Clean by Amy Reed

This week I read Clean by Amy Reed. It is about Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva. They are all addicts who meet at rehab. None of them want to be there, but they all know deep inside that they have to get better. At first they really don't like each other, but they start relying on each other to get better. I really liked this book but it had some hard topics. It was a pretty quick read and I would recommend it for the end of the year.

The Girl on the Train Week 2

Every morning and afternoon Rachel takes the train to London, to make her roommate think she is going to her job. But in truth, Rachel doesn't have a job, or a husband, or family, or her life put together at all. She dreams of being like the couple she sees every day- she calls them Jess and Jason, but their real names are Megan and Scott. Megan and Scott are not a stable couple, they love each other but Megan has been cheating on Scott for as long as she can remember. And their neighbors at number 15 are named Tom and Anna. Tom is Rachel's ex-husband, and Anna just wants for her to leave them alone and let them and their daughter Evie be happy. But then one day Megan disappears, and they are all tied together trying to figure out who did the crime. Everyone is a suspect, including Rachel, but Rachel thinks she really has the key to crack the case. 

This book is really interesting and I liked it, but it is really long so it is not a quick read and it is definitely a 2 week book. It has some hard topics definitely but I still liked it. 

The Girl on the Train Week #1

This book is by Paula Hawkins and so far I liked it. It is from the perspective of three people named Rachel, Megan, and Anna. Every morning and every night Rachel takes the train. She is the girl on the train. She sees a couple that she calls Jess and Jason. Jess's real name is Megan. Megan feels useless, like her only purpose in live is to be a wife. Rachel is depressed, and longs for the life she had before.
Before she became an alcoholic and her husband left her and she lost her family and her house and she couldn't get pregnant. And Anna is different.  But everything is about to change, and they will all come together. This book is kind of hard, but I would recommend it.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

This book is about a woman who is in the hospital. She has a friendly doctor, two children, and a husband, but she feels really lonely. But her mother surprises her one day, by flying for the first time across the country and staying with Lucy nonstop. Lucy reflects on the time she spent with her mother and how her mother has changed from when they were growing up. This book was a little boring at parts and moved slowly, but I actually thought it was pretty good. I would recommend it if you like novels like this, and it was pretty short too.

I Remember Beirut by Zeina Abirached

This book was a graphic novel about a little girl growing up in Lebanon. It goes through her whole childhood while the war is going on. She talks about her house, and how the buses wouldn’t go where she lived because it was too dangerous, so she had to take a taxi cab to school every day. She talks about having to spend nights at school with all the other students for fear of the war. She kept a bag packed unless she and her family had to escape. She also talks about the war being over and moving to France. I liked this book because you really get to know the character. It was a really quick read, and was a really cool graphic novel because it was in black and white. I would definitely recommend this book for a quick read or getting to know more about other countries!

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman

This book is about a teenage boy named Brent Bishop. On his way home from a party, he decides to try to kill himself, but ends up killing another girl named Lea Zamora. He doesn't go to jail, but the parents send him for repentance. Lea Zamora loved whirligigs, so Brent will build four across the country. In four corners- Maine, Washington, California, and Florida. Each Whirligig looks like Lea to remember her. In Maine a young girl looking for love sees the whirligig. In Washington an adopted little boy learning to play the piano, in Florida a street sweeper and father, and in California a teenage girl named Jenny spending her last days with her Grandma. This book was really good because you could really tell who Brent was. It was a little sad and hard, but its a quick read and I would recommend it.

Cold

Cold

feeling an uncomfortable lack of warmth; chilled

The snow is almost a foot deep, trees and telephone wires are covered. When I want to go outside I bundle up in scarves, jackets, boots, and gloves. I can't walk in the snow, so I go home and wrap myself in a blanket. I think about tomorrow with disappointment, but maybe tomorrow will be a snow day again! Do I want that? I'm not sure, but I decide to do my homework anyway. School would be over by now, we would have already had buddies, writing groups, and math. I have a lot to do this afternoon to stay on track. So, yes, I really hope tomorrow is a snow day. Will it be? Who knows...

All the Bright Places Week #2

Violet Markey and Theodore "Freak" Finch never thought they would be friends. Much less did they think that the freak Finch would be saving Violet from committing suicide by jumping off the top of a bell tower. But it does go that way, and then end up working on a project together. The project: to Wander Indiana. But will it stick to a light friendship, or will this blossom into something more? This book was really good and I liked the way it switched from the perspective of Violet to Finch from chapter to chapter. This book is pretty heavy, but I would really recommend it!!

9:23

It's 9:23.
I feel accomplished.
I just finished specimen. I sit down with my computer, pull up the site and ask:
"What should I write my SOL about? Any ideas?"
It is quiet but a few heads turn.
"Bananas!" exclaims Lena
"Manatees!" suggests Grace
Gabe and Sophia laugh
Lena has an idea
"Banana Manatees!" she yells!
"That is longer. And more interesting." Comments Grace
Lena thinks and says:
"Banana Manatees sounds like a type of t-shirt. And it has more syllables. So yeah, write about banana manatees!"
I laugh. I glance at the clock in the bottom of my computer screen.
9:24
"Clean up everyone. And go to matrix!" Max and Sam command in unisen. The last matrix awaits us!!

Can't Wait!

On Monday I get excited! I can't wait! It's all coming so soon! Spring break, the class trip to California. I'm excited because the play is over, and I'm excited to see what is coming next. I'm excited for my unit project on Thursday, because I get to do cooking from around the world. I am excited that I am organized and ready...
I Can't Wait!

People Change

Every experience changes you. Think about it, two weeks ago, before the show, you were different. You look back, and think you would be happier or sadder if you had done a little thing differently. What if you could have seen what happened. Before the summer, before you went to Hawaii, before Expo this year, before Expo last year. You were different. Friends and family and even mysterious strangers change your future forever. What will happen in a week, a month, a year? What will happen in even just a day? Why cant anyone tell the future, because I want to know what will happen. I want to know how I will change. I want to know how I can make an impact on people's lives for the better. People change, I know I do. And we are probably better off changing. Because how would we experience new things, if we never changed. Changing our personalities, and our thoughts, and our hopes and dreams that are all coming true. All the adventures of our lifetimes-- they rely on the fact that people change. And through good times or bad in past or future, it's important to know that no matter how you feel, it's good that people change.

Waffles

Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. 2 cups, 3 teaspoons. Separate the eggs. Sigh and giggle and the yolks and whites fall apart. Pick the shell out of the bowl. Melt two sticks of butter in the microwave. Wait. Add milk, and vanilla. Beat the egg whites. Fold in, with a spatula. Reach for the cupboard for the waffle-maker. Plug in the waffle-maker. Pour the batter in. Wait for the ding. Frustrated, try to get the waffle out of the maker. Laugh and smile, and shake your head as everyone tells you how delicious these waffles are. Take a bite of the syrupy, chocolaty mess. You don't need to be told to enjoy.

10 Things I Can't Live Without

1- Warm sweaters for snowy days

2- Pillows and blankets that are soft and fluffy

3- Headphones and music 

4- Friends to keep me company

5- Hot chocolate and marshmallows

6- A notebook to write in

7- A book to read

8- Comfortable, everyday shoes

9- Art and bright colors

10- Pies,cookies, cakes and cupcakes

Butterflies

Butterflies

Fly around the room

Fly through the air

My stomach twists and turns

I go over my lines

And my entrances

And every single little thing

What could go wrong?

Answer: Everything

Butterflies

Fluttering

Butterflies

Everywhere

Butterflies

So much depends on this

Butterflies

They know it

I know it too

We all know it

That is why we all have

Butterflies

Feeling of Acomplishment

I feel so proud! That feeling of accomplishment, when you felt busy and stressed, and then everything was done. Unit, portfolio, pre-trip presentations. I can take a break, I can take a breath. I can go to lunch for once feeling a little less worried. That feeling of accomplishment, when you got it all done. I hear quiet voices around, they aren't distracting but exciting. I give myself a pat on the back. That amazing feeling of accomplishment.

Fireflies and Quick Changes

I know that after "She's in Love", I don't have to go on again until "Kiss the Girl." I take off my tail, and run around the gym barefoot. I put on a little headband, and pretend to buzz around like a firefly. We hear "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "Les Poissons" in the background. 5 4, 3, 2, 1, and we open the door. Stagecraft runs around backstage. It is dark, and we can hear the scene on now. We grab reeds, run the lyrics through our minds, and in the dark I climb on stage. I crouch in the corner, nodding and laughing at the appropriate moments. We walk around the little rowboat while singing the song. The water then gets electrocuted and we all fly off. I bolt backstage, and pull on a pink skirt and a tiara. I walk over the stairs and sing my line. I bat my eyes and twirl in the long skirt. I really feel like a princess. We act happy, sad, scared, and the scene is over. I pull my tail back on to become a mermaid again. The final scene is here, thank goodness! It's so exciting: singing those final words. We smile at the finish, glad to be done, and excited again for tomorrow.

All the Bright Places Week #1

All the Bright Pla ytces by Jennifer Niven is about a boy named Finch and a girl named Violet, who meet on the top of a bell tower, both thinking about committing suicide. Neither of them jump, but it sparks an interest in eachother. This book was really sad but good. It definitely has some language, and dark and mature topics. But I would really recommend it, and I am excited to finish this book!

Hope

I really hope the show goes well, and goes off without a flaw.
I hope I get all my homework done, though I would be in awe.
I hope I get to school on time, so I can learn new things.
I hope the sun will shine some more, and show me it is spring.
I hope I will feel happy, I hope I will feel proud.
I hope when I wake up tomorrow, I will be in a good mood.
I hope, I wish, I really do.
I know, I think, it feels so true.

Souvenirs

Some postcards from Australia, and pictures in frames. Cards, pictures, and candy that I got in Spain. A little tiny pillow filled with pine leaves that says MAINE. A keychain from Yellowstone, a t-shirt from Hawaii. A hat from South Carolina, and a mug from Wyoming. A notebook from the sand dunes and a doll from Costa Rica. Just memories from my trip to France with all the little cafes. Memories from all these places really. And what is a memory? A good time that you will never forget. I'm so lucky to have all of these memories.

Right Now

A little bit tired,
A little bit stressed.
A little bit excited for tomorrow.

A little bit smiling
and a little bit planning
And a little bit of everything right now.

Kind of inspired,
Kind of determined,
And kind of prideful, just a little bit.

Moderately confused,
and a little bit certain
And somewhat strong and courageous.

Partially ready
and a tiny bit scared.
A little bit done,
but a little bit not.

Right now
I'm a little bit of everything
Kind of this and that
And partially many things

Right now
I'm uncertain and unsure
And certain at the same time
And kind of, just a little bit, positively, absolutely happy

Wedding

I shivered on the deck, that lead to the glass doors, that led to more than a hundred people sitting in white folding chairs. "Wait 5 seconds, then go." said Decemeber, the wedding planner. I looked at the bride behind me, pushed open the doors, and walked down the aisle. Three more bridesmaids followed after me. I stood through the ceremony, and clapped and laughed at the appropriate times. My bare legs shivered in the October air. I had never been Missouri, and I hadn't expected it to be so cold. My dress was sleeveless, short, and bright blue. I smiled, linked arms with my brother, who was a Jr. Groomsmen, and I was a Jr. Bridesmaid. We linked arms, and walked down the aisle. We didn't trip, like I was scared we would. We just smiled, made eye contact with our parents, and celebrated. And then, from the fence that led from the rooftop pool, out came a marching band.  I laughed, and gasped. We followed the marching band to the hotel. The reception lasted for hours, and we danced all night. We ate tiny slivers of the most delicious cake I have ever tasted. And then we danced more. By the time we left I was screaming so loud, because the music had been loud. From our hotel room upstairs, I could still hear music playing. I thought about how much fun I had as I fell asleep.

Fortune Cookies

Fortune Cookie
Your future is told
Or maybe its sold
Through a wrapper you open
Silently hoping

Your fortune will be good
At least you hoped it would
But suddenly, inside
You find you've lost your pride

Because where there should be a note
That makes your dreams come true
It doesn't have a quote
No fortune here for you

"Oh no!" you scream, you shout
You let your anger out
"What does it mean?" you say
It cant show you your way

But maybe there is hope
For a fortune anew
For in your mind you hope
Theres something you can do

Come up with a saying
A wish or dream or chance
And that will be your fortune
There you go! A solution!
To the fortuneless cookie

Sounds

The breeze outside, with birds chirping and flowers blooming. The choppy sound of my computer, and my fingers typing on the keys. My breath quietly ahead of me, and my heart beating. I turn on music, and hear the lyrics and the chords. I can also hear cars revving and honking on the street outside. Its a quiet Wednesday morning and I'm home sick. I miss my friends, but all I can hear now is the peaceful sound of home. I sit on the stairs as my mom comes home, and we talk. My voice is just a whisper. I love the quiet here.

Rehearsal

It was dark in the theater, and our voices rang loud. I coughed backstage, preparing for my entrance. We danced and sang across the stage. My throat hurt from singing so loudly. We twirled in under the sea, and ran up the stage in she's in love. I oohed and aahed at the sets being seen for the first time. We had a lot to do by next week, but I knew in time we would be ready. And I was excited to put on a good show!

The Wrong Side of Right

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne is about a girl named Kate Quinn who's mother died recently. Kate thought she was an orphan, until her father showed up. She didn't know that he was a politician, running for president. All of a sudden, Kate gets to know her father, and moves in with him. She supports his campaign, and joins his family. But during becoming her father's daughter, she lost sight of herself. I really liked this book and it was a pretty quick read. I would recommend it!

Field Trip

Five different markets: Asian, Southeast Asian, Indian, Ethiopian, and Turkish. A million new things tried: sausage, cheese pastry, breads, candies. Flavors overwhelming me. Sweet and sour and spicy. We rushed around the city and asked questions at every stop. We ate until we could eat no more. I must have taken notes to fill a whole notebook. We returned with breads and cookies left from our adventures. It was the best field trip-- ever.

Tubing

We put on snowpants and jackets, bought our tickets and headed up the hill. With a push, I flew down screaming so loudly. Snow flew around me, and my tube slid on the ice. I went up and down the hill, up and down, up and down, up and down. At the end I took off my muddy gloves and snowpants and walked to the car. We drove 2 hours home, and I was definitely glad to be home. But after skiing and tubing for the last 2 days I had had a lot of fun!

A Real SLICE of Life

12:15- We sat in her room and talked for a while, and then said in unison:
"I'm kinda hungry."
So we drove, parked, crossed the big street (just barely dodging a garbage truck), and walked into the restaurant. It was dark and paintings lined the wall, with a mounted bull head that Sofie pointed out to me. We ordered three slices of cheese pizza. It came minutes later huge, greasy, and absolutely delicious.
7:45- My family walked into the cabin earlier than planned. We dropped our boots and jackets in the mud room and explored the house. We heard a car pulling up and a door opening.
"We're here!!" called the family we were sharing the cabin with. Their two little kids ran in laughing and screaming. "Oh, and we brought pizza!" exclaimed their mom.
We gathered around the table and ate pizza and salad, talking about the day we would have tomorrow. It was loud and crowded, but it was so much fun.

Car Ride

I have headphones in, and my head bobs along to the music. I stare out the window at the trees and mountainsides. My suitcase is in the trunk, but my snow-boots sit at my feet, so that I can pull them on when we arrive. We've driven for an hour already, and I'm feeling just a little bit dizzy. I cough, and cross my legs. Turning the volume up, I look at the road ahead. 45 minutes, 30 minutes more. Here we come...
I haven't skied all season, and I'm excited, and nervous. Once we get to the house, well settle in. Tomorrow I will take the ski lift to the very top. I can't wait!

Clumsy

I trip, and fall. I bruise my hip, I hit my head. I laugh it off. I fall on the sidewalk and break my arm. Hours in the hospital, and a cast when I get out of it. I'm clumsy. Embarrassingly clumsy. Hopelessly clumsy. But who cares? I'm clumsy. So what? I'm clumsy. Maybe that's a part of who I am. Yes. I'm clumsy.

RUSH

Rush. I wake up.
Rush. I run down the stairs.
Rush. I grab my bag and head out the door.
Rush. I head to school.
Rush. I go to Spanish, math, the little mermaid, sometimes I have time in class, or time in between.
Rush. It's  9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3... and school is over.
Rush. To get home because...
Now I don't have to rush.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This week I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It was written in letters to a "friend." The letters told the story of Charlie, a clueless freshman making friends in his first year of high school. He is really innocent, and learns a lot about the way the world works in his first high school year. This book definitely has some mature topics, and is really intense, so be prepared if you want to read it. But I really liked the story of this book, and the way this book was written. I would definitely recommend it!!

Slice of Life #1

The night was dark, and tree branches reached out towards my window. Clouds floated across the sky, and there was a light breeze on the air. Street lamps lit the road along the side. The houses were still, and not a person walked the street. Inside my room it was quiet and cold. Books and papers were scattered across the floor. I glanced towards the door, slightly ajar. In the hall the lights were off, and I heard footsteps. Down the stairs I could hear voices. I typed, highlighted, and read. There was so much to do in so little time. I sighed, resting my head on a pillow. Could I stay like this forever? No. Maybe just for a minute. My eyes closed and the million thoughts in my mind cleared away. Smells and sounds drifted away. I saw myself on the beach, splashing in the water. The sun shining down on my back. I came back to the cold night here. I had a lot to do. Better get started.

Moon Over Manifest

This week I read Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. It is about a girl named Abilene Tucker whose father sends her to Manifest, Kansas in 1936 to stay with his friend Shady Howard. She knows that Gideon (her father) will come to get her by the end of the summer, but eventually she isn't so sure. On her first day in Manifest, Abilene goes to the last day of the local school, and meets some girls named Lettie and Ruthanne. The girls hear rumors of a spy, and try to find out who he is. Over the summer she solves some mysteries, and makes some friends. And at the end, will she want to end up leaving Manifest? I liked this book, and I would recommend it. It is not too long, and the writing is really good, so if you are interested in this type of book you should read it!

The Impossible Knife of Memory, Week #2

Hayley Kincain's father fought in Iraq. And now that they are back in the US, he can't escape the "demons" from the war. But when Hayley finds Finn, she finally knows that there is someone who loves her. Should she give it all up to help her father, or should she take a chance with Finn. She also struggles with her father's alcoholism and her friends taking drugs. This book was a little bit slow, but it had an
interesting plot and a good writing style. It is definitely a two week book because it is almost 400 pages.

The Impossible Knife of Memory, Week #1

Hayley Kincain may seem normal, but she has a lot more going on than any normal high school senior. She spends all her time out of school caring for her father, who is suffering from PTSD. Hayley has never stayed in one place for too long, but she realizes that Belmont High School might be different. She becomes really close with a girl named Gracie, and her friend Finn. Eventually Hayley has to choose between Finn and her Dad. This was my first week reading this book, and I really liked it. It was a little slow, but the main character was really interesting. It was really realistic, and I liked that a lot. I would recommend this book, but a heads up that it is pretty long.

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again is about a girl named Ha, who grows up in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. But as the war gets worse she has to leave the only place she has ever known. She travels by boat with her mother and her brothers (her father left to go to war, and never returned). She stays in tents in Guam for a while, but then she moves to Alabama. She has a lot of good memories of Saigon in Vietnam, especially her Papaya tree. But she has to adjust, because she knows that with the war, she can not go back. This book was written in verse, which I actually really liked. I would definitely recommend this if you like books in verse.

For a book group I think it would be cool to do a nonfiction book.

Rhyming Poem

Closed windows

Dim lights

If you open the door

It will be too bright

A little desk

A wooden chair

Your all alone

No one else there

You hear footsteps

Look left and right

Then not a sound

And not a sight

When you wake up

When you open your eyes

It was all just a dream

A scary surprise

Skinny by Donna Cooner

Skinny is about a girl named Ever Davies who is insecure because she is really overweight. She started to gain weight when her mom died when she was young. Since then she always hears a voice in her ear that she calls Skinny. Skinny says a lot of horrible and self-demeaning things. So to try to get rid of Skinny, Ever gets a surgery that will make her lose weight and be skinny. But Skinny stays through the surgery. Still, Ever wants to be normal. She wants to be normal, and especially to try out for the musical at her school, but she doesn't know how to overcome her fears. This book isn't really inappropriate, and I would definitely recommend it.