What Has Happened to Us?

Author’s Note: This is another creative piece I created. It is a diary entry just about some thoughts that I had in my head.

Dear diary,

The last couple of weeks have been awful. Because one of my best friends who’d I’d known for ever has become every distance lately. We used to do so much together, we’d talk and hang out all the time and do a lot of things together, but now nothing. Sure maybe a few things here and there, but only when she’s not with her new BFF Suzie. When we do talk Mandy is always talking about her, she’s obsessed I tell you, obsessed. She always saying where’s Suzie, I wonder if Suzie’s here, I’m going to go by Suzie… blah blah blah. Yes it’s great and all that she has found another friend, since a lot of people don’t like her and she doesn't like a lot of people. But, when we do talk it’s always about Suzie, I just can’t take it anymore.

I've only got one class with Mandy that doesn't have Suzie in it and that is band, so we don’t get to do much talking, and if we do she talking to someone else anyways. The other two classes that I do have with both of them are math and gym. When in math if Mandy ever needs help guess who she goes to, Suzie. And in gym whenever we run, play a game or anything she always has to be by and talk to her, and now lately this other girl in our gym class, Kayla has kind of jointed our little group and so the three of them always talk and leave me out, so again I feel invisible. And worst of all I have a different teacher as them, so when we do split up I’m all alone. I mean I guess I could always make new friends within my class, but they are all in their own group… how can I put this so you understand, their own “cliques”.        

So, if and when Mandy does come up to me I sometime try and not talk to her or I act like I’m mad at her. Occasionally she will be like, are you mad at me, did I do something wrong, or what’s wrong, because if I did something you know you’re supposed to tell me so, I don’t do it again. And I’m just like whatever and walk away. I shouldn't have to tell her anything… should I? No, I shouldn't I’m sure she has felt left out before and she knows what it feels like, so no, no I shouldn't have to tell her anything. I don’t even know why I’m making such a big deal about this I mean, I have other friends, but I just don’t what to lose Mandy as a friend. I’m deciding on whether I should talk to Mandy about this situation or not. If I do we can probably somehow work this out, but if I don’t then she might not ever know and it might not ever get resolved.  

The only other person I've told was my other friend April. April and I tell each other everything, and I mean everything. So when I told her about this she actually didn't seem so surprised. I think we both could see something like happening, but I never thought it would actually really happen. April thinks that I should just completely ignore Mandy entirely. But, then I thought about it and thought that if I did then I could lose a friend, and especially one that has meant a lot throughout the years because of all our memories.           

Even if I do get a little mad or annoyed with this situation sometimes, I still do like Suzie as a friend. I just wish that sometimes Mandy and everyone else in the world could see and tell when someone is feeling left out.            

I'm so not excited

Author’s Note: I wrote this creative piece to try to get some of my goals done with. So see if you can try and find some figurative language in here.   

Today is the day I have been the most nervous in my entire life since I have to sing at the basketball game tonight. The only reason why I am singing it is because I’m in choir and no one else wanted to do it, so we picked a name from a hat and guess who got picked… ME. All of friends are so supportive and are so excited for me. They’re always telling me “Oh my god you’re such a good singer, I love your singing it’s beautiful,” of course I love my friends and all but sometimes I just wish they were I don’t know a little less supportive.” Anyway back to what I was saying before so I have to sing in front of everyone, and I don’t know if I can do it. The only thing I do know is that it will help with my confidence.      

  

Everything was leading up to this moment right here right now. I was right there center stage single spotlight. Looking up at student, teacher, and parent not knowing what their reactions is going to be. Frightened, anxious, scared to death to perform the National Anthem. They’re going to love it. You’ll do great, I told myself nervously shaking the microphone.                                                                                          

“Ahem” as Mr. Baade cleared his throat “Ok here is Marilee singing our National Anthem for us, let’s give her a round of applause”, I looked up every single eye was on me, clapping. I felt so scared like I was going to throw up on the entire front row next to me. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I could feel my face burning up, turning as red as a cherry, I didn't know what to do. I turned around, “Ok you can do this just breath in and out.” I turned back around, took one last breath and started singing. “O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light…” I did it!, I can’t believe I actually did it without messing up or throwing up.                                                                                                                                                          

“Alright thank you Marilee, great job let’s give her one last applause.” Said Mr. Baade                                   “Woo way to go Marilee ” as I heard my friends screaming at the top of their lungs over the crowd.      “Alright ok everyone now let’s get this game started!” announced Mr. Baade

Later on while the game was still going on everyone was coming up to me telling me how amazing I sounded and how will I have such a beautiful voice.                                                                                                        “Aww thanks” I tell every single one of them, truly hoping I sounded good.                                                                                                                                                           “Hey there girly, what an incredible job you did” said my best friend Kate                                                               “Oh thanks hey do you want to go gets some food?”                                                                                                   “Yes please, I thought you’d never ask.” She said cheerfully as we headed towards the cafeteria.                       “Boo did I get yea?” as our other friend said coming up to us                                                                                          “You almost gave me a heart attack” I said surprised.                                                                                                 “Yah and same here” Kate said relieved.                                                                                                                                 “So what shall we get to eat?” I asked as my stomach growled                                                                                     “How about just some sour candy? Asked Kate                                                                                                             “Ohh yah I love sour candy” announced Summer.                                                                                                            “Oh wow thanks for screaming in my ear” screamed Kate back at Summer.

After we got our candy we went and sat down, where Summer almost coughed up a hair ball.                                  “Are you alright there, do you need some water?” I asked tensely scared she was about to choke.                     “No I’m good this happened a lot.”                                                                                                                                          “Oh ok then, so what are you guys doing this weekend?” asked Kate excitedly                                                   “TGIF, probably just going to the mall” I said as I popped some sour skittles in my mouth.                                  “Yah I’m just going to my Aunt’s house to go swimming I’m so excited” she said sarcastically.                                                                                                     “Oh my these are really strong” I said squinting my face.                                                                                                    “Like Hercules, he is so strong” said Summer confused.                                                                                               “Umm nowhere near that” I said strangely.                                                                                                                      “Oh ok, well never mind then” said Summer in a snappy tone.  

As the night went on we sat at the table talked and talked for about 45 minutes. After we talked I headed home since it was getting later out. It turned out that this day wasn't all that bad, even though I thought I was going to be a disaster because of performing. But now since I did perform I’m not all that scared anymore, I’m almost glad I did sing at the game.                                  

Concert Review

Author’s Note: For band we had to act like a concert reviewer and write a review of the concert. So here is my review of the band concert.  

On Wednesday March 6, 2013 I attended the seventh and eighth graders’ band concert. This concert was at Pewaukee High School in their auditorium, where it was full with family and friends of the performers. The Pewaukee School District is quite lucky to have two outstanding bands.    

First up were the seventh graders. The two songs that impressed me the most were "Junkyard Jam" by Kevin Mixon and "Abandoned Treasure Hunt" by Rob Grice. The third song they played was Abandoned Treasure Hunt and had capriccio in it since it was a upbeat and spirited piece. These two songs I feel like they played and sounded like an ensemble, however each song was played excellently. In "Space Journey" accompanied by Brad Ciechomski there were three movements and each one was played excellent, even if there were a few areas that weren't perfect. I liked how you could tell that they blended their sounds and they harmonized throughout the piece.
                           
Last to perform were the eighth graders. The fourth song "Carmen" arranged by Richard Saucedo I believe that there was an adagio which means a tempo having slow movement; restful at ease, in the second movement. Also in "The Great Locomotive Chase" by Robert W. Smith was performed well since it actually sounded like a train and you could hear each part of the ensemble, and what part they were playing. Throughout their performance you could hear in certain areas where the band blended and balanced their sounds which just made it sound more interesting and energetic.           
  
The District of Pewaukee is lucky to have two bands that play excellent. Overall the seventh and eighth graders did an outstanding job yet there a few spots in some of the songs that need a little more work. For the eighth grade performers in the song Mars arranged by Calvin Custer, I feel like they could have played the beginning better than what it sounded like. Or in Among the Clouds composed by Brian Balmages, through the middle of the piece it kind of faded, there wasn't must energy and I feel like there could have been a lot more coming from the performers. Meanwhile the song Knights of Destiny by Michael Sweeney performed by the seventh grade ensemble, I would say overall it was played very well, however they could have put more life or connections into their performance.                      

A story, a poem and a quote

Author's Note: For a creative piece I decided to write a letter to Edgar Allan Poe. I wrote about what I pictured while reading some of his pieces.   

Dear Edgar Allan Poe,
My name is McKenna T and I go to Asa Clark Middle School in Pewaukee, WI. One day in language arts class we read and watched "The Tell-Tale Heart" and after read it, it really got me interested in your work. While we were watching “The Tell-Tale Heart” I just reminded me of an olden time movie since there was relatively unique, rustic, and aged gold pieces throughout the house. Furthermore the main gentlemen used these out of the ordinary words that I have never heard of before and sound more like they would be used back then. 
   
So far I have only read three of your stories "The Masque of the Red Death", "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "Silence- A Fable". I've also read some of your quotes and poems. When I first read "The Masque of the Red Death" it reminded me of the movie "The Haunted Mansion" since they kind of that the same concept. All throughout the movie they had numerous flashbacks that deals with a ball and a ballroom and “The masque of the Red Death” deals with a masque ball. In the story there was seven rooms and each had their own theme and color, and they all had a stained glass windows. At the same time as that in the movie the ballroom has a oversized stained glass window.     

Last but not least while reading “Silence- A Fable” I could almost picture everything that was going on, almost like a dream. In addition pictured a pond since it kept on mentioning water lilies and rocks and you said it looked like heaven, so it could possibly look like heaven there. Yet I’m not sure entirely what it’s about because there is a demon too throughout the story.      

Lastly I just have a couple of questions about you and being an author. First I was wondering how many different types of themes have you written about? The one that I’ve read have suspense and mystery. What is your favorite piece that you have written? Why and when did you decide you wanted to be an author? Finally, I've never thought about being an author, what got you interested in being one?

Thanks,
McKenna T  

I'm no good at goodbyes

Author’s Note: For Language Arts class we are doing a point of view piece. I decide to do the song “50 Way to Say Goodbye” by Train. And I choose to write about what I thought the song was about. Down below is the lyrics to the song and below that is my response to the song. 

"My heart was paralyzed 
My head was over-sized
I'll take the high road like I should
You said, "It's meant to be.
That it's not you it's me."
You're leaving now for my own good

That's cool but if my friends ask where you are I'm gonna say

She went down in an airplane
Fried getting sun tanned
Fell in a cement mixer full of quicksand
Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes
She met a shark under water
Fell and no one caught her
I returned everything I ever bought her
Help me, help me, I'm all out of lies
And ways to say you died

My pride still feels the sting
You were my everything
Someday I'll find a love likes yours
She'll think I'm Superman
Not Super Minivan
How could you leave on Yom Kippur?

That's cool but if my friends ask where you are I'm gonna say

She was caught in a mudslide 
Eaten by a lion
Got run over by a crappy purple Scion
Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes
She dried up in the desert
Drowned in the hot tub
Danced to death at an East Side nightclub 
Help me, help me, I'm all out of lies
And ways to say you died

I want to live a thousand lives with you
I want to be the one you're dying to love
But you don't want to

That's cool but if my friends ask where you are I'm gonna say
That's cool but if my friends ask where you are I'm gonna say

She went down in an airplane

Fried getting sun tanned
Fell in a cement mixer full of quicksand
Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes
She met a shark under water
Fell and no one caught her
I returned everything I ever bought her
Help me, help me, I'm all out of lies

She was caught in a mudslide 
Eaten by a lion
Got run over by a crappy purple Scion
Help me, help me, I'm no good at goodbyes
She dried up in the desert
Drowned in the hot tub
Danced to death at an East Side nightclub 
Help me, help me, I'm all out of lies
And ways to say you died"

•••  

"50 Ways to Say Goodbye" by the band Train is about a guy and a girl that broke up and he doesn't want to tell his friends about it because he is to embarrass. He also doesn't want to say that she broke up with him. So he comes up with lies on how she died to cover it up.  

"My pride still feels the sting

You were my everything

Someday I'll find a love likes yours

She'll think I'm Superman

Not Super Minivan

How could you leave on Yom Kippur?" 

The first verse of the song kind of tells me that if he finds a girl and they have the same love, then she’ll think he is a superhero instead of a minivan. So she is comparing him to a soccer mom. The last line in this verse says that she left on a Jewish holiday, which is a holy day on the tenth day of Tishri.

"My heart was paralyzed 

My head was over-sized
I'll take the high road like I should
You said, "It's meant to be.
That it's not you it's me."
You're leaving now for my own good"

These verses tell me that his heart can’t beat since he misses her too much. And his head is over sized because he has all of these thoughts about her. So he will take the easier way out of it, and try to forget about it. And that she said that it was meant to be, but it wasn't my fault, it was yours. So now you left. 

"I want to live a thousand lives with you

I want to be the one you're dying to love

But you don't want to"

There are many impossible as to what all of these verses mean to each person, but this one tells me that he wants to live the rest of his life with her. But he wants her to be in love with him, yet she’s not.         

While the remaining verses just say all of these reasons of how she died and that he needs help because he is no good at saying goodbye, since he’s wishing that they were still together. In addition he needs more help because he can't come up with anymore lies.  

Where am I?

Author’s note: For language arts class we wrote an essay for the theme of a novel. In the book “Between Shades of Gray” the theme stuck out to me the most is bravery.  

Imagine being stuck in a pitch black train with nothing and no one you know, not knowing where you’re going or where you are. Each day you and everyone else struggle to get food and water. In the novel “Between Shades of Gray”, by Ruta Sepetys, the main character Lina Vilkas faces many challenges and has to have bravery for her and her family.  

To begin with the NKVD took a cluster of people from all over the US, and took everyone that was alive to Lithuanian. From the day they got there they started working, from fall to spring and didn’t have a lot of warm clothing throughout the winter. So Lina, her mom, and her brother Jonas along with everyone else had to deal with little food, water, shelter, and warmth as the arctic weeks turned into months. Therefore with everything they all had to go through with they must of had a lot of bravery.    

In addition Andrius and his mother have to do many things for and with the NKVD to help everyone else even if they don’t like it. Unlike everybody else these two get to stay and sleep in the building in which the NKVD people stay. Although since Andrius stayed with those people he would sneak the leftover food over to Lina, in which she would share with the rest of the people. Mrs. Arvydas and her son Andrius have bravery because of everything that they have done to help protect everyone else.        

While reading this book it reminded me of the book “Deadly Little Games”. In this book the main character Camelia got locked in a tiny room in the middle of the woods. This room was mysteriously black and had no windows, she didn’t know what was going on. So Camelia had to of had major bravery, since she was entirely unaware for where she was and what was going on.        

Throughout the book the main character had to have plenty of bravery with everything going on. In “Between Shades of Gray” Lina has to have bravery for herself along for her family. If something like this would happened to me I probably wouldn’t of been so brave.