19 Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think

1. You are alive.
2. You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.
3. You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.
4. You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.
5. You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.
6. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
7. You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.
8. You had a choice of what clothes to wear.
9. You haven’t feared for your life today.
10. You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learned and survived.
11. You often worry about what you’re going to do with your life – your career, your family, the next step, etc. – which means you have ambition, passion, drive, and the freedom to make your own decisions.
12. You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
13. You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.
14. You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.
15. You have someone with whom to reminisce about ‘the good old days.’
16. You have access to clean drinking water.
17. You have access to medical care.
18. You have access to the Internet.
19. You can read.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/11/28/19-signs-youre-doing-better-than-you-think/

Weekly 'If' Question

If you had to name the single most important thing in your life, what would it be?

(Question taken from ‘If x2’ by Evelyn McFarlane & James Saywell)

To me, the only two possible answers to this question are friends and family. I strongly believe that in the end, if you don’t have people you care about and people who care about you. Wither it be friends or family; you have nothing. The people in my life are the most important part of it.

Now, to pick between them;  I would have to pick family. Family has been there since the second I was born. They have watched me grow, change and live. They have accepted and supported me through all stages of my life and that’s something I can’t get from anybody else. My family are the only people who truly know me, I can be completely me in front of them and that is the best feeling in the world.

My family are the most important part of my life, because they are my life. They’re a part of me I didn’t choose but still love anyway. No matter how much I put them down, or how bad I make them sound they will always by my family and for that I’m grateful.

Dialogue Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Imagery Questions

1) I selected this passage because it had many different senses that you could see, hear and feel. It painted a very clear image and appealed to me because of how clearly I could see what the author was describing. The passage 'pooped out' to me because of how descriptive it was.

2) The most common type is imagery is visual but there are examples of auditory and kinesthetic.

3) The piece of imagery I feel is the best and what really drew me to this passage is; the skin on her face was thin and leathery. This line is hard to misunderstand and very clear on what you see. It is also very easy to imagine what it looks like because of how descriptive it is. It also helps to set the tone for the paragraph. 

4) The imagery is negative; it is describing a person who is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. The lady being described is creepy and isn't something you want to imagine. I can tell it is negative because of the way the women is described, the author is talking about a dead women so he uses words like 'thin and leathery' 'real eyes had been replaces with marbles'. You also get the negative feel when he says it 'sent chills up my back' because this is often associated with something creepy.

5) The mood is creepy, kind of makes you feel uncomfortable. This is seen a lot in the second paragraph when they talk about the green mist. It is also creepy the way they say that they heard hissing of snakes.

6) The purpose is to describe women, it is meant to make her seem as creepy as possible. The passage is meant to make you cringe when reading it.

The Creature at The Bus Stop

I walked to the bus stop like I do every other day nothing was really different about today. It was a dark, gloomy morning and the air was brisk. I could feel every gust of wind through my sweater. As I walked up to the stop I noticed a man standing there, at first I thought nothing of it. Then as I got closer I noticed how tall the man really was, probablt close to 7 feet. He wore a dark grey trench coat that covered his entire body. I got to the bus stop and stopped a few feet in front of the man.

For some reason this man gave me the creeps, I didn’t like standing near him it was almost like I was afraid of him. Finally after about five minutes of standing perfectly still I got up the courage to look at him. I slowly turned my head around and followed his body up with my eyes. He was dressed very nicely under his coat, dark grey dress pants, white collared shirt and a blue tie. All was normal until I reached his face; when he caught my eye I turned around faster than I thought possible. My heart started pounding in my chest and I got an instant urge to run. The man’s face was made of stone. 

At first, I thought it was a burn but there was no colour; his face wasn’t pink or beige. It was grey. His face had no skin on it, and the only texture you could see were cracks. It looked old, but not old like 70 or 80 years old. His face looked ancient. Old like it has seen a million years and lived a million lives. In a way you wanted to feel bad for him. He had no hair on his face; he had nothing on his face actually, just his solid stone features. His eyes were the worst thing of all; they looked like sunken holes in his face. They were dark and emotionless.

Finally after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes the bus came. I stepped on to it and was greeted nicely by the driver. I paid my fare and walked to the back of the bus without looking back. When I sat down and faced forward, the man wasn’t on the bus. I looked out the window but the man was nowhere in sight. It was like he disappeared, vanished into thin air.

http://io9.com/concept-art-writing-prompt-the-creature-waiting-at-the-769946202

My Grandmother

One year ago today I lost my grandma. She held our entire family together and since she passed nothing has been the same. She was a beautiful kind-hearted woman. My grandmother was strong and powerful, yet still had the warmest touch and the most amazing sense of humour.  Even when she was lying on her death bed, she was still the strongest most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Still after a year, it doesn’t feel real. I still walk into ‘Grandma’s house’ and expect to see her sitting at the table. There isn’t a day I don’t think about you, Grandma. I will never forget her or the morals and lessons she has impressed on me.  If I live to be half the person my grandma is I will be more than happy with myself.

Rest In Peace Grandma

Weekly 'If' Question

If you could have any number of siblings, how many would you have, and of what gender? 

(Question taken from 'If x2' by Evelyn McFarlane & James Saywell) 

In complete honesty I would want to have five older brothers. For some reason, this is my ideal family. Sure, six kids is a little much but to me it seems like a perfect number. I have no idea why I’ve just always thought six kid families were great. I’ve always wanted to have a big family but sadly I only have one brother. The more siblings the more people you have to rely on, to care for you and to hang out with.

As for the older brother part, I don’t have any older siblings but I have always wanted older brothers. Not just one either, multiple older brothers. I would want them all to be older because I love the feeling of being protected, being the youngest and the only girl would ensure me so much protection. Maybe a little too much protective at times, but I think in the long run it would be for the better.

Reading Assignment #6

25 Tweets on The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

1)  Percy (@WaterBoy55) - I hate this camp, I just want to go home and live a normal life! #please

2) Grover (@GroverTheGoat) -@WaterBoy55 give it a chance Percy! It just takes a little getting use too!

3)  Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) -@WaterBoy55 nobody likes it at first! Stop whining!

4) Percy (@WaterBoy55) - @GroverTheGoat @AnnabethChase getting used to?! How am I supposed to get use to the fact that my dad is a God??

5) Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) - @WaterBoy55 @GroverTheGoat it takes a lot of getting used to… but you don’t have any other choice #sorrynotsorry 

6) Percy (@WaterBoy55) -I didn’t steal anything! If anything the Gods stole something from me, my sanity!

7) Luke (@SonofHermes) -@WaterBoy55 Percy, I think the Gods don’t use twitter…but you may want to watch what you say

8) Dionysus (@GodofWine)- @SonofHermes @WaterBoy55 who says the Gods don’t use twitter?! #dontjudge

9) Luke (@SonofHermes)- @GodofWine Sorry Mr. D. I meant Gods of Olympus…not the gods who live on earth and teach half-bloods #mixup

10) Dionysus (@GodofWine)- @SonofHermes HEY! It’s not my fault that I’m stuck teaching you ungrateful
students!

11) Grover (@GroverTheGoat) - This is my last chance; I really hope this quest helps me prove myself!

12) Percy (@WaterBoy55) - @GroverTheGoat it will Grover, my life depends on it #literally

13) Grover (@GroverTheGoat) - @WaterBoy55 try not to pressure me too much Percy. You know how nervous I get

14) Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) - @GroverTheGoat @WaterBoy55 no need to be nervous! This quest will go perfectly; you’ve got Percy and me by your side. #always

15) Percy (@WaterBoy55) – @GroverTheGoat @AnnabethChase Annabeth is right! Well about us having your back…there is a need to be nervous though #tbh

16) Luke (@SonofHermes)- I love being son of Hermes and all but this travelers really get on my nerves sometimes #urgh

17) Percy (@WaterBoy55)- @SonofHermes I’d rather have a cabin full of people than an empty cabin #lonely

18) Luke (@SonofHermes) - @WaterBoy55 that’s a good point, I never get lonely around here! I also never get sleep though! #soloud

19) Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) - @SonofHermes @WaterBoy55 I’m perfectly fine in my cabin #happyme #suckstosuck

20) Luke (@SonofHermes ) - @AnnabethChase rub it in a bit more, why don’t ya?

21) Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) - Working with a son of Poseidon wouldn’t be my first choice, but I need the quest. #nochoice

22) Percy (@WaterBoy55) - @AnnabethChase You didn’t have to come, need I remind you that you volunteered to come with me!

23) Annabeth (@AnnabethChase) - @WaterBoy55 I need to get out of this camp! I can’t handle it anymore; I need to be a part of the real world again…

24) Luke (SonofHermes) - @AnnabethChase @WaterBoy55 aaah c’mon, Percy is a great guy!

25) Percy (@WaterBoy55) - @SonofHermes @AnnabethChase Thanks Luke, at least somebody around here likes me!