"I'm So Damn Sorry!"

It was one of those interminable winter days. Like always, right about five p.m., I was running out the turbulent post office (Boy, was it hectic in there.) I can briefly remember what had happened. After taking a breath, I derived that I had crashed into someone. It was this tall, skinny young boy, clad in his black coat, and this red hunting hat. He seemed like a very affable person because he wouldn’t stop saying, “I’m so damn sorry.” He gingerly helped me up, and spontaneously asked me to go out for a drink or watch a movie. I thought it was very strange to ask me that since we just meet.

That crash was excruciating, I think my knee was bleeding, but I didn’t say anything so I pretended that I was okay. I told him that I could only join him for a brief stop at the bar or something. He told me that he had to meet some old friend so I surmised that it was fine with him.

“Hey, do you happen to know where the ducks go when the lake freezes?” He asked in a imperative tone.

What was he thinking? How old is he anyways? And his name, I completely forgot that.

“Oh, I don’t know, I think they, well, it really makes me despondent…” I said softly, “Oh and I missed your name?”

“Oh, I’m Holden, Holden Caulfield.” He said, “What do you mean it makes you despondent?”

Who asks these questions? I noticed that his breath smelled abhorrent. My conjecture is that he was an avid smoker because of that, and because he was going on his 5th cigar since we bumped into each other.

We entered the bar and I had an inkling that he was going to keep on asking about the ducks.

“So, you don’t know where they go?” he said.

“No.” I said very irascibly.

“Care to dance?” he asked in a harsh tone. But his eyes seemed genuine so I could be amiss.

In fact I was a marvelous dancer, so I said yes.

“Hey, do you want to come with me to the west, and I’ll get a job and stuff, and you could come with me and we would recluse our self and modify our lives!” he said as fast as he would.

“Wait, Holden, hold on, you seem like a very nice person, but I just meet you and that is just an audacious choice and it’s slovenly thought out!” I said, “I don’t want you to rankle yourself, you seriously thought I was going to say yes?”

“Just shut up!” he yelled, “You really are a pain in the ass.”
Iwas shocked and said, "Ugh, never talk to me again!”

I gave him my word grimace and rudely walked away.

“Hey, Bartender, give me another drink!” Holden shouted with anger.

Conscientious Vibrato

We were a strong,
lifelong, song...
written in a melody,
in a stanzas,
and
a note.

She is the serene piano
and I’m the prudent violin.
Forever playing
with no apart.
But years pass

And pass.
We both embark
in a journey
to adulthood.
One
before the other.

Our audacious
but yet profound talent
reach a Sul tasto,
a Ponticello, a Bariolage
But always
a conscientious vibrato
on ever note and step
of our ways.

We were a strong,
lifelong, song...
written in a melody,
in a stanzas,
and
a note.

The Catcher in the Rye: He Just Runs

Him,
that boy,
that phony slob,
that immature boy
honest
but careless
boy just runs.

He waits,
that boy,
alone
for a goodbye
a sad,
a happy,
a bad goodbye.

Him,
that boy
runs in the getaway.
Fearless
or not
just runs
and runs.


He waits,
that boy,
sick and tired
for train
that will never go forth.
So now,
he just runs
and runs.

The Girls

Amy Goldman Koss has another dramatic, clique, crushing, and friendship story, The Girls, about teenage protagonist: Maya, Renee, Darcy, Brianna and Candace. It’s a story about true friendship, the survival of middle school, and making wise choices.

Maya was just one of the popular girls until she was put out of her group of “friends” and Candace the antagonist, begins to separate them all. As the book is developed, each chapter is told in the point of view of one of the five girls, and shows there feeling about the protagonist exactly through their eyes.

This book appeals to those who interest in gossip, cliques, true friendship, or just simply want to read a book about middle school life from a girl's perspective.

Maya—the newest of the group—realizes that she is no longer part of that clique. She finds out that she was not invited to Darcy’s birthday party while everyone else was. Maya was confused and could not make out what she had done wrong, when actually she was just being kicked out of the group because of Candace, the leader “said so.” Renee—the next one in line to get exclude and whose parents are going through a divorce knows that leaving Maya out is bad but she fears that she will no longer be popular if she speaks her mind. Brianna—is just one of the followers of Candace—who doesn’t want to risk to get kicked out of the group either. Darcy—Candace’s “best friend”—obeys Candace as if she was her slave. The mystery is that no one in the group knows what wrong Maya had done, except Candace who decides who’s in and who’s out.

The author Amy Goldman Koss gives support to the story with coming of age issues that are common in the adolescent life. At the same time, the climax and resolution was blunt and brief. The climax as well the resolution was pointless because she went through so much trouble with the description and development of the characters but she didn’t end up with a strong and solid ending of the book.

The Girls is a short and fast read (121 pages) that displays many teen moments. It portrays a serious peer-pressure issues occurring in every school in the world. All of the characters really give the reader a perspective of their feelings and thoughts.

Poetry Friday: My Grandfather

My Grandfather

By: Luciana Paz

Is a writer A comma, a semicolon, an exclamation point.

He is the ink of a Mont Blanc. He is a fine and timeless writing instrument.

My grandfather is a water buffalo; a dragonfly, African Grey, a red phoenix, a crane, a donkey when he has an idea.

My grandfather is owl wise.My grandfather is rock strong. My grandfather is cotton soft.

My grandfather is a reader.A connector, a thinker, a critic.

My grandfather is

an analyzer. He taught me to value the small things in life.

Because of him, I perceive history writing, reading

in a different light.

Because of my grandfather, I'm resilient.

Confession Tuesday

1. I just looked outside my window saw a fish cloud. It’s kind of deformed but you can make out at lease the form of the fish. It remembered a story my grandpa had told me about a man how knew what was going to happen in the future, just by looking at the clouds and how they moved. I guess it might have been an advantage but who wants to know what they future is, they should just live it.
2. Today was a fantastic day (sarcasm) I had my first detention! I’m so proud of myself! I feel like a rebel now LOL I’m just kidding…
3. When she started her “electrifying” (pay attention to the quotation marks) tirade I seriously wanted to go up to her and say a piece of my mind but I couldn’t risk getting a double “Mrs. Trius’s detention of doom!”
4. Aside from having “Mrs. Trius’s detention of doom!” I pretty much had a good day. Only the fact that I got home at four and miss an hour of homework…but whatever.
5. I love to annoy my little sister with word she does not understand (especially worldly wise ones)she gets you irritated that the only thing for her to defend herself is my mom( I can’t mess with my mom or she’ll confuse me with words I don’t even want to hear.)
6. I bet there any people you know that are hypocrite and I bet everyone can say you yourself are at least a little hypocrite. There is this person that’s in our grade that really is a hypocrite (It’s not the person you are thinking right now) its someone you could least expect to be , some people may already know who the person because they’ve begun to see the other side of him/she. I wish they could stop but I can’t say anything because I can’t trust that person anymore.
7. I’ve been seeing Mrs. Gaudiano wondering around the middle school talking to her old students teacher, parents etc. Her coming to visit the school evoked many funny memories…at lunch I had remembered what Yeji, Nysha and I would call Mrs. Gaudiano something red cheeks (that meant death. Give us a break we were in 6th grade. Like if that was long ago…haha…oh wow two year ago).
8. It took me an hour and twenty-two minutes to right this confession Tuesday…I better stop. “We’ll be back with more, next week on Luciana’s blog!” ;)

What’s that Saying Again? You can Achieve if You can Believe?

I remember my first meet it evokes so many memories…I was clad in a black speedo swim suit, light blue goggles pressing around my eyes , green dynamo logo on my right side and a yellow cap just like every other competitor. The tension pervaded through the swimmers as well as the coaches and parents. The shouts, made by the crowds reverberated across the dome, giving me a haunting feeling of fright. Many irascible parents rebuffed there children’s entreaties to not competing and giving them a long tirade about how winning was there life and future. (I guess they had those grimaces on their faces because it was early in a Saturday morning). Since it was cold outside, I had to keep myself warm, with energy inside, and so I wouldn’t get dehydrate drink a lot of water.

The races had begun I was tremulous of getting on the diving step, getting timed and getting launched by an abhorrent “beep!” I had a profound feeling that something was amiss, spontaneously I heard an anonymous person call my name. Right before they could call again, I noticed that I was supposed to be on one of those diving step to swim 100 meters of butterfly. My heart had made a million slips at that moment; with cursory attention to the things in my way, I ran as fast as I could to my spot. I was thinking that I could never come out in first place I thought those stress kids would bet me by a lot.

Right when I got on the diving step I mind went blank and completely turned my thoughts inside out. I had only four things on my mind: 100 meters fly, power, speed, and number one. My strokes were just like a butterfly escaping in to their world and being free. I was on my final stroke when I reached to the wall and heard a loud “beep!” My name was first up the list I was ecstatic, thrilled of my accomplishment. I realized that if I set my mind on something and repeat it over and over I will have amazing results that I never thought I could be able to do.

To You Mother

I fall

She catches

I fail

She solves

I cry

She comforts

I talk

She listens

I need

She gives

I hope someday

I’ll do the same

She’ll fall

I’ll catch

She’ll fail

I’ll solve

She’ll cry

I’ll comfort

She’ll talk

I’ll listen

She’ll need

I’ll give.

To you

Mother,

I love you.

Slice of Life: FRIDAY...or not

Today was a normal day except the part I thought it was Friday. I had planned everything for the weekend: going to the movies with friends, shopping, staying up late, sleeping till noon, eating with family at a restaurant but no, I was reminded by my friend that it was only Thursday…sadly. There’s nothing wrong with Thursdays but it’s so frustrating that you still have an entire day left until you can say, thank god it’s Friday!

I guess since its Thursday I have to write about something interesting or something that isn’t. I have an idea that’s pondering inside my mind but I’m not sure about it. (I really wanted to write about me thinking it was Friday but at the same I wanted to write about getting a really special birthday present from a very special family.)

When my and family and I lived in Atlanta there was this family name the Yoons. My parents had met them apparently because both the dad and mom worked in the same place as my dad. At the time I was still in my mommy’s tummy so I can’t really remember when I meet them. They have always been very helpful and supportive to my family as well as loving. Our friendship between their families grew and grew and still does. They really love my sister and me but of course I am their favorite (I’m not joking). They always send us many pretty things that no one really would think of or give as present. Since it was my birthday last Saturday they sent me this beautiful bag that I always dreamed of having (I just got it today through mail).I was so surprised and all I wanted to do was call them and thank them. Like in all the presents they send us they put a really small but unique card that has concise amount writing but also contains a profound meaning.

I completed my duty with writing a 3 paragraph and one sentence long Slice of Life…now hopefully someone can comment on this fantastic, marvelous, unbelievable work of art (sarcasm)!

Is this Just an Okay?

Why do people get divorced? Is it because they don’t love each other anymore? Many families probably go through this, but who is the one that is haunted with those thoughts? Studies show that children are affected the hardest. You’ll find that there are lots of friends whose parents are divorce and you might not feel very bad about it but image how they feel? You can only feel the tension and the depression that that person is feeling if you go through it.

If you where in that situation youd probably be impelled to feel reclusive and might be tremulous to express your feelings to your parents. You might wonder if you could have helped to prevent the split. Others might wish they had prevented arguments by work together within the family, doing better with your behavior, getting better grades or wished you'd kept quiet so the irascible parents wouldn’t get mad. You may feel despondent or relived because of the tension going on at home.

I would say that parents going through a divorcing have to be strong and confident especially yourself. I also think that parent as well as children would still feel profound sadness, anger, or depression butthat’s okay because the interminable and abhorrent feelings will disappear with time and you will find yourself back to normal…in a way.

cofession tueday is on paper

Memoir Monday: Expect the Unexpected

Friends come and go it’s a well know saying but is it entirely true? You might leave them or they might leave you. You share your times, but one day you might have to go. You’ll find new friends that will care for you as much; don’t forget the others but if you do expected something unexpected. Something that might fill you heart with joy or might bring you to tears.

+ It was a Saturday but not an ordinary one, I was turning fourteen. It was my third birthday celebrating in Panama. This birthday I was surrounded by many friends that care for me, friends that would give you a smile when your down, friends that would make you laugh and wouldn’t be embarrassed to tell their deepest secrets. In the middle of the music, the laughs, the screams, the dancing I picked up the ringing phone it was Anya and Kyle, my best friend from Atlanta. I had never thought that they would remember my birthday. They sang and congratulated me, we talked like if we had seen each other yesterday they told me how much they missed me and asked me when I was going back visit. I couldn’t answer that question because I knew I might not go back. I thanked them for calling and remembering. I said my goodbye but I recognized that goodbye wasn’t forever but it was until next time.

+I was really surprised with that unexpected call I guess I had forgotten about that friendship we still have. I realized that friends do come and go but you can keep them in your heart and you never know, you might just get the unexpected.

After Wings

It’s cold,
It’s wet,
dark.
The walls are closing down on me
I’m trapped, wrapped so tight.
My wings are crushed
The wing of freedom
Motionless
Waiting
In this world turned upside down
Where all inside is unclear.
I’m hanging
by what feels
like the final thread of innocence.
Layer
After layer
I’m afraid
Of all I don’t understand.
I struggle
Through
What seemed a life time,
Finally
The day arrived…
Light pierces through the darkness
I freely stretch my wings
My wings of freedom
No longer dangling
by that silken thread.
Letting the freedom
camouflage my heart
I fly,
no longer trapped
Like a flower
in the sky.

Friendly Letter

Luciana Paz
1234 Oak Grove
Atlanta,Georgia

September 8, 2010

Dear Grandpa,

How have you been? I’m writing because last night, while I was lying on bed thinking about everything and I remembered that it has been three months since we’ve seen each other.

I wanted to recur the good times we had together. The times when you always wanted me to read your big anthology of poems and stories. The times when you would come spontaneously in the room making a meow sound and I would automatically know it was you. The times when you would get the bottle cap of the soda and a napkin and pretended you didn’t have an eye and you had a long white mustache. I remember how you would gingerly explain your book about the genealogy of our family and that you want to pass it down from generation to generation. I remember your calm and fun disposition that made me feel safe and protected.

I also remembered what those horrible people did to you, that night we were supposed to go out to eat dinner. The next morning I found you so depressed and in excruciating pain that it just brought me into tears. From then on I was instilled to how much you have to be grateful and vigilant with everything that is around you. The most important thing is that you are alright and that you have me by your side as well as your entire family. I love you and miss you very much!

Love,
Luciana

Memory Box

I have a memory box. I bet many people do and think of them in their own special way, just the way I do. I love to keep about everything that is important; I still have papers from first grade! My mom gets mad at me because I never organize that junk (don’t think my room is a big trash can.)It’s okay, you may say.

I love to keep the important things in this little box I have, that I like to call a My Memory Box. The name is not that unique but it’s concise for its purpose. My memory box contains things from the late 1900's and the early 21 first century. It’s a place where all your cherished moment and deepest secrets and feelings are kept; it’s just like a diary, but even better.

I have every important event in there; it’s like my entire life in a box. Since barley anything fits in there anymore I asked my mom if we could buy a bigger one (guess what she said...oh yes honey, please you really need it). Now I'm in the middle of the modification of my cardboard box, it’s so exciting and important for me do have this box because at any time, I could have the chance to make a small peek in there that evokes many wonderful memories that bring me joy. So I’m going to continues this until I grow to be a grandma and pass it down to the next generation and the next and the next.

Memoir Monday: It Would Just Make You Smile

I was talking with my big sister on Facebook she said that she was at a friend’s house for the whole weekend…I’d forgot that it was Labor Day weekend (I wish we could have that here in Panama)

I had recurred one specific memory about this weekend… I remember that my swim team and I had organized a special meet and invited other team to join us. Each team had a different cap that had something to do with Labor Day (I can’t really remember what was mine). Anyways, I remember that no one took it like a competition, every face had a big smile even the coaches that have a strict disposition! I can’t describe how much fun we had that day!

At the end of the day I realized that events like those bring everyone together and that’s what really make everyone happy and gives them the chance to wear a smile.

Are You Missing Me the Way I Do to You?

It is 5:30 p.m. it’s about the time where absolutely everyone will log into this so called website: Facebook. I go through my notifications, newsfeeds and stop at a comment my cousin Sabrina, made. It was about how much she missed me but it also said that the Exit Magazine, where our pictures of our party had been printed had come out finally! I was so excited; we had been waiting about almost a month now. As fast as I could, I told her to get on Skype and locally she got the notification in no time! She first showed me the magazine somewhat blurry because of the camera but it was fine...there was a picture of Sabrina and I with all my cousins, and three others with friends. I couldn't believe it, I was in a magazine. She said she was going to send it by mail and some other stuff too including the invitation so I can put in my memory box.

(I'm not done with my slice of life yet...I'm going to write about something else that happened while talking with Sabrina.) So between all that happiness I remembered that I had made my poetry Friday about talking with her on Skype just like now. I decided to open up my blog and share it with her, just after the second I finished reading she was quiet and burst into tears. I couldn’t help it but cry along with her the pain of being so far away is just unbelievable. I remembered that I was going for Christmas over there, but it was a surprise so I couldn’t say anything about it yet.

Ketchup, My Second Love

Okay, Ketchup is my second love...I use it for everything except cereal, that's just weird. I’ve always loved ketchup... I can remember the first time I tried it...just kidding, I really don't. My mom says I have something wrong with me for loving ketchup so much....but I can’t help it!
Is it weird that when you see the new bottle, shimmering with the newly put on sticker you feel an excitement rush into you? It’s kind of embarrassing admitting this but what can I do?

My mom loves to tell this story about me (it’s about ketchup obviously). It’s one of those stories that your mom thinks it’s cute but you think it’s the most embarrassing thing ever and you just want to hide behind anything at that moment. Well, my mom say that right after a tornado hit are house and the red cross had come we had a chance to go and collect our things…and well, the only thing I asked for was (try to guess) it was my ketchup bottle not my bottle of milk, not candy bar, not even my teddy bear! I adore the person one how invented ketchup, it one of the best sauces ever (actually the best sauce ever made) so once again, ketchup is my second love.

It’s Another Friday

finally…
the days hold back
the stories waiting to be told
waiting and waiting until today.
I scroll down the list of friends.
I come upon the name of my cousin.
I click on the green bottom.
Every time I see the little loading sign
I wonder
how it’s possible
to talk from thousand and thousand miles away…
I see them on the screen, blurry
but enough to see there smiles.
We laugh, cry,
we talk about are struggles,
we make jokes,
talk about guys,
are adventures in school
and we count the months, the days to see each other.
But for now we are behind a camera…
Waiting for another Friday,
holding the stories waiting to be told
Waiting and waiting until
next time.

The Tell-Tale Heart from the Point of View of the Police

Its 3:30 a.m., a women pants and rushes within the station. She tells us that during the night she heard a shriek that came from the neighbor’s house and a small ray of light shot out of the window. We asked her if she could corroborate with more but she could not. We thanked her and asked her to lead us to the house... the two officers and I surmised many theories to what might have possibly caused that shriek. We said we would endeavor to search gingerly, not anything slip away.

We walked up to the front door of the house, the porch was clad with dust, I knocked… a man greets us with smiles. Why was he smiling? We tell him that a shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play had been alerted; information had been derived at the police office, and we had been ordered to search the house. We gingerly walked in to the dark and hunting place. He led us all over the house and told us to search well. He informed us that the old man was out of the country…I rose my eyebrows in disbelief. We did not search in a cursory manner because I was sure that there was something wrong.

We did not find anything out of place. We were about to succumb but just as we went into the old man’s room and the man offered us to sit, I could tell that his tone went from calm and content, to an abrasive one. A grimace crossed his face and became paler by the second, as well as dehydrated; I knew he was hiding something. He swung the chair, he talked louder and louder, his frantic expression was terrifying… I saw him tear the floor boards yelling “here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!” I was electrified of this gruesome site, the old man laying stone dead, with his eyes opened one brown and the other pale blue… just like a vultures eye.

Like a Fish Out of the Water

“Breath, in and out!” my mother said right before everything went foggy.

The car door went shut and the engine began running. Before I new it, I realized I was headed to the emergency room…I was suffocating, I felt like a fish out of the water. I took short and forced breaths that tighten my chest (not that the effort really helped) my lounge’s airways were closing…I didn’t know what to do or think I thought I was going to pass out; I was in the hands of my parents and doctor Philips .

From that day on, I knew I was another of those people with asthma. I think suffering from it is very life changing (the fact that you can’t have pets and to make it worse finding that you are allergic to almost everything there is in existence! So that’s a definite no-no.) Anyways, I learned that asthma was not going to change my athletic life… (Thank god.) The doctor Philips told me that many famous athletes have asthma and that I should not worry because I’m not the only one out there that has it.

Now that almost 7 years have passed I have overcome my condition and I realized nothing can stop you from doing anything… Doctor Philips and my parents were always by my side. What moved me was how a doctor like Doctor Philips always thought about the patient first and the business and the money later. When I grow up I want to do the same and help children that suffer from asthma and allergies because I know how much you have to go throw with this health condition. Not only I want to treat them but I want them to feel supported, just the way my doctor did for me.

Memoir Monday: Answer or Decline?

“Ring ring ring!” the Skype pop-up icon appears on the computer screen. My grandparents. Should I press the green square that says answer or the red one that says decline? I can’t believe that I’m actually thinking of this right now…what if it was an emergency or just another of those calls where they just want to ask how school was or something like that. I feel bad thinking this but they literally, call twice each day! I don’t blame them for doing that because I know how much they love us and miss us; I can’t ask for anything better but sometimes I wish I could just hit the red button that says decline.

It’s not that I don’t love them or anything it’s just that everyone has their schedule like mine is go to school, go to triathlon practice, shower, eat dinner, do homework, get distracted by Facebook a bit, and go to sleep, by the end of the day you are completely exhausted and don’t have anything left in you to talk with your grandparents.

Once again the pop-up icon appears on the computer screen… answer or decline I say. For a moment I can picture my grandparents sitting there waiting eagerly to talk to us. It might be because the days and hours are shorter for them because there life is ending and the only thing that fills in that time is the love and affection we give them. They want to make their life longer throughout the activities, achievements, the suffering, the happiness, the sadness and most importantly complete there rest of their life with love and joy.

I realized that when time passes the only thing that is left is the people you love and care for. As a granddaughter the only thing that is left is for me to do is to leave the best memory possible with the only thing they ask for…love.

What Others Feel and No One Sees

A thoughtful person
Does not strive to overpower
Or control other people.
He values
Other
And considers.
He looks
For opportunities to help.
He thinks about others
Well being
Happiness
As well
As his own.

Last summer,
Was one that I will remember always.
It was filled
With wonderful moments, but
Sad ones too.

One day.
When I was out
In the streets of Bolivia
I saw a mother
And her seven little children
Walking with an expression
You could never name.
With a heavy bag on her back
Like if she was caring all her worries, struggles and fears.

Instantly,
I had a need
Of giving her
All I owned,
But I realized
I couldn’t.

A tight stomach
And the erge
Was running throw my body.

Could I do what everyone else does?
Give her some coins
And walk of like you made some big change?
No,
I couldn’t
I couldn’t do that
To someone who’s been holding
A big sign right in front of you
Saying:
“Help me please!”

I had
To do something
Something those kids and
Mother
Would remember
And say
Gee,
That was a thoughtful person

I couldn’t give them
A house,
Or a car,
Or one hundred bucks
Things that are material
But when I grow up
Could give
All me strength
And energy
To fight
For their health
Education
And make a farer world for them.
Although
Those things
Are hard to achieve
You don’t lose anything
If you try...

A thoughtful person
Does not strive to overpower
Or control other people.
He values
Other
And considers.
He looks
For opportunities to help.
He thinks about others
Well being
Happiness
As well
As his own.

What I Hope Will Happen This Year

When someone leaves his

or her country very young

One tends to forget many things

You forget the smells,

The color of the sky,

You forget the feeling of the cold,

You forget the faces,

smiles, and the laughter

Of the people you love…

You forget the happy moments in the past,

You forget the small details

Because

Over the years

The fragile mind

Beings to fade those moments...

It’s important to go back

And regain all those lost years.

This year I will become more alert to contact people far away.

One hug was not enough that day…

Last year we had lost the semi-final soccer game.

Tears of anger and sadness poured out of my eyes.

I saw the other team cheer

And wear a smile

That went from one side of the face to the other.

This year, I know we will win.

Tuneless, string less, it lies there is the dust,

Like some great thought on a forgotten page,

It sits there, the violin

In the dark

Waiting for someone

to wake its beautiful harmony.

This year I will be the one that wakes the beautiful instrument.

I stretch my arm forward and push back

The constant kick like a motor.

I’m swimming through a storms of doubts

Through my fears

Through my failures

Through my past and present

Swimming through joys and sadness

trying to go toward the shore

almost getting drowned by emotions

I’m swimming through my life

A place

where you will be confused,

confident

and content.

This year I will become stronger to get through the storm of emotions.

I see my sister’s fingers fly across the black and white keys

The melody growing as the days pass and turn in to years

I see her maturity become greater

At a speed I can not remember

I see she has flourished

But I just want the song to calm near the end

Because I’m afraid she will not ask for my help one day…

This year I will appreciate my sister a lot more.

This year I will become more alert to contact people far away.

This year, I know we will win.

This year I will be the one that wakes the beautiful instrument.

This year I will become stronger to get through the storm of emotions.

This year I will appreciate my sister a lot more.

Airhead

Airhead “Looks can be deceiving”
By: Luciana Paz

Airhead by Meg Cabot is a very interesting type of book that I never really imaged myself reading…I only have one word to describe this book—impressive. I loved the book it was very well written it completely got my attention they way Meg Cabot wrote it she connect it with the reader. I could easily say that this author is truly amazing.

The story takes place in the 21st Century in the city of New York. Em Watts—the main character—is not like any other girl; she doesn’t like Prada, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, she doesn’t like anything but school and her video games. Clearly you can already tell that Em Watts is a tom boy, she only hangs out with boys, well boy (Christopher how she secretly likes), completely ignores the rest of the girl the “wanna bes” (or the walking end like she calls them). Not including that her dad chose a boy’s name for her, Emerson.

The main problem occurs when Em’s little sister— who is madly in love with Nikki Howard and is becoming a walking dead—forces her to go to the new So-Ho Stark Megastore grand opening were she didn’t even want to go and had zero interest in meeting the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen supermodel sensation Nikki Haword. What Em had no idea about was that there was going to be a disaster, changing her—and life as she known it—forever? One bizarre accident later, and Em Watts, always the tom boy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.

I’m guessing that you want to know what happed exactly right? Well, when Em and her sister went to the grand opening a the huge plasma screen T.V fell on top Em and at the same time the supermodel sensation suffered from brain damage. Em wakes up in a hospital but as Nikki Haword (Brian transplant)! The only people who know about this is her family and no one else can find out. (Obviously that’s going to be hard because she is the most followed supermodel in the WORLD!) Em Watts now Nikki Haword has to act like Nikki and do her job or else her parents will have to pay 2 million dollars for the transplant plus fines. I don’t think she has an option so she has to live with it. But what Em’s pretty sure she’ll never be able to accept might just turn out to be the one thing that’s going to make her dreams come true…

At the end of the book Nikki (Em) can live with Nikki Howard’s life but at the same time she can also live with Em Watts life, in a different way. Also at the end it lives you hanging so that you can read the next book Being Nikki. Hopefully I can read the next one and find out what happens next. If you like a book that you can relate with and can help you with your own problems this is the write book for you. I would recommend this book to ONLY GIRLS from ages 12 and up.

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief
By: Luciana Paz

Have you heard about this action/adventure movie based on three teenage kids and trying to save the world? Does it sound familiar? No, I am not talking about Harry Potter but the new movie The lightning Thief directed by Chris Columbus and the book written by Rick Riordan.
Twelve year-old boy Percy Jackson is being kicked out of school for his seventh time now, he has saver dyslexia, ADHD, but that’s not all, Greek mythical creature are going after him. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen and Percy is the prime suspect. No matter how hard he tries he can’t get out of trouble. Soon enough, Percy’s mother—who has never told him who his father was—sends him to a camp where he will be safe or they think we will be safe.

Immediately he is given a quest from the oracle (the hardest thing he has ever done in his life) and bring two friend along Grover a satyr and Annabeth daughter of Athena. Will Percy find who he really is? Who is father is? Who is the lightning thief? And most importantly will he return the bolt and stop the next biggest war? Your will have to find out and see for yourself.

The movie and the book the lightning thief is based to be in Greece where gods ruled at the time. But now Rick Riordan gives in a special touch he brings the world of gods, monsters, tails, and myths into the 21 century. The movie and book are basically the same but the movie left out some things that were not that important but would have not hurt to put them in. The movie felt like it had a good plot but it seemed like the director just read the first few chapters then skipped to the end everything happened to fast. Another thing is that it felt like the actors dint connect it how really the character was they didn’t understand the background information. Because of those three reasons I would give this movie a 3.5 out of 5 the book I would give it a 4 out of 5.

Watching “The Lightning Thief” the movie is like opening a book and the word jumping out. The author really makes it very easy to familirioraiz and connect to. He also took events from the past and put them into our time, the 21 century.

If you are looking for a movie or book that has action, adventure, Greek myths, mythological creatures, or just a movie that will satisfy you than there you go The Lightning Thief, a movie that you will enjoy no matter what.

AVATAR

Avatar
By: Luciana Paz

When the conquistadors or the Spanish arrived to the Americas they came for one thing, gold. They brought things that the Incas and Aztec had never seen and really didn’t need. They just came and took their land. In James Cameron’s movie, Avatar, the Na’vi in Pandora just like the Incas and the Aztec with the Spanish were attacked but in Avatar by the RDA or Resources Development Administration who tried to extract their resources and control their land.

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) an ex-marine, steps in his brother shoes, so to speak, and continues his mission. He travels to a new world where he can have a fresh start in a place named Pandora. A world filled with exotic life forms. He goes from a wheelchair to a ten-foot-tall, blue skinned, Avatar a half human and half Na’vi (a humanoid race). Jake is sent to learn their ways so that he can help relocate them and the humans can take over and get what they really want unobtanium, a mineral that is worth a lot back on earth. With their massive robots, air crafts and power they think that they can just barge in and destroy whatever they want. With time Jake grows close to Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) (the daughter of the clan leader) the Omaticaya people, and the forest. He learns their culture and forgets on which side he really is on. What will happen to Jake and the saving of Pandora? Will the RDA get what they want and win the battle? You’ll just have wait and see for yourself.

The idea of Avatar was started back in the year 1996 while James was filming the movie Titanic. Avatar said to feature photo-realistic and computer-generated characters meaning animated character but with realistic expressions and movements. It is said that Avatars budget was about $237- 300 million dollars making it one of the most expensive movies of all time. Avatar had many awards like it was nominated 9 times in the Oscars 2010 and won 3 of the nominations. James Cameron also made many other movies like King Kong, and Lord of the Rings, Terminator and of course Titanic.
Watching the 3D movie Avatar is like traveling to an unexpected world of art, love, science fiction, environmental justice, and of course action and adventure. The movie is like the saying, “expect the unexpected.” This movie really takes you to a spectacular world beyond imagination.

If you’re an adventure-loving, action-seeking moviegoer, then you’ll just be on the edge of your seat and want even more. Don’t worry if you think adventure and action is lame because Avatar is filled with many aspects and angels of life, art, science fiction, and technology. Don’t miss it, Avatar a movie like no other.

Alice in Wonderland Movie Release

Alice in Wonderland

Directed by Tim Burton

Can you believe it? Another hit movie directed by Tim Burton is coming out this Friday, March 5, 2010! Alice in Wonderland starring Jonny Depp (Mad Hatter), Mia Wasikowska (Alice), Anne Hathaway (White queen), and Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen).

Tim Burton brings back the classic story of Alice in Wonderland but with a small twist in it. He continues the story of Alice in Wonderland but as teenager. Will Alice remember anything of the adventure she had when she was child? You never know what to expect with Tim Burton he made many movies that imprested the public like The Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissor Hands, Nightmare before Christmas, and many more. You will probably see Tim Burton’s style in Alice in Wonderland and your first word will be “WOW!” Since Burton has a kid he loved to draw and paint he had a real passion for art and he still does.

This new version of Alice in Wonderland originally based on the classic children’s tale from Lewis Carroll is a great adventure for anyone who goes to watch it. The genre is Adventure Fantasy Family so you’re into a trait with your family the movie is PG. The movie will be shot using 3-D and performance capture technology similar to that used for “Beowulf.” As you already probably know this film will be released in Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3-D.

If you ever get the chance go and watch the movie, Alice in Wonderland. You will not regret it you will joy it from beginning to end.

- Luciana Paz