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!