Truly a Curse

There are many people you know who you would classify as “funny”. It may be your best friend, it may be someone you rarely talk too, but we all know someone. In the book Rebound Caper by Thomas Dygard,  Gary Whipple is that “funny man” around town. All he cares about is a good joke and nothing else. He is the sixth man on the boys basketball team, a reliable bench player. His attitude was never anything serious, until he got suspended. Gary’s attitude completely changed when this happened, and he wanted to go the girls team. When the girls team starts winning with Gary and the boys team isn’t Gary realizes what mistake he has made. He noticed the boys really needed him and he matured with this understanding.

Gary's relationships has not only changed with his friends but his image around town changed even more. A persons image can either make people adore them, or have a deep hatred for them. So, when Gary's "funny guy" image is all that people know him for, no one will take him seriously. His attitude was being more accepted among school faculty, parents, and students. He realized that boys and girls basketball wasn’t the same and girls could actually compete with boys when they give full effort. If his attitude hadn’t changed then he could’ve have ruined the girls state championship dreams (because he was ineligible for state tournaments but not high school league) and wrecked the boys team. But, since it did change he was able to help both groups realize that they should be proud of who they are playing for and shouldn’t do anything different. Though, if his attitude had stayed the same both teams would have certainly done bad, with or without the “funny man” playing on their team.

Now, that Gary’s point of view of things was better than it was before—it changes things between him and his coaches. He can now be accepted back on the boys team from the coach because of how much Gary has matured over the course of the season he played with the girls. When everyone saw that Gary was changing, some liked it and others did not. His friends no longer saw the need for a laugh and same with his girlfriend, the joke needed to stop. With his new attitude, it helped the boys and girls teams in very good ways. Gary, the teams, and the coaches can now play basketball they had imaged it, with everyone getting along.

Our Country

Author's Note- This is a "fluffy" essay on the United States of America.

The United States of America – a country of passionate, brave, and courageous people. Where both tragic and heroic events occur every day. Where everyone has the chance to speak their mind out to the “political powerhouses”. Where everyone has the chance to be free.  Where you have the chance to be, who you really want to be and not who other people want you to be. This is our country, land of the free and home of the brave.

Do you know any people that are passionate, brave, and courageous? You most likely do. They are people who we see every day. Veterans,  doctors, police officers, firefighters, etc. You might not thing about it, but they are heroes in our community. The way firefighters fight through the scorching blazes to bring people out alive. The way police officers protect civilians like they are fighting for the last cookie in the cookie jar. The way doctors have to persevere through the gory scene of their patients. The way veterans served our country to make it the way it is now is something we cannot repay to them. The way they pass on their true war-hero stories to generations of young children. All of these people play a crucial role in your everyday lives, whether you know it or not.

People in the U.S.A. are very passionate, brave, and courageous but unlike other countries, we are able to speak our minds, and have certain laws. Freedom of speech is something that benefits us all. You are allowed to disagree with people that have power, and you won’t get in trouble. We have a free country, which is more than we can say about terrifying third world countries and the effectiveness the government has on its people. Being able to carry a gun, is also a big thing in the U.S. You are allowed to carry guns. In other countries, you wouldn’t even be able to own a gun. There are many more laws that make our country the way it is, some that help and some that really aren’t needed.

Together as a country, we are suppose to come together and be one. We have to set aside our differences and be a country. We have to obey the laws and respect one another as if you knew them personally. We have to respect our elders and everyone around us. We, as a country need to stand together. Together as one – The United States of America.

Running Away For A Good Cause

Author's Note- This piece is about the story Pictures of Hollis Woods. I wrote this to demonstrate my understanding of Cause/Effect.

In, Pictures of Hollis Woods the main character Hollis is an orphan living with her old foster mother Josie. When, the mustard woman wants Hollis to move to another family and leave Josie, she knows she can’t. She takes Josie to the summer house of her former foster parents Steven, Izzy, and the Old Man which was the climax of the story. The mustard woman caused Hollis to leave with Josie because she didn't want to leave Josie. She wants to live there as long as possible without be caught by the mustard woman and being taken back to a new foster home.

The effects of moving from Josie’s house to the new summer house had an effect on both Josie and Hollis. Josie misses her own home and Hollis sees that. But, she cannot risk leaving and moving away from Josie for a long time. If Hollis hadn’t convinced Josie to go upstate and go to the summer home she would be living with a whole new family. By moving she saved both herself and Josie from living painful lives. With Josie, not remembering much, Hollis knew she couldn’t leave her. Therefore, she went to a place where no one would find them.

More Than Just A Game

Author's Note- This piece is about the book Miracle on 49th Street. I wrote this to demonstrate my understanding of conflict/resolution.

In, Miracle on 49th Street the main character Molly Parker's life hasn't been the same ever since she moved from London to Boston with her mother Jennifer, who had needed medical treatment because she was diagnosed with cancer. Now an orphan, Molly has been living with her mother's former college roommate, Barbara Evans. She enjoys hanging out with her best friend Sam Bloom. Molly soon tries to connect with her Mom’s old college boyfriend who is her father according to the birth certificate. Josh, is now a MVP for the Boston Celtics. She now needs to gain his trust and learn to be around each other, they need to keep this more of a secret and both of them are okay with that. There is many betrayal between Josh and Molly which is the conflict in the story.Molly now needs to try and connect back with Josh, even though he is now changing and different.

With the passing of Molly’s mother, Josh is shocked. Now, believing Molly that he could actually be the father, without Jennifer (Molly’s Mom) even telling her. Every day they start coming closer together, until Molly decides to go off on Josh’s new girlfriend about how she doesn’t deserve Josh which would be Person vs. Person. Molly ends up running off, and Josh isn’t worried. She is gone and then finally Josh starts worrying. He has one of the biggest games of his career on his hands, instead he goes to look for Molly. He finds her at an ice rink. Where Josh had taken Jennifer when they were dating. Josh and Molly finally started connecting with one another as they did before. They made it back to the game. Josh had played terrific and after the game declared that the girl who had been with him, is his daughter…Molly. The conflict is resolved by Molly and Josh living their normal lifestyles, except this time, together.

Celebrating America

Author's Note: I wrote this Personal Narrative about the time of my life while I was playing around with fireworks.

My family is known for doing stupid things -- especially around the fourth of July. We have the most amazing times with fireworks and end up wasting a lot of money just trying to get fireworks. My uncle is really the one who got me hooked on fireworks.  Since, I was a little kid going up north I always loved the boom and roar of the explosives. Being seven years old, I loved to light matches and listen to the snap, crackle, and pop of the firecrackers that I was given. Of course, my mom was worried giving an immature little boy fireworks, but my dad just laughed at the thought of anything bad happening. This is the story of us now, getting caught for doing stupid things.

“ Push the canoe out, we have everything and we are set. Let’s go blow some stuff up!!”

It was pitch black, I could barely see where I was paddling and the moonlight reflected perfectly off the surface of the lake, and you could hear the sound of crickets chirping in the background.  We finally stopped and pulled out the lighters. I could feel the canoe bang when something was lit and shot up into the air, it gave me an amazing feeling inside. Crowds from all over cheering, was really great. For me and my uncle, that amazing feeling is never enough.

“Dude, let’s light this off, it is suppose to be propelled from a tube. We are good enough pyros to not kill ourselves doing this..right?!”

“YES. Let’s do this.”

As I flicked my fingers back to strike the lighter, I have huge butterflies of what can happen in a matter of seconds. As the fuse is laying on a block of wood, we are prepared to throw it in the air for a wonderful last firework, but it all goes downhill from there. My uncle attempts to pick it up, but burns his hand, and it drops onto the deck of the canoe. It is then propelled into the air, except there is no tube for it to be launched out of. When sparks started to fly, it rocked the boat back and forth to the point where we were our stomachs.

“I’ve got to jump out of here!”

The splash of the water echoed throughout the tiny lake that we were in.  With, our canoe lighting up the lake in flames, I stared at it in disbelieve.  When, our canoe finally was cool enough to go back into, we were frozen. It was a cold night and the water made it even colder. We finally reached the house, drenched and freezing. Water dripped from our clothes but we really didn’t care because the adrenaline in our bodies were still near danger level.

“What on earth just happened?!”

“I think we almost died”

The night was coming end, we dried off and were wrapped in cozy blankets. I still had some firecrackers left, and of course I wanted to go light them off. As, I light them off I think about how much fun it was to almost be blown up, and the reason why I love fireworks in the first place. So, I will continue to light off fireworks without any accidents of course.

Winter War Retelling

Author’s Note: This is my retelling piece of the book Winter War By: William Durbin

When the Soviet Union invades their neighbor country Finland, a young boy named Marko decides to enlist and join the fight against the Russians. Even with his injured leg, he proves to be a good skier which helps the Finish communicate in battle. Can him and his partner Kaari out last the brutal Russian forces that are thrown in their way?

Magical Rainbows

 Author's Note- Color's represent who you are as a person. A rainbow is what everybody wants to be...because it always cheers people up in my opinion.

Rainbows are something that everyone should enjoy. Like, on a nice spring day and a spring shower, it forms a beautiful rainbow. Things that also form a rainbow is, taking a hose and spraying it into the air. That makes a beautiful rainbow in the air, I love when that happens. I love things that are rainbow colored. People may not enjoy things that have rainbow patterns but I think they are amazing. Tie-dye shirts, I love those. Everything about rainbow color patterns I love. Sure, you don’t match with rainbow but I am not a girl and don’t care about matching as much. Rainbows are amazing and I love being able to see a rainbow, it changes my mood every single time.