Brandon’s English Blog

 I remember being told I was born early on March 12th, around 1am. My mom was so relieved to have given birth to me, as I was a big baby and it was painful. My mom and dad were both very loving, especially since I was my dad's first son. He was ecstatic, unable to separate us from the moment I was born. I'd relate more to "Infant Joy", as there were no complications and just good emotions after I was born. Today, we read "Infant Joy" and "Infant Sorrow" by William Blake. They relate to the two different perspectives after childbirth. Afterwards, we began a one-pager on either pair of the twin poems. I chose the infant pair, as they seemed easier and more enjoyable to me. I spent today finishing gathering information so I could just let my creativity flow when I got home. Today, I feel good. There is nothing after school today, so I get to relax.

 The most beautiful thing created to me is the universe. I don't understand how all these planets were made together, especially with everything being made of specific atom configurations and gas. All the stars, blackholes, and planets just appeared one day after the Big Bang, which also just happened randomly according to science. Today, we read a short poem titled "The Tyger". It depicts the beauty and design of tigers, with the author at first being in awe in it's beautiful and then contemplating why God made gave so much detail to something so dangerous and powerful. I didn't understand the poem much but it was also interesting to see the author's reasoning and explaining as to why Tigers are how they are. Today, I feel okay. I have to help the Henderson Band students with this upcoming parade we are doing on Saturday. They're improving well and I believe they have a bright future in the Lakeside Band Program. 

 I look more forward to Christmas. It has always been an important holiday in my family, as it’s the time where I get to see family members I normally don’t throughout the year. The food also symbolizes our heritage and brings us together, being a mix of ethnic dishes typically only made for special occasions. The act of gift giving shows care and love to one another, with the gift only being a small part of it. Today, we took a Multicultural Lit benchmark, testing our knowledge and understanding. I felt I did good, but won’t know until the grade is in. Today, I feel good. I have Jazz Band practice today, and I hope we can sound good before the Jazz festival this Saturday.

 You need to meet people in the field or job you are interested in. They carry valuable knowledge and experiences that you may also face if you decide to partake. You also need to research the education, skills, qualifications, and factors in order to get the job. Right now, I need to prepare myself mentally for all the math I will be doing as well as reaching out to anybody I know that could give me insight into whether the job would be right for me. Today, we watched a video on about a woman living on minimum wage. It was interesting to see the experiences, challenges, and sacrifices she went through taking care of herself and her son. Me and my mom have gone through similar experiences so it’s nice to relate and understand other people have gone through the same experiences. Today, I feel good. I have nothing today so I get to go home. 

 Over spring break, I did nothing eventful. I caught up on necessary rest while also staying active. At the end, I caught up on assignments and practiced for Band. Today, we researched about careers we were interested in. We use government websites and calculated things from the average pay, education and experience required, what you do in the job, and how many people have the job. It was fun because I found a viable backup that I could do in case Computer Engineering is not for me. Today, I feel good. We’re about to perform for the first time as a Jazz Band next Saturday, so we have to get it together.

 I would go to Japan and live in a little village for the whole week. I would live the rural lifestyle, exploring the scenery and surroundings. I would do things the old-fashioned way. I think Japanese culture is beautiful and I want to experience every part of it during my lifetime. Today, we are doing any outstanding assignments that we are missing. I have quite a few, but I can knock them out (most of them) before school ends. Today, I am tired. I’ve slept late for the last 3 days and need to catch up.

 Coco is a 2017 Mexican Pixar film that portrays the traditions of the day of the dead and the life of a Mexican boy fighting to become a musician against his family’s wishes. The film accurately captures the beauty of Mexican culture, traditions, architecture, and music. This paints Mexicans and Hispanics as a whole as a culturally rich and beautiful group, rather than the lazy and stealing portrayal of the media. Today, we presented our racial stereotype presentations. I enjoyed this because we went in depth about specific cultures we chose and presented it to people who may be unaware. Today, I feel okay. I only showed up to this class because I did not want to get a 0.

 I miss my Nintendo 3DS and consoles in general. I remember the times of me playing my favorite games like Mario, Sonic, Call of Duty, with no cares or worries in the world. Being so young, I had almost no responsibilities other than going to school and keeping up with my homework. I spent a lot of time in between going outside to play with my friends and coming home to get on the game. I miss my 3DS especially because it was the first console I had, with up to 3 of them. One day, I will buy one again and reminisce about the good times. Today, Mr. Rease was not here. We had our Monday vocabulary lesson, but I didn’t do it because it was too long. I prefer the sentences and exercises. Today, I am tired. It’s rainy so Jazz Band was cancelled, so I get to go home instead.

 When I was younger, I thought all high school students were scary bullies who would beat up little kids.  Now as a high schooler, I realized everyone is awkward and has their own problems to deal with. There’s a perception that high schoolers, especially girls are very judgy about everything. However, most don’t care or have other things to worry about other than you. Most stereotypes are not true, only dramatized by media and movies. Today, we continued working in our presentations. I pretty much finished all my slide, but I still need to watch the movie and find a good scene for my analysis. Today, I feel good. It’s Friday and I get to go home.

 When I met my friend Getahun in 7th grade, I thought he was Indian. Although now he doesn’t look like it, back then he had short hair, was a smart quiet kid, and never misbehaved. As we got to know him more, he got comfortable enough and said the n-word once. We were all in shock until he told us he was Ethiopian while we all thought he was Indian. Since stereotypically, Indians are smart, quiet, and good kids, we just automatically assumed he was Indian. I realized just because someone looks and acts a certain way, doesn’t mean they are the way they give off to me. Today, we began working on our Dangers of a Single story presentations in our groups. We got a lot done, with us choosing to do Scary Movie 4. Our culture is White Americans, so it should be fun. Today, I feel good. I have Winter Drumline practice, but I’d rather just go home.

I remember my brother gets mistaken for a black male all the time. He was born in Mexico but he’s really dark with kinky hair, looking like he’s Black. Due to this, he was always believed to be black, unable to prove otherwise unless he spoke Spanish. People believe Hispanic come in the colors they see on TV, with anyone who isn’t brown not being Hispanic in their eyes. Today, we did a CommonLit on single stories, how stereotypes and beliefs can be spread to paint people in a certain way to many others. I like this story because the author experienced many perspectives herself, allowing us to connect and relate further. Today, I feel good. We’re performing at Henderson today, so I hope that goes well.

 Mastering precise vocabulary improves your communication and academic success as some words are better fit for the situation than others. Using the right vocabulary can help maintain the tone and structure of your speech and writing. Today, we continued learning vocabulary through Lesson 14. We wrote each word in a correlating sentence and completed Exercises 3 and 4. I enjoy these lessons because they are easy and I learn new synonyms to words every week as well as refresh my understanding on some words I’ve heard before. Today, I feel okay. It’s moist and hot out, but I’ll make the most of it today.

 I would want to live in the suburbs. The city stresses me out as there’s too much noise and things going on. I want a quiet, peaceful environment where everything isn’t crammed together. Today, we did a CommonLit on the many people living in the suburbs, the trends of where people live and how they’ve changed, and the effects it has on the environment. This was interesting because it’s important to know where you want to live and why, as well as the benefits and harm this decision can cause. Today, I have my LGPE concert. We’ve been working since January with some difficult pieces, so I hope today goes well.

 After reading the passages, I will avoid student debt by working a job during college, trying to get internships, and getting as many scholarships as I can. Today, we did a CommonLit about student debt as a class. We learned about the different ways you can avoid debt and pay for your tuition, as well as malicious practices some colleges use to maximize profit over education. This was very helpful as soon we are going to college. Today, I feel good. I have nothing to do so I get to go home after this.

 I resonate with the word, nirvana. Nirvana is important to me because it’s the name of one of my favorite bands but also because it’s a state I hope to reach one day. Nirvana means a condition of great peace or happiness. It’s something everyone should have in life, although life isn’t fair. Being in nirvana would mean you have no problems or worries, allowing you to live contently. Today, Mr. Rease was out so we had to self-learn Lesson 13 vocabulary. We wrote a sentence with each word and completed Exercise I and IV. It was easy so I had free time to catch up on other work. Today, I feel good. I celebrated my birthday with my family yesterday and we went to Longhorn Steakhouse. My birthday was the 12th, but I didn’t mind. Because of that, I feel energized for Jazz Band practice today.

 Through all of middle school, I could not perform a roll on the drum. It did not click in my head how to do it, with people that did not play percussion coming to try to help. I tried countless times but could not get it. My snare drum part had rolls in it and I had to take them out because I couldn’t do it. I watched every tutorial and tried every method until finally one day, it clicked. When I learned how to do it, so many other drum rudiments and techniques became easy. All the effort I put in had made me a better musician, when all my self-confidence and belief was gone. Today, I was performing with the Orchestra for their LGPE at the Dekalb School of Arts. I am really tired, but enjoyed the experience.

During last semester, the stress of finishing college applications and keeping my grades up started to overwhelm me. I began overthinking about my missing work, believing if my grades weren’t high enough I wouldn’t get into the colleges of my choice. After submitting everything and looking over my application and resume, I realized all the hard work I’d done was shown through the stats, leaving me at peace knowing that I met the qualifications for the schools I applied to. All that was left was to wait. Today, I missed all of class meeting with an Oglethorpe University representative. However, I feel good. She gave us cookies for being admitted in and I have nothing to do, so I’m going to sleep.

Malleable means to be easily changed or shaped. I encounter this word a lot in Science, specifically when talking about elements and metals like Gold, Aluminum, Iron, etc. It can also be used in the context of someone who can be easily swayed or convinced. Every time I see the word, I think of Play-Doh, as it's very malleable and lets you make things with it. Knowing what the word means helps me better communication and write because it's a useful word whether you are describing something physical or the way someone can be swayed either emotionally or mentally. Today, we learned Chapter Twelve Vocabulary. It was 15 words all starting with M. We used them all in a sentence to show our understandings and then later answered the questions to Exercise 3 and 4. I liked this lesson because it was easy and it also gave me more words to choose from when writing or speaking. Today, I feel good. I have a very busy week, meaning I will be out of the house everyday. Today is Jazz Band, so ...

I prefer Daylight's Saving Time because it feels right. During Standard Time, the only benefit is that one hour of sleep you can get on the first day. After that, your body is thrown off for about a week, as when I wake up to this day, I don't know whether it's 4am or 9am. Also, it gets dark way too fast, meaning I can't be out past 6 to exercise or to drive around without limited view. Standard Time is stupid and I would prefer if we changed it to Daylight's Savings year-round. Today, we didn't go to school as it was an independent learning day. We had a NewsELA to do for our assignment in class. It was okay but I still don't like NewsELA. Today, I am happy. We had no school and today is the first soccer game the Winter Drumline will show up to.

 When I'm in a unfavorable mood, I try to do activities that I enjoy. For instance, when I am angry, I drum and hit as hard as I can as a way to relieve the tension building up. When I'm upset, I play video games or talk on the phone with friends to distract myself from whatever made me upset. When I'm stressed, I watch videos about interesting or niche topics. Today, we created a digital mood board on The Yellow Wallpaper. With the help of AI and using quotes from the text, we created moods boards that depicted the narrator's emotions at the 3 major stages of the story. This was a fun and easy way to end the week, finally allowing us to use AI to do work. Today, I feel tired. I slept late and had to wake up for my Calculus class at GSU. I got home late so I didn't get to have an adequate nap, so I want to catch up on the sleep I missed.

It was PSAT/SAT Day sophomore year. I didn't even know we had to take it and I had come in sleep deprived. I was angry when I realized I was forced to take it, especially since I didn't even know what a PSAT was. I remember finishing the test and realizing it wasn't as hard as I thought. I was ready to go to class when testing was delayed. I was stuck in a hot trailer with no air conditions until 2pm, finally let out to eat lunch. I remember waiting and waiting, hoping the announcements would come on. I was hungry, tired, and angry. It took way too long for us to be let out, just for it to be a bag lunch because of how many students they had to feed. Today, we read a short story called the Yellow Wallpaper. It consist of a woman, presumed to be named Jane, slowing going insane in a rental mansion due to mental illness and the yellow paper, described to be so ugly and yellow that it was making her upset. It slowly worsened her condition until she finally went insane at the e...

 My favorite word right now is alright. It's a simple word between okay and sure that is friendly in nature. You can use it to answer someone without just saying okay, as a way to let them know you heard everything they said. You can also use it to describe yourself, using it whenever you're having a calm day. Today, we learned Chapter 11 Vocabulary. We first filled in the blank in pre-made sentences to test if we understood the meaning. Then we wrote a short story using 3 of them to replace typical words. Afterwards, we associated words or phrases to them to help us remember. Finally, we used them in a sentence to show we could integrate them into our vocabulary and scenarios. Today, I feel okay. I have Jazz Band every Monday, but today I feel more ready for it than the past ones. I practiced and feel like I won't be sight-reading my part as much this time.

 I want to retain my cultural foods for the rest of my life, as I believe they're so good that my future family should experience them as well. They're important in my family and should become traditions during specific events. I cannot live without major foods like pozole and tamales, as they are used to celebrate holidays like Christmas and New Years Day. Another food is Tres Leches cake, as we use it to celebrate and share during birthdays and weddings. Finally, I cannot live without barbacoa, as it's a staple food that everyone should eat once. Today, we made a cultural food presentation, explaining foods that are important to our culture and families. It was pretty difficult as most of the foods repeat during Holidays, meaning I had to share obscure foods that aren't as popular or well-known. I had fun however, as I felt I represented my and many other's cultures well through the foods I choose. Today, I feel tired. I want to go home but the Winter Drumline is ...

 I would be very upset if my privacy was invaded online, as I do not want people to know about my personal life unless I tell them. I feel privacy is a basic civil liberty unless you are under suspicion for any dangerous or illegal behavior. I believe if there is probable cause, you should be able to be searched as you could be hiding something bad. Today, we read an African-America poem about how someone will prevail even though they do not have rights currently. It turned into a lesson about our rights and us choosing which ones we believe are the most important. Today, I feel okay. I'm ready to go home and rest. 

 Over Winter Break, I knew the imminent would happen. I knew I would forget about work due the next week and have to catch up on it over the weekend. My procrastination is an impediment to my success sometimes, but I am slowly getting better. I did not let it impinge on my progress and fun however, eventually getting all my work done and having time to enjoy my break. One of those days, I had the urge to eat wings and wanted to try a new place. I desperately importuned my mom to let me go instead of her making something that day, which I succeeded at as she was lazy to cook. It may have let me impecunious after, but they were good wings. Today, we created a comic strip using all of Lesson 10 vocabulary words. It was kind of challenging to create a story as some of the words did not line up, but it was fun nonetheless as we got to let our creativity flow. I barely finished before classes ended. Today, I feel good. I have Jazz Band practice andI didn't practice, but I'm just exci...

 When I was younger, I would not be able to take care of myself when I was sick. I didn't know anything about what medicines to take, what remedies would help, and how to overall fight the illnesses. My mom would always be there to take care of me, allowing me to rest all day while she worked to give me things that would make me feel better. Sometimes, she would even get sick too, but would still continue to care for me until I was better. I think this led to me still not being able to handle sicknesses, as I've always been babied while I was sick, but I am slowly learning how to overcome them on my own. Today, we read and analyzed an African American poem called The Mothering Blackness. The themes were about how a mother's love is unconditional and how you can always have a place to call home if you're supported by your family. I enjoyed the poem as it was fun to analyze through the definition of words and the overall message of how much a mother loves her children. To...

 Life skills I learned in high school that will help me independently after high school are learning how to talk to people and have conversation, how to ask questions despite thinking they are not important, how to lead and contribute, and how to multi-task and be punctual. These are all essential skills I will be using in the workforce and my everyday life, being basic human skills that you need to interact with others. Today, we had an independent assignment on NewsELA about the bill of right. It was really boring and I did not like this assignment. I normally like them but this one did not peak my interest. Today, I feel sick. My mom has been coughing around the house with her mouth open for a week and it finally got me. I hope I get better over the week.

 My favorite part of big events like the super bowl is the combination of everything. I know understand football more as I am in marching band. I love Kendrick Lamar and am looking forward to his performance. I also enjoy the ads as sometimes they are funny and sometimes they make you feel emotions. The combination of all this leads to a memorable experience. Today, I am not in class. I was an alternative for District Honor Band, so I'm missing all day today. I'm nervous but I feel like if they wanted me specifically, it was for a reason. 

 The most challenging part of writing an essay for me is getting stuck and feeling like I am repeating myself. I also tend to use a lot of conjunctions, which is not formal writing. I sometimes run out of things to say, feeling like I am not getting my point across or I didn't have much evidence to support my claims. Today, I was absent. I feel good however, as it's the final basketball game of the season so no more staying after school.

 If I had to write a poem about my life right now, it would be about my journey to finish my final high school year right. I would list how I'm trying to keep my relationships close and tight as a way to preserve them once I leave. I would also explain how I'm trying to stay on top of my study and abolish any bad habits that still linger. I would list the things I'm doing to fulfill the time until graduation. I would write about the many applications, forms, and emails I've had to sent. I would also write how I feel currently and my hopes and goals for the future. Today, we continued learning about The Writing Process. Today, we covered thesis statements, specifically 3-point thesis statements and umbrella thesis statements. I like this lesson as sometimes I feel my writing is very bland or repetitive especially when it comes to essays, as I didn't know what else I could change while staying to the rubrics. These have taught me valuable skills I can use in college. ...

 I remember during Band Camp, I had to introduce myself to the new members, explain my position, how long I had been doing marching band, and that they could come and find me in case they needed anything. I was just beginning to get over my social anxiety, so this was a real test for me. My fears were embarrassing myself too much that people didn't respect me or knew that it was all a facade and I really didn't know what I was doing. But I thought about it logically, these kids are probably more scared than I am and it's now my job for them to get as comfortable as I am with the activity. Advice I'd give is to not think about what they're thinking and get your message across, because all your doubts are completely wrong. They are actively listening to you and value what you are saying, or else they would not be paying attention and be hearing what you are about to say. Today, we learned more about the Writing Process, covering Formal and Informal Language. We learne...

 In the year 2050, the world probably wouldn't look very different. Architecture and technology would be very advanced, but it would only be added onto our current infrastructure. The environment would probably be less than ideal due to causes like deforestation and pollution, but I hope by then we would have found a way to better preserve these things. Technology would be the biggest development, most likely leading to a lot of automation and hands-free tech like self-driving, maybe even flying, cars. Society would likely be smarter and more akin to keeping our world safe and clean, with many of the government plants for a greener Earth being in effect. Today, I was not in class as I was a pep rally participant. However, it was fun and a nice way to end the week.

 If I wrote a letter to myself 10 years from now, I would remind myself to stay who am I. To keep true to my values, beliefs, and the foundation I've been built upon, as staying true to who you are is the most important thing in life. I would also remind myself to not care what others think, because I'm living my life at the end of the day. I am my own person and what I do is up to me. I hope that I achieved my goals of graduating, maybe not with the degree I intended, but at least something that will lead to me being successful and stable. I also hope that I was able to become the man I want to be, or at least close to it, since we are not perfect. Today, Mr. Rease was out so he left us questions about chapter 66-70 of The Color Purple. I had read past it and remembered most of the story, so I finished all the questions in about 15 minutes. I'm starting to like these questions, because they test your knowledge as well as your understanding about the letters and the story. ...

 When it comes to a project, I let my ideas flow, writing down the things I think I can expand further into something greater. I make sure I make the project something I enjoy and can put a lot of effort into. For instance, in 9th grade, I made a suitcase that helped explain my heritage. I had cut out cardboard and painted it to look like a suit case, filling it and buying stuff that I felt represented who I was. I was praised for the effort and design of everything, making me feel good about the time and idea. Today, we continued our lesson on the writing process. We used a prompt on The Color Purple and described a character through a cluster with moments/things they sacrificed and how it correlated to their values. I liked this assignment, because it made me think a lot, but it wasn't too hard when I chose Sofia. Today, I feel good. It's senior night for basketball and also 8th grade night for us, meaning we will be playing with Henderson's pep band while also celebratin...

 I took a break from spending my time doing whatever I wanted to focusing on my health and fitness during quarantine. I had a health scare during the time and it made me realize what I was doing everyday was not beneficial in the slightest. I could still do things like play video games or eat junk food from time to time but I needed to make my life the priority. If I kept going the same way I was, I do not know how I would be where I am today. It instilled good principles and behaviors into me that are useful in my every day life. Today, we learned the 5 steps of the writing process and how to cluster in order to write better. We also worked together as a class to cluster on how to successfully get a job. This was helpful because I did most of the steps we learned, but I did not know what it was called and some new ways to strategize before I write. I also saw the bigger picture for things such as getting a job, learning that I could write an essay on advice to getting a job. Today...

 I wish I could unhear my friend reveal that during a marching band practice, they snuck someone into the public practice rooms with someone and got "personal". It left bad memories every time I walked past the room and ruined my appetite that morning during breakfast. Today, we took a survey and got the whole period to work on any missing work we had over the virtual days. I was able to get 2 assignments done, with one left which I can finish when I get home. I need to stop procrastinating and stay on top of the assignments, because as I did them, I saw how easy they were. I did not need to let it pile up. Today, I feel good. I probably could've stayed home and done my work, but I enjoyed seeing people at school today.

During quarantine, I had met someone who was really depressed and always contemplated taking their life. Not wanting to lose a dear friend, I would always find ways to cheer them and keep them going, hoping that my efforts weren't in vein. Eventually, through their efforts as well as support from all their friends, they were able to crawl out of that dark place, making me realize how much small interactions can mean to someone. Today, it was a snow day. We had to continue our reading of The Color Purple at home. It's really difficult for me to stay focused when I'm not in the classroom, so I'm fighting through sleep right now trying to finish these letters. Today, I feel good. There's no school so I get to catch up on my mental and enjoy the snow.

 When I was a freshman, I had just come out of losing a ton of weight during the first semester. I was steadily improving myself everyday, leading to my confidence slowly growing. At some point, others started noticing as well, with one of my senior friends, Davis, complimenting me on my physique and how much I had changed. His words, although small, gave me extra motivation and confidence in myself, letting me know my hard work was paying off at the end of the day. Today, school was cancelled because of a snow day again. I'm somewhat happy and conflicted, because I feel like tomorrow may be off as well. I somewhat want to go back to school, as it's the only place I can focused and lock in during work. I opened the assignments today, but don't feel like doing them (sorry). Today, I feel happy. No school means I can stay home and do things I want.

 During Middle school, I was really unhappy with myself and my appearance. I wasn't bullied or made to feel bad, but deep down inside, I knew I wanted to be better but I didn't know how. I would unleash this anger and emotion on others as a way to release the emotion. I knew it wasn't me, but the temporary relief I would feel caused me to continue. One day, my mom finally called me out for my behavior and understood what I was going through, explaining it was a normal part of life and being a teenager. She helped me get through it and I soon began feeling better. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read chapters 46-50, although I had already read them prior. We learn about Shug's husband, Grady, and the friendships being him and Albert and Shug and Celie growing. We also learn that Celie and Shug's relationship starts to get closer, leading to them being intimate with one another. After this, Albert and Celie's relationship de...

 I remember in Sophomore Year, I had to rely on my friends to take me to the soccer games to perform in the Winter Drumline. I would stay after school every game just so when they came to pick up equipment, they could take me as well. It made me feel inferior and mad that I didn't have any other way, staying until 5:30pm every week just to play and then later having to find someone else to take me home. At the same time, I was thankful that they would take me every time with no complaint, being a reason why I do the same for others now that I have a car and can drive. I understand the struggle and don't want anyone to not participate just because they don't have a ride there or back. Today, we continued reading The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We learned about Sofia's conditions in prison, her friends/family finding a way to get her out, and the aftermath of her being free. I enjoyed the different perspectives we saw, as well as the social hierarchy in place at the tim...

 An object that holds a lot of value to me is my Legos. They were gifted or bought during significant points in my life, building them after each event. They remind me of the good times/memories every time I look at them, thinking of each block as building the memory, or the Lego set in this case. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read 3 chapters today, learning about Sofia's return to the story and her eventual incarceration due to her beliefs and nature. It was interesting to see the reminder of the consequences the characters can face, bringing down such a strong-willed character like Sofia. It also showed us why Celie and Squeak's, Harpo's girlfriend, obedience is beneficial to them in some way. Today, I feel tired. I pulled an all-nighter and still have to go to a practice and then teach 8th graders and drop people off afterwards. I know the sleep is going to be good later tonight.

 Ever since I joined the marching band, I've been constantly put in the spotlight during football games and school events, especially since I play the snare drum. As I've gotten older, I've soon become center snare, meaning I was responsible for marching the band onto the field, counting them in for songs, and overall being responsible for the tempo. The first time I tried this my sophomore year, I was too nervous knowing everyone would hear me and see me first as I was the only one playing. However, this taught me the values of consistency and perseverance, as the more I did it, the better and more comfortable I got, becoming my favorite thing to do now. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. After we finished, we wrote a Found Poem using any lines from any chapter we had read in order to portray something. I wrote my poem about a cheating husband with his wife being the bystander and having to deal with his blatant infidelity. Today, I feel o...

 If I was president of the US, I would have better connections with other countries/world leaders, make the minimum wage higher so workers can afford rent/necessities no matter what job they work, have major roads fixed to insure the safety of drivers, increase funding in education and extracurriculars, and abolish any anti-human right laws/bills. These things would all insure a better, safer, and smarter America in my opinion. Today, we read a Newsla about late president Jimmy Carter, describing his life during and after office, highlighting his achievements and the change he brought to the world. I like this because I personally liked Jimmy Carter and what he accomplished after his time as President, being sad when he finally passed. This taught me to look at the goods in people instead of the bad, as many people focused on his mistakes of his presidency rather than the good he tried to accomplish. Today, I feel good. I have another practice, but there is no school tomorrow so I ...

 I had a dream once that I had made a secret code for something I only knew about. When I woke up, I didn't remember anything about the dream, just knowing that I had a dream that day. A couple weeks later, I go back into the dream and use the secret code I had made in the prior dream, making me think that it was something real since it came back to mind in my dream. But really, it was just another dream that somehow connected to a prior one. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We learned about the downward spiral of Harpo and Sofia's relationship, eventually leading to Sofia leaving at the end with their children. We also learn that Celie may have attraction towards Shug Avery, becoming more apparent when talking to Sofia about their relationships. I like how we learn more and more about the internal conflicts characters have every letter, with many experiencing changes from when we were first introduced to them. Today, I feel okay. I'm jus...

All holiday break, I spent my time filling out and finalizing college applications. I enjoyed about 4 days of my break, sleeping and playing video games to distract myself from realizing I had school on Monday. I wrote many paragraphs and rewrote my essays many times, but I am happy with the final result. 5 personal goals I have for 2025 are passing all my classes with a B or above, getting a job during the summer so I have something to do during college, successfully transitioning from High School to College, keeping in touch with my friends as we move onto different paths in life, and improving myself into my journey of becoming an adult. I chose these goals as they are beneficial for my life journey, being things that can benefit me or push me to be better every day. Today, I feel okay. I'm still finishing applications and have more stuff I had to deal with, so I hope it gets resolved soon so I can finally have peace. I also have a practice on the first day of this semester, get...

The first Christmas I can remember was when I was 4. I was wearing a Christmas sweater and sitting by the tree, watching TV until it was midnight on December 24. Every Christmas, we wait until midnight to open presents. That day, I got my first gaming console, a Nintendo Wii. I knew nothing about it except that I got Mario games. I would play it everyday for years to come, with it still being with me in my closet. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read letter 26 and 27 today, doing the same assignment as yesterday. I enjoyed it because again, we are thinking about what Alice Walker is trying to portray and being able to summarize each letter in one sentence. Today, I am happy. The band program along with 8 others in Dekalb won awards for our episode on DCSD TV. They are throwing us a pizza party after school, giving us free food just for doing what we enjoy.

 Ever since I was born, we did not have a car. We would always take public transport or pay for taxis, spending so much money just to go buy groceries, go to doctor appointments, etc. So, when I was 16, I decided I would learn how to drive in order to have someone who could drive a car if we ever bought one. Before I got my license, my mom helped me pile money together in order to buy our first car, making our life so much easier now. Today, we continued our reading of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read letters 20-25, writing one interesting thing about each story and a one-sentence summary. I enjoyed it because it made us think about what we were reading and showing that we actually read each chapter. Today, I am okay. I finished my last college final today, feeling pretty good about how I did. I'm officially done and don't have to wake up at 5am twice a week.

 A song that brings back a specific memory is "Out of My League" by Fitz and the Tantrums. It reminds me of my sophomore year, where I started becoming more involved into school as well as meeting my girlfriend. The song reminds me of her and the fun memories we shared together with our friends. Today, we kept reading The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I liked this because the letters weren't as dark, humorous at times. It was a nice change from the sad letters from before. We answered discussion questions after each letter, making sure we all understood what the letters tried to portray. Today, I am stressed again. I have a concert today, leaving me with no time to study for my final and practice for my audition tomorrow. I'm going to try my best and then go home.

 When I was a child, I believed that Santa Claus was actually real. Back then, I had no reason to not trust my mom, so when she said that presents randomly appeared under the tree because Santa left them for me, I believed it. I could never find where she stored the presents anyways. However, I unfortunately do not believe this anymore, I buy my own presents sometimes. Today, we took a diagnostic test with our group for The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I liked this because we would read a letter, then discuss the answers as a group, making it a team effort whether you got it right or wrong. It was also a nice break between such sad stories told by Celie. Today, I am stressed. I have two concerts, a final, and an audition this week. It's hard to juggle all these equally. 

 Every time I play videogames with my friends online, we're laughing non-stop having fun together. It doesn't matter how bad our days have been or what we're going through, we can come together and laugh our problems away. Today, we presented our videos for our specific letters from The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I enjoyed seeing and learning about the letters from other people's perspectives and seeing how they interpreted each lesson/theme. I felt my presentation was good and was happy with the result. Today, I feel good. I slept all day yesterday so I've been up since 3am and was very productive until I had to come to school. Now, I'm going to go home and sleep again. 

 I use to have a fear of cats when I was younger. I did not know much about the world when I was little, so the first time I saw a cat, I was freaked out. I remember being at the top of the stairs in my apartment building and being so scared I unintentionally backed up and rolled down them. Eventually, I learned how cute and friendly cats can be, having one as a pet now that I am older. Today, we continued and finished up our video on our specific letter from The Color Purple by Alice Walker. I did not like this lesson today, as the school wifi was acting up all day, so I was able to get no work done on my video. I instead wrote down and storyboarded it so I could finish it up at home. Today, I have feel okay. Jazz Band rehearsal was cancelled, so I get to go home and practice for 2 concerts I have later this week. 

 When I turned 17, my mom took me to a Salvadorian restaurant that she had been to before. I was allowed to have anything on the menu. I chose a steak layered with so many things like potatoes, eggs, ham, cheese plated with a side salad and special potato salad from El Salvador. I did not know I could eat that much food until I finished the plate. It's something I always think back to whenever I don't know what to eat. Today, we began making videos designed to explain a chapter we were assigned through Adobe Express. I got Chapter 7, which was a dense chapter that made it easy to explain through just images and text. I somewhat liked this assignment, as it allows us to be creative and explain how we interpreted the letter but it's also tedious and Adobe Express gets annoying to use sometimes. Today, I have nothing as the basketball game was rescheduled for after Winter Break. I get to go home and sleep. 

Every time I look up at the night sky, all I can think about is space. It's vast size and many unknowns have fascinated me since I was a little boy. I remember reading all about planets, solar systems, stars, anything space-related in my elementary school library. Til this day, I want to know as much as I can about the world and place we live in. Today, we began reading "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker. We read the firt 5 letter. They were shocking and depicted the life of a young girl named Celie growing up and being abused in her household. Although disturbing, the story/letters were interesting in keeping you hooked and wanting to know what was coming next. Today, I am okay. I have a Basketball Band rehearsal and game today, so I am excited to see if we win or lose. 

 I had a conversation with my friends about what we all wanted to be and what we hoped for the future. This conversation opened my eyes to how different everyone is, even if they get along. We all have different ambitions, goals, and thoughts about the future and who we see in it. Today, we wrote down and learned vocabulary that will help us with a novel we will start before Winter Break. I enjoyed this because I learned some words that I knew synonyms of, increasing my vocabulary and helping me understand them if I ever came across them. It also showed me how much I truly know about words and their meanings. Today, I am okay. I have my first Jazz Band rehearsal and I have not looked at any music, so I am going to go in there and try my best. 

 I am thankful for my friends and families. During many hard times and moments, I've been able to lean on them in order to get through them and see the better path ahead. Without them, it would make life really difficult and sometimes impossible. Today, we are finishing up our project on "A Devoted Son" by Anita Desai. We added finishing touches and are finishing recording each slide this afternoon. I liked this project because I met new people and thankfully everyone carried their weight. Today, I am happy. It's the last day before Thanksgiving break, so I get to catch up on all the sleep I miss. I also get to eat good food Thanksgiving and maybe get in on those Black Friday deals.

 A truth I was afraid to accept was that one day, I would be old enough to not understand the newer generations. This really made me realize how much humanity advances, to the point older generation get left behind and can't do anything about it. New trends, technology, fashion, etc. will one day be a foreign and confusing concept to me. It makes me sympathize for older folk who struggle and don't get help or a chance to understand. Today, we continued working on group project on "A Devoted Son" by Anita Desai. I completed my slides on Character Analysis and my part of the reflecting on the theme in my personal life. I'm enjoying getting in depth into the story and thinking how our theme, Definition of Success, ties back to the overall message of the story. I also enjoy not having to do the whole project by myself. Today, I am really tired. I had 7am class again and did not get a nap in like I usually do, meaning I am running on 3 hour of sleep. I want to go home....

 An adventure I'd like to go on would be exploring the Andes Mountain and the city of Machu Picchu. I've been interested in it's history and architecture since Middle School, and I think it would fulfill my fascination of it by seeing it in person. Today, we continued working on our group project about Indian culture, specifically "Devoted Son" by Anita Desai. We finished the story and began our PowerPoint. I like this project because it's pretty simple and you have other people to do something that can be time-consuming. Today, I feel okay. We have our first spirit band practice to prepare for the upcoming Basketball season. 

 Since as kid, I was always fascinated with space. Astrology was something I considered studying when I went to college, because of how vast and unknown it is. Thinking about it, you realize how we're all standing on a giant rock floating through space at many miles per second. I don't think in our life time we will fully understand and explore all of space, but I hope one day we do understand and see everything that is out there. Today, we read "A Devoted Son" by Anita Desai. It's about a family in India who sacrifice in order for their son to become a successful doctor, coming back to India and providing/taking care of his family, much to everyone's surprise. I enjoyed the story because it's a situation I could find myself in one day and also delves into Indian culture and how it's important to respect your elders. Today, I am tired. I had 7am class again, so I want to go to sleep instead of being here.

 I wish I had more money. It's a basic need, but something my family has struggled with our whole life. If we were wealthier, we would not face many of the problems we do such as saving up for holidays in order to buy simple stuff we want, or working many hours a week just to make ends meet. It would also provide me with more opportunities, letting me experience things I can't at the moment. It makes life very stressful, knowing that you must work and make a certain amount of month in order to keep living. Today, we watched a video and read an article about India's population, becoming the most populous country in the world. I enjoyed this lesson, as it taught me problems and struggles that are faced by it's citizens and government due to it's large population and population growth. I learned how blessed we are to have simple things such as working infrastructure as well as development-driving government bodies that strive to better our country everyday. Today, I am...

My girlfriend invited me over to her house, and I was terrified meeting her mom. She was the one that invited me, but it was still scary as I was in a foreign environment in front of someone who I had to impress. As soon as I have accustomed myself to her, unexpectedly her dad and older brother came in. They were surprisingly happy for me to be there, shaking my hand and greeting me into their home. I was taken aback at first, but I realized I was overreacting. Today, we read an article about Colorism in India. It's another major issue and heavily done by the country. We learned about the causes and effects, as well as the steps they are taking to stop it. I liked this lesson, as colorism is very similar to racism in America, showing how skin color causes prejudice in people's head, believing themselves superior. Today, I am very tired. I slept at 2am and had a dentist appointment after my Dual Enrollment classes, meaning I could not sleep after class. I am going to take a fat ...

 I had always feared rollercoasters since I was a kid. I could not understand how people would enjoy going at dangerous speeds in shaky metal machines. However, when I went on a trip my Sophomore year to Dollywood, everything changed. I refused to get on rollercoasters until my girlfriend convinced me to try it at least once. At first, I felt the same dreadful feeling of fear in my stomach. But, as I saw everyone else scream, not in fear, but in joy, I realized I had no reason to be scared. I saw rollercoasters as something I could not control in case of an accident, but really they are heavily tested so those accidents never happen. Ever since that day, I can ride rollercoasters and enjoy them (most of the time). Today, we read an article about public defecation, a major issue in India. I did not like this lesson but at the same time I did. It was fascinating but also disgusting, as many refuse to use a toilet on person. This helped me better understand India's culture while also ...

 At the end of my junior year, I realized the expectations of becoming an adult and choosing of path for myself were upon me. I had put all those thoughts to the back of my mind the whole year, thinking "That's a problem for future me." As summer began, I realized I did not know what I wanted to be or do with my life after high school. I spent the whole summer deciding I would continue my education and get a degree in order to live a life I wanted to live. Today, we finished the India Culture assignment, reading an article that went more in depth about the different customs and traditions that make up India. I enjoyed this assignment, as it made me more knowledgeable about a culture many don't bother to learn about. Today, I feel good. I have an audition for a percussion group, so I hope I do well and maybe get in. 

 A place I never wanted to leave was today when I was in bed. I dropped my mom off at work and decided to sleep before I had to go to school. I ended up sleeping until 12pm, which is when 5th period starts. I was so sleepy and tired as I had a concert yesterday. But, I sucked it up and got out of bed to come to school today. Today, we learned about India Culture, watching videos over customs and traditions such as eating with their hands or wobbling their head when speaking. I found it fascinating, as things like that are present in Western culture, showing how different parts of the world can be as well as the cultural differences between us and them. Today, I feel tired. I wish I would have stayed home and slept the whole day, but I have to work so I can get into the college I want to go to. 

 

 Today, we read a simple cultural poem called The Red Wheelbarrow. I liked this poem because it was simple and short, while also providing a deep message. I learned that the small stuff in life is often overlooked, shown in the poem being 4 stanzas about a red wheelbarrow. It taught me that the simple stuff in life can have deep meanings and uses for someone, even if you don't see it that way. Today, I feel good. I have practice after school, but I don't feel tired today.

 Today, we continued reading another poem, called Incident by Countee Cullen. I enjoyed this poem and assignment, as it made us think about terms that were offensive to us and explain why they offended us. Many terms stated were a shared opinion between the class, showing that they were offensive for a reason. I learned that although many terms don't offend me, the tone and context of them being used can change my perception of the word. Today, I am okay. I have nothing after school, so I am going to go home and sleep like always. 

 Today, we began creating our cultural poems and a visual representation on Mural. I like this lesson, as it gets us to be creative while also explaining our culture in poem form. You also get to visually represent yourself through the images you choose on the Mural. Today, I am tired. I want to go home but I have marching band practice and a concert I forgot I agreed to do. 

 Today, we read the cultural poem Mother to Son  by Langston Hughes. We learn about a mother's advice and lesson to her son who is at a point of giving up during an important milestone in his life. I liked this poem, because the advice is applicable to our own life, as well as a way to view life from a different perspective, just like stairs or a story. Today, I feel tired. I need sleep as I don't want to be at school anymore and am getting annoyed. Over the break, I went to Netherworld with my friends, attended college classes at GSU, and performed at a Halloween parade with the marching band.

 

 Today, we took our test over Fences. We answered questions about the values, gender norms, and themes of the play as well as general questions about the characters and our understanding. I enjoyed the formatting of it, as it made us show our knowledge of the book and what we perceived about the characters, messages, etc. Today, I am okay. I have marching band practice today, so I am getting home real tired.

 Today, we began on a Fences project to finish out the unit. I chose the Soundtrack, as it covers the overall book and lets me display my music knowledge and what songs made me think of certain scenes. I like this project because it lets us display our creativity to show our knowledge and understanding of the story. Today, I am okay. I have marching band practice, but it should be more calm as our final competition was this Saturday. 

 Today, we finished the final scene of Fences. We learned about Troy's death and the aftermath on the Maxson family. Corey returns after 7 years, reuniting as a man who is eerily similar to Troy. We also learn about Raynell and her personality growing up being raised by Troy. I enjoyed this play as a whole, because it covered all the topics we currently learned about, such as gender roles, traditional norms, etc. Today, I am tired but happy, as Monday rehearsals are over and I get to go home now.

 Today, we continued our reading on Fences. We learned about Troy's daughter being born while his mistresses died as well as his snaking of Gabriel. This ultimately leads to him and Rose's relationship ending, with them only being with each other to take care of the kids. We also learn that Corey lost all respect for Troy, leading to their final altercation before Corey leaves the house. I liked this because we get to see Troy got what he deserved, allowing Rose to become more free in life. Corey also finally gets to say what he's felt towards Troy for the longest time, although losing his scuffle with Troy. Today, I am tired. I have a competition tomorrow in Alabama, so I'm going to practice to do my best.

 Today, we presented our characterization posters of the 5 main characters in the story. I learned the viewpoints of my classmates as well as the shared perceptions of the way the characters are written using the STEAL method. I enjoyed this because everyone had to explain their individual characters and use STEAL in order to help the class understand them better as well. We also continued Fences, reading Scene 2, Act 1. I enjoyed this part because it is the climax of the book and revealed Troy's affair as well as the confrontation between Troy and Rose, with Corey intervening at the end. Today, I am tired. I slept for 2 hours and then had to take Precalc at 7am. However, there is no practice today, so I am going home and sleeping for a long time.

 Today, we keep reading "Fences" and had a mini-lesson on characterization. I learned about indirect and direct characterization a long with the ways authors use them. I liked this lesson because I learned how to use the STEAL method to organize indirect characterization as well as signs that show direct characterization. The book is also getting good, and everyone is getting invested in the story. Today, I feel okay. The football game was moved to today, however I'm not too sure if it will go on or if we will go. I hope we win however. 

 Today, we took a mandatory Illuminate Assessment for 12th graders taking Multicultural Literature. I enjoyed the passage, as it helped me understand the thoughts and story of how someone could possibly become a writer as well as how they describe and feel reading books. I learned the story of what made an author learn they love to write and read. Today, I am tired. However, I have a football game to perform at and a 9 am class to attend tomorrow morning, so I will not be sleeping very well tonight.

This year, I feel more adroit than any of the other years. I feel more sharp and prepared for school, especially since I started doing Dual Enrollment. The aesthetic of the school has felt more welcoming throughout the years, something I will miss when I graduate. These first weeks have gotten me used to the added pressure of continuing my education after this year. It's an amorphous feeling that I have not yet gotten used to. As the year started, I felt a need to aggrandize my knowledge, specifically in music. As it's my last year, I feel an affinity to try out for many things, as it's the last change I will have with the resources provided to me. My free time between classes through the week is an added altruism , allowing me to better explore my hobbies and catch up on some much needed sleep sometimes. I believe that if I fill this year with affluence academically and mentally, I will be prepared to succeed in college. I hope the rest of the year pans out this way:...

 Today, we saw the movie trailer and answered group questions as an introduction into "Fences". I liked this lesson because it made us critically think and connect our experiences and societal standards into what we are learning. I learned what the story is going to focus and be about, as well as the hardships the characters may face. Today, I am tired. I have a music rehearsal after school, and I'm hungry. I want to go to sleep.

 Today, we learned about the new book we are going to read called "Fences". To prepare us for this, we read and copied down vocabulary from "Vocabulary for the College Bound". I liked this lesson because we used the vocabulary in sentences to better understand their definitions and remember them better. This helped me understand what the book may be about and what to expect in terms of difficulty. Today, I feel good. I get to go home because there is no rehearsal and we won the football game yesterday. 

 Today, we discussed the discussion questions for "Why I Want A Wife". I learned the viewpoints of my classmates on the essay and their overall expectations of gender roles in marriage. I liked this lesson because it got us more involved and helped us altogether understand the essay, as well as give our own experiences and situations we've faced about gender roles. Today, I feel tired. I get to go home early and get ready for the football game tomorrow. 

 Today, we read "Why I want a Wife" by Judy Brady. I learned the cultural expectations that a wife felt in the 1970s, satirically explaining how unfair and impossible husbands believed from their wifes. We then did the opposite, listing things that we believe in our cultural is expecting of Husbands. I learned that our cultural expectations of both are similar, as well as some differences. Today, I feel good. I have Marching Band Practice, so I'm not getting home late. 

 Today, we learned about Gender Roles. I liked this lessons because I learned the difference between words that get confused for one another, like gender, sex, etc. This lesson helped me better understand society's views and how different cultures view gender roles. Today, I feel tired. I have class early at 7am and have an after-school music rehearsal.

 Today, we did our Vocabulary Quiz on "Two Kinds" as well as finished the rest of the Storyboard presentations. I completed the quiz pretty fast as I knew most of the words prior to it, even though I didn't study. I liked the quiz because it used the words in different formats such as in a sentence or findings it's synonyms, helping me better grasp their definitions. I also enjoyed the rest of the presentations, as I learned more about my classmates. Today, I am happy. There is no football game and there is no practice, so I get to go home and sleep. 

 Today, we presented some of our Storyboard presentations. I learned about everyone's history growing up and the actions they did in situations like mines. I liked this because it helped us connect better as a class and find similarities in our lives growing up. I enjoyed people like Getahun's and Alaynah's presentations as their cultural upbringings are different than mine, showing the diversity in the classroom. Today, I feel tired and I want to go home.

 Today, we started on a storyboard project based on “Two Kinds”. We learned how to create our story and the questions that need to be answered to complete the assignment. I liked this assignment because it lets us present our life story in an educational way that connects to the lesson, as well as helping us learn more about each other and our upbringing. Today, I feel okay. There is a football game against Macon County, and I hope we finally win a game. I will update with the results afterwards. 

 Today, we began reading “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan. It’s about a little girl failing to meet her mother’s expectations for her, causing her to rebel out of anger and spite. I learned the family dynamics of Chinese parents and how it can affect their children. I liked the lesson as I felt some connection to the story, being of immigrant parents myself. Today, I feel tired. I have marching band practice again, but I would rather be home.

 Today, we learned vocabulary about our upcoming story "Two Kinds". I knew many of the words beforehand, but I learn how to use them in sentences better. I liked today's assignment, as instead of writing definitions and using them in a sentence, we drew a picture that correlated to the word, allowing for the words to better stay in our minds after we left. Today, I am feeling good. I had marching band practice after, preparing for DragonCon this Saturday.

 Today, we looked at everyone’s group presentations. We were the Self-Esteem explorers and had to analyze the speaker’s view on societal norms. I learned everyone’s perspective and interpretation of their group’s assignment, such at what they believe the Frog meant or what the central themes were. I liked this because everyone had a part and slide they had to do and then come all together at the end to finish the presentation. Today, I feel good. Lakeside is playing against St. Pius today, and I hope we win. I will put the outcome after it is done. (We lost.)

Today, I read "Faces of U.S. immigration will change over the next half century" on Newsela. It taught me about the changes in U.S. immigration and how the demographic will change in a couple of years. I learned that Asian immigrant will take over the majority in 2055. I liked how it predicted the statistic using data of today as well as explaining the reasons for the shift. I feel tired today. I had marching band practice until 6:30 and then hung out with my friends until 10. However, we did find this cool cat on our walk. 

 Today, we read “I, Too” by Langston Hughes and continued our unit of understanding cultural identity. It taught me that you shouldn’t let people tell you who you are and what your status is in the world. I liked how everyone was involved and connected in some way. I feel okay today, but I have to stay after school until 5:30. I would rather be sleeping.

TESTING TESTING 

This is a test