Roar of the Rings Champs!

After a long, hard week of amazing curling, a big congratulations goes out to Team Jacobs and Team Jones for winning the draw and representing Canada at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games! I know they'll do quite well. Go Team Canada!!

In the Spirit of Christmas...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIEIvi2MuEk

In art class today Ms Fernie showed us this video of a Christmas Miracle from WestJet this year. It made me cry, and I thought it was worth passing on. It must have felt so amazing to make these travelers Christmas wishes come true!

Pics That Make You Go Hmm...

In Creative Writing we've been focusing on a little segment called "Vids That Make You Go Hmm...", where we watch videos that get you thinking a little bit. Whether they're funny or inspirational or courageous or whatever. I came across this photo a little while ago and it kind of made me go "hmm...", and it gave me the idea of doing the same kind of little segment but on my own, and with photos instead of videos. Here's this first one I've found so far.

Terrible Jokes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTR2tVr2a6A&list=PLMs_JcuNozJYOfHXHGTtHse4XYvnygc8A

I came across this video while trying to find a video for the "Vids That Make You Go Hmm" assignment, and it made me laugh, not gonna lie. I love terrible jokes!

Practicing Dialogue

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/image/61377693601

"But Alice, my house lifted up in a tornado and landed in a strange magical land. You can't argue that that's not adventurous," Dorothy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. You could begin t o hear the frustration in her voice.
"I never said it wasn't adventurous, I'm just saying that it's not as adventurous as my life," Alice countered with a shrug.
"Oh yeah? How so? All you did was fall in a hole."
"Not even. Yes, I fell in a hole. But that's just how it all started. I grew and then I shrank, I encountered talking animals-"
"I encountered talking animals too," Dorothy interrupted, racing to get the words out.
"Hardly."
"The lion, talking monkeys, the scarecrow. Those are animals."
"Not really. The lion and the monkeys are, I'll give you that. But the scarecrow is just an inanimate object, Dorothy."
"Fine. What else did you deal with that makes your adventure 'oh so fabulous'?" Dorothy mocked, rolling her eyes. 
"I almost drowned in my own tears, I had a tea party with a hatter who actually called himself mad, I met a rabbit who was always worried about being late, a cat who always had a sinister smile and could disappear whenever he pleased, and a queen who wanted nothing more than to behead me. Not to mention I participated in a war between the Queen of Hearts and the White Queen with card soldiers," Alice's voice began to rise with every word she said. This conversation was getting a bit heated for her liking but she wasn't about to back down.
"Hey, I had a similar problem. The Wicked Witch of the West tried to kill me too," Dorothy argued with a face daring Alice to argue her again.
"Yeah, well, what else did you encounter?"
"I had my house lifted up in a tornado and land on a witch in some strange land, the people there praising me for something I wasn't even aware that I had done, four witches, a talking lion, scarecrow, tin man, I was kidnapped by talking monkeys, and there was a wizard at the end of the yellow brick road."
Alice considered this for a while. "Well, maybe, do you think both of our lives are equally adventurous? They both seem pretty crazy to me." She looked up at Dorothy. "What do you say? Truce?"
Dorothy sat, thinking for a moment. "Well, I suppose you did some pretty neat stuff too. It sounded kind of fun. Okay, truce." She agreed.

Dialogue Tags
Non-Verbal Body Language

ROAR OF THE RINGS

Today was the first draw of The Roar of the Rings, which is the Olympic drawing of one male and one female curling team from Canada to represent us in the Olympics. We start out from 16 teams (8 male and 8 female) and over the course of a week they play games until the final two teams are chosen to go to the Olympics, and this year it's being held in Winnipeg! Will Farrell, aka Ron Burgundy, was also chosen to be the host for today's Draw. My parents got tickets for the entire week, but they were lucky enough to get two extra tickets for me and my brother to come along for today. It was so amazing! All of the best teams from across Canada were there, and I got to see them play. It's the best curling you will ever see. Here are some pictures from the event.

This is the rinks they made. The ice looked so amazing! (I know, that's such a geeky thing to say, but it's true)

All 16 teams introduced during the opening ceremony.

Let the games begin!

Team Stoughton! They represent Winnipeg for the male side, and they're such a good team. The skip, Stoughton, is also known for his signature move, the Spin-o-rama. Unfortunately I did not get to see them play before we left.

Team Jones! Representing Winnipeg for the women's side, they're also one of the best teams in the league, and have been to large curling tournaments many times. I really hope they win and represent Canada at the Olympics. They beat Chelsea Carey this afternoon 9-2. It was a very good game.

And last but not least, the famous Ron Burgundy. I never got to see him up close and personal though. He was either behind curtains or in the commentators box on the other side of the arena. I didn't get to hear him talk either, because you could only hear him on TV. Good thing my parents recorded it on the PVR as well so all is not lost!

Best Friend Appreciation Post

These are my two best friends in the entire world:

This is my boyfriend, and his name is Trenton. We've been dating for 9 months now, and he knows me better than anyone. He knows how to cheer me up, make me laugh and smile so well. It's impossible for me to stay mad at him. He doesn't look very happy in this picture (he doesn't like taking serious photos... Much to my chagrin), but our relationship is much stronger than photos can show. I love him more than I thought I could love someone, especially at this age. I really really like this photo of us, and I have no idea why. He looks really sad and I look overly enthused, but somehow it makes for a cute photo. To me at least. I tell him everything, and I couldn't live without him, as a boyfriend or best friend. 

This is Kellie. She's my best friend, and has been for 12 years. When I moved to St. James during the summer before grade one, I didn't know anybody when I went to school. She came up to me on the playground on my first day and asked if I wanted to be friends, and we've been best friends ever since. I love her to death, and I come to her with everything. Advice, stories, rants, you name it, she's there. I never laugh harder than I do with her, and I don't know what I would do without her. We have the type of friendship where we can go a week without talking and pick up where we left off like we'd been talking the whole time. I don't see her much anymore because of school and work, but I'm still closer with her than I am with any of my other friends, and I'm so thankful for that. I know I'm not the greatest friend a person could ask for, but she sticks around nonetheless.

Thinking About Dialogue

1) At first it took a little while to find somebody whose conversation we could follow. We found a group of 3 people who were talking in the power-mech hallway; we sat about 10 feet away from them and listened for 10 minutes or so. It felt awkward and rude, but at the same time it was kind of fun!

2) We noticed that the boys in the group spoke in a very mono-tone voice and didn’t say as much as the girl did. One of the boys in the group hardly spoke at all; this could show that he was uncomfortable. People won’t talk if they feel uncomfortable.

3) If you want to make a character feel uncomfortable or unwelcomed you could cut out their dialogue or have them not be talked to.

4) The personality of the girl was revealed as being very happy and bubbly. Dialogue can reveal if somebody is quiet/shy or if they tend to be loud and bubbly. One of the boys in the conversation was probably shy because he talked very little.

5) If there are more than two people, a conversation will usually jump topics faster. More opinions get expressed because there are more people talking about the same thing. This could speed up a conversation and cause it to go on for longer.

6) It is kind of surprising how people don’t really care about what other people like and how they are so willing to interrupt others.

7) Real life conversation is much less enthusiastic and much more interrupted. People in books tend to never get interrupted, when in real life that is not the case.

By: Paige and Rebecca 

Imagery Questions

1. I selected this particular passage because as I was reading it I noticed it had a lot of imagery. It had four different types, and it really helped create an image of the scene in my head. The author used visual, auditory, kinesthetic and smell imagery, and it was very effective in creating the overall scene, so I figured it was a good choice for the assignment.

2. Visual imagery is the most common imagery in this paragraph, but smell is also very evident.

3. The best imagery in this paragraph is the smell imagery. I think it most accurately describes everything around Toby the way a dog would, since dogs use smell as their main sense. The author does a great job of describing the way most things smell, which isn't easy.

4. I think that both types of main imagery used are different from each other in the positive/negative aspect. The man also came to the truck "holding Hungry's limp body". These words and actions come across as negative. However, the smell imagery is more positive because he says he " was quickly distracted by the wonderful odors flowing through the cage." This sheds a more positive light on the situation. 

5. Sorrow, fear, and a little bit of excitement are being created in this passage. They're sad because they are being shown their dead brother's limp body, and they are being taken away from the place that they know as home. Fear is also shown because they are taken by the humans, who they are supposed to stay away from, and placed into metal cages They don't know what is going on, and they can tell from their mother that they should be scared. Toby is a little bit excited though, because the humans are nice and there are so many new and wonderful smells on this truck, so he's excited to see where they're going. 

6. The purpose of this imagery is to enhance a dogs point of view of life. The smell imagery helps us see how dogs use their senses differently than we do. We can also see things how they do. For example, a metal cage may not look very menacing to us as humans, but to a dog it's highly threatening and something to avoid at all costs. Imagery helps create that difference. 

Imagery Quickwrite

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/63232025861/777-a-rainy-day-lost-luggage-and-tangled

    "Great," I grumble to the customer service clerk at the airport. "Just absolutely fabulous." Lost luggage is the last thing I need right after a rough 16 hour flight to Chicago, much less lost $600 Burberry luggage.
     "I'm sorry," the clerk apologizes, looking at me through sympathetic eyes, "but there's not much we can do at the moment. We will get your luggage to you as soon as it's found, but until then you're just going to have to make do." I'm so furious I could strangle him. Of course, it's not this poor man's fault my luggage is lost, and I might be overreacting just a tad, but I can't help it. This jet lag is really getting to me; I practically turn into the Hulk after any flight longer than 8 hours. Adding lost luggage to the equation doesn't make it any better.
    "Thanks for the help," I mutter to him sarcastically, and turn around and storm away.
     'I just need to find my mother so I can go back to the house and have a long, cozy nap in my old fluffy bed,' I think to myself. As if she's read my mind, my phone buzzes in my pocket and I see it glowing with her name when I take it out of my pocket.
    "Hi Mom, I'm just about to come look for you. The stupid airline lost-" I'm interrupted by the usually sweet sound of my mother's voice, which is now frantic and apologetic. She's telling me she won't be able to make it to the airport to pick me up, so I'll have to take a taxi.
    'Of course. As if lost luggage isn't enough, now I have to stand out in the pouring rain to hail a taxi.' 
   "Okay, see you soon," I sigh, shutting the phone and slipping it into my carry-on. I pull myself together and prepare myself for the monster that is the weather outside, wishing I had an umbrella.
    'God,' I mutter in my head. 'Could this day get any worse?'

QuickWrite - Rewind or Pause?

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/47279759393/this-is-writing-prompt-703-but-its-been

If I could choose between a rewind or pause button in my life, I would choose a pause button. Sure, it would be cool to rewind my life and go back to relive special moments, but if I could rewind, I wouldn't be able to change the outcomes of any situation. Rewinding just takes you back to that time, and I would rather be able to pause the current moments in my life. That way, I can sit and enjoy all the really awesome moments happening from now on. There's an endless amount of situations coming that I can pause, but you can only go back to a certain amount of past ones. You never know what things are coming, and I want to be able to enjoy all of them for as long as I can.

Reading Assignment #6 - 25 Tweets

1. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - Day 1 of the trial is growing nearer and nearer... Can I really do this? #questionable
2. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - @annafitzxoxo Do what you think is best. Don't let anyone else's opinion sway you. After all, that's the whole point of this lawsuit.
3. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - @CampbellTheAttorney Thanks Campbell, that really helps... #kinda
4. Sara Fitzgerald (@SaraFitz) - Am I punishing Anna too much for this? I just want my family back #DontKnowWhatToDo #ComeHome
5. Brian Fitzgerald (@KeepFighting) - Jesse is causing trouble again and I'm the only one who's noticed. What kind of parents does that make Sara and I?
6. Kate Fitzgerald (@KatesGotCancer) - Everything always comes back to me.
7. Julia Romano (@JuliaRomano) - @CampbellTheAttorney I still have the keys to your houseboat... If you even have enough balls to come get them.
8. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - @JuliaRomano Julia, not now. Not where the whole twitter world can see. Coffee tomorrow?
9. Julia Romano (@JuliaRomano) - @CampbellTheAttorney Quit playing games with me Campbell.
10. Kate Fitzgerald (@KatesGotCancer) - Everyone would be better off if I was dead.
11. Kate Fitzgerald (@KatesGotCancer) - Another day, another dialysis #IsItOverYet
12. Julia Romano (@JuliaRomano) - The trial is tomorrow and I still haven't come to a conclusion about what's best for Anna #lost
13. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - I cannot testify at this trial. If I do, everyone is going to know the real reason why I can't give my kidney away
14. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - @annafitzxoxo Anna, you have to tell me the real reason why or I can't help you to my best abilities
15. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - @CampbellTheAttorney I can't Campbell. Kate will kill me. I can't.
16. Sara Fitzgerald (@SaraFitz) - @annafitzxoxo Anna honey, what's going on? Talk to me, why are you doing this?
17. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - @SaraFitz @annafitzxoxo You can't talk to my client about the case. Leave her alone.
18. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - This trial is almost over and I can't tell who's winning... #uhoh
19. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - @JuliaRomano Please tell me you're going to rule in Anna's favor. My case depends on you.
20. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - I think I have to testify... I don't have a choice anymore
21. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - As if I had an epileptic episode in the middle of the hearing. Shoulda listened to Judge #lessonlearned
22. Anna Fitzgerald (@annafitzxoxo) - WE WON! WE WON! But I don't really feel as relieved as I should...
23. Campbell Alexander (@CampbellTheAttorney) - Another case won by non other than the great attorney that is myself. To the hospital we go!
24. Sara Fitzgerald (@SaraFitz) - She wasn't supposed to die.. Anna wasn't the one who was supposed to die so young...
25. Kate Fitzgerald (@KatesGotCancer) - If she wasn't on her way to the the hospital, she wouldn't have been hit. Like I said, it always comes back to me.

QuickWrite - Minions

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/66027852107/john-spencer-has-created-what-is-possibly-my

If I got a set of minions for a week, I would use them to do all my chores for me. Do my homework, cook my meals, clean my room. I think I would help them though, because they're so entertaining to watch and listen to, I would always want to be with them. They would be my friends and I would tell them everything. They would always tell me jokes and goof off with each other, but still get work done. I would probably want to act like they're my children too, I would want to dress them and take care of them. Our house would always be a party with never a dull moment. They would make me enjoy my free time.

Looking for a pick-me-up song?

I've recently come across the song "Life Happens" by Brandon and Leah. It's a really good pick-me-up or feel good song, and it helps remind you to always be happy, because no matter what things happen and you can't control it. The best way to deal with it is to look at the bright side and try not to let if affect you negatively. I like to listen to this song when I'm upset or not in the greatest mood. It also has a really happy beat, so it's hard to feel bad when you listen to it.

Favorite Quote From My Sister's Keeper

Yesterday, I finished reading my book for Creative Writing, My Sister's Keeper. I've read this book before, but it's been a while. As I was rereading it, I remembered what had happened but I still found each new event a surprise to me. I really liked the book, and it was one of those books that makes you cry at the end, though I won't tell you why. But as I was reading, I found one quote that really stood out to me:

"When you don't know where you're headed, you find places no one else would ever think to explore"

I really liked this quote because of its truth. It was actually talking about a memory the mother had, of when the five of them all got in the car, with no specific destination in mind, and let the kids choose a road to turn down every so often. Eventually they ended up at an old cottage to rent out without heat or electricity. But they found it because they didn't know where they were going, and they ended up having a really good time. I think this applies to real life as well. You don't always have to have everything in your life planned out. If you plan out everything, you'll miss the fun and spontaneous events that happen as a result of just "going with the flow".

Tomorrow's Monday....

25 Reasons To Smile

1. Jesus loves you!
2. The sun rises every morning
3. Whistling
4. Hugs
5. Leaf piles
6. Sunshine
7. New clothes
8. Books
9. New car smell
10. Painted nails
11. Tea
12. Rainy days
13. Warm blankets
14. Somebody loves you
15. Puppies
16. A baby's laugh
17. Doodling
18. Chocolate cake
19. A new haircut
20. Car rides
21. Fresh bed sheets
22. Your favorite stuffed animal
23. Clean laundry
24. Best friends
25. Sunsets

Daily Logbook Entry, Oct 25-28

Daily Logbook Entry, Oct 21-24

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons! #tbt #2005

Happy Hunger Games!

Only 22 days until the sequel to one of my all-time favorite movies comes out! And the countdown begins... Maybe I'll get to see it opening day..?? Fingers crossed! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Reading Assignment #5 - 15 Tweets

1. #tbt to when Kate wasn't sick :( jk I wasn't even alive then
2. I can't believe I actually went through with suing my parents... They're going to KILL me! #sorrynotsorry
3. Well they COULD kill me, but they won't since I'm the one keeping Kate alive #followuptweet
4. Kate is in the hospital. Again. Woke up in the middle of the night coughing up blood... #feelbettersoon
5. I love my sister, but I love my kidney too... Why can't she get better without my help?
6. Can parents force their child to give up an organ if they don't want to? #didntthinkso
7. Another court date today. Wish me luck?
8. There's too much tension in this house to make living here comfortable. What have I done?
9. I'm 13 freaking years old, I shouldn't have to know what granulocytes and peripheral blood stem cells are
10. It really sucks knowing the only reason you're alive is to give up pieces of your body so your sister can live #ugh #feelingunloved
11. Sometimes I really regret starting this lawsuit... Oops
12. I hate giving up my organs and getting needles stuck in me, but I don't want Kate to die.. What do I do? #CaughtBetweenARockAndAHardPlace
13. Thank goodness Jesse is on my side. At least someone is...
14. I met my guardian ad litem today. She seems nice, but I don't think she knows how to act around me
15. I'm really starting to question if my mother even loves me anymore. Or if she ever even did, because she certainly isn't acting like it

Quickwrite - 1c/calorie?

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/image/61669125436

If one cent equaled one calorie, I definitely think the world would have better eating habits. McDonald's and all other fast food restaurants would slowly go bankrupt because their food items are simply too expensive, No one wants to pay over $13 for a hamburger that's only going to make you feel sick. Money is more important than health in this world, which is what would end up showing if each calorie cost one cent. The more unhealthy the food, the more calories it has. The more calories it has, the more it's going to cost. The healthy food has a very low amount of calories, and so it would be cheaper and people would be buying that more. Of course you would still get the odd people that just want the Big Mac and don't care about the pricing, but in the long run I think most people would choose money over taste. It's sad that people would only stop eating junk food because it gets too expensive, rather than because it's not good for your body or health.

Quickwrite - Robot

My future robot servant would mostly function as a maid. I would like it to clean the kitchen because that's the thing I hate cleaning the most. I would also like it to cook my meals for me because I'm not a huge fan of cooking either. It would be able to find cool new recipes to try, and make them without messing up. It would also know exactly where all the dishes go and keep my cupboards organized. It would be a girl, because I find that women are better at cooking and cleaning than men are, at least in my household. It would be fast moving, so that it could get the work done as fast as possible. I would also want it to do all the other servant type jobs, but that's the main job I would want it to do. She would also be able to talk and keep intelligent conversations with me, and always do as I wish. She would have the best computer programming so she always runs fast and smoothly and never shuts down.

Character iPhone

IM – For the first half of the book, Will IM’s with the guy he “loves” named Isaac. Now they can talk 24/7 with this app, so they can grow even closer.

Tiny Dancer – Tiny’s play now its own app! Will can now know all the important details and minor changes to the play as soon as Tiny makes them with one notification from this app.

NMH News – With this app, Will can be updated on the latest news and concert dates with his favorite band, Neutral Milk Hotel.

GSA – All of Will’s friends are in the Gay Straight Alliance, whether they’re gay or straight (most are gay though), so naturally Will is forced to be in it too. This app holds information for meetings and parades and gay awareness all over Chicago, as well as quotes to help you keep going when it gets tough.

NW College – Will’s dad is really set on Will getting into the same med program at Northwestern that he took himself when he was in college.  With this app Will has all the scholarship and program requirements that he needs to know at his fingertips.

MAPS – Will and his friends go everywhere in Chicago, and they take road trips to visit the other Will Grayson. This will make it easier for them to get where they’re going.

Bandify – This app takes note of the music you listen to and finds hip new bands for you to listen to. Will really enjoys finding interesting new bands to obsess over.

iCook – Will and his dad sometimes cook dinner for his mom, and he can try out new recipes with this app.

Chicago Biz – The daily newspaper in app form! Now Will can be in the loop with the latest news and events happening in Chicago.

2 Rules – Will lives by two rules – “shut up” and “don’t care too much”. This app reminds him to live by these rules every day so he doesn’t find himself in uncomfortable situations.

6 Word Memoir Debrief

What did I learn about storytelling?

During this assignment I learned that storytelling doesn’t just have to be in novel format. Before this, I used to think that a story was something that was explained in pages worth of words. But now I have learned that you can use only six words to get your point across, and it’s just as effective. Sometimes less is more, and too much detail is overwhelming and ineffective. I also learned that it’s not as easy as it seems to say something in exactly six words. It takes a lot of creativity and word play skills to condense what you want to say into six words.

Where did I show my knowledge about using storytelling skills?

I tried to show my knowledge about storytelling skills in my usage of punctuation, but most of my memoirs didn’t have a huge need for punctuation. I think I conveyed it more in the way I put my words together. When I was thinking of words to put with my pictures, a lot of the time my memoirs ended up being either one too little or one too many letters, and I had to find a way to fix it into six. I tried to keep them as simple and relevant to the picture as possible. With the punctuation I did use, I used it to convey a certain type of emotion with each memoir so readers could understand how I felt during that time.

What did I learn as a reader, writer, thinker, and/or storyteller?

As a reader, I learned that just because a story is short, it doesn’t mean it’s written poorly or has a bad storyline. Each story has its own meaning and purpose, and just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a story by its length. As a writer, I learned that sometimes you’ll find less is more. You don’t always need a paragraph, a page or even 500 pages to get the point across. Sometimes as little as a photo and a couple words will suffice. It’s just your choice of words and use of punctuation that matters.

6 Word Memoir #8 - Family

Photo Credit: Darrell Friedrich

Writers Note:

I’ll be the first to admit that my family is not the closest of families. We are certainly a LOT better than some other families out there, but we look a lot more put together than we actually are. But no matter what the deal is, we’re always there for each other through thick and thin, and we love one another as much as we hate them. They may be embarrassing and dorky and annoying but they’re family, and I’m stuck with them. I’d better make the best out of what I’ve got, right? This is actually one of the only family photos we have (my mother hates getting her picture taken).

6 Word Memoir #7 - Hate

Photo Credit: Kathy Roger

Writers Note:

In grade three, my best friend Chelsea moved away. She lived just down my street, and I used to go over to her house every day after school. I shared so many memories with her, and she only lived here for two short years. We had the best times together, and then one day she told me she was moving to Halifax, and I was so upset. We kept in touch for a little while, and she visited once in grade seven, but we grew apart fast. There’s no better relationship killer than distance. I thought this photo really described how wacky and weird our friendship was, and how weird we ourselves were. I used bolded capitol letters to make the words more noticeable and I made them uppercase to emphasize the message they portray. I used a period to make the statement seem more serious and professional.

6 Word Memoir #6 - Growing Up

Photo Credit: Kathy Roger

Writers Note:

Remember how carefree the old days were? We didn’t have to worry about school, or the future, or even how our hair or outfits looked, who was looking and who was judging us. Our biggest worry was getting a swing before they were all taken at the beginning of recess, or what we wanted to be for Halloween. We were so innocent, so young. Not to mention cute. Growing up sucks. I wish I could have been young forever, but unfortunately life doesn’t work that way. I really like this photo and I chose to use it because me and my brother look so innocent and little, and we are no longer like that today. 
I used commas to make sure that people would take breaks while reading the sentence, and they didn't read it too fast. It helps people to look at the picture with each word and think about it. I placed the words at the bottom because I think that's where they looked the best, so you would see the picture and my face before you read the words.

6 Word Memoir #5 - Confessions

Photo Credit: Myself (Rebecca Roger)

Writers Note:

I’m not a very open person, but I also don’t have a lot of secrets. But the things that I may consider “secrets”, I don’t tell to just anyone. You have to matter. In other words, you have to be one of my really close friends for me to tell you my secrets, and I have to trust you a lot. When people ask what’s wrong, 96% of them will get the answer “nothing, I’m just tired.” Or something along those lines. Consider yourself lucky and important to me if I actually give you a real answer and let you in. This photo shows that I'm a very quiet and closed person, and it also says that if I tell you something private, you'd better keep quiet about it.
I didn't really use punctuation in this photo because I didn't think it needed it. I didn't really think that the picture behind the words needed to be as prominent as the words; I wanted them to be the centre of focus.

6 Word Memoir #4 - Me

Photo Credit: Myself (Rebecca Roger)

Writers Note:

This is a photo of a rock cliff by the ocean in Mexico off of our resort. I quickly snapped it with my iPhone, and I have to say, it might be one of (if not THE) best photos I’ve ever taken. I don’t know how I feel about that, considering I didn’t put any effort whatsoever into it, and it was with my iPhone. But a picture is a picture, and I’m pretty proud of it. I placed the text there because I thought that's where it looked the best, and you can still see the whole photo behind it. I like how you can still see the picture behind the words clearly. I also bolded the words "best" and "ever" because I want people to know how proud of it I am. 

6 Word Memoir #3 - Family

Photo Credit: Myself (Rebecca Roger)

Writers Note:

This is my brother and I have the biggest love/hate relationship with him. With him, I have two emotions – “hey, I’ll help you hide the body!” or “don’t even talk to me or I’ll murder you.” This picture was taken in Mexico, and because we were the only kids each other knew, we were forced to get along for a week. But we’re getting along a lot better as we grow older compared to when we were kids, and when it boils down to it, we’re family and I love him to death. As much as I hate to admit it. That’s why the words “love” and “hate” are bolded, to emphasize that. I used yellow as the font color because it showed up the best. I also liked how the words are in the middle and they're a center of attention but they still don't cover up our faces.

6 Word Memoir #2 - Love

Photo Credit: Myself (Rebecca Roger)

Writers Note:

I chose this photo because it shows how happy I am, as well as the six words. My memoir is talking about our first date, but the same thing goes for most of the things in our relationship. I chose the font I did because when I see handwriting, I associate it with love and happiness, for some unknown reason. Maybe because it’s really loopy and smooth, like the person writing it was in a daze or something. But happiness is what I think of and that’s how I felt in this picture, and how I still feel now. He made my heart race on our first date, and it still races when I’m with him, 9 months later.
I used white for the font because it stood out against the dark picture, and I used a type of black and white effect to make it more of a classy and romantic look.

6 Word Memoir #1 - My Past

Photo Credit: Myself (Rebecca Roger)

Writers Note:

I took this selfie in grade seven and I think it really shows off how much of a dork I was in middle school, hence the sentence I chose for it. Looking back at my photos from then, all the awkward selfies, the terrible hair dos, the questionable clothing choices, I can’t help but cringe and wonder how my mother let me out of the house looking like that. The only thing that makes me feel a little bit better is knowing that everyone used to be like that and are now looking back thinking the same things as me. I prefer not to recall middle school. The memories were great, but the photos – not so much.This is one of the least embarrassing photos I have, believe it or not. But even so, I'm still highly embarrassed by it.
I put the words in the middle, over top of my face to hide it because it's really embarrassing. I also used a white fade over top to make it even less defined, and the black font stood out really well.

Fave Songs

Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus

Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

Elephant - Tame Impala

Flowers In Your Hair - The Lumineers

50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train

Daylight - Matt and Kim

Castle - Macklemore

Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine

Lover of the Light - Mumford & Sons

Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey

Between the Raindrops - Lifehouse

VCR- The XX

Safe and Sound - Capital Cities

Home - Phillip Phillips

Skinny Love - Birdy

Oceans - Coast

For You - Serena Ryder

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Asleep - The Smiths

Baby Come Back - Serena Ryder

It's Time - Imagine Dragons

Alright - Supergrass

After the Storm - Mumford & Sons

Stubborn Love - The Lumineers

Dashboard - Modest Mouse

I'll Be Your Man - James Blunt

Fix You - Coldplay

Drops of Jupiter - Train

What I Wouldn't Do - Serena Ryder

What Is Love?

Webster’s dictionary defines love as “a feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration”. I like this definition because it is different from all the other dictionary definitions, which state that love is an emotion and attachment felt between two people. That’s not always the case though. You can love things that aren’t people, although the strongest kind of love is felt towards other human beings. Love is such a strong word that is used too loosely these days. In the case of relationships, I think that people jump the gun a lot in saying those three little words so early. They don’t really have any meaning behind them, especially in relationships between teenagers. People say it so often that it loses the strong emotions that are supposed to be attached to it and it turns into “just another sentence”.  It’s no longer a big deal, and I think it should be. Not only is love a big emotion, it’s a commitment. When you love something, you are dedicated to it. Whether it’s a sport, an instrument, hobby, or other person. You don’t give up on the things you love, and if you do, you must not have truly loved it. If you’re not willing to commit, you’re not willing to love. I’m not saying that you have to commit forever. Things happen and you can eventually end up loving things less than you once did. But I think that you have to be willing to commit to something for longer than a couple of weeks before you can say you love it. Love also is something that makes you feel endlessly overjoyed. Nothing can make you happier than the thing or person you love, and you should be willing to do anything for it, and nothing matters more than the thing you love. Love is a powerful thing, and is capable of many things. What is love to you? 

My Passion Is....

Reading. Well, I don’t know if I really consider it a passion of mine, but it’s something I really enjoy doing. As lame as it sounds, I just really love reading a good book. There’s something about curling up in bed with a cup of tea and a good book, and getting lost in another person’s world that really appeals to me. I’ve grown up with a love of reading, and I have my parents to thank for that. Well at least my mother. She used to read me stories all the time when I was a little kid, which I believe is how I learned to love it. Once I learned how to read, that was all you would ever find me doing, and I became very advanced. I love reading because I love being able to see into other people’s worlds, even if their fictional, and pretend to live their lives. It’s nice to temporarily forget about your own life and problems for a while. 

My art teacher showed my class this TED talk video on the first day of classes, and it really stuck out to me. This artist developed a shake in his hand early in his career and it caused him to "lose his creativity". He found a way to conquer the shake and gain back his creativity with a few simple tips.

(TED Talk - Phil Hansen: Embrace the Shake)

Digital Footprint

Reading Survey

The best book I have ever read is ________ because _________.

I have two books that are the “best books I've ever read”, though I have read many great books. The first one is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. This is a favorite book of mine because I really like how he chose to write it all in the form of letters, and you don’t know who he is writing to. It adds more interest and mystery to the novel. Chbosky also writes about a boy with not many friends who has a hard time fitting in. I can somewhat relate to this because while I have friends, I sometimes find myself having a hard time fitting in with them.  It is also interesting to witness how people like that deal with their social situation, and how it affects them opposed to how it would affect me.  My other favorite book is The Fault in our Stars by John Green. I love this book because it is a romance novel, which I am a fan of. But it falls more on the romantic tragedy end of the spectrum. It also has a lot of advanced terminology, which interests me. I like learning new words and terms, and learning them while reading a fun book is the best way to learn.

How do you decide which books you will read?

                Most of the time, the way I decide which books I am going to read is by the attractiveness of the book cover. When I am in a library or a book store, I pick books by the ones with appealing book covers to me. From there I’ll turn it over and read the back cover. If the story sounds interesting then I will probably end up taking it home to read. I may also flip through the book and read the first couple sentences. It also helps if I know or like the author of the book that I’m looking at.

When you read, what happens inside your mind?

                When I read, I usually picture what’s happening in the story in my mind. I like to picture the characters however I want to, as well as the setting. It keeps my mind active and involved and also leaves room for imagination and creativity. Picturing the scene also helps clear up any confusion I may have while reading. I also like to ask questions about what’s going on. This also keeps me better engaged in the story.

         

       I own an iPhone, but it doesn't have access to the internet unless I am connected to wifi. I will hopefully have a data plan by the time Christmas comes. I have access to a laptop that I could bring to school. It’s a Dell and I just bought it about a week ago. My mom owns a Kindle and she allows me to use it once in a while, but I prefer to read real books. I have a twitter account that I use for personal use, but I don’t have a blog. I am interested in using these forms of technology in this course. I think it would be a neat idea and a nice change from other classes.