Okay so no, I didn't steel this idea from Laura (http://inklingsociety.blogspot.com/). I had made up a list like this before and was going to post it on my other blog but then lost it and yah. So then I saw that Laura had posted one on hers and it reminded me of mine, so it got me thinking again and then I made up a new one (which by the way is ever growing!). Thought i'd post it:
1. The best color in the world is blue. It makes me happy. :)
2. If I could pick another last name for myself it would be O’Connel because I think last names that begin with “O” are awesome.
3. Even though I now live in Gaithersburg, my home will always be Frederick, because I lived there for 11 years.
4. The beach, undoubtedly, is the best place on earth.
5. And since the beach is the best place, my favorite sound is the ocean.
6. My favorite number is 7. Because it’s the number of completion and it’s easy to write.
7. Thanksgiving is better than Christmas because it has better food.
8. I hate perfume. Whoever had the idea to make it and make it smell like it does couldn’t smell. Whoever made up cologne is amazing.
9. My friend M*A*S*Hed me with the one person she never wants me to marry...lol
10. I notice people’s eye color when I first meet them. eye’s are awesome.
11. I could live off of fried rice. It is quite delectable.
12. My whole life is one big movie quote and I was so happy when I realized there where other people than me who lived like that too. :)
13. Little kids say the best things.ever.
14. I think it would be awesome to own the same pair of shoes in five different colors.
15. I love to laugh.
16. My friends are the best ever. If I didn’t have the friends I do I think I might go crazy. They understand me, laugh with me (and at me) and are like raindrops on a sunny day (yah, I bet you never thought of yourself as a raindrop. now you will :D).
17. Traveling is so so so so so so! much fun.
18. I want to study photography abroad in London.
19. Singing like no one is listening is my favorite!
20. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. psalm.23.1
yup. that's me. well part of me. =)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Novel
So I am writing a novel. Yes, It been a long time since I started, but, hey, at least I haven't given up yet! :) So anyways I thought I would post the beginning. urk. the would has never seen this before! nervous of what you guys will think. let me know:
-------
It was a dark night like no other. The rain had been falling in torrents since dusk when the mysterious traveler rode up to the small house. She slid off her wet horse, pushed the soaked loose strands of hair away from her face and tied her horse to a tree branch. She stumbled toward the door and knocked. No answer. She knocked again. This time she heard a faint voice, “Go away!
“Please sir, let me come in?” She asked.
“No!"
“Sir, I’ve been riding all day long and am tired. Just for a few minutes to warm –"
A small window in the door opened. “What do you want? Can’t you tell we’re not an inn?”
“Yes, sir, I realized and I’ll gladly pay you for your trouble but-"
“Hank! Are you making that poor traveler stand out there in the rain while you question as to what they want?”
“Well…I…you see - ”
Just then a second face showed at the door. “Oh! You poor soaked dear. Come in, come in! Umm…here. Hank, move out of the way, so I can open the door.”
The sweet, plump lady bumped aside her husband, opened the door and motioned for the “soaked dear” to come in. The girl just stood there and pointed back to her horse.
“Please,” she said, “Joshua – my horse. He needs shelter more than I do. And food.”
“Oh I see. Yes, dear. Hank, would you mind taking Joshua to the stables and uh? Well…make him feel right at home!” The lady said with a warm smile.
Hank was about to protest when a gust of wind and rain was blown straight at him. Spitting out water he exclaimed, “Well, doesn’t look like I can get anymore wet! Come on, Joshua; to the stables.”
“And you, my dear girl, to the kitchen!”
“Here, why don’t you hand me that heavy overcoat of yours – why, my goodness child! This must be as heavy as you are! Let me get you some fresh clothes as I see those are soaked through.”
She hurried to a room in the back and brought out a fresh nightgown. “Here, put this on.”
“Oh, thank you so very much. Your kindness is un-payable.”
“A sweet smile from your pretty face is all I need.” The girl gave her a smile and then turned to go sit by the hearth, the kind lady’s eyes watching her every perfect move. But she quickly stirred herself out of her stare and back to reality. “If you don’t mind me asking: your name?”
“Oh! It’s Colette.”
“Ah Colette. What a pretty name. Well, Colette, are you hungry dear?”
“Oh yes! Very much so. I would like – ” The girl’s hand flew to her mouth and she suddenly became very quiet. She continued in a hushed tone, “Whatever you have to offer would be quite lovely.”
“Alright…then…I’ll fix you something warm. Clam chowder is what we had tonight. Is that uh...fine?”
“Yes, thank you.” While Penny hurried off to fix her a bowl, Collette just starred at the fire. It was obvious to Penny that something was troubling her but she knew better than to ask.
“Here you are!”
“Thank you.” Collette’s big brown eyes looked up at Penny and almost melted her heart. Oh the poor thing. I wonder what the matter is. I‘m sure it would help her to talk about – no, no, no, it wouldn’t. It’s her business. Oh Penny, stop it. She’ll be fine. You didn’t even know her till now. And you still don’t know her! Be friendly but not too…
The silence had been too much for Colette. “Has it been raining like this all day?”
Penny almost jumped for she was still in the midst of thinking. “What? Oh! Ah, yes, it has. I do hope it clears up by tomorrow morning for Hank and I are supposed to go fishing!”
“Do you fish?” Colette asked as she finished the last spoonful of her warm soup. “Yes; we both fish. Hank more so than I but I must confess, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating fish that you yourself caught,” Penny admitted with a chuckle.
Just then the door opened and in walked Hank, dripping with cold water from head to foot. Penny gave a little jump for she had forgotten that he had been outside.
“Joshua is warm and well-fed. No need to worry…Miss-”
“Colette. Just Colette. No miss, please.”
“Alright, Colette. Well, I can tell you take great pride in your horse. He is strong and healthy.”
“Thank you. Yes, I love my horse very much. He was given to me by my father before he was…ahem, before he died.”
“Yes, I see. Well that’s a special gift.”
“Yes. Very special.”
Penny saw a tear roll down off of the pretty young girl’s cheek and she quickly changed the subject. “Well, I think we all need to get some sleep. I know Hank and I have a big day ahead of us and I’m pretty sure our little traveler will need to be getting on her way pretty early in the morning.”
Colette looked up and smiled at Penny who was in turn smiling back at her. “Right this way dear and I’ll show you to your room,” Penny said gently as she took her bowl from her.
“Here you are. It’s not very big, but –”
“Oh, it’s fine. Thank you.” Colette said as she looked around the room. It was small indeed, but it looked warm and dry, which was all she needed right now.
“Alright. Then… you’re… fine here?” Penny said in a way that was more of a statement then a question.
“Yes, perfectly. Good Night.”
“Good Night.” Colette gently closed the heavy wooden door behind Penny and then walked over to the side of the bed and sank down onto it. So many questions where running through her tired mind: Why can’t every body be this kind? Why do people try to force other people to do things? Why can’t…her thoughts trailed off into a peaceful sleep.
It was still dark when Colette awoke and judging by the sound of Hank’s snore still very early in the morning. Trying not to trip in the dark, Colette tip-toed to the heavy oak door and opened it without to much noise. She made her way over to the fire which had become mere embers now, and slipped on her clothes which were warm and dry. Rummaging around the kitchen, Colette happened upon a quill and ink and a small piece of parchment and quickly wrote a note, which she hoped was legible since it was still so dark. Just by chance she found a loaf of bread and stuffed that into her pocket.
After stopping to see if Hank was still snoring, which he was, Colette quickly made her way over to the front door. As soon as she reached she noticed it was bolted. Perfect! I can unbolt the door but how in the world am I going to get it bolted back from the outside without the key? The window! Colette remembered the window in her room and bolted back as quietly as possible. She could she the sun coming up through the window and knew she had to leave quickly. Thankfully the window was low enough for her to swing one leg over and out of the window sill. She lifted her body onto the sill swung her other leg out and landed safely and quietly on the ground. She dashed over to the stable, unlatched the door, and grabbed Joshua’s saddle. Quickly she tightened the straps and led Joshua out of the stable. She re-latched the stable door and hoisted herself up onto Joshua’s sleek body. With once friendly click of her heels to his sides he was off and running. Colette stopped once she had reached the top of the hill and looked back over her shoulder. The rising sun was casting an orange-red glow over the peek of the tallest mountain in the distance. Colette smiled. What a glorious day for riding.
-------
It was a dark night like no other. The rain had been falling in torrents since dusk when the mysterious traveler rode up to the small house. She slid off her wet horse, pushed the soaked loose strands of hair away from her face and tied her horse to a tree branch. She stumbled toward the door and knocked. No answer. She knocked again. This time she heard a faint voice, “Go away!
“Please sir, let me come in?” She asked.
“No!"
“Sir, I’ve been riding all day long and am tired. Just for a few minutes to warm –"
A small window in the door opened. “What do you want? Can’t you tell we’re not an inn?”
“Yes, sir, I realized and I’ll gladly pay you for your trouble but-"
“Hank! Are you making that poor traveler stand out there in the rain while you question as to what they want?”
“Well…I…you see - ”
Just then a second face showed at the door. “Oh! You poor soaked dear. Come in, come in! Umm…here. Hank, move out of the way, so I can open the door.”
The sweet, plump lady bumped aside her husband, opened the door and motioned for the “soaked dear” to come in. The girl just stood there and pointed back to her horse.
“Please,” she said, “Joshua – my horse. He needs shelter more than I do. And food.”
“Oh I see. Yes, dear. Hank, would you mind taking Joshua to the stables and uh? Well…make him feel right at home!” The lady said with a warm smile.
Hank was about to protest when a gust of wind and rain was blown straight at him. Spitting out water he exclaimed, “Well, doesn’t look like I can get anymore wet! Come on, Joshua; to the stables.”
“And you, my dear girl, to the kitchen!”
“Here, why don’t you hand me that heavy overcoat of yours – why, my goodness child! This must be as heavy as you are! Let me get you some fresh clothes as I see those are soaked through.”
She hurried to a room in the back and brought out a fresh nightgown. “Here, put this on.”
“Oh, thank you so very much. Your kindness is un-payable.”
“A sweet smile from your pretty face is all I need.” The girl gave her a smile and then turned to go sit by the hearth, the kind lady’s eyes watching her every perfect move. But she quickly stirred herself out of her stare and back to reality. “If you don’t mind me asking: your name?”
“Oh! It’s Colette.”
“Ah Colette. What a pretty name. Well, Colette, are you hungry dear?”
“Oh yes! Very much so. I would like – ” The girl’s hand flew to her mouth and she suddenly became very quiet. She continued in a hushed tone, “Whatever you have to offer would be quite lovely.”
“Alright…then…I’ll fix you something warm. Clam chowder is what we had tonight. Is that uh...fine?”
“Yes, thank you.” While Penny hurried off to fix her a bowl, Collette just starred at the fire. It was obvious to Penny that something was troubling her but she knew better than to ask.
“Here you are!”
“Thank you.” Collette’s big brown eyes looked up at Penny and almost melted her heart. Oh the poor thing. I wonder what the matter is. I‘m sure it would help her to talk about – no, no, no, it wouldn’t. It’s her business. Oh Penny, stop it. She’ll be fine. You didn’t even know her till now. And you still don’t know her! Be friendly but not too…
The silence had been too much for Colette. “Has it been raining like this all day?”
Penny almost jumped for she was still in the midst of thinking. “What? Oh! Ah, yes, it has. I do hope it clears up by tomorrow morning for Hank and I are supposed to go fishing!”
“Do you fish?” Colette asked as she finished the last spoonful of her warm soup. “Yes; we both fish. Hank more so than I but I must confess, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating fish that you yourself caught,” Penny admitted with a chuckle.
Just then the door opened and in walked Hank, dripping with cold water from head to foot. Penny gave a little jump for she had forgotten that he had been outside.
“Joshua is warm and well-fed. No need to worry…Miss-”
“Colette. Just Colette. No miss, please.”
“Alright, Colette. Well, I can tell you take great pride in your horse. He is strong and healthy.”
“Thank you. Yes, I love my horse very much. He was given to me by my father before he was…ahem, before he died.”
“Yes, I see. Well that’s a special gift.”
“Yes. Very special.”
Penny saw a tear roll down off of the pretty young girl’s cheek and she quickly changed the subject. “Well, I think we all need to get some sleep. I know Hank and I have a big day ahead of us and I’m pretty sure our little traveler will need to be getting on her way pretty early in the morning.”
Colette looked up and smiled at Penny who was in turn smiling back at her. “Right this way dear and I’ll show you to your room,” Penny said gently as she took her bowl from her.
“Here you are. It’s not very big, but –”
“Oh, it’s fine. Thank you.” Colette said as she looked around the room. It was small indeed, but it looked warm and dry, which was all she needed right now.
“Alright. Then… you’re… fine here?” Penny said in a way that was more of a statement then a question.
“Yes, perfectly. Good Night.”
“Good Night.” Colette gently closed the heavy wooden door behind Penny and then walked over to the side of the bed and sank down onto it. So many questions where running through her tired mind: Why can’t every body be this kind? Why do people try to force other people to do things? Why can’t…her thoughts trailed off into a peaceful sleep.
It was still dark when Colette awoke and judging by the sound of Hank’s snore still very early in the morning. Trying not to trip in the dark, Colette tip-toed to the heavy oak door and opened it without to much noise. She made her way over to the fire which had become mere embers now, and slipped on her clothes which were warm and dry. Rummaging around the kitchen, Colette happened upon a quill and ink and a small piece of parchment and quickly wrote a note, which she hoped was legible since it was still so dark. Just by chance she found a loaf of bread and stuffed that into her pocket.
After stopping to see if Hank was still snoring, which he was, Colette quickly made her way over to the front door. As soon as she reached she noticed it was bolted. Perfect! I can unbolt the door but how in the world am I going to get it bolted back from the outside without the key? The window! Colette remembered the window in her room and bolted back as quietly as possible. She could she the sun coming up through the window and knew she had to leave quickly. Thankfully the window was low enough for her to swing one leg over and out of the window sill. She lifted her body onto the sill swung her other leg out and landed safely and quietly on the ground. She dashed over to the stable, unlatched the door, and grabbed Joshua’s saddle. Quickly she tightened the straps and led Joshua out of the stable. She re-latched the stable door and hoisted herself up onto Joshua’s sleek body. With once friendly click of her heels to his sides he was off and running. Colette stopped once she had reached the top of the hill and looked back over her shoulder. The rising sun was casting an orange-red glow over the peek of the tallest mountain in the distance. Colette smiled. What a glorious day for riding.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Synthesis Essay
Third essay of the month...ah!
---
“According to Francine Prose, ‘Education, after all, is a process intended to produce a product.’ Examine your school or another part of an educational system (for example, your school district, a Montessori class, a private religion-affiliated school). Describe specific parts of the educational process, and the ‘product’ they strive to produce. Think of this as a cause-effect essay, with the process as the cause and the product as the effect.”:
Education has been around for so long that I don’t think it ever occurred to us why we need it. All types of education whether public, private, or homeschool are very important for life. Education is the main source for training children into the adults they will be in the future. It is a process intended to produce a product. I have had the joy of being homeschooled for almost 11 years of my life and it has greatly influenced me. It has expanded my vocabulary, assisted me in math, given me clarity in chemistry and helped me in many other ways.
When people think of homeschooling they think of school in your pajamas, snow days whenever you want them, extra credit for just picking a flower during science, and so on. But actually, being homeschooled is just as difficult as going to public or private school. Kids can’t sleep in late and they don’t get snow days because all of their school is done at home! I know from experience that being homeschooled is not easy. You still have the same amount of school as other kids. And since there is no nailed-down schedule you have to create one and train yourself to stay on it.
Some people may disagree with homeschooling because they feel it does not prepare young people for the world. But this would not be accurate. One of the great benefits of being homeschooled is the fact that your parents are your greatest influences. No teacher can better instruct you in how to face the world than your parents. In homeschooling, the amount of time children spend with their parents and siblings is greater than in public or private school. With the amount of homework kids receive in school it can become very difficult to find enough time for family and homework. I’m not saying that homeschoolers have it easy and never have a lot of homework. Absolutely not! I am always busy and I constantly have many late nights filled with school. But it is a blessing to be home throughout the day and be able to have lunch with my mom and periodically interact with my siblings. This is especially helpful to young girls, who instead of being away from the home all day, can interact with their mothers and learn basic skills in the home as well as school. This is one of the main reasons I have never gone to school. In being homeschooled, I have earned the same education but also homemaking skills from my mom!
Over time, homeschooling has become more co-op based than home based. Now-a-days there are many outside classes provided to students. Many wonderful people are willing to take a bunch of kids and conduct a class for them that will help them grow intellectually. When I was in 7th and 8th grade I was involved in a history and literature co-op called Tapestry of Grace. You may have heard of it or maybe you have even done it. That class introduced me to many books and topics that I had never really given any thought to. In those 2 years I learned so much about our culture and the world around us. Leon Botstein in Let Teenagers Try Adulthood said, “Beginning with seventh grade, there should be four years of secondary education that we may call high school.”1 I am sure that not only me, but my other classmates, are so grateful that we were not in high school during those two years because those are the years that really helped us get a grasp on what we would be learning in the coming years of high school. If I had entered high school when I should have been entering 7th grade, I would not have been ready for the amount of information that a high school student has to acquire and remember.
One of the great blessings of being homeschooled is the opportunity to take AP classes. Public and private school students typically only have one or tow choices available, as opposed to homeschoolers who have vast choices of AP classes available to them. AP classes not only go deeper than the basics in a certain subject, but they are college-level classes. One of the greatest pros to AP classes is the fact that they prepare you for college level work. Another great think about AP classes is that some of them give college credit on the AP test if you score high enough. The students who work hard in those classes are rewarded by not having to take as many core college classes.
Education is meant to produce a product. If education had no purpose, no value, no point, it would have been figured out by now. Francine Prose says in I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read that, “Education, after all, is a process intended to produce a product.”2 Many students do not see education as enjoyable because they don’t position themselves to see learning as a process intending to produce a product. They view homework as a burden and boring, when, in fact, it is one of the most important keys to learning. Some students just do enough studying and work to “get by” instead of taking ownership of the opportunity they have been given to learn. These students – public, private, or homeschooled – have the view in mind that school is about getting good grades and passing the SATs. However, we know that school is so much more than that. It’s about learning and developing kids and teens into adults ready to make change happen, be a part of a new discovery, perform surgery, study the heavens, and the like.
Over the years, education has taught students simple facts like long division and complex equations such as how to find the equilibrium in a chemical reaction. Subjects like math, science, history, and writing are very important in the life of a student. Homeschooling is one of the ways to produce students who are ready to face the world and all of its joys and challenges.
---
“According to Francine Prose, ‘Education, after all, is a process intended to produce a product.’ Examine your school or another part of an educational system (for example, your school district, a Montessori class, a private religion-affiliated school). Describe specific parts of the educational process, and the ‘product’ they strive to produce. Think of this as a cause-effect essay, with the process as the cause and the product as the effect.”:
Education has been around for so long that I don’t think it ever occurred to us why we need it. All types of education whether public, private, or homeschool are very important for life. Education is the main source for training children into the adults they will be in the future. It is a process intended to produce a product. I have had the joy of being homeschooled for almost 11 years of my life and it has greatly influenced me. It has expanded my vocabulary, assisted me in math, given me clarity in chemistry and helped me in many other ways.
When people think of homeschooling they think of school in your pajamas, snow days whenever you want them, extra credit for just picking a flower during science, and so on. But actually, being homeschooled is just as difficult as going to public or private school. Kids can’t sleep in late and they don’t get snow days because all of their school is done at home! I know from experience that being homeschooled is not easy. You still have the same amount of school as other kids. And since there is no nailed-down schedule you have to create one and train yourself to stay on it.
Some people may disagree with homeschooling because they feel it does not prepare young people for the world. But this would not be accurate. One of the great benefits of being homeschooled is the fact that your parents are your greatest influences. No teacher can better instruct you in how to face the world than your parents. In homeschooling, the amount of time children spend with their parents and siblings is greater than in public or private school. With the amount of homework kids receive in school it can become very difficult to find enough time for family and homework. I’m not saying that homeschoolers have it easy and never have a lot of homework. Absolutely not! I am always busy and I constantly have many late nights filled with school. But it is a blessing to be home throughout the day and be able to have lunch with my mom and periodically interact with my siblings. This is especially helpful to young girls, who instead of being away from the home all day, can interact with their mothers and learn basic skills in the home as well as school. This is one of the main reasons I have never gone to school. In being homeschooled, I have earned the same education but also homemaking skills from my mom!
Over time, homeschooling has become more co-op based than home based. Now-a-days there are many outside classes provided to students. Many wonderful people are willing to take a bunch of kids and conduct a class for them that will help them grow intellectually. When I was in 7th and 8th grade I was involved in a history and literature co-op called Tapestry of Grace. You may have heard of it or maybe you have even done it. That class introduced me to many books and topics that I had never really given any thought to. In those 2 years I learned so much about our culture and the world around us. Leon Botstein in Let Teenagers Try Adulthood said, “Beginning with seventh grade, there should be four years of secondary education that we may call high school.”1 I am sure that not only me, but my other classmates, are so grateful that we were not in high school during those two years because those are the years that really helped us get a grasp on what we would be learning in the coming years of high school. If I had entered high school when I should have been entering 7th grade, I would not have been ready for the amount of information that a high school student has to acquire and remember.
One of the great blessings of being homeschooled is the opportunity to take AP classes. Public and private school students typically only have one or tow choices available, as opposed to homeschoolers who have vast choices of AP classes available to them. AP classes not only go deeper than the basics in a certain subject, but they are college-level classes. One of the greatest pros to AP classes is the fact that they prepare you for college level work. Another great think about AP classes is that some of them give college credit on the AP test if you score high enough. The students who work hard in those classes are rewarded by not having to take as many core college classes.
Education is meant to produce a product. If education had no purpose, no value, no point, it would have been figured out by now. Francine Prose says in I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read that, “Education, after all, is a process intended to produce a product.”2 Many students do not see education as enjoyable because they don’t position themselves to see learning as a process intending to produce a product. They view homework as a burden and boring, when, in fact, it is one of the most important keys to learning. Some students just do enough studying and work to “get by” instead of taking ownership of the opportunity they have been given to learn. These students – public, private, or homeschooled – have the view in mind that school is about getting good grades and passing the SATs. However, we know that school is so much more than that. It’s about learning and developing kids and teens into adults ready to make change happen, be a part of a new discovery, perform surgery, study the heavens, and the like.
Over the years, education has taught students simple facts like long division and complex equations such as how to find the equilibrium in a chemical reaction. Subjects like math, science, history, and writing are very important in the life of a student. Homeschooling is one of the ways to produce students who are ready to face the world and all of its joys and challenges.
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