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.