is becoming a different person.

 I like the style of writing for this book. I enjoy thinking about how one decision can impact everything, and what I really appreciate is being able to also see what happens with the other decision too. I am already very entertained with this book, and I think that It will be a very relatable and unusual story. I'm excited to see what is next to come!

The grand canyon

"ugh when are we going to get there, we have been driving for like four hours" said my brother, looking out the window I was thinking "wow this doesn't look like I expected the grand canyon to look. Then there we were pulling through the national park entrance and driving to find our hotel. "hey dad i'll catch up with y'all in a few minutes, Im going to go check out all this fuss about the Grand Canyon" I sad as I started to walk towards a crowd of people, and a silver fence. As I started to approach, I could see a small amount of intense color. Then my entire surroundings changed and I felt like an ant next to a large building.

 Beautiful, expansive, peaceful, majestic; none of these words can explain what the first sight of the Grand Canyon was like to me. It was breathtaking, magical, never ending, and life-changing. At that moment all of my worries vanished because I realized how exquisite the word is, and how small all of our worries are compared to the beauty of it. I hope that everyone has a chance to see this masterpiece at some point in their lives, because it truly is a stunning place. 

  One quote that I have seen many times, "live for the moments that take your breath away," is one that really came clear to me that moment that I was standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, all of the people around me a blur, and all of the voices unheard, my mind finally at peace with the wonders of the world.

A summer to remember #summer16

Summer of 2016; one of the best summers of my life. 

This summer was a summer to remember, and one that will stay with me forever. This summer was busy, exciting, and very breathtaking. My summer started off on the day that school ended with a short trip to New Mexico to visit my dad, and to drop off my brother, I would shortly be coming back in June after a two week trip to South America. Once I got back to Baton Rouge at the end of may, my mind was racing with the possibilities and worries of going to Chile with a group of students that I didn't really know. The days slowly got closer and closer, and then it was June fourth, the day that we were leaving. That June 4th was the start of an adventure, one that I will never regret. 

  It all started from that day that I got on a plane to a different country and began to see the world in a totally different way. New friends, new beautiful sights seen, and new experiences. Chile was a place that I got to reconnect with a friend that I hope I will have forever, a place where I got to live in the different culture, and a place where I became very close with people that will now always hold a place in my life. 

 But my summer didn't stop there. I went back to New Mexico, and let myself relax with friends, nature, and the happiness of summer. I went camping in Colorado for a week, and gave myself a chance to clear my mind, and let go of technology. Then I went to Cape Cod, and let the waves wash over me and let the sun shine down on my skin, giving me the suntan that I look forward to every year. This summer was a summer of friends, nature, travel, love, and good spirit; a summer that will go in the books.

We Were Liars

"We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart, was one of the most realistic and also surprising books that I have read. It starts out as a normal story of a family who spends their summers on their private island in Massachusetts, and turns out to be a story full of love and tragedy.  As I was reading I became more and more attached to the characters. I felt more like I was living in the story instead of just reading it as one of my summer reading books. Cadence's life is so complex, with so many unanswered questions, and so much family drama at the same time. Their lives are so far from perfect, and thats what made me want to read more and more. 

    I really enjoyed how the book expressed how every family has flaws, especially the ones that are trying to be so perfect in the first place. The way that this big family secret is kept made me not suspect anything at all, but once it was revealed it took me a few minutes to wrap my head around it. I also love how Cadence slowly starts remembering things, and becomes more aware to everything that happened in her past, because the reader is figuring out things slowly too.