Journal Entry 39: Christmas Holiday

What do you think about Christmas? Is it a religious holiday, or a commercial tradition? Does your family celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it? Do you think the way you celebrate it is traditional? If you don’t celebrate it, why not? Explain your thoughts.

I think Christmas is all about a lie to make all the kids behave (ha ha), but it's also about families getting together and parents spending their money to buy their children presents (which is awesome, of course). I think Christmas is both a religious holiday and a commercial tradition, it just depends on if you're a christian or not. To my family, Christmas is very important, even though it's not seen as a religious holiday. We celebrate Christmas every year and even my mom and dad gets presents from "Santa". In our family, we usually just get our presents in the morning both under the Christmas tree and also in the socks in out bedroom. We always go on vacation and also have an awesome dinner on Christmas eve. I don't really think the way my family celebrate Christmas is absolutely traditional, because we don't leave cookies and milk for Santa, and we don't have snow in Taiwan, plus, we don't have chimneys in our house. I love Christmas, because I know I don't have to tell Santa what I want, I just have to tell my parents what I want and I'll probably get it (well, I have to be nice first).

Journal Entry 38: Mars

What do you know about Mars? How is Mars different from Earth? How is it the same? Why do people want to go to Mars? What reasons do they have? Do you think people will ever get there? If so, how long do you think it will be before they do? If you don’t think people will ever go to Mars, explain why not. Would you want to go to Mars or any other planet? Why or why not?

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system, and it is red. Both Mars and Earth are planets and. Mars, unlike Earth, is small and rocky, and it is a lifeless planet. Mars also have two moons, while Earth only has one. I think people want to go to Mars because Earth will soon be destroyed by human if we continue wasting Earth's resources and destroying the nature. They must think that since Earth is going to be destroyed, then why not find another planet to live in, but I think that is very selfish too. Because, how can we just destroy Earth and then desert it to find another planet, and what about all the other animals? They weren't the ones that were destroying Earth! According to NASA though, living on Mars in the future is definitely possible. "NASA's Mars program is focused on that very issue. Finding ways to get humans to Mars, and then keeping them alive once they arrive. Whether or not humans will live long term on Mars is hard to say, but it appears very likely that we will at least visit." I definitely would want to go visit other planets myself, but I don't want to be be the first (no way!). I think it would be cool to see for myself if aliens really do exist, and to see what other planets are really like.

Journal Entry 37: Setting and Plot

A story's setting may affect plot events. Think, for example, about a struggle between two friends that takes places in 2005 on a California beach in the height of summer. Then, imagine that struggle taking place two hundred years ago on a farm in New England in December. The actions, speech, and clothing of the people in the struggle would be very different. What other setting elements would be different? How might that affect the events of the story? What stories do you know that would be different if the setting changed? How would the events of the story be different in a different setting?

The argument could take place in the Ice Age at the Arctic with woolly mammoths walking around, or it could take place in the distant future on a planet far, far away, or it can even take place on December something in 2012 (while the world ends). During the Ice Age, those two friends will have to wear different clothing and they might not even know how to communicate, much less argue. In the distant future on a planet far, far away, those two friends would probably be using different languages and might even be a different specie. If it took place in 2012, which is actually not very far from the present, they would probably dress pretty much the same and also use the same language as we do now, but the whole tone of the story will be a lot different (might be all panicky and stuff). The story Cinderella would be a lot different if its setting changed. If it had taken place in the present, as in the twentieth Century, then there won't be a prince at all, and Cinderella's step-mother would probably be sewed.  

Journal Entry 36: Writing is Difficult

“Writing is supposed to be difficult, agonizing, a dreadful exercise, a terrible occupation.”
What do you think about this statement by Ray Bradbury (author of “There Will Come Soft Rains”)? If writing is so terrible, why would he choose it as his career? How do you feel about writing? Would you do it as a career? What else might seem difficult, but people choose to do it anyway?

I think this statement by Ray Bradbury is totally true and I agree with him wholeheartedly. Writing is very hard, but it's just something teachers make us do all the time to watch us suffer. Although sometimes when I'm writing about things I like, I'd actually enjoy writing (but that doesn't happen very often). Ray Bradbury might have chosen writing as his career because his parents and friends told him he is good at it and should choose it as his career or maybe he wants to challenge himself and likes the feeling of overcoming his challenge. Or maybe he just likes torturing himself. I personally think writing is okay, not great but not too horrible either. I like writing things that don't need to be researched and can be written in a short time. Even though I don't hate writing, I don't really think I will ever choose writing as a career, because according to my mom, writers have to be really good in order to earn money, and if they're just so-so, then they're likely to starve. Since I don't think of myself as an excellent writer, I'll probably starve to death if I choose to be a writer. Some jobs like cleaning ladies and janitors are also hard and boring jobs (I think that's actually worse than writing), but people do it anyways because they have no other choice. So my advice is to get a good education so that you can choose a career you actually like in the future, and not end up being a cleaning lady/guy.

Journal Entry 35: Chronological Order

Review the story by listing, in chronological order, the main events that take place in the house on August 4, 2026. Now, look at the little digital clocks that indicate the hours. From the beginning of the story, how long does it take for the house to be destroyed? Do you think that the speed in which the house is destroyed has any significance? What do you think the author is trying to say by causing the house to live on after the people are gone, but then eventually be destroyed?

It took quite a short amount of time for the house to be destroyed. The speed in which the house is destroyed is definitely very important. I think that the author is trying to show us "nature is and will always be stronger than men no matter how hard we try" by making the time it took the fire to destroy the house so short. The way the house lives on after all the human destroys themselves seem to show how happy nature will be without the humans. And it shows how even without the humans the house and nature will carry on as if nothing happened. I think the house gets destroyed because the author is also trying to tell us that technological development is thoughtless and it won't really solve our problems, so that's why the nature "destroys" is too. Humans can't live among themselves and that's why nature watched them destroy themselves and it gets rid of the things we created after they destroy themselves, but it is still polluted by radiation and many other animals were sick and wounded.

The poem within the story describes how happy nature will be when man has destroyed himself, but the truth is that nature has been decimated by the war. The dog that comes in to die is lean and covered with sores. The rest of the city is "rubble and ashes." Radiation hangs in the air. Yet nature lives on in a mechanical form. Mechanical mice scurry about the house. The closest thing to soft rains that fall are the mechanical rains of the sprinkler system that goes off when the house catches fire. The poem, which seems pessimistic, is actually very optimistic compared to the reality. In this penultimate story, Bradbury shows his final example of the folly of thoughtless technological development. It is no wonder that some in the Science Fiction community accuse him of being anti-science.

Journal Entry 34: Irony

In the story “There Will Come Soft Rains,” the author creates a world in which people are provided with all the comforts of life and in which most of the menial tasks are done for them by machines. It seems like an ideal life in which every need is immediately satisfied, yet we soon find out that humans have annihilated themselves through nuclear war. If the world was such an idyllic place, what would lead people to go to war and destroy each other? Do you find this ironic? Explain why or why not. Is this kind of situation applicable to our world today? Do you think that things are so good that people would never risk destroying it? What is left to fight over that would make people destroy the world?

I think something like jealousy and hunger for more power caused the war. People probably weren't all as rich as the people that lived in the high-tech house in "There Will Come Soft Rains", so they probably got jealous and started a war because of the inequality between people. Maybe different countries want to control the whole world and started a WWIII and bombed each other and kill everyone in the process, causing humans to go extinct. I think it's quite ironic, because the whole text is basically about how convenient and great the world was, but there was no one there to enjoy it! All the people died to fight over something that's unknown to us, but it's quite silly because they shouldn't fight each other and risk all this luxury. Who would create a perfect world and destroy it themselves!? Apparently (according to the text), humans would, which is stupid! I think this kind of situation is applicable to our worlds today because we still fight among ourselves and compete against each other even though we already have a lot and should probably be grateful for what we have.

Journal Entry 33: My Invention

Ray Bradbury’s story “There Will Come Soft Rains” is full of imaginary inventions of the future designed to save labor and make life more convenient for humans. Think of something that you have to do on a regular basis (chores, homework, carrying books, etc) that you would like to make easier and more convenient. Then design an invention that would help you do the work, or even do the work for you. Describe it in detail: what is it made of? What does it look like? What are its functions? How do you use it? What warnings go along with it?

 My invention is made for the people who are imaginative and lazy. It's called the "Everything and Anything Machine" or the "Appear Outta Your Mind Machine". You simply think of the object you want then out comes your object. It is basically a little box that comes in all different sizes and shapes (the larger the cheaper, just like computers), and it's easy to carry. The box may look small, but if you but your hands in it, you can't feel the edges. It is a huge, huge box (no limits... you can stuff the whole Earth in there) that looks very small and is very light. The box comes with an earphone that's attached to the box, and it's for receiving your thoughts. It also comes with a little scanner (the kind you see at stores, but a lot smaller) that can scan pictures and sketches of what you want it to give you. The Everything and Anything Machine can't produce living things though, and producing living things seems very immoral and abnormal anyways. If your thoughts and pictures aren't clear enough, then you might find some very weird things in the box (good thing it can't be alive:)... ), so you must be very careful. You can also ask for answers if you think or scan a question, but it works best on answers that only has one answer (like math questions).

Journal Entry 32: Modern Technology

New technology changes the way people live. At the start of the twentieth century, most people had no cars, no electricity, and no telephones. Most people didn’t even have indoor toilets or running water. If someone had predicted an invention like the World Wide Web, people would have laughed. No one at that time could have imagined the way we live today. Write down your ideas about what life might be like a hundred years from now. How do you think new technology will affect our lives?

I think life will be either extremely advanced a hundred years from now or we might go back to the start and live in caves. It really depends on whether we will make the Earth's temperature go higher and higher until the whole Earth is flooded and humans extinct (ha!) or we might find a way to stop global warming and save the Earth. If we can't find anyway to avoid destroying ourselves, maybe (hopefully) we'd appear again on Earth and we will then have to restart everything again. If we manage to save the Earth, then we might be super advanced and I bet kids like me won't have to go to school anymore! We might just have to eat something or drink something, then all the knowledge we need will be in our brains already. We might not even have to move at all and we can just use our minds to control things instead of having to move (we'll become quite fat, I suppose...). We might have robots that helps us do everything and computers that solves all our problems and do everything for us! I think new technology makes us lazier (most of the time) and makes life easier.

Journal 31: Compare and Contrast Dogs

Gary Paulsen describes his dogs as a team and also as individuals. Think for a moment about the dogs (or other animals) you have known. Do you agree that no two dogs are ever alike in personality, even those that have been raised together? Choose two animals you have known to compare (choose specific individuals). If you like, make a Venn diagram for the two animals to help you think of how they are alike and how different. Avoid obvious similarities like “They both have fur.” Try to focus on personality traits.

I've never had any pets and I've always been quite afraid of animals ever since I was very small. So, I'm going to compare two of the homeless animals who are always wondering around in our community. One of them is a really, really cute white cat that always hang around in our front yard. The other one is a really dirty and a mean-looking, and one of my neighbors said she's been chased by it before. The dog is pretty fierce and doesn't like human. Whenever someone goes near him, he barks loudly and bares his teeth. I always try to avoid it when I walk home when I was younger. The kitten is very different though. It's very sweet and likes coming near people, and my sister always try feeding it water and some bread. The kitten is very curious and likes to stand by  our window and watch us and sometimes even watch TV with us! The dog is very mean and tough, but it's very smart too. It knows that it must avoid cars and it's actually quite good at crossing the road! I think the kitten is still young and naive so it is still very cute and friendly, but the dog has already experienced a lot and knows humans are not always kind, so it knows it must protect itself first. Those animals are kind of like humans, all of them have human feelings and they all learn from their experiences and mistakes.

Journal Entry 30: Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

Today is Thanksgiving, it's the day people think about things they should be thankful of, be happy for what they have and how the Indians helped the Americans survive. Actually, people should always be thankful no matter what day it is, because we should all appreciate everything that we have right now, after all, life is short, right? I'm thankful that my family is not very poor and they care for me, even though they are sometimes a little annoying (no offence, Sis!) and likes to yell too much (Mom, Dad, it's true...). If I was born in a poorer family, I might not be able to go to PAS and attend a good college in the future, and I might not have money to spend on learning this and that and shopping (ahhh, that's torture!). I'm also thankful to the person that invented holidays and weekends. Or else, I guess I'd be dead because of all the days I have to go to school  and all the homework I'll have to ride! I'm also thankful that I'm born in the 21st century, because if I wasn't, then I probably can't go to school and I might not have as much freedom as I have now. Not to mention I probably wouldn't have internet and Skype and Facebook and Youtube and... Anyways, I'm very thankful for many, many things, and I will try to appreciate all the things I have.

Journal Entry 29: Heroes Revisited

Last quarter you wrote several journal entries about heroes. Now you have a more concrete reason for thinking about the definition of what a hero is: your Outsiders essay. For this journal entry, find at least two dictionary definitions of a hero and copy them into your journal (make sure to tell which dictionaries you got them from). How are they different? How are they alike? Do you prefer one over the other? Is there anything you would add to the dictionary definitions? Anything you would take away? What would you add or subtract and why? Note: do not count the copied definitions as part of your 200-word limit.

"a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act, is regarded as a model or ideal, or a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities or one who shows great courage" - Merriam Webster

"A person with courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa." - Dictionary.com

The meanings from Dictionary.com and Merriam Webster are both very similar, but I think Dictionary.com's definition is better than Merriam Webster's, because the meaning of hero I found there is more detailed than the one I found on Merriam Webster. Both definitions says that a hero is someone that shows great courage and has "heroic qualities"  or has "performed a heroic act". Dictionary.com gives a definition that is more in-depths, and it explains what are the "heroic qualities" a hero should have and how the definition of heroes change overtime. I think heroes also should have a unique quality that not many people have, but the quality does not have to be magical or anything, like Spider Man's webs or The Incredibles' super powers, it just has to be something a quality not everyone has. I also don't think that heroes need to be noticed by others in order to be a hero, because hero is something you are on the inside, you don't need others' approval at all. Even if you're not well-known or admired by many people, you can still be a hero, like some generous people who donates lots of money to poor people and travel to poor countries to help the starving citizens there. They can still be heroes!

Journal Entry 28: Great, Old Knowledge

In the story “In Trouble” by Gary Paulsen, Paulsen concludes by saying of the dogs that “they had great, old knowledge; they had something we had lost.” What do you think he means by this? What is “old knowledge”? Why is it “great”? What kinds of knowledge do you think humans may have lost, and why do you think we lost it?

I think the great knowledge that we humans have lost, unlike the animals is the love of nature, and they don't take more than they need. Animals always take what they need, like eating just enough to be full, not like humans who sometimes hunt for fun and that resulted in many animals' instinct. Humans are also a little too competitive and we all want power. Now, everyone wants to be the best, the controller, and in the end we're just hurting others and ourselves (sometimes, too). Sometimes, we even betray our loved ones and back-stab each other, I bet animals don't do that. Animals have a much simpler life and they just plain fight when they have a disagreement, unlike humans who bury their hatred deep within them and plot revenge, or use nuclear weapons to harm not only the ones they hate but also other innocent people. Humans have really contaminated the Earth, and yet, we're still wasting a lot of electricity and all the resources. Animals who have done nothing (at least a lot less than humans) to cause global warming and all kinds of disasters the Earth is "going through" because of the humans, have to sacrifice and share the same fate as us, which is totally unfair.

Journal Entry 27: Human v Animal

Are humans and animals all that different? Think about how some animals seem to act as if they are human. What animal behaviors of this kind have you observed? What situations have you encountered animals in, for example a zoo, your home, a farm, or some natural setting? What kinds of animals did you encounter? What were they doing? What qualities did you see that were similar to human qualities? Do animals have personalities? Do they have feelings? Explain what you think about this.

When people ask me about the difference between humans and animals, the first things that come to my mind are that humans have feelings, thoughts, and has the ability to communicate with each other. But, after I think about it carefully, I realized that some animals actually are quite similar to humans. For example, everyone must have heard of stories of how dogs and cats have their own emotions and how they are loyal to their owners and save them from fire and so on. And, some animals do communicate, like bees (by flying in a particular pattern) or insects like ants (who gives off a smell or some kind of trail for others to follow), but I just automatically assumed that they don't have any ability to communicate just because I can't understand their "language" and that there are no names for their languages. I have encountered many animals in my life, mostly from zoos and ocean parks. I've seen about every animal you can see in zoos, from the most common to the most rare and ridiculous ones. I've always loved the sea animals, dolphins in particular (I've even done a research paper on dolphins when I was 8). I thought they were cute and I knew they were very smart because of all those cool tricks they can do and how friendly they are. I guess animals and humans aren't really that different from one another, because we all have our own feelings and thoughts even though ours might be a bit more complicated than theirs. Maybe the only difference is that humans are the ones that are ruining the Earth (with global warming), and the other animals have to pay for it dearly even though it's the humans that are hurting the environment.

Journal Entry 26: Game Character

You’ve got a time and place for your game, and you’ve got a conflict for your game, now you need a character for your game. Of course the real character is the person playing the game, but what character does he or she adopt? Is he a hungry happy face like in Pacman? A soldier? A chicken? Describe the character. Go beyond what is seen in the actual game and give your character a history—a “backstory.” Then describe him or her (or it) physically—what does he/she/it look, smell, sound, taste, and feel like? What feelings does he/she/it have? What is his/her/its motivation in the game?

My game has a very cute and delicious "backstory" (writing it makes me hungry, seriously). Once upon a time, in Candy Land, there lived a happy Candy Man who is strawberry and vanilla flavored (yum!). One day, poor Candy Man was captured by a cruel, cruel human who happened to appear on the Sugar Shore of Candy Land with a huge, huge boat. The human was a sailor whose boat got stuck in a horrific storm and all of his crew is dead or gone except for him, who ended up in Candy Land. When the Candy-Landians hear of the scary candy-eating human, they all hid in their homes made of cookies and frosting. Unfortunately, Candy Man didn't hear about the scary human because he was out hunting chocolate bunnies in the "Forest of Mint Ice Cream Trees". He was captured by the human and the human wants to bring the Candy Man back to the human world for all the other humans to see. While Candy Man was on the human's ship, he sneaked out the window while the human was sleeping, but falls into the ocean. He must escape before he dissolves in the sea water (water dissolves sugar) and has to avoid all the monsters under the sea who wants to eat him, after all, monsters also like sweets. Lucky for the Candy Man, there is a special door under sea that is rumored to be connected to Candy Land, because many of the candy adventurers have gone through that door to explore the human world. What the Candy Man doesn't know is, the doors just lead to another world and he has to go through fifteen doors in order to get back to his Candy Land (and that is the levels in my game).

Journal Entry 25: EMERGENCY!!!

Everyone has seen or heard of emergencies. TV, newspapers, and many other media sources are full of stories of people going through terrifying and life threatening ordeals. Have you ever been in a dangerous or emergency situation, such as a natural disaster, car crash, or a medical emergency? If so, what was the situation? How did it make you feel? If you have never been in an emergency situation yourself, how do you think you would react? Would you be able to control the fear and act effectively, or do you think you would panic? Would you freeze up, or run around in circles screaming? Or would you calmly take control and know just what to do? How can you prepare for emergencies? Do you think being prepared can help a person avoid panicking?

I've never been in a really serious emergencies in my life, but there was once a really long earthquake when I was in fifth grade that really scared me. That one time, we were in school and we were having a Chinese class (if I remember correctly). I was dozing off (shhh!!), and watch the teacher's mouth moving and moving, but I can't seem to hear what she was saying at all. Suddenly, I felt like the whole ground was trembling, and I thought I was dreaming again, but I realized that all the other students have also stopped paying attention and are all looking at each other quizzically. The trembling gradually turned into shaking, and we all stared at each other with fear and horror in our eyes. My stomach was filled with butterflies and I felt nauseated and wanted to cry, scream, yell and run all at the same time. "Everyone hide under your tables," the teacher said calmly, even though I can see that she, too, was very scared. After about three minutes (which seemed like hours to me), the quaking slowly stopped. Even though no one was hurt, we were all scared pretty badly, after all, we've all heard of the famous 921 Earthquake that killed thousands and millions of people. Now that I think about it, I am quite impressed by my Chinese teacher. I was really impressed by how calm she acted and how she handled the situation. She must have known that if she had shown any fear, then that would only make us kids even more scared.

Journal Entry 24: Setting In Art

Look at the picture on pp. 234-235 in your text book. What do you see in it? Describe forms, shapes, images, colors, and so on. What kinds of sounds, smells, tastes, or feelings does it make you think of? How would you describe the setting? Where is it? How do you know? When is it? Why do you think so? Can you describe the mood of the painting? What kind of feelings does it generate? What kind of world—realistic, scary, dream-like, fantastic, etc.—do you think it is? Why?

I think that the whole picture is about three giants and their pregnant cow pet going to visit a midget village. From the picture, I can tell that it's very cold and it's snowing outside, and all around the giants are small little cute houses. The giants had huge smiles on their faces and there's a weird little bucket in front of the cow, and it looks like its full of garbage. Also, I realized something quite uncomfortable about the picture, and that is that the cow is pregnant with a bird, which is very freaky. And, there are also outlines of faces in the sky and there's a huge tree in the sky too. I'm guessing that the cow is a monster and its the giants' monster pet, and the giants are probably visiting their midget relative in the Midget Village. I think altogether, the picture looks very heart-warming, because the giants look very happy and seemed very nice, and all the village seemed cute and "fairy-land-like". Honestly, I can't help but feel like Tinker Bell is going to suddenly come out of the small village and sprinkle her magic dusts all over the giants. I guess the snow and the houses just made everything seem so magical and sweet!

Journal Entry 23: Game Conflict

For a story to be interesting, it has to have a conflict. The same is true for a game. The players have to have some kind of goal, and it has to be difficult to achieve. For example, in basketball the player has to throw the ball through the hoop. There also need to be complications to make it even more interesting. In basketball complications include not being able to carry the ball and run with it, as well as having other players trying to stop you. For this journal entry, write about the conflict that your game will have. What is the goal? What makes it difficult for the player to achieve the goal? What complications are there?

In my game, the player is supposedly forced underwater to find a treasure for the pirates. He/She is supposed to find a very rare pearl and as soon as the player finds it, they win. The faster they find it, the higher their score will be. They must also finish their task under a limited amount of time, or else they'll run out of air and suffocate to death. There are also monsters all around and by battling them, the player loses air. The whole place is maze-like and it's easy to get lost, but there are shortcuts and portals everywhere. There are also bombs scattered around the place and if u touch them, it's game over. The player can also gain some are, which is also some time, by catching bubbles. Players can also find a few special food in places full of monsters and obstacles. There is the freezing potion which stops the time, the monster killer which gets rid of a monster for you without wasting your energy, life savers which gives you an extra life, and the speed booster which can help you move faster so you can finish your task on time.

Journal Entry 22: Game Setting

Soon you will be creating a video game in your computer class. In order to make a good game, you need to create a setting for it to take place in. Your setting can be in any time or place. Ancient Egypt, or a thousand years in the future in a distant galaxy, either way you should use your imagination. Think of how the setting could affect the game. If it is very hot or cold, could that affect the game? Is there gravity? Oxygen? Is it on the ground, in the air, or under water? Are there monsters? Machines? Is it a race, or are characters fighting each other? Remember to include things from all five senses. Of course a computer game cannot create smell, taste, or touch, but if you include flowers, that implies a smell. If there are flames or ice, that implies a feeling. The presence of food items implies taste. You may be able to include sound in your game, but what kind of images would imply sounds? Write a description of the setting of your game.

My game is going to be underwater. The story of my game is that the main character is stuck underwater, and he /she must find the key to escape. He/she must escape in 3 minutes, and if he or she runs out of air, the game's over too. The whole place is a little bit like a maze, with spikes and stones an sharks the player must avoid, or else the player will lose air and that will cause them to be out of air faster. Along the way, there are some food, some, like chocolate bars and hamburgers are the good ones and they can help you gain more time, but it you touch the poison, then you will lose 20 seconds of your time and if you touch a bomb, then, "BOOM!!!", end of game. Also, if you touch the black poison, you will be blind by dirt for 10 seconds and you can't see anything. You can also add air by touching bubbles produced by clams and fish around you. There are also some treasures like pearls and diamonds or gems form sunken pirate ships and by getting those, you can gain lives so if you run out of air, you can restart, so it's actually like an oxygen bag. 

Journal Entry 21: Describe a Place You Know

Write a brief descriptive essay about a place you know very well. Help your readers visualize the place by including details that help them see the setting, smell it, hear it, and perhaps taste it and touch it. Open your description with a topic statement that tells your readers what place you are going to describe and how you feel about it. Then use an organizational scheme for the description: top to bottom, left to right, big to small, most to least important, or least to most important. Whatever scheme you choose, stick to it throughout the description.

The smell of steak and soup makes my mouth water as I hear my mom yelling, "Dinner's ready!". I ran to the dining room and sat on one of the white velvet chairs that are set around a rectangle black table and a crystal chandelier hanging above the table. As I sat down, I realized how cool the room was and found out that the air conditioner was on. The table was empty, and I realized that dinner wasn't ready yet, it was just ALMOST ready. I went into the living room and lay down on the huge, soft, white leather sofa and grabbed the remote control from a small table next to the the sofa. I turned on our TV (which is also quite big) and almost jumped out of the sofa because the speaker next to me almost made me deaf because the sound was so loud (must've bee another one of my sister's jokes). Finally, dinners ready, and my stomach was growling.

Journal Entry 20: The Influence of Setting

How can setting influence the events (or the plot) of a story? What effect can setting have on the conflict, or complications? Think about stories you have read or heard (true or fictional), and look for ways that the setting played a role. What about your setting? Describe the setting where your own “story” takes place. How does your setting affect the “plot” of your life?

The setting can influence a story in lots of ways. The setting can influence the story's plot and outcome and ending and even the conflict! For example, if the story was set a long time ago in an unknown place, wild things that may not happen in the real world might happen in the story, because then, who could prove the author wrong? Also if it's set in the future and is far far away, no one can prove the author wrong either. The setting can totally affect the conflict, because if the setting was in a desert or at North Pole, then the character will have to fight to stay alive and either try to not freeze to death, or find water and food.  My setting takes place in the 21st Century and in Taiwan. My life setting affects my life because if I was born a long, long time ago, and in a land far, far away, I probably won't need to go to school and I might be a princess! ;) If my setting was in the future, who knows what might be different? And, if I wasn't born in Taiwan, and was born in Africa or somewhere poor, I wouldn't be living the life I'm living right now.

Journal Entry 19: Do the Right Thing

One definition of a hero is a person who does the right thing even though he or she might have to act alone. Many of the people we most admire and think of as heroes have had to stand up for their beliefs. Could these definitions apply to Barbara Frietchie or to Harriet Tubman? How about Stonewall Jackson? Describe what beliefs they stood up for, if any. How about the heroes you cited in your last journal entry? How about you? Have you ever had to “do the right thing” by yourself?

Barbara Fretchie and Harriet Tubman are both heroes, no doubt. They both risked their lives just to stand up for what they believe in. Barbara Fretchie told the soldier to shoot HER instead of the flag, just because she really belives in uniting her country and that was really brave. Harriet Tubman was willing to risk her own life too by helping the slaves escape to Canada, because according to the law, anyone who helps the slaves will also be killed or punished. Stone wall Jackson wasn't a hero at first, but he eventually became a hero too himself because he was influenced by Barbara Fretchie. He also told his sodiers to leave Barbara alone even though she was waving the flag, because he stood up for his own beliefs that were buried deep within him before Barbara made him realize it and stand up for it. I have did the right thing before too! There was once when my friends asked me to help them cheat on a exam, and I told them not to cheat, or else the teacher will find out, even though I knew I would probably fail if I didn't cheat.

Journal Entry 18: Setting

Think about settings that have had a strong effect on you. Where were you once very hot or very cold or very scared? What place made you feel especially safe and happy? Pick a setting that had an effect on you and describe it using your five senses. What did you see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch?

The stage. Any stage. Any stage in front of a lot of people staring at me. Standing on the stage makes me feel super nervous and uncomfortable. I really hate going onstage, especially going onstage alone. I hate the feeling of all the eyes on me. When I face the audiences, I can see everyone staring at me, and it totally freaks me out. I've tried all of the tricks such as imagining the audiences naked and all that, but it never worked for me, and it only made me even more nervous. I can't hear anything at all and it's like I'm in a trance or something, and all I can hear is my blood pumping trough my ears and feeling like my brain will explode and my heart will stop beating from all the pressure. I can pratically taste the food I ate for the last meal. Once, I made the mistake of eating a huge cake before a speech, and I felt so sick I threw up after I finished my speech! When I'm onstage, I feel really cold one second and shiver all over, but also feel very hot the other second and feel my whole face burn. I really hate stages.

Journal Entry 17: My Hero?

Describe someone who is a hero to you. First describe them in terms of their physical, social, and historical context (what does he/she look like, what are his/her qualities, where and when does/did he/she live). Then explain your relationship to him/her. Is it someone you know personally? Someone you have heard of or seen (such as a historical figure, fictional character, or famous person in the news). How did you find out about this person? Finally, explain why you consider this person a hero. Keep in mind the qualities of a hero that we talked about in class, as well as what you wrote about in your last journal entry.

My hero is my mom! My mom is tall and has no super powers (except making me be more confident of myself or want to kill myself or runaway...), and she's just like a normal mom with a little "higher than usual" expectations. She is a nice woman and is very friendly to all her friends and other parents. I remember there was once when she was yelling at me and I was on the brink of crying and the phone rang, my mom picked up the phone, and said, in a super friendly and cheerful voice, "Hello? Oh, hey! Yeah, I know. Oh! Ha ha ha...", and I was so shocked, thinking, wow, how can she change so fast!? Even though my mom can sometimes be quite scary and expect me to do magnificent things, she is still a nice woman and has helped me through a lot of things. She was the one that introduced me to a swimming, a sport I used to be frightened of, but is now my favorite. She also helped me get rid of my stage-fright. I remember competing in a speech contest, and she made me prepare the speech by saying every single word perfectly and standing in front of the mirror saying my speech again and again until I get everything right or else I can't even go to bed. She also sacrificed a lot of her time trying to teach me math and driving me from one place to another for my classes. She is my hero, and I really hope that I will work this hard for my own kids in the future!

Journal Entry 16: What is a hero?

What is a hero? Describe the characteristics that make a person a hero. Try to think of several people (fictional or real) that are considered heroes and describe them. What do they have in common? Do you know anyone personally that you would consider a hero? Do you think you could be a hero? Explain.

A hero is someone that always does the right thing or sacrifices themselves for people, even the people they don't know. Heroes also fights monsters and save innocent people. Some of the girly and childish heroes I know of are probably: Powerpuff Girls and Kim Possible. Also the guy from transformers and X-men and Superman! They all have super power, Powerpuff Girls were a mistake at first, but they can fly, Kim Possible can transform into a super spy (i think so), and all the transformers can transform into different machines and X-Men are mutants and all have different super powers, and Superman... well, everyone knows superman. He's SUPERMAN. They also all sacrifices their own safety to fight against the evil and they all like to save the innocents from the big bad guy. I think I don't really know anyone that is a complete hero, because I don't know anyone that has super powers. Maybe, my teachers, because they can control the time I go to bed by the amount of homework they give me, and they give me lots of homework and tests to "help" me be smarter. Also, maybe my parents, because they support me (sometimes) and help me trough tough times. They also yell at me and make me a better person by telling me what I'm doing wrong and correcting my mistakes.

Journal Entry 15: Leaving Everything Behind

Think about another period in history when people were forced to leave behind everything they knew and loved. How would their experience compare with the experiences of Harriet Tubman and her eleven fugitives? What about you? Have you ever had to move to a new place? If so, did you have to leave anything behind? How did it make you feel? If you’ve never moved, have you ever known someone else who has? How do you think that made him or her feel?

In the past, there was a civil war in China between the republic and communists. A lot of people were forced to fled the mainland to Taiwan and islands close to China, or else they'd be killed or worse. The people that were left behind were either too poor to travel on the boat or just not important enough so they were left out. They traveled across the sea and many died during the trip to Taiwan. Even the ones that successfully arrived in Taiwan were mostly broke because many of them met pirates on the sea and were robbed. It was very sad, and that's why nowadays, Taiwanese still hate China people so much (most of them). Their experience was kind of similar to Harriet Tubman and her eleven fugitives' experience, because they all had to leave things behind. But for the Chinese, it was a llittle different, because a lot of them were free and had a lot of money, food, and family, and many of them were rich, but they had to leave a LOT behind so they can run for their lives. Harriet and her eleven fugitives had nothing to lose, because they were already slaves and didn't have much going for them, unlike the Chinese which probably includes many educated and successful people.

I've moved before, and I had to leave some of my childhood memories behind. My family moved and had to leave behind my toys and swing and slides. I was very sad and I still miss them a lot, because they were like my childhood and it's hard to leave them behind.

Journal Entry 14: Why Risk Your Life?

Why might someone like Harriet Tubman, who was already free, risk her life to lead other people to freedom? What could she hope to gain from this? Have you ever taken a risk when you had a lot to lose but little to gain for yourself? If so, describe the circumstance. If not, why do you think you have not? Do you think you ever would take a big risk just to help someone else? Under what circumstances might you do so?

Harriet Tubman probably wanted to let others enjoy freedom too, like her, and thought that it's unfair and felt guilty that she gets to taste the sweetness of freedom, but others don't. She probably just hopes to end the slavery and see everyone being treated equally and be proud of what she has done. I don't think I've ever take any risks when I had more to lose than how much I gain. Probably studying, because I have to waste my time just to get a good grade when I could be watching a movie or something (just kidding). I haven't risked too much, because I don't think there's really anything worth risking when I don't have much to gain, because then, what's the point of risking anything!? I think I will probably take a big risk to help someone I know, but not someone I don't know (only if they're dying or something).

Journal Entry 13: Freedom Fighter

Imagine that you are a fairly wealthy and comfortable citizen of a country. Everything is going well for you personally, but there is one problem with the place you live: slavery is widely practiced and is sanctioned by the state. You, as a freedom loving person, are bothered by this. Unfortunately, it is illegal for you to help slaves escape, or even to openly question the practice of slavery. You find out that some people you know are secretly helping slaves escape, and they want you to join them. It is very dangerous, because if you are caught you could be killed. Describe how you feel about the situation and what you would do.

I'm not really the kind of person who likes to go around risking my own life for some people I don't know, but I'd still help a little. Even though I believe that it's wrong to enslave people, I wouldn't have courage to help them escape. I would probably employ them myself, and be really nice to them and still pay them. Even though that is not effective enough, at least I am helping some of them. I would probably also help my friends help the slaves and not interact with them directly myself, but through my friends instead, because that would be a little bit safer. If there were enough people who wants to end slavery, I might even consider joining a rebel group or something, and that might help more. I guess I wouldn't risk my own life too much, because I have quite a lot to lose, unlike that slaves who really doesn't have much to lose.

Journal Entry 12: To Be A Slave

Imagine you wake up tomorrow morning and find that you and your family have been captured and sold into slavery. You are separated from your family and sent to a distant country where everyone who looks like you is a slave. Even if you escape, you are easily identified as a runaway. The only chance for freedom is to travel thousands of miles to the nearest neighboring country, but to do so you have to go on foot. You don’t even know the way. If you are caught, you will be killed in a terrible way as a warning to other slaves. Then one day someone comes to you and offers to be your guide in escaping. All the dangers are still there, but this person knows the way. Write a short story about what decision you will make and why, as well as what happens after you make your decision.


  "Wake up! You worthless pieces of trash!" a voice said. Huh? I thought to myself. Am I still dreaming? What's wrong with my alarm clock, or is this some kind of joke? I opened my eyes and found myself in some kind of humid, dark, and dirty room, and I was sleeping on the floor with a bunch of other dirty looking people ! What the...? Am I still dreaming?


  "Hey, kid. You wanna get whipped or something? Get movin'!" a tall middle-aged and mean-looking guy yelled at me, and I realized that he was the one that called me and the people around me "worthless pieces of trash". I stood up and followed his orders, all the while thinking to myself, this is obviously just another one of my crazy dreams, I probably wake up soon.


  After a few days of the same orders everyday (they don't even give us decent food!), I found out that I was captured and I also realized that the ones who captured me has taken me to another planet and they've put tracking devices into all of us who have been captured. They were very mean and worked us until we're worn out. I really hate them, but there are really no way to escape, since they've planted some kind of tracking device into our forearms.


  One day, while I was working, another slave said to me, "hey, kid, wanna get outta here?"
  "Of course! You think I'm crazy?"
  "Well, lemme tell ya something. The tracking device you've heard of, it's total BS, and if you wanna get outta here, you better follow me." he said it with a wink and an evil little smile.


  I didn't trust him at all, so I told on him. The next day, my so called "boss" promoted me, because he thought I was loyal, and I then started enjoying a way more luxurious life than the one I had on Earth. So I never went back and I really love it there.

Journal Entry 11: More Freedom

Describe all the things you get to do because you live in a free society. Then describe all the things you don't get to do because the society isn't really all that free.

I can wear whatever I want, I do what I want and I can say what I want. I can't smoke or drink alcohol or vote though, because I'm under 18. And, even though the law doesn't say that teenagers are forbidden to swear, I still can't swear. I can't really wear whatever I like (like flip-flops) to school, even though the law doesn't say I can't. Even though this is a free society, I'm not all that free at all. The already made my life not so free, because people can't kill, steal, and many other things. But, for teenagers like me, the law isn't the only thing that takes away a lot of my freedom. School, for one thing, is something that takes away my freedom. I can't wear whatever I like to school, can't swear, can't ditch, and can't even speak Chinese. Another MAJOR reason I'm not really all that free is my parents. They make me go to school, do choirs, take classes, tutor my sister, and many MANY other things. So, honestly, I'm not all that free. THIS IS NOT A FREE SOCIETY!!!

Journal Entry 10: For the Sake of Freedom

What does the word freedom mean to you? In your own life, how free do you think you are? If you have ever felt that your freedom was taken away, what were the circumstances and what did you do about it? What have people over the centuries endured for the sake of freedom? What have people endured because their freedom was taken away? What would you be willing to do to protect your freedom?

  To me, freedom means the right to do and say whatever you want (as long as it's legal, of course). In my own life, I think I just have a little freedom. I can say what I want, but no swearing or any insulting words anywhere, and no Chinese at school. I can't really do whatever I want, in fact there are lot and LOTS of things that are legal, but I'm not allowed to do. If I had my freedom taken away, I think I'd just complain about it and act like a little brat about it, but I don't really think I'd do much about it. I think my mom did take away my iPod once, and I just used my mp3 instead, and she never knew (shh!), so problem solved! People over the centuries have protested, rebelled, fought, and even died for the sake of freedom. Some people just waits for others to help and save them when their freedom is taken away from them, but there are also others that are willing to fight and to sacrifice anything in order to get their freedom back. I think I would be the kind of person that would fight to get my freedom back. I'll do anything that's necessary (as long as it doesn't includes risking my or my family's life) to get my freedom back. I think freedom is very important and no one has the right to take anyone's freedom away (as long as the other person didn't do anything illegal).

Journal Entry 9: If You Were Billy

  Imagine that you are Billy. What do you think you would have done differently when you arrived in Bath? Would you rather stay at the pub, or the bed and breakfast? Why? Consider that you don't know anything about the landlady and her unusual habits. Do you think you would have suspected her? If so, at what point do you think you would have become suspicious? Do you think you would have escaped, or would you have joined her "permanent" guests?

  If I were Billy, I'd probably have already researched all the hotels in Bath, because I like to be prepared. I wouldn't have went to the hotel I was going to stay by walking, since according to the text, it was a very cold and windy night. I would've called a taxi or something. Even if I did walk to the hotel I was going to stay in, and saw the sign saying "Bed and Breakfast", I wouldn't have gone inside. I don't really like to go to places I've never heard of or never have been recommended to go to, and I don't trust cheap places or cheap things, because their qualities are usually not so great (like things mad in China, no offense). So, I never would've join the landlady's "permanent guests, because I'm just too smart to fall for her stupid trick! Billy should've noticed earlier that the landlady is weird and not right in her mind. he actually did, but too bad he dismissed the thought. And in the end I hope he realizes soon, and call the police and have the landlady arrested and try to find an antidote for himself. He is so stupid! He shouldn't have drank that tea. It's obviously poisoned. Stupid Billy, I wouldn't trust anything before I've checked it out on the internet or something.

Journal Entry 8: After the End?

At end of “The Landlady,” we don't really know what happens to Billy (but we can make a good guess). What do you think happens just after the story ends? Does Billy realize the danger he faces? If he does, is it too late, or does he escape? Write your own ending to the story that describes Billy's (and the landlady's) fate.
   "Thank you, the tea was quite nice," Billy said, " but can you please show me where the two other gentlemen who, from what you told me, are still living here?"
   "I would love to," she said, "but unfortunately, they told me they don't want to be disturbed. I'm so sorry." She smiled apologetically, and stared at Billy with a weird glint of malice and hunger in her eyes.
   "Thank you so much. Well, I'm going to go to bed now, good night!" Billy said in a shaking voice. This woman is definitely a murderer of some kind! Did she murder the previous guests, because she must have! I must tell someone about this, Billy thought to himself.
   Billy went upstairs and tried to find a phone in his room, and he found one on his nightstand. He dialed 911 again and again, but he can't here anything on the other side. This phone must be fake, he thought to himself. He decided to look for the other two guys that were here before him and were supposedly mummified. He went to the third floor and found a dust and old looking door and peeked inside. "Those are the two guys!" he whispered to himself.
  "Hello, My dear, couldn't sleep either?" a creepy voice said from behind him.
  "Ah!" Billed yelled, " No, no, no... I was... yeah, I couldn't sleep either, so I just took a walk."
  "You think I'm stupid?" the landlady said with a sweet and poisonous smile, "well, let me give you something that'll help you sleep."
  She stabbed a needle into his arm, and the last thing Billy felt was a second of pain and peacefulness, and he fell asleep.
  And he never woke up.

Journal Entry 7: Three Pigs

Retelling is an important reading skill. It helps you to communicate clearly to others, as well as to understand a story better for yourself. To practice re-telling, think of the story of the three little pigs. You’ve probably heard or seen different versions, but the main parts are almost always the same. Try retelling the story of the big, bad wolf and the three little pigs in your own words. It is okay to change the details, but make sure that the most important parts conform to the original story (you can change the ending if you like).

  Once upon a time, there were three little pigs, and they were all about to graduate from high school. Their dad told them, "Hey, kids! Since you are now all grown up, why don't you guys each build a house of your own?" The three little pigs then went and each built their own houses. Pig 1 built his house out of straws, pig 2 built his house out of straws, and pig 3 built his house out of bricks. While the three little pigs were building, the wolf was watching them hungrily. He thought to himself, "This time, instead of being all rude and eating them right away, I'll act nicer and blow down their houses first."


  When the pigs finished building their houses, the wolf went to Pig 1's house. He said, "Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!"
  "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin." said Pig 1. But of course the wolf blew down Pig 1's house and ate him.


  "Let me in ,Let me in little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," the wolf said.
  "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin," said pig 2. But the wolf blew that house in too, and ate the second little pig.


  The wolf then came to the house of bricks. " Let me in , let me in," cried the wolf, "or I'll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in" 
  "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!" said Pig 3. The wolf huffed and puffed but couldn't blow Pig 3's house in. So, he climbed down the chimney of Pig 3's house, hoping to get inside his house that way, but he didn't know Pig 3 already has a pot of boiling hot water waiting for the wolf there. He fell into the pot and Pig 3 just found himself some free dinner.

Journal Entry 6: Imagine a Place

"Imagine that you arrive in a new town and need a place to stay. You see a sign in a window that says, “Bed and Breakfast.” There are yellow flowers in a vase and green curtains in the window. You go up to the window and look in. Describe what you would expect to see. Is it a welcoming place, or creepy? Are there people? Furniture? Animals? Use specific details to describe what you see. Remember to use all five of your senses."

The whole place looks warm and welcoming, with people all around the place. I smelled barbecue and something sweet from the open window. The whole place is huge with luxurious furniture all made of velvet, and I can hear someone playing the piano on the second floor. I walked through the doors and asked a lady behind a counter if I could stay for the night, and she told me to make myself comfortable while she went to check for any available rooms. I sat on one of the velvet chairs and it was so soft that it felt like a bed. I ate a few pieces of bread that tasted a bit too sweet and some delicious soup. The whole place felt like heaven and it also smelled a bit like roses. When the lady came back, she told me that there are still some rooms that are available, and she also told me the price. When I heard the price, it felt like I just woke up from a perfect dream, because it was way too expensive. As I walked out of there, I was glad that at least I tasted the awesome soup and bread!

Journal Entry 5: Advice

Identify a problem that Alfonso has in the story and pretend that you are him. Write a letter to an advice column explaining the problem and asking for help. Then, go to at least one classmate’s blog and write a response to his/her letter giving advice on how to handle the problem.

Dear Whoever Is Reading,
I'm Sandra, and I have a huge problem. There's this guy who helped my brother to get down from barbed wires that he got stuck on. I am really thankful for that, but I don't like him. He is now trying to ask me out and I don't know whether or not should I reject him, plus, he's so poor! I really don't like poor people, and if he keeps on trying to make me like him, I might HATE him. I want to reject him, but I really owe him a favor... I don't know what to do! Should I just tell him, or just repay him by pretending to like him back? HELP!!!! I don't know what to do!!!

Sincerely,
Sandra

Journal Entry 4: Girls v Boys

This story is told from a boy’s viewpoint. In your experience, which of Alfonos’s feelings do girls share? Do you think that girls and boys are fundamentally different in how they feel? Or are they similar? If they are different, how are they different? Why are they different? Do these differences and/or similarities change over time? Why or why not?

Of course GIRLS are better!!! ;)

  From my experience, girls do share a lot of Alfonso's feelings. We girls all want to be pretty and admired, and we also love being liked by people! We want to be popular and seen as the cool girl, not the nerdy and "loser-ish" girl, or the stupid or bad girl.
  I personally think girls are very different from boys. For one, girls are much more mature than guys, and we don't like humiliating ourselves. Girls think before they act, but most guys act then think then regret. Even though some boys do care a lot about their looks, but girls usually spend a LOT more time worrying about their look. Even though girls and boys do have their differences, but they also have a lot of similarities. We all enjoy being popular, and we all like to look and act cool.
  I think, when girls and boys were younger, they are almost the same. As they get older, they often become a lot more different, but when they get even older (like 80 something), they become the same again. I think it's because that when we were young, we never had anything to worry about, we just had to enjoy all the time we have left to still be homework-free and worries-free. As we grow older though, boys and girls face different pressures and they start to become more and more different. But when we're so old that we're just like waiting to die, we don't really care anymore and since we mostly face the same problems (like health), we just become very similar again.

Journal Entry 3: Popular or Intelligent?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of popularity? Of intelligence?
What sacrifices do people make to fit in?
What is good or bad about being unusual?

Do you feel like you fit in, or are you an outsider?
Which would you rather be, the smartest kid in school, or the most popular? What about the most athletic? Best looking?

  Everyone wants to be popular, but even popularity has its disadvantages. People adore you and are always eager to help you or impress you, and you'll always be under the one that everyone notices and envies. Being noticeable can be a great thing, but it can also be a very bad thing. You won't be able to do what you really like, act like yourself, and not be influenced by others. People will always be staring at you, and when you do something wrong, they're going to look down at you and you'll be in a worse situation than the "nerds" and "freaks".
   Many people are willing to sacrifice a lot of things in order to fit-in. Some give up their freedom to be whoever they were and being gossip-free. Others are willing to be mean and nasty (giving up their kindness), destroy the respect they've earned from others (like their parents'), and destroy their friendship (by giving up their true friend for the popular people).
  Sometimes, being unusual can make you popular (like being unusually pretty), but it can also make you the victim of all the bullies (like being weird and nerdy). In our school, however, no one can really feel like they don't fit-in, because there are only12 people in our class, it's like each one of us represents a different kind of "group" (like the jocks, the in-crowds, the nerds...) in normal middle schools. So I don't think I really count as an outsider in our class, nor do I think I'm popular (everyone is!)
  I think I'd rather be smart and athletic, because being smart definitely looks good on your report card and it usually takes you to a very good college (which leads to good job and money and so on...), and being athletic means that your healthy and being healthy is very important (I wouldn't want to be pretty but dead), plus most of the time, being athletic makes you popular and healthy people are mostly pretty!

Journal Entry 2: Teen Feelings

  I think most teenagers are very self-conscious and they want to fit-in, just like me. I personally think I do fit-in pretty well, considering that we only have 13 people in our class. Teenagers hate it when they aren't accepted and often times care too much about what others think of them, and I think it's actually very reasonable because teens really care about how they look, if they are cool enough and so on. Sometimes we care too much that when you think it through, it's actually kind of ridiculous. I think teens sometimes give themselves too much pressure and wear themselves out. Even though some pressure is essential for a kid to grow up, I still think too much pressure can lead to something very bad, like suicide. So, I think teenagers should stop caring so much about what others think of them and try to just be themselves, and I'll also be working on that ;)! Sometimes, people can be a little mean when they don't approve of the way someone dress or acts, they can be a little mean. I think that before they start talking about others behind their backs, they should consider that: everyone has their own rights to be themselves, they don't need to please you.

Journal Entry 1: Introduction to Me

For your first journal entry, tell the world who you are. Describe your appearance (what do you look like?), your history, your family, what you like to do (or don't like to do), where you have gone, where you want to go, and so on. Also write about why you are writing in this blog and what you think and feel about it. Do you like writing in a blog? Hate it? Don't care about it? Let the world know about you and your blog!

  I was born in Taipei on April 27th, 1998. I don't have any older siblings, so the first five years of my life was really lonely. I asked my mother if I could have a sister or brother, and when I did have one, I kind of regret it. My sister is Vanessa, and even though she's cute and looks like a sweet little girl, she's very annoying sometimes. 

  I love sports, it keeps you fit and healthy, and my favorite sport is swimming. I really love swimming! I started swimming when I was in fourth grade (a little late, I know), and after i mastered backstroke, I had my first swimming competition. After my first competition, I practiced harder and harder, I really love swimming and competing. I also love shopping and reading, and I hate staying up late.

  I actually like writing in a blog, but I guess most girls do. I like blogging and sharing my thoughts and feelings with everyone, and I don't like keeping happiness, hatred, and all those feelings locked inside my chest (I'll probably explode or something). Even though I do like blogging, I normally blog when I have time and also when I feel like it. So, I guess I don't really like the idea of blogging for homework, I just like blogging when I feel like it!