October Writers!!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!!


The October Writers are here.  This month we have nine original pieces for you to read for your enjoyment.  You have until Friday, November 9 to leave feedback and comment on three pieces of your choice.

I hope you are enjoying our blog and the creative writing of our talented students.

We have a very busy next few weeks.  Stay focused and organized.

Trick or Treat and Happy Fall, Happy Halloween and Happy Everything,

Mrs. Solano

Deaf--Kylie

She had lost track of how many days it had been since she'd last seen one. Sometimes she wondered why she drew them in, why she killed, but the thought typically did not reside long in her head. It was in her nature, so she did not often question it too long. Besides, the only time she ever really thought about it was when there wasn't any around, for unlike other times, a new group quickly emerged from the billows of sea.
She perched high on her rock, starting her song. Each of them were affected to different degrees; they drew away from the berth and towards the bow, itching to get closer. Some jumped over the edge, making themselves easier targets. She normally choose those to end personally, the ones so seduced by her song that they swam towards her. The rest went down with the ship, as they should. She'd never experienced any form of pity. She never really sought them, except the ones she drew close. They had their own corruptions to blame.
All of them were drowning in her song, making her feel like the sea goddess she thought herself to be. This moment was her favorite, the feeling of utter importance and power. The feeling that she controlled everything, controlled everyone. Absolute power over everything she could see.
It was then that something particular caught her eye. All of them had drawn towards her from all parts, except one. One lone man frantically attempted to grab the attention of his friends

as the boat sunk. For a moment she stopped her song, aghast at this unknown occurrence. Then, quickly realizing he must have not heard her, projected her voice. He still, however, stood oblivious to the source of disarray of his fellow shipmates. He looked around, panicked, as the boat turned about uneasily. Without men manning their stations, the boat had started to turn with the shifts of waves. Recognizing that it was going to go down soon, he hastily tried to wake his shipmates from their dreamlike trance. Curiously, she noticed that he never once opened his mouth to call out to them, instead he shook them vigorously.
This, of course, was a new feeling for her. Never had she felt very curious about anything. Every one of them she’d come across had all been the same, all acted the same, all succumbed to their desires. Her curiosity quickly turned to frustration, how was it that this man could avoid her song? It had to be impossible, for it had never been done before, but then, it couldn’t be because he was doing it. If this ship was to go down, she wanted to have control of everyone o n it. She stopped singing, slipping into the depth of the murky water below.
For days, she followed, watching the ship to understand the man. She never once saw the man interact with anyone, never once converse with anyone. Though she watched for days, she still could not understand how he was immune to her song. He mopped decks and hoisted sails, for several hours she did not see him as he worked below decks. This became her obsession, though she did not consciously realize it. She abandoned everything that had been her before, obsessing to understand this complexity. She lost interest in simply singing, taking down ships, the thing that was all that she was.
The days turned to weeks, the weeks to months. She followed the ship relentlessly, the need to understand so great. She no longer wanted to draw any man in but him, but she knew she

couldn’t. He never talked to those around him, unknowing to the noises around him. Once, a man fell overboard, the entire ship burst out in yelling as the rest of the men unsuccessfully attempted to save him from the swallowing tide. She watched the immune man, who took several counts to even notice anything had gone wrong. He did not react until he noticed the people around him in a panic.
After what seemed like an eternity, the ship came to dock. At first she kept her distance, knowing the danger of coming too close, but as time passed she found herself drawing closer. When the sun finally started to come down, the men filed back onto the ship. She watched each man walk on, looking for his face. Finally, the gangplank was pulled back up and she started to go into a panic because he had not come back onto the ship. Hoping she had made a mistake, she followed the vessel, carefully watching the post he normally attended. It did not take her long to see that she had not been wrong, that he never came back.
Once again, she experienced a new feeling, a deep pain in her chest. She couldn’t identify it, for she never felt it before. The pain tore heavily in her chest at this realization. What was she to do? Soon after this, she felt something familiar... annoyance. Months she had spent chasing this man, trying to learn how to make him fall to her song. She would never make the mistake again of losing what she was, letting herself fall out of her nature. She looked up at the ship, starting to sing her song.
This time, as the men jumped over into the sea, she smiled. She watched as the entire ship went down, collapsing into the sea. She’d thought before she felt like a goddess, but that feeling was nothing compared to how she felt now.

Untitled--Madison

The first time she saw him, she was almost repulsed by his strangeness. She never would have thought that a year and a half later she’d be crazy about him. Throughout the beginning of the early phases of Gabby and Marcus’ friendship, she stayed away and would refuse to even call him a friend. She’d immediately clarify: “He is nothing but an acquaintance!” There was never the bridge between acquaintance and boyfriend and from boyfriend to love of her life... or so she thought. Things with Marcus went so quickly that there was no time for her to process what had really happened. After she became interested, he met her parents and then they went steady for a long time until those final 5 months.
Even though the break up was months ago, Gabby couldn’t help but ponder as to if the decision was right. He’d tell her how much she meant to him and she’d exchange those same feelings. There came a day where it appeared that Gabby’s love was stronger than his. Love is blind and she was oblivious to this. Gabby allowed things that should not have been allowed in fear of Marcus leaving due to the stigma of the “psycho and over controlling” girlfriend that she had seen so many of her peers portrayed as. She kept quiet and obedient in hopes that they’d last forever. She often replays the good memories but also is haunted by the bad that was glazed over for so long.
That kiss:
The first kiss with someone is always special, but more so when it’s the first kiss a person experiences in their lifetime. When it first happened something awakened inside of Gabby. She had no idea why she had said it so quickly, but immediately after she had told Marcus that she loved him. Immediately following the kiss they stood in the middle of where ever they were not caring and just embracing each other. Neither one of them wanted that moment to end. Marcus

told Gabby that this was something that he was going to tell his kids someday. Gabby being so “in love” let these words linger and then began thinking about a distant future with Marcus. The kiss led to many more and a total of 2 years of only kissing each other until one of them decided that they weren’t enough anymore.
Those fights:
Some of the young couple’s biggest downfalls was one: they were young and they both had underdeveloped frontal lobes, and two: there were contradictory conversations that arose after the fact they thought they were too far into the relationship to let these topics come between them. Rather than address the situation at her discretion, Gabby would agree with Marcus in order to ward off a fight each time. He meant to much to her to disagree and chance losing him. Only if that same girl saw what the outside looking in saw.
Those Moments of Friendship:
There would be times where nothing felt romantic. It felt as if for the first time Gabby had a real friend. A permanent friend that wouldn’t get lost in a move or stab her in the back. There was one time she was bribed into watching his favorite movie, as to which she was bored out of her mind. Usually she is restless through movies, but for the sole purpose she was with him, she was still, and content, and happy. Marcus had a strange effect on the typically high strung Gabby. There were also times were nothing was even being done. They just sat there together and the conversation between the two of them filled both the space and the silence of the open field they’d escape to, or the quiet campus after hours. The conversation could even be surrounded by hundreds of others and it would feel as if it was only theirs that existed.
The Physicality:

Them physically was the unhealthiest aspect of the entire relationship mentally and emotionally to Gabby. Marcus was manipulative and Gabby gave to much most of the time but only when Marcus wanted that to happen. It was never Gabby’s decision as to when, how, and exactly how far things went. Then there was the instance where Gabby found him hurting her on purpose and trying to play it off as if it was supposed to be delightful for her. This by far was the most extreme thing that Gabby remained silent about and continued to overlook in fear of losing Marcus. How could someone she loved so much do such a terrible thing to her? This was a question that she asked herself often.
Although these are not all the aspects of the relationship, these are the most frequently replayed in Gabby’s mind. One of the most devastating truths of this clearly toxic in some ways but went unnoticed until one day something clicked. One day Gabby came to what many would describe as a revelation. She realized she was being treated so terribly and needed to get out in order to preserve her sanity, self respect, and future. Marcus took so much of her and altered her as a person so much that she was no longer the person she had wanted to be. How did she let this go on for so long? She can’t decide to be angry with herself or him. She can’t even decide as to if she should feel guilty for being heartbroken because that would be disrespectful to herself. A thought that often reached the darkest part of Gabby’s brain was that he is the person she desires to be there for her and who she can be fully vulnerable with. This is not achievable due to them not making themselves available to each other by no longer associating themselves as a couple and also it would almost be as if she were asking him to hurt her again. The main objective Gabby learned of heartbreak is that one must be careful while distributing vulnerability. A life

lesson Gabby obtained is that she needs to be her unapologetically and use the voice that she has been gifted with so that people have less power to hurt her from now on.

Night Time Nightmare--Deztiny

Today is October 19, 2018, my name is Nina Cole, it’s my 17th birthday, and I am having a huge Halloween party. My mom and dad are out of town and I am asking the whole
senior class to come. I have sent out all the invites, and all I have left to do is decorate my house and get my costume. I asked my friend Macy to come over to help me out a little before it starts. As I watch the clock “tick,tick,tock”, the school bell rings. We rush back to my house to get the decorating done, it took us so long, but the final outcome was pretty amazing. When we were done I sat back and just smiled and said “ Thanks Macy, it looks so good!”, she smiled back at me and said “It’s gonna look even better with your COSTUME and PEOPLE.” she laughs. “I know right! lets go!” So we jump in the car and drove to the store with the music blasting and our hands out the window, as we were driving we heard a couple yelling at each other. Macy looks at me and knows what i’m thinking, so she says “Keep driving Nina, we don’t need to get involved!” But I had to make sure everything was alright, “Macy, if something happens i'll never forgive myself for not helping” I said. As I drove closer to the couple I hear, “I’m Sorry Luke! It was NOTHING!, HE WAS NOTHING, DON’T MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF NOTHING!”she yelled, “ NOTHING?! YOU HAVE A MAN IN MY HOUSE AND YOU SAY IT WAS NOTHING?!” He screams. I sat in terror as I watched the man beat her to death. The man looked at me right in the eyes with a look I couldn’t explain, I tried to start the car, but when I moved he began to charge towards us. He was yelling “NOTHING, IT WAS NOTHING.” I couldn’t get myself to push on the gas, but Macy was screaming “ NINA!GO NOW!” Macy took over the gas pedal and the wheel, it wasn’t long before we crashed into the light pole down the street, I helped Macy out of her seatbelt and pushed her out of the car, she wasn’t moving, I checked for her pulse and screamed for help, but he was getting closer and I was panicked. I had to make a run for it, I had 5 blocks to run if I wanted to make it home.I was determined to not stop or look back until i made it. So I did, I got back to my home where the party had already started. I ran in screaming for help, but it was as if nobody could hear me. I was screaming in the middle of the dancing circle, and still no reaction from anybody. I ran up to my room to call 9-1-1 but my phone was gone. I ran back downstairs and tried to find somebody that could help me, I was trying to shut the party down by , turning off the lights, banging pans together and closing doors, nothing was working. I didn’t understand what was going on. I was thinking maybe the music is too loud, maybe everybody thinks I’m joking. But I couldn’t stay here any longer I was worried about Macy, I had to go see if there were any cops around her and the car. I ran there very cautiously, not knowing if the man saw me run to my house. I knew that if he caught me alone I would surely be dead. I made it back to the scene, where the cops had found Macy and the women who was beat to death. I tried to tell the cops that I know who did it but they walked right through me, literally through me, like I was a spirit. I looked at my hands and feet and wondered how that happened, I must have been dreaming, but it felt too real. I saw the firefighters picking up Macy off the floor, as I sobbed for my friend I tried to wake myself up,

slapping and pinching myself. But I was still here watching Macy be covered, and be put into the back of the ambulance. The firefighters looked back into the car, I try to tell them “There isn’t anybody else, it was just the two of us, we weren’t drinking if that’s what you're looking for.” As I speak at them they pull out another body, it was another girl my age ,she was wearing my shoes, my pants and my shirt, and I looked at her face as they put her in a bag and I noticed..... “THAT’S ME!” I said quietly. “THAT’S ME! That can’t be me i'm here, WHY AM I STILL HERE?” I look around and yell “WAKE UP! WAKE UP!, YOU NEED TO OPEN YOUR EYES! WAKE UP!” As I stand doubtfully about the situation, I am unsure why I am still here. A bright light then shines in my face, with a voice saying “Nina come on we need to go home.” “I want to go home, I want to go back home to my mom and dad, I want to say i'm sorry for having the party, i'm sorry for not going with them and spending my 17th birthday with them.” I cried “Nina what are you talking about? Were here, what party?” says mom “Mom? Is that you?” I asked confused “Yes Nina, I'm here and so is dad, your ok.” she says. “Mom.. Dad I had such a bad dream, I had a party and my and..... Macy..Macy!! Where is Macy I need to call her!” I said, “I’m right here Nina!” Macy said, “I Love You Macy! Don’t ever get in a car with me, I still don’t have my license.” I laughed “I know that I’m not dumb.” she said sarcastically. “I love you.”

Immigration--Nico

Long before I was born and even before my parents were born, my grandmother Alicia decided to take the chance on immigration for the sake of love and leaving behind her life in Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico. This is the story of my grandmother’s experience coming to the United States, specifically to Southern California.
My grandma came from a very well off family in her home city of Guadalajara. Her father was a dentist who provided for her, her mother and her two siblings like a traditional mexican household at the time. Once she turned 16 years old, she met my grandfather at a gathering through mutual family friends in March of 1957. My grandfather Gilberto was visiting from California when the two fell in love and eventually got married that April. The question then arose: where would they live, in Mexico or California. My grandmother than made the brave decision to pick up her life and move it to Southern California with my grandfather.
The two newlyweds, with little money, gathered some supplies such as bread, meat, peanut butter, and water, packed up my grandfather’s small car, and ,over the course of a week, drove from Guadalajara to the Tijuana border to get into California. Keeping in mind, the couple expected to make a quick trip over the border to Chino, California where they would reside, however, what they did not realize was the week following their wedding and also their trek to the border was the Holy Week which is a prominent holiday in Mexico as citizens in Mexico predominantly follow the Catholic faith. While this does not seem to connect to their experience at the border, the border was in fact closed from Holy Thursday through Easter Monday. Unluckily, they arrived at the border on Thursday and were already very low on the already miniscule amount of supplies they packed.
For the next five days, my grandparents were able to ration their low amount of supplies. On top of that, they were forced to sleep in their car for the entire duration of their halt at the

border. In the meantime, the two decided to find cheap entertainment as they had little to no money left to pass the time. Throughout all this, my grandmother, coming from a stable household in Mexico, wondered what life she would lead coming into the United States.
My grandfather was a first generation United states citizen and my grandmother was able to gain the equivalent of a visa after being married to my grandfather who was a citizen.
As the couple crossed the border and finally arrived to Chino California, everything came as a culture shock to my abuelita. As opposed to homes in Mexico which had long corridors and large rooms, the house they were going to be living in was a one bedroom, one bathroom home. While this was a large change for her, she had even bigger issues to deal with in her new life. On top of the living situation, my grandma had to deal with my grandfather’s eight sisters, which were now her eight sister in laws who did not accept her as their brother’s wife as they wanted him to be with an American citizen. Over time, my grandmother was able to gain their trust and win them over. Another issue she had to overcome was the difference between economic and social standards between California and the United States. My grandmother, much like most citizens in Mexico, grew up with maids and cooks to cater to the families however, in Chino, my grandmother had to clean and cook for my grandfather as he was the “breadwinner” of the family and she was the “stay at home wife”. On top of these challenges, cultural differences were a prominent task to get used to as well when comparing Mexico’s unicultural country to the multicultural country of America and even California alone which was prevalent through her interactions with multiple religions, nationalities, and lifestyles. While these setbacks were challenging, the main issue she had to deal with was the language barrier. Before arriving to the United States, my grandmother spoke little to no english. Through all these struggles and more, my grandmother was committed to embracing the American lifestyle by first learning english. All

these thing were overcome by her while having three children within 22 months of each other within her first few years of her American life.
Fast forward to later in her life, my grandmother and grandfather, who came from a poverty, were able to move to a larger home in Ontario to raise my tios and my dad. Also they were able to put their five children through universities in the United States. My grandmother, who was able to learn english fluently, became a teacher’s aide for an elementary school near their home in Ontario and eventually was able to become an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher to help students who were going through the same hardships she went through when first arriving to California.
I went to school this past Thursday knowing that I wanted to write about my grandmother’s immigration experience, when little did I know she past away that morning, October 18 after battling cancer for many years. Her sacrifices and challenges when arriving to the US and even throughout her life will live on through generations of my family.

Happiness--Haley

Happiness
/ ˈhapēnəs / Noun

1. Happiness is this;
   Not crying after every school day, after every opening of your eyes, or every rising sun. Not breaking with every shattered scream, and not stepping down from your mountain peak. Not feeling emptied or stuffed, not scared of not blending in with ‘them’ or ‘us’, but being your own person for yourself only. Believing, telling the truth, not using their words, words that weren’t made for you. Looking them in the eye and no longer saying “I’m fine”, but telling them that you’re amazing, and you’ve never felt better.
   
2. Happiness is this;
   Not flinching at their sharp glances, cutting thorns in your fingers, not caring or worrying about what others think of you and not tearing yourself apart trying to fit their standards, not changing masks for every person you’re with. Untangling your heart from your lungs, untangling their fingers from your mind, bending and twisting and snapping and unattaching. Not breaking down and shaking after seeing a pair of scissors or a bottle of
   

pills. Not avoiding the situation because you’re scared but taking action and diving in head first, excited for what another day has in store.

3. Happiness is this;
   Laughing but not aching, talking but not gasping, standing still and not tripping or falling or dissolving into the ashes under your feet. Being able to fall asleep even with 50,000 different thoughts in your head, waking up every 2 hours instead of 1. Having control but not being afraid to lose it, speeding through life but still able to slow down and enjoy it, feeling a different emotion every 30 minutes but still feeling joy. Picking up hundreds of different hobbies just to ditch them a week later, spending time with others and spending time alone while still being content.
   
4. Happiness is this;
   Not being lost in oceans of maybe and soon and one day, it is this; Being the fire that burns you, filled by it, prevailing on it
   Being the monster that cannot be killed.
   

How to Build a Computer--Josh

I first started using a computer when I was four years. My dad would take me to computer shows to buy parts and later show me how they go together. Since then my passion for computers has grown and I've become more knowledgeable about how all the components of a computer coincide with each other. To get started there are a few things you need to know to start building a computer. First, you need to familiarize yourself with the materials needed. Then once you have a brief understanding of the components you are ready to go.
Materials:
● Screwdriver (Phillips Head)
○ Used to screw components into case

• ●  CPU
  
  • ○  Central Processing Unit
    
  • ○  Must match motherboard socket
    
• ●  Motherboard
  
  • ○  Must match CPU socket type
    
  • ○  Connects all components to the CPU
    
• ●  RAM
  
  • ○  Random Access Memory
    
  • ○  Check motherboard manual for compatibility
    
  • ○  Holds memory that needs to be accessed as fast as possible
    

● GPU
○ Graphics Processing Unit
● Other PCIe Card (optional)
○ Peripheral Component Interconnect Express

(optional)

• ●  Power Supply
  
  • ○  80 PLUS Certified or higher suggested for reliable power draw
    
  • ○  Must be specific to your system’s hardware component’s power draw
    
  • ○  Supply's power to entire computer
    
• ●  SSD (optional)
  
  • ○  Solid State Drive
    
  • ○  For optimal boot times
    
  • ○  For faster speeds than a HDD
    
  • ○  Holds operating system and applications that usually take longer to load
    
• ●  HDD
  
  • ○  Hard Drive Disk
    
  • ○  Needs to have at least 20GB to run Windows
    
  • ○  If no SSD is present it holds operating system and system data
    
• ●  CPU Cooler (optional, may use cooler that came with CPU)
  
  • ○  Most come with pre-applied thermal compound or in a tube/syringe
    
  • ○  Cools CPU
    
• ●  Case & Fans
  
  • ○  Case must fit motherboard size
    
  • ○  Fans correspond to the type of airflow desired
    
  • ○  Fans relieve the case of heat
    

1. First, start off by taking out your motherboard and place it on a non-conductive surface, preferably on top of the box that your motherboard came in. (Note: Do not place the motherboard on top of the anti-static bag because the bag could be conductive on the outer layer.) Then lift the retention arm up (marked in yellow). Now take out the CPU and place it in the motherboard socket by matching the triangle on the CPU with the triangle on the motherboard, but do not push the CPU down into the socket because it could lead to damaged pins on the CPU (marked in red). Next push the retention arm down to secure the CPU in place.

2. Now take out your CPU cooler and its manual. Follow the instructions based on the type of socket that pertains to your CPU and motherboard. In my case I will be following the manual's AMD FM2+ CPU socket instructions. First, take your syringe of thermal compound and press it out in the middle of the CPU ensuring that there is enough to spread out once you attach the cooler. Take your cooler, place it directly over the four screw holes on the motherboard, press it down over the CPU (located by the red arrows), and secure it on by screwing the backplate in a cross pattern.
   
3. Now take your case out and take off the front and side panels. Take your motherboard’s IO-Shield and snap it in the inside of your case facing back (located in red). Next adjust the motherboard standoffs in the case to your specific motherboard. In my case I have an ATX motherboard that is secured by six standoffs that were already in the correct position upon installation. Now take motherboard with your CPU and cooler attached and align it with the six standoffs and secure the motherboard by screwing in the 6 screws (indicated by the six red arrows). Next take your power supply and slide it into the top slot on top of the motherboard. Now secure it in with the four screw holes on the back of the case (located in yellow). Take the 24-pin and 8-pin connectors from the power supply and plug them into their counterparts on the motherboard (located in blue). Note that some motherboards may not have an 8-pin connectors, but have either a 4-pin connector, 8-pin connector and 4-pin connector , or two 8-pin connectors for extra overclocking voltage.
   

4. Every motherboard has PCIe slots, but each slot is not the same speed. To determine where to place your GPU, look in your motherboard manual to find out which is the preferred slot for one graphics card. Next, get your GPU and any other PCIe you may have, which in my case includes a wifi card. Now take off your PCIe back covers on the case to the slots that correspond to your cards. Since my wifi card goes in the first slot, it will be first. Take the wifi card/other PCIe card and insert it by lining it up with the PCIe slot and the slot that the outputs line up with (located in red). Now follow the same exact steps for the GPU. Now secure each card by screwing two screws in from the back panel with the metal bar that holds them in (located in blue).
   
5. Installing your HDD and SSD is different in my particular case than it is in new cases today. Start by taking your HDD and facing the side with the SATA connection and sliding it into your desired drive bay. Then secure it in with at least one of the four screw holes (located in red). Follow the same process for the SSD, but you must first mount it inside a tray to fit into the drive bay that screws in with four screws (located in yellow). Now take your SATA power supply cables and plug them into the drives, followed by the SATA cables that connect to the motherboard (located in blue).
   

6. Get out your case fans and decide what you want your fan layout to be for maximum airflow. Since I have an older case my layout will be slightly different than the norm. Now place your fans in the desired locations in the case and secure them with four screws each to ensure they will stay in place, then plug them into the motherboard headers specified in your motherboard manual (located in red). Then take your front panel of your case, making sure it snaps into place. Next route USB, audio and power button cables down the back of the case and to the bottom of the motherboard (located in green). Then plug them into the motherboard, but refer to your motherboard’s instruction manual to ensure you insert them into the correct connectors.
   
7. Clean up any loose power supply cables by organizing them behind the drive bays. You are now done building your computer and can screw on the side panels of your case, plug in your peripherals, and start up your computer.
   

Broken Ankle--Jazmine

Growing up soccer had always been a family sport. My grandpa taught me since i was
able to walk. I mainly played AYSO until about middle school then i joined a club team that i played on for about 3 years. I was always accident prone so somehow i would always have an injury but they were always somewhat minor like a twisted ankle or a pulled muscle. Prior to my last game i had just come back from having a pulled hamstring that had me out for about a month. Coming back was rather difficult considering my coach decided to move me to forward instead of my usual spot as center defender as soon as i returned. My second game back was an away game it was located in Cabazon, California. So the commute was about an hour away and my mother just so happened to have work so my grandpa offered to take me. The game started off as any other i was a starter and was suppose to play the entire game. It was an off day for me as a newly changed forward i had missed all the shots i had taken and this team was known to be very aggressive as most teams in this division are at around 12 years old. During half time one of my teammates had told me they overhead the other teams coach telling them to “take me out” and like at the time i didn't take it serious because like im 12 years old you dont think someone is really going to physically hurt you on purpose but boy was I in for a SURPRISE. After the short break we returned to our positions and played as normal so let me paint the picture for you im currently running down the field towards the opposing team's goal my teammate is following shortly behind me she passes it towards me and i start running towards the goal with the ball and the next thing i know the goalie runs towards me and lunges at my feet grabbing the ball and wrapping her arm around my ankle the impact of her threw me off balance causing me to fall forward and during this time i'm trying to pull my foot out from under her but she would not let go so i fall forward with my foot still flat on the ground and all i'm able to hear is my bones crack three time as well as a popping sensation and i know DAMN well the goalie heard it to as soon as i hit the ground i know its broken there's no way its not broken the goalie gets up and starts crying and i'm just looking at her in shock like are you kidding me right now why the hell are YOU crying im here on the floor broken. Immediately i start screaming not because of the pain i had so much adrenaline pumping through me the first thought that went through my brain was i'm never gonna be able to play again i'm never going to play the same. The ref came over to me and the parents from my team did too. My grandpa was freaking out on the phone with my mother. Eventually after they all realized that i was unable to stand up they finally called the paramedics and i was carried off the field. As i was being lifted onto the gurney the parents from the other team and the players were all yelling how i was faking it and how i was fine and only wanted attention. Why the hell would i want to leave the game is my question i literally would gain nothing if i were to be faking it but anyways they were all saying rather unnecessary and unpleasant stuff. As the paramedics put me in the ambulance the paramedic was on the phone with my mother and was telling her that it is definitely broken. I wasn't in any pain yet and as we arrived at the hospital the doctors were attempting to stick me with a needle and start morphine but i am absolutely terrified of needles so i refused up until my mom arrived and she forced me to take the pain medication. I had xrays taken and they were not good let me tell you something i had three broken bones in my ankle and had torn a ligament. My mother works for kaiser ontario so she had me transfered there. Where they put on a plaster cast and that was by far the worst pain of my life the other doctors at the previous

hospital had not put a proper cast on my foot so my bones were not in the proper place they needed to be set. At kaiser the doctor had to put my foot in the upright position which would cause my bones to realign as best they could. After he put on the cast and sent me on my way. A couple days later i had my first surgery i had three screws put in and was not able to walk on my foot for three months until my second surgery and even after that i had a long ways of recovery ahead.

How to SLAY your edges--Alyssa

Having slayed edges have become such a popular and ongoing trend within this generation. The trend of “baby hairs” or “edges” have been common since the 90’s and is still evolving till this day. With new techniques that have been developed, the concept of “edges” have been taken to a whole other level. In this step-by-step guide, I will show you tips and tricks to help slay your edges too! 
 
Step 1: Pick a tool of your choice. It is highly recommended to use a non-used toothbrush, comb, or the “edge brush” that is specifically designed for your edges. These tools are mostly common because of the bristles that help shape and form your

edges. The hard/sturdier the bristles, the more defined your edges will be. 

Step 2: Decide on an adhesive. My personal favorite is the Eco-Styler gel with the argan oil ingredients. Gel provides a great and strong hold, making sure that your edges are sure to stay in place. On the other hand, depending on the hair type, many other people prefer other alternative adhesives such as:

edge control, beeswax, gorilla glue etc. These products have a more sticker and greaser texture but are guaranteed to hold your edges in place. 

Step 3 (Optional): Brush your edges out. Depending if you have decided to do your main hairstyle before or after, lightly brush out your edges to make them noticeable, and easier to style. Although this step is optional, this is highly recommended for beginners to help make your edges more manageable. 

Step 4: Wet your tool of choice. Although it seems bizarre to wet a comb, this will allow applying the product easier and smoother as opposed to it being rough. Edges are presumed to be much more convenient to do when wet or damp. Wetting your toothbrush or comb will help to make the process simpler when the adhesive is applied. 

Step 5: Dip your tool into the adhesive or apply the adhesive in the desired spot with your finger. Dipping the comb into the gel allows you to do your edges faster and less of a hassle. This also avoids the sticky gel to get onto your nails and fingers. 

Step 6: With your tool and adhesive ready to go, begin at the top of the section that you want to complete and begin to come through it. While you are coming through it, you should have an idea of what you want your edges to be shaped like. Many prefer

one big strand of a collection of baby hairs, others prefer coils, and some may prefer my personal favorite, “swoops.”

Step 7: While in the process of shaping your edges, lightly follow your brush/comb with your finger to secure your edges in place. Keep in mind to not be too rough, this will cause your edges to get out of place and dragged out instead of sleek and compacted. Slightly drag your finger over your edges and do not release until you are completely off of your hair. 

Step 8: There are different ways to get your desired look depending on what tool you have decided to choose. To create your “Swoop” with a toothbrush, flick your wrist in a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion (depending on which side is being done) and continue this step until you achieve the desired look that you want. If you are using a comb, begin at the top of your section and comb through it. Remember to follow your comb with your finger. When you come to the end of the baby hair, you are going to drag your comb in a line towards your hair. Think of this step as a “Z.” As you go down, slightly curve and then end in a line. The line indicates the end of a piece of your edges, so you should always make sure that it is straight and laid down. 

Step 9: Continue these steps throughout your whole head or the places you desire. There is no set count of how many you should have due to the fact that everyone’s hair is different with different textures and baby hairs. 

Step 10 (Optional): Wrap your edges in a scarf to secure them in place. Many people prefer not to because wrapping your hair isn’t completely necessary. If you are going to wrap your hair that you are mindful of the type of scarf that you are using. A silk scarf is recommended for a more sleeker look as opposed to a cotton which quickly dries your edges out, but is perfect when you’re in rush and on the go! 

Step 11: Enjoy your SLAYED edges!

The Trip--Ainsley

The relationship I have with my Dad is a relationship that will never be replaced. We
have always been extremely close ever since I was younger. My sophomore year I started to seriously look into colleges out of state and I could tell that it bothered my Dad yet he still supported me and took me to visit colleges that were interested in having me play soccer for them last year during spring break. We went to three different schools in Ohio, Illinois, and Pittsburgh. The schools were extremely beautiful and I stayed overnight at each school with a girl from the soccer team. I got to stay in the dorms, see all the facilities, and meet the coaches but I missed my Dad who was staying down the street in a hotel. Missing him made me reconsider whether or not an out of state school away from him and my family was something I could handle. My grandma lives in New York and my Dad and I had decided to surprise her on our way to tour Washington. My Dad has been living apart from my Grandma for close to ten years and he had not seen her in five years. Going back to see her was extremely emotional for all three of us. I could tell that my Dad really missed my grandma and it was difficult for him to be away from her. He told me on the ride to Washington that he regrets not showing his Mom how appreciative he was for everything his Mom has done for him. When we came home from the trip I realized how much my Dad has done for me. He has been my biggest support system ever since I was younger. From simply helping me when my 5th grade math homework, being

my soccer coach for years, and helping me apply to colleges, he has always been there for me. I know I will never be able to repay him entirely but I hope that one day I can show him how grateful I am to have a Dad like him.

September Writers!!!!!!!

We welcome a new set of writers for the month of September.  We have ten original pieces that range from the abstract to fiction, with a couple of how-tos, personal narratives and a book review, sprinkled in.

Please read all of the submissions.  Make sure to use the tool bar to navigate the pages in order to read all the pieces.

Choose three, or more, and write comments.  Since there is five categories, make sure your selections are from a different category.

Comments are due next Wednesday, October 10.

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Solano

Taking Control of How You Feel--Maria

Humans are creatures of habit. We live in a cycle of an automatic routine of repeated
behaviors because it gives us a sense of comfort and instant gratification. When we have a set template of how to react to a situation, the equation of determining the “good” from “bad” is entirely diminished, making the process of reaction systematic and efficient. This habitual behavior leads us to convince ourselves that what we feel has a foundation, be it as a direct effect of what we are accustomed to witnessing in relationships within society or what we have instilled into our emotional schedule. Complaining, rather than discussing, how to solve the issue only further supports the idea that, although you are fully aware of what is being done incorrectly, you are too set in your way to implement change. We all seek the feeling of happiness and crave the sensation of being self sufficient. Figuratively speaking, we have the necessity of finding that treasure of an internal overflowing sea of satisfaction and, in its entirety, love. Yet we negligently search for rusted keys scattered on the ground repetitively forcing them into the keyhole and give up seconds after the realization that it is not the missing piece to the puzzle that will allow you to uncover this reserve of joy. We simply don’t have the mental strength to face our flaws, accept them, and most importantly, change them. This is the point

where you should ask yourself, “how can you want something that you are not willing to work for?” We have voids for a reason. We have insecurities for a reason. We constantly struggle in decision making and following our moral codes, and when the lines blur, that is not the cue to fall into the pattern of emotional reflex, but to challenge our minds to make the best possible decision. Train yourself to identify what triggers anger and sinks your spirits, accept that feeling this way is necessary, but only momentarily, and then separate yourself from it rather than try to create resistance. It is okay to go through things alone and walk away. We are all one hundred percents of somebody, we are all glasses all the way full. We are all enough. Creating a dependency on someone else, who also has issues to solve with themselves, is the best recipe for disaster. It is imperative that we acknowledge that happiness is not a place or a tax bracket, it is a state of mind. As proven by the popular love-hate rice experiment, our words are powerful. So be thankful and speak your gratitude into existence. Practice appreciating the things you hate and reshape your mind to embrace the bumps in the road, because it is what makes us grow and develop and prepare us to worship our inner gods and open our eyes to see that

we’ve been swimming in our overflowing seas all along.