This was my review for The Yearling:
I read this book recently and had mixed feelings that changed all through the book. I laughed, I wondered, and I had a great time with this book. I would definitely recommend it.
This book is written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and has 428 pages. It is a 1st person story. The main character of this book is a boy by the name of Jody Baxter, living in the backwoods of Florida sometime during the late 1800's. In this book, you see everything through the eyes of Jody. He could be compared to Huckleberry Fin. He's young, clever, and is learning the ropes of life. The intended audience of this book would be anyone able to take the time to read it and is able to understand it. I would say it would be for young adult or adult.
Jody is lives with his parents on a farm passed down through his family and their only neighbors, the Forresters. Jody and his dad, Penny Baxter, are very close throughout this book. Penny is everything to Jody. He's his teacher, his provider, and his best friend. Penny teaches Jody how to get by in life by hunting, farming, trading, and other things.
The Baxter's neighbors, the Forresters, interact with them a lot in this book. They fight each other, they hunt together, and they solve the problems that come along in their area together. Jody's best friend, Fodder-wing, is a part of the Forrester family.
As Jody is working his way through his life as a boy, he encounters many problems. His friends and him face bears, wolves, rattlesnakes, and a close friend dying. To deal with this Jody finds a surprising new best friend. After a doe dies by his father's hand, he discovers that it was the mother of a fawn. Jody becomes a close companion with this deer which he names Flag. Flag and Jody go through so much of the story together, the whole time Flag is becoming a yearling. Flag tends to be rather mischievous and causes problems that make a big impact in the Baxter's lives. In the end Jody must choose either his family or the yearling.
What I liked most about this book is how the author describes each feeling and emotion that Jody has and the setting that he is in. He has very boyish thoughts. On page 3: "It seemed a strange thing to him, when earth was earth and rain was rain, that scrawny pines should grow in the scrub, while by every branch and lake and river there grew magnolias." On page 22: "Jody opened his eyes unwillingly. Sometime, he thought, he would slip away into the woods and sleep from Friday until Monday." What I had a hard time with at first, though, was their grammar and speech. It's very southern and you have to think about it to figure out what they are saying. On page 239: "He asked,"Kin Flag foller along, too?" On page 240: "If you figger on frolickin', you kin stay home, too." After a while of reading this book I got used to it and could understand it.
The main theme to this book I think is that it doesn't matter how life goes, you can always move forward with it. Jody and his dad show this by always trying their hardest and, in the end, they are able to resolve their problems.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
1st Term
1st Term is just about over, but there are still a few things to do. This 4 day weekend, I haven't really done anything. I've been mostly playing video games, watching T.V., and being bored because my best friend was at Mount Rushmore and my other friends were either sick or busy. Today I realized how much stuff I still have left to do and am now rushing through everything. NOTE TO SELF: STOP PROCRASTINATING.
This term has been pretty good. I've been able to keep up with everything mostly. Some things didn't quite turn out as I expected them to, but it all worked out. I thought that NAL (National Academic League) would be a little harder, more (for lack of a better word) competitive. Davis Youth Symphony has been the opposite. It's been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I kind of joined it without much thought after the orchestra teacher recommended me. The music is rather complicated and there is a lot of it. I've had to practice it a lot more, and because of this I haven't had much time to practice for my orchestra class. I need to do this much more now with a concert on Wednesday. Science Olympiad has sort of been on hold this year due to not having a "place" to run it at the state level. I talked to the science teacher about it and he says that he's pretty sure that it will happen, but he doesn't know when we are going to start. Another thing that could have happened is I might have tried out for the musical. I had a friend who wanted me to try out because I went to a couple interventions with him in the drama class. I was tempted to, but when I found out about it the applications were due within the week and I decided I wouldn't really have time for it.
For Honors English, I just realized there was a book I was supposed to read. It's called "The Chosen" and it's the last thing that I have to do to get Honors English credit for this term. I've got a week to read it, so I'll probably be inside reading every day this week.
Last Wednesday, I recited the poem "IF" by Rudyard Kipling in English class. This was the term project and I think I did pretty good. The one big thing that I have left in English is book points. I finished Uncle Tungsten and have to give an oral report to the teacher after school some time this week.
Thoughts on Uncle Tungsten:
Uncle Tungsten is a very very scientific book. I'd recommend researching the things he talks about in the book as you read it (if you read it) so you can understand what he is talking about. I remember some of the stuff he was talking about from eighth grade science but I had to stop and think about it. There is a lot to learn from this book though too. Oliver Sacks (the author(this book is an autobiography)) explores the history and development of chemistry and physics and explains it how he saw it. I might reread this book later because of all the things it teaches. It was an okay read for me. It was exactly "thrilling" but a more "if you're interested" book.
This term has been pretty good. I've been able to keep up with everything mostly. Some things didn't quite turn out as I expected them to, but it all worked out. I thought that NAL (National Academic League) would be a little harder, more (for lack of a better word) competitive. Davis Youth Symphony has been the opposite. It's been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I kind of joined it without much thought after the orchestra teacher recommended me. The music is rather complicated and there is a lot of it. I've had to practice it a lot more, and because of this I haven't had much time to practice for my orchestra class. I need to do this much more now with a concert on Wednesday. Science Olympiad has sort of been on hold this year due to not having a "place" to run it at the state level. I talked to the science teacher about it and he says that he's pretty sure that it will happen, but he doesn't know when we are going to start. Another thing that could have happened is I might have tried out for the musical. I had a friend who wanted me to try out because I went to a couple interventions with him in the drama class. I was tempted to, but when I found out about it the applications were due within the week and I decided I wouldn't really have time for it.
For Honors English, I just realized there was a book I was supposed to read. It's called "The Chosen" and it's the last thing that I have to do to get Honors English credit for this term. I've got a week to read it, so I'll probably be inside reading every day this week.
Last Wednesday, I recited the poem "IF" by Rudyard Kipling in English class. This was the term project and I think I did pretty good. The one big thing that I have left in English is book points. I finished Uncle Tungsten and have to give an oral report to the teacher after school some time this week.
Thoughts on Uncle Tungsten:
Uncle Tungsten is a very very scientific book. I'd recommend researching the things he talks about in the book as you read it (if you read it) so you can understand what he is talking about. I remember some of the stuff he was talking about from eighth grade science but I had to stop and think about it. There is a lot to learn from this book though too. Oliver Sacks (the author(this book is an autobiography)) explores the history and development of chemistry and physics and explains it how he saw it. I might reread this book later because of all the things it teaches. It was an okay read for me. It was exactly "thrilling" but a more "if you're interested" book.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Grades and such
Once again, I have procrastinated. I kept thinking this week that I would do this tomorrow. Then tomorrow came and I thought the same thing. But it's not due until 11:59 right?
My goal of keeping a 4.0 is in the gray zone right now. My math and science grades are currently at 93% and that is barely an A. My Spanish grade has been fluctuating between A and A-. But for now they are all A's.
To take up the 500 words that are required, I'm going to write a poem about random stuff.
It's a great day,
Its greatness is great,
The sun is shining, the wind is blowing,
Someone is outside, the lawn they're mowing
Yet I am stuck inside.
I heard the Langstons went out,
Hurray for them.....
The Belnaps' dog is on the run,
Sounds exciting.....
James's friends and him went out for fun,
And me? Guess what?
My brother, his computer is on,
My sister, her friends are gossiping,
My parents are at the Joneses' house for dinner,
At the window, I see, the Munnses' cat,
I'm the one my parents call a sinner!
Even old Joe is having fun with his children's dog,
Where am I? What am I doing?
I'm here typing on my blog!
Don't think I'm normal?
You're one to talk,
You, sitting there, staring like a hawk
I'm grounded you see, and this is no fun!
I had to think of a poem, and that's what I came up with. Look like I'm about halfway done with my 500 words.
Yesterday, I went to the Kaysville Monster Mash thing. I thought that there were going to be a lot of people and that it would be fun, but it turned out to be just a bunch of little kids. I did have some fun there though. I got a costume and participated in a pie-eating contest. I was kind of hungry, and I saw the FREE pies, so... I felt sick afterwords though. The main reason I went was because most of my friends were going. The thing is, they were the ONLY ones going. So at about 8:45, I asked anyone if they wanted to go the Regional dance. They all said no, which I thought was lame, and I went and hung out with a friend at the Regional dance. There, I hit my head really hard on a wall, almost broke my tie, and got really mad at someone. It turned out well as you can see. The best part was when I went and got a cookie.
Friday was so much better. My friends came and picked me up to set up a surprise birthday party (which was actually a surprise for me, I had no prior knowledge of this). We had a ton of fun. We made a movie, I met someone new, got slapped in the face really really hard by the person I met, and we raided Arctic Circle with Nerf Guns (We didn't actually, but we did walk in there with them while making our "movie"). The only bad thing that happened was that someone kept lying to me, making up a different story every time about something.
Looks like I've got 500 words now. Huzzah!
My goal of keeping a 4.0 is in the gray zone right now. My math and science grades are currently at 93% and that is barely an A. My Spanish grade has been fluctuating between A and A-. But for now they are all A's.
To take up the 500 words that are required, I'm going to write a poem about random stuff.
It's a great day,
Its greatness is great,
The sun is shining, the wind is blowing,
Someone is outside, the lawn they're mowing
Yet I am stuck inside.
I heard the Langstons went out,
Hurray for them.....
The Belnaps' dog is on the run,
Sounds exciting.....
James's friends and him went out for fun,
And me? Guess what?
My brother, his computer is on,
My sister, her friends are gossiping,
My parents are at the Joneses' house for dinner,
At the window, I see, the Munnses' cat,
I'm the one my parents call a sinner!
Even old Joe is having fun with his children's dog,
Where am I? What am I doing?
I'm here typing on my blog!
Don't think I'm normal?
You're one to talk,
You, sitting there, staring like a hawk
I'm grounded you see, and this is no fun!
I had to think of a poem, and that's what I came up with. Look like I'm about halfway done with my 500 words.
Yesterday, I went to the Kaysville Monster Mash thing. I thought that there were going to be a lot of people and that it would be fun, but it turned out to be just a bunch of little kids. I did have some fun there though. I got a costume and participated in a pie-eating contest. I was kind of hungry, and I saw the FREE pies, so... I felt sick afterwords though. The main reason I went was because most of my friends were going. The thing is, they were the ONLY ones going. So at about 8:45, I asked anyone if they wanted to go the Regional dance. They all said no, which I thought was lame, and I went and hung out with a friend at the Regional dance. There, I hit my head really hard on a wall, almost broke my tie, and got really mad at someone. It turned out well as you can see. The best part was when I went and got a cookie.
Friday was so much better. My friends came and picked me up to set up a surprise birthday party (which was actually a surprise for me, I had no prior knowledge of this). We had a ton of fun. We made a movie, I met someone new, got slapped in the face really really hard by the person I met, and we raided Arctic Circle with Nerf Guns (We didn't actually, but we did walk in there with them while making our "movie"). The only bad thing that happened was that someone kept lying to me, making up a different story every time about something.
Looks like I've got 500 words now. Huzzah!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
10/10-10/14
Last week I forgot to write on this, and when I did remember to, I wasn't at home or able to get to a computer so this is me doing this last minute.
Tomorrow is A day, and I'm pretty sure I don't have anything due. In wood shop, I'm tired of having substitutes because we cant work in the shop with them. We just watch a video and do bookwork. Davis Youth Symphony was a lot harder last week than I thought it would be. The music looked so hard when I first got it, but now I can almost play through it all. The first concert is on February 27, so it seems like a long way off. For NAL, I had to leave about 15 minutes early (3:45) to get to Youth Symphony and I found out that I'm supposed to BE THERE at 3:45 so I was a little behind. In NAL we watched videos of the actual competition and how it works and played a practice round of the 1st quarter.
On Tuesday, in math, we have to finish the unit 2 test which we started last time, and review for the big term test. I'm not really excited for that, but I'll be glad to get it over with. In Orchestra, I get to play my solo. The piece is called Wild Rider and it's only about a page long. Just my luck, I get to do it the first day of solos, while some people get to do it almost 3 weeks later. In English, I think we have an online book review due, but I'm pretty sure I already did that, so I'll see how that turns out. Also, in English, I've been moved around the classroom about 4 times without the teacher changing anybody else (and it's not because I've been talking, it's because some people can't see from the back and others keep talking).
On Wednesday, I don't think anything out of the ordinary is going on except for Mutual which I have no idea what we are doing. On Thursday, there's the big, all-important term test in math. I'm not really prepared for that right now. The next few classes of Orchestra will be mostly listening to everyone's solos. Some of the class will be for preparing for the concert we have coming up sometime near the end of this month.
Friday, nothing's really happening, but on Saturday there's the Kaysville City Monster Mash Dance thing which I think most of my friends are going to, so I'll probably be going. I've heard the Regional Dance is supposed to be that Saturday too, but I think that may be wrong (somebody comment and tell me).
For Honors English I have to enter a writing contest of some sort, so I've decided to do the Reflections Contest. I wrote a short poem, and if you read it tell me what you think. The theme is Diversity
Diversity
The thing that creates us different,
Right, wrong, simple, complex,
The way we do things,
The way we think.
All around us,
And inside us,
Diversity.
In past, in present,
in war, in peace,
Together, against, with, without,
Everywhere, Everything
Work with, Work against
It's always there:
Diversity
Age, order, natural, strange,
Height, width, any range.
Culture, origin, color, clothes,
Looks and other things they chose,
Anywhere, anytime
All must continue the climb
the change, the path
of Diversity
Some will hate, some will love,
Each has a thought,
His own thereof.
No choice is set,
Yet some forget
They could have done that too.
If alike, we all came
We would all be the same,
A copy, a fake
Another reflection in the lake
We live it, we learn it,
we die by it, we earn it,
Diversity
Tomorrow is A day, and I'm pretty sure I don't have anything due. In wood shop, I'm tired of having substitutes because we cant work in the shop with them. We just watch a video and do bookwork. Davis Youth Symphony was a lot harder last week than I thought it would be. The music looked so hard when I first got it, but now I can almost play through it all. The first concert is on February 27, so it seems like a long way off. For NAL, I had to leave about 15 minutes early (3:45) to get to Youth Symphony and I found out that I'm supposed to BE THERE at 3:45 so I was a little behind. In NAL we watched videos of the actual competition and how it works and played a practice round of the 1st quarter.
On Tuesday, in math, we have to finish the unit 2 test which we started last time, and review for the big term test. I'm not really excited for that, but I'll be glad to get it over with. In Orchestra, I get to play my solo. The piece is called Wild Rider and it's only about a page long. Just my luck, I get to do it the first day of solos, while some people get to do it almost 3 weeks later. In English, I think we have an online book review due, but I'm pretty sure I already did that, so I'll see how that turns out. Also, in English, I've been moved around the classroom about 4 times without the teacher changing anybody else (and it's not because I've been talking, it's because some people can't see from the back and others keep talking).
On Wednesday, I don't think anything out of the ordinary is going on except for Mutual which I have no idea what we are doing. On Thursday, there's the big, all-important term test in math. I'm not really prepared for that right now. The next few classes of Orchestra will be mostly listening to everyone's solos. Some of the class will be for preparing for the concert we have coming up sometime near the end of this month.
Friday, nothing's really happening, but on Saturday there's the Kaysville City Monster Mash Dance thing which I think most of my friends are going to, so I'll probably be going. I've heard the Regional Dance is supposed to be that Saturday too, but I think that may be wrong (somebody comment and tell me).
For Honors English I have to enter a writing contest of some sort, so I've decided to do the Reflections Contest. I wrote a short poem, and if you read it tell me what you think. The theme is Diversity
Diversity
The thing that creates us different,
Right, wrong, simple, complex,
The way we do things,
The way we think.
All around us,
And inside us,
Diversity.
In past, in present,
in war, in peace,
Together, against, with, without,
Everywhere, Everything
Work with, Work against
It's always there:
Diversity
Age, order, natural, strange,
Height, width, any range.
Culture, origin, color, clothes,
Looks and other things they chose,
Anywhere, anytime
All must continue the climb
the change, the path
of Diversity
Some will hate, some will love,
Each has a thought,
His own thereof.
No choice is set,
Yet some forget
They could have done that too.
If alike, we all came
We would all be the same,
A copy, a fake
Another reflection in the lake
We live it, we learn it,
we die by it, we earn it,
Diversity
Sunday, October 2, 2011
This week
I'm typing this to recount what I have to do and prepare for this week. It's also to remind anyone who is reading this what's going on and what's due.
On Monday (tomorrow), there is NAL and Davis Youth Symphony. NAL is right after school in Turneau's room and I think we will be working on the worksheet that we got last time. Tomorrow is also the first day of Davis Youth Symphony and I'm excited for that. It is at 4:00 and I'm told it goes for 1 and a 1/2 hours.
On Tuesday, in seminary, we have Conference in General. I did the 2 minute talk for the priesthood session on Saturday, and I think that I'm mostly done with that. We also have to dress in church clothes for that so that will be interesting since I have woodshop that day too...
Coming up in math, we have the term test and the Unit 2 test. I'll be needing to study for those. This week sometime we'll be having a quiz also.
I need to work on the term projects for Spanish, English, and Science. That's my week.
On Monday (tomorrow), there is NAL and Davis Youth Symphony. NAL is right after school in Turneau's room and I think we will be working on the worksheet that we got last time. Tomorrow is also the first day of Davis Youth Symphony and I'm excited for that. It is at 4:00 and I'm told it goes for 1 and a 1/2 hours.
On Tuesday, in seminary, we have Conference in General. I did the 2 minute talk for the priesthood session on Saturday, and I think that I'm mostly done with that. We also have to dress in church clothes for that so that will be interesting since I have woodshop that day too...
Coming up in math, we have the term test and the Unit 2 test. I'll be needing to study for those. This week sometime we'll be having a quiz also.
I need to work on the term projects for Spanish, English, and Science. That's my week.
The Devil Colony
Recently I finished a book by the name of The Devil Colony. The author is James Rollins.
Synopsis:
Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery-hundreds of mummified bodies-stirs international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts about the bodies' origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly, burned to ashes in a fiery explosion in plain view of television cameras. All evidence points to a radical group of Native Americans, including one agitator, a teenage firebrand who escapes with a vital clue to the murder and calls on the one person who might help-her uncle, Painter Crowe, Director of Sigma Force.
To protect his niece and uncover the truth, Painter will ignite a war among the nation's most powerful intelligence agencies. Yet an even greater threat looms as events in the Rocky Mountains have set in motion a frightening chain reaction, a geological meltdown that threatens the entire western half of the U.S.
From the volcanic peaks of Iceland to the blistering deserts of the American Southwest, from the gold vaults of Fort Knox to the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, Painter Crowe joins forces with Commander Gray Pierce to penetrate the shadowy heart of a dark cabal, one that has been manipulating American history since the founding of the thirteen colonies.
But can Painter discover the truth-one that could topple governments-before it destroys all he holds dear?
As you can see this is an action packed story filled with science, historical fiction and some humor. The characters make for quite a story, each with their own unique background. They must all work together to save millions of lives and discover the truth to this puzzling mystery.
This book reminds me of a Dan Brown book. It includes rewritten American history, suspense, mystery, and Biblical and Book of Mormon history. James Rollins also adds his own sense of humor to the story making this book quite entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested.
Synopsis:
Deep in the Rocky Mountains, a gruesome discovery-hundreds of mummified bodies-stirs international attention and fervent controversy. Despite doubts about the bodies' origins, the local Native American Heritage Commission lays claim to the prehistoric remains, along with the strange artifacts found in the same cavern: gold plates inscribed with an unfathomable script.
During a riot at the dig site, an anthropologist dies horribly, burned to ashes in a fiery explosion in plain view of television cameras. All evidence points to a radical group of Native Americans, including one agitator, a teenage firebrand who escapes with a vital clue to the murder and calls on the one person who might help-her uncle, Painter Crowe, Director of Sigma Force.
To protect his niece and uncover the truth, Painter will ignite a war among the nation's most powerful intelligence agencies. Yet an even greater threat looms as events in the Rocky Mountains have set in motion a frightening chain reaction, a geological meltdown that threatens the entire western half of the U.S.
From the volcanic peaks of Iceland to the blistering deserts of the American Southwest, from the gold vaults of Fort Knox to the bubbling geysers of Yellowstone, Painter Crowe joins forces with Commander Gray Pierce to penetrate the shadowy heart of a dark cabal, one that has been manipulating American history since the founding of the thirteen colonies.
But can Painter discover the truth-one that could topple governments-before it destroys all he holds dear?
As you can see this is an action packed story filled with science, historical fiction and some humor. The characters make for quite a story, each with their own unique background. They must all work together to save millions of lives and discover the truth to this puzzling mystery.
This book reminds me of a Dan Brown book. It includes rewritten American history, suspense, mystery, and Biblical and Book of Mormon history. James Rollins also adds his own sense of humor to the story making this book quite entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested.
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