I'll Do It Myself

"It's okay mom. I know they'll leave me alone soon, high school's almost over anyways..." she told me.  Everyday my daughter, Kelsey, comes home crying, never wanting to talk when she gets home because of a silly group of girls.  Those girls have been harassing her ever since we moved here when she was in the 8th grade.  She can't even escape their cruelty when she comes home because of social networks.  I have no idea what my daughter did to deserve this, but I can't let her allow these girls to torment her any longer.

"You have to fight back or at least stand up for yourself! It hurts me to see you come home everyday like this. If you don't do something, I will." I said firmly.

"No, mom, please! You'll only make things worse. I just want to enjoy my last few weeks of high school," she said in a soft voice.

"How can you when you're letting them do this to you?"

"It doesn't matter. It's the weekend! I get to visit grandma in Grand Rapids! That's all that's on my mind!" she said with a fake smile.  She quickly walked out of the kitchen and slammed the door to her room.  I don't know how she's able to let those girls do that to her.  Because of them my daughter hasn't had an enjoyable school life.  Turning everyone in the school against her, calling her unimaginable names, even hurting her physically.  I'm glad she has such a strong relationship with the social worker at her school, I'm sure she's been a big help to Kelsey.  But now I think it's time I take matters into my own hands.  I have the perfect plan for when my daughter is gone.
*The next day*
"Goodbye, honey, be safe!" I said as I watched her drive away.  Now I must prepare for the sleepover Kelsey is hosting.  I emailed each of the girls who have been bullying Kelsey parents about a fun sleep over she'd be hosting, and it would be wonderful if they let their daughters come because Kelsey is in need of some encouragement due to bullying. This won't be a typical slumber party, however. I hear the doorbell and smile at the arrival of my guests.  I open the door and see the faces of the girls who bullied my daughter.  The girls who killed her spirit. I'm going to make sure they never do it again. To anybody.
"Hello is Kelsey home?" one girl asked in a obviously fake tone.
"Um, yes! Come in," I said pointing to the couch. "You all can wait here while I go get her."
I quickly walked out the room and listened to the girls from behind the corner.
"Wow she really is kind of poor. Look at this place," one girl said.
"It smells weird too."
"I just can't believe my mom forced me to come to this loser's house. She better not try anything while I'm sleeping or I'll trash this shit hole she calls a home."
"Let's just play nice and soon we'll be out of here."
I laughed to myself thinking about how I was going to get revenge for my daughter as I cut the power off in the house.  I was going to make them regret what they did.
*Two days later*
Kelsey arrived home to cop cars in her driveway.  She approached a detective with a puzzled look on her face.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but your mother has been arrested for first degree murder," he told me.
"What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense my mom would never do that!"
"She did. She invited a group of girls over and murdered them with an ax," he replied bluntly.
Kelsey became hysterical and ran towards her house knocking down the caution tape.
"You shouldn't go in there!" She heard someone yell.  She ran and was greeted by the smell of stale blood.  She looked around the home and all she saw was blood.  Hand prints smeared on the walls, the couches and chairs were stained with the red liquid as well. But one thing caught her attention, and it was written in blood on the wall.
I DID IT MYSELF

Time Slip PART 2

RECAP: Our character, Gibson, finds himself in a slaughterhouse in the early 20th century, while fiddling with a time machine he found in his great uncle's garage.  Things luck bad now, but his luck is about to change...

I stand in the middle of this room trying to figure what I'm supposed to do. What tine period is this? How will I get out? Will I ever give out? I don't even have a clue as to what I'm supposed to be doing in this factory.  I begin to look around for someone who might be important, someone who can help me.  But how will I be able to explain myself? "Excuse me I was sent here through a time machine. Do you think you can help me?"  That won't work at all.
"Hey! Stop standing around and help us out!" someone yelled at me with a thick Lithuanian accent.  I turned around and saw a huge man with dirt, sweat, and blood from the dead animals all over his face.
"I would help, but the problem is that I don't belong here.  I'm not supposed to be here." I said.
"No vun vants to be here.  Vhen I came to America, I vanted to be famous cellist, but I had no money.  I thought as soon as I got here, money vould be pouring in.  I vas wrong. I had to sell my cello to buy a little house, and now I work here," he yelled back at me.
"I understand that," I replied. "And that was a very great story and all, but what I'm trying to tell you is that I don't belong in this factory with you guys.  I should be somewhere else. Now if you just let me expla-"
"Are you mocking me?!" He yelled. He lunged toward me incredibly fast and soon he had me against the wall by my neck.  All of a sudden a skinny man with glasses and a suit on came in the room.
"What's going on in here?" he asked.
"Oh nothing Mr. Marsh," the giant man said while putting me down and quickly returning to work.  As everyone continued to work the skinny man approached me, while looking me up and down.  He looked at me like he knew me from somewhere.
"Where are you from again?" he asked me skeptically.
"You see I'm from here in Chicago, but I just don't belong HERE right now. I'm supposed to be from somewhere else.  Um, another time. Do you understand?" I explained. His became wide with fear.
"Oh my! You're the VP of the company! Mr. Stoch.  We weren't expecting you. A-A-Are you here for inspection...?" he said quickly.  Now I had no clue what to do.  All I want to do is get out of this disgusting slaughterhouse.  I guess I'll play along.
"Yes, um, I AM!" I said, "And I am very very upset with this establishment! I've worked hard to get this factory where it is today, but now I see that you've run down into the ground! I am unhappy VERY unhappy!"
"I am so so sorry sir let me show you to my office and I'll explain everything. I have a good explanation for everything. Please, come with me, sir," he said frantically.  He led me out of the room, and we walked to his office. I really don't know how I'm going to get out of this.  Hopefully this weird looking man can help me out....

ABC story

A young girl.

Beautiful, smart, creative.

Child abuse.

Does anyone care?

Evaded.
Forgotten.
"Get away from me!"
Her mom screams at her.
Ignores her.
Just wanting attention.
Keeping her emotions inside.
Love
Make believe.
Nonexistent in her life.
Or maybe there's hope.
(Probably not.)
Questioning
Running away
She makes attempts.
Threatening her mom about it.
Unlimited possibilities.
Visualizing a life without pain.
"Where the hell would you go? Nobody else will put up with you."
X-rays may reveal broken bones, but wont be able to show the hurt she feels inside.
Young girl wondering when she'll be able to escape the
Zoo she calls home.

Found Poem

Push, Hard work, Guts
The mission is to prevail
It doesn't matter
Fight
People wish to vision
Life
Aspirations
Excellence
Don't waste guidance
Want it
Love it
There will be growth

After Ever After

This video, by John Cozart, is probably one of my favorite videos on YouTube.  In this video, he sings about what happens after the "happy endings" of the Disney princesses Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, and Pocahontas. Not only is this video hilarious, but he also brings attention to current and historical events. Hint: oil spill, terrorism, bestiality, and guns, germs, and steel. What I loved most about this video is that every beat, rhythm, or note heard in the song is all done by John himself. Everything is done acapella, and he did it all by himself.  He was very interested in music at a very young age, so his parents had him take piano lessons.  From then on he wrote his own piano music, then lyrics, and then he began to make YouTube videos in middle school.  Towards the end of high school, he began to take his videos a little more seriously.  He began to make videos about movies such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but his song After Ever After is his most popular song right now.  This video took up to four months to make.  It took him three weeks to write the lyrics, and a month and a half to record the audio.  What made the process longer was having to re-record certain parts of the song. I'm glad he put so much effort into this song because this guy really has some talent.

Fannie Lou Hamer

"I feel sorry for anybody that could let hate wrap them up. Ain't no such thing as I can hate anybody and hope to see God's face"

Bio of FLH from biography.com:

"Fannie Lou Hamer was born on October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. In 1944, she met civil rights activists who encouraged blacks to register to vote, and soon became active in helping. Hamer also worked for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which fought racial segregation and injustice in the South. In 1964, she helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Hamer died in 1977."

In spirit of Black History Month, I decided to do a profile on Fannie Lou Hamer. She played a very important role in the civil rights movement, however not many people know who she is. I found out about her from my grandmother when I was in 6th grade. One day we were talking with each other when she said, "You know you're related to someone famous." My mind immediately started racing of thinking who it might be, but I was completely wrong. Fannie Lou Hamer. Someone I had never heard of before. She told me she was a civil rights activist, who was very passionate about the right to vote, and she was my cousin. 

At that age the only famous African American activists I heard of were Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey.  And I heard the same stories of the marching, and boycotts. That's what my lessons on black history always consisted of. I decided to do research on FLH myself, and what I learned made me feel proud, yet angry at the same time.  Her life was constantly full of sacrifice from a very young age. When she was about 12 she dropped out of school to work full-time and help her family, she was given a hysterectomy, preventing her from having children, without consent by her doctor, and she put her life on the line for her people. She became an activist in 1962, after attending a protest meeting, and her life changed radically.  She lost her job and her home, was threatened, beaten, and also shot at. One beating she received, by Mississippi police in 1963, was so severe that she was left with permanent kidney damage.  She managed to stay persistent on her fight for African Americans and their right to vote, however. She continued to march, attend conventions, and she was even televised at the 1964 Democratic convention

Learning all that did about my cousin, Fannie, was very enlightening to me. She was very headstrong in everything that she did, and always saw everything as an opportunity. She never allowed anyone to knock her down, despite all that tried. Her life shows how we take so much for granted she fought things, such as education and voting, things people no longer value. Her story really changed my life, and I am proud to be related to such a strong woman and role model.

Time Slip

It's really hard to find a job in the 21st century, and after getting laid off from my first job, I've been searching for any job I can get.  Still no luck, though. I decided to get away and went to my great uncle's house back in Ohio.  He's sort of like a mad scientist, super smart but he's uncomfortable to be around because he's so crazy. "I'm glad you decided to stay with me for the summer, Gibby!" he exclaimed, calling me by my nickname.

"I figured I'd give you a hand with your inventions and around the house," I replied. His house is a total mess because of all the work he does.

"You know, you could start off with my garage, it's not that bad, but it needs some work," he said.  I nodded and headed for his garage.  I went to push the door and I could barely get it open. There were metal parts in the way, and all kinds of trash.  I took a deep breath and began my work.  I picked up all sorts of things, some recognizable, others not so much. One machine in particular stood out to me, however.  It was a time box with a little blue light on it.  It looked like it was in perfect condition.  I picked it up and, all of a sudden, it began to shake and then there was a quick flash of blue light. All of a sudden I was greeted by the worst smell possible. It smelled like rotten meat, mixed with that metallic like smell of blood.  I immediately threw up.  Once I got myself together, I opened my eyes.  I was in a slaughter house, but it seemed like I wasn't in the 21st century anymore. It looked like I was in the early 1900s. "Hey! What are you doing standing there! Get to work!" A man said to me. 

"But I-", I managed to get out. 

"Get to work!" He yelled back while pushing me in a room. I don't know how I'm going to get out of this...

Island In The Clouds

She gasped with excitement and shouted over the noise of the propeller: "The islands in the clouds are real!!"  I glared at her wishing she would shut up. My little sister Iyania was not supposed to be coming with me to my favorite spot.  This is where I go to relax and unwind, make new discoveries, and draw and stuff like that, not to babysit. She always has to follow me around, well as soon as we land on the island, I'm ditching her. We finally reached the island and she started bombarding me with questions "What's that? Why are the trees so big? How many animals live here? Are there unicorns here? Can I climb a tree?" 

"I don't care what you do, please just leave me alone!" I yelled, interrupting her questions.

"Where should I go? What is there to do?", she asked me.

"Go find out yourself," I said while walking away.  I heard her say something in the distance, but I didn't bother to figure out what she said. I immediately headed for my tree house that i finished building not to long ago. It's kind of a ways away from where we landed.  I begin to take in the scenery and try to find something new on my route.  I always loved it here on this island. My dad showed it to me when I was 12.  He told me this is where he would go to get away from everything when he was my age.  I've been coming here ever since.  Suddenly my thoughts are interrupted by the snapping of a twig. I quickly turn around, reaching for the knife in my book bag.  I turn around to see my startled little sister. "I thought I told you to do your own thing," I said.

"Well I don't want to get lost, and I'm scared," she said quietly.

"Fine come with me", I said reluctantly, "but you better not say one word to me." She suddenly was grinning from ear to ear, and I just rolled my eyes at her and continued my walk. For once in her life she did stay quiet, and I was actually enjoying this moment with her. She looked so amazed at the trees, wild plants, and how it always looked like the sun was setting.

"Hey, Bailey, there's a cave right there!" she yelled before covering her mouth.  I turned and sure enough there it was.  I never noticed it, even after all of the years I came to this island.  It appeared almost like magic.

"Let's go in! Come on! Please!?" she begged.

"No, Iyania, we don't have time today," I said sternly.

She rolled her eyes and continued walking to the tree house with me.  We were finally there in a matter of minutes.  Once we got there we began eating lunch, quietly, just like I like it. After lunch I took out my sketchpad and began drawing the sunset. Iyania began to huff and puff for attention, but I wasn't going to give it to her.

"I'm going to go explore!" she said indignantly.

"Whatever," I replied, "just don't go too far." She squealed with glee and quickly ran out of the tree-house.  I was glad she was out of my hair. I returned to my drawing, but I felt myself becoming tired. I decided to rest my eyes for a second. I opened my eyes and checked my watch.  I WAS ASLEEP FOR THREE HOURS. I look around the tree-house to see if Iyania came back, but she was no where in sight.  I immediately realize that she might have gone to that cave we saw earlier. Rolling my eyes, I grab my book-bag and leave the tree-house. I remember that the cave was next to a tree with leaves of different colors, and I see Iyania's footprints in the dirt going towards where the cave was.  I saw the tree from a distance, but once I got closer something wasn't quite right.  I got to the destination of the cave, but it was gone. And Iyania's footprints had disappeared into the rock wall, where the opening of the cave should have been.

Review: 13 Reasons Why (Spoiler alert I guess)

Plot summary from goodreads:  "Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers."

I've heard many good reviews about this book from peers, so I decided to give it a try.  I found this book to be very unique and I liked it, however, I did not love it. What I found unique about the book was how Jay Asher was able to swap back and forth between Clay's narration and Hannah's cassette tapes, without making the story confusing.  I also liked that, unlike most books, the reader got a chance to find out what was going through the victim's mind, Hannah Baker, during her path to suicide, rather than hearing about her life through another person's point of view.  Jay Asher also kept the book very engrossing and suspenseful for readers.

I did not love this book simply because it made me very upset in some parts of the book.  What upset me the most was how Hannah pretty much blamed all the people included in the tapes for why she killed herself.  Her suicide was her decision, and just because these people did her wrong does not mean that she had to do what she did because of them.  I'm not trying to come off as insensitive because this is just my opinion about the book, and I understand that people handle stress and situations in their own way.  Some people she had the cassette tapes sent to never did anything to her at all.  But the tapes were sent to them anyways because their names were brought up.  For example, the narrator, Clay Jensen, was very nice to her but she made him feel terrible for not talking to her as much as he should have.  She left the world making these people feel guilty, and it seemed like her prerogative was to get back at them than to simply explain why she did what she did.  Hannah had several occasions to stand up and tell somebody what she was going through, but she never took the initiative to do it.  She had subtle cries for help, but it almost seemed like she didn't really want help.

 I give this book 3.5 stars because, while it was suspenseful and dramatic, it just wasn't really all that great to me.  

Cyanide and Happiness

Lucid Dreaming

Things are getting crazy.

Things are getting weird.

Nothing normal is happening, it seems.

At this moment you realize you're in a dream.

But just as soon as you realize.

You open your eyes.