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?