Friday, June 15, 2012

Final Mark

I think my blog would deserve somewhere around an 80%. I know all year I really slacked off and didn't keep up with everything. But I have finally caught up with ALL my missing assignments and reflections I needed to finish (I think). I also added my twitter feed to my blog, which was a lot harder than I thought, but finally figured it out! As well as the books I'm reading list, except that didn't turn out how I thought. I can't figure out how to get the picture of the book to show and I had to link it to amazon. Did that happen to anyone else?
Anyways, I've tried to do as much as I could with my blog and I think it's looking pretty good now!

Personal Addition #25

For my last personal addition (possibly) I would just like to apologize for leaving all this work until the last day. It was a lot of work for me but I know it's a ton of work and I just made your job a thousand times worse. So I'm sorry for being so lazy! and sorry for not doing my work until now. But I hope you have a nice and relaxing summer!  :)

Personal Addition #24


Let's just pretend this is why I did all my work the night before it was due... I had a plan all along. Just wanted to wait until I was older!

Personal Addition #23

Just thought this was funny, and relevant because we only have ONE Monday left of school. Then when summer begins I will have absolutely nothing against Mondays because every day is a holiday!
So so so soon, I can't wait for it to be over!!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Personal Addition #22


Speaking of teams, this was my gymnaestrada team from last summer, when we traveled to Europe! This picture was taken in a giant castle we toured and I love it because one, it looks cool and two it took us so long to get it right because we had to use the timer and the last person was never up in handstand by the time it went off, but we finally got it! I had the best time of my life in Europe and I would relive it all again in a heartbeat. Such a great experience.

Writing Reflection #11

Pretty much covered my thoughts in the last post about the buried life project. But I have to add I'm excited to watch another episode tomorrow!!

Writing Reflection #10

@BrightonCW: Little bit late for this one.. loved the buried life project. Such a cool idea ad so many different options for presenting! @Cre8tiveHavoc

Personal Addition #21


This photo was taken at the cheerleading camp we had this passed weekend for Bisons (U of M). It was such a good work out and soo tiring, but I had a ton of fun and learned so much! We trained Saturday and Sunday, 7 hours each day (with lunch break of course) and by monday morning I could barely move. Even after spending only two days with this team I absolutely love them already. Everyone is so nice, funny and most important, they're welcoming. I know we're going to have a such a great year and I can't wait for the season to start!!

Personal Addition #20


So I know I bring up grad a lot, but it's just such an exciting time of year! The other day I finally got to go pick up my grad dress to bring it home and I'm so happy I love it just as much as when I tried it on 5 months ago. I have my shoes and clutch, I just need jewelry now, but I am so excited for the big day! It's so close now and I can't wait to be all dressed up with all my friends. I know we'll have the best time together.

Reading Reflection #10

@BrightonCW: Catching Fire (63) frustrated by unanswered questions, hopefully it picks up soon! @Cre8tiveHavoc

Reading Reflection #9

@BrightonCW: Surprisingly enjoyed The Hunger Games, excited to see how everything plays out in the second book! @Cre8tiveHavoc

Writing Reflection #9

So far tweeting is going pretty well. I have only tweeted up to 23 things on my list, so I guess I will go tweet the rest tonight and tomorrow! I never realized how many things I would still like to do. Even the small things. I also noticed that a few things that were on my bucket list before (just in my head) were things I have already done! Like sky diving and swimming with dolphins. Of course I would do them again, but those are things now that I can’t add to my list.
I like the idea of just posting the whole list on our blogs though rather than having to tweet an item everyday. I still don’t understand how twitter can be school related, but maybe that’s just me. My goal I would say would be to finish tweeting the rest of the items off my list, and then eventually get around to completing them all! Obviously that will take some time, but it would be the most rewarding thing to accomplish. First of all I will need to win the lottery and then hire someone to organize all these trips and places I want to see because I don’t think I can do it alone. 

Reading Reflection #7

Book: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 1 - 31

Last night I started “Catching Fire” the second book to “The Hunger Games”. I figured it was only right to continue in the series. I only got through the first two chapters before I fell asleep, but I must say I am still confused about Katniss and Peeta’s relationship. I know I’m only two chapters in, but I thought right away it would all be sorted out. And now Gale’s in the picture. I always wondered about him and I’m still curious to see how his and Katniss’ relationship ends up. The victor tour starts soon, where Peeta and Katniss need to act like they’re in love again. I’m anxious to see how that part plays out and to see Gale’s reaction. I predict he won’t be too happy.
The President came in to talk to Katniss, which made her extremely nervous, and I don’t blame her. Even from an outside point of view I was nervous for her! Such an important man, with so much power I couldn’t imagine being Katniss. Her whole life has been turned around now with the new house and so much money. I’m happy for her and her family, but I wonder what’s going to happen to her with all this fame. Will it go to her head, or will she be able to control it? Guess I’ll go keep reading to find out! 

Writing Reflection #7

http://tricerat0ps.blogspot.ca/2012/04/this.html?showComment=1336953172126 - Morgan

http://kathleenskraftyblog.blogspot.ca/2012/03/i-havent-really-thought-about.html?showComment=1336953839375 - Kathleen

http://forcedents.blogspot.ca/2012/06/visual-23.html?showComment=1339734258882 - Danielle

The process of commenting went well. It's actually really interesting and I enjoy looking through everyones blogs. People post a lot of cool things, funny pictures and things about themselves I've never known. Having blogs was a great idea, I love seeing everyones posts!

Personal Addition #19


With grad just around the corner I am soo excited but so nervous! And now that grad quotes and baby pictures are due, I've been looking through old albums and school pictures trying to find the perfect one! I know it's more fun when everyone tries to guess who the baby is and this one is obvious it's me but since I'm the second child there's not many pictures to choose from. I guess my parents got bored of pictures after my sister. I think this is the one I'll submit just because it's the youngest school picture I can find (grade 1) and I've heard school photos work the best.

Personal Addition #18

I think I need to step up on my working out. I was doing so well for a while, running everyday but then all of a sudden I got so lazy. Maybe because it's the end of the year and I have so much work to catch up on that I just don't have the time. After school is done though I need to get back into it. Especially for the summer. I feel like I need to make a workout plan though because I'm never motivated enough to just get up and go. So on that note, does anyone know where I can find a good workout plan with different exercises to follow??
I also think my next purchase with be some nice new runners. Maybe that will motivate me to at least go for a run! I guess we'll see.

Personal Addition #17

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruyaKdPfTN4

This is pretty much my new favourite song, plus Hunter Hayes is so cute. Also he is touring with Carrie Underwood which makes me want to go to this concert a hundred times more!!

Personal Addition #16


Just once I would like someone to deliver me flowers this beautiful... Seriously.
Just once.

Personal Addition #15

"Old enough to know better, young enough not to care."

I came across this quote and decided I want to live by it this summer! Since this is the last summer before university and before I turn 18 I feel like I can do anything. Once university starts, it's the real deal but until then I won't let anything hold me back. This quote is perfect in the fact that we're all old enough to understand most right from wrong, but that's still not enough for myself and I'm sure all my friends to not do something. So here's to last crazy summer! Can't wait.

Personal Addition #14


I bought this little journal from chapters a while ago mostly because I thought it was cute. I planned on writing everything in it, all my thoughts, quotes I found interesting basically just anything. But the day after I bought I completely forgot about it until I found it again the other day and realized I haven't written a word. So starting now I'm going to use it. As much as I can just get all my thoughts out. I think it will be helpful in getting everything out. In fact I will start tonight!

Personal Addition #13

So I found out a few weeks ago that Carrie Underwood is going on tour. I absolutely love her! One of the things on my bucket list was to see her in concert so I thought, oh this is the perfect opportunity. So I went on ticketmaster to figure out dates only to find she's not even coming to Winnipeg!! Shock. In all of Canada she is only visiting Vancouver, Calgary and Saskatoon. I was so angry so I came up with a plan to go to Calgary and stay with my family there and go to her concert! I didn't think that was a problem at all until I asked my mom and she didn't even think twice before saying no. She said I can't miss school... (even though it will only be about 2 days in October) so now I need to come up with a way to convince my mom to let me go. Better get on it soon!

Personal Addition #12

This post I would just like to mention how much I HATE construction. It always takes way longer than necessary and every time you drive through there's never anyone working! First off, the construction on Sturgeon road is apparently supposed to last 2 years.. what needs to be done that could possibly take that long? Second is Portage. I have no idea what they're doing but it's blocking two lanes right by my house and its so annoying trying drive down it. And third is Kenaston. Driving down Kenaston is literally a maze. Driving home from the U of M especially in rush hour is probably the most painful thing in the world. So much traffic that doesn't move anywhere. And so many pylons which one day I will very likely knock over because they're everywhere! I know the job can't be easy, but they seriously need to do it a bit faster because everyone gets annoyed.

Love


Love can be found in the pathway of emotional, unwanted experiences.

Years


Long years dominated by new daring minds forced into the world.

Confidence

Confidence can enhance the well-being of individuals who strive for perfection.

Newspaper Blackout Poetry


I know this is waaay overdue, but I finally finished it.
(ps - I'm not sure why my paper looks purple)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Reading Reflection #6

Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 278 - 374 (the end!)


I have finally come to the end of The Hunger Games! And for once I'm happy with the ending. I feel like stories (books and movies) never end how you want; leaving you angry, but this ending was just as I thought. Closer to ending there was so much emotion, and such a strong connection between characters. I’m still unsure whether it was real or fake, but maybe I’ll find out in the next book how it all plays out?
The victor as they call it, is obviously very proud of winning, but imagining their life after something so dreadful is really scary. Having all those memories being in the arena, fighting these kids, and literally running for their life must be hard to deal with. It’s like war. The memories, flashbacks, pain they have to live with now would be haunting. After being gone that long, I bet the best feeling in the world would be running back to see your family, your home. The longest I’ve ever been away from home was one month when I went to Europe last summer and I have never been so grateful of my home and bed as I was the day I walked in the door after that trip. 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Reading Relfection #5


Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 195 - 277


This week’s reflection said that we could mention how our reading classes were going. Since I'm way behind I have been trying to read as much as I can at home. I was obviously not productive during the year, but I’m catching up now. So far I am really enjoying this book, as everyone has said it’s amazing. Last night I stayed up until 1 just reading in bed because I couldn’t put it down! It’s almost like it pulls you into another world and you just forget about everything else. Every chapter in this book ends with some kind twist that forces you to keep reading. There’s never a point where it’s easy to put it down, but I was exhausted, could barely open my eyes so I had to. I’m now nearing the end of the book and I still haven’t found out who wins The Games! I’m so anxious to find out, and now that they’ve added a new “rule” to The Games it makes it a thousand times more suspenseful. I can’t wait any longer to see how this turns out. My prediction is still that Katniss will win, not only because she is intelligent and more than capable of living under these conditions, but also because how would they have a second and third book when the main characters are all dead? Anyways I need to continue reading and I will be updating my last thoughts when I finish the book! 

Final Thoughts on the Course


Overall I enjoyed creative writing although I fell behind very quickly. We did so many interesting assignments that you wouldn’t normally do in a regular English class. My favourite assignment would probably be the Buried Life project. It was a lot of work and took a while, but I think it turned out well. The presentation part I didn’t like just because I hate public speaking, but the project itself was a great idea! My least favourite assignment would be the weekly reading reflections. I don’t like reading much to begin with and then having to write about it every week was difficult for me. Friday reading classes were a good opportunity to continue reading and catch up on your book, but honestly by the time Friday came around I just didn’t want to be at school. Monday writing and reading reflections weren’t too bad because they didn’t have to be that long, but even waking up on Monday is already hard enough, let alone thinking about what you read last week. We didn’t use our WRN much because of the blogs, but I personally like the blog idea better. It’s a great way to see what everyone else is up to and if you miss a day or need an assignment from weeks back its all up there for you. The tweeting though I could have gone without. I feel like twitter especially for high school students shouldn’t be connected with school. Hence why I had to make a new account. Like I mentioned before I like the idea of the blog. In a previous English class we tried using blogs and it ended up not working because computer problems and no one knew how to use them, but in this class I feel like we had much more time to figure it out and were taught all the little tricks to make it more fun and exciting. As a writer I learned that writing about things that have happened in my life is way easier than writing a fictional story or poems or anything like that. Having more background knowledge makes it easier to work out the details. As a reader, to be honest nothing really changed. I have a hard time staying interested in any book, but it did motivate me to finally read The Hunger Games!
Ms. McLauchlan did a great job teaching this course, and even though I was accidentally placed in this class I’m happy I stayed. And as for the future creative writing students my only advice would be to stay on top on things! Don’t let yourself fall behind because it’s easy to just not do the assignments, but so hard to catch up in the end.

Have a great summer!!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Reading Reflection #4

Book: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages read: 133 - 194


The Games is a hard part of the book to relate to, obviously because I have never been in any kind of situation like that. This is the part I’ve been waiting for. All the build up and anticipation for The Games is over because they have now begun. About half of the tributes have already died, but Katniss is still hanging in there. She is such a smart girl, and luckily knows how to survive in the woods. I still predict she will make it to the end considering all of the skills and knowledge she carries, but what I am confused about is Peeta! I don’t understand what he is doing and why he’s grouped together with other tributes in order to find Katniss. I know if I was put in any situation similar to this I would be gone in a second. I’ve never had to fight to stay alive, never had a shortage or food or water or any resources for that matter and I guess it makes you realize how lucky we actually are to have everything at our fingertips. Katniss is covered in burns and blisters from the fireballs and she has welts on her body the size of oranges, which are wasp stings from the nest she exploded, so now I’m starting to think that this “big” bruise I have on my elbow isn’t so bad after all.

Reading Reflection #2


So I clearly haven't been keeping up with all of my reading reflections, but I suppose I better get on it considering we only have about 4 days of school left! I just find it so hard to stay interested in any type of book. I get halfway through and get bored so I put it down and never finish it. I'm about a third of the way through the Hunger Games and so far it's not bad. The Games start in 2 days and I'm so anxious to see how they turn out! My prediction is that Peeta and Katniss will make it pretty far. Right now Katniss is with her “prep team” I guess you could say fixing her up and getting ready for her interview. To me though everything about this doesn’t make sense. Taking these kids and forcing them to look a certain way, wear things they wouldn’t normally wear, act how they never do, be someone that’s not themselves and enter this competition when its probably the last thing any of them planned on doing. And as fictional as it is, it just blows my mind. The interviews are over now and I can’t imagine how that must of felt for them. I have a hard time speaking in front of just a few people, never mind explaining yourself on National television where everyone is judging you. I’ve finally reached ‘Part 2’ in the book, which is The Games, and for once I can say I’m excited to keep reading! 

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Number 25


Number 24


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Number 2

Number 1


Monday, June 4, 2012

Personal Addition #11

This video is from Western Canadian Gymnastics Championship trials in 2008. I made the Manitoba team, competed for our province in BC and that was my very last gymnastics competition. I miss it everyday and I would absolutely love to be back in gym, but 4 years after quitting it's just not possible. Gymnastics was part of the best 10 years of my life. It taught me so much and came with so many great opportunities. I wouldn't give it back the world!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Personal Addition #10

“My ambition is handicapped by laziness” 
 Charles Bukowski


I found this quote today and realized it fits my life perfectly! There are so many things I want do and so many places I want to go but I have zero motivation. Whenever I want to do something half the time I don't because I literally don't feel like moving or I'm too lazy to work enough to save up the money to do what I want. I think it's time I stepped it up especially with summer coming up. So much to do, so much to see and so many things I need to try! 



Personal Addition #9

I took this picture last weekend at Grand Beach. I was so happy to finally go out to the lake and get away from the city. I had never seen this part of the beach because it was soo far down the road but it was so beautiful and so peaceful. There was not one person around other than my friends and I. I can't wait for summer to be able to go here more. Amazing!

Six Word Memoir #4

With grad just around the corner, I have been so stressed but so anxious to finally be done high school. For a while I was nervous to be out in the "real world" but looking at it now doesn't seem so bad. I've finally reached the point where I'm 100 % ready to be out of here! I can't wait.

Bucket List

1. Live in England for a few months.
2. Travel around Spain.
3. Attend the Olympics to watch gymnastics.
4. Own a convertible.
5. Learn how to snowboard well.
6. Run a marathon.
7. Get married.
8. Build my dream house.
9. Meet the Kardashians.
10. Learn to play guitar with some skill.
11. Go on a road trip with all my friends.
12. Ride the roller coaster at Wisconsin Dells.
13. Skydive again.
14. Graduate university with a degree.
15. Stay at the Atlantis in the Bahamas.
16. Live in Calgary.
17. Not leave my bed for an entire day.
18. Try surfing.
19. Find a job that I love.
20. See Rascal Flatts in concert.
21. Ride a camel.
22. Go skiing in a bathing suit.
23. Stay on the beach from sunset until sunrise.
24. Go horseback riding in the mountains.
25. Save someones life.
26. See the Northern Lights.
27. Take an ice bath.
28. Go tobogganing down a mountain.
29. Ski or snowboard on a double black diamond run.
30. Have kids.
31. Learn ballet.
32. Jump off a really high cliff into water.
33. Be part of a huge game of man hunt.
34. Join kickboxing.
35. See a whale or shark in the ocean.
36. Buy a boat.
37. Hold a koala bear.
38. Fly first class.
39. Dye my hair brown.
40. Visit the French Polynesian Islands.
41. Learn how to golf.
42. Knit a pair of mittens.
43. Bungee jump.
44. See the Grand Canyon.
45. Go skinny dipping in the ocean.
46. Attend the Ellen Show.
47. Be in a jury.
48. Be a stunt double for someone in a movie.
49. Volunteer at the Children's Hospital.
50. Get over my fear of public speaking.
51. Go quadding.
52.Go a whole month without getting Tim Hortons once.
53. Make a difference in someones life.
54. See Carrie Underwood in concert.
55. Go a whole month without getting Tim Hortons once.
56. Willingly read a book from start to finish.
57. Outrun a police man.