Comments on Peer's Posts

Hope V. - I'm super sarcastic too Hope, maybe that's why we don't get along...

Ana B. - Yes I did read all of those things, so I hope you enjoy knowing I know that much more about you. Don't forget what I told you about the scar thing, I promise it's a better story.

Kamryn A. - Kam I really enjoyed reading your list, although I already knew a lot of things on this list.

Ashley T. - Hmmmmm, you don't seem like the person that likes meeting new people, but that's just me. Also already knew that you aren't a creative person, I can tell by your book! Enjoyed reading your list... a little.

Alyssa G. - I am a very bland, emotionless person, so I can relate on that. Your'e a funny person, enjoyed getting to know you this year.

About a Boy

"It happens, and I wish it didn't, but that's life, isn't it?"

There is one thing that everyone has to deal with that no one wants to, death. This past month death has seem to be something that just keeps happening. I lost my grandma a little over a month ago, and that was by far one of the hardest things I have ever gone through. I became used to the question, the constant "How are you?", the question people ask when they don't know what else to say. I became used to answering it, "As good as I can be, it happens, and I wish it didn't, but that's life, isn't it?" I was angry, so angry at everyone and everything. I understood that it had to happen, and it was her time, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I took comfort in knowing she is in a better place, but that place she is in, it's not here with us. She'll never call me again, I'll never hear her voice again, never see her walk into another room. We knew the day would come, but we were never prepared for it, but then again, is anyone ever really prepared for that? Everyone dies, its a gruesome thing, but it is the truth, no one can stop it, we can only live until we can't anymore. It wasn't until last week the unclear meaning of death became even more of a question. On April 28, 2017 one of my friends passed away after taking his own life. Keyshawn Jackson was someone taken from us too soon and it makes me angry. It makes me angry to think that he was going through something so bad he felt that was the only way out of it. I am angry that he felt like he was so alone and that whatever he was going through would never get better. I am angry because I can't even begin to imagine what his family must be feeling, and not because I want to understand or be able to relate, but because no one should ever have to endure that kind of pain. I'm angry because my friends are hurting, and there is nothing that can be done about it. I am angry because everything is supposed to happen for a reason, but there is no reason for this. It seems unfair, to go from having someone in your life for so long to having them ripped away out of no where. This type of thing shouldn't happen, it isn't life and it shouldn't be that way for anyone. But it happened, I wish it didn't. and sadly that is what life has become.

101 Things About Me

1.  I am 17 years old which feels really old and young at the same time
2. I was born in Springfield, Missouri weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces
3. I moved to a little town outside of Dallas, Texas called Sachse
4. I met my all time best friend in first grade but we didn't become close until sixth
5. I fell onto a nightstand with a spikes on the handles when I was 6 and cut into my eye leaving a deep scar that I still have today
6. I used to walk up to one of gas stations with all of my friends when we were younger
7. I got a tiffany blue moped for Christmas and wrecked it a month later after hitting a stop sign because I though I could drive with no hands
8. My favorite color is tiffany blue   
9. I have broken every phone I have ever owned from shattering it to dropping it in the toilet
10. I hate the color orange
11. I watched 11 seasons of Greys Anatomy in 24 days... during the school year
12. My all time favorite TV show is FRIENDS
13. I have lived in 2 different cities but 6 different houses
14. I have a 24 year old sister, 13 year old brother, and 7 year old step-brother
15. My parents have been divorced since I was 11 years old
16. I started on the A team basketball team my 7th and 8th grade year
17. Ran the 200m, 100m, and 4x200m in track 7th and 8th grade
18. I attended 3 different elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school
19. I managed the Kickapoo softball team freshman year
20. Kickapoo girls basketball manager my sophomore... All-State Manager actually
21. Kickapoo volleyball team my junior year
22. I drive a 1999 green Oldsmobile Silhouette I call the 'Green Machine'
23. I have a very loud, outgoing, and funny personality as I've been told
24. My favorite number is 15
25. When I was in the first grade I fell off a jungle gym 7 feet in the air and landed on my face in gravel... was not pretty for a while
26. My first pet was a boxer named Watson who ended up living to be 13 years old
27.  I got a guinea pig one Thanksgiving that I had for 5 years named Sparkey 
28. I currently own a dog named Tucker who is 7 and a multi-poo
29. I am very sociable and very interactive with just about everyone
30. I have a huge fear of clowns and I don't know why
31. I absolutely despise feet
32. I hate the sound of people chewing their food
33. I got a C in photography 1 and I have no idea how 
34. One time I got ISS because I went to Wendys during school
35. I don't have a favorite animal
36. I don't think love is real
37. I have a thing for cool socks
38. My first love was in third grade with Max Fasang
39. I have blonde hair and green eyes
40. I've always wanted to cut my hair but I am too scared to
41. I love watching baseball
42. I'm horrible at saving money
43. I am not good at expressing my feelings
44. I dress down more than I dress up
45. I hate fake nails
46. I don't like to be touched, I enjoy my own space
47. I'm really bad at doing my own makeup
48. My favorite season is spring
49. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving
50. I'm Irish
51. Absolutely love sprite
52. I have horrible allergies
53. I'm terrible at art, not artistic at all
54. I hate talking on the phone
55. I'm very badly allergic to grass
56. Not a huge fan of country music
57. Once someone took a baseball bat to my rearview window
58. I am really, really, really bad at math
59. I love english class
60. I use Snapchat the most out of all my apps
61. I think I tell really good stories
62. I hate reading
63. My favorite place to be in is my bed
64. Top 3 favorite movies: Bridesmaids, Project X, and Step Brothers
65. Freshman year was my least favorite year of high school
66. I have a dollar I keep in my phone case from a memorable, fun night
67. The hardest thing I have ever had to go through is losing my grandma
68. I love sunflowers
69. I laugh at everything
70. I'm really loud, always, I can't help it
71. When I was little my favorite show was Rachel Ray
72. I'm always touching my hair
73. I like rainy days, but not huge thunder storms
74. I like being outside but I hate bugs
75. I''m always down to hammock
76. I have never died my hair
77. My biggest fear is drowning
78. My middle name is Ann
79. I don't wear contacts or glasses
80. I got a 22 on the ACT
81. I am dog person
82. I hate working out
83. I like coffee
84. I sleep with my door closed
85. I take really long showers
86. I like the New England Patriots
87. I look more like my dad
88. "Bolth" instead of "both" drives me insane
89. I am 5'6"
90. I do not like beans 
91. I have never had Popeyes
92. I love Qdoba
93. I hate mornings
94. I shower at night
95. I prefer cake over cupcakes
96. I am terrible at walking in heels
97. I hate skinny jeans and tennis shoes together
98. I don't have my ears pierced because I am allergic
99. My zodiac sign is Aquarius
100. I have never been to the beach
101. I am not a kids person

Children's Story Feedback for Friends

Hope Villines

1) Little Suzy (was) never satisfied. She always cried and cried, never pleased.
2) Never satisfied Suzy sat down at the dinner table. Her mom put broccoli on her plate and Suzy frowned.
3) Suzy threw herself on the ground. Suzy rolled round and round, kicking and screaming. Suzy was steaming.
4) Never satisfied Suzy went to the park with her friend named Mark.
5) Suzy wanted to swing, but all the swings were taken. Mark said "Suzy don't be shaken. Let's go down the slide instead."
6) Suzy shouted, "No! I want to go home!" Mark replied, "Okay, then to home we will roam."
7) Never satisfied Suzy woke up on Monday morning. Time for school, but Suzy said, "No! School makes me want to drool."
8) Suzy pulled the covers over her face and refused to get up. Her mom replied, "Come on Suzy all grown ups get up out of bed."
9) Suzy got up, but never stopped pouting. As Suzy kept pouting, her mom kept shouting. All the way to school Suzy pouted like a fool.
10) Never satisfied Suzy had to go to the grocery store with her mom. Of course, Suzy threw a fit, said she would stay in the car and sit.
11) Suzy's mom said, "These fits have got to stop. I have to shop!"
12) Little Suzy cried and cried, trying to get her way. But Suzy's mom said, "No Suzy! Not today!"
13) Continuing, her mom said, "Now Suzy, we don't always get our way, sometimes we have to say, 'that will be okay'."
14) And for the first time never satisfied Suzy looked a little satisfied. (I guess sometimes Suzy is satisfied.) Maybe another phrase to end things.

--I like how the story rhymes throughout and how Suzy learned how to be satisfied at the end.


Ashley Tokarz

(Fix your formatting)
Luis is a second grader from Barcelona, Spain who transfers to Jacob(')s second grade class. 
Luis isn't very good at English (at first, and so) he has trouble communicating with the other kids. 
Seeing his trouble, Jacob befriends Luis and decides he will help teach him English. 
Their second grade class has a big project coming up: reading a book of your choice in front of the class, and Jacob wants Luis to be ready for it. 
The two meet everyday at recess, and Luis also helps Jacob learn a little bit of Spanish. 
(That's all I have so far, I haven't decided an ending or what happens after they begin meeting). My plan is for the graphic design class to do the illustrations, which will just be simple people and a couple of settings.

Good so far, just finish it up!

The Jump to Gold (Rough Draft)

Harper was a 10 year old little girl who loved riding horses.

Harper had a horse named Sassy and together they were super good at winning competitions.

This year Harper and Sassy had made it all the way to the Horsey State Competition.

Harper knew she was really good at the competitions so she didn't practice a whole lot.

Before they knew it the time had come for the competition both Harper and Sassy had been waiting for.

Harper was convinced she was going to win, she didn't even feel the need to try.

But Harper was wrong.

They fell short and by the time it was over they lost.

Harper was upset. 

So upset she wanted to quit competing.

Harper's mom knew Harper shouldn't quit.

She was good, she just needed to be reminded of it.

So Harper's mom pushed her to get back to horse riding.

And pushed her

And pushed her

And pushed her.

Until she finally got back to it

And that is when Harper realized all she had to do was push herself

And she could accomplish anything.

Childhood Prompts

 One memory from my childhood that stands out the most is getting to be a flower girl in my uncle's wedding. I was seven years old so it was pretty exciting, especially because I thought it was a pretty important role to have. I still lived in Texas so I got to miss a day of school to drive up here, which is always fun as a little kid. I had the prettiest black dress and my favorite little cousin was the ring barer with me. The part that I remember the most is almost tripping down the aisle, everyone gasped but once I caught myself and started laughing they all laughed with me. Then to top it all off, once we got to reception I started dancing like there was no one around, and before I knew it a circle of people formed around me. As a seven year old girl that was a very eventful night that I will always remember.

As a child, and even throughout my "teenage" years, the most important person in my life was my grandma. She was always there for me for as long as I can remember. Even when we still lived in Texas, she would make so many trips to come see us in everything we did. She was my biggest supporter and she always let me know it. The weeks she would come to visit would be the best weeks I had. I remember waking up excited and that being all I could think about at school, just going home and seeing her. My grandma had heart failure later in her life, which resulted in her receiving a heart device called a left ventricular assistive device, or a LVAD. This machine didn't stop her though, she became a stronger person and even went on to teach other people about her machine. I looked up to her, even as a little girl I had tremendous respect for my grandma, I idolized her. She was a huge part of my childhood.

As a child I had a very loud and outgoing personality, loved to dance, sing, and talk. I could never meet a stranger because I loved to make friends with everyone. If you asked my parents they would probably tell you I was too hyper as a child, which is true, but I had a lot of fun. As I have gotten older I have changed slightly in some ways, but stayed the same in most. I think I am calmer now, but I definitely still have a talking problem which is why I consider myself a sociable person. I was a little crazy as a kid, but I think I was a fun one.

When I was little, fifth grade actually, I got my first detention. I was in reading class and we were learning about commas so we were doing an activity on the board. I walked up to write my answer on the chalkboard as Jacob Strickling came up behind me and threw his arms on my shoulders stabbing me with his pencil. I reacted by pushing him off of me and he went into the chalkboard and started crying immediately. He went to the nurse after telling our teacher I "shoved him for no reason". He came to school the next day and said I fractured his back, which was not true at all so I was really confused. But he started crying when telling his side of the story so I got a detention and all he had to do was say sorry. "I was wrongfully justed", that was a saying that came out of my mouth a lot after this incident. That was the most trouble I ever got into as a child, which was super frustrating.

Author's Bio

Lilli Flanigan is from the little town of Sachse, Texas and later moved to the slightly bigger town of Springfield, Missouri. Lilli sadly still lives with her parents Jami and David, and her brothers Jack and Josh. The only thing she really cares about is her dog Tucker, she feels that he really gets her. She has been jobless since last August so she is suffering through broke times right now.

Books for Kids!

When we went to the library I chose to read the book 'The Stray Dog' by Marc Simont. The book is about a dog without a home that runs into a nice family. There are 26 pages in this book filled with a ton of colorful illustrations. The characters consist of a mom, dad, brother, sister, a dog catcher, and Willy the dog; the only one with a name. Although the book did not really teach a lesson, it was a cute story that had a happy ending.

Artist Inspired

Starry Night

It was a night like never before
Everyone came out to see it.
The sky
It was a mix of blues like never before.
The moon, a perfect shape.
All the houses in town lit up
Just complementing the sky more.
But it was what was in the sky
The stars made the night perfect.
Made for one starry night.






The Sunflowers

People give them for different reasons.
Given to cheer someone up
Out of love, sorry, appreciation.
Its the color
The kind of yellow that cheers everyone up.
The smell that freshens the room up.
No matter the pot you put them in
You couldn't make sunflowers look bad.
Brightens your day like the sun
Why they are sunflowers.

Nighthawks

They called them "Nighthawks". No one really ever saw them out during the day, but you could find them at "their" place. It was called The Phillies, a cafe during the day, but turned into a pub like thing during the night. Except tonight was different, there was a third person there tonight, no one knew who the guy was. It was a small town so it was rare to see a stranger. He had been sitting there all night, hadn't said a single word other than ordering what he wanted to drink and periodically saying, "another one please". The waiter, Al, he knew the other two; Frank and Sally. Frank once again, just like every other night, continued to beg for Sally to give him a chance and go out with her, but once again Sally politely said no. It was a like a game between the both of them, Frank loved the chase and Sally loved the attention. They both found themselves wondering who the strange man was. Who was he, why wasn't he talking? No one knew the answers to these questions, and as the night went on they began to wonder more. Then, while no one was paying attention, all of the questions became clear when it happened... 

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in the small town of Zundert, Netherlands. His father, Theodorus Van Gogh, was a Protestant Minister; and his mother, Anna Carberitus, whos' occupation is not known. Vincent went to village school and boarding school, but unfortunately did not finish secondary school. His downfalls were him falling in love with women he wanted to fix, but never could actually do it. He cut off his ear because he felt bad for threatening his friend, and he also had most likely had mental problems.

Out My Window

Straight ahead I see a bird bath in front of a large tree surrounded by different colored flowers.

To the left I see the large light brown deck with two lounge chairs and a grill sitting on it. 

Today I noticed something different; I noticed the dark sky filled with loud thunder claps giving a gloomy feeling.

I can always find at least one bird in the gardens if I look hard enough.

The flowers are freshly starting to bloom and the weather is becoming more warm and welcoming.

I can see it from the window, but I know its there. I know in the middle of the flowers, under the little oak tree there is a plaque. I know what it says, I have read it a 100 times before. I can see the words ¨For Kay¨ without even reading it.

"537 votes decide race, divide U.S."

The people of the nation sit around and wait for the verdict, the verdict that would decide the fate of the nation. A nation's destiny decided by 537 people, such a small sliver of the country held such a ginormous amount of people's fate in their hands. We had overcome segregation once before, never completely had gotten rid of racism. But people got angry and things started to change, more and more people wanted things back the old way. People began doing anything they could to get what they wanted, and they wanted segregation back. No one knew, let alone even expected for that to happen. It is the last thing the majority wanted, yet the minority took over. So there they were, sitting by the TV, waiting for the results, will the nation go back 100 years, or will humanity stay intact.

6 Word Memoir

Started over; did better than ever.

Talks too much, but can't stop.

I'm always dodging the wrong bullets.

Memorable Passage

“Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back. It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse.” 
 -Sara Gruen: Water for Elephants


I have always remembered this quote because if I am being honest, really freaks me out. I am only 17, but getting older is a scary thing to think about. Getting older means growing up, and that is a hard thing to do. You take on so much responsibility, and goes from what you want to what is best. Right now I have barely any responsibility at all, other than go to school, which is really nice having nothing to worry about. When I get older I am going to have to worry about bills, taking care of other people, and having a job at the same time. Right now, I am in the best shape I will be through out my whole life, emotionally and physically, and that getting taken away just because I have to grow  up is scary.

Writers as Readers

It is very hard for me to sit down and read something, I get distracted very easily so it doesn't happen often. For me to actually read something I need the area I'm in to be very quiet, like no distracting sounds at all. In fact I have to be alone or else I look for a reason to start talking to someone and stop reading. Then once I am in a quiet room, and alone, every little thing matters. The temperature has to be pretty warm, if it is too cold I get really uncomfortable and tired and fall asleep reading. If the room is too dark I fall asleep too, basically it is very easy for me to fall asleep reading so everything has to be right.

There are only a couple of genres in a book I like; murder mysteries or books that are a little more sad and leave you with something to think... whatever genre that would fit into. I like murder mysteries just because of the way they leave you not knowing what is going to happen. It is interesting to read the different plots and things people can describe through words. My favorite part about them is the endings, when everything comes together and starts to make sense. Things you didn't even know about start to match up and it is just always mind blowing with what some endings. I like books that make you sad and leave you with something to think because they always make me really think. I'm not someone that gets sad all the time and very easily so when I do it has to be really sad. The best books will leave me with things to think about sometimes even a week after I am done reading them.
There has only been one book ever that has been hard for me to put down. 'Looking for Alaska' was the first mature book I ever read. My freshman year English teacher, Mrs. Armstrong, told me read it so I went home and bought it. My mom drove me to the bookstore, so I was able to immediately started reading it on the way home. From that point on I could not put the book down, I ended up staying up all night to read it. Literally all night. I had to know what was gonna happen, the whole book was building up by saying "so and so says before". Well of course once I started and got attached I had to keep reading until I knew what the book was talking about when it said "before". Then once I found out what happened I had to keep reading because it was so huge it freaked me out. I had become attached to all the characters so I for some reason felt really impacted when it happened. That is actually the only book that made me emotional.

Keeping it Reel

First off, I don't think there are any parents that would take parenting advice from me as a teenager, but I'd still try. The first thing I would tell them is to be a little more laid back, the kids with the strict parents are usually the sneakiest. My mom is more laid back so I don't feel the need to break any rules because I just need to ask and as long as I'm safe and she knows my whereabouts I'm okay. Another thing would be to try and understand our attitude a little more. I know for a fact every teenager has an attitude with their parents, its just a stage everyone goes through, which is why I don't understand why they get so mad every time. They know we are sassy yet they are still so surprised every time we do it like they have never spoken like that or heard us speak like that. My last piece of advice would be to know that we don't actually hate them and we do appreciate the. Teenagers are usually feisty, mouthy, little balls of anger, nine times out of ten we don't mean the things we say. Just don't take everything we say to heart and get offended because we will probably forget about it in a couple of minutes. So there is my teenager advice for parents about teenagers.

I think illicit love is definitely way more appealing to us than the kind that comes easy. They say good things in life don't come easy, and that just describes illicit love in a sentence. We want what we can't have, it is what makes the great love stories so great. The things we have are boring to us, we want the things that are a challenge to get, and that is illicit love.

If there was only one true soulmate in the world for everyone life would be impossible and boring. There are so many things that happen to us throughout life that could keep us from meeting that one person, or even take that person away from us. I personally think there are a few for every person, it is too big of a world for there to only be one person out there that is a perfect match for you. 

Life is full of disappointments, that is something you will hear your life. Life is hard, life is unfair, and the disappointments we receive make us the person we are. The curve balls thrown at you in life are what makes you stronger, smarter, and more prepared for the worst. Without the tough things we would never grow as people, we would have nothing to compare the good to. No one can deal with these disappointments the best way every time, I know I can't but it is with how you recover in the end from them that matters. 

A perfect day has many different meanings to many different people. Mine would be a day surrounded my the friends I love with 70 degree weather. We would start the day with everyone getting waffles at waffle house, then heading off to hammock. The best place to go would definitely be Arkansas, it has the best views. It would be a fun road trip in my van filled with music and singing. Once we got there, hiked it up the cliffs, and set up our hammocks the best would begin. Ideally it would be awesome to get pizza delivered up there for lunch, but that is just a wish. The music playing, the perfect view, the best people, and the nice weather combined would be the absolute perfect day.

Reely Good Movie Quotes

1. "I just feel like I'm exited, I feel relaxed, and I'm reaaaaaady to paaaaarrrty!" -Annie           (Bridesmaids)
2. "That's so funny the last time I heard that I laughed and fell off my dinosaur!" -Dale                          (Step-Brothers)
3. "Don't do it man, you're way too fat." -Costa                                                                           (Project X)
4. "Exsqueeze me?" -Tiffany and Brittany                                                                                           (White Chicks)

Reel Life

My all time favorite movie is Bridesmaids, it is pretty mainstream but it is honestly a great movie. It is a comedic masterpiece. The plot, dialogue, and characters together all a perfect match. Melissa McCarthy is one of the greatest actresses of all time when it comes to comedy, behind Amy Poehler. There was literally never a moment where I wasn't laughing, and it is hard to make me laughing.
Movies I don't usually care for are action movies. They have no true plot to them, too much blood, and have no laughs. They honestly have no intentions other than for boys who like to see that kind of stuff, which I will never understand. It's funny because my dad likes to see movies with me, and he thinks I like those kind of movies of so we always go to action movies.
I usually watch most of my movies at either my house with my friends or at my friend's house. If the movie is one we want to see super bad and we have enough money we go see it in the theaters, but that is a special occasion. It is honestly better to watch them at home because then we can eat a bunch of junk food, talk about what is going on, or pause and go to the bathroom.
For me to enjoy a movie I don't really need much. It's kind of hard for me to stay focused, so when I do it has to be a pretty good movie. I always like to have some kind of food to eat for the beginning of the movie because it distracts me after a while. Buttery popcorn, peanut M&Ms, or a bag of Brookside chocolate covered blueberries are all things I could snack on for a pretty good amount of time. It is also handy to have a good Sprite over ice in an already cold glass handy. As for the environment, I'm not one to knock people whispering during movies, but I absolutely hate when they talk normally, especially in movie theaters. I'm someone who has to see and hear every detail or it freaks me out. If I am at my house I rewind the movie if I missed the smallest thing, because if you miss one thing you miss everything. When it comes to who I watch movies with I don't really have a preference as long as they are my age or older, no little kids.
When I took the provided survey I got 17% emotionally stable, which lets be honest, isn't a huge surprise. I like horror or comedy movies the best, and I hate science fiction and action, which are all things I already knew. It also told me I would rather watch movies with company rather than alone, which is also something I already knew so no new news to me.

Photohunt + Captions + Hashtags

This is someone who makes me laugh and smile. She is my bestfriend and it is super easy to laugh at her when she does things like this... get gum stuck in her hair. #ImTheSmarterFriend

This is someone has helped me more than anyone. My grandpa does anything in his power to help me and I know I can always count on him. #HesNotAPicturePerson

Someone I would like to be more like is my grandma. She is the strongest person I know, after everything she has been through she still holds her head high. #ThoseWereSomeGoodDonuts

Looking for Alaska is an important book to me, it was one of the first serious books I have ever read and the story behind it is deep. #ItMadeMeCry

This isn't technically square but it is in the same family. FRIENDS is my all time favorite TV series and it is definitely worth mentioning.

This to me is an interesting angle because it captured this goat at the perfect time, plus the picture makes me laugh every time. #LooksLikeHeIsSmoking

This picture of nature is one of my favorites. I took this on a walk with my family behind Rutledge Wilson farm. #PrettyPrettyPicture

This ukulele brings back a lot of memories from when I lived in Texas. My bestfriend back there gave me my first one and she used to make fun of me when I would try to play it. #ISuckAtIt

Something I find beautiful is this balloon, it is tied to a tree and surrounded by thorn covered branches. It continues to fly around without getting popped and I just don't know how. #Confused

Something that will always remind me of KHS is my yearbook, pretty obvious why. #UglyPicturesInThere

This Is...

These are my grandparents,

Holding each other 

Like they have no cares in the world.

This is 34 years of marriage.

34 years that have felt like a life time

But have a life time to go.

This is before the seven heart attacks.

Before the traveling was forced to stop,

The smiles you see started to turn down.

This is two people that thought they knew everything about each other

But they didn't know this.

This is moment shared between two people in love.

Two people who never saw what would happen next.

Flea Market Photos

This is a photo of Jane and her two friends; Ann and Susan. It's Jane's birthday so the girls are going on a trip, but just before they stopped for a picture. Jane isn't shy at all so she wasn't afraid to stop and ask a women to take their picture. They all made sure to get posed just right on the car, "look cute, this one we will show to the boys!" Ann shouted. Ann was the flirt of the group, and Susan well she was just along for a good time. They were the oldest of friends and they did everything together, so it made sense for them to celebrate Jane's birthday. They all met through work, waitressing. But that was old news for them, they all quit and decided to try acting. Nothing to worry about of them, they all could fall back on their trust-funds, they only worked to prove their dads wrong. This was a day they had planned right when they woke up. It wasn't even that planned, they just had a destination and were gonna see what happened along the way.

Photos of the Millenniums

I chose this picture for many different reasons, one of them being the range of emotions it gives me. This picture makes me sad, grateful, excited and heartbroken at the same time. The things the people in this picture have to go through is something I myself or anyone I know will never even worry about. We live day to day worrying about things these people would kill to even think about. What color shoes are we going to buy? What kind of new phone we want, or even why are boyfriends aren't texting us back. It saddens me that we are so unappreciative for the things we get and have the privilege to do. We get to go home at night and sleep in a comfortable bed with a roof over our heads. But not before we eat a dinner with the ability to get seconds. These people are worrying whether they are going to live to see the next day or not. Food to them isn't an every day thing, they take what they can get and they can't get a lot. Looking at this shocks me at how good I have things. It leaves me grateful and excited at the same time that I get to live a life so good. It really puts a lot of things into perspective, makes things seem a lot better. Life is as good as you make it, we have the opportunity to make it good.

I Don't Know Why...

I don't know why people do the things they do
I don't know why the things that happen to people happen the way they do
People say and do things to others to hurt them, and I don't know why
The people around you get sick and sometimes die, but who knows why
There are people sleeping under bridges with no where to go, they don't know why
People are killing other people without a reason why
I don't know why hate is such a common thing today
I don't know a lot of things
And there are some things I will never know

Writer's Dreaming

Maya Angelou has written a lot of inspirational things. In her autobiography ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’, she talks a lot about what birds really mean when they sing in their cages. Maya states that she thinks birds singing is actually them screaming for freedom. They are trapped in cages, when they are supposed to be out flying. No one likes to feel trapped, and we are taking winged animals meant to soar and keeping them in a closed contraption. I agree with what Maya says because I think they want to be free. Their singing is their way of yelling for us to let them out. If we were the ones trapped, kept from walking around, we wouldn’t like it either. Maya took something true and made it relatable and foreshadow something we all can understand.

Another thing Maya states is when someone thinks or talks about bad dreams it gives them more power. I completely agree with this theory, it is very logical and understandable. When you continue to talk about something, the topic stays relevant and makes it easier for the “bad” to continue. It is the same way when people carry on dramatic situations. High school is the place where drama lives and breathes. Teenagers gossip and spread rumors, adding more fuel to the drama fire. If we were to drop them right away and not pass it along it would die and not gain more power. I have seen this first hand being in high school myself. One of my best friends had a rumor spread about her, and instead of everyone choosing to not believe it and drop it they continued to spread it. After a couple of weeks the rumor had not only spread over the whole school but it had been told so many times there were about ten different stories floating around the gossip train. Bad dreams are just like drama, no one wants them and they need to be dropped.

Maya Angelou went through a traumatic experience when she was seven years old. Until she reached the age of twelve, she was mute. Maya looked to silence as a way of coping with what happened to her. I myself have never been through anything near what Maya went through, so I of course have no place making an assumption of what I would do in her situation. I know that I personally am a huge talker, it is very hard to go even a day without talking. I just feel that life should be filled with words, they are how we connect with other people. Who actually knows what I would do, something like what happened to Maya changes people, but I think it would be very hard for me to actually stop talking, especially for five years. I love talking, doesn’t matter the situation. I could talk in front of any amount of people, about anything, for any amount of time. It is sometimes a problem, talking too much, but that never seems to stop me.

As I lay there restless under a heap of blankets, my mind wanders helplessly.
When I fall asleep I have a dream that leaves an impression on me, but I don't know why.
I wake up to my two little kids jumping in bed with me and my husband. We resist waking up for a little bit, but eventually give in. My husband rolls over and says he'll make breakfast. The kids run off yelling with joy following their dad. I watch them run off as I roll back over for a little more rest. Being off work for the day, I had nothing to worry about, and just when I'm dozing off to to that thought, I am woken up again. This time is was to the sound of them laughing in the kitchen. Having my family, the three most important people in my life; happy. That is when I realized I was content with my life and I wouldn't change anything. I loved my family, I had finally lived out my dream of becoming a lawyer, and I was comfortable in life. As I sat there, listening to it, I realized that was my favorite sound in the world.
That dream was one I didn't want to wake up from, I was happy being asleep.
They're the kind of dreams that take a little piece of your soul every time you close your eyes.

Dream Marks on My Pillow

Getting a good nights sleep is hard. First there is the struggle of getting into bed at the right time. Get everything you need done for the day, done by that certain hour. Then once your'e finally in bed, can you fall asleep? You can be extremely tired and still not be able to fall asleep, too much on your mind, not the right environment, so many factors. Some people need a quiet, pitch black room. While others need sound, maybe a little light. Once you finally get the room the perfect volume and lighting you just can't seem to turn your brain off. What all happened today? What do I need to do tomorrow? What could I wear, well that depends on the temperature. A million things racing through your mind, none even important at the moment. How does someone fall asleep so easily, how do you turn off your mind, get to bed on time? Another sleepless night will be another lesson learned.

If I Were in Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world I'd cancel heels, dark circles, and also math classes. 

If I were in charge of the world there's be longer nights, happier people, and cheaper clothes.

If I were in charge of the world you wouldn't have sadness. You wouldn't have stress. You wouldn't have sleepless nights. Or "Be home by curfew." You wouldn't even have curfews.

If I were in charge of the world a cheesecake would be a vegetable. All continuous, annoying sounds wouldn't exist. And a person who sometimes forgot to match or sometimes forgot to do their homework would sill be allowed to be in charge of the world.

Narrative

Reflective Pool of Life

Some people knew

Even from the very beginning

What or who they wanted to be

But it wasn't that easy for everyone

Who are you? Who will you be?

Questions that set up your life

Something that will reflect on you 

So look for the answer to your question

Free Verse

We swim in the DEEP BLUE OCEAN
Like a group of FEDERATED BLUE
Because we can't FORE AND AFT
All for the point, the PURSUIT OF TEAL

Acrostic

S:he walks across the sand for what felt like

E:ternity

A:and as the day grew longer

S:he noticed

P:eople all around and when she

R:ealized she wasn’t

A:lone she felt herself

Y:earning for someone

S:o many people are

O:pen about how they’re

F:eeling, but even the

T:hought of opening up scared the

M:an, more than

E:ver for some reason

A:fter what happened, after that one

D:ay it became

O:bvious he might be
W:aiting for something that’ll never come

Haikus

Behind Blue Eyes

There was something there
Drawing everything deeper
Behind her blue eyes


Tranquil Vibe

A calm tranquil vibe
Consumes everything around
Relaxation takes over

Moonlit Path

There he was waiting
Admiring how she looked
On the moonlit path

The Car

The bond between brothers is something indescribable. It’s not something you understand unless you have it. No matter what happens between them, it is supposed to be unbreakable. Family forever, right?

It was one of the best gifts the little boy had ever received, a Matchbox 1967 Ford Mustang, practically all he and his older brother could talk about. That was the foundation of their whole relationship, toy cars was their thing. Charlie took care of his little brother, not because he had to but because he wanted to. After their father left, Charlie felt like Ben was all he had, they two on their own. The day Charlie found the car, it was obvious to him that he had to do whatever he could to get that car. Being able to give that to his little brother made the car just as much as a present for Charlie as it was for Ben. It was like a scene in a Hallmark movie; he had never seen a bigger smile on anyone’s face. From that moment on Ben carried that car everywhere becoming his favorite car to play with, and the only person who could play with him was Charlie. He bragged about it to anyone that would listen, it was almost annoying, but not to Charlie. That little toy car, just a tiny piece of metal put together with some plastic, made in a factory with hundreds of others was nothing big, but to Ben it was the world, it was the one thing he had always wanted, it was given to him by his brother, it made him happy. Ben even cleared a whole shelf for his prized possession, even made a little prop up by himself. Charlie had never been so thrilled about a decision, seeing his little brother like this beat any other happiness. One day, when Ben had missed the bus to school, Charlie jumped at the opportunity to take him. He dropped him off in front of the building, said their goodbyes, and watched his little brother walk into school… for the last time.

“Ben can you come into the hallway with me?” Ben was a good student so it was rare for him to get called out into the hallway by Mrs. Yates. What happened? What did he do wrong? A bunch of things were running through his head, but he never thought he would hear what he was about to. “You know Ben, you are going to get through this. I know you loved your brother very much, and he knew that, you made him happy. This must be very scary and confusing for you, I am sorry Ben, so sorry. Your mom is on her way, why don’t you just sit out here with me until then.” She was right, he didn’t understand. He now knew why he was in the hallway, but he for some reason had even more questions. Why was this happening to him? What did he do to deserve this? Ben was more confused now than ever, he was angry, upset, he didn’t know what to do. A car accident they said, wasn’t anything anyone could do they said, the guy just ran a red light they said. A car, something Ben and Charlie had loved since before he could remember, a car did this to his brother. Ben now understood one thing, the things you love can hurt you the most. 

I AM

I am uncontrollable laughter

I am a mouth full of words

I am someone who would rather be surrounded rather than alone

I am sarcasm covering up the seriousness

I am the small town of Sachse, Texas no one really knows about

I am someone who doesn’t want to be stuck in the same place forever but is too scared to leave

I am a lazy day inside glued to the TV screen

I am a slow walk rather than a tiresome run

I am the chaotic Springfield, Missouri filled with people that continue to put my car in the shop

I am a quick stop at sonic for some mozzarella sticks more times than not

I am leggings, tennis shoes, and a big comfy t-shirt

I am a good pair of socks, pajama pants, and slippers

I am many sleepless nights that I’m too young to worry about

I am good friends that make great memories

I am full questions but too lazy to get the answers
I am running out of things to say