It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 59-115 post B

So Blair and Serena’s plan worked out. Their plan was to not let Nate attend the debutant ball with L’Wren. So after the terrible news that Blair just found out about her father being gay and leaving the family, all she was interested in was getting Nate to take her mind off her father’s news. So at the pre-party Blair and Serena were in the hot tub and then Nate walked in and they made him get in. Nate was really interested in kissing Serena again but she new that she could not let Blair get any more bad news, so she decided to leave the hot tub for just Blair and Nate. Then Serena went and kissed Chuck Bass so that Nate and Blair would kiss and Nate would not be thinking about her. So Blair made the move and they kissed all night. Meanwhile Serena went home and cried herself to sleep. Nate realized that Blair was the one he loved. Blair told Nate that she loved him and he did not know how to respond but by the end he said it back to her. Dan and Vanessa kissed too. Not as much as Blair and Nate just a kiss on the lips. Dan and Vanessa had hung out that whole night and by the end Dan passed out and Vanessa had to put him into bed. Although Serena was just kissing Chuck to kiss him Chuck felt differently. The next morning Chuck went to Serena’s house with starbucks and flowers. Serena made him leave because she clearly still has feelings for Nate. So this section of the book was all about drama. Blair is really happy because she finally got Nate. Nate believes he is now in love with Blair but is still thinking about Serena. Serena is heartbroken on how she has lost Nate even though she knows it is the right thing. Dan is still obsessed with Serena and does not know how he feels about Vanessa. Vanessa is thinking that she is in love with Dan. Jenny is still very happy about her going through puberty. So there are many mix emotions going on still.

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 176-214 post A

Figurative Language
1." Dan's brain flickered off and on like a TV set in an electrical storm." (page 199) I new that this was a simile because it it comparing something using the word like.
2. " Blair's entire body felt like wax after it had melted and then cooled." (page 193) This is a simile because it it showing the comparisent by using the word like.
3. " Dan didn't say anything, but his face turned as red as the lobster in his poem." (page 185) I new that this was a simile because the word as is showing the comparisent.

Vocab
1. ogling- (page 176) To stare in an flirtatious way
2. coyly- (page 180) to be shy or modest

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 116-175 post B

So I am really started to get into some juicy details about all the characters lives. Blair finally reveals to Serena that she is in love with Nate. Although Serena new this Blair had never admitted it before so it was a big step for Blair. But the whole time Blair was telling Serena her true feelings Serena could not stop thinking about how she was in love with Nate and of course their kiss from the night before. Nate had finally got some new male friends, Charlie Dern, Jeremy Scott Tompkinson, and Anthony Avuldsen. Although the way he met them was not the best way, he seemed to enjoy himself with them. All of those new friends Nate meets are his new getting high off of weed friends. Once Serena and Blair remember that Nate is escorting L’Wren to the debutante ball they were determined to make sure that did not happen. Serena had a meeting with Dean Kaplan of Hanover which is a boarding school. Serena tells her father that she does not want to go to boarding school so her father says she does not have to if she does not want to. Then Blair found out that her father had left her mother. He gave her a kitten with a note, he did not even say goodbye in person. Once Blair realized this she binged. At the pre- party for the debutante ball Blair found out that her father was gay and had a partner. Blair felt so awful that she went into the bathroom and purged three more times. In all this was just a dramatic time period in the book.

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 116-175 post A

Vocab
1. macrobiotic (page 145) - The theory or practice of promoting well-being and longevity, principally by means of a diet consisting chiefly of whole grains and beans.
2. aphrodisiacs (page 165)- Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect; sexual pleasures


Figurative language

1." Dan flew across the room like one of those disposable bad guys in a James Bond movie." (page 174) This is a simile, and I know that it is because it is showing comparisent with the word like.
2. " The shiny, brightly colored packages with their bold brand names screamed at her like a lurid chorus." (page 170) This literary element is a simile and the reason it is because it is using the word like while comparing something.
3. " Blair giggled merrily, watching her bounce, oblivious to the gap that had already formed between them like a crack in a side walk." (page 120) This simile is a literary element because it is using the word like while comparing something.

types of DEBATE

School Debate team
These debates are located at different schools of the teams you compeite against. The purpose of this kind of debate is just for fun but for others it may be because its something they want in their future. Having said that they debate for fun I think that when people debate for fun they would arrive at a better decision. The debate is structured.This effects the decision making process by the evidence is given in a structured manner and the team that deserves to win should win.
Political Debates
This kind of debates usually occurs at universities and other places of learning. The purpose of the debate is that the debates allow political candidates to present their views on issues and they also help voters decide who to vote for.Yes I think that this does help make the decison arrive better because it gives the voters a great oppurtunity to see who the person is.The debate is structured.Yes this does effect the decison making process by it makes it fair for both sides and allows all parties involved to get their fair share of talking in.
Court Cases Debate
These are in courtrooms.The purpose of this kind of debate is court cases happen when someone is accused of doing something wrong and is pronounced guilty or not guilty. This doesn’t necessarily help arrive at a better decison because someone could not be guilty and they declare them guily. But for the most part they are usually right so yes I guess it does. It is structured. This effects the decison making process because the court can come to a more logical decision if it is structured.
Family/Friend Debates
This can happen wherever you talk with your friends or family. The purpose of this is that you may have different opinion about something than your friend or family does so it may lead to a debate.This may not help arrive at a very good decision. This is unstructured. This can effect the decison making process by it might be very difficult to arrive at a decision at all sometimes.

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 59-115 post B

So I am actually starting to read like the fun part in my book. I feel like the whole first section was just kind of introducing the characters so I am glad that it is starting to get exciting. In my book right now it is February and it just reached Valentines Day and Serena, Blair, and Nate go to a party together. At the party Nate hooked up with a old crush. Serena and Blair danced the night away and had a little to much to drink. Serena’s parents were out of town so all three of them slept at her house. Later that night Serena and Nate kissed while Blair was asleep. Dan and Vanessa also went to the party. They both got kicked out for not being cool enough and had to climb the outside stairs to get out. Then after that they went to a coffee shop and both tried cigarettes for the first time. I have a feeling that they will remain good friends. Jenny who is Dan’s little seventh grade sister is still wishing that she looked like Serena and is struggling with her image. Then the old crush that Nate hooked up with ,L’Wren, asked him to be her escort for a debutante ball. Once Serena and Blair heard this they were both crushed. Serena and Blair are both in love with Nate but have not told each other so it looks like that is going to create some drama. Nate is also in love with them both and can not choose so that is why he has not picked one just yet. I can not wait to keep reading this!

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 59-115 post A

Vocab
1.antithesis:opposite (page 81)

2.postcoital: occurring, existing or sexual intercourse (page 90)

Figurative Language
1. "Instead, he allowed himself to be carried like a bag of laundry across the front hall and out the door marked EXIT."(page 81) I new that this was a simile because it is a comparisent made with using the word like.

2." But here was this scruffy, lost-looking boy with wide light brown eyes like a baby deer's caught in headlights." (page 82) I new this was a similie because this quote is comparing something using the word like.

3."Mmmm.Yumm.Wow." (page 85) I new that this was a onomatopoeia because it is a imitation of a sound.

Sea Inside post 3

There were many scenes that made the movie have more meaning. In the scenes where he would look out the window and fly had a lot of meaning. They used a dolly shot in those and it actually made me feel like I was flying and looking at the ground and sea. In the scene where he was being tried, they used a low angle shot on the judges to make them look more powerful and a high angle to make him look helpless and disabled. They also used a lot of medium shots to show like you are in the conversation with them. They used establishing shots to show the setting. In the scene where Julia is looking at the pictures with Ramon, they use an extreme close up on the pictures to make it seem like you're the one looking at the pictures. They also used truck movements when Ramon went in the car to go places. They did this to make it seem like you were looking out the window with Ramon.

Sea Inside post 2

The Sea Inside and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly are similar but also very different to eachother. One similarity between the two is that both movie and book include a person that is quadriplegic. Also in both, they were older guys and they both still had family. In The Sea Inside, Ramon did something that had a consequence of him being quadriplegic which was diving into shallow water. In The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Bauby's symptoms came out of nowhere. Also Ramon wanted to die and he killed himself and Bauby died cause it was his time. The last difference between the two was Ramon was able to speak and see and Bauby was able to just blink.The one I believe was more powerful was The Sea Inside. The reason I believe this was more powerful because it talks more about his problems he has rather than random dreams he has. Also it is more powerful because he actually kills himself so you see how painful his life must be in order for him to want to do that to himself.

Sea Inside post 1

I thought that The Sea Inside was a really good movie. At first I did not think I would like the movie because of the subtitles, but then I got use to them. I thought that the storyline was well thought out and it was a very interesting movie. I couldn’t really stop watching which usually does not happen for me in movies at school. I think that Ramon’s request for suicide was understandable. If I were in that situation I most likely would feel the same way, living in a bed for 28 years does not sound good to me at all. The court’s reaction to Ramon’s request was the way I expected them to react. It’s unlawful for them to just tell a man who needs help with the suicide, to sure go kill yourself. I think that Ramon had friends who truly cared about him and they know he just wanted to be put to rest so badly and respected his decision. It was obviously very hard on his friends when he finally did die but his friends loved him so much that they agreed with his decision and Rosa ended up helping him and loved him very much.

Happy Birthday or whatever FINAL POST

happy birthday or whatever pages 209-242 END OF BOOK

In the last chapter of the book, New Year's Games, this chapter ended in current time and Annie was celebrating New Year's Eve with her whole entire family at her parents house. Annie and her family play a game that is kind of like "sorry" but is a little different. Instead of using a dice to see how many spaces you move they used four chopsticks and one side is the correct "up" side and one is the correct "down" side and its all different formations that they make, and that determines home many spaces you move. Another family tradition that they had was to always have all the children bow for the parents but since they were all grown up their grandparents and parents agreed that now that one of the kids got married and had a child they weren't going to give out money anymore. Even though they agreed and all the kids complained, most of the couples still gave Annie money, but as a secret from everyone else. In the end Annie and her mother got along which was nice to see. The last couple pages were acknowledgments that Annie Choi made.

happy birthday or whatever pages 161-208

I commented on Kelsey McElroy's blog and Kara Randalls.
So in the chapter, Fool Who Play Cool, Annie tells the story of when her family goes to Soraksan. Annie was not excited about going. Annie's mother brought some of her friends and the whole time her and her friends would play music that they thought made them look cool. At one point in this chapter they made Annie do karaoke in Korean language so she was not happy about this. Although Annie's mom had alot of fun on this trip it seems that Annie only thought it was okay. In the chapter, Rules of Engagement, Annie was in the car with her father because he was taking her to the airport. Annie and her father do not talk inless it is about serious matters. So on the way down to the airport her father was telling her how she needed to get married because he was getting old. Annie was mad because she is not even that old yet, she is only 26 years old. It also talked about how her cousin,Andy, was not married and how he needed to. In the end Andy and Annie became closer friends with their similarities in life.
REACTION
I think that this book has taught me a lot about the Korean lifestyle. The Choi family follows all of the Korean rules and it seems that it is very strict. Through every chapter that I have read I feel that Annie is wanting to be unique but the lifestyle that her family wants for her is not allowing her to. I feel bad for Annie because she does not see the same way her mother does so they fight about everything. For me that would be so hard to fight with my mother about everything because I value what she tells me and if I did not agree with anything that she said that would be very hard for me. I also think that it is sad that her father wants her to get married just because he thinks he is getting old and she is, I believe that she should wait tell she finds love not just marry to get married. Also I think that it would be tough to live with a mother who is as controlling as her mom is. This novel so far has taught me that I am very thankful for my family and that they value my opinion.

happy birthday or whatever pages 129-160 post 2

So in Happy Birthday or Whatever in the chapter Vegetarian Enough it as all about how Annie and her mother are fighting because her mother believes that you should eat meat and Annie becomes a vegetarian. Through the whole chapter her mother tells her she has to make her own food from now on because she was not going to make a special meal just for Annie and was just being rude to Annie. In this whole chapter Annie and her mother do not get along. In the next chapter, The Devil Moisturizes, she tells storys from when she went to visit her grandmother in Korea. If you ask me her gandmother is more rude then her mother which I did not think was possible. During the trip Annie got in a fight with her brother Michael so that was not good at all. Annie tells storys of how her gandmother would critize her on just the littlest things. It seems as if she doesn't have fun when she goes to visit.

Happy birthday or whatever 129-160 post 1

" In my gandmother's opinion, everything was too something- the weather was too cold,food was too spicy, clothes were too itchy, the neighborhood was too loud and too dirty." Happy Birthday or Whatever by Annie Choi (page 141). I thought that this quote set the tone of the book because in every chapter it seems that something is not right. Even though this is just one quote revealing that everyone was very optionated in her family I feel that it describes the book. In every chapter Annie always tells storys from her life and how something is not right and this quote says to me that even her gandmother always thought something was wrong. It just describes the Choi family because so far from what I have read it this novel is about how Annie and how she is not perfect which is how her grandmother felt about everything.
"It doesn't matter-I'm still not eating meat. And I can fold my own shirts anway I want" Happy Birthday or Whatever by Annie Choi (page 131). I think that this quote said by Annie describes the novel. When Annie said this she was fighting with her mother about how she did not want to eat meat and she was folding laundry with her mother and her mom was yelling at her for doing it wrong. All of Annie's storys which make this novel are always Annie and her mother having different opinions on things so I think thiss quote does a very nice job of setting the tone of the book.

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 1-58 post B

Dear Serena,
Although it may seem hard to tell your best friend, Blair Waldorf, that you are going to boarding school when she is upset about how she thinks her dad, Harold J. Waldorf 3, is having a affair I still think you should tell her sooner rather then later. Once Blair finds out that you told your other best friend who you are both in love with, Nate Archibald, she will be even more mad at you so I think you really should tell her even if it does seem like a bad time. Also even though you have not told Nate or Blair that you are in love with Nate I think that you should. Everything always works out better if you do not keep secrets. I also think that during double photography even though you did not get to work with Blair and you are working with Kati that you should still be nice to her. I can tell she cares a lot about what you think of her since you are one of the popular girls at Constance Billard School for Girls so you should really try and be nice to her! Oh and I also think its really cool how everyone your with can be in a really bad mood and you can make sure that when they leave from hanging out with you that they are not in a bad mood anymore. I can not wait to see what the rest of the book I will learn about you!
Sincerely,
Molly

It had to be you the gossip girl prequel pages 1-58 post A

Vocab Words

1. Jutted (page 6) - to extend beyond the main body or line

2.Bilious (page 11) - extremely unpleasant or distasteful

Figurative Language

1."Her entire body was as long and lean and taut as the strings on his Prince titanium tennis racket." (page 7) I new that this was a literary element because it was comparing the two objects using the word as so I new it was a simile.

2."Ew,ew,ew!" (page 53) I new this was a onomatopoeia because this refers to when she smelt something bad and a onomatopoeia is when imitation of sound is associated with the objects or actions they refer to.

3. " He rolled onto his back and wriggled like Serena's long-dead golden retriever,Guppy, when she used to let him loose on the green grass of the Great Lawn in Central Park." (page 3)- So I know this is a simile because it is comparing two things using the word like.

New Outside Reading Book Quarter 2

The title of my book is, It had to be you, the gossip girl prequel. The author of the novel is Cecily von Ziegesar. This novel was published in 2007. It had to be you is a fiction. This gossip girl prequel is 402 pages. One way that I know that this is sufficiently challenging for a sophomore like myself is that it says, "for ages 15 and up". Which is perfect for me because I am sixteen years old. Another way that I know that this is suitable to read for a high school student is that New York Magazine said," suprisingly sophisticated". I chose to read this book for this assignment because I have read a couple of the books in the series and really enjoyed them. I also watch the tv show, Gossip Girl, but some of the stuff is hard to understand because they do not tell you what happens before so I am hoping that this will help me understand the show and the couple novels I read from the series. Another reason why I chose this book is that I wanted to read a book that I will enjoy and will keep me interested and I have never heard one bad word about this series of books. I am really excited to start reading this book!

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly reflection

All together I thought that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was a great book. At some points in the book I thought that it was difficult to read with some of the words he choose to use but once I figured out what they meant I would love how he wrote with them. One of my favorite things about this memoir was that it taught you meanings of life but then would involve humor. This memoir also reminded me of what I believe, which is to live your life to the fullest. This is a perfect example of how every person has no idea what is going to happen to them so you have to appreciate what you have. Jean- Dominique Bauby had a wonderful life until December 8th even though in his eyes it was not wonderful anymore after his “massive stroke” that caused locked in syndrome, I still think that he made the best out of what he could. One thing that I admire about Bauby is that he was always positive and could make something so ordinary seem so extraordinary. I love how he explains the title of the book in detail and how it fits perfectly for this memoir. One thing that I did not really like was that he jumped around so much on his story’s so they were hard to follow sometimes. I think that this book helps remind a person that you need to appreciate your family and friends and that when they are in a near death experience that you know that you left them in the right way. His dreams that he had made me realize that I want to set out dreams/goals that I can try to accomplish such as he did. I feel that some of the lessons that I learned from this book I will use on how I want to live my everyday life.

Happy birthday or whatever pages 91-128 part 2

The memoir, Happy Birthday or whatever, tells funny story's of Annie Choi's life. Her mother, who is some what crazy at times is also very loving and just wants the best for her children which reminds me of my mom and dad. Annie talks about how her mother got breast cancer and remembers everything about it. I can relate to that because my father had throat cancer when I was little and I know how hard cancer is for someone to go through. I think that one of the weakness of this book is that the story's she tells like chapter after chapter don't flow together like they jump around on how old she is and don't really go together so sometimes it is hard to understand. I think a strength in this book is that all the story's she tells are funny and keep you wanting to read more which is always good. I think that the rest of the book will just keep getting better. It seems that every chapter I learn a little more about her life.

Happy birthday or whatever pages 91-128 part 1

In the 8th chapter, Holy Crap, Annie descirbes how her mother got this huge picture of the pope and other catholic figures all over the house. Her mother was so excited when she got the picture of the pope she made Annie get out of the bathroom and had her brother run downstairs and made her father turn off the TV so they could meet in the kitchen. When the whole family was there they saw a big brown box and started to open they had no idea what to expect. Once they finally got the box open they relized it was a massive photo of John Paul II. Annie was devisated when her mother decied to put it in the front hallway. Everytime one of Annie's friends walked threw the front door they all questioned why that was there but Annie made sure that no one said anything in front of her mother. Annie's mother also started putting catholic crosses all around the house and rosarys. The Choi house was being decorated with religous items all over it and Annie was very embarrassed about it. In the ninth chapter, The Best Diet, Annie tells about an expierence she had while being at the Univerisity of California of Berkeley. The expierence that Annie went threw was that her mother got breast cancer. Her mother, father and brother all new about before Annie did. Annie's family did not want to worry her while she was at college, her mother had already had it for three months before she had found out. Although it was a rough time for the family Annie's mother did great, she said " the best diet is cancer". Her mother had lost a ton of weight from the cemo and loved how she looked. In the end Annie's mom made it threw it all and it seemed that Annie was more worried then her mother about it all.
Photo: http://www.smallspiralnotebook.com/images/anniechoi.jpg
Annie Choi was born in San Fernando Valley. She was also a graduate of the University of California of Berkeley, and Columbia University. As for right now she lives in New York City. Annie has a Korean backround which is very important to how she was raised. Annie has one brother, Mike, he is older and helps Annie threw some rough times that she goes through having a crazy mother and agreeable father. Growing up Annie was raised to get straight A's and that church was very important and her Korean backround of course was a huge aspect of how she has became who she is today.
http://www.annietown.com/about/

Happy Birthday or whatever pages 45-90

Loaded Words:
1. college (pg 45) - this is a loaded word to me because I am in high school and I want to go to college so what I do now affects my future. Annie was using this word when she was talking about what college her mother went to.
2. car (pg 51) - car is a very fun word to me ever since I got my license in July. I have so many memories taking road trips in cars as well. The author was using this word as her mother shoved her into her car because she though Annie looked very pretty and wanted to drive her to school.
3. depressing (pg 54) - this has a negative connotation because it always follows with bad respones. Choi was using this when she was talking about a black dress that made her feel depressed.
4. imagine(pg 55)- imagine is a positive connotation because everyone has a diffrent imagination. The author was using it refering to something she could never see herself doing.
5. dog (pg 66)- dog is a special word to me because I had two dogs growing up and I can't even imagine not having them. My parents won't let us get a new one either since my sister is already in college and my brother goes next year and then I go two years after that. Annie was using this word when she was talking about being a new student from Korea and the kids had not asked her yet if she ate dog.
6. wrinkled (pg 74)- wrinkled always makes me think of my grandmas and grandpas. My grandmas and grandpas always put a smile on my face. The author was using this word when she was talking about how old a nun looked.
7. leprechaun (pg 78)- this is a loaded word for me because my mom is over 50% Irish so St. Patricks Day is always a fun holiday at my house. Annie Choi was using this word when she was describing what she thought someone looked like.
8. dance (pg 82)- this loaded word to me is very exciting because my first school dance is coming up. Annie was using this word when she was telling a story about her friend getting asked to a dance.
9. suprise (pg 88) - in my experience suprise was a positive connotation. When I think of suprise I will always think of my sweet sixteen suprise party that my friends threw for me. Choi was using it when she was suprised she finally got her period.
10. chocolate (pg 90)- when ever I think about this word it always brings happy thoughts. Annie was using this word when she describes the first time she got her period and wanted chocolate.
Summary
In the fourth chapter of this memoir Annie described how her mother loved to dress nice. Her mother would always say," just because I am a stay at home mom does not mean I have to dress like one." Annie's mother took her shopping and showed her named brands such as Versace, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, and Liz Clauborne. Annie could tell you what kind of people would wear all these brands of clothes. In the fifth chapter it talked about when Annie first moved to America. Her mother had her go to kindergarten when she new almost no english words. It was very hard for her to make friends because they put her in special classes to try and learn the language. By first grade Annie had made a couple friends and thats all she wanted. Annie also talked about how her mother made her take Korean school on Saturdays. So growing up Annie would always combine her talking with English and Korean, which would get very confusing. In the sixth chapter Annie talked about how she had not got her period yet and was very embarssed about it. She was the only girl she new who did not have it yet. Annie's mother would tell her that she was a late bloomer and it was going to be okay but Annie did not like the sound of that. Annie also talked about how she could drive a car but was still not a woman and all these things but was not a woman still. Finally towards the end of the chapter she gets describes the first time she got her period, she was seventeen years old.
Reacton
I thought it was funny how she described her mother to be. Growing up my mom also loved to look nice and dress up so its kind of funny how it seems like alot of mothers like to do that. When I was little my mom would buy my clothes too just like Annie's mom, sometimes she would buy the weirdest stuff but thought that I looked adorable just like Annie's mom did to her. I think it is also funny to hear her talk about the first time she got a bra. How her mother is just going threw them all and having her try them all on because my mom always makes me try on everything that she likes even if I don't think its cute. I thought these past three chapters were pretty funny and I could relate to the stuff that she was talking about for the most part. It was really fun to read these chapters.

1st section of Happy Birthday or whatever, pages 1-44

So far in the novel, Happy Birthday or whatever, the author Annie Choi tell storys of her life as a young Korean girl living in the American society. In the first chapter of the book it is when she is twenty seven years old. She shares how her mother and father forgot her birthday. Her parents were trying to make up lies on how they did not forget there only girls birthday. But Annie new that it was her birthday because the day after is her parents anniversary so she was just trying to get her parents to admit that they were wrong and forgot. Then the next day she called them to say happy anniversary and she almost got her father to admit that he did forget. Then she called a week later because it was her mother's birthday. Her mom was upset that her father did not get her anything. Then Annie was complaining about how she did not even get a phone call to say happy birthday. The second chapter was about her love for animals. When she was a young girl her uncle gave her a stuffed animal for her birthday one year then she told him that he was her favorite uncle. So from then on for any holiday that occured in the Choi family all her relatives would give her a stuffed animal because they wanted to be Annie's favorite relative. She loved animals so much that she would even tuck them in blankets and made a line of who got to sleep with her. Annie wanted to be a fair mother to all her animals so she would treat them all equally. The Korean's have a tradition that if someone says that they really like something that you have to give it to them. So everytime her parents would have friends over and bring there kids they would always go into Annie's room and go tell her mother that they really liked one of them. Then Annie would have to give them it. After that whenever she new her parents were having friends over she would always try to hide her animals. In the third chapter she told storys of her spelling days. Anne was a very good speller but her mother thought that if you got a B on something it was like getting a F. So one day she came home with her spelling test and got a B, she was so afraid to show her mom so she hid it under a ant jar thinking her mother would not find it. Then suddenly her mother called her down stairs and in one hand she had the ant jar and in the other she had the spelling test. After that Annie's mother made her write down each word twenty times. She got spanked that day as well for trying to hide the bad grade. So everytime she thought about complaining about rewritting the words she would remember the sting of the wooden spoon hitting her bottom. After a while she got so good at spelling that there was a spelling bee in her class, Annie won, so that made her in the finals with 4th,5th and 6th graders. At that spelling bee she received fifth place. So she was the second alternate contestant in the regionals so that if one of the top three could not make it she would go in there place.
Reaction
So far my reaction on this memoir is that some of the storys are kinda funny. I like that it is giving me a better understanding of a traditional Korean family. Some of the things she has talked about are kinda point less but also sorta interesting to read. Another thing that I like about it is that i can relate to her about stuffed animals. When I was little I loved stuffed animals and just like Annie did I would treat them like they were a person. Although I can not imagine my parents not remembering my birthday though. Every year when it is my birthday I swear sometimes my mom is more excited about it then I am, which is hard to do. But as far as I can tell I think I will enjoy the rest of her storys.

This I believe

1. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9249892

2. Judith Jamison

3.To Thine Own Self Be True

–4.
I believe that Judith was saying life is short so make sure you live it the way you want to while being a true person.

–5.
"I believe that to "be good," as my father instructed, we must be true to ourselves." This is one example where is shows how she believes that you have to be good while being true because part of being good is telling the truth.
" It's about reaching for perfection, and, most of all, it's about honesty." This is another example of how she believes life is short so be true because she is talking about how she is a dancer and has been a choreographer so you have to be true on your feelings on stage otherwise it could ruin the performance.


–6. "I believe that there is sanctity in the fact that we are only on this earth for a short period of time. And I believe that with that time, we'd better be doing something good." This is one of my favorite things she said because one goal for my life that I have made for myself is to make sure I live it to the fullest. So it says to me that since life is so short make sure you do everything that is available to you and to serve other people who are less fortunate.

What I am looking forward to at EHS and one goal for sophmore year!

The thing I am most anxious about at Edina High School is getting to know all the kids that I have not met yet. I am most excited about this because I love to go down the halls and say hello and ask how they are doing to all the people I know but I found out quickly that there are alot of people I want to meet still at this school. I also am anxious about learning all the new things that our teachers have to offer. I want to learn all of these new things because I have a brother and a sister who went to Edina High School who talk about stuff they had learned and I want to be able to understand what they have told me.
One goal for me in my sophmore year is to find a balance between social life and school life. I want to make this a goal for me because I feel that every year I tend to be more social then school oriented.I want to be able to hang out with my friends still but maintain better grades then what I have gotten.