Merry Blogging

1. The Power of One, what a miraculous title for a story that explains itself as one boy becoming a hero of many South African people and fights for what he believes in. I really enjoyed this film and the sequence of events that took place in the story. My favorite parts of the movie are when PK was a little boy; he was so cute and went through a lot in his younger days. Even though he was quite young, he still understood a lot of the important, mature events that were happening. He was so strong through the rough times for example, when Geer Peit is being beaten by the Marshall and PK has to sit and watch.

For me it was extremely hard to see Geer Peit have to eat the manure off of the shoe. No one should be treated like that, no one deserves that. But good did come out of his action, because if South Africans were caught with the tobacco leaves they would have been punished severely.

This film reminded me a lot of Hotel Rwanda because Paul Rusesabagina was also a huge hero along with PK. Paul saves many Rwandans, and risks his life many times to save his people. PK also saves, in different ways, many South Africans. Both movies inspired me and I enjoyed The Power of One a lot. Mrs. Van Horn and Mrs. Bergeski told us all that most students enjoyed The Power of One the best but I disagree; I definitely thought that Hotel Rwanda was way more powerful and entertaining. I am not saying The Power of One wasn’t a great movie I would just prefer Hotel Rwanda a little more.

2. Every year on Christmas Eve my family and I go to church at seven o’clock. We dress in our nicest clothes and we sing songs like Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and O Come All Ye Faithful. My six month old cousin died in 2003 of breathing problems on Christmas Eve and so whenever I sing Silent Night I always start to cry. I look over and my whole family is tearing up except my brother and my father, but they are boys, what are you going to do. After a nice church service, my family and my grandma all go to my Uncle Kevin’s house. We bring extra comfy clothes to change into because we know that we will be there until at least midnight. All night we eat food, for instance cheese and crackers, shrimp, cookies and nuts, it is always so delicious!

Every year my dad and my uncle insist on putting in our favorite Christmas movie, Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation and they recite every single word. It definitely gets annoying but we just have to deal with it. After the movie is over we exchange the few presents that we have, I normally get girly stuff like lotions and nail polish. Then we all start to wind down and begin heading home. Once we get home we immediately get into our cozy Christmas pajamas and get into bed and wait for Christmas morning to come.

In the morning we open our presents and eat some breakfast which usually consists of candy from our stocking. And later in the day my dad’s side of the family comes over for Christmas dinner and present opening. As my cousins and I play up in my room, all the parents mingle, talk and make some dinner. Once the dinner is ready we all sit together and feast until our jaws break. After dinner we open our presents and usually every year I got home with my cousins to their house and spend a couple nights there. But over all Christmas every year is the same and I love just spending time with my family.

3. Personally the year 2009 was the worst year of my life. So many things had gone wrong. I don’t remember a lot of the small events but a couple big ones included the death of my close grandmother, my mother’s surgery mishap, the more hospitalization of my mom, and just the terrible economy. All of these problems had huge impacts on my life, in many different ways and I just wish none of this had happened. But like people always say, you can not change the past, even though I’ m sure many people would like to. So I am very happy to bring this year to an end and to start out 2010 with happy thoughts and make it the best I possibly can. I am definitely looking forward to being a sophomore because being a freshman definitely has its problems. I am also looking forward to another year down and a year closer to graduating, and I am just hoping that 2010 will bring me happiness and less sorrow.

In past years I had made a New Years Resolution that I would stop cracking my fingers. Unfortunately I have failed every year, so this I am hoping to change the pattern of fail and change it to greatness! Well that is a little dramatic but I am hoping to stop my terrible habit of cracking my fingers. My solution this year is keeping a rubber band around my wrist and every time I catch myself cracking my fingers, I snap it so I don’t keep doing it. So far it has worked but 365 days is a long time to be snapping a rubber band, unless I stop, so hopefully it works and I am able to end my terrible habit.

Ten Things I am Thankful For
I am definitely thankful for my mom, she understands me and helps me through the rough times, from boys to school to pom, she is always there for me. I am very thankful for my best friends and school would not be the same with out them. The way they make me laugh when I come out of my class room and into the big hallway filled with students, or the way they can cry with me when we are sad about family or other happenings in our lives. My dog, Cody, always makes me smile whether it is when I wake up in the morning and see him just waking up making his little noises as he stretches or when he fights with my other dog Max and shoves toys in his face. I am thankful for the roof over my head as I walk through my front doors on a fall afternoon after school. I have long pants on and a jacket but I am still very cold, and the roof and the four walls around me keep me warm and safe from the outside, cold world. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with out wondering if I will have enough food for the rest of the week. I am thankful for being able to be full after a nice meal with my family around the dinner table. Lately, in this economy, some families have not done to well because the parents of the house lost their jobs. Luckily my parents still have a job to go to everyday to keep our family up and running. Even though I don't want to get up in the morning, I am thankful for school because some children in other countries don't have a chance at an education. I do get a chance, and I will take that chance so that I can have a successful future. I am thankful for the clothes I am able to buy and wear, and thank goodness I don't have to make my own clothes they would be definitely ugly. My parents are really nice to me and treat me well, and I'm very thankful that I don't have to worry about being treated badly by my parents like some kids are. Lastly I am thankful for my health and that I am healthy and I don't have any fatal diseases.

A Month in Review OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS I have made a lot of new friends at school this year, especially in all of my classes; I have met people who I can easily get along with and some not so much. In senate and pom I have made a lot of new friends, people have accepted me and some haven’t but that’s ok, I am happy so far and I’m sure I will make a lot more. Some of my old friends and I have separated through these past couple of weeks unfortunately, but some I have come closer with. SHS ACTIVITIES ATTENDED I am in pom and I love it so much. I did actually think it was going to be easy when I made the team but it wasn’t at all, it is extremely hard but I have to keep practicing to get better and better. I am also in Stevenson Senate which is kind of like being the voice of the school and choosing what is best for the school. It’s not always about school either, two weekends ago Stevenson Senate did a five mile breast cancer walk in Bell Isle which was extremely beautiful. FUNNIEST, WEIRDEST, SCARIEST MOMENTS My first day of school was scary because I didn’t know what I was doing but high school really isn’t that bad. A funny moment is when I was at pom was and we were doing one of our routines full out and we were walking into kickline and I completely fell on my face and everyone laughed at me. I wasn’t too embarrassed I just kind of laughed along with everyone else. HARDEST, EASIEST CLASS AND ASSIGNMENTS We had our big unit test last Wednesday (10/21/09) and it wasn’t too hard but I thought it would be. I also thought Global Ed. was super easy but it isn’t too hard. I don’t really like the cultural events or current events but I guess I could deal with it. TOP FIVE CURRENT EVENTS Some current events that are happening lately are the school budget and how everyone is freaking out about it. Also there was a boy who was supposedly stuck inside a scientific weather balloon. They planned the whole thing for publicity and are pressed for charges. FACES IN THE NEWS Ardi who is possibly the link between man and chimp, Hamid Karzai is the president of Afghanistan. Sonia Sotomayor is the newest Supreme Court Justice. John Roberts who is the chief justice. INTERESTING NEW WORDS Glomance- Global Ed. romance Aloof- casual Perturbed- angry Tangible- to hold it or touch it POPULAR OR MEMORABLE SONGS One of my favorite songs is “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift, and another fun song is “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. There is a song called “You Know You Want Me” by Pit bull and that song gets kind of annoying after a while because that song is the song we dance to for pep assembly. And since we practice every day I am always hearing it. POPLULAR OR MEMORABLE MOVIES A movie that I really want to see is Where the Wild Things Are. It looks really interesting and I loved the book. Another good movie I would like to see is Whip It every says it is really funny and I am definitely looking forward to seeing that as well. RUMORS OR GOSSIP There really hasn't been juicy gossip latley so nothing, but if there is i will definitely let all of you know! FADS AND TRENDS Um i dont know how about like button ups, skinny jeans, flip flops, and comfy sweat pants with shorts under neath them. That sounds about right. I know i mostly wear t shirt but that is just me. FIRST CULTURAL EVERNT Invisible Children learning movie thing i went there and sat with Audrey! It was definitely interesting to learn about and i ended up learning even more because i had to write about it as well. HOMECOMING so much fun i loved it! and getting ready was sooo stressful! Lindsay Bauer got her dress made and it wasnt ready till and hour before homecoming so pictures were delayed...etc. ADVICE FOR A FRESHMAN Um watch where you are going in the halls and do your homework cause i think that will help you a lot! Study for your tests and be respectful of your elders WHAT IM LOOKING FORWARD TO... Im looking forward to meeting even more new people and being better friends with the ones i have made. I am also looking forward to summer.