V is for Vandalism

V is for Vandalism

The dictionary defines vandalism as the deliberate damaging of things, especially public property. I always thought vandalism was things like smashing a window or stealing tires from a car. I never thought I would do anything like that.

It is amazing how an innocent act such as writing and doodling in someone’s book can progress into something like writing on the bathroom stalls. That’s how it all started. We were writing back and forth, and it started to get out of hand. When you write something that you mean as a joke, it can really hurt someone’s feelings, even if they pretend to laugh at it. Also if someone is hurting your feelings and they won’t stop, then tell an adult or teacher. Just remember how would you feel if it happened to you?

It started off as a joke, but then it started hurting my feelings, so I started writing back. After that I thought it would stop, but it didn’t, it got worse. Then it moved onto the bathroom stalls. After I did it, I knew I shouldn’t have, but I was mad. By the end of the day I felt terrible. When we got called to the Mrs. Gallagher’s office, I knew something was going on and it was about me. I had to tell the truth, it would make me feel better, but I would still have to face the consequences.

Life Lesson: At the time this happened I had no idea it was an act of vandalism, but I see that now. How quickly things can get out of control, you need to think before you act.

D is for Dance

5, 6, 7, 8! Buffalo, Maxi ford, Toe Stand, Pastiche and Pirouette. Do you know what all those terms mean? They are all different dance steps. I started dancing when I was 6 years old. The first year I only took Jazz. The next year I also took tap, and each year after that I added more and more types of dances.



There are lots of different types of dances like; Jazz, Tap, Hip – Hop, Musical Theatre, Lyrical, Modern, Ballet, and Acro. In Musical Theatre you lip sync the words to the song, while you do a jazz like dance. The dances I do are Jazz, Tap, Hip – Hop, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and Ballet.



There are two types of dance, Recreational and Competitive. I now do Competition Dance because 3 years ago my teacher asked me to join the Competitive team. Competitively I dance Jazz, Tap, Hip – Hop and Musical Theatre, but my favorite is Jazz. I didn’t think it would be fun, but it was. I liked Competition Dance so much I decided to do four Competition Dances this last year. It is a lot of hard work but we get to compete at fun places like Collingwood, Waterloo, Barrie and Niagara Falls. There are about 150 people in my dance studio that do Competition Dance. There are groups, trios, duets, and solos.



I love to dance. Dance has made me so much more active. It has also made me more confident, more flexible, and helped me to be better in sports. Dance is challenging, the steps get more complex and faster. Just this week I did a triple pirouette, and ten fouette turns. I was very proud of this accomplishment.My brother continually says dance is not a sport. I keep saying to him yes it is. I have even challenged him to come to a class and try to keep up!!!!! I doubt he can!!!!


Life Lesson: Dance is a sport!!! It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you are getting exercise and having fun!

C is for Concentration

QUITE!!!!! I can’t concentrate with that noise!!!!!!!

It is very hard for me to concentrate when there are people talking to me, or other people talking in the background. Also I can't work when there is music in the background, or when I am listening to music. But some people can listen to music, text, go onto MSN and do homework all at the same time. It is amazing! I sure can’t do that! It is very hard for me to do homework in the same room as my brother because he can listen to music and sing while he works. I have to focus all my attention on what I am doing in order to concentrate and do my work.

All people are different. Some people can read, text, play on the computer, go on MSN and much more all at the same time. But other people can barely work in the same room as a conversation. Some people can work with music but can’t read with music, or vice versa. Quite places like libraries are very helpful for people who have to study or can’t concentrate with noise in the background.

Studies say that your brain works better when you are only concentrating on one thing, and not listening to music or talking. Here are some ways to help concentrate when doing work;
1. Be organized – have everything you need, so you don’t have to go back for stuff that you are missing. Keep your work space organized so there is nothing to distract you.
2. Don’t Procrastinate – don’t put thing off till the last minute. If you do things early, then you can finish your work at a time that is best for you.
3. Find a better environment to work in – Find a quite place in your house, or go to a library. Do your work when nobody is watching TV.
4. Stop making your mind wander – Focus on one task at a time. DON’T HAVE MSN OPEN WHEN DOING YOUR WORK!!! Keep all other books away from your work area.

BANG!!!!
When I say QUITE I am trying to work!!!

Life Lesson: If you can’t concentrate move to a different place, turn off the music, organize your work space, and don’t let your mind wander.

S is for Snowboarding

Racing down the hill as fast as you can, the wind whipping your face, snow flying everywhere, that is the thrill of skiing and snowboarding.

My family and I are members at Beaver Valley Ski Club. It is a private ski club near Markdale. There are approximately 800 families who are members. My family all like to ski but I prefer snowboarding.

I started off skiing just like the rest of my family, but then I switched to snowboarding. It all started when my brother was in a ski lesson, and for one day he got to learn how to snowboard. He liked it so much my parents bought him a snowboard and snowboard boats. He tried snowboarding for a year and then went back to skiing. That’s when I decided to try snowboarding. After I tried it once I thought it was so much fun that I haven’t skied since.

I had to take snowboarding lessons because snowboarding is hard to learn once you are already a skier. I had lots of fun learning how to snowboard but it hurts sometimes because I fell down a lot. It was a long process learning how to snowboard especially getting off the chair lift. This is the part that has been the most challenging for me. The other thing that has been challenging is turning on steep hills. I am still working on that. I have had lots of fun with my snowboard instructor. Once he made me go down a double black diamond, but I slide the whole way down without doing any turns. Also he made me go off a rail. I told him I couldn’t do it, so the first time he helped me. When I tried it the second time he didn’t help me, and I went off the rail by myself. I was so proud of myself.

It is easier to start out snowboarding at a younger age, because you haven’t learned anything yet. If you have already learned how to ski then when you take up snowboarding the you have to learn a whole new way of doing things. I was a skier at first, and I’ve had to work hard at learning how to snowboard.

You have to be determined to do something or you will never get it done.

F is for FAMILY

F is for Family

My family and I are really close. We like to spend time together. In the winter we go to our chalet on the weekends. We spend our days skiing and always have lunch together. At night we usually watch a movie, or play games. We also go to Florida every year for March Break. We stay with my grandparents on my mom’s side of the family. It is always fun because we go to the beach, pool and go out for dinner every night. In the summer we spend weekends and our holidays at the cottage. My relatives have cottages there also. I spend most of my day on the beach, on my dock or boating. Saturday night is Family Dinner!

I am very lucky to have all my grandparents. I know many children are not fortunate to still have all their grandparents alive. I love to spend time with my grandparents. They all live in Guelph, 15 minutes away from me, so I see them often. The best part about spending time with my grandparents is that they let me get away with anything and spoil me. I also have fun with my aunt because she is not married and she doesn't have any kids.

My family is very important to me. Remember family is more important than friends!

Empathy in Writing

Authors try to create a feeling of empathy in their readers by relating to emotions, detail and description, adjectives and situations you can relate to. She relates to the readers because she is a woman, and she went to Afghanistan to ask women about living there. Also she gives great detail and description about important events in the story, such as when Parvana is getting chased down the street by the Taliban or when she saw her father walking up the stairs of their apartment. She describes most of her sentences with descriptive adjectives which give you a clear picture of what is happening. She makes life in Afghanistan very real and scary, especially for women.

Authors usually use different words to make the reader feel empathy for a particular character. In this passage “Then, late one afternoon, Parvana came home from work to find two men gently helping her father up the steps to the apartment. He was alive. At least part of the nightmare was over.” I can picture this part very clearly, and am so happy for Parvana. This makes me feel empathy because she has had a rough day, and then her father has come home, so she can stop worrying about at least one member of her family.

In another book I read, “Distant Waves”, Jane the main character is separated from her sister and the love of her life. She was finally reunited with them. I felt happy for Jane, and felt her life was complete. In the Breadwinner, I felt the same when Parvana and her father were reunited. Both authors took very sad and lonely situations and turned it in to a happy situation. When I was reading both books I could see myself in Jane’s and Parvana’s shoes. It made me think what it would be like to be separated from my family.

The Life of an Afghan Woman

Imagine having women stay inside all day. Imagine your country overrun by the Taliban. Imagine getting killed for standing up for what is rightfully yours. Imagine having to go outside while being afraid that you won't come back to see your loving family. Imagine getting married at the age of 16. Imagine living in Afghanistan.

I couldn't imagine going outside every day with a burqa on. Could you? If I had to it would affect my life a lot. It would change my life because no one could see my face or recognize me. No one would see me for me! I would be anonymous. Also it would be hard to work because you don't have any peripheral vision. It would be uncomfortable to wear because it would be hot and stuffy to have your face and body always covered. I’m sure I would feel claustrophobic.

It would bother me because I could only go outside with a man, and I could only see a little because of my burqa. I would not have the right to do what I want. I would have to live by the rules of the Taliban. I would not be free to be me. I would have to stay inside every day, and I would never get fresh air.

I would not like to live in Afghanistan because I would not like to live by its rules, and I would not want to wear a burqa all day, everyday.

Holocaust Surviver

Have you ever heard of the Holocaust? On Monday we were fortunate to listen to Eva Olsson, who is a holocaust survivor. She lived in Hungary and was told that she was to go to Germany to work in a brick factory. When she and many others walked to the train to go to Germany, people were lined up to look at the amazing sight like it was a Christmas parade. They were all bystanders. They did nothing to stop the Holocaust. Her message was to NOT BE A BYSTANDER.

Just imagine watching your mom go in a different direction than you and never seeing her again, and without saying "I LOVE YOU". Imagine having your dad die at the age of 43 of starvation. Imagine getting taken away by bullies, and all the bystanders watching and doing nothing. Imagine surviving the Holocaust. Well Eva Olsson did. Her story is amazing.

She was taken to Germany by the “Nazi Bullies”. When she was in the camps she learned that the only reason the “Nazi Bullies” did this was because of hate. After the Holocaust was over she went to Sweden and got married at the age of 21. One night her husband died in a car crash because the driver was drunk. The loss and pain she has suffered is terrible.

I was very shocked at what she said about the Nazis reasoning for their actions. The only reason they did it was because of HATE. This has taught me never to say hate. You can say dislike, but never hate. You should never hate any one, because that is what started the Holocaust. HATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The two most important things I have learned from this presentation is that you should not be a bystander, and never hate anyone.