Handel

I’m learning about a composer named Handel who wrote several great songs. Georg Friederich Handel was born in Saxony(Germany). He was raised by a barbersurgeon and his wife. When he turned twenty-six he moved to England. In 1711, Handel moved to London where he performed his first opera. After that he went on to write nearly fifty other operas.

“Hallelujah Chorus” is a really good song; you might like it. It’s actually my favorite musical piece by Handel. I like it when it says hallelujah over and over again. The music is very famous, some people sing it during Christmas. The song is great for being sung in the winter. It sounds like a baby deer running for the first time when I listened to it. Also, in some parts it sounds like animals running from danger.

            I am also listening to “Glory to the Highest”. It sounds like it could be played at a palace ball. Also, it sounds like a king and queen getting married. When I imagine what this song looks like, I imagine little fairies dancing under the bright moon. Fairies are what I see when I close my eyes!

            “Music for the Royal Fireworks,” is another well-known musical piece by Handel. In the beginning, it sound like the king and queen are arriving. The rest of the song sounds like little people are dancing in the moonlight. You might imagine a palace and people dancing together there. What I imagine are little elves dancing in the night. What do you imagine when you listen to this song?

Percks Of Being A Wallflower Essay

Perks Of Being A Wallflower

I just read a really good book called Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. In it, a teenage boy named Charlie writes to a person who he doesn't know. He wants to tell someone what is happening in his high school life. One day, at the stadium, during a football game, Charlie meets two new people. They become his first real friends. This book is about Charlie, who is trying to talk to people his own age, trying hard not to be shy and be more active.

What held Charlie back from making friends? Well, Charlie is very shy and doesn't really get involved in any activities. Charlie just can't talk to people because he doesn't know how to act around them. He also held back what happened in the past while his aunt was alive. (You will find out what happened in his past when you read the book.) He has many issues, but is very smart. In his classes, he gets straight As.

I enjoyed reading this book because I can relate to Charlie. When I was in fifth grade, I started a new school. While I was in public school, I was shy and didn't want to participate in any school activities either. I was like Charlie, but just a little bit different. We're both shy and we almost had the same problems in our pasts.

I read this book and I would recommend it. I don't really like realistic books but I did like this story. You might too! Hope you read the book!

Christmas

A while ago I wrote a blog entry about the holidays. If you want to see it, just scroll down until you find it! In my family, we have a couple of routines and ceremonies that we do every year for Christmas. The first is, we open our pajamas on Christmas Eve. Also, we light candles before we go to bed. We think of some things that we want to change. On Christmas morning, my parents wake me up, and after a few minutes they ring the bell. When we open our doors, we have stockings hanging on the doorknobs. What are your Christmas holiday traditions?

Helping people that are in need during the holidays is important. My mom runs a family fund drive every year and I help her. You guys are probably wondering what a family fund drive is! It's a program that assists 3 or 4 families have a Christmas. People donate money or items and we deliver the gifts to the families. My mom says it's fun to her, because she can help people and she loves shopping. I don't really like to shop all that much, but I still do it.

Every year I donate toys I don't want any more or buy stuff that is needed. I helped the organizers go shopping this year. It was tiring and not all that fun, because I don't really like to walk around in stores all day! After the shopping was done though, we sorted all the gifts and took pictures of what was purchased. When the pictures were done, we relaxed and then the next day, we brought the presents to the waiting families. I might help them again next year too; I don't know yet. Do you like to help people who are in need?

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a very famous composer. He was 5ft 7 ½ in tall and he was always in a fight. He had 20 children. Some of his kids became composers like him, but their father, Bach, was the best of them all. Bach died in the year 1750, but when he was still alive he wrote lots of music.

He wrote a couple that I am listening to right now. Each one has a different sound. There are six Brandenburg Concertos, but I am focusing on no. 3 in G major. I am also listening to Toccata & Fugue in D minor, which is well known for being in the Fantasia movie. In the last work, Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, it is just an organ playing.

The first piece I have been listening to for the last few weeks is called The Brandenburg Concerto no.3 in G major. The music is soft compared to the other music. The others all start out with a dramatic entrance. Almost through the whole song the beat is the same. What I mean is it stays in the same pitch most of the song. The music sounds like a piece played at a fancy dress ball. When you see movies which the characters go to the ball, you always hear music going on and I think this song would work perfectly.

The music in Toccata and Fugue in D major sounds like ballerinas dancing. It's almost like this music is playing for their performance. This song is for people who like classical music. The instruments make the music sound high pitched and loud. The music is very quick, but then it slows down a bit, then starts right back up again. This song is good with the entire orchestra playing a part. I think it's cool; I don't know about what others think of this music.

Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor is the last piece by Bach that I've been listening to for the past few weeks. This music only has the organ playing. The music is very loud and it sounds very deep to me. Organs tend to be shrill and not low when played. This is my favorite music by Bach, because it is loud and sounds great. What do you like about classical music?

Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi was a famous violin composer, which means he wrote music for violins. He was very young when he studied for his dream; At the age 15, he began studying to become a priest. They nicknamed him the Red Priest. On the way to his dreams he became a violin composer. That is what he did when he wanted his dream to come true.

Vivaldi's most famous concerto is called “The Four Seasons.” “The Four Seasons” is very good if you like to listen to classical music. I like the music, because there are no voices, only instruments. Instruments are cool to listen to when there is no singing involved. “The Four Seasons” focuses on violins entirely.

The first section, called “Spring,” makes me want to jump up and down. It's not soft until 1 minute and 30 seconds into it, but almost all the rest is fast. Everything is defrosting; animals are coming out of their homes and plants are blooming. In the middle of the song, it sounds like a newborn deer's first time trying to walk on its own. It's almost like Bambi; he tries to walk, but falls back down, but then he gets back up until he is finally able to ramble about in the forest. I think some people will like this because it will remind them of Spring. All of the instruments telling me that winter is over, makes me want to dance!

When “Spring” is over, “Summer” begins, with a nice, easy tone to it. In the beginning, the music turns out low, then becomes louder. Vivaldi did a nice job when he wrote “Summer,” because it sounds joyful, just like the season. He made it sound so nice and calming. It's the season for people to go swimming at the ocean, the beach and in their pools. In the middle of the song, I believe it sounds like an ocean, which is amazing because in the summer it's hot out so I would jump in some cold water! That is what summer is all about.

“Autumn” begins with a fast tone to it, then it becomes softer, sounding as if birds have taken flight and leaves are falling to the ground. The music gets louder when the birds travel south when winter comes. The fast parts sound like birds flying in the air and the animals going into their homes for the winter. I like this music, because it has a softness to it that makes me want to hibernate as well!

Winter is a time for coats, boots, scarves and anything that keeps warmth in while I'm outside. In this section, the music is fast when it gets louder and it gets gentle when the music slows down. The violins sound like the winter wind is blowing and the little animals who don't hibernate are outside playing in the snow. I like this section because it also makes me think of people ice dancing.

Vivaldi was a famous violin composer. “The Four Seasons” is his best work overall. “Winter” is my favorite musical piece for Music Appreciation class so far. Winter isn't my favorite season though, because I don't like the cold. Does your favorite season match up with Vivaldi's interpretation of it?

classical music

I am learning about Giovanni Pierluigda Palestrina. He was a famous composer. He was the only one who saved church music during the Reinessence period. I am listening to one of his most famous works, “Missa Papae Macrcelli.” It is considered his best work.

Palestrina received his early music education as a choirboy in Rome. He was renamed after a town he was in. He wrote a lot of songs, including 106 masses total. Pope Julius III took Giovanni to Rome with him. Pope Julius died 1555, then someone took is place as Pope Julius II, but that only lasted about 3 weeks until he died, too. The next pope wanted to change the way music was used in church.

Musical instruments were not to be used to accompany church music and the thought was to go back to the old way – just chanting in church. The Pope, however, allowed Palestrina to make a mass with no instruments and then show him it. Palestrina was very frightened, because he had no idea what song to make that would work. One day when he was writing, he had a vision of angels singing heavenly harmonies. That did not scare him, but inspired him to write the song now known as the Missa Papae Macrcelli. When the Pope listened to the mass, he loved it and then music was back.

The parts of the mass are slow and high. When I listen to them I feel both calm and tired. The music sounds like angels are singing in heaven. My favorite part about the music is the first few parts of Gloria, because it only had one person singing. While listening to this mass, people will feel safe, calm and might even cry. Classical music can be slow and soft sometimes.

Ninth Grade Homeschooling

This is my first time being in high school while homeschooling. So far it has been both interesting and challenging. I have a couple of challenges in ninth grade. I am trying to work hard in ninth grade and learn cool, new things. I'm looking forward to this year. Ninth grade is pretty good so far.

I like homeschooling, because I have some subjects that are easy. Math is really easy for me, so I can get through it pretty fast. I'm doing Algebra 1 and the math isn't difficult for me, though I don't enjoy it. I do like to learn things that I'm interested in, such as biology, which I chose to do this year. This year I am learning about the insides of animals and insects. By being homeschooled, I can go on fun, awesome field trips too! People who are in public school can't really go to cool field trips. That's why I like to be homeschooled.

I have some challenges with homeschooling this year. PreHistory is hard for me, because there are a lot of notes I have to take. It's a challenge, because I have to write down notes, read them and answer the questions the book asks me. Another subject that is kind of difficult for me is Vocabulary. Vocabulary is not my best subject! Figuring out what college I want to go to is also hard. It can be stressful, because I don't know what job I want to work at, or which classes to take, but that will be pushed to the side until I find a job that is right for me. I am going to get through the challenges!

There are three things that I am enjoying in school this year so far. I like to learn about biology, because I think it's interesting. I want to see what is inside animals and learn more about genetics. Also I have a trip planned to a spy museum, which I think will be cool to see. I'd like to see all the different spy exhibits. I also enjoy art class, because it's calming. When I do art, I put my imagination on the paper.

Those are all the reasons why homeschooling is both interesting and a challenge. First, homeschooling is okay. I have things I like and I'm interested in and I can learn them in school. Second, the challenges can be hard but I'm going to get through them. Last, school maybe different, but it is also fun, because I can go on cool field trips. I think this year is going to go by very fast!

Jump the Cracks

Jump the Cracks

Jump the Cracks, by Stacy DeKeyser, is a book about a teenage girl who is traveling on a train to see her father, and then finds a two-year-old boy whose mother abuses him. The mom leaves her son on the train in the bathroom, so the girl takes the boy and goes across America, because she wants the child to be safe. I think that was a good idea, but I think she should have called the police instead.

The little boy, called Wills, had fallen through the cracks. Until he rode the train that day, no one helped him while he was being abused. This happens to many kids; children fall through the cracks all the time. I don't know how many, but a lot. Parents can abandon their kids if they want to. The kids can't do anything about it. Children can be hurt or beaten, by adults. Kids can get starved, because their parents don't feed them. Children can't take care of themselves yet, because they are still too young. These are some of the ways kids fall through the cracks.

I think most people ignore instances of public child abuse. They do this because they don't want to get involved, or they are afraid that if they do, they might get hurt. People see what is going on, but they don't do anything about it. Let me just tell you, “IT'S EVERYONES' PROBLEM!” When people see it they should help, but they don't. Some people do help stick up for the kids who are being abused. I hope people realize that they can save a kid's life by stopping or reporting any abuse that they see.

The right thing that should be done to help children is to help the kids that are in need. People who help can be a real hero when they do. Kids need a family that cares for them, not one where the parents fight all the time. Kids need a home that is safe, not abusive. Children need a family that loves them, not one who treats the kids like they don't exist.

The girl in the book, Jump the Cracks, is a hero. Everyone who helps save a kid's life by making sure they have enough to eat, are not being hurt and aren't left alone is doing a good deed. People should help kids if they are in need of help. They need to call the police if there is a kid getting abused by their parents. That's what I think should be done. What do you think should be done to help?

Sesame Street!

I made a character that would be good on Sesame Street. This monster character will teach kids how to be friendly and respect one another. The monster's personality is to care for and be friendly to people. He is happy and cheerful when he helps others in need. My monster character is named Roy G. Biv.

My monster character will teach children three very important things. First, they will learn how to be kind to others. Then they will have more friends and will feel even happier. Second, they will learn to care for one another. If someone is sick they can get medicine or sing a nice song to them. Last is for them to make lots of new friends so they will feel happy inside. That's what my monster will teach them to do.

Roy's personality is very different than Oscar the Grouch's. He cares for others if they are sick. Roy G. Biv makes lots of new friends, unlike Oscar, who is not friends with anyone. He's a soft spoken monster. When he speaks it makes everyone feel happy, even if they are in a bad mood. Lightning is the one thing Roy is afraid, but kids don't mind because they are afraid of it too.

What he physically looks like is awesome! Roy has two white horns that make the world much brighter, like the sun. His wings make the world safer, by driving the darkness out and bringing in the light. When he flies high in the air, his trail makes a beautiful rainbow in the sky.

Roy G. Biv is my monster's name. Each letter in his name represents a color in the rainbow. He is very colorful and bright, like clowns at a circus. He is happy, cheerful and kind. He teaches kids how to be nice to other human beings like ourselves, so they don't grow up to be mean. Sesame Street would be much cooler if they have my monster character, Roy G. Biv, in their show.

Breakfast

There are three reasons why breakfast is important in the morning. First, having breakfast can help you. It gives you the nutrition you need each and every morning. Second, if you don't eat in the morning your energy level is down. You feel all sick and if you try to eat, it feels like you are going to throw up, you don't want to eat until it goes away and you are starving. Last, it is hard to learn when you don't eat anything. If you don't have anything you can't concentrate on the task ahead, your bairn will be all over the place. Those are some of the reasons breakfast is important.

Eating breakfast is important because it can help you. Bodies can't run empty when you wake up, after more than eight hours you need something in your stomach. You don't feel good when you skip breakfast, your stomach feels all queasy and sick. That happens to me once in a while, but not all the time. If you don't get the proper nutrition in the morning you'll feel hungry at lunch time. So what I have to do everyday is eat breakfast, even though I don't want to. When you don't eat you don't feel well. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” say my parents, all the time.

Your energy level is very low if you don't eat something in the morning. If you don't eat breakfast you don't get a lot of nutrition and substances that you need. We eat at dinner then we go to bed, we don't eat for at least eight or more hours. When we wake up we need to get something in our stomach, because then we don't have the nutrition in our bodies. If you're not eating you'll feel hungry. When you don't eat breakfast in the morning your body doesn't have enough energy. You'll be starving until lunch has arrived. So eat breakfast!

It is hard to learn when you don't have something to snack on or have a nice meal in the morning. People who don't eat breakfast have trouble learning. When a teacher is asking something you can't tell them even though you know the answer because your brain is in lala land. You can't concentrate because your brain is all over the place. Food helps you put the puzzle together, the pieces are scattered but then it's made in to a picture. When you do have breakfast it's not a problem. Not having breakfast can give you problems like you can't focus at school or work, or you are hungry. You should have breakfast and none of this stuff will happen to you.

Those are the three reasons why breakfast is important. It can help keep you focused and concentrating on school and other activities. Eating breakfast can help a lot because it gives you proper nutrition that your body needs. Also your energy level will go higher if you have breakfast everyday. Here are a few things you can have for breakfast: cereal with fruit, yogurt and a banana with I, or two granola bars with an apple. Eat breakfast!

World War 2

Americans learned some very important lessons in World War 2. Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. It killed and wounded a lot of people. Women got hired in factories, nurses and other jobs, too. African-Americans got hired but the wages were less than other people. America came out with power, because our cities were still intact. Those are the major results the Americans had for participating in WW 2.

Pearl Harbor got attacked by Japan on December 7,1941. They killed 2,345 people and wounded 1,282 because all the military ships were in one place at the same time. The Americans shouldn't put their ships in the same spots, because 21 ships in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii sunk that day. Now all their ships are in different locations. December 7 will always be remembered by everyone who knows about it.

Women and African-Americans are good workers because they are quick learners for the job. Four hundred thousand African-Americans left their farms to work in factories during WW 2. It was a big change too because they never worked in factories and women never worked except around the house. The people produced 25 times more products than before the war. Many women and African-Americans stayed to work after the war was over.

The U.S. came out stronger than ever after the war. Many people now had jobs because of the war. If people were poor, they could get jobs and earn money. Many women stayed to work, so there was a larger workforce, which resulted in more products being produced. After the war, America's cities were still intact, while many in Europe were not. That's how America got stronger after World War 2 was finally over.

Those are very important lessons Americans learned, back then. They let women and African-Americans work when the war was ongoing. Now women and African-Americans can still work today. After Pearl Harbor America never put all their ships in one place again. The World War 2 changed America's history forever.

Board games

I have three board games I like to play for fun. Board games are better played with friends and family. First, Scene It! Disney Edition is a great game. It's a game that has Disney characters for you to guess. Second, Quiddler is a fun game too. I like it because I learn new words every time I play it. Last, War is another fun game that I enjoy. In War I beat mostly everyone I play against. As you can see, I like to entertain myself with board games.

First, Scene it! Disney Edition is a game I play with my family. This game is hard if you don't know much about Disney. This game makes my brain work, like on a test, but one based on Disney movies. If you know all the movies really well you might win. I don't know them by heart, so I always lose! I like this game, because it's very entertaining and not boring. This game is fun if you have many people play at the same time.

Second, Quiddler is fun if you like spelling. Quiddler is also useful if you're not good at spelling. I play this, so I can learn to spell better and learn new words. There is another reason why I like this game, my mom always wins, so I want to beat her! I will keep playing until I beat her. This game is good for motivating little kids to learn how to spell, because they would be more interested in it than a worksheet. As you can see, Quiddler is a good game for anyone.

War is a wonderful game if you only have cards. I usually call this game “I Declare War,” but most people call it just War. This game is enjoyable with many people around to play. This is the game I like to play a lot, because I win almost every time I have a challenge. While playing, you can't look at your cards, so then you don't know what's in your hand. That's why I like this game, because it's all about if you have a good pile.

I enjoy board games because I can hang out with friends and family while playing. Scene it! Disney Edition, Quiddler and War are games I like to play with people. Do you have a board game you like? Tell me about it, and I might try it out!

My drawing

I made three pictures that I want to show you. The first one is a Pegasus, a unicorn with wings. I created it in art class last year. Second, is a girl anime character from one of my stories. I decided, why not draw my own character? The last one is another anime character that I drew. Sketching my protagonist helped me get a better picture in my mind. I hope you like the pictures I'm displaying for you.

First, is a Pegasus. The Pegasus is colored with pencils, because I thought it looked better that way. I created it at my art class in the summertime. It was last year when I made it. The Pegasus has wings that look almost like a fairy's. At first it didn't have wings until I thought I'd put wings on to make it look more interesting. It is my favorite picture so far.

Second, is a girl character that I designed. When I created my story, I thought to draw my protagonist. Then I drew it on paper and colored it in. I think the head needs more work done. The head is too fat and round, like a ball. There is another problem with the picture; I need to work on its eyes and mouth. This picture looks like me, but with long hair, but it's not. Her name is Ivy Stone.

I have another anime character that I drew. This one looks like a girl, all anime does normally! It's a boy, not a girl, thought. Though I think the body needs to be worked on. He looks too skinny and that's not normal. The arm could be a little better. They're not even and not perfect to me. I'm going to keep trying hard to fix everything.

These are all the sketches I made by hand. The pegasus is awesome. I especially like it in pencil. My anime girl is fine, but she still needs work. The hair is pretty and the body is just right. The boy anime looks like a girl to many people. If I didn't tell you that this picture was a boy or a girl, what would you guess? I hope you all liked my pictures! Which one do you like the best?

Romeo and Juliet

There are three reasons why Romeo and Juliet should not get married. First, they're too young. Second, they just met and they know nothing about each other. Third, they're sworn enemies and their parents won't allow it.

First, I think Romeo is too old for Juliet. Juliet is thirteen years old and Romeo is seventeen. I think that's a young age to fall in love and get married. People should get married when they're eighteen or older. Marrying at a young age is bad because teens are more likely get divorced.

Juliet is planning to marry Pairs, not Romeo. Romeo loved Rosaline the night before he met Juliet. Now, suddenly they're so in love that they are getting married? They're as blind as molerats when they're together! They've known each other less than half an hour!

The last reason they shouldn't marry is because they're enemies! Romeo should know better than to marry an enemy. Enemies are likely to kill on sight and betray each other. Juliet's cousin hates Romeo and any Montague. Their parents would be as mean as bears if they heard that they got married. The Montagues and Caplets fight to the death when together. Marrying an enemy is never a good idea.

Juliet's nurse should have said, “no marrying a Montague!” but she didn't. Their parents don't even know they want to get married. There are many reasons why Romeo and Juliet should not get married.

What I like at camp

Camping has so many things you or I can do. There are a few things I like to do at camp. First, I like to swim in the lake or pool. Swimming is cool, because I can enjoy it and have my exercise at the same time. Second, I like to do the activities that is planned. For example, camps have activities such as archery and hiking. The last thing I do is hang out with friends. Talking to friends is always a good way to spend me my time.

Swimming is joyful and happy, because I enjoy swimming; I like the water, especially on a super hot day. When I'm in the water I sometimes play Marco Polo with my friends and family. That's what I do when I go for a swim.

Doing the scheduled activities are also fun while at camp. I like the activities, because then I have something else instead of having school at home. The thing I like to do most at camp is the rock climbing and going down the zip line. I also like to go hiking in the woods and at night time I can tell a scary story.

Hanging out with friends at camp is amazing, because I can talk and play games with them. Sometimes I like to play mafia with them at night. When my friends and I have activities; we do it together, which makes everything more enjoyable.

 

Those are the things I like to do while at camp. Camping is amazing if you like the outdoors. There are so many things I like to do at camp. Tell me what you like to do at camp!

Cool Jobs!

I'm looking at cool jobs that I'm interested in doing as a career when I'm older. There are three that I like. First, a writer, second, Armed Forces(Army or National Guard) and last, I'm somewhat thinking of becoming a zoo keeper.

First, my favorite one of all of these is a writer. Becoming a writer is hard, you need to be good at writing (which I'm not). Writers don't get paid until their books are out, so I'll need another job to get money. I love writing though because it lets me put my imagination on paper.

Second, I would maybe like to become a soldier in the Army or the National Guard. Fighting and protecting people is what interests me the most about this career. Becoming a soldier is hard and difficult, as you have to follow all the standards they tell you. My sister is in the National Guard. She's a medic. My sister made me think about becoming one (not that she told me) but I was thinking of being one. So we might work together.

Zoo keepers help to take care of animals. If I were a keeper, everyday I could see animals and befriend them too. Becoming a zoo keeper is not as hard as my other career choices, but you get paid less, for sure. Animals are difficult to take care of every day because they eat different food and need time to play, so that takes your whole day.

These are the types of jobs I like the best. They're hard, but not impossible either. My favorites are writing and becoming a soldier. What kind of jobs you are interested in?