Beauty

Author's Note: I decided to write this poem because I needed a post for my blog and I found some inspiration for this piece that I really wanted to write about.

Beauty isn’t about makeup

Beauty isn’t about attitude

Beauty isn’t about being cool

Beauty isn’t about your hair

Beauty isn’t about what you wear

Beauty isn’t about what you look like

True Beauty comes from within

True Beauty is who you are as a person

Not who other people want you to be

So be who you want to be and don’t care what other people think

That is as beautiful as it gets

Cassia's Conflicts

I have been reading the Matched trilogy. In the first book, Matched, Cassia Reyes gets matched with Xander, her best friend. When she went to go look at his micro- card a face came up, but it wasn’t Xander.  When the other face popped up, she recognized who that was too… It was Ky, her other best friend. After she talked to her official about it she didn’t know what to do other than to talk to Ky about it. As soon as they realized that they liked each other, they decided that they wanted to be together.

Throughout this whole adventure, Cassia has realized that her life is full of conflicts. Including the one that the love of her life would have to pay for dearly. When Ky was assigned a “better” work position after he received his permanent job. She still loves Xander, and after all he is still her match. She still loves him but she also loves Ky. She has known Xander all her life while she has known Ky for only a little bit. Even though Xander is her Match and she still loves him, she would choose Ky over him.

When Xander joined The Rising, he had no idea that Cassia was looking for it. The Rising told Xander that he would be the best at infiltrating the distressed city of Camas. There was a plague that was taking over the city and the society had no cure. They thought that if they waited long enough, eventually the plague would wipe out everyone in the society except the people and officials who are a part of The Rising. When Xander noticed that the little boy from a household in the Camas was getting the plague, he didn’t worry because he knew that the Rising would be able to get a cure and assure the family that everything would be okay. But until then, he would have to wait for the pilot to come and take over Society so that everyone could live in peace with no rules!

Life with no rules sounded good to Xander and all the others in the Rising. Including Indie, Cassia’s friend from work camp, who isn’t easily impressed. It also took Ky  a long time to convince himself that Indie was a good and pure person. Even after her saving the love of his life from dying in the Caverns. Ky knew that as soon as he joined the Rising, that he would have to hold some ridiculous responsibility. He was right. He had to drive the air ship. This story reminds me of the prevalence of Cinderella and her evil step sisters. When Cinderella was known as a maid who would never be able to get any husband like the prince. And when they got married, everyone was shocked but they knew that if they were happy, then they should be together. While in Matched, everyone still believes that Ky and Cassia shouldn't be together.

Through and through, Cassia, Ky and Xander had to go through a lot to be where they are now. Xander is waiting for the Rising to begin, Cassia is in Central wondering if her life was complete being back in society, and Ky is in both the society and the Rising. They are all around 16 and 17 years old. So being put in such responsibility is a big deal. While Xander and Cassia had life good living in the Society, Ky was watching his own family being shot down and burned right in front of him. Now that he is older, he is wondering, was it the Rising? All that these poor, innocent kids need right now is a family and a place to call home that doesn’t require them to live on their own already. All they are wondering is… Is It really worth risking our lives?

Independant and Dependant sentances

Independent

Dependant

I like my rabbit because he is sweet.
Because I am babysitting, I am very careful.
I like gymnastics because my coach is fun.
Give me chocolate,  because I am hungry.

Why R5 Should Come to Wisconsin

Dear R5,

       I have decided to write you this letter to let you know how much you have influenced me. I have major stage fright but thanks to you, I was able to audition for my school musical. I thought I did pretty good for a first timer. There was something about watching you guys have fun up on stage that got me so excited to audition. I know you guys had a huge contribution to me getting rid of my stage fright. I don’t know if you know who JJ Watt is, but he went to my high school in Pewaukee Wisconsin. In fact, he was just named defensive player of the year for the NFL. Anyways I wanted to ask you why Wisconsin isn’t in your current tour? If it is at all possible, can you write back to me? So if you are doing an extended tour, you should come to Milwaukee. On July 20, 2013.

Sincerely,

Heather Martinson

P.S

July 20th, is my birthday

Say you'll Stay(point of view)

Author’s Note: I am using the song, Say you’ll stay, by: R5 and I would like to improve idea application. I am also doing this story in the point of view of the girl that this song is written to, and she is writing a letter to R5.

Dear Ross, Riker, Rocky, Ratliff and Rydel,

       I just wanted to write you this letter saying thank you for opening my eyes to the world. My dream was to make music, when really, I’m living my dream now, with all of you guys. So thank you and I will be forever in your debt. I will try and stay by your side forever. By the way Riker, we can stay up and talk right through the night. And also Riker, thank you for saying I look so cute in the clothes I wear, even though that most of the time I look like a slob. I also promise that from now on there will be no more running around. By the way, all of you guys and Rydel, you all have amazing voices!

Love,

Heather

Frozen in fear

Author's Note: This is a story about a girl named Heather who well.... I'll let you read. But I wrote this to improve my sentence fluency for one of my goals.

Heather was a little girl with a serious problem. She was an extremely hard worker and she could do anything she set her mind to… Except getting on a stage and performing in front of a crowd. She knows that if she went up on stage that she would have a problem. Like when she was in 3^rd and she tried to sing in front of her parents with her best friend Sophie. She had a panic attack and threw up. She was not the kind of person who would traditionally do that. Before that day, she was able to get up in front of anyone and sing and dance and do whatever she wanted. If she wanted to sing, she could. If she wanted to dance, she could, and still can. If she wanted to perform, well that’s a different story.  Anyways, heather is a creative and driven person who WAS able to do anything she set her mind to.

When it came to dancing, that was a snitch for Heather. She has always been a talented little girl. Dancing is the one thing that Heather felt she could be herself in. If it was anything like singing, it would be like a smoker trying to quit… Practically impossible, or takes forever to finally achieve it. Either way, Heather was just really into dancing and creating songs and doing art. But just not singing the songs she creates. Heather really felt like dancing and cheerleading were the only things that she could do without trying to be someone she’s not.  Life isn’t about being someone you’re not, it’s about believing in yourself and truly being yourself.

As for singing, Heather is extremely afraid. If any of her friends have heard her sing, it’s a miracle. She only sings when she is peer pressured, in a good way, to sing. When she does, some of her friends say she’s amazing and also have convinced her to try out for Beauty and the Beast. Heather didn’t want to at first but she was out numbered. Like 10 to 1. She didn’t feel like she would fit the part with her red hair, but then she talked to her mom and they all said that

If it weren’t for the wonderful job Coach Geffort, Mrs. Regales and Mrs. Whealen have been doing, Heather would be that shy girl in the corner who is afraid to talk to anyone but her closest friends. Right now thanks to her wonderful coaches and teachers, Heather is blossoming into a gorgeous and outgoing adult.  Strangers think she’s quiet. Her friends think she’s outgoing. Her best friends think she’s totally insane!

To conclude, Heather can’t do anything that involves her getting up on a stage and performing other than cheerleading and dance. Even though she is willing to face her fears. But she is also nervous that she will get sick because of the last time she perfumed in front of just her parents. She doesn’t know what she’ll do in front of the entire town of Pewaukee! Well that’s Heather’s stage fright. 

Theme Piece

In the Matched trilogy, by Ally Condie, is about a girl named Cassia Reyes who ends up falling in love with her best friend, Ky and her other best friend Xander. Ky ends up having to be sent away to the Outer Provinces where he was forced to fight in the war... Thanks to Cassia. She is a sorter and she had to do a "real life" sort. Which means she gets taken to a work site and she has to sort everyone into two groups and the groups are, who are doing good and who are slacking. She puts Ky into the group that is doing good so he would be able to get a promotion. But when she thought she was helping him, she realized that Ky would have to be sent away to the Outer provinces to fight in the battle. The theme in the story is love and loss.

Therefore, the story has the love connection with Ky and Cassia, then Ky got sent away and now Cassia is being forced to move farther away from Ky and all her friends than she could ever imagine. Now Cassia has to go on a huge adventure to find Ky and she is determined to find him and bring him back from that horrible place. While Ky fights, Cassia gets her final work position and she gets closer to Ky than her new home. At any cost, she will save Ky and her family.

 The Hunger Games is very similar to the Matched trilogy. In the Hunger Games, Katniss loves Peeta and Gale at the same time, just like Cassia loves Ky and Xander at the same time too. After the games, Katniss and Peeta are still in love and in Matched, Cassia finds Ky and they are still in love.  That is how the Matched trilogy is related to the Hunger Games.

I think that Cassia is a very independent person who can easily take care of herself. I think that Ky is a strong leader who can stop almost any argument. Like Katniss, Cassia is strong and can fend for herself. The only difference between the two girls is that Cassia follows the rules, but Katniss breaks the rules all the time. Katniss and Cassia are equally my role models.

Through and through, Cassia Reyes is a strong and independent girl who can easily take care of herself. Katniss from The Hunger Games, is the same way. Ky is a very unique guy who enjoys the company of his friends. I believe that Cassia will go and find Ky and bring him, back to her home. She will risk Anything except her family. She really misses Ky and she wants him back.

Conflict/ Resolution

Cassia Reyes lives a troubling life where the society basically lives your life for you. They decide where you work, who you love, where you live and when you die. I know it sounds a little ridiculous that  they decide when you die, but it is a good way in some point of  views, like if you live longer than you have the chance of disease or cancer. But if you die at the age of 80, then you have a safe fulfilling life that anyone would be happy to have. Cassia now has to decide whether to choose family over love.

Ky is an aberration, which means that he is a person in society that doesn't fit in. Cassia and Ky are now in love and they weren't supposed to. When an aberration falls in love with a matched member of society then there is big troubles because they have now committed an infraction. It isn't pleasant when you get an infraction because if you commit an infraction, then you might be sent to the outer provinces to fight withe the villagers.

Ky is the kind of guy that you would want to be around. He really likes to write...(shhhh he shouldn't know how to write) and he likes to go hiking... (with Cassia of course) He also has a job at the nutrition disposal site. Cassia does sorting. She had to do a "real life" sort and it was at the nutrition disposal center. She had to separate the people who were doing a good job and who were slacking a little bit. She knew that the people who were working fast pace were going to get a "better work position", but of course Cassia wanted Ky to get the better work position but she didn't know what the other job was. So she put Ky into the group that would be getting a better job hoping that he wouldn't have to suffer at this horrible job anymore.

Cassia soon realized that she would have to sacrifice everything to save Ky from being shipped away to the outer provinces to fight in the battle with the villagers.(which the society was losing in) for 6 months and when or if they return, they would have to continue with a normal and happy life.

Cassia eventually will go looking for Ky, but for now. She will just have to deal with the fact that Ky is gone and there is nothing she can do about it. Cassia doesn't leave until a long time and she wonders if Ky is even alive still. But all she can do is hope that he is alive and well. Cassia will really have to pay attention when she goes to look for Ky so she can find her way back home.

When Cassia goes looking for Ky, she will not only have to pay attention to where she is going but she will have to be careful about the blue tablets that Xander gave her. Ky will have to forget about Vick and everything that he saw during his time in the war.

Predictions

In the Matched trilogy, by Ally Condie, Cassia Reyes has recently fallen in love with her friend Ky. Then when she thought things couldn't go worse, Ky was sent away into battle with the Outer Provinces. Cassia has spoken to her official and has decided that she wants to go looking for Ky with the compass he gave her. I really want Cassia to find Ky and bring him back.

I think Cassia will go looking for Ky and she will find him and take him back home to Mapletree Borough. I also think that Cassia will be able to let the officials realize that she loves Ky and Ky loves her so they will bend the rules just for them so they get to be together. Knowing that if she went on a journey in search of Ky, she would have to leave her life, family and all her wonderful friends including Xander, her match and her best friend, all for a boy who might be dead by now.

I believe that if Cassia finds Ky, it will be like the opposite version of Cinderella. In Cinderella, the prince meets a girl, they fall in love, she goes away and the prince goes looking for her. But in this case, the girl meets the boy, they fall in love, the boy goes away and the girl has to find him. I really hope that everything will be okay between Cassia, Xander, Em and Ky.

Through and through, I believe that Cassia will go looking for Ky, and I think that she will find him, and they will fall in love again and they will live happily ever after in Mapletree Borough... Or will she?

The End

Character Developement

I have chosen Matched for my character development piece. I chose it because I think that Cassia has a lot to offer Maple Tree Borough. In Matched, there is a society and this society decides who you love, where you work and when you die. I understand that everyone has to die someday. But that doesn’t mean that you have to poison them when they don’t die on their 80^th birthday! I know that deciding who you love could be a good thing but I think that they should have freedom. Cassia is matched with  Xander. But she loves Ky… and Xander at the same time.

Ask Heather to see the video.

Retelling

In the Hunger games, Katniss’ sister Primrose, has been chosen during the reaping day to participate in the Hunger games. Katniss knows that Primrose is too weak to participate in the hunger games and she knew that she would have to volunteer as tribute for her sister. During the games, Katniss is thrown around a lot and she meets this guy named Peeta Mellark and she ends up falling in love with him. But this makes Gale, her friend, jealous.  In the end, Katniss and Peeta both win the hunger games! 

Patriots Penn

When you think of America, what do you think of?... The stars and stripes? The wars? Or how about Freedom?  We are one of the only countries that have freedom. We have the freedom of speech. We have the freedom of love. We have the freedom to choose our president. But what most people need to focus on, is what we have rather than what we don’t have. Freedom isn’t something we can just buy from a store, freedom has to be earned in one way or another.

The freedom of speech is something that the blacks of the 19 century didn’t have. All the white people thought that the people who didn’t have the same skin color than them were stupid. But now thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. we are all free to live a happy and normal life for whatever skin color you are.

Although freedom of speech is important and well known, freedom of politics is an intellectual part of America as well. Freedom of politics is something that most countries don’t have and we should be grateful that we get to choose our president, and governor and even maybe class presidents at school. Even though most of us are grateful for who is our president, there are others who don’t even know what a president is. Politics are important, let’s keep it that way.

Through and through freedom is something that people should respect and be thankful for. If this is something these people can’t do, then it’s their loss and they will NOT have a happy and fulfilling life. People shouldn’t just think that they can get away with anything they want. If they don’t enjoy freedom then they don’t enjoy life. I think that these people are not like Martin Luther King Jr. because they don’t have the courage and drive that he did.

Retelling (So B. It)

Author's Note: This is a short response to  my book, So B. It.

So B. It is about a girl who goes on an adventure to find out her background because her mentally disabled mother keeps saying this strange word and she wants to know what it means.  She searches until she finds a home for the mentally ill and she finds a boy about the same age as her mom, mumbling the same word… Will she ever find out how this guy is related to her?