Final SOL

I pulled the blue rope, and I heard a click as I started to fall. My muscles tensed up as I accelerated towards the ground. The swing started to turn up again, and I could feel myself being pushed into the chair. I started going up, and at the very top I felt weightless. The swing continued, until we slowed to a stop and the operator grabbed the chair. I hopped off, and more people hopped on.

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

In this book, 10 people are invited to a resort island. As they wait for their host, they hear a mysterious nursery rhyme, and start disappearing one by one. And then there were none. I really enjoyed reading this book. I really liked the suspenseful writing, and really interesting plot. The only thing that I did not like was the beginning, which was slightly slow.

4 out of 5

SOL

As I pushed up the metal stick, the propellors started to spin.  Once they were going fast enough, the drone took off into the air, and accelerated towards the sky. I moved the other stick, and the drone dogged side to side. I pushed up the other stick again and watched the drone get closer and closer to the trees. It got too close, and the drone shuttered as a few shredded leaves fell down. I raised the drone up one more time, and pressed the camera button. Right after, another drone fell from above and crashed into mine. They both fell to the ground, unharmed.

The Radioactive Boy Scout

The Radioactive Boy Scout

The Radioactive Boy Scout is a true story of a boy who builds his own nuclear reactor, which causes an EPA emergency, and thousands of dollars in cleanup  resulting in barrels of radioactive waste being trucked to Utah. The boy got radioactive materials from common household items like smoke detectors and lanterns, which he concentrated into chunks of pure metal. He used these to create a nuclear reactor.

I would rate this book at 4 out of 5 stars

SOL

I could smell the caramelizing sugar. We pulled open the oven door, and the pans of milk and sugar were bubbling, and quite burned. Not the creamy Dulce de leche for spanish class. A brown, sticky, bubbly, burned, mess. I poked at it with a spoon. Underneath was the golden caramel it was supposed to be. I was relieved, and I checked the directions. It had said to cover the pans with foil. No wonder it was burned.

The Road

The Road. Cormac Mcarthy

A father and son referred to only as "son" and "papa" travel on a road across a post apocalyptic america. The man teaches his son how to find food, protect himself , and most of all, survive to carry the fire on for the human race. Their goal is go south, where they will be able to survive another winter under the ashen sky.

I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. Cormac Mcarthy used short, bare sentences to show scenes, even though there are great descriptions. The relationship between the characters is portrayed very well, and I understood them. I would rate this book at 4 out of 5

The Road

The Road
Cormac Mcarthy

Although I have not finished, The Road has so far been a very powerful book. The writing style uses bare sentences that don't need things like commas to convey a message. The book also does not have things like names, which are not needed in a post-apocalyptic setting. The characters show weaknesses and are relatable, which makes the unusual setting more realistic. I really enjoyed reading this book, and  I would rate it at 4 out of 5 stars.

SOL

I slid the cue between my fingers, and the tip glanced off the side of a white ball. It rolled across the felt, and smashed into a black ball. The black ball headed straight into a hole in the corner, failing to knock into any of the other balls scattered about. I heard a low bump as it hit the corner, and a clink as the ball hit another one inside the pocket. Darn it. I pulled the ball out, and tried the shot again.

Little Brother

Little Brother

I read Little Brother, a book about terrorism, computers, hackers, and the Department of Homeland Security all through a teenager in San Francisco. I have finished reading this book, and I really liked how the characters evolved over the book, and how my point of view also changed along the course of reading the book. This book was distopian, but was not futuristic or unrealistic, and was relatable to our lives, and real issues like government surveillance and terrorism. This book was exciting from the beginning, and I enjoyed through the end.

4 out of 5

SOL March 30

I stepped into the first pool. It was lukewarm, but once I got in all the way it felt cold.  I ducked my head underwater, and now it felt even colder. I climbed out and shivered my way over to the next pool. This one smelled more like a hot spring. As I climbed in, my body warmed up, and started to relax. The temperature was just right, hot, but not too hot. I wondered what the third pool would be like. After I relaxed for a few minutes, I climbed out and walked into the pool. My body heated up, and was instantly too hot. Soon I was dizzy, and I could feel the blood pumping through my fingers.

SOL March 29

I slid my skis around, and poled myself towards the lift. We hopped on, and the chair pulled off the ground. I unzipped my pocket, and pulled out my sandwich. After I bit into and took a few bites I noticed a grey bird flying towards us. It kept coming, and fluttered its wings a few feet away from us. It must be after my sandwich, I thought. The bird came again, and tried to get at a crumb in someones hand. After we skied down again I got onto the lift, and this time we pulled out a bag of chocolate and cookies. I saw the bird coming again, and sure enough, it landed on the tip of my ski pole, a few feet away. Another bird flew up, and then they both left.

SOL March 28

Signs fly by as we ascend up the winding interstate into the mountains. Our car drives through a ridge, with a giant cut through it. We get higher into the mountains, and leave the dozens of subdivisions behind. By now we can't see Denver, and the foothills are getting bigger and bigger. We pass a series of gas stations and lodges, and we are on our way.

SOL March 26

The hallways are filled with sound, talking, walking, and an occasional calculator crashing into the floor. For five minutes when people are coming and going from math classes, the halls fill with people, carrying textbooks, notebooks, binders, and calculators, all piled in a precarious stack. After the flood of people has shrunk, they wait in the halls outside their math class, or dwindle off into their classrooms. The last doors open, and we go inside and sit down.

SOL March 25

Book Review
Little Brother

Little Brother is a book about a a seventeen year old Marcus, who is a computer genius. He plays a scavenger hunt game, and to get one of the clues he and his friends skip school one day. After they leave, a massive bridge is exploded, along with the subway system. Marcus and his friends were near the subway entrance, and they flag down a vehicle for help. They are captured, and detained by Department of Homeland Security. After they are released, five days later, they vow to strike back.

I really enjoyed reading this book because of the good characters. They were likable, but they did things that I disagreed with too. This made me care about the characters, but still disagree with them. I also really thought that this book was exciting, and made me keep reading.

I would rate this at 4 out of 5 stars.

SOL March 24

The rain soaked down into the humid air, and we pushed open the doors.  Our big group slowly moved in clumps across Boston, from our hostile in chinatown, to the Prudential center. We filed into the giant vehicles, that had once charged the shores at D-Day. Shaped like a boat, but with wheels, and an engine, they were called duck boats. After a short tour through the streets of Boston, we drove into a side street by the grand Charles River. The road descended into a ramp, and the water splashed up close to our windows. A boat engine stated, and we accelerated again, but into the river.

SOL March 23

The bridge ended, and we took off our shoes and sunk our feet into the hot sand. The guides mad us put them back on, because of the "evidence of hooligans," whatever that meant. We walked through the dunes, and then down the beach until the sand was wet. The waves broke on the shore, and then retreated. We ran to the water, and we were stopped by the guides again. We couldn't touch the water either. If the water hurt us, their insurance would not cover it. So we could not touch the water. We had traveled 2,000 miles to keep our shoes on at the beach, and not touch the water.

 

SOL March 22

Round and smooth,

Scuffed and dirty,

Spherical and seamed,

Firm, not hard.

And kicked, over and over.

The soccer ball.

SOL March 21

I bit into the burger, and the flavors exploded in my mouth. The juicy tomato, the crunchy lettuce, and the moist burger. The bun had a special sauce on it, and it was delicious. After a few minutes it was gone, and my hands were covered in ketchup. Yum.

SOL March 20

I swung my feet over the side, and sat up. I rubbed my eyes, and walk out of my room to the hall way. Streams of light came through the windows, and they cast squares of light on the floor. I took a few steps to the stairs, and slowly walked down. Once downstairs, I slowly walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet. I opened the box of corn flakes, and filled the bowl. After pouring the milk, I walked into the dining room and sat at the table. I lifted a spoonful of corn flakes into my mouth, and they crunched into the cold milk.

SOL March 19

The waiter brought over out food. I looked at the plate, which had a sandwich and a bowl of pasta salad. The sandwich was made from a baguette, with chorizo, arugula, and olive oil. I bit in, and the combinations of flavors exploded in my mouth. I took another bite. And another. Before I knew it, the sand which was gone, and my stomach was full.

SOL March 18

 A collection of work, cobbled together three times a year. Filled with pictures, slips, and reflections. Shared to parents and teachers, and then discussed and enjoyed. Never a favorite thing to make, but important.  Dreaded for weeks, they are over fast, and give an extra two days of a weekend. After years of making them, a binder is full, and then a new one is started. They sit on a cluttered shelf for years after, and are sometimes looked at to remember one's own work. - The Portfolio.

SOL March 17

An abstract swirl,

of spiraling leaves.

A yellow sauce, 

and a fuzzy center.

Under all, a white heart.

Of an artichoke.

SOL March 16

I pushed my backpack down the short hill, and it sped through the slide, and followed. The white snow glistened as I took a deep breath, and followed my pack down the short steep hill. I collected speed, an I hit the bottom and slid ten feet to rest next to a tree. I slipped my snowshoes back on, and climbed back up the hill for another run.

SOL March 15

Finnally, after a week of staying at school for 12 hours every day, I am done. It is 9:30, and I am drinking a soda and eating my way through apple of cookies, doughnuts, and chips. the gym is filled with echoing voices, with people leaning against the walls, and crowding the table of food.

SOL March 14

Photo Credit JD

SOL March 13

Photo by: JD

SOL March 12

I pushed open the gym doors, and I grabbed a soccer ball. I wiped sown my shoes with a rag, and then ran to the center of the court. I put the ball down on the circle, and backed up. The goal was in front of me, and Nemo, our goal keeper was ready. I ran forwards and struck the ball on the bottom left side. It flew forwards and curved to the top right corner. It smashed through the net, and smacked the wall behind it. GOAL!

SOL March 11

The lights dimmed, and I turned on the large board filled with switches and buttons. Right on cue, I slid  up number 11, and a blue pool of light formed. Hot air rose up to the light booth, and I tensely pulled the switch back down. My back ached against a hard stool. A dim turquoise lamp lit up a binder full of notes and cues.

SOL March 10

The crowd filled a room furnished with large sofas. Loud conversation bounced off the walls, and when the clock turned to 4:00 we rose and walked down the short hallway to the cafeteria. One by one we filed through the doors to grab a sandwich, a soda, and chips. We sat at the tables for about an hour, and then walked over to the compass.

SOL March 9

I stepped out of the airplane, and a rich of hot, humid air met me as I walked through the passage. The passage ended into the airport, and we walked through the terminal to the noisy bus station. We stepped onto a bus named Venezia. The driver stopped shortly, and handed out tickets. All of the passengers on the bus gave money to the bus driver, who was driving with his knees. As the bus sped down the street, the bus driver counted the money, and doled out change. A short, and precarious ride later, we arrived at the cobblestone train station of Venice.

SOL March 8

Review of Things Fall Apart.

In the book things fall apart, there is a man named Okonkwo who is known for his bravery and strength. he has three wives, and has two titles. He lives in Umofia, a clan of nine villages, and part of the Ibo tribe. As missionaries come to the village for the first time,  their way of life begins to fall apart.

I really enjoyed reading Things Fall Apart. I learned about a part of history, and the characters in the book were realistic. The ending to the book was not a very happy ending, but it did not detract from the story. I would rate this book at 5 out of 5 stars.

*****

SOL March 7

I walked into the spanish room, and it was completely empty. There was a sign on the board Estamos en la Cocina. Yes! I thought, this was a day where we would be cooking. I went downstairs, and walked into the kid's kitchen. There were various ingredients spread out on the table, and a large box had the special ingredients in it. This cooking was a competition in the style of the TV show Chopped, and we called it Chopped En Español.  We were divided into three groups, one team, a second team, and the judges. I was in a team with Añdreñes, and we opened our box. It contained soppapilla mix, bell peppers, and a type of seasoning. Thirty minutes later, we had prepared egg and pepper burrito, with sopapillas and a spicy chocolate sauce. We lost the competition.

SOL March 6

I hop out of the bus, and walk with my class through the gates to the Pueblo. It was San Geronimo day at Taos Pueblo, and we were not allowed to take any photos, or even take notes in our journals. We watched a footrace, and then went out into the market. After many hours we watched clowns take offering from all of the booths, and take people's cameras and journals. Then the clowns climbed up a wooden pole, and trapped fruits, and a goat from the top.

SOL March 5

Black and Brown,

A Dot of white,

Specs Above the Eyes.

Fuzzy feet, 

And Chewed up Socks.

SOL March 4

Review of Things Fall Apart 1/2

So far in my reading of "Things Fall Apart", I have enjoyed reading the book, and discussing the Ibo society. I think that is a very interesting book, and The characters are very realistic. The main character, Okonkwo, is a war hero, and known for his strength and bravery. He has three wives, and many children. Things are falling apart for him, but I do not know what will happen to him next.

SOL March 3

Snow

Blowing, Settling.

A White Carpet,

A Soft Blanket.

Cold

Nipping, Eating

Chilling, Flowing.

Killing, Freezing

SOL March 2

I looked across at my classmates from a cafe table. Some ate canolis, some drank coffee, and one was eating jelly beans. Outside the cafe was a narrow side street of Boston in the North End. We had walked all around Boston, mostly staying on the red brick path of the Freedom Trail. Here we had left the path, and had stopped in a cafe near the Old North Church. As we sat in the back of the cafe, eating, drinking, writing, and drawing, we watched many groups of students pass by the Old North Church, about a block away. Soon we left the cafe, picked up our belongings, and continued walking through Boston, (partially) on the red brick trail.

SOL March 1

As I come to the end of the ski lift, the intense wind rocks our chair from side to side. Although the chair is far above tree-line, we get off the lift with still many feet to go to get to the rocky summit. I ski down a brief run, and hop on another lift. This lift takes us up to the very summit, and the wind is even more intense.  As we hop off the lift, we ski into a sheltered cat-track carved into the snow, to protect skiers from the wind. I clip off my skis, and climb up the snowy face to the summit. The second I look over the edge, I am amazed. To the west, there was range after range of snow capped mountains, and to the east, there was the rest of the ski area, followed my more mountains. On the top, there was too much wind for snow to collect, and my clunky ski boots tripped on an icy rock. I briefly lost my balance. The gusts of wind knocked me over, and I landed on the more protected snowy side. I had seen enough, and after taking several photos, I clipped back into my skis, and skied down the steep slope.

The Boys in The Boat

This week I read The Boys in The Boat, a book about US rowing at the 1936 Berlin olympics. I enjoyed reading this book because of the good descriptions, and the real history. The book was partially focused on Joe Rantz, because of his interesting history. This book was not always interesting for me, but certain parts I enjoyed. I think that I would rate this book at about 3 out of 5 stars, because of how I lost interest in some parts.

SOL 6

The snow was floating down, and the wind was gently blowing it across the sky, and through the streets. I zipped up my jacket, and closed the door. My dog pulled eagerly, ready to prance into the snow. I headed out onto the sidewalk, with my crunching feet making the only footprints in the snow. The cold nipped at my face, and the blowing snow clung to my hair. I trudged on, and eventually turned back. Once I was at the door again, my face was numb, and my dog was still pulling me along.

Port Chicago 50

This week I read Port Chicago 50, a book about black sailors in the Navy. The book is set in WWII, and the sailors are at Port Chicago, a port in the Bay Area. These sailors are in a segregated part of the Navy, and are restricted to working only on shore. Many black men that join the Navy load bombs and ammunition onto ships for transport to American war zones. The occupation of loading bombs is very dangerous, and none of the black sailors have andy training in handling explosives. The black sailors load all of the ammunition, and they are directed by white officers. Because of this, there is tension between the officers and the sailors, and also with the surrounding towns and cities. After a massive explosion, the sailors start to protest the dangerous conditions, and the prejudice and injustice they face.

This book had a great plot, as well as having real quotes and opinions from real people. It was interesting to learn about the history of segregation in the military, as well as learning about real events in the past. This book was nonfiction, but that did not affect how good the plot and characters were. I would rate this book at an 8 out of 10.

SOL 5

Mathcounts

I was in a large room, filled with hundreds of students, all in middle school.  Across the row was the Logan team, and we all waited to get our papers. Finally, the papers were handed out, and we were instructed to start. I flipped the page over, and looked at the problems. I flipped again. And again. Trying to find something I knew. I found the problems I knew, which was about one-third of them. I filled in answers to the ones I knew, and guesses to the problems I didn't. The adults collected the papers, and I looked up at the large screen, where the answers were projected. I counted the ones I got correct, and the ones I didn't. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, Correct, Wrong. That is pretty much how it went.

The Boy With the Black Suit

The Boy With the Black Suit
By Jason Reynolds

In The Boy With the Black Suit, Matt is a high school senior. He is starting school 2 weeks late, because his mom recently died. Because of this he stops caring about school, and what people think of him. Matts neighbor Mr Ray, hires matt to work for his funeral home. Matt realizes he enjoys the funerals, and that they make him feel like he is not alone. As matt works for the funeral home, his father has struggles with alcohol. As the book goes on, Matt becomes closer to Mr Ray, his best friend Chris, and others. I really enjoyed reading this book. It did a great job showing someone going through hardship, and dealing with problems. The way the characters were described showed their personalities very well, and I felt like I was getting to know, them. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

****^

SOL -4

I pressed the yellow button down firmly, and I hear a faint sizzling. The next thing I know, a column of smoke and fire shrieks off of the metal rod, launching itself into the sky. A second later, I hear the pop that signifies the parachute was deployed. I trace out the hundreds of steps to the rockets resting place, and prepare for another launch. I am collecting data for an experiment with rockets. The next rocket flies off at a lower angle, and comes to rest on the roof of the bathroom building. What bad luck.

The Right Stuff

In my second week of reading The Right Stuff, the book got more exciting, and more interesting. Learning different stories about al of the Astronauts and canidates, was an interesting way to learn about the cold war, and the space race. In this book, the phrase "the right stuff" is used to describe thew fighter and test pilots who have risen to a high level, and are the most skilled. These people have "the right stuff." Later in the book when the pilots are competing, only the best of the best go on, and the rest are "left behind", another common phrase for those who don't have"the right stuff" and stay at a certain level. This book was a great read, and it is nonfiction. I would recommend this book to many people.    

****^

SOL - 3 - Outhouse

The sign read OUTHOUSE: This is a long, steep mogul run with no escape. Enter at your own risk.

My 9 year-old self was excited, and happy that my Dad had promised a large Hershey's bar as a reward. I slowly slid past the sign, and came up on the run. I stopped at the edge, and looked down. The moguls were large, at least 8 feet long. I watched my Dad go down the slope, and bob from side to side, and up and down like a roller coaster. I pushed off, and slid off the lip. I zigzagged through the moguls, my eyes finding the best possible route as I darted down the hill. I stopped, caught my breath, and looked up at the hill I had just conquered. Below was the end of the run, a less steep part that I knew I could ski. I skied through, and stopped next to my dad at the bottom.

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nhanusek/4421907058/">nhanusek</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe (Week 2)

The Right stuff is a book about the early space missions, like the Mercury, and Apollo missions. This book does a great job describing the cold war--space race era, and the culture of America, and the air force pilots and astronauts. I have not finished this book yet,  but so far I think it is very good.

****^ ( 4 out of 5 stars. )

Image Credit

http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=3021

SOL 2: The Tesla Coil

I was walking back from the science rooms, holding a white cardboard box.  I could feel the object inside as I walked back into the classroom. I plopped the box on my desk, and opened it up. Inside was a mostly cylindrical black object, with a hole on one end and a cord coming out the other. Wow! What in the heck is this? I thought to myself. 

I slid a metal piece into the hole, and picked it up. I took the object over to Linda, and she plugged it in. The machine started crackling, and I slowly moved my finger towards the metal point. An inch-long spark shot into my finger, and I jerked it away! Wow, again! This time a lot of people said it. There were a few people watching, and they asked if it hurt. I said no, and then they tried it. More and more joined the group, and soon almost the whole class had given themselves a shock. "What is that?" they asked. "It is a 20,000 volt tesla coil." I replied. That made for a fun morning, of shocks, twitches, and sparks.

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury is a collection of stories all taking place on the magic, future telling, tattoos of the illustrated man. All of the stories are futuristic, with a variety of topics, such as a family living in a fully automated house, Humans landing on mars for the first time in 20 years after a nuclear war, and a group of men trudging through eternal rain and jungle on venus. This book was a great read, and I would recommend it because of the vibrant descriptions, intriguing stories, and variety.



Image Credit: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4132/4955876923_ef316945fd_n.jpg

SOL-1

Slice of Life-1

It was a nice morning, I slept in, ate breakfast, and a few hours later I was heating up a slice of pizza for lunch. As I pulled the pizza out of the oven, I felt something behind me. I turned around, and was greeted by a playfull yowl of my dog, Sally, who was mischeviously wagging her tail. In her mouth was the slobbery TV remote. I heard the TV click on in the other room, and the sounds of Dr. Phil blared throughout the house. I yelled "BAD DOG" and "OH SALLY," but to Sally that was just another invitation to run away. She tore through the house, inviting me to chase her, and as she did, she changed the channels on the TV from Dr. Phil, to a news channel, to a channel of solid static. I grabbed the remote, clicked the TV off, and looked back at Sally. She guiltily wagged her tail, and yowled for the remote. I walked away, and ate my now cold pizza.