Pearl Value Essay!

VALUING BOTH AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD

    Throughout our lives we encounter many things or items that we value. What do you value more your family and friends, or items you purchase such as a new television or camera? For me I value more memories not things that I can replace. Some of those things consist of my family, friends, sports, or pets. But I also value items I have purchased also like my television. We all have different things in life that we value? What do you value?

    Something in my life that  I value is my IPhone. My phone is where my pictures are that capture memories with friends and family, it helps me communicate with friends. While it also gives me access to weather warnings and the internet. But also it allows me to relax and play a good game of Candy Crush and or see whats new on a social networking site. But  I would have to say my favorite thing about my phone is that it is easily portable and convenient. I really like that my phone allows to take pictures of my friends and I because it allows me to keep memories that I can’t even remember!  

    Something in my life that I very much value and  could never replace is my family vacations to Rhode Island during the summer. I could never replace these memories because they are filled with fun things that we did and they’re all good memories. Whether it's night swimming at the beach, or shopping in Newport. My favorite time of the year starts in late July when I wake up to the best summer vacation my mom, dad, brother, two aunts, two friends, nine neighbors pile into the cars and get ready for a wild ride. We finally reach our destination after about two hours in the car and can’t wait to see our new house. A beach side yellow ,4 bedroom , 2 bath home  welcomes us to our vacation. After we all make ourselves at home we head to  a local small town of Galilee for lunch!  Then, we head back home to get ready for the beach! Once the sun goes down we walk outside to the  salt water smelling air  down to the beach for a swim. A little while later after the sky is black and we can barely see each other, never mind the waves crashing us, we head home. Exhausted from a long day me and my two friend settle in  for a good nights sleep.  But if you’ve ever been crammed in the same bed with two of your friends you know that you’ll never get sleep. At about 3’am after screaming, laughing, and talking we all fall asleep, only to wake up not long after to another long day at the beach. After about a week of this we all pile back into our cars we head home waiting to come back next year!

    Though my items are completely different, they are also quite similar and this is why. Both my summer vacations with my family and my IPhone are alike because they both relax me and surround me with wonderful memories that I will never forget. My phone and my vacations relax me because my phone allows me to have access to others and communicate and talk to my friends and that relaxes me. And my summer vacations relax me because there is nothing more relaxing than laying on the beach on a hot summer day surrounded by family and friends laughing, and having a good time right beside you! One way that I see my phone as something that keeps memories because of my photos I take. My phone allows me to take pictures of memories with friends and when I look back and see them I can’t help but smile because it restores those memories in my mind. My summer vacations bring me memories because when all of us are together we can’t help but create memories whether they're good or bad. Whether we're laughing or crying we seem to always be having fun when were at the beach all together.

While I explained above how I see my phone and vacation are similar there are definitely ways I see them as different too. Some ways I see them as different is while my phone is private and mine, my vacations to Rhode Island are not private I share almost everything that week with someone, if not everyone. Another way my two valued items are different is because my phone I see as something I use when I’m bored or something I use when I’m at home. While on the other hand vacations are away from home and they allow me to experience new things.

    I value both of these items very much because I love remembering, and creating memories and both these items seem to be able to do both those things for me. Even if I’m at home on my living room couch or laying in the hot sun at the beach.

    I find that both my family beach trips and my IPone allow me to travel and see new things even if it’s through the beauty of the beach or social networking sites my valued items allow me experience new things. Rhode Island allows me to bond and create fun memories with my family and enjoy the beauty of the beach. Even if I would almost always choose a beach trip over a day at home, sometimes alone time on the couch with my IPhone is just what I need.

SPEAK FINAL ASSIGNMENT

Marley Medina

10-30-13

 

1.  In this paragraph I will be describing an example of a time when my inner and outer voices were discording each other, or in disagreement. This occasion that I’ll be talking about in my following paragraph was actually not to long ago. I was deciding whether to try out for basketball in the winter or do another sport. I went back and forth on it for a while and I really wasn't sure what to do. My inner voice was kind of saying “don’t do it, you won’t like it, you don't even like basketball.”

When signups came around this week I ended up signing up anyway. At first after signing up I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to go back and forth in my head anymore, but also anxious because I don't know what the season is going to be like, because we haven't started our season yet. But I felt better because a lot of my friends are playing and I’ve played basketball throughout Middle and Elementary School and I'm comfortable with the sport, and who knows what I would have signed up for instead of basketball? What if I was really bad, or if I knew no one on the team? It’ll probably end up working out in the long run! Let’s just hope I made the right decision!

    2. An example of when both my inner and outer voices were in harmony and agreed with one another is one that I experience actually quite often. It really bothers me when people say someone is or is acting like a retard. And whenever I hear a friend or anyone saying it I say “I don't like that word”, or “ bad word” because to me honest I really HATE that word. It bugs me everytime I hear it. My inner and outer voices are in harmony in this scenario is because in my inner voice I'm like oh my god don't say that  hate that stupid word! While my outer voice is saying “bad word”, or “I don't like that word.” So this shows that my voices are in sync. So whenever I hear that and my two voices speak out as one it makes me feel good because I know that I'm doing what I would want myself to do in that situation, and I think it’s the right thing. This is an example that I‘ve experienced and it seems to be actually frequent, when both my inner and outer voices communicated together and came out with the same answer every time.

   

   

3a.     An example in the book when it shows Melinda’s inner and outer voices are in discord was on the first day of school when Melinda’s in the cafeteria for lunch when someone pores their tray of food onto her and she runs outside and is met in the hall by Mr. Neck.

“Mr. Neck: ‘We meet again.’

ME:

Would he listen to ‘I need to go home and change,’ or ‘Did you see what that bozo did?’ Not a chance. I Keep my mouth shut.” (9)

This section of the story shows when her two voices are not agreeing with each other because when she is talking to him in the hall her inner voice wants to come back at him and explain why she’s in the hall, and her outer voices doesn't say a word.

   

ORA Book Review

Marley Medina

10-24-13

“ A Child Called It”

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer. Omaha Press, 1993.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

1. Pelzer A Child Called It gave a future to a childhood lost.

2.First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

4. Dave Pelzer’s chilling childhood story tells us what it felt like living in his shoes as he grew up in a nightmare. His troubled mother tortures, starves, and beats him in the story, while his cowardly father just stood there and watched his son being abused. The book takes place in California and was in fact recorded as one of the most severe child abuse cases in California. In a smaller picture the story was placed in Dave’s childhood home, and his school. His school plays a huge part in his life because school teachers and officials removed him from his situation and reported the abuse. Also what kept Dave from “giving up” was his motivation and hope that one day he’ll have a family that loves him.

5. “Once this book was in my hands, I couldn’t put it down. This is the best book on the subject of child abuse I have ever read. As the reader moves with Dave through fear, isolation, pain and rage to eventual hope, the dark world of the abused child becomes painfully clear. We become aware of the child’s cry through David’s eyes, ears and body. A Child Called It made me want to hold my family close to my heart and cherish our love.”

-Valerie Bivens, Social Worker

Child Protective Services

The State Of California

6. Though I have not read any other books from this author, I would like to continue the series. I like how Pelzer told his own story because that’s how the reader knows all the information that the author provides you is true and as detailed as possible. I also enjoy how the writing style is very vivid and descriptive and even though at points in the story you wanted to erase images from your memory it helps the reader create images to help the reader.

7. “ Finally i told myself. “You cry, you die. Now, take care of the wound.”

(pg.97)

8. as a child I felt that it can be hard to care for myself at times, and I don’t have abusive parents. That’s why Dave really inspired me, because he took care of himself and fought for survival with brutal beatings and days without food. And i’m just glad that in the end he didn’t let his mother win.

8. I give A Child Called It ( 4 paws) = Pounce On It!

ARCANE

SPEAK REFLECTIVE READING QUIZ

• Lonely
• Lost
• Arcane
• Clandestine
• Insecure

2. I chose the word lonely for Melinda because she really has no friends she is going through High School alone. But, she really doesn’t want to have friends she likes to be alone.

I also chose Lost because she doesn’t know what to do tell everyone the truth about that party. Or, when she’s in the cafeteria she doesn’t know who to sit with or really what to do.

Arcane is a word that describes Melinda because it means secret, known only by few. And, Melinda makes sure of that she is not known by a lot of people she would rather be by herself.

My next word was clandestine and it means secret because Melinda’s a very secretive person. For example the janitor’s closet in school she uses it as her own secret hideout where she can go to be alone, where no one else can find her, and she’s not sharing her secret about the party so her whole life at school is a secret.

And my last word was insecure because i believe the Melinda has a lot of insecurities. Like, how she thinks she has to ugliest clothes in school and she can’t draw a tree in art class.

3. ARCANE

4. Out of my five words that describe the protagonist Melinda in the book Speak i chose the word arcane. I chose this one instead of the other four because i felt it was the one that best described Melinda and who she is.  I felt that arcane best shows who Melinda as a character is because arcane mean secret, known only by few. And this is truly who Melinda is, but she doesn’t care she likes “blending into the crowd”

Examples of this shown in the story are when Melinda’s parents want her to stay after school everyday for extra help and Melinda agree’s to stay after, but not to study, Melinda is making her own personal fort in the janitor’s closet (pg. 26&). Or when she refuses to go to the homecoming pep rally until Heather makes her. She would rather spend the time out of algebra and fixing up her closet. she doesn’t want to go because she doesn’t want anyone to talk to her or sit next to her she would rather be alone in her closet (pg.26-30).

Author’s Notes

1. I would like the reader to understand the unique characters personalities that i saw in the two stories. A theme that i was trying to get across was that you never leave a friend behind.

2. This story was easy to write because both characters are from New York.

3. It was hard to write about the war . And it was also hard incorporating Alfred in England and him and Daisy knowing each other.

4. I would have like to write more about the days that Alfred  and Daisy were apart from each other. And also, I would have liked to add about Daisy’s relationship she gains with her cousins during her visit to England. Feedback questions that would be helpful would be did the story make sense when you read it? Did you get the relationship between characters? And, was the ending good and did it go with the story?

How I Live Now- Daisy and Piper

The Contender- Alfred Brooks

Setting- Airport, Boxing Ring, Farmhouse

Daisy stood alone and afraid in the airport waiting for any sign of her cousin, though she didn’t know what they looked like, or even their names. Suddenly, a skinny stranger that looked beat up and struggling stumbled upon her. This stranger said “hello, Daisy what are you doing here?” Daisy confused replied. “ I’m here to visit my cousins, who are you?” The strange let off a soft chuckle and said, “oh, you don’t remember me i’m Alfred, i used to live down the street from you, but I moved to Harlem last year.”  Daisy suddenly remembered her old neighbor and said “oh hey Alfred, why are you here?” Alfred told Daisy all about his many fights and how now he was fighting in England because he was dominating in the United States.

    Daisy and Alfred walked and talk for awhile about old memories together and Aunt Pearl. Finally, Daisy heard what sounded like her named being yelled from across the airport, “ DAISY, DAISY!” Daisy and Alfred walked up to the boy shouting her name, that looked about her age all alone in the airport.

Daisy said. “Hi, i’m Daisy who are you?”

The boy replied back “Hello Daisy I am your cousin Edmond.”

    The three walked through the airport together till they finally reached the car. Edmond got into the drivers seat while Alfred and Daisy stood there confused. “Um… aren’t you a little young to be driving a car,” Alfred said. Edmond looked confused and shot back with “oh, here we don’t have to wait around and get a license we drive when we’re ready, so get in.” The two stood there unsure weather to run or get in. They eventually jumped in and were off. On the way to the house they passed many small houses and farms with livestock. After a long drive they pulled into a farmhouse with a small girl on the porch. They got out of the car and approached the little girl who Edmond explained to them was Piper his little sister and that he also has a twin and older brother inside, and that his mom ( Aunt Penn) was away working and should be home in a couple of days. Alfred being so shy just followed Daisy as if he was her shadow. Alfred has always had a boxing instinct since he started at Donatelli’s Gym, every chance he had to fight he would and that’s why he’s here now. Daisy, and her cousins accompanied Alfred to his match he was fighting England superstar Curtis Edwards. the bell rang, and Alfred was on his game ducking punches, he ending the match in the third round with a TKO.

    All of a sudden shots rang out across the stadium and explosions occur. War breaks out.

    Daisy grabs Piper hand and runs for shelter, she escapes the stadium hoping that everyone else has too. She ran to the streets and finally makes it back to the house with Piper. She waits there anxiously for the boys. Then, the boys run in screaming, “ GET IN THE BARN, GET IN THE BARN!” But Alfred is nowhere to be scene. The cousins frantically run out into the barn and Daisy wondered behind.

    After a couple of hours blasts calm down and the kids are asleep, but Daisy is wide awake nervous about her friend. She lay awake remembering her neighbor and trying to stay positive thinking, he’s ok i know he is, she thought back to a few years ago when Alfred was accused of robbing that Jewish store where he worked, but it turned out to be his best friend James, or when that mean boy Major threatened to give him a squealers scar just to set an example of him. Or when he explained to her when he first walked up those steps to Donatelli’s Gym his life changed forever. She wandered on for hours but slowly fell asleep next to Edmond.

Days went on without Alfred and Daisy grew more worried by the day. She once ran away with Piper late at night searching for Alfred but after several days looking they went home.  

But one morning she woke up early to the two dogs howling at someone and she immediately thought… “Alfred!” She looked outside to see if it was really true, and it was Alfred Brooks was banging on their front door!

She ran towards him and gave him a big hug thankful that they both survived the war. Then after about a month with the cousins and boxing matches, they both took a plane back to New York together, trying to forget what they’ve scene in the war.