Jazzy’s Blog

I would love to see a lion in the wild because they are so commanding and powerful. I’ve liked lions since before I can remember and I think the main reason I do is because the females are really in charge. It is very sad that they are considered a threatened species. They are so magnificent and I really wish that they wouldn’t be poached and that they should be left to live free lives without intrusion.

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I chose to add the links onto my blogroll because they all offer a different perspective and have really great posts. I’m not exactly an expert on excellent blogging, but they are all very talented writers and I loved reading their posts and think that others would also.

Up until a few years ago, I hadn’t done much volunteering. I’d donated my clothes to charity but that was the extent of my interaction with the needy. My church started to help at an Interfaith Shelter during the fall. A church let a group of homeless people stay at their church and volunteers prepared food, played with the kids and helped the visitors feel as welcome as possible. When my mom first signed us up, I dreaded it. I did not want to spend two hours of my precious time talking to strangers when I could’ve been watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. But once I got there, met the kids, and actually talked to the people and learned that they are people, I began to enjoy it. There is a feeling that you get when you help others and there isn’t anything like it. I think that the fact that Australia has a week that celebrates volunteers and those who dedicate so much time to the betterment of others is wonderful and I think that the U.S. should follow suit.

I don’t take the word hero lightly. It’s not one of those words that I throw out to describe just anybody. I don’t have many heroes per se but I admire the actions of countless people.

One of my actual heroes is Kathy M, a friend of my mom’s. She was 44 when she was diagnosed with Stage Four metastic melanoma. This is not like any other cancer; there is no tried-and-true treatment for it. She went up to Portland for weeks at a time to go through experimental treatment and put her body through things it should never have to feel. With a diagnosis like hers, it would’ve been easy to accept that you had little time left and just let the chips fall where they may. She didn’t. And she had three good reasons and their names are Devon, Austin and Corey. She had this unshakable determination to stay alive for her husband and two sons. She kept on fighting, no matter how horrendous the treatments were. I know that never giving up is a common heroic trait, but I admire Kathy because she put her loved ones before herself and could’ve given up trying to stay alive at any time. What she did was completely selfless. I never got the chance to meet this wonderful lady because she passed in March after being diagnosed for less than a year. To me, heroes aren’t the ones who make the game-winning catch or save the day in the biggest way possible. True heroes to me are the ones who put themselves before others, nothing more, nothing less.

I love sunflowers because they are so bright and happy. Seeing one makes my day and they look so pretty. The yellow is so vibrant and looks so pretty against the blue sky.

I love these sunglasses because they are so bright and yellow. If I saw someone wearing these, I would definitely attempt theft.

Blogging has helped me realize that my ideas and writing can be exposed to a much larger audience via
computers. I really like that I can read the work of students around the world as if they’re in the same classroom as I am. I also like the fact that I give and receive comments from students and make new acquaintances that I wouldn’t normally interact with. I think that blogging can be very overwhelming sometimes, so teachers could go over the steps to posting writing with the whole class. There is a level of independence that comes with blogging and I really like the freedom that I have when I blog.

I’ve honestly never celebrated or acknowledged Earth Day. However, with the planet in poor shape, I think that it is necessary that everyone does. Earth Day should be celebrated every day, not just one day out of 365. 

The Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I am getting better at these, especially at home. I always turn lights off after I leave a room, to reduce the amount of wasted electricity and I use a Nalgene at school to reduce the amount of plastic bottles I use. Also, I recycle every scrap of paper there is. I save cans and bottles and turn those in for deposits at grocery stores.  Lastly, I often reuse plastic water bottles at home, so I don’t use and waste a ridiculous amount of them.

jazlyn

My line rehearsed our Halloween routine as the precious minutes of lunch flew by. With ten minutes left, Erica, Tiffany, Lyndi, Michaila and I decided to leave the upstairs gym and venture to our last period classrooms.

“Hey guys, the gate is locked.” Lyndi said, referring to the old red gate that blocks the stairs, or our escape route.

We didn’t believe herand thought that she was playing a not funny prank on us.

“No seriously guys. Come look!” Lyndi said, acting more persistant this time.

It was indeed locked. We decided to check the other stariwell. We were abruptly informed by another inhabitant of the gym that it too was locked.

We, the adorably matching Cabaret girls, tried to get the attention of some basketball players in the main gym below. Much to our dismay, they found the situation humourous and did nothing to help.

Dejectedly, we went down the stairs and stood by the red gate, looking like prisoners until Andraya walked by.

“Andraya,” I said desperately. “Can you get someone to help us?”

“Sure,” she said, after laughing at our current state.

She then came back and informed us that help was on the way in the form of Mrs. Orton. Mrs. Orton came and freed us.

“I am so telling this to the rookies next year,” laughed Erica, grinning, as we walked out of the red gate.