How to Survive Early Mornings

If you're like me, you hate waking up while it's still dark out with a burning passion. Luckily, I'm here to help you survive those terrible early mornings.
1) When you set your alarm, whether it be on a phone or clock, TURN OFF THE SNOOZE SETTING! If this wonderful setting created by the gods is turned on, you are bound to over sleep, so turn it off for your own good.
2) Get up at least an hour before you need to walk out the door. This will give you time to get woken up, eat something and maybe even have some leisure time to watch your favorite early morning Spongebob episode.
3) Eat breakfast. If you get up on time, this should be no problem. And, don't eat something full of carbs and sugar, that won't help you through the day. Eat something substantial like oatmeal with nuts or a smoothie.
4) Drink coffee. Coffee is nature's Red Bull, it will give you that quick jolt of early morning pep you need. If you aren't a coffee drinker, black English tea has about the same caffeine amount as coffee. A good brand is Yorkshire.
5) Drink a big glass of water before bed and as soon as you wake up. Think about it, you are asleep for at least 7 hours, that's 7 hours of no water for your body, so hydrate before going to sleep. When you get up, drink a big glass, too. It will help your organs function better and it will wake you up quicker.
6) Turn the electronics off at least an hour before going to bed. It is scientifically proven that using electronics before bed effects the quality of our sleep. So, turn it off or put in on Do Not Disturb, and read a good book.
I hope these tips help you to push through that gross, groggy feeling you get when you have to leave your best friend (A.K.A your bed.) and have the best day that you can.

Columnist Post #1

Hey everyone! We are beginning a new unit in my freshman English class called the columnist unit. Columns are those short but catchy and interesting stories in the paper or a magazine, and columnists are the people who write them. We really haven't learned too much yet, but we have had to take some notes on a few simple topics like rhetoric. For our homework this week we had to read a few assigned columns, my favorite out of them was What Will Kate Middleton's Dress Look Like? By Robin Givan. Now, obviously, the royal wedding was quite a while ago, 5 years to be exact, but I still find this column extremely interesting because I loved Kate Middleton's dress, and when I was a fourth grader, the suspense of knowing what a real princess dress was going to look like killed me. I wish I would've had this column to read 5 years ago. It wasn't just the subject of the column that caught y attention, it was the overall writing craft the author used. The syntax was very apparent and well thought out, which it should be in a column because they are so short. Another thing that caught my eye was the teeny tiny bit of underlying satire in the column. I thought that it was a great way to make the column a bit more interesting. Most columns do use satire, which is a quick witted type of humor, which sometimes isn't all that funny, it can also be used in a serious way to bring attention to social issues. Now, I know that this wasn't the most interesting post I've ever written, but I hope you enjoyed it any how. Have a great week everyone!

Fahrenheit 451 Theme Handout

In the wrong hands, technology can be dangerous.

Musa Khan,Aditya Vadlamani, Kevin Fedders, Zoe Grigsby, and Tyler Mattingley

Timeline:

• Montag uses kerosene to burn books
• Seashells causing Mildred drug overdose
• The Hound hunts down Montag
• Parlor walls brainwashing people
• Books can be misused because they provide people with power
• Atomic bomb obliterating people

Textual examples from the book:

Event-Kerosene is used as a punishment for possessing novels

Quote: “WIth the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world the blood pounded in his head,..” (Bradbury, 1)

Event-Parlor walls brainwash citizens and dehumanizes them

Quote: “‘ You heave them into the ‘parlor’ and turn the switch. It’s like washing clothes; stuff laundry in and slam the lid’” (Bradbury, 93)

Event-Atomic bomb obliterates city

Quote: “...the scream of the jets that would follow, would say, after the deed, disintegrate, leave no stone on another, perish. Die.” (Bradbury,151)

Theme Questions:

Why is this theme important?

This theme is important to our understanding of the story because technology plays a key role and the primary reason for the change in humanity and the evolution into a dystopia.

How does it connect to modern society?

It connects to modern society because there are many technologies that are very similar to those presented in the novel and are having a similar effect on our population today.

Fahrenheit 451 Book Review/Final Thoughts

Hello again everyone! I finished reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury about a week ago, so I am going to give you all a review on the book and what my final thoughts are. I'm going to try my absolute hardest to keep spoilers out of this post so that I don't ruin it for those of you that haven't read it. Overall, the book was very well written and the plot was intriguing, but I didn't care for it. Books that fall under the dystopian category don't really appeal to me, so this was a bit of a boring read. I asked around and found that my peers were split about half and half in regards to liking or disliking the 50 some year old classic. I am not saying that Ray Bradbury is a bad writer, because he isn't. He is one of the greatest writers of his time, I'm just saying that I don't particularly care for his writing style. I felt at some point the plot was a bit hard to follow, and I would find myself re-reading lines 2-3 times, which isn't a normality for me. I also found that some details in the book were repetitive, like Mildred's love for her television parlor walls. The unit in class wasn't as bad as my older peers had made it out to be, which was good, but it still wasn't the most fun unit I've ever done in English. It seems to me that the Fahrenheit unit has been extremely long, maybe it's just because of all the snow days our school has had. If you have read this book, comment and tell me what you thought of it. Have a great week and try to stay warm!

Fahrenheit 451 Narrative Response

This is written from the perspective of Ms. Bowles

...................................................................................................................................................................
     As I walked home from the Montag's house, the words Guy read kept pounding in my head. Over and over. I don't know why I reacted that way...it was such a pretty piece of poetry. Dover Beach I think it was called. I don't believe Mildred about Guy being able to bring a book home once a year, it doesn't add up. That piece just fit so well into the moment, Guy couldn't have just pulled it out of nowhere to scare us into not reading. I have to stop over thinking this. It was just a book. Just a silly...illegal book.
     Maybe I should report Guy? No, that would do nothing but upset poor, Millie. Oh, I know. I could call Captain Beatty and ask him if the once a year thing is true! Yes, that's what I'll do! As soon as I get home I will. Not too much further now. What should I say to such an authoritative man though?

     'Hello, Captain Beatty, this is Mrs. Bowles. I have a rather odd question for you.' Yes that's very good.
     Maybe I should just wait and go to the station in the morning instead...hmm. Would he have more respect towards me if I do? I think so. I'll just go in to the station tomorrow morning, maybe take something in for the firefighters. Donuts and coffee. That'd be nice. Oh, my mind's wandering again. I need to pick up the pace and get home.

~10 minutes later~

     Ahhhh, home sweet home with my 'family'. I'll leave the parlor walls on tonight while I sleep. That'll be nice. Let's see, I need to put on pajamas and brush my teeth now. Then straight to bed. Big day tomorrow!

~The Next Morning at the Fire Station~

     "Good morning, Mrs. Bowles. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?" Captain Beatty 'greeted' me.
     "I'm here because I have a rather important question for you, and, I brought some donuts and coffee for you and the others." I smiled as I handed him the dozen box and the large thermos.
     "Ah, thanks. What's your question?" The captain asked as he chose a donut from the box,
     "I was wondering if you allow firemen to take a book home to their families one night once a year?" I questioned the firey man.
     "Absolutely not! That's positively absurd! Why would you of all people as a question like that?!" He was clearly a bit irritated.
     "Well, I was just wondering because of an odd experience I had at the Montag's last night, but I really shouldn't speak of it. I must be going. Have a nice day, Captain!" I waved as I quickly walked out of the station before he could ask me anymore questions. Just as the door was closing, I heard Beatty going into a fit of rage
   "MONTAG!!!" He screamed. And that's all I heard.

The Fault in Our Stars (AGAIN!)

Hello again! After a good break from my reading blog, I'm back. I have decided to read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green for the 4th time. Each time I read, I find something new. There are little hidden gems in that book. Since I have already posted about this book, I won't bore you with a summary, but I will link to one below. I thought that for this post, I would share my top three favorite quotes from the book with you. I have gone through my book twice now and highlighted my absolute favorite lines, but there are way too many to post, so, here three of them.
Summary Link
1.) “I'm in love with you," he said quietly.
"Augustus," I said.
"I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” This was said by Augustus to Hazel when they were out to dinner while on vacation in Amsterdam.

2.) "As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, and then all at once." This was thought by Hazel Grace as Augustus was reading her favorite book to her over the phone.

3.) “You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” Augustus says this to Hazel as Hazel is speaking of how she is a grenade, ready to explode and hurt everyone she loves when she dies.

These are just a few of my favorite quotes from The Fault in Our Stars. John Green has been one of my favorite authors since I read this book for the first time. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it, and I recommend seeing the film version, which John Green directed. Because I have read this wonderful novel so many times, it is a very easy, fast read for me, I am counting on finishing it today (January 23, 2015). Next, I am planning on reading Paper Towns by John Green. I began this book last year, but became very busy and didn't get past the second chapter. I have heard amazing things about this novel, and John Green is directing a film version of Paper Towns. I am not sure when it will be out, but from what I've seen on social media, it is coming along great. Below I am going to post movie trailers for TFIOS if you are interested and an interview with the actors that portray Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus (Ansel Elgort). I hope you enjoyed this post, I am glad to be back. See you next time! :)

The Fault In Our Stars Movie Trailer

Shailene and Ansel Interview

Post #11: Final Blog Post for Semester 1

Final Blog Post for Semester 1

     Hello everyone! I hope you are all well. As the holidays are quickly approaching, many schools are rounding up their first semester and having final grades, exams, etc. including my school. Finals are only a week and a half away! As most of you know, I do this blog for my Freshman Honors English Class, and this post is an assessment/reflection of the semester long assignment. In this post, I will be covering the books I have read on my own over the past sixteen to seventeen weeks, a reflection of my blog posts quality and how they improved, and some goals I am going to set for myself for second semester independent reading and blogging.

     Over the course of the past sixteen to seventeen weeks, reading has become a big part of my daily life because of my English class. Whether it is independent, in-class, or for homework, I read at some point every day. I did not quite reach my goal of independently read books this semester, but I did read more books in the first semester than I have in probably a year. The books that I read this semester include The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Shack by William Paul Young (I did not finish this book all the way through, but I am counting it because I did get a very good chunk of it read), I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, and Jimi and Me by Jaime Adoff. My goal was to read seven books this semester, fifteen books by the end of my freshman year. I was only two away from reaching my goal for first semester, which I think is pretty good. I believe that the reason for me not reaching my independent reading goal this semester was because it was my first semester of my first year in high school, so I was still learning how to deal with more classes than I was previously used to and more homework. I still think I did a pretty good job reading wise this semester!

     My posts over the first semester were very consistent. I kept up with my due dates and tried my best, but that isn’t was counts 100%. What counts is the content of my posts, how I engaged my readers, and how I hopefully encouraged some of you to read a bit more. My blog posts always included voice and character. Most of the time I included links, pictures, or videos somehow related to the book I was posting about.  A few of my posts did not include links, pictures or videos, but were still engaging. One thing that I really struggled with in all of my posts was using textual evidence from the book. Whether it was talking about a line I really enjoyed, or supporting my idea of what the theme was, I never really cited any specific textual quotes. I really intend to work on this issue next semester, as long as trying to include a few more technological gadgets in my posts.

     I had a very positive experience with blogging this semester and I am excited to continue with blogging when I return from winter break, but I am going to set some goals for myself for next semester. First, I am going to include textual evidence/quotes in my posts. I am doing this because I think this adds an element to the blog that my blog was lacking. The textual evidence also tends to engage the reader more and provide a better understanding. Second, I am going to read up to my goal of 15 books by the end of my second semester. This means I will have to read 10 books, but now that I am in the swing of things here at school, I don’t think that will be a problem for me to do. Finally, I am going to try to comment more on other people's blogs and stay up to date on my class blogging chart. I did not stay up to date with my chart like I should have this past semester and it really hurt me. I had a lot of extra home work that I could have done without.
     I hope you all enjoyed my reading blog over the past weeks. I will be taking a short break from it while I am on holiday break from school, but as soon as I return I'll start posting again. Until then, thanks for reading and I hope you have a great holiday season. Bye for now!