Winter Break, Already?

It seems like the year just blew by. Literally. Winter break is already here and there isn't school until 2010! There is so much that has happened in the past year that I cannot believe the end of 2009 is already here. The end of 2009 is also a good thing; I am on Winter Break! It will be two weeks (next year in fact) before I am back in school. Of course, I will use the time to sleep in and enjoy the upcoming holidays and the New Year. It's going to be an exciting break for me, but what are you doing over the holidays this year?

The Long Weekends

This weekend is MEA. That means students get a four day weekend while teachers go have conferences. As I go from place to place, I notice that the streets are nearly empty. A possible explanation is that most people are away and taking advantage of the long weekend. I find it a little bit sad that so many people are away. It really shows that people aren't home mcuh anymore. Though these weekend might at first seem like a lot of time off to most people, I find that it zooms by incredibly fast. What is your opinion on long weekends?

Early Snow

Snow has already arrived in Minnesota! Flurries this morning swept through the region and left behind a light blanket of white snow. I woke up this morning confused by the snow and wondered whether it was October or December! It has melted by this afternoon already, but I had little fun with the moist snow. My friend and I threw some snowballs at each other before it melted and took advantage of the early snow. I personally am not a big fan of winter mostly because it is cold. Snow however is an exception to the parts of winter that I dislike. I enjoy it because it brings the right conditions for skiing and I like the snowball fights it brings. I find it strange that it snowed 20 days before Halloween. Last year, it did not even get below freezing until November or so. Well, this means that the leaves will now come down rapidly and that Fall was short-lived this year.

The Twins Postseason: Update

Well, the Twins are in the playoffs, but have already lost two games to the dominant Yankees. Their one game playoff at the Metrodome proved that they could come from behind and that anything is possible in baseball. The odds once again are looking grim for the Twins; they would have to win the next three games in order to advance to the ALCS Series. It would be tough, as usual, but they have proved they can overcome major challenges.

The Fall Trees Are Turning

Pretty colors are blooming everywhere; it's that time of year where most trees start to turn a variety of amazing colors. I was up on the North Shore in Minnesota and went on a fall color trail for a little while. The leaves were at their peak and there were many shades of red, orange, and yellow. I really enjoyed gazing at the trees up there and I highly recommend visiting the north shore if not this fall, but the next fall. On the contrary, in parts of southern Minnesota, most of the trees are just beginning to bloom. There is one tree I have noticed where all the leaves have already fallen and its branches are bare. There is also another tree that has a very faint red beginning to appear on the edges of its leaves. Whatever the case, I would suggest enjoying these beautiful fall colors while they last.

What's Up Doc?: The Classic Animations

Has anyone watched Loony Tunes lately? Rock and Bullwinkle? Mickey Mouse? I have watched Loony Tunes lately and just love them! I don't know about you, but I really enjoy the older styles of animations and the punch lines! They just entice me and keep me entertained. One of my favorite episodes are those that include roadrunner. The traps that the coyote sets are so cheesy, but it's also really comical! What is your favorite classic animation?

Minnesota Twins: Another Season Lost?

After last season when the Minnesota Twins got so close to the playoffs last year, I hoped that they would make some major trade moves and get to the playoffs this year. They have done one of the two so far. They have acquired Orlando Cabrera, Joe Crede, and pitching relievers. Joe Crede had been performing decently as the starting third basemen until now because of back trouble, and Orlando Cabrera has proven himself as a solid player. However, the Twins are still three games off the division leader, the Detroit Tigers. They played that team this weekend and took two of three games in the series. If the Twins had won the last game, they would have been within only one game of the Tigers, making it easier to catch them in the reamaining games this seaon. I think that the odds are looking grim for the Twins to capture the lead in the American League Central Division. If they do it, then great. If not, then it's another season lost.

The Swine Flu is Here

While I do my activities in the fall, I also keep an eye out for the swine flu. I predict that by the time the vaccine becomes available, everyone will have had it. One of the superstitions people believe right now is that if you're sick, then you have the swine flu. That thing is happening to me right now; people are saying that I have swine flu when I just have a cough and stuffy nose similar to a cold. I'm not really too worried about this flu, because it seems relatively mild and similar to the regular flu strain, unlike the Spanish flu of 1918. What are your thoughts on swine flu?

The Art of Web Design

One of the new things I have been working on over the past few weeks has been web design. I have already learned basic HTML and CSS and I am expanding on those skills more and more. I am currently learning how to create photo galleries and how to attach photos with captions to a page. Though I still have a long way to go before I master most of the elements of web design, I am enjoying the process of learning it. Styling pages is one of my favorite things to do. I can specify values for different elements so that they make the pages look great, and there is a huge selection of colors and values. I plan on using my design skills to create a website for the FTC robotics team I am on. Overall, I find CSS and HTML an interesting and exciting expreience. What do you think about web design?

Back to Routines

Well, now that the school year has begun again, people including myself are back to fall, winter, and spring routines. During the year, I am busy with swimming, math team, FIRST Tech Challenge, and of course homework. Swimming goes year-round and is something I do regulary. Math team is fun because I can expand on my math skills and it's a great experience. FIRST Tech Challenge is a new thing I am trying this year where you have to build a robot that can compete in the game that is introduced at the beginning of each season. So far, I have found that FTC is a fantastic way to improve engineering and programming skills. You can also meet knew people on the team who sometimes share the same interests as you! I am also practicing my trombone in between each thing in my routine, and I am trying to figure out which solo I want to perform for the 2010 Solofest. All of these things I do determine what my schedule is during the school year, but what are some activities you engage in during the fall, spring, and winter months?

The End of Another Summer

Well, there's summer. It just seemed like it flew over my head in the blink of an eye. Swimming has kept me occupied mostly and has been a contributing factor to the quick summer. I just really want to complain that there's not enough of that season! It is my favorite, since I dislike that cold and snowy climate that winter brings. The start of school is imminent too at the end of summer, which can mean positive things. One good thing about the beginning of school is you get to see friends and get updated from them on how their break was. Overall, I had an excellent summer full of swimming and I look forward to seeing friends at school. What about you?

Fourth of July

The 4th of July has come, and it has been 233 years since July 4th, 1776. Wow! I had my schedule full with the things I did. I went to a theme park, I marched in a parade with the community/summer band, I attended a party, saw some fireworks, and had a fantastic July 4th dinner. The parade was excellent and I had a wonderful time playing the songs Hornet Fight, School Song, Louie Louie, and Move It! I could really see out tof the corner of my eye during the parade that the crowd lined on the side was having as good a time as I was- they were smiling and clapping along with the tunes the band played. Overall, the weekend great spending time with family and friends. What special things did you do for the holliday?

Scat: Book Review

Author of the book: Carl Hiaasen

Overview:
Scat is novel that is realistic fiction. It starts off when a feared biology teacher, Mrs. Starch goes missing after a field trip to Black Vine Swamp. Although many kids are happy of this disappearance, two students, Nick and Marta, become suspicious of the situation when the principal Dr. Dressler tells the class that Mrs. Starch is away because of a family emergency. They suspect that Smoke, a troublemaker in her class has to do with the missing teacher. In a certain way, Smoke did have something to do with Mrs. Starch's leave, but there is more than Nick and Marta think about the disappearance. They will have to journey and get through many puzzling characters before they realize the truth...

Opinion:
Scat is a well-written thrilling and exciting novel. The plot is very complex, with action happening inside and outside of the characters. The author characterizes the characters in a very distict way. He mostly uses indirect characterization, specifically the character's behavior, to create these people. The author also makes the reader figure out the mystery instead of directly telling the verdict, which gets the mind thinking as the novel is read. Overall, if a reader is looking for a book with a complex plot and a mysterious/realistic fiction novel, then Scat is a good choice that fits those guidelines.

Nearing the End of School

The end of school is coming, and many people, including myself are excited about the summer to come. For me, I will be swimming constantly and enjoying the outdoors. I just can't wait for these summer months to come! What will you enjoy in the summer?

Spring Break

Right now, school districts in Minnesota are on spring break. There are so many people going away to warm places such as California, Florida, and Arizona. Meanwhile, I am stuck at home in Minnesota, where it is dreary, wet, and cold. This has been the first year EVER that I have not gone away to spring break. I usually travel with family to New York and in recent years, I have gone to California and Japan. Even though I am not on vacation, there are still things that I can do- blog, draw, and read. What do you like to do for spring break?

Favorite Songs

Songs and music are things I really like to listen to. When I listen to my mp3, after a while I feel that I begin to get almost absorbed into the music. Sounds have always fascinated me and in music there are so many different styles and themes each song holds. I don't have a favorite particular song or artist, but I like songs with styles like rock and jazz which capture me the most. What is your favorite song/artist/style?

The Birth of Jazz

The birth of jazz came from a combination of ragtime and blues in New Orleans. I wonder how the people there got that one combination because I am thinking of many other possibilities that could have come out with a joining of blues and ragtime. Maybe it was the culture living in New Orleans that contributed to the making of jazz or the status of the economy at the time. Who knows!!!!!