Q2 Comments #7

Alex- https://blogsgotjokes.blogspot.com/2016/12/literary-analysis.html?showComment=1481649124047
Jett- https://1025jett.blogspot.com/2016/12/writing-center.html?showComment=1481649304684#c7542633404422974906

Writing Center

My writing center visit was extremely helpful. I will try and go to the writing center every time I have a paper due even if I do not have to. I will also try and visit with the same writing fellow that I did this last time. I would recommend David Whitehurst to anyone that needs help writing.
David helped me figure out the issues I had with my paper from my teacher conference and peer review. He told me exactly what I could do to fix it. David also helped me with other issues he saw with my paper. I would recommend the writing center to anyone even if you think your paper is exactly where it needs to be.

Sarah's Prompt

My priorities in high school are generally the same as they were in middle school. In middle school, I was more focused on school, video games, and that is it. In high school, I am trying to still focus on school but also trying to do more things with my friends and put more time into sports. Don't get me wrong I am still putting the amount of time into my school work that I need to, but I am trying to do more things than just video games besides school. 

In high school, I have learned that it is necessary to have fun. Having a good time with my friends helps to get through all the things I have to do for school, in and out of school. Balancing school work and time with my friends are difficult but so worth it. It is rare but when I do both at the same time is really great because I am productive but having fun while doing it. I would recommend this to anyone in high school. Working with friends helps get it done quicker and your are hanging out with your friends.

Q2 Comments #6

Lane- https://lanelovestacos.blogspot.com/2016/12/free-post.html?showComment=1481124499558#c4256766609559815083

Madisyn Paige- https://english1mpblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-dance-competition-works.html?showComment=1481124696901#c8376095494903727123

Free Post

Recently I have finished the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. I really enjoyed these books. They took the modern world and mixed Greek Mythology together seamlessly. I would recommend it to anyone who likes funny but also suspenseful books.
Since I have finished that series, I have started to read it's sister series The Heroes of Olympus. It takes the same heroes from the previous series and adds new ones. It also adds the Romans and their mythology together. The Romans and Greeks join and arms and have to fight one of the greatest enemies in Greek Mythology.

Literary Analysis

My Literary Analysis is coming along. I am not far into to it but what I do have is excellent. The hardest things for me to do on my draft is to shape my sentences and paragraphs to say exactly what I am trying to do. Another hard thing for me to do is to feel sure about my writing. I am not the most confident writer. One resource I use to make it easier is I always am looking up synonyms on thesaurus.com. At the moment I am struggling with starting paragraphs. A piece of advice I would give to my peers if you are like my and you are not the most confident writer is to go paragraph by paragraph with Dr. d to make sure that is what she is looking for. This takes a good bit longer, but the quality of your paragraphs will be great.

Q2 Comments #5

Mak- https://maksbleach.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-dog-in-society-or-elephant-in-room.html?showComment=1480527625733#c4233929911090972285

Jett- https://1025jett.blogspot.com/2016/11/symbolism.htmlshowComment=1480527847187#c1981237428073385768

Symbolism

Three astronauts are going to the moon. The three astronauts are Phil, Bryan, and Mark. While they are one their way to the moon, an engine on their ship malfunctions. Bryan decides he is going to try to fix it. Phil says that is is too dangerous and that it is not protocol. Mark says that they should look at the engine in the camera and see if it is repairable. Both Bryan and Phil agree with Mark. In the camera, they see that it is beyond repair and would be deadly for any of them to go down there. After that, they decide to contact base so someone can rescue them. Once they communicate with the base, a ship is sent up to retrieve them. 

In this story, Bryan represents the id, Mark represents the ego, and Phil represents the superego of Individual Psychology.

How To Study for Exams

Studying for exams can be a daunting task. There are simple steps you can take to make it easier. First, you need to be as organized as possible. You need to have all material for a particular class in one place rather than spread out. It may even be helpful to keep everything you need in one place. Having everything in one place can quite literally help you from feeling scattered.

Another simple thing to do is to complete the study guides that your teachers give you. For one they help you study; it also shows you exactly what that teacher is going to be looking for on the exam. Second, this helps tremendously with your organization. It puts all of your study material for that class in one place. It might be helpful for you to do some study guides with a partner. Doing study guides with a partner helps with how fast they take to complete, and it lets you check yourself.

Q2 Comments #4

Alex W-https://blogsgotjokes.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-rescue-scene.html?showComment=1479313158994#c2592536399821249657
James- https://jamescblogpost.blogspot.com/2016/11/free-post-thanksgiving.html?showComment=1479313248965#c4531528293164472603

Free post

Recently I have finished the entire Harry Potter series. From the Sorcerer's Stone all the way to the Cursed Child. The Harry Potter is by far my favorite I have ever read. Even though I knew the general plot from the movies, the books still surprised me. The level of complexity that these books have just blows me away.
I am on the other hand sad to finish them. Although I now can say that I have all of the Harry Potter books, even though it took me from third grade to ninth grade. I did take breaks, believe me, it did not take me seven years to read seven books. I cannot express enough how good these books are. If anyone has read them please go try them out.

LOTF Critical Scene

I think it is important for us to understand Simon's death. We need to understand this passage because it is the death of a major character. Readers need to notice from page 152 to 154 how Jack calls Simon the beast. "Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his Blood! Do him in!" Readers need to ask why he did this. They also need to consider that him doing this is a part of his game.
This passage is important because it shows how Jack uses the beast and the fear of it to his advantage. He uses the fear by telling the boys that he will keep them safe. The beast is part of Jack's game to achieve power. Jack also uses pig meat to obtain power,  he tempts with it, which is how he got Ralph and Piggy to go to the feast. These two things give Jack power, and this is why this passage is so important.

Q2 #3 Comments

Bea- https://beassblogg.blogspot.com/2016/11/lotf-response.html?showComment=1478705892445#c4783914292466956180

Trevor- https://20trevorh.blogspot.com/2016/11/prompt.html?showComment=1478706052246#c855790805923700013

LOTF Response

The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away.  Once there was this and that; and now--and the ship had gone. [... Jack refusing to give Piggy the floor when he has the conch...]
"The rules!" shouted Ralph.  "You're breaking the rules!"
"Who cares?"
Ralph summoned his wits.
"Because the rules are the only thing we've got!"
But Jack was shouting against him.
"Bollocks to the rules!  We're strong--we hunt!  If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down!  We'll close in and beat and beat and beat--!" (91)

This point in the book is significant because this is where Ralph and Jack's relationship goes south. Once Jack lets the fire go out whenever there was a ship, Ralph starts to put his trust in Piggy more than Jack. Jack is questioning Ralph's authority. Jack thinks he is above the rules. Ralph is the leader, and he must enforce the rules.
In this passage, we also see that Jack is not worried about long-term survival. He does not care about laws or society. All he wants to do is to hunt and kill. He is only worried about himself. Anyone that opposes him is wrong and must stop. 

What is your favorite place on earth?

My favorite place on earth is summer camp. I have been going there since I was seven. The camp I go to is Warner-Tully YMCA Camp in Port Gibson, Mississippi. I always have the time of my life there. The memories, friendships, and lessons I have made or learned, there are some of my best.
At camp, I am a CIT. A CIT is a counselor in training. CIT's have many responsibilities. We mainly help counselors with the campers and assist them to organize or run activities. In a general sense, our job is to make sure that the campers can have as much fun as possible.

Q2 Comments #2

Bea- https://beassblogg.blogspot.com/2016/10/book_25.html?showComment=1477505695049#c6765952488338121287

Ella- https://blogellac.blogspot.com/2016/10/reading-response-1024.html?showComment=1477505884751#c7099994907482803082

At the moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Harry is looking at Snape's memories about his mother and his dealings with Dumbledore in the Pensieve. I find it intriguing how Snape loved Lily to the point where he would do everything he could to keep her son safe from Voldemort whenever he returned. Snape regularly put his life at risk by being Dumbledore's man on the inside of Voldemort's regime. He even took Dumbledore's life and gave his own to keep Harry safe. He also dealt with Harry being extraordinarily mad at him for all the things he had done which ultimately kept Harry safe.
I still do not understand why Lily married James. Whenever we hear her speak about him, it was not positive. I would like to know what happened to change their relationship. It might have something to do with the fact that they both were going to fighting Voldemort. This situation is confusing to me.

Human Nature

I think human nature is a compelling, broad topic. One topic in it is about the idea if humans are naturally good or bad. I think humans are naturally good but certain things can tempt them to do bad things. One thing is curiosity. Humans are curious; we like to know things. Sometimes those things we want to know lead us to wrong things. 

My beliefs come from my religion. I think God has made everyone equal on this earth. He has not made anyone inherently good or bad compared to someone else. On the other hand, people can become bad from temptations from evil things around us. I believe it is people's curiosity and the fact that we are easily tempted that can make a person bad.

Q2 Comments #1

Trevor- https://20trevorh.blogspot.com/2016/10/q2-weak-1-free-post.html?showComment=1476903750158#c8177817321155331171

Bea- https://beassblogg.blogspot.com/2016/10/book.html?showComment=1476904005423#c4369602866558668291

Tiger Stadium

It is loud, unique, and exciting. It is where opponent's dreams disappear. It is Halloween night and  Cannon blasts. It is the Cathedral of College Football. It is where the chance of rain is Never. It is Death Valley. It is Tiger Stadium.
Tiger Stadium is one of my favorite places on earth. I always love the intense videos they play on the video boards to get the crowd pumped up. These videos they show always send chills down my back. It has always interested me how someone can make something that can captivate another person. I hope one day to meet the person or people who make these videos so I can thank them for starting me off for a fantastic time.

Reading Response #7

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Harry, Ron, and Hermione have just reentered Hogwarts with the help of Aberforth and are talking to Neville, Seamus, and the others. I found it interesting how Aberforth was able to get the Death Eaters off of their tails so easily. He argued so well and convincingly it impressed me. I cannot imagine what would have happened if his patronus did not somewhat resemble a stag.

I also found it interesting how Aberforth told the three of them everything about Ariana and her past. I would have thought it would have been hard for him to talk about to them. He told the story as if he was reliving it all. Also, when Harry talked about when he and Dumbledore went to get the Horcrux and Dumbledore had to drink the potion I do not know how Harry was so sure that what Dumbledore was saying afterwards was him reliving Grindelwald torturing Ariana.

Blog Comments #7

Jett- https://1025jett.blogspot.com/2016/10/should-we-rebuild-louisiana.html?showComment=1476287463457#c7575318607659984037

Lane- https://lanelovestacos.blogspot.com/2016/10/response-of-louisiana-article.html?showComment=1476287587235#c5554978624418335163

Reading is Good for your Health

     From the article Nerd Alert: Reading is Good For Your Health reading books can help many issues people have in life. Alison Kerr Courtney is a librarian, not a licensed therapist or an English teacher, and she recommends books for people to help with things such as grief or empathy. She gives books that she thinks will help them in their situation. Courtney has been told by a client how much her recommendations helped. Fiction books can help even more than self-help books. Fiction can improve people's understanding. Its complex characters help people to understand others. Understanding these characters can enhance one's empathy, and one can apply the character's situation to their own. The feelings felt when reading can improve a person's relationships with others.
     I found this article interesting. I found that reading about and understanding complex fiction characters improves empathy especially interesting. Just reading a book like Harry Potter can enhance my relationships is amazing. People that are in a situation to being the oddball out can relate to Harry Potter. He is a boy gifted with magic living in a nonmagic society for the early years of his life. Eventually, he finds his place at Hogwarts. People can relate their situation with his and can know that they will find their "Hogwarts" eventually.

Blog Comments #6

Madisyn Paige- https://english1mpblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/disney-world.html?showComment=1475718562207#c8818100376165694385

Ian Begnaud- http://ianbsblogs.blogspot.com/2016/10/camping.html#comment-form

Cross Country

Cross Country has meant the world to me these last two years I have been on the team. I came to Episcopal knowing a couple of people here and there but what I did not know was where I was going to fit in. My sister was the manager of the Cross Country team the previous year and wanted me to try it. I decided to give it a shot; this decision has probably been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I instantly loved it, not because of the running but the team.
The Cross Country team is family to me now. This team gave me the opportunity to make friends before the school year started. None of us on the team do it for the running. We do it for the team. On the other hand, the running lets me poor all of my stress and other mixed emotions into something else that I can work as hard as I want to in.

Reading Response #6

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Ron has just come back and things are starting to calm back down. Not everything is back to normal on the other hand. Hermione, who missed him the most, was infuriated at Ron for coming back. I thought Hermione would have been delighted that Ron had come back but instead she blew up on him. She did not even recognize all the things that Ron had done when he came back.
I also found it compelling how the Horcrux somewhat chose Ron. What I mean is that it affected more than anyone else. For one it made him more irritable and rude than it did Harry or Hermione. Secondly, it was he who retrieved the weapon to destroy it. Then he was the one who had to and did destroy it.

Blog comments week #5

https://blogsgotjokes.blogspot.com/2016/09/harrison-bergeron.html?showComment=1475078801368

https://beassblogg.blogspot.com/2016/09/short-story_25.html?showComment=1475079142448#c1207853538570206854

Reading Response #5

     In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows things have not been going so well. For one Mad-Eye Moody died. The weird thing is no one can find his body. While Harry, Ron, and Hermione were infiltrating the Ministry, Harry found a magical eye on Dolores Umbridge's door which Harry recognized as Mad-Eye's. I concluded from this part of the text that the reason the Order of the Phoenix cannot find Mad-Eye's body is that the Ministry already has.

     Another I found interesting was that Harry and Kreacher's relationship drastically. Ever since Harry talked to Kreacher about Regulus, his locket, and gave it to Kreacher, their relationship has been much better. Kreacher makes delicious food for them now and is not rude to them all the time. Also, Kreacher cleaned the house, and now it is spotless which he did not bother to do before.

Flash Story

On a planet far away from earth, there is a family of Aliens. The Aliens live a very comfortable life in a beautiful house with the newest, most pristine starship in their hangar. Also, they live on a snowy planet and sometimes wonder what it is like without snow. The two adults of the Alien family think about where they can go to get away from the snow. First, they reflect about a different place on their planet then realize that snow encompasses their entire world. From then on they look into other planets and how they might make the journey to that other planet. They first see the planet that is very arid and is made entirely of sand. This planet is also very hard to get to due to the asteroid field around it, so they move on. The next world they see has nearly no land at all and water engulfs almost all of it. They realize there is no land big enough to land on so they eliminate this one. Then they find a planet that is a little farther away than the others but otherwise perfect. It is a white planet like theirs but not because of snow but because of the white beaches. Once they prepare, the Alien family flies to their destination, Sanibel, and has a spectacular time far from the snow.

Comments Week #4

https://beassblogg.blogspot.com/2016/09/letter-of-advice.html?showComment=1474476564586#c7873819115695112307

http://stephcurryftw.blogspot.com/2016/09/dear-9-year-old.html

Reading Response #4

     At the moment Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in Sirius' old house to lie low. I think this is a good decision since death eaters came swarming into a wedding they were just at and because two death eaters came when they were at a coffee shop. They need to be careful to avoid Voldemort's many resources. Staying at the house to make a plan before acting is a good idea.

     Reading this weekend and in class over this past week has given me time to relax. All of us are busy right now and stressed out because of various things. This time that has been given to me to forget all of that and read a good story has helped to deal with the stress. High school is hard so having a break from it is extremely helpful. 

Dear a 14 year old...

     Dear a 14 year old do you what you want to do not what everyone else is doing. Being weird is not bad trust me I know. Doing the sport none of the cool kids do is not bad. Playing in the band is not gonna ruin your social life. Going to a math competition will not lose you all of your friends.
     True friends are people who like you for who you are and that will stay with you through anything. They will not stop hanging stop out with you if you do something that is not "cool." It is better to have a few really good friends than having lots of not so good ones. I know you just want to be cool but just be yourself, trust me it is more fun that way.

Katrina and it's Engineering Disasters

Link to documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fhc0oWxF1Q

     Hurricane Katrina was a major disaster that could have been lessened if engineering had been better. There were several engineering disasters, some of these are the levies breaking, the flooding of the pumps, and the I-10 Twin Span Bridge failure. The levies broke they were not built high enough or low enough. Whenever the rushing flood came over the levies it eroded the soil that was holding up the levy causing it to break. Since New Orleans is a swampy area the soil is very saturate. Once water came to the levies the water just flowed through the soil right under the levy. When this happened the water appeared on the other side of the levy and made the levy fall due to the amount of water in the soil. Also, New Orleans has very large water pumps in the city that could have lessened the flooding but they were flooded, which left nonoperational.
     After hurricane stopped people tried to help the people in New Orleans but it was very difficult to get to them. This was because of the collapse of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge. Rising water from the Storm Surge caused this. When the water rose it trapped air in between the bridge and the water which created a million pounds of pressure. on top of that the water was also pushing the side of the bridge with about three quarters of a million pounds of pressure. With these pressures combined pieces of the bridge were thrown around like toys. I think Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophe that could not have entirely been avoided but minimized.

Reading Response #3

     At the moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Harry is upset about everyone risking their lives for him. Mad-Eye Moody has just died while moving Harry to the Burrow. I can understand why he is upset especially someone did die for him. Personally I would not want people risking their lives for me.  This is his fight, he is the one that must kill Voldemort. 

     On the other hand I can see their side of the argument. They want to help him. Also, he does not have to do this alone. Harry needs to understand that help is not a bad thing.

Narrative #1

     All of the other LSU fans and I were not sure whether LSU could pull off a drive to take the lead at the end of the game. They were moving down pretty well. Then our luck ran out. A Wisconsin defensive player intercepted Brandon Harris' pass at 57 seconds left; we knew the game was over. We were already ready to go since there was less than a minute to go in the game. We then proceeded to the exit and heard on the speakers that an LSU player had clothes-lined the Wisconsin player. We ignored this and left the stadium via elevator among other disappointed, frustrated, and upset LSU fans.

Reading Response #2

     For Independent Reading I am reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I thought that the book would be just like the movie but I was wrong. It is so much better. When reading the book I am even more immersed than when I watch the movie.
     When reading the book I make connections and understand the story much better than I do when watching the movie. The book is able to explain things unlike the movie is, this made the book so much easier to understand than any movie. I think this happens in all books that become movies. It is so hard for a movie to have everything a book does.

Free Choice Post #1

     Cross Country has been a huge part of my Episcopal experience. When I first came to Episcopal I did not know many people. Being able to practice with the team and get to know people made being new much easier. Cross Country gave me friends before school had even started. The Cross Country team has given me many opportunities and it has taught me many lessons.  

     Running Cross Country has given me discipline. To do well in it you have to work at practice and on your own. Working on your own is not as easy as working at practice. To run on your own you have to have the discipline to go the right pace and go the distance you want to, while running by yourself it is so easy to say that I am tired so I am going to stop. However running with other people is easy because you can talk to someone. When talking to someone you kind of forget your running and you only thinking about the conversation.

Summer Choice Book Response

     As I was reading my choice books this summer I was able to relax. They let me just sit still and do something fun and calming. Usually I would have been playing video games, it was a nice change to do every once in a while. I was surprised how much I liked to read. Reading also helped me get go to sleep faster by making feel sleepy and once I put it down I would fall right to sleep.
     My choice books also allowed me to get absorbed in something that was not stimulating my brain. It gave me something to look forward to other than video games. I was happier and calmer whenever I read because I was not getting frustrated at something as trivial as a video game. I could be in a whole other place while reading, and it was great. I really enjoyed reading my choice books.