Blog 14: Christmas in the Air

Lately, Christmas seems to be surrounding me and I am so excited.  Last weekend a bunch of snow fell and I went outside to play like a little kid.  I took some really pretty pictures of my barn and the snow falling.  I also took pictures of the Christmas lights we have displayed at my house.  Everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful. That's what I love about winter.
When it snows, I hate driving.  That's the part I dislike about winter.  I don't really mind the cold, however I don't really like any winter sports because of it.  Simply playing in the snow though makes me happy.  My whole world seems to be at peace with the snow.  It really makes me like to just sit, think and reflect.  We got so much snow on Friday night and then we got a lot more on Sunday and that's when I went to play in it.  My dad went outside to plow the driveway and I went outside with one of my friends.  My dad started chucking snowballs at us, and then we had a little fight which I like to think I won.  I then went down to feed my animals after my friend got picked up.
This weekend is going to be another one filled with Christmas activities.  My sister is coming home tonight from college which makes me super excited.  Tomorrow, some of my family is coming over for a little Christmas party and we are doing a gift exchange. Then on Sunday, I have two friends coming over.  We are going to bake Christmas cookies and other goodies which should be really fun.   



A view of my house on the snowy Sunday



Blog 13: Quote of the Day (11/30/12)

"It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does." -William Faulkner

I find this quote to be very interesting.  I think what William Faulkner is saying is that when you create a character, it should be one so vivid and particular that the ideas from the author keep on flowing.  I think when creating a character, you should start with the name, a name that meets the personality of the character you want to create.  William Faulkner, I also believe is saying that a character should be so interesting and complex that the writer never runs out of things to say about them.
When writing short stories, I think this quote is some very helpful advice.  Characters should be able to develop themselves.  The writer should be able to know the character's personality and the reader should be able to see it through dialogue.  I think that the writer should have numerous ideas for what their character is going to say and do, to be able to learn who they are as a person. 

Blog 12: Meaningful Movie

One film that I have seen that meant a lot to me was the movie My Sister’s Keeper.  It was meaningful to me because I think that people can learn so much from people that have cancer, like Kate in the movie.  Kate had Leukemia since she was two years old and she always wants to live life to the fullest. When a person knows that the end of their life may be near they make every day count.  They work hard to have amazing experiences and to love the people that surround them and that they care about the most.  This movie also shows what this illness can do to a family.  Due to Kate’s sickness, so much stress is put onto her parents and siblings.  The parents begin to get so involved in helping Kate that they forget about the rest of their family and what they need.  My Sister’s Keeper illustrates all the hardships that families go through when trying to care for a loved one with this horrible disease.

Another reason this film is so meaningful to me is because there have been many people in my life that have been affected by cancer.  I have seen people go through the exact hardships that Kate goes through in this movie and book.  My mom and great-grandma both passed away from different types of cancer.  My aunt also currently has breast cancer.  Seeing the way they valued everyday of their life was extraordinary to me.  I think seeing that makes people get their priorities in order and realize what is truly important in life.  I feel that cancer can either tear your family apart or bring you closer together.  In the movie, it at first was tearing the family apart, but once they began to realize what was actually important, they became closer together.  The family in My Sister’s Keeper knew that they had to stick together in order to get through the tough time.  The death of Kate makes her sister Anna, and her parents learn a lot.  They become a family again because they know that’s what Kate would have wanted.  Movies like this one can make people learn so much.  It’d taught me to love my family and friends around me and to value every day I have with the people I care most about. 

Blog 11: Scott

I was sitting here doing my homework, trying to think of what to blog about.  As I was sitting in the office at my grandparents house, my twelve year old cousin came into the room.  I said to him, "Scott, do you want me to blog about you?"
He said, "No, I don't even know what blogging is."
So I decided that I would blog about him.  Currently we are sitting here, in the computer room and Scott is reading over my shoulder as I'm typing.  This evening we are going to decorate my grandma and grandpa's Christmas tree.  We have been doing it every year since we were old enough to be able to decorate it.  My grandpa is hanging other Christmas decorations up around the house and my grandma left to go get Papa Murphy's pizza.  Once my other cousin who is sixteen and my uncle get home from work, we are going to have dinner and decorate the tree.
Scott and I are now talking about school and the teachers I had in middle school. He is a sixth grader and was wondering which teachers I had. It turns out he had the same teachers as I did when I was in middle school. I didn't know that until right now.
I'm really feeling like it is getting close to Christmas today because of all these activities.  After school today, my friend Rachel came over and helped my grandparents and I wrap caramels.  Caramels are a holiday treat that we make every year in the beginning of December and give them away for gifts. They are absolutely delicious and are my favorite family tradition. 
I can't wait for Christmas this year, well I really don't like to wait for it any year.  I love Christmas because my sister comes home from college and I get to see all my family that I haven't seen in a while.  I think I also like Christmas so much because everyone seems so happy and giving.  My favorite thing is to see people smiling and having a great time with friends and family.  The only thing we're missing this year is snow. I can't believe it is December 4th and there isn't any snow.  As long is there is snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas though, I'll be happy. 

Blog 10: Quote of the Day (11/29/12)

"Character gives us qualities, but it is in actions-what we do-that we are happy or the reverse...All human happiness and misery take the form of action." -Aristotle
 

This quote I believe is very truthful.  I think happiness and misery do take the form of an action.  Happiness or misery causes us to do things different than the usual.  Not only will our moods be shown to be visibly different, but the specific things we do.  Character does give us these qualities.  Character lets us discover who a person is and figure out why they are the way they are.
 
Aristotle's quote is very useful when I think about writing my short story. It kind of explains to be that I should make my story as if the reader is there, not like I'm just telling them about it. In my short story, I want my characters to come to life and be relatable. I want people to know the character so well that they can almost predict what he/she will do in certain situations. Not only though dialogue will I be able to describe the characters, but through what they do and how their body language affects their interactions with others.

I think happiness and misery must also be shown in the setting of my story.  I need an atmosphere that reflects who my characters are and who they want to be.  When the mood of the story changes, the mood of the surroundings need to change as well.  In great stories, I don’t think the author should have to say when someone is filled with joy or filled with sadness.  The detail should be so specific, that the reader can pick up on different cues to know the feelings of the characters.  Anyone can tell a story and say that someone was sad, but then the reader doesn’t know the type of person they are when they’re sad.  Character has to be shown through actions. 

 

Blog 9: Admirable/Heroic Person

          There have been many people in my life that I have admired or that have been heroes to me.  One of those people is my great-grandma Betty.  She was an amazing person that I am very happy I got to know for sixteen years of my life.  She was one of the strongest women I ever knew and always put others before her.  I always had a lot of respect for her growing up because she would always help me with anything and she taught me a lot of responsibility.  When she was diagnosed with cancer when I was about eleven years old she truly became my hero.  My great-grandma lost over one hundred pounds due to chemotherapy, but yet she stayed strong and fought until her last day.  She was very sick, but always told me to think positively and to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Whenever I needed something I knew I could ask her and she would be there for me. 

          My great-grandma Betty was the woman that taught me how to knit and cross-stitch.  She got me interested in cooking and baking and taught me so much in sixteen years.  One of my favorite memories of her is when she snuck me a piece of pie after my mom told me I couldn’t have any.  She was the best grandma in the world.  I gained even more respect for her once I learned of her past.  She had my grandma when she was only sixteen years old and worked so hard to raise her.  She was also the oldest of eight siblings and had to help raise her own brothers and sisters.  My great-grandma was one of the most amazing women in the world.  She always told me that I better marry a good man that loved me for me and nothing else.  She was the one that I looked up to everyday as I saw her fighting a terrible disease.  I will always remember her as a fighter and as someone who made me the person I am today. 

Blog 8: Future Goals

I have many things that I want to accomplish in my near future and I have many life goals.  As I think about my future, there are so many things that I hope to accomplish.  If I look five years ahead, I hope I am doing well in college.  I want to get a Master’s degree in social work and I’m hoping to be able to complete it in five years instead of six.  I hope in five years I am in my last year of college.  I want to have studied abroad in Europe by the time I’m done with college as well.  I think that would be an amazing experience to have and it is something I have always wished to do.  I used to say that I wanted to just pick up my life and live in Europe for a year, and I think studying there would be a great way to do it.

Ten years from now I hope I have my career on its way.  Being a social worker preferably in a school is my dream job.  I want to be able to help kids every day and feel like I’m making a difference in this world.  In ten years I also hope to have a husband and maybe even a family.  I’ve always wanted children and pets when I’m older.  In ten years I will aim to have stability and a normal routine.  In ten years from now I am also looking forward to spending time with nieces and nephews that I will have.

 It is hard for me to even imagine where I will be in twenty five years.  In twenty five years from now I will be forty two years old.  I would like to have older kids and be doing well in my job.  Maybe I’ll even be sending one of my kids off to college.  It is crazy to think about all the changes that there will be in that long span of time.  Technology and everything that’s normal to me now will be completely different I’m sure.  Wherever the future takes me I will be content as long as it is spent with my friends and family.