Dialectic Journal: Book 7& 8

The picture above is of The actual place the sparatan wrote the passage "tell the spartan passing by, that here obidient to their laws we lie,"

book seven: page 318- "Let the raid succeed or fail. it does not matter. Just send men out. And if the Gods have truly taken part in cause, well... Dithyrambos grinned, and clasped my masters hand in farewell."

This passage struck me because it reminded me a lot of gambling. However they were gambling their lives. Though what struck me the most is that no matter what they want the Gods will in what happens. If they die they will not regret sending out men because it was the Gods who wanted them dead or the Persian King alive. They must have truly believed that the Gods are real because they have so much confidence in them. I can relate to this because I am a Christian and sometimes its easier just to let God take control and let fate happen. I have seen a lot of religious figures take risks and it reminds me of the risks that these Spartans are taking. I think that the author does a very good job at displaying the point that these Spartans don't live for themselves but for others. As Dienekes says in book 2 "This body does not belong to me, if it did I would be scared shitless" [or something like that]. These Spartans truly believe that a higher power is guiding them. I think it is their lack of doubt that keeps them alive so long!

book seven: page 333- "the opposite of fear is love."

This passage made me really think. At first I would have guessed that the opposite of fear is courage. And in some ways it is. However courage really originates from love. If you don't have a reason or love that compels you to be courageous then you have no reason to act with bravery. The Spartan men were not courageous just because they were born like that. Over the years they had developed a love for their families, fellow warriors, their town, squires, freedom, and they even loved the flat out title of being brave. All of these reasons to strive and fight for their country was what made them brave. Their love overruled their fear. It makes me think about a story I heard a few years ago about a man who fell onto train tracks while having a seizure and a complete stranger jumped on top of him to hold him down and save his life. I wander what compelled this man. I wander what love he had for a perfect stranger that made him love the man more than himself.


book 8: page 360- "A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep while his men stand on watchout,"

When I read this passage I actually was very impressed king Leonidas and his loyalty to his men. Many kings sit from afar and watch their men die without grief, Leonidas is such a passionate king. He is so close to the men because he understands what they are going through in battle. I respect him for this. He does not look up at himself as a king, but he sees his life just as important as any one of these men. By this I believe he makes the army as a unit come very close together. If the director of battle can understand the was from a warriors point of view, perhaps he can make the best decision. His bravery is striking and his humility is more than most kiongs. I cannot relate to his decisions because I have never been a greek king who fights in the depths of the persian army upon the battlefield of thermopoly, however in more modern terms I can relate this too my project based learning school. For exaple every group has a leader when working on a project. If the leader was not involved in the work and only told people what to do, it wont motivate the team. It also is harder for a leader to direct the inside from the outside because he doesnt understand how the inside works.


book eight: page 384- "Tell the Spartan stranger passing by, that here obidient to their laws we lie."

When I first read this I was actually surprisingly sad by this line. I re-read it and I noticed that I pictured a gravestone that says this saying on it. I think I felt sad because they gave so much for their city and no one will ever know the terrible and scared feelings they went through in this passage. No one can even begin to imagine it. I like the sound of this line because it flows so well. I would definatly. Again I will never be able to closely relate to this. Especially because they are like silent martyrs. They didn't show anyone what they had suffered from. It was very graceful of them and thats one of the reasonss that their army was so respected. I definatly think that these 300 men will go down in history forever and ever, all components considered they were probably the best army in history and not because they dominated but because of their relationship. This passage definatly shows patrionism when it says 'obientdien to there laws we lie'. It really shows that these men look at life as a duty rather than a life to get what they desire.

Grateful!

I think that in my life I have been extremely blessed. I have great health, family, and home. I think however, out of those three my most grateful blessing is my family. I was raised very well and I love my childhood very much. My parents have never been very protective over me and they give me alot of space to do what I want but they keep me in check with morals and standards.

My mother is probably my best friend. I love her to death because she is absolutley hilarious. From the six weeks after I was born to about six grade, she was gone alot. She left on buisness trips and put me in day care too often. At the time I was sad, but now looking back I think that being raised in day-cares, camps, and after-school programs has made me alot more independant. Not to mention that my immune system is indomitable thanks to my early exposure to germs [lolz]. Once she had climbed the work ladder and was at the top, we had alot more time to spend together. I was older and more mature so we could hang out alot more and have fun for both of us. I love my mom because no matter what, she will love me back. She always laughs at my jokes and supports me. Something that I am very thankful about how she raised me was the trust she put in me. She let me do alot of things that other mom's wouldnt appove of. She thinks of me more an adult than a child [which is a good thing because she allows me to do adult things].

My dad, is a whole different book. I have to admit he is pretty funny, however he really isn't much of a parent. Like my mom, he holds high morals and standards; the difference is that while my mom is very involved in my life, he is very involved in being a teenager [even though he is 48] I actually, enjoy the fact that he acts like a kid because I find him much more entertaining like that. So many people have serious and strict parents, thankfully I'm not one of those people. My dad is in love with trying to be hip... for example he just bought a drum set and is learning the base and drums; he also just bought a verrry expensive car called the SRT8 [he thinks its cool]; oh yea and he just got back from tijauana and bought me this huge meddalion chain necklace that has a big money sign on it. Like I mentioned, he is more of a child than me.

One huge thing I have learned from my parents is that raising a child to be a good person doesnt have to mean your strict, mean, and boring. I will always love my family and I want to raise my kids exactly like they raised me.

Dialectic Journals: Chapters 8-12

1. Shaelyn Washburn

page 91- "The swells were getting bigger; a cold wind had gotten up. We were going no where. I supported Alexandros again as another chocking fit attacked him. He stuck his thumb between his tongue and bit through the flesh until it bled. The pain seemed to steady him."

When I read this passage I totally pictured myself doing that! Whenever I am upset or have to deal with something I don't want to I always dig my fingernails into my palm until I either bleed or draw blood. It sounds kind of creepy but it actually does steady me and balance me. Even if I am dealing with a sore wound or cut by pinching myself it takes my focus away from the main problem even if just for a bit. I think that the author portrays his way of cope very well by saying it "steadies his pain".  However personally for me it doesn't just steady the pain, for me its more of a distraction to get my mind off of something. When I read this I wandered if it is a common trait to cause excess pain to steady yourself. This made me think about how maybe this was a more common way to cope in the past, since now we have many other things like shopping, music, art, ton of more resources to distract pain. I wander what other coping ways they used in the past? This passage raised a lot of connections to my world, I wander if it did the same thing to many other readers? 

2. Shaelyn Washburn 

page 106- "As wolves in a pack take down the fleeing deer, so did the Spartans right fall upon the defenders of Antirhion, no in frenzied shrieking rage, lip-cured and fang-bared, but predator-like, cold-blooded applying the steel with the wordless cohesion of the killing pack and the homicidal efficiency of the hunt."

This passage showed the authors intelligence in so many ways. I was struck in awe of how well his connections through animals portrayed the Spartans in such fitting format. I love how he compares them to predators over wolves. It is smart how he talks about them not just being crazy for the kill and incredibly strong but how he calls them cold-blooded, and a killing pack with homicidal efficiency of the hunt. When I read this I saw the narrator showing strength plus brains. Like how they are smart as humans but with the bodies of animals. I could definitely relate to when he says the lip-curled and fang bared wolves because I have been camping many times and seen animals acting only based on senses and not on smarts. I can relate to seeing wolves out of control just hungry for the kill and not using and approach or strategy of a predator. When I read this it put the Spartans in a whole different perspective for me. I used to imagine the Spartans like wolves but now I picture there attacks more sneaky like alligators that sit barely peeking from the water and are patient for the attack. 

3. Shaelyn Washburn 

page 115- "Then this man returns, alive, out of the slaugher. He hears his name called and comes forward to take his ticket. He reclaims that part of himself that he had earlier left behind." 

When I read this it made me very compassionate for the people who have ever faced death by war. The authors metaphor of setting aside half of your life made me feel sorrow. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be to step out of your world and leave your wife, husband, kids, house, friends, family, and city all behind. I am not able to relate to this because I have never been asked to give up such a thing but I can only imagine that it is the only way. If a man went into war thinking that every spear jabbed towards him could take away everything he loves in one hard contact. If it were me I would be a train wreck. This is exactly the reason why it is necessary for these men to put aside their lives for the time being so that they don't mess up due to human emotions. Life in the dialect journal above... you kind of have to become an animal, drop your emotions to pick up your senses. I wander if this could be a characteristic of a real man... to put aside every desire he has in exchange for the life of his desires. Does this mean that the Spartans were able to love something so much more than themselves? Yes, I think so. 

Dialectic Journals: Chapters 4-7

1. Shaelyn Washburn [chapter4]

page 21- "Things are fallen, which had stood upright. Things are free which should be bound, and bound which should be free. Things which had been hoarded in secret now blow and tumble in the open, and those who had hoarded them watch them with dull eyes and let them go. Boys have become men, and men boys. Slaves now stand free, and freeman slaves. Childhood had fled." 

This passage of the book really helped me visualize the absolute chaos that went on during this slaughter. It was interesting to me how is seems that chaos is the exact opposite of society. For example in the passage 'everything that should be bound now run free' is stating that when things are not in order of society (bound) everything is chaotic (free). It was as if this invasion turned their entire city inside out. It was scary to think that this book is based on true events and some event in this book still go on today. I may be safe in America for now but what will happen when we are finally invaded? Xeones, Brutiex, and Diomache had to live in the mountains for two years.. and they were the lucky survivors! This chaos in the passage shows how easily society can be broken. It made me think about how quickly it could all be over when huge masses come to destroy. It was also interesting to me how a few paragraphs later in the book it talks about animals being lit on fire. It confused me to think about how pitiless these invaders were. It had to be more than just evilness driving them, maybe it was delusion, or even simply insanity...?

2. Shaelyn Washburn [chapter 5]

page 35- "Never forget Alexandros, that this body, this flesh, does not belong to us. Thank God it doesn't. If I thought this stuff was mine, I would not advance another pace towards the enemy. But it is not our my friend, it belongs to the Gods and to our children. Our fathers, mothers, and those of Lakedameon, a hundred, and a thousand yet unborn. It belongs to the city hat gives us all we have and demands no less in requital."

This passage struck me because it is Dinekes explaining his view of himself. He is totally selfless in the fact that he doesn't even consider his body to belong to him, but a gift from the Gods to protect his city and those within it to honor the Gods. I find it a neat opinion to look at life in this theory because it seems to give a load of courage to him. For example when he says "If this stuff was mine, I would not advance another pace towards the enemy" it shows how he figures that he is not living a life for himself and that this life has no purpose in serving himself but in serving  his city. It seems to give him grave courage and he does not fear death because of this. I wander if maybe this is what makes him a man? A characteristic of a man is to not be a coward and Dienekes shows no fear in his selflessness. If he however was selfish and wanted to live he would be a coward. I cannot relate to this passage because I live in a town where men do not have to show that they are a man in their day-to-day lives. I find it interesting how much manlier men were in earlier times. I do still believe that there are times to prove that you are a man (in war, hard situations, etc.) but it is not as common. Would man from today's time would be considered a boy in Lakedameon? What would a boy from Lakedameon be considered in our world? 

3. Sahelyn Washburn [Chapter 7]

page 43- " My intent is to simply convey, through the experiences of two young children and a slave, some poor measure of the soul terror and devastation which a vanquished population, any population, is forced to endure during the hour of its nations extinction."

This passage really stuck me with its impactful use of vocabulary. The words like 'soul-terror' and 'nations extinction' were a lot more impactful then 'scary' or 'defeat'. I think that the author does a beautiful job at portraying the absolute horror he is trying to communicate to his majesty. This passage however not only impressed me with its vocabulary but it stung me with its pain. The way he explains how hard it is to covey his experiences makes them even more unfortunate. Things were so bad that he couldn't even describe them through words let alone stories. It pained me when I thought about how good I have it compared to children like this who still exist today, who absolutely never get a break in life! Its bad enough that both of his parents died but on top of that, his town was destoryed, his love was raped and doesn't love him back, his slave friend Bruteix died, he is crippled, and now he cant even fight as a warrior against the ones he seeks vengeance. It made me realize how stupid our everyday problems that we complain over are. Now a days people actually cry over a pair of lost earings! This passage made me think... Have we cheapened sorrow? What is our pain compared to their pain? How would we handle their kind of stress in today's life? We have coaping methods, what were their coaping methods? 

Election: 2008!

Being a republican who lives in one of the most democratic states of America can get really annoying. I was raised to be on the far right wing with two republican parents. Living in California has opened my eyes to the democratic world. As much as I wish I could agree with my neighbors opinions, listening to them talk only makes me more republican.
I wish I could be a democrat and have the excuse to say, "We want peace, not war." However I think that the war is a lot more complicated then Americans just wanting to destroy peoples happiness. I believe that the war is not made just so we can get oil. I think that we are trying to fix their corrupt government. As much as I do wish the war would stop, I do believe it has to be done. They stone people to death for committing adultery. They will kill themselves just to kill one American family. We are not trying to bombard their country, we are trying to help the children who are killed daily in drive by bombings. Americans aren't cowards and if we run away from helping these people they wont just say "Oh now they are gone and we can go back to living happy lives" I am sure that they will follow us into America trying to destroy us with schemes like September 11th. I'm not fond of being in war, I just think of it as something that has to be done. However trying to awnser the war in a few short paragraphs is impossible.  There are many other reasons why I am a republican, many having to do with christianity. I am 100% against abortion. No acceptions. Not for rape, not for accidents. A baby has every right to be born as we do. 

I believe that the power should be in the people not in the government. When the money goes to powerful people, there is no telling how corrupt things may get. ex. four judges overturned the votes of 60 million people's vote. 

irrelevant

*** I found this article, "ten good things about high gas prices," I though it was interesting.

Pictures & My Hero

1. I like this photo a lot because I think that shadows are a good representation of who people truly are. For instance this shadow shows the person being really big therefore showing that although he may be small in person his soul is big and courageous. Shadows can show many thing in people. I also like pictures of people who may be standing plane with headphones listening to music but there shadow is photoshoped into the person dancing like crazy. I think having a shadow that doesn't match your pose is very artistic.




2.
Picture For Blurb: look up :]
Blurb: A hero is someone who can put others before themselves while consciously aware that they will end up last.
Malia is a beautiful, A+, model student, who refuses to let life’s unfortunate events control her. On November 5th 2007 she was diagnosed with enlarged Ventricles. It was pure luck that she came in only months before it would have led her to her death.

Preview, Predict, Code: Secret Life Of Bees

Preview:
Title- I think that the title is a deeper metaphor relating to a way of life in the book. I think bees represent something important.
Cover- On the front cover I see 4 black people standing close together all smiling except one. On one of the smiling black ladies I see a white girl sitting on her shoulders, this white girl looks like she fits in with the black family.
Inside cover- The cover states that this book is about a girl finding the history of her mothers past. I think that she will discover something about bees in her mothers past.
Chapters- There are 14 chapters all of which incluse a metaphor at the top of the page. I think that the metaphor will forshadow things in the story.
Length- The book is roughly three hundred pagess, the print is small and so are the pages. Maybe it takes a while to describe the mothers past.
*********
Predict:
Genre- I think that this book will be realistic fiction because it seems like it is based on humans but may or may not be true. I think this because it seems like a classic tale about people redisocering who they are and a deeper meaning of life.
Book- I think this book is going to be about the metaphorical meaning of life and how someone changes over time and becomes wiser. I think this because the title seems to have a deeper meaning.
Easy?- I think thast this book would normally be easy for me because it seems interesting and books that keep my interest, I am able to read very quickly and understand well. However I am reading another book right now so I am hoping that I dont get these two book's storyline mixed up.
Enjoyable- I think I will enjoy it because it seems interesting, however I would much rather prefer not to read two books at one time so that part might be hard for me. I think I will be able to enjoy it however once I get the storyline straight.
Start- I think that this book is going to start will a flashback of her mothers death to keep the reader interested, then I think it will start making the foundation of the girls life so it can build off of it.
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Code:
Accuracy- My predictions were very accurate. I guess the overall theme of the book, however I did not anticipate all of the twists and turns. I overall was right about the deeper meaning of life part.
Predictions- I was most right about my prediction of the bees. I predicted that they would have a deeper meaning in life. The bees turned out to represent many different characters in the book. I was also very correct of my predictions of the start of the book, I guess how the book would start with a flash back and build a foundation and although the order of this was wrong, I was correct about what happened in the beggining.
Less accurate- I did miss alot of characteristics about the book including: time period, racism, female communtiy, and religion. I think that i missed this because In order to understand the religion in the book the author has to use many pages to describe it. However I do think that if I looked more carfully I would have noted that there were all girls, also that there were 4 black women and only white woman which incorperate famlae community and something to do with race or racism.
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Overall I definatly enjoyed this book. The author was very good at playing the roll of a 14 year old. I would definatly recomend this story to any reader who wants an interesting story line which incoperates many strong points and twists.

LDW: Alliteration

At the lock in last weekend, I depended on sleep'n. I could not comprehend, my best friends descend on my amend to stay awake. for the sake of the ache in my eyes made me take her by surprise. It was unwise to disguise my wish for demise. In the end it was fine, maybe it was a sign designed to resign us for tomorrow.

Tomorrow we had soccer, surely it would be a shocker if we didn't win, we intend to defend our name holding no shame as undefeated. As a team we are completed, never cheated, together we are heated when we are greeted no need to repeat it. We take the ball, we will sprawl and maul the other team will recall as they fall off the field, trying to shield their unhealed wounds that we have peeled. The other team will fear as our adhere teams cheer. You better hope your on my team dear.

As An Additional Adhesive to add alliteration I am writing this perfectly pretty paragraph. It should be something able to show some simple sentences of alliteration so you know I know what alliteration is.
*B
-Beautiful Babies build blocks by Big kids kind help.
-Born Beauty is not bad but bad behavior can make you icky
-Bad Bigots should burn their minds free of racists comments
-Boys burden big barriers when asking beautiful babes hand in marriage

Challenge Assignment: Epic

Life Of Library


Every Life is a book, making up a library otherwise known as the future. Certain shelves contain certain people destined to make a difference in the small time they experience in another’s life. This is a story about two books that somehow fell off the shelf.
“Get the hell out of this house” My mother shrilled. “Who the hell would love such a rotted piece of shit like you? Your own father left you!!”
My mother was a drunk her harsh bitter soul had poisoned this world enough to wipe out a species.
“He didn’t leave me, he left you, and now I’m leaving too.” My voice faded with the last statement.
She ran out of the room and I knew exactly where the bitch was headed. “Stay the hell away from Jamie,” My stern voice practically growled. Jamie was my 8-year-old brother. He was never intact with the world. It was as if he was watching a movie of his life instead of actually acting it out. He rarely talked to anyone other than me. He never spoke to the bitch. Not even when she hit him. He stood lifeless, like a rag doll.
I ran into the down the faded peach colored hall. It was an odd color for the emotions in this house. I chased her gaining speed as she lunged into his room. She tried to slam the door on my face but I shoved my fingers into the crack sacrificing every nerve that shot pain up my veins. I pushed fiercely against the door now stained with blood from my fingernails. I was surprised at the ease of prying open the door. It was most likely my anger, shooting through my muscles as an outlet. My mom crashed into the wall; the drunken whore lay still. I knew I at least knocked her out; I wouldn’t have been lucky enough to put her in a coma.
My brother sat in the corner of what contained hardly enough clothes to call a closet. I tried to compose my face to let him know I was all right. I looked into his shattered soul, so broken that out of all that happened not a single tear pulled itself out of his eye. I wasn’t sure how long we sat there. Me staring at him, him staring through me watching his tragic movie that he called life.
Slowly I spoke in an uneven voice “I think its time for us to leave,” I paused making sense of how to say it calmly. “I’m 17 now and we don’t have to live here with…her,” I hated referring to her in human context. “I wont leave you, I-“
“I have 260 dollars, I’ll meet you with my things in 15 minutes,” he spoke in a voice so sure it had me convinced of my own plan.
I loved my brother more than myself and I would never leave him in a house so unprotected and defenseless. I was about to say something when I felt the water works start to build and I figured that it could wait until I was steady. I was now on an impossible mission to find someone who could bend over and put my brother and I back on our shelf. I knew it would be hard but I would do it. I would put my life, my education, my sanity, and my friends… or what was left of them on hold until I knew my brother was properly welcomed into this world.
I didn’t even need 15 minutes to pack all my things. I only had 9 minutes of stuff to pack. I put in the same 9 shirts I had owned since freshman year, 4 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of shoes, 5 pairs of underwear, 1 bra, and barely enough toiletries to last me a week. I remembered to put in the 80 dollars I had earned over the past few years from birthday money.
I met my brother in the living room. His back erect, his shoulders square. There was an unfamiliar crease in his forehead, making him look years older.
“Quickly, lets go before she wakes up,” he had the same lifeless tone he used when forced to talk to her. He cringed at the idea of her waking up.
“We can go to Ashwood, Oregon” I had planned my escape for years even before Jamie was born. I would hitch hike as far south as I could until I came upon Ashwood. It was a beautifully peaceful town with a population less than 1000. I knew expenses would be cheap and my brother loved nature, one of Ashwood’s greatest features. I am surprised I was able to wait 17 years of life with her. I didn’t stay for myself. I stayed for Jamie. He was more my son than hers. I was his protector.


~~~~~~


In some cases books are put on shelves with the same genre, in other cases they are placed in the miscellaneous section. With other books that have lost there place.
I had planned a trip to Ashwood, where I would find a job and work hours all night if I had to in order to pay for living expenses. I would help tutor my brother until he was old enough to embrace the world on his own. I planned my mother could never find me with police staff so limited in this small town. The escape of course was easy; catch a ride with some pie-seller who was on their long way home from the main towns.
The lady who picked us up was named Sugar, she had pitch-black eyebrows, matching the roots of her hair peeking through the faded blonde dye. She had a stunningly beautiful half smile despite her occasional chipped or broken tooth. Her skin was covered with freckles. She was more brown than white in a sense. She wore a long sleeve collared shirt, colored bright salmon. Her dark brown corduroy pants were much too large for her short legs. Her body was disproportionate with a huge stomach peeking out from the bottom of her shirt, with the tiniest legs, somehow able to hold up such a load. She looked like someone who would go into shock if she ever got to witness a building taller than 2 stories.
I look back on that moment thinking how silly I was, prejudging one of the best books you could ever read by its oh-so-boring cover.
We took off on a long rode that at points got tangled by the Forrest, which leaking into the narrow street. Her golden cross necklace hung from her mirror, looking too nice for a faded blue truck that was so old it could barely top 45 mph.
“Why ya’ll headed down to Ashwood?” Her tone was excited, it was as if she wanted to flaunt us around to her hillbilly friends and show them her new shiny friends.
I didn’t mind the awkward silence that lingered before the questions came. I decided not to lie, but not to tell the whole truth, just enough so she could understand that I needed to get away. I was almost sure I could explain enough of why I wanted to get away without having her contact the police or return us. “The mainland was a little much, we just need a fresh start,”
“Now what would a pretty girl like you be running away from?” Her tone was still light.
“I come from a rough home,” my voice cracked on the word home and I felt her gaze of curiosity on me. I wanted so bad to scream, to tell her how crappy my life was, to tell her how unfair I lived. I needed someone who I could trust with all of my secret pain.
“Oh Lordy, you have no idea”
I was sitting in the front seat on her right. I hadn’t noticed the left side of her face. When she turned to show me her scars I practically gasped.
“What, happened?” I spoke quietly.
“Bud Light, that what happened,” Her voice was filled more with anger than with pain. “Drunk father, box of beer, some gasoline, and a match.”
I cringed, waking Jamie who I hadn’t noticed sleeping on me. He was only awake for a moment before he passed out again.
“My story goes a whole lot like your” I decided to tell her my story, I figured if anyone could relate it was her and We had a four hour car ride to talk.
“I really really hope it doesn’t because if it was anything like mine…” She hesitiated before continuing. “Then your brother wouldn’t be here” Her eyebrows came together, she intensely focused on the road.
“No, oh no I am so sorry”
“Forget it, its your turn anyways, what exactly are you running away from?”
“I hate referring to the bitch as my mother, when she is drunk I can’t even consider her human. I had to leave her. My whole life I planned on running but I stayed… for him,” I stared down at Jamie “He is the only thing that I have ever loved, if she ever irreversibly hurt him…” I trailed off into thought
“You’re doing the right thing kid-” It was at this moment something larger than life took place. Something so Incredible I still to this day consider it as a dream.
A bullet shot through the glass of her truck missing the side of my neck by inches. Sugar swerved almost driving off deserted road. I reflexively turned as my brain tried to comprehend what just happened.
Sitting in the front seat of her 69’ Honda was the bitch. I froze. Her red hair like fire flamed out the window. Her shaking hands beneath her head holding the weapon that almost took my life.
“Dooo-Deeww” A loud noised came from the gun as she shot again this time not so close.
“Get down!” Sugar screamed at me.
The third bullet interrupted Sugar as it slammed into her shoulder. She swerved into the Forrest. We hit two trees doing more damage to the woods than it did to us. No one was hurt except for Sugar. Her arm bled like a damn holding back the entire ocean. Her arm was covered in blood but she ignored the pain. She stared at me, somehow understanding everything I was saying. How did she get here? Oh no was she really knocked out or just faking it. Could she hear me when I told Jamie our plan? Is she crazy? We are alone. No one is here to help us. I knew that there was only one way to get Jamie out of here alive. We had to kill my mother. I would do it, I would take death just to send her rotton soul to hell.
“That’s her,” Sugar spoke calmly. Her eyes flickered around the truck. I could see her somehow conspiring an escape plan. Her eyes stopped and focus on me for a minute. Her brilliant half smile, with a strange warped craze, flashed across her face. “Please as a favor to me, you have to take care of Jamie, let me do the honors.”
What? Honors? I look back on this moment in my life as I think about not only how lucky I was to be able to have her save me, but how lucky she was that I was able to in a sense save her. At the time I was confused by her willingness to save my brother, and me we were complete strangers. It was later that it occurred to me her burning desire of payback. So many years ago her father killed her brother, someone she was unable to save. She lived day in and day out with the pain in her heart, which pumped grieve throughout her veins.
She opened her glove box where lye a rifle. The blood coming from her shoulder should have killed her by now; I was surprised she hadn’t bled to death.
She opened the broken door and cocked the rifle. She grabbed the golden necklace of a cross and swung it over her heart. The last look I got of her was the one with that brilliant warped half smile. In a way I felt that this was destined to happen. The pain that lingered on her from her brother’s death had been waiting for revenge. She had waited 27 years to save someone after her last try-and-fail.


~~~~~~


I do believe to this day, that there is a God. He absolutely wanted Sugar to live because her golden cross necklace somehow shielded a bullet that headed straight to her heart. The necklace Infact had so much power inflicted on it that it was shoved into her skin, where it still remains as a plug holding in her blood, as if it were created to be a piece of her skin. Doctors have come from around the world amazed at the chances something like this could happen. So many doctors have wanted to take it out, or at least try to stitch it in better, but Sugar refuses. She says if God wanted it in her skin any harder he would have gave the bitch a better gun.

After so many years of being a book that had fallen on off the shelf, I wasn’t sure what to do with my life once I was back on. Sugar and me decided to dedicate our lives to picking up books and placing them where they should be. Jamie joined the group years later after marrying a high school sweetheart. Though, looking back I am pretty sure where my book fell from… obviously it was the epic section.

LWD: Cliche'

1) Cheeszzzzzy!!! I was standing as still as stone. Hiding behind a picture frame, as tall as a tree. It was only a matter of time before the seeker would find me. My hair was a slinky, crazy and curly. So I tucked it behind my ears so I could peak out through a whole and check if the seeker was close. Time flew by, it was almost 5 p.m.. I was quiet as mouse, kneeling besides my hide out, when I decided I was out of time. Coming out of my crouched position I spotted the seeker.... watching television. Adults never were good at that game.

2) Un-Cheesy!!! Minutes before my speech, I was a ball of nerves. I stood, looking like a victim of murder, a slow painful murder with a knife instead of a gun. I tried to feel my face thinking about how terrified my expression must be, but I was too busy watching the crowd, like a swarm of bees, as they flooded into the room. The room seemed to grow, welcoming anyone who could fit. I cringed as I tensed my tangled fingers out of nervous habit. I looked down at my paper, displaying a picture of Martian Luther King Jr. His eyes were darker than a night with no moon. Would my cliche' speech about Dr. King satisfy the crowd? As new worries entered my head my heart became an inexperienced drummer, pounding away, unaware of the horrid sound it created.

Cliche'... Something overused, usually a phrase or saying. ex 1. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean.
Metaphor... A comparision, relating something to something else. ex 1. Her skin was marble.
Simile... A comparision, relating something using the words like or as. ex 1. She was as bright as a light bulb

Literary Device Of The Week: Epic

Epic- 1) a story or poem; usually of great length
2) Pertaining to a hero or something greater than life; majestic
3) In great size or mass

Examples of Epic in Iliad

- line 61..."For nine days the God's arrows rained death over the camp": This is a great example of epic because it show how a force that was greater than life (a god) rained death on an army and practically took them out over the course of just nine days. It was very heroic.
- line 33... "Prophet or evil, when have you ever said good things to me. You love to predict the worst!": This is an epic because they call him a prophet of evil referring to someone who reads dreams that the Gods have sent down. Something greater than life itself.
- line 90..."Take courage. State what your powers tell you... No violent hand will raise against you": This is an epic because he is being Heroic and telling the prophet to not be afraid, because he will protect him against Ammegetons rage.




This picture represents the word Epic perfectly. I think that this picture shows someone of higher power greater than this life heroically saving someone. I think that there must be someone who is able to show us love and steer our lives in ways that overrule destiny and fate. I would typically call it a super power... however the only supernatural God that has been revealed is Jesus Christ. Therefore I am showing a picture of him going against nature and saving this mans life.

Public Hero

Invisible to Shallow eyes

Not all heroes are given a rightful title by the shallow eyes that watch them. Instead of looking around, shallow eyes choose to listen and conclude ideas from what they hear. Shallow eyes are blinded by bias words and cannot see to the truth of solution in front of them.
“Increased Gas Prices Due To War” Stamped to the headline of the newspaper. Shallow eyes see a problem and find blame before solution. Some blame the democrats, others the republicans, many shallow enough to blame the president, bearing in mind the fact that he is the one who has kept the united states safe from terrorism, since 9-11-01.
However it is only the eyes of the deepest that can ignore the shallow admonishment, understand the rude rebuke and do what no one else can to make peace in other countries. George W. Bush was chosen to lead the United States, not Australia, Russia, Pakistan, China or any other country. He was chosen to lead America because we are the country of freedom and peace. We are the country who instead of fearing evilness, demolishes it. “Four women in Iraq caught with adultery, stoned to death” Printed across the television news screen. Shallow eyes deny the fact that we should help them with many excuses “well its their culture”, “its not our business to save them American has enough problems as it is”, “Ok four women, that’s nothing compared to the thousands of soldiers that have died”. Shallow eyes complain about our president trying to make peace in a young boys life across the world, they complain about us sending good hearted Americans over to help him so that he and his family can be free is free. Shallow eyes are not filled with rage to annihilate evilness, they are filled with fear.
America was fashioned with freedom and goodness, As Americans it is in our blood to fight for what is right. George W. Bush was chosen as our president to fight for others freedom. He remains able to do what no one else can in order to stand up for the founding fathers that raised America. He will not give up out of fear.
His sacrifices have made his heroics invisible to shallow eyes. Not all heroes are seen.

30 Things You Dont Know About Me

1) Im the only girl washburn in 7 genorations by blood

2) Im sort of obsessed with Devendra Banhart

3) My biggest desire is to have a super power

4) and yes I do believe that they are out there

5) I HATE the word debree

6) I stole from chucky cheese once

7) I appreciate european art

8) I am 1/8 indian

9) I have a joint on my rib cage

10) Im related to the doctor that fixed the broken leg of the man who was trying to escape after shooting Abe Lincoln

11) I have no desire to drive

12) I find interest in creepy things

13) My stomach doesn't

14) I was in speech for 5 years because I had calusus on my vocal cords

15) I would definatly be a shape shifter if I could

16) I wake up at least 2 times every night

17) I dont eat anything that has artichoke in its title

18) I prefer a cloudy day over sun

19) Im a dry eater

20) I get really addicted to things until I am so sick of them I cant stand it

21) I typically am not passive

22) My favorite song forever and eternally is Lover by Devendra Banhart

23) I crack and pop my fingers every morning

24) I appreciate poems that had really deep meanings

25) I might seem dumb sometimes, but Im actually pretty smart

26) I jump of cliffs on a regular basis

27) I hate watching the same movie twice

28) I live right next to bird rock in ocean beach

29) I recently found out that my name doesnt actually mean fairy princess (my dad lied to me when I was little)

30) I think life is too normal and something absolutely miraculous needs to happen before I die or it will all be for nothing

Resilience

Our reslience project was directed towards coparing faous resilient figures fro the past to our everyday life friends and families. We had to write an essay about the as well as write a poem or piece of art with an artist satement. enjoy!





Love is Free!

By: Shaelyn Washburn

Dedicated to the wonderful women who have changed live forever as we know it by showing love to the lost

Loretta Stermer& Ellen Johnson Sir-Leaf



From dirty ditches to filthy riches, from awful health to incredible wealth there were two young caterpillars in the process of spreading their beautiful wings and shining there incredible love on the earth. These woman also show that no matter what the situation in life there is always happiness in reach, though too many people are busy digging through there problems to find happiness that if they just looked in front of them they could reach it. Happiness is where ever you see it.


Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of the few humans who had too much love in her heart to sit and watch her people get abused and mistreated. She did not have resources, riches, or even reliable help. Though that did not stop her from accomplishing what she believed to be her destiny. Ever since Ellen was a small child she had big dreams. She studied hard and got a partial scholarship in Harvard University where she waited on tables every second of her spare time in order to afford the fees. Once she came back to her home country she spent long years of political activism where her economical ideas became serious considerations in the country. Major leaders of the country at the time saw not only her great mind but her great passion for her country. They knew that she would not just preach her ideas but she would practice them as well. Ellen after many years became so experienced that she was elected president of Liberia as the First African Woman president in the world. “It means that I have a great responsibility to meet the expectations of Liberian and African women. I'm humbled by the challenge. I will be under the microscope all the time: whatever I do and say, how well I am able to move the Liberian development agenda, how I am able to promote peace and reconciliation. I'll have a lot of detractors who would want to see me fail, not only because of my long years of political activism in Liberia, but because they aren't really convinced that women can be leaders.” She stated at an interview with Time Magazine. Not many have a love like Ellen, but there are still a great amount of people, especially one girl thousands of miles away back in the deep country of Virginia.


Loretta Stermer was not even gave lemons to make lemonade, she ways given a hand full of dirt and a few rocks. Her mother Carrycough had her at the age of 15. Carrycough was not nearly ready for the title of mom, so Carrycough’s mother (Loretta’s Grandmother) raised the child while she sent her daughter away to boarding school to go live a completely different life of freedom. It was almost a perfect plan, Loretta had lived with her grandmother for several years not knowing her true mothers identity when one day her grandmother got awfully sick. A few months passed and Loretta was without guardian. She was sent to a farm for foster care where she worked vigorously for a few more years. Her foster parents used her more as a employee then a child. She was given back to the program when she go sick. One of her lungs collapsed. She didn’t have to money for treatment and neither did the foster home. She was ready to meat her maker when an incredibly generous doctor offered to perform an operation on her just barely saving her life. She lied in bed for almost nine months thinking to herself “If I were to die today in this hard bed in this cold hospital, not a single soul would mourn over my death” She was only 10 years old when her life was already headed straight for the gutter. She ended up living through the difficult times and went back to the foster home. She got a basic education as did most children but hers was with a pack of harsh un-loving rude nuns. All of the children heated the nuns because they hated the children. My grandmother finally survived childhood and went off to a close college for a four year degree in nursing. She was living poorer than poor as a nurse when she met the love of her life… Robert. Robert couldn’t stay away from her. They met at a bus stop when the bus was 5 minutes late. If the bus wasn’t late Robert wouldn’t have caught it in time and thus for they would never have met and created a superior line of genes. Within two months of there meeting, He proposed. They were in a deep love for the rest of there life. Robert was a scientist and could well afford to pay for a family on his alone salary, though Loretta loved to help nurse people so much that she continued her job for the next two decades. Stories around our family go on about the great love of Loretta. How much she has fixed fights of the family and how much she has made the last remaining moments of peoples lives happy just by shining her light on them. Loretta was never shown any love but somehow and some way she still had love in her heart, free to give to all whom seek it. Loretta survived such difficult times without love and she says that she doesn’t ever want anyone to go without love again. With these priorities in her life she put the Stermer family to a great name. I am sad to say that Loretta passed away on January 11th many years ago due to lung failure. We are sad of her death but even sadder about the incredible decrease in love we feel now that she is gone. We can see how much of a difference she made on our lives. And she is our inspiration of giving out as much love as humanly possible.


These two women were and are an amazing contribution to the example of what the world can be if we could all just show a little love. They have changed my life because now I understand how important it is too feel loved and to give love and I think that many people will lead lives like them by simply being kind. These women made something out of nothing but love. Happiness is where you see it. Joy is where you feel it. But love, love is where you put it. And the best thing about that is that you can put it anywhere you want, because love is free!

my poem:

liberia, liberia, whatever shall we do. They sent you to this country after slavery was done with you. Ever since you came here you've known they always knew, that paying you for factory work could make them money too.

But then a leader named ellen saw factory companies abuse like a fellenso she used her tough love she gave oppertunities above all those factory workers who were smellin

she fought she behaved it was goodness she craved, in the end it was all worth her while. Now in the night she can rest for all days are her best as first african fenale president she will smile.

I also made a piece of art that included an artist statement about the design. It represented how alot of people sit and watch others help the earth and they need to get up and help it themselves to help the world. If no one makes a change it makes a difference.

Lord Of The Flies Reflection

For our Lord the flies trial I played the roll of the media. My job was to record the trial on film, take pictures of the process and evidence, also to edit our film into a law and order episode. Me and my partner Ashlee Barkley have made an episode commercial for law and order. I have done a great job on this project expressing the roll of the media and how they are biast usually to one side. I also did a great job interviewing, digging up feelings, and making points that will be made in the case. I have also made a one page writ-up like a resume that explains where I got my education, also personal hobbies, and lastly my goal and where I want to go with my job. My biggest challenge was the lack of editing time. I did my best but I could have had better cuts with the clips. I am very proud of the turn out of the media in this trial. To watch our episode I will soon be posting a video on my digital portfolio which is currently under construction.

Short Story Project

Title: From Boy to Monster
Author: Shaelyn Washburn
Genre: Sci-fi/horror
Pages: 5
Mentor Texts: My ideas were extremely original in this process but I got 2 ideas from mentor texts. The first idea was... How I should describe Jay as (the boy in the beggining of the story). I chose in the end to describe his character just like Danny Phontoms character.



Danny Phantom is the character of a boy who is a nerd who is constantly teased in real life, however he can turn into a ghost and become very powerful. My second idea from mentor text was the idea of the charcter Predator from the movie Predator.



The character of predator is a mean nasty one of a kind creature. Literally its name speaks for itself, it is a predator and humans and any other type of life are its prey. I got my idea for predrag (the creature that Jay turns into) from predator because I wanted predrag to be one of a kind and a unique powerful killing creature.

Audience: This book is directed towards mainly teenages interested in sci-fi or a kind or horror fiction. This book can also be read by adult with a broad imagination. Readers usually should be at least over ten to understand the story.

The Writing Process: During The writing process I began by brainstorming up a total of 3 unique fiction stories. After asking around to my piers and seeing which interested them most I chose the story "From Boy to Monster". I wrote up 3 drafts of this story, each time changing the story plot slightly and trying to figure out the best ending and I kept punctuating. After the story was completed at my best I brought it to my parents to look over and comment. After taking the comments into serious comsideration I took my story to my teacher and she reviewed it. After many days of very difficult work I finaly ended up with a 5 page story.

The publishing Process: The publishing process was particularly difficult in this situation. My story is a sci-fi/ horror and not alot of magazines takein that genre. After days of searching for a publisher I came across the website: sendstory.com. I created an acoount and I register my story to be viewed by the public. However first I find a disclaimer right so that no one could use my story. My disclaimer states: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. Once the story was published with my disclaimer I am not awaiting anyone on sendstory.com the review and comment my story. To view my story and my story profile click here

http://www.sendstory.com/viewstory.php?sid=7

Short Story

My story is published on sendstory.com here is the link to view it

http://www.sendstory.com/viewstory.php?sid=7

comment and review it please