A Good Friend Lost

So sweet and so kind,
would never hurt a fly.
She will never be back,
no matter how hard we try.
When the news broke out,
we all wanted to cry.

Caught in a mess,
a path out she could not find.
Through the troubles she had,
leaving everything behind.
If I could do one thing,
I would press rewind.

Her booming personality I will never forget,
but now she is gone it's a burnt out ember.
I answered the phone and heard the news,
that moment I will forever remember,
as well as listening to her accent,
that first day in September.

Even though she is now gone,
in my mind she will always stay.
Things have changed and we really miss you,
just know that you are on our minds every single day.
Last but not least you will never be forgotten,
cant wait to see you once I pass away,
to meet you upon Heaven's stairway.

Facing your struggles

In the Old Man and The Sea, Santiago encounters many powerful forces and obstacles throughout the book. When Santiago encounters these forces and obstacles, he finds a way to get past them and never gives up. Although, these struggles he had at sea did take a toll on him and he returned in rough shape and very tired. Some forces and obstacles Santiago struggled with throughout the story were the big marlin, the sharks, the lack of weapons Santiago had, and the old man's age.

One powerful force the old man encountered was the huge, aggressive marlin that Santiago was trying so hard to catch. The whole plot of the story was Santiago trying to catch this massive marlin he had hooked out at sea. When describing the marlin, Santiago says, "He is two feet longer than the skiff"(62). Santiago was fascinated when he realized how big the marlin was. The 20 foot, 1500 pound marlin challenged Santiago mentally and physically. When feeling hopeless, the talkative man would talk to himself and the fish to help his mind stay straight. Also, when he got cuts, he would put them in the salt water to help the bleeding and healing.

Secondly, sharks that were trying to eat his marlin put up quite the fight against Santiago and left him exhausted. Even though he was exhausted, the sharks brought out the best in the character in the story showing that although it was doubtful he could defend the fish, he would fight until he couldn't any more. "When he saw the shark he leaned over the side and punched at him"(109). With his hands severely cut and calloused, Santiago courage and determination to save his fish.

Next, the lack of weapons the old man possessed with him was a major obstacle he encountered during his trip. I believe Ernest Hemingway chose to enter very few weapons into his story to show Santiago's desperation to catch the marlin and also kill the sharks. "But there was no hatchet and no knife"(115). He gave Santiago just enough weapons to catch the marlin, kill the marlin, and kill a shark or two. But, when Santiago ran out of weapons, more sharks kept coming so he had to use his bare fists as told in the previous paragraph. Santiago didn't prepare for the unpredictable events he would face on his fishing trip.

Lastly, Santiago's old age played a huge role in his journey out at sea. "Everything about him was old"(10). I believe Mr.Hemingway gave Santiago his old age for a reason. If Santiago was young, strong, and in-shape, the story wouldn't have happened like it did. Santiago would easily be able to catch the marlin and still be prepared and ready to fight the sharks. But, since Santiago was old, the old man tired more quickly, had a hard time fighting the sharks, wasn't very healthy, therefore he almost died while out to sea. The trip caused the old man to become exhausted and delirious.

In conclusion, the forces and struggles Santiago encountered in the story were the big marlin, sharks, his old age, and the lack of weaponry he possessed on his journey. All of these obstacles and forces Santiago battled effected him greatly throughout the story. The Old Man and The Sea told a lot about Santiago's character and patience considering he remained 84 days without a catch and still waited to catch the marlin. In the end, I believe the theme of the story was to always try your hardest and you will get rewarded even if the reward is not what you would expect. Santiago caught the fish, the sharks ate it, but he still had the skeleton to prove he had caught one of the biggest marlins ever. Even though he was disappointed, he was proud of himself for catching the marlin.

An Awful Ending to an Incredible Start

It was no ordinary day in school. The elated Duxbury High School lacrosse team was moving on to the Division 1 State Championship after their win against #2 ranked Boston High School. The Dragons were lead by senior captain defender Ryan Curtis and senior All-American midfielder John Flynn who was the paragon of the lacrosse team; both of them were going to college to play lacrosse for their dexterity. In school, everyone talked about the big game on Saturday. No one thought the dragons could pull it off seeing they weren't ranked and they were going to be playing the number one team in the state, Lankton. But still, the team asked for a myriad of fans to be there for support. The people of Duxbury were considered zealots for their passion for sports and they enjoyed watching their athletic teams succeed.
It was mid-week now and the team was now preparing for their opponent. This was the biggest game ever in all of Duxbury High School athletics. It was the lacrosse team's first ever state appearance but they were not expected to win even though they were doing so well. "Being underdogs can be taken as an advantage for us. Hopefully Lankton will underestimate us and we will go out there and give them a fight." coach Donnelly told a news reporter after practice. Coach Donnelly was feeling good about this game and told his team they had a chance to win their first ever state title. On Friday night, the team went out to dinner together at Jack's Buffet. Coach Donnelly made sure every player had a good meal the night before their big game. "It is key to have all three E's tomorrow; energy, enthusiasm, and execution. By eating a good meal you will be ready to focus and bring the energy and passion to tomorrow's game boys." coach told his players. The next morning, the players gathered at the high school with their equipment, Ipods, and drinks ready to get on the bus to leave. The players' families give their last benedictions to their sons before they leave. The game was being played at 1pm at Cannon stadium in Boston where the professional lacrosse team Boston Cannons play. Finally, the bus arrives at the stadium at 12 noon. Officials escort the team off the bus and into the away locker room where the players drop their things off and go get a feel for the stadium. At 12:15, coach calls all the players into the locker room to get dressed and get ready for their pre-game. It is now 12:30 and coach is ready to give his speech to the team before they go out to a heavy battle.
"Boys, this is your biggest game of your lives right here. Energy, Enthusiasm, Execution. Play with energy, play with enthusiasm, and execute your role on the team and before you know it we will be singing "We are the champions" on the bus ride home holding a trophy saying "Massachusetts High School Boy's Lacrosse Division 1 State Champions" said coach as he kept started his harangue but kept it simple and to the point. By now the sanguine team was all fired up and ready to go warm-up. Little did they know how much this game will impact their lives. "Down. Whistle!" as the referee blew his whistle for the face off. Duxbury won the face off and came straight down on offense and scored right away. At the end of the first quarter, Duxbury is losing to Lankton 5-3. At the start of the 2nd quarter, Lankton scores 2 quick goals as doubts settle in on the Duxbury players. It is now 7-3. Lankton seemed infallible and didn't have any turnovers up to this point. Halfway through the second quarter, Lankton comes down on offense. Ryan Curtis, the Dragons' start player is guarding Lankton's star player #23. #23 makes a quick move and SHOOTS. The goalie lost sight of the ball and cant find it; all he heard was a big "thump". Ryan Curtis, defending #23, drops lifeless to the ground. He had been hit in the heart with a shot. Quickly, everyone runs onto the field for his assistance. The trainers perform CPR and tried to get his heart pumping again as Ryan lay their with no movement. Everyone starts crying as time passes and an ambulance arrives to bring him to the hospital. Lankton's coach asks Coach Donnelly if he wants to continue with the game or forfeit by rule. So, Coach Donnelly gathers his team together to quell them and asks the extremely emotional players whether they want to play still or if they can't go on any further. As the team hears Ryan Curtis was pronounced dead, they all concurred to keep playing in his honor.
The hardy freshman Jeremy Collins was called to duty to replace Ryan and step up in a huge game. The Dragons came out fired up and angry they lost their dear friend but coach gave them advice to take it all out on Lankton and win this game! So, down 7-3 the Dragons start their comeback. They won 80% of the remaining face-offs and came down on offense and scored 4 goals to make the score 7-7. Lankton started to fall apart and become unkempt with the ball. It was now the fourth quarter with 2 minutes left. Lankton had the ball and Jeremy Collins was guarding #23, Lankton's best player. Desperate for a stop, Jeremy Collins pressures the ball and throws an incredible check causing #23's stick to go flying! The crowd cheers as Jeremy scoops up the ball and sprints down the field with his long defensive stick. 15,14,13,12,11,10,9... the crowd yells out as the lofty Jeremy sprints down the field and shoots as fast as he can! Half a second later the back of the nets shoots outwards as the ball flies into the net going an estimated 85 mph. The crowd roars and cheers as everyone sprints onto the field to celebrate their win! Jeremy drops to his knees and starts crying as he won the State Championship for his team. He looks up to the sky and points upwards to tell Ryan that was for him. But wait, there was still 4 seconds left. So, the face-off begins and Lankton wins it and comes down on a fast break. They quickly shoot the ball with 2 seconds left as time winds down. Everyone is watching in disbelief as the ball's going in when they hear a "Dink!". The ball kicks off the crossbar and goes flying into the air 40 feet high. "NO GOAL!" the referee yells out. The Duxbury fans go crazy and rush the field. The Dragons have won! Everyone pig-piles on Jeremy as they celebrate their amazing win but the doleful Dragons didn't forget their dear friend.
The team gathers together in the locker room. Everyone crying that Ryan has died and they all say one last prayer together before going home. When they arrive at Duxbury High School, it is now 6 pm and the players go home. The next day, Sunday, there is a wake for Ryan Curtis. The whole team attends and in honor of him, every player buries their medals they won with Ryan. On Monday they had Ryan's funeral ceremony where 800 people showed up, almost all of Duxbury High School, to say their last goodbyes to him. As Ryan's casket is lowered, coach Donnelly starts singing "We Are The Champions, we are the champions..." and soon enough, all of the estimated 800 people are singing along as Ryan is finally rested in place.

A Morning in Florida with my Laptop

Today in society, millions of people tend to value their cell phones, their laptops, houses, cars,etc. But, only hundreds tend to value special moments they share with others or maybe even themselves everyday that help build who we become as a person. Why is this? Is it because we are so caught up in the world with all of its advanced technology and we don't care anymore about the value of moments that can bring such joy to us. Back when we first started to evolve as human beings, we valued fire, water, families, food, and all the basics of life. How does the value of fire and water compare to cell phones and laptops today?

I wake up to the sun shining in my face, an instant joy comes to mind. Fresh, clean air circulates my room as I slowly make my way out of my bed. As I open the bedroom door, a great rush of breakfast aroma fills my nostrils. My stomach rumbles as my desire for food increases with every step I make through the kitchen of my grandparents' house. Everyone is scattered, one making one thing, the other making another. I go out to the patio where I hang loose and watch some Sportscenter to lay off until breakfast is ready. By the time breakfast is set, I have seen most of the sports highlights and I am ready to dig in. The table is filled with food. Fresh oranges from the orange tree in the backyard, pancakes, grapefruits, eggs, bacon, french toast, and sausage all consume the space of the table. We grab our plates and utensils and dash for the food. My cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, brothers, parents, and I all gather in the master living room to enjoy our food. As I gobble up the rest of my food, my cousins, my brothers, and I head to the pool and hot tub. Usually we start out in the hot tub to digest our food and loosen our muscles for a few minutes. Then we head to the pool where we like to play Marco Polo and other fun pool games. After I have had enough, I go inside to get dressed and get ready. By now it is usually mid-morning and I am ready to start the day. Some days we go to the beach, others we go out on the boat or go shopping. These morning moments are the start to having a perfect day in sunny Florida weather.

As I grow with boredom, I realize something that can entertain me for hours, my laptop. My laptop is very valuable to me, I can find an answer to almost every one of my questions, I can play games, chat with people on Facebook, watch funny videos,etc. My laptop is black and it is called the HP Pavilion dv6500t. I feel like I can do almost everything with a laptop. My laptop costs $600 but it sure was worth it. Most importantly, my laptop is portable so I can take it wherever I want to because it has a battery and it is very helpful. One early morning, I woke up to a lot of snow on the ground. I went to turn on the television but it was not working for some reason and it wouldn't go on. I really wanted to know if we had a snow day so I decided to go on my laptop and look up the Springfield news station. When I came to the website, I saw "South Hadley Public Schools-Two Hour Delay", I was bummed out but at least I wasn't the first student to school two hours before the next student arrived. My laptop is very valuable to me because it cost a lot of money and it means a lot to me. Also, my laptop has been a big help when I had a problem or a question that needed to be answered.

I value both my laptop and mornings in Florida for different but also similar reasons. Mornings in Florida brings me happiness and joy to my life because the environment around me is very peaceful including the warm, sunny weather. The vibe I receive is one of the best feelings to have hoping that the rest of the day will bring as much happiness to me as the morning. Mornings in Florida are priceless. My laptop allows me to do many things. I can do almost anything mentally driven on a laptop and it helps me gain knowledge on things I did not know of before through Internet research. It makes me happy and excited to use it and I never get bored of it. My laptop is very valuable to me because I paid $600 to buy it but also it helps me solve any problems I encounter.

First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

21: Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. Free Press, 2002. Genre: Non-fiction

The book 21 is about six M.I.T (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) students that organize a blackjack team. Kevin Lewis and Jason Fisher lead the team and teach the rest of the members to count cards and win millions of dollars in casinos. When the team heads to Vegas, they organize a plan that they will use in the casino. Usually the two leaders of the group will do all the gambling and counting of cards while the rest of the members disguise themselves and stay in sight. The job of the spotter is to show certain signals to the main gamblers if there is trouble coming. Sometimes the players will act severely intoxicated so their opponents try to take advantage but they just end up losing their chips to the blackjack team.

“In this high-octane tale with rich, sharp dialogue bordering on Elmore Leonard turf, the plot races by at a NASCAR pace and the characters on both sides of the table are as real as an inside straight, making their moves and planning their scores like a croupier on speed. Take the odds, bet the bank, and stare down the dealer. Bringing Down the House is a cant-miss deal.” –Lorenzo Carcaterra, author of Gangster and Street Boys.

This story shows the risk these college students were willing to take and the seriousness they went about what they were doing. They knew that if they got away, if would be an amazing feat, but if they got caught trouble was coming their way.

Ben Mezrich was an author of several books. He also wrote Rigged, Busting Vegas, and The Accidental Billionaires. I have not yet had a chance to read them but relating to their titles, they seem similar to gambling stories. I enjoyed reading 21: Bringing Down the House so I am confident that I would also enjoy other books Ben Mezrich wrote.

“Three of them, coming around the nearest craps table. Big, burly men with narrow eyes. No time for niceties.” (3) Ben Mezrich showed the thoughts of the character by italicizing the text.

This story really brought together my attention. I am a big risk-taker and I don’t usually hold things back. That’s mainly why I enjoyed this book because it kept me wondering what was going to happen next and the situation the characters were in made me think of how mentally strong the players must have been. Just knowing that these college students knew they were gambling illegally but still continued to do it made me think of what people would be able to get away with.

Dave's Decision

A Child Called It, Dave Pelzer
Ender's Game, Ender Wiggin
Dave's house

Dave Pelzer was a lonesome boy who had nothing worth living for in life. He was abused and beaten both mentally and physically by his mother at such a young age. His mother ordered him chores and when they weren’t completed he was beaten and left with nothing to eat. When he did complete his chores on time, he was lucky enough to get a few scraps of food that had such low quality the dogs wouldn’t even eat them. Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy.
One gloomy evening as Dave was taking out the trash he stumbled upon a minuscule creature laying in the grass. It was wearing some sort of monitor device. Dave stood still and examined the creature as did the creature to him. “Who and what are you and what are you doing here,” Dave asked. The creature stood up at only about three feet tall and said “I am Ender Wiggin; I have traveled to earth to try to get away from the stress of battle school.” Dave was depressed and had no interest in Ender so he walked back down into the dark, cold basement to get some rest. As Dave was about to lay down, he heard Ender’s voice again. He looked over and discovered Ender. “I’m sorry but I didn’t get to learn your name,” Ender stated. “Dave, now leave me alone I don’t want to be bothered anymore,” Dave acknowledged. “What is wrong with you Dave, why are you so low-spirited,” Ender aggressively asked. Dave enraged and eventually broke down into tears while he spilled out his life story to Ender. Ender was heart-broken.
The next day Ender returned to the house at the same time as the night before. Dave and Ender had found each other once again and Ender has something on his mind he wanted to ask. “Dave, why don’t you come with me back to battle school to live a happy life instead of having life-threatening difficulties here on earth,” Ender unexpectedly blurted out. Dave was stunned, he wanted to be happy and have someone to care for him but at the same time he worried about his family and mother who was an extreme alcoholic. Dave told Ender he would think over the decision thoroughly and give him an answer the next night.
As you may have expected, Ender returned. Dave was excited to see him again and was ready with his decision. Ender knew that Dave wanted to come so he was excited to hear what Dave was going to say. “I am going to stay home,” Dave shockingly stated. “I can’t leave my mom, she is battling alcoholism and I know that she has treated me despicable but it’s for her own good.” Ender was crushed and left immediately without saying one word. Dave felt like he had betrayed himself and his friend. He knew that deep inside he really wanted to go and that Ender was looking forward to spending time with Dave. The following evening, Dave had forgotten to take out the trash so his mother took out a knife and threatened to kill him if it ever happened again. Dave realized he had enough and his mother was beyond his help. But, due to his decision he was stuck in a battle of life or death for now until he is sent another savior.