May the 4th be with you. Sorry. I just couldn't resist :) This is our last batch of writers for the 2016-2017 school year. With that being said, this is your last assignment. Remember to read ALL the entries this month. Leave comments for at least five of the pieces. Your feedback needs to be thoughtful and helpful. Show the writer that you actually read their piece. Comments are due Friday, May 12.
May writers,
Watch your page and the comments that are posted. Please, respond to at least three of your comment posts on your page AND two other entries (for a total of five). Your comments are due Sunday, May 14.
Enjoy the reading this month,
Mrs. Solano
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Bliss--Alexis
The word “bliss” can make people paint several different pictures inside their head.To
someone it may be getting an A on that test to satisfy their parents, to someone else it may be a
night away from their parents just to wind down. To others it is much more simple, a nap after a
long day and being able to hide away from the world under your sheets, or a bite into a warm
brownie sundae you’ve been craving. I cannot speak for others, but I can share my moments of
bliss, where I am truly present in time, enjoying and soaking up what I know will soon pass, and
just being content. Bliss to me is Friday nights, roaming around this city I’ve always known, but
always seeming to find new trouble to stir. It’s the window’s rolled down, with the music on full
blast and taking in, breathing in the crisp night, disappointed it’s almost ending but it's okay
because next Friday it’ll be done all over. It’s coming home and jumping into my bed, which
feels like the comfiest escape ever, and slowly drifting away into my dreams after a long,
eventful Friday night. Bliss is knowing no matter what trials I face and troubles I am worried
about, everything will fall into place and what’s meant to happen and be, will. It’s being able to
trust someone without a doubt in your mind they will betray you. It’s simply feeling appreciated,
because often effort goes unnoticed and love is not reciprocated. Bliss is felt in those moments
where you actually get along with your family and realize maybe they really aren’t too bad. Bliss
is even clocking off after a long shift of having to deal with people and having them stress you
out about sitting at a table or booth (well, if you’re a hostess like me). Bliss is when you’re so
happy, you actually feel lucky to be you, and feel like just maybe, things actually make sense.
Even if they don’t, you still see the beauty in the chaos. It’s knowing no matter your current
situation, life goes on and it will pass. It is realizing how miniscule you are and how your
problems really aren’t the end of the world, but how if you weren’t here the universe wouldn’t be
the same. “The philosophy of life is this: Life is not a struggle, not a tension... Life is bliss. It is
eternal wisdom, eternal existence,” says Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Yogi definitely has a point, in
the bigger picture bliss is life itself, and the lessons we have learned, with all the experiences we
have gained, knowing no one will ever have the same journey as us. Bliss on an everyday basis
for me is being able to say I made it through such a stressful and chaotic day, and I can forgive
myself for the mistakes I have made and can try again tomorrow. Regardless of the different
personal moments of bliss we share, it’s agreeable bliss is when we feel like there is actually a
purpose to life, that things will be okay, and to just be able to savor the presence. Bliss isn’t
always a certain moment, though, it could be a time period, certain somebody, or even your
favorite movie that makes you happy on gloomy days. No matter what bliss is to an individual
person, it is important to have in your life, especially during nights when you’re up late
overthinking every situation, anxious and worried. Those days where you feel like it could not
get any worse, but ironically it somewhat does This is why we need bliss..keep your bliss safe.
Life Gets Better--Kazmyr
My life is coming to an end. I hurt people, they hurt me; I want to die.
(*breathing heavily*) finally I got away from them. I just stay here until they leave and I'll run out the back. They have been picking on me, watching me, following me ever since I made the biggest mistake of my life. Like why do I have to be punished for the mistake that I made for so long. Does it amuse them? Is this what my karma is? Just, why?
(Few days later)
I can't do this anymore. This world is better without me and I deserve to die for what I did. This is world is beautiful especially the view from here. The sky is clear, the skyline over the distances is breathtaking; but, me I -I ruin this beauty. My life takes the beauty from this world no one as messed up as me should be here. How I treated my friends, my family, others it's unforgivable . I just have to do it. So here we go. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4
(From the distance)
“Stop. Please. Do not jump,” they tell me.
“Why, why not?” not turning around to see who was talking.
“Because your life is worth more than you know, your valued, loved-- Just please don't jump, let me talk to you.”
“That's not true you don't know me. y- you know NOTHING ABOUT ME. About who I AM. I didi- disgusting and horrible and not worth anything.-”
“But you are. I love you and cherish you. You have the strength to stay in this world. You want to be in this world and be accepted and forgiven and not judged, I know. Well you are by me and eventually others will too.”
I was crying so hard I couldn't see. I felt someone help me down from where I was and hug me. A comfort I haven't felt in a while but when I opened my eyes no one was there. I look around confused but I still felt the comfort and the love I had felt while I was crying. I didn't want to kill myself anymore but, I couldn't figure out why I didn't. Eventually, I started to leave the roof to head home when from the distance I heard someone say, “I love you”.
On my way home I cried and screamed. Once I got in my room it was worse I felt like a lumpy wet noodle I had been crying so hard and was so emotional. But from that day forward I never tried to kill myself again, never saw the person but could feel them watching me, and whenever I was at my worse the same comfort and love would come over me. I would get through my days, barely, but enough to allow me to live. Things did get better.
(*breathing heavily*) finally I got away from them. I just stay here until they leave and I'll run out the back. They have been picking on me, watching me, following me ever since I made the biggest mistake of my life. Like why do I have to be punished for the mistake that I made for so long. Does it amuse them? Is this what my karma is? Just, why?
(Few days later)
I can't do this anymore. This world is better without me and I deserve to die for what I did. This is world is beautiful especially the view from here. The sky is clear, the skyline over the distances is breathtaking; but, me I -I ruin this beauty. My life takes the beauty from this world no one as messed up as me should be here. How I treated my friends, my family, others it's unforgivable . I just have to do it. So here we go. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4
(From the distance)
“Stop. Please. Do not jump,” they tell me.
“Why, why not?” not turning around to see who was talking.
“Because your life is worth more than you know, your valued, loved-- Just please don't jump, let me talk to you.”
“That's not true you don't know me. y- you know NOTHING ABOUT ME. About who I AM. I didi- disgusting and horrible and not worth anything.-”
“But you are. I love you and cherish you. You have the strength to stay in this world. You want to be in this world and be accepted and forgiven and not judged, I know. Well you are by me and eventually others will too.”
I was crying so hard I couldn't see. I felt someone help me down from where I was and hug me. A comfort I haven't felt in a while but when I opened my eyes no one was there. I look around confused but I still felt the comfort and the love I had felt while I was crying. I didn't want to kill myself anymore but, I couldn't figure out why I didn't. Eventually, I started to leave the roof to head home when from the distance I heard someone say, “I love you”.
On my way home I cried and screamed. Once I got in my room it was worse I felt like a lumpy wet noodle I had been crying so hard and was so emotional. But from that day forward I never tried to kill myself again, never saw the person but could feel them watching me, and whenever I was at my worse the same comfort and love would come over me. I would get through my days, barely, but enough to allow me to live. Things did get better.
Picnics--Michelle
As a guard you hear a lot of interesting stories from the scouts coming from the southern tunnel;
rumours and sightings of hideous clawed, big-eyed monsters with feet of leather or cloth, and
hair of ribbons and snakes seen on the surface in hordes during the day with wooden baskets
filled with mountains of delicious food. Famine usually breeds these types of rumours so many
just laughed it off. So, you’re sitting there as usual on watch. Warming yourself by the fire. And
suddenly you hear it from the tunnel, from somewhere above, a regular dull knocking rings outfirst
in the distance, quietly, and then ever close, and even louder… And suddenly your ears are
struck by a horrible graveyard shriek, and it’s coming closer… And then complete mayhem! That
nightmarish cloth like foot crashes through the top of the city, face to face with a monster.
Everyone jumps up; heaping crates on which they’d been sitting on top of each other to create a
barrier so there’s something to hide behind… to keep that thing out. The most senior among us
shouts with all his might at the top of his lungs, but no one can hear him. Without orders… with
the ground constantly shaking as cloth met earth, chaos was a natural reaction. Thousands of
beady eyes looking in all different direction, with multiple pointed arms or pincers grabbing
whatever they could including any food or eggs, our colony was anything but salvageable. Other
guards or soldiers crawled up the creature's legs biting down acting as a distraction while others
escaped. I, on the other hand, was focused on the scouts’ rumours; if the monsters were real
then the food must be as well. So, climbing out of our remaining hill going in the opposite
direction of the escaping city. I came across two other much larger versions of the creature
currently attacking our home with the fabled basket of food placed carefully between them on
some sort of plush surface. I crawled up hoping to not be seen… if I could just get a piece of
that heavenly product of sugar and preservatives I could leave for the location of our new home
with some good news. I didn’t even notice the lazily flung down cloth shoe coming down until
the familiar crunch and shattering of my exoskeleton. Well, it looks like I won’t have any good
news to bring back, then again it would probably be chalked up to rumour.
Andrea Lin--Andrew
On my first day of school, I awaited for my name to be called. After waiting and responding with
“here” to signal my presence, a wave of confusion hit the classroom followed by a burst of
laughter. This pretty much happens at the beginning of almost every academic year. At the end
of class, I’m usually asked several questions and told a couple of statements. “Is there a typo in
your name?” “What do you want to go by?” “I like your name.” “Why are you named Andrea
Lin?” “I think you should change your name.”
Depending on the situation, I’m usually told those comments privately being given time to properly respond or I’m barraged by several people and give them pretty much vague quick answers like “I was born in Italy, so my name is Andrea Lin,” which makes no sense to someone in the US that doesn’t know that Andrea is a popular male name in Italy.
My nickname Andrew originated in middle school along with other ones such as Lee, Smiley, Russell, Bruce, and Kevin by friends to prevent the teasing I had. Andrew was something my teacher and my friend Andrew suggested in middle school. Russell is the Asian boy from the movie UP that I resembled before puberty, and Smiley was my middle school band nickname for me for when I missed a note and smiled awkwardly as a response. I’m pretty sure the rest were stereotypical Asian names. Andrew ended up sticking around and became my alias the majority of my academic career. The name stuck after having some middle school friends who believed Andrea was a typo spread around that thought, and I decided to go along with it. I personally liked having the alias Andrew because I thought that if I ever got into anything troublesome, I wouldn’t be in trouble if they couldn’t find me because of my alias.
“That man Andrew Lin is the culprit.”
“Who is this Andrew you speak of?” “I am Andrea.”
After reading Frankenstein, the Importance of Being Earnest, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, I started to really think about my name(s). In the case of Importance of Being Earnest, I felt like using an alias did give me another identity. When I go to work or talked with colleges, I used the name Andrea and attempted to give off a professional tone whereas Andrew is used in more casual or quick circumstances. Unfortunately, like in the movie, I have to present my “handkerchief” in order to confirm my identity. After reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, I looked back at situations of my name being mixed up by others and even myself. It made wonder what significance there was to my name(s). I remember having five Andrews and two Andreas in the same middle school being a confusing disaster. After reading Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, I compared my experience with the many nicknames with the experience of the monster having no name. I thought about the similarities between the two experiences and wondered if having several names gave more meaning to who I was or do the opposite. I also wondered if Andrea Lin represented all my nicknames or none of them.
I was named Andrea because my parents enjoyed Italy and gave me the most popular name there or it was the fact that my parents were expecting another daughter (I have 3 older sisters). Lin was our family name and represented that we are Whenzhounese. I was born in Italy because China has a strict One-Child Policy and because there was a better economic opportunity there for my parents at the time. We moved to New York City when I was about three years old, then to California after they found better work at the sweatshops and flea markets. For me, Andrea Lin represented a journey with my family and my history. I wouldn’t want to let one of the few things that represent that to be changed. …..
Let me introduce myself. My name is Andrea Lin. I’m Whenzhounese, but I was born in Italy and raised in New York. I like watching tv shows, browsing the internet, and hanging out with my friends during my free time. My hobbies are playing badminton and doing anything creative such as filming, writing, and working on building projects. Some skills or talents I have is staying extremely late for Science Olympiad, playing the trumpet, and doing badass jump kicks. I would like become a successful filmmaker, teacher, or engineer in the near future. Hopefully, I’ll also get a chance to travel the world, meet new people and get to know their names.
Depending on the situation, I’m usually told those comments privately being given time to properly respond or I’m barraged by several people and give them pretty much vague quick answers like “I was born in Italy, so my name is Andrea Lin,” which makes no sense to someone in the US that doesn’t know that Andrea is a popular male name in Italy.
My nickname Andrew originated in middle school along with other ones such as Lee, Smiley, Russell, Bruce, and Kevin by friends to prevent the teasing I had. Andrew was something my teacher and my friend Andrew suggested in middle school. Russell is the Asian boy from the movie UP that I resembled before puberty, and Smiley was my middle school band nickname for me for when I missed a note and smiled awkwardly as a response. I’m pretty sure the rest were stereotypical Asian names. Andrew ended up sticking around and became my alias the majority of my academic career. The name stuck after having some middle school friends who believed Andrea was a typo spread around that thought, and I decided to go along with it. I personally liked having the alias Andrew because I thought that if I ever got into anything troublesome, I wouldn’t be in trouble if they couldn’t find me because of my alias.
“That man Andrew Lin is the culprit.”
“Who is this Andrew you speak of?” “I am Andrea.”
After reading Frankenstein, the Importance of Being Earnest, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, I started to really think about my name(s). In the case of Importance of Being Earnest, I felt like using an alias did give me another identity. When I go to work or talked with colleges, I used the name Andrea and attempted to give off a professional tone whereas Andrew is used in more casual or quick circumstances. Unfortunately, like in the movie, I have to present my “handkerchief” in order to confirm my identity. After reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, I looked back at situations of my name being mixed up by others and even myself. It made wonder what significance there was to my name(s). I remember having five Andrews and two Andreas in the same middle school being a confusing disaster. After reading Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, I compared my experience with the many nicknames with the experience of the monster having no name. I thought about the similarities between the two experiences and wondered if having several names gave more meaning to who I was or do the opposite. I also wondered if Andrea Lin represented all my nicknames or none of them.
I was named Andrea because my parents enjoyed Italy and gave me the most popular name there or it was the fact that my parents were expecting another daughter (I have 3 older sisters). Lin was our family name and represented that we are Whenzhounese. I was born in Italy because China has a strict One-Child Policy and because there was a better economic opportunity there for my parents at the time. We moved to New York City when I was about three years old, then to California after they found better work at the sweatshops and flea markets. For me, Andrea Lin represented a journey with my family and my history. I wouldn’t want to let one of the few things that represent that to be changed. …..
Let me introduce myself. My name is Andrea Lin. I’m Whenzhounese, but I was born in Italy and raised in New York. I like watching tv shows, browsing the internet, and hanging out with my friends during my free time. My hobbies are playing badminton and doing anything creative such as filming, writing, and working on building projects. Some skills or talents I have is staying extremely late for Science Olympiad, playing the trumpet, and doing badass jump kicks. I would like become a successful filmmaker, teacher, or engineer in the near future. Hopefully, I’ll also get a chance to travel the world, meet new people and get to know their names.
Love Yourself--Christina
Ever since I was a child, I always questioned everything. I never really grasped the idea
of life and why things happened the way it did. All I could remember throughout my childhood
was watching the many altercations between my mother and father. Although I didn’t truly
understand what was happening, I knew it wasn’t a good sign. Every other day I would be
talking with some random person asking me questions about my parents and who I favored more
or who treated me better, like as if I was SUPPOSE to choose one over the other. But as years
went on, my brother and I got seperated from my mom and moved away with my dad. As a kid, I
was able to visit my mom on the weekends and I made sure I cherished every moment with her.
But that all changed when I hit adolescence; our visits became left frequent as it turned from
once a week, to once every 2 weeks, and then to once every month. See, the thing is she knew
how to express her affection, she knew how to say “I love you”, and she even knew exactly what
to say when life was just not going right. My dad, on the contrary, didn’t know how to do any of
that. I know he didn’t do it intentionally given the culture he was raised by, but it just kind of
sucks to go home from a bad school day, crying into my pillow, and have no one come to my
rescue with those bed-side talks that parents always give in the movies. I felt like I had to deal
with my problems alone, that I needed to just “move on” instead of solving the issue. I had to
fight my own battles instead of running to my parents to deescalate the situation. I never even got
help with homework because even if I did ask my dad, he had no education experience to begin
with. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to set my dad up to be the bad guy because he
definitely did care for me, never laid a hand on me, and even made sure there was food on the
table every day. But even though he was present in my life physically, he just wasn’t there
emotionally. And I think to myself, after all these years, I still stand here strong. I’ve learned to
not let the worst get to me and that I can get through anything on my own. I personally had to
push myself to strive for something that I knew wasn’t easy because only a challenge will help
build a person. I always had doubters throughout my life, due to my circumstances, and
convinced themselves that I wouldn’t accomplish anything. I’ve been stepped on by people who
I thought would always have my back but you never know how close your doubters really are.
And yes, it did hurt me quite a bit, but I persevered and I pushed hard. I studied continuously so
that I would get accepted into a great college and not only prove to my doubters that I did have
something going for me but also to prove to myself that I’m NOT that person that they described.
In the end, I guess my hard work did pay off. My mentality has progressed tremendously to
where their opinions have become irrelevant. So, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplish and how I
turned out to be. But, hopefully when I’m off to attend my 4-Year Public University, waking up
to a beach in my backyard, my doubters won’t miss me too much…
My Inspiration--Karina
To my dearest brothers,
I started noticing your mistakes when I was 15 years old. I noticed earlier too, but I never paid close attention. I grew up with the both of you, and you guys were very proud to have a little sister, always made sure I was safe, and would protect me through anything. We are 10 and 11 years apart. The both of you still live in my house with my parents and me. I grew up thinking it’s normal for siblings that are older; especially much years older to still live in their parent’s house until someone would ask me about my brothers and ask how old you guys were and their response would be, “They still live with you?!”, I would look at them with confusion and say, “Yes of course they do”, But slowly over time, I realized that’s actually really out of the norm to still live with your parents at your age. I would understand if our parents were sick and they needed you guys to take care of them, but they don’t. The both of you only live here because now you’ve grown accustomed to staying with mommy and daddy and having everything handed to you. All you guys ever did was blame our parents for the way your life came out. You guys started messing up with your life when you were 15 and 16 years old and I was only 5. You started hanging out with the wrong people, shaving your heads, and not caring about your education. The both of you are actually really intelligent. Sam, you could’ve gotten a scholarship to UCLA when you were a freshman. They were already offering you to sign with them. Erik, you’ve always earned straight A’s and had a couple choices of some really good colleges; not to mention you guys have always been great at sports and could’ve had athletic scholarships. You guys decided instead to turn to the toxic things in life saying you don’t care and blowing your money off like nothing. You never got real jobs, or pursued a career. You will leave jobs so easily like you have time to be quitting and being unemployed. You would quit over the most minor reasons saying you don’t like the job instead of just sticking to it for a while to make money. You guys started at community college around 23 years old. You guys only had one year left and never even finished that. One is almost 29 and the other one is almost 28. You guys still live with us. I have my life more in order than you guys do. Especially since I’m only 18 years old; I’m proud myself for not being like you guys. I might share some of the same characteristics and mannerisms but definitely not the same mind set. I will be the first of our parents' kids that they see walk down to get my diploma at graduation. I will be the first to go to college and get my life started. I just want to say thank you for all your inspiring ways that show me exactly who I want to be, which is nothing like you guys. You will always be my role models for who I don’t want to be in life. Thank You.
I started noticing your mistakes when I was 15 years old. I noticed earlier too, but I never paid close attention. I grew up with the both of you, and you guys were very proud to have a little sister, always made sure I was safe, and would protect me through anything. We are 10 and 11 years apart. The both of you still live in my house with my parents and me. I grew up thinking it’s normal for siblings that are older; especially much years older to still live in their parent’s house until someone would ask me about my brothers and ask how old you guys were and their response would be, “They still live with you?!”, I would look at them with confusion and say, “Yes of course they do”, But slowly over time, I realized that’s actually really out of the norm to still live with your parents at your age. I would understand if our parents were sick and they needed you guys to take care of them, but they don’t. The both of you only live here because now you’ve grown accustomed to staying with mommy and daddy and having everything handed to you. All you guys ever did was blame our parents for the way your life came out. You guys started messing up with your life when you were 15 and 16 years old and I was only 5. You started hanging out with the wrong people, shaving your heads, and not caring about your education. The both of you are actually really intelligent. Sam, you could’ve gotten a scholarship to UCLA when you were a freshman. They were already offering you to sign with them. Erik, you’ve always earned straight A’s and had a couple choices of some really good colleges; not to mention you guys have always been great at sports and could’ve had athletic scholarships. You guys decided instead to turn to the toxic things in life saying you don’t care and blowing your money off like nothing. You never got real jobs, or pursued a career. You will leave jobs so easily like you have time to be quitting and being unemployed. You would quit over the most minor reasons saying you don’t like the job instead of just sticking to it for a while to make money. You guys started at community college around 23 years old. You guys only had one year left and never even finished that. One is almost 29 and the other one is almost 28. You guys still live with us. I have my life more in order than you guys do. Especially since I’m only 18 years old; I’m proud myself for not being like you guys. I might share some of the same characteristics and mannerisms but definitely not the same mind set. I will be the first of our parents' kids that they see walk down to get my diploma at graduation. I will be the first to go to college and get my life started. I just want to say thank you for all your inspiring ways that show me exactly who I want to be, which is nothing like you guys. You will always be my role models for who I don’t want to be in life. Thank You.
Untitled--Jordan
It's one of those days where the clouds seem to align in perfect unison, and the sun is
shining bright at high noon. The cool breeze cuts the scorching rays of the sun making it the
ideal atmosphere for outside fun.The laughter of children echo throughout the neighborhood
and their joyful screams can be heard a mile away. The kids are playing basketball, shooting
water guns, and playing hide-and-go-seek. They are taking advantage of this type of weather
that only comes around once a year, and It would seem as though every kid would want to be
outside on this perfect day. Well, every kid except for one in particular. He lived at the end of the
cul de sac; the oldest house on the block. It was the only house that was built with a different
design than others and it was always dark, even in the daytime.
Light peeks through the murky window. The concentration of dust piled high; settled so
eloquently on top of the blinds. The room, dark, empty and saturated with warmth, carries the
sound of a single heartbeat. There is a sniffle, or a cough, maybe even a yawn from time to
time, but never any words spoken. He sits in the corner, reading what seems to be a rather
long, complex novel. So focused on the text, he rarely takes takes time in flipping pages. So
consumed in the storyline, he rarely moves. Pages and pages of information encoded into his
mind, and nothing else seems to be more satisfying for him. He hears the children every day,
and yet has this desire to read his book. He contemplates to himself whether he should be
outside, or stay in his room. He always thinks of himself as an outsider among the group of kids
in the neighborhood, and is conflicted. Drawing different conclusions in his head, he sits up, and
looks down at the children playing. He wonders how much fun he would be having at that
instant. But in doubt he goes back and starts back reading the page where he left on. Alone. In
silence.
My New Guardian Angel--Geraldine
In these past two weeks, I have faced the hardest thing so far in my life. Even though I knew it
was coming eventually, I definitely didn’t think it would happen this month. Although I can’t
deny that I have learned so much through the events that have occurred, I wish I could still say
that I had my mom. My mom lived with a genetic disease called sickle cell anemia. It basically
destroys the immune system and since there is no cure, she just learned to live with it. The point
is, hospital trips weren’t out of the norm for my family. So on Easter Sunday, when my mom
went into the hospital, I knew she was bad, but I figured that just like every other time, the
doctors would keep her for two to three weeks and then she’d be back at home with us. I guess
God had a different plan. This time, she had gone into septic shock from the infection. Her
organs began to shut down and I found myself saying my goodbyes to her. We spent exactly one
week in the hospital. I had slept there every night and would go home during the days. Although
I appreciated all the people that visited my mom during that week, it sometimes made it harder.
It was just another reminder that this was my new sudden reality. One that my mom would most
likely not be a part of anymore. Even though all the visits made it seem more real, they were still
extremely comforting and it was God’s way of showing me the incredible way he used my mom
while she was on this earth. I now realize this work of His was something that had been in the
making since the day she was born. A few years ago when my mom’s hospital trips started
becoming longer and more serious, I started to question God and the reason He chose my mom
and my family to endure the struggles we were given. I didn't think it was fair and like any
fourteen or fifteen year old I got angry. After some time passed, I learned to accept the fact that I
didn’t understand God’s plan but it was up to me to trust Him and know that all things work out
the way they do for a reason. Now I know. I understand why my mom was sick and as much as it
hurts that this happened, I am now in awe of the type of impact my mom had on the people she
encountered in her life. See my mom was a pretty tough cookie and that’s an understatement.
She chose not to let her sickness determine how she lived her life. In order to do this, she learned
to be a really good fighter. I’ve said this before to a lot of people and I’ll continue to say it: one
of the most important things my mom taught me was to be strong. The strength that she had was
inspiring and moving. I wish I could explain better how much she put herself through just so she
could be there for my sister, my dad, and me. She was such a great mom and never failed to
make me feel loved. That’s the other important lesson she taught me: to love others by caring for
them and showing them kindness. The week my mom was in the hospital, at least a hundred
different people had been in to see her. Childhood friends, church friends, family friends,
coworkers, and just plain family showed up with an incredible amount of support and love. This
is because my mom was someone who could make you feel important and cared for. She had one
of the biggest hearts and anywhere she went, she left a positive influence. Through word of
mouth and the type of social media we have today, people learned about the hardship we were
facing. Fifty different churches prayed for my mom throughout seven states. Random people
who we didn’t even know and didn’t even live in this country would send my dad facebook
messages containing their prayers and positive thoughts. God had brought together so many
people through my mom. I had finally understood the power He had, but most importantly, the
plan that He had. Most people who don’t believe in God would probably point out the obvious:
“Well if God is so powerful and great, why didn’t he heal my mom?” Losing her is without a
doubt the saddest thing I have had to deal with. Sometimes it hurts so much I can’t breathe.
There’s a weight on my chest that I know will be there for a while. But to these people I would
ask: Did you ever consider that because we are selfish people, we tend to think that the outcome
that is best in our favor is the most appropriate outcome? Having my mom back would be great
for me but then the other amazing stuff wouldn’t be there. The miracles shown through the
people who visited wouldn’t have happened. Even more, my mom would still be suffering in
pain. My mom dying wasn’t God punishing me or a testament to His inabilities, but the
opposite. It was His way of fulfilling her purpose in life. God gives us different paths and some
have ones that are harder than others. What this experience has taught me though is that he will
never give us a path we can’t handle. He will give us the strength, the courage, and the will to
keep on going as long as we have faith in Him. My mom had faith in Him and she was given the
strength to live the life she did so she could leave the impact that she had on an unbelievable
amount of people. So to those who are going through tough times, know that you are not alone
and although it is hard to see why these obstacles are there, have faith there is good reason. It’s
true that life isn’t fair and the cards we are dealt with are out of our control. What we do have
control of is how we play the cards that we’re dealt. If you’ve read this far, thanks for reading
my story, I know it was kind of long. To my new Guardian Angel, I want to say that I love you
and will never forget the lessons you taught me and the inspiration you gave me.
Revolutionary Discovery in Egypt!--Nour
What first comes to mind when you think of a delicious dessert? Ice cream? Cookies? Pie? Cake? Plain old brownies? Well if so, you are missing out on the most mouthwatering and delicious desserts in the history of time. These heavenly creations are only made once every thousand years and are descended from the heavens by Nour, the Egyptian God of Dessert. For those of you who have not tried this delectable dessert, you are in for a sweet surprise. Hah see what we did there? Through centuries of practice, Nour had mastered the art of making diabetes, I mean brownies, but the ancient recipe was lost in time. But recently a discovery has been made, archaeologists have discovered a hidden tunnel below the Great Pyramid of Giza that led to the ancient recipe of the Brownies of Life.
The first hieroglyphic wall discovered began with the ingredients to this recipe, which was successfully deciphered by the world’s top scholars.
● 1 pack of oreos
○ Regular or double stuffed, depending on how much you love your friends
● ⅓ cup of water and vegetable oil
○ You can switch out the water for milk if you want thicker brownies
● Ghirardelli triple fudge brownie mix
○ Triple fudge means triple love
● Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough
○ You can change up what type of cookie dough, but chocolate chips seems best
● Secret Ingredient
○ Unspecified item and amount
● Chef’s Quality Pan Spray
○ This will make sure the brownies don't get stuck to the pan
The next set of hieroglyphics detailed the ancient tools one must need to successfully fabricate this heavenly creation.
● A Bowl
○ Plastic or metal, just a medium to large sized bowl for brownie mix
● Baking Tray
● Large Baking Spoon
○ Wooden or plastic, either works
● Spoon
○ Just to scrape off the remaining brownie mix so you don’t miss out
The final set of hieroglyphics detailed the steps needed to take to create this heavenly gift.
1. Prepare and set all ingredients and tools on a table made of stone in the shape of a snake.
2. Preheat your oven to 325°F
3. Begin by combining and mixing an egg with ⅓ cup of water and vegetable oil and mix.
4. Then combine this mixture with the brownie mix and mix until it is well blended and no chocolate powder is left, then add the fudge packet included.
5. Now spray your baking tray with the baking pan spray and begin to spread cookie dough evenly across the tray.
6. Begin to evenly distribute the oreos in rows across the tray.
7. After adding the oreos, spread the brownie mix evenly across the tray covering all oreos and cookie dough.
8. Place the tray inside the oven for about 45-55 minutes.
9. Enjoy this heavenly creation.
The first hieroglyphic wall discovered began with the ingredients to this recipe, which was successfully deciphered by the world’s top scholars.
● 1 pack of oreos
○ Regular or double stuffed, depending on how much you love your friends
● ⅓ cup of water and vegetable oil
○ You can switch out the water for milk if you want thicker brownies
● Ghirardelli triple fudge brownie mix
○ Triple fudge means triple love
● Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough
○ You can change up what type of cookie dough, but chocolate chips seems best
● Secret Ingredient
○ Unspecified item and amount
● Chef’s Quality Pan Spray
○ This will make sure the brownies don't get stuck to the pan
The next set of hieroglyphics detailed the ancient tools one must need to successfully fabricate this heavenly creation.
● A Bowl
○ Plastic or metal, just a medium to large sized bowl for brownie mix
● Baking Tray
● Large Baking Spoon
○ Wooden or plastic, either works
● Spoon
○ Just to scrape off the remaining brownie mix so you don’t miss out
The final set of hieroglyphics detailed the steps needed to take to create this heavenly gift.
1. Prepare and set all ingredients and tools on a table made of stone in the shape of a snake.
2. Preheat your oven to 325°F
3. Begin by combining and mixing an egg with ⅓ cup of water and vegetable oil and mix.
4. Then combine this mixture with the brownie mix and mix until it is well blended and no chocolate powder is left, then add the fudge packet included.
5. Now spray your baking tray with the baking pan spray and begin to spread cookie dough evenly across the tray.
6. Begin to evenly distribute the oreos in rows across the tray.
7. After adding the oreos, spread the brownie mix evenly across the tray covering all oreos and cookie dough.
8. Place the tray inside the oven for about 45-55 minutes.
9. Enjoy this heavenly creation.
Be Warned, too much of this heavenly dessert will disrupt the balance of the heavens and upset the stomach and toilet gods.
The Next Chapter--Jasper
This isn’t a story of something that has already happened, nor is it a story of
something that will happen. But it is a constant thought on my mind for the last month and a
half. “We are finally graduating” is a phrase that has been repeated many times within the
last month and each time it gets just a little bit more exciting. It is almost to an unbearable
point where most of us has already mentally graduated. We are so obsessed with the idea
of moving on from high school and having our own independent lives. But I’m not going to lie,
the thought of that next chapter is completely scary. We complain about our lives and the
amount of pointless work we do and the lack of sleep we get and how we are so ready to
go to college. But is college really going to make that better? Now, obviously i cannot speak
from personal experience, but of the things i heard from my sister, cousins, etc., they miss
high school! According to them, high school is a gold mine. My sister is pretty much the
ultimate college student stereotype. No food, no money, no sleep. We really don’t know how
easy we have it, honestly. We get less work, school is so much simpler, SCHOOL IS FREE, we
get fed, we have a social life for crying out loud. But, don’t get me wrong. Because after
being told all of this, I still cannot wait to graduate. I cannot wait to move away and be on my
own for once. And when I finally do, I know i am going to regret it. Being in my parents’ care
and support is a blessing we really shouldn’t take advantage of. But, Senior year has been
great and I have made friends and memories that I will cherish even after I am in a
wheelchair. I have learned so much about myself and also about the rest of my life. All of it
is very overwhelming, which is surprisingly a good and bad thing. I’m ready to go on to the
next chapter of my life, but the question in my head is am I really ready? And there really is
only one way to find out. With that being said, and hopefully not scaring anyone out of being
an adult, although most of us already been an adult for a while, congratulations to everyone
and good luck for the future!
Independent--Nicholas
The moment I realized that being independent gets you far in life has to be when I got the
opportunity to travel with my friend and his dad to Cancun. It was during the summer of 2016,
his dad is pretty successful, has a great job, and it pays him very well. Throughout the trip, I
realized that I loved traveling; his dad can go anywhere in the world. On a car ride back to our
hotel my friend fell asleep and his dad and I had a long conversation about how he was as a kid.
He told me that his mother would make everyone food but he would have to make his own food,
he bought his first car on his own; he basically did not rely on anyone. He did his own thing, and
made his own choices throughout his life. He graduated from a very good college and as a result
has become the CEO of a company. That conversation really put things in perspective for me and
it taught me to never take things for granted. I also learned that if you want something done
sometimes you have to do it yourself.
People who always rely on someone to help them get through the tough times or make hard life decisions will always need to have someone by their side. I try my hardest to solve my own problems; of course it is always good to have someone to vent too, but not to the point where you are constantly complaining. Another individual who taught me to work towards the things that I want, would have to be my mother. She is the oldest of five kids, and growing up at the age nine she was already making food for her brother and younger sisters. She would give them advice, and acted like a second mother for them. Growing up with a hairlip chalif palate made life hard for her. All through middle school and high school she was constantly in the hospital going through surgery after surgery. As a result of this, in her senior year she failed her whole first semester and by the second she realized she had to work extra hard to be able to graduate. So she took ROP classes, adult school at night, and her general classes in the morning, she passed every single class and graduated. She didn’t let anything stand in her way of getting her diploma; she went straight to college, graduated with honors, and now works as a nurse.
As the result of these experiences, I now make my own choices, and feel confident in my abilities in doing so. Most of the time I am home alone. My parents are always at work and my older sisters are either working or at school. I have my own key to the house as most people do, I get myself food, buy my own clothes, and hangout with friends; I take care of myself. I chose the college which I will be attending after high school on my own, and picked out my own classes, so I am all set for the fall. Whether my life choices are good or bad they are my own. I am not perfect and am still learning, and I know I have a lot more to learn. I’m just glad to have the peace of mind that my decisions are influenced by no one other than me.
People who always rely on someone to help them get through the tough times or make hard life decisions will always need to have someone by their side. I try my hardest to solve my own problems; of course it is always good to have someone to vent too, but not to the point where you are constantly complaining. Another individual who taught me to work towards the things that I want, would have to be my mother. She is the oldest of five kids, and growing up at the age nine she was already making food for her brother and younger sisters. She would give them advice, and acted like a second mother for them. Growing up with a hairlip chalif palate made life hard for her. All through middle school and high school she was constantly in the hospital going through surgery after surgery. As a result of this, in her senior year she failed her whole first semester and by the second she realized she had to work extra hard to be able to graduate. So she took ROP classes, adult school at night, and her general classes in the morning, she passed every single class and graduated. She didn’t let anything stand in her way of getting her diploma; she went straight to college, graduated with honors, and now works as a nurse.
As the result of these experiences, I now make my own choices, and feel confident in my abilities in doing so. Most of the time I am home alone. My parents are always at work and my older sisters are either working or at school. I have my own key to the house as most people do, I get myself food, buy my own clothes, and hangout with friends; I take care of myself. I chose the college which I will be attending after high school on my own, and picked out my own classes, so I am all set for the fall. Whether my life choices are good or bad they are my own. I am not perfect and am still learning, and I know I have a lot more to learn. I’m just glad to have the peace of mind that my decisions are influenced by no one other than me.
My Lively Routine--Tristan
6 am: I’m awake. Sort of. My eyes could barely manage to read the time on my phone. I guess
that’s what i get for trying to squeeze another episode in last night. Maybe just 30 more
minutes...no no i can’t, I still need to finish my math homework. Ok 10 more minutes.
7 am: Damn. It’s ok I can just do it in SSR. Should I eat breakfast first or change first? I’ll just change while i’m eating. I better hurry, Somijah is probably waiting outside, but she’s probably running late too.
8 am: Right on time. But i still got a few minutes to spare, i’ll just go to the bathroom real quick. This water is too cold for the morning, now my hands are going to be crusty. Aw no way, WHAT IS THIS? Is that syrup on my shirt, maybe if I wet it a little, but then there’s going to be a big wet spot. Oops that was second bell.
9 am: Should I eat my lunch now or should I wait? If I eat it now I am going to be hungry at lunch. Maybe I’ll just scavenge off my friends. I just want to go home.
10 am: I made it! Three more periods to go. Ok now this math...OOOOOOOOO, this song is a banger, ‘ LET ME SEE YOU GET LOOOOWW!!’ Oh everyone heard me, it’s ok, not the first time. Ok this is hard. I need help, maybe Austin did it.
11 am: I think, i think that discussion has made me rethink my whole life. What is my purpose? YOOO, Ruben is the plug for granola bars. These fiber bars really get the job done. I'm still a little hungry, I’ll make a pit stop at a snack cart on the way to math.
12 pm: I’m not sure what happened. I went to the snack cart during passing period then I had a quick chat with a friend, next thing you know first lunch is ending. Now i'm in math with 20 minutes to take a quiz. Luckily I studied and did the homework!
1 pm: This is the most boring part of the day. Should i just leave. Is this really how i want to spend an hour of my precious time. Sitting in the back listening to music, doing homework, falling asleep, the occasional teacher aid duties. I'll just ask to go to the “library.”
2pm-10pm: Depending on the day these crucial hours consist of working with my uncle, homework, eating, video games, and listening to music. But really, regardless of the purposeful activity, i'm always listening to music.
11pm-6am: The night is still young. Plus sleep is for the weak. I only sleep because I have to and believe it or not...I get tired. Also bags aren't as trendy as I hope they would be. If i close my eyes it won't be long before all this repeats.
7 am: Damn. It’s ok I can just do it in SSR. Should I eat breakfast first or change first? I’ll just change while i’m eating. I better hurry, Somijah is probably waiting outside, but she’s probably running late too.
8 am: Right on time. But i still got a few minutes to spare, i’ll just go to the bathroom real quick. This water is too cold for the morning, now my hands are going to be crusty. Aw no way, WHAT IS THIS? Is that syrup on my shirt, maybe if I wet it a little, but then there’s going to be a big wet spot. Oops that was second bell.
9 am: Should I eat my lunch now or should I wait? If I eat it now I am going to be hungry at lunch. Maybe I’ll just scavenge off my friends. I just want to go home.
10 am: I made it! Three more periods to go. Ok now this math...OOOOOOOOO, this song is a banger, ‘ LET ME SEE YOU GET LOOOOWW!!’ Oh everyone heard me, it’s ok, not the first time. Ok this is hard. I need help, maybe Austin did it.
11 am: I think, i think that discussion has made me rethink my whole life. What is my purpose? YOOO, Ruben is the plug for granola bars. These fiber bars really get the job done. I'm still a little hungry, I’ll make a pit stop at a snack cart on the way to math.
12 pm: I’m not sure what happened. I went to the snack cart during passing period then I had a quick chat with a friend, next thing you know first lunch is ending. Now i'm in math with 20 minutes to take a quiz. Luckily I studied and did the homework!
1 pm: This is the most boring part of the day. Should i just leave. Is this really how i want to spend an hour of my precious time. Sitting in the back listening to music, doing homework, falling asleep, the occasional teacher aid duties. I'll just ask to go to the “library.”
2pm-10pm: Depending on the day these crucial hours consist of working with my uncle, homework, eating, video games, and listening to music. But really, regardless of the purposeful activity, i'm always listening to music.
11pm-6am: The night is still young. Plus sleep is for the weak. I only sleep because I have to and believe it or not...I get tired. Also bags aren't as trendy as I hope they would be. If i close my eyes it won't be long before all this repeats.
The boy--Ariege
I remember there was a boy who daringly loved you. This boy who said nothing and
never moved a muscle. I remember this boy watched you be with the wrong guy. He
watched you make some of the biggest mistakes of your life. When your friend asked
him to come near he would, and when he didn't he wouldn’t. He watched you make
multiple life changing decisions but never opened his mouth. He listened to your every
need and call at every moment but never spoke his pain for the love he enamored for
you. Never opened his mouth when he saw you leave his side again. Watched your lust
turn into love but never realized anything was different. He was patient. Never did he
force you to love him, only because he wanted it to be real, genuine love. He stared into
your brown eyes without blinking just so he wouldn't miss a moment not being able to
see you. He took pictures for every moment you could feel pure happiness. He learned
to like what you did, do things the way you wanted and go where you desired. He tried
thinking the way you did, just to understand. He was by your side when others hurt you,
and even when your own family hurt you. It took much time, which is why when the day
you made one right decision, the one day you finally understood everything, he couldn't
believe it. He never pushed. He always kept you in his heart. He was loyal. He was
patient. He waited. He was Ishmam.
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