April Writers are Here!

All Students:  Be sure to read the entries for this group  (April writers).  Everyone is required to comment on at least THREE different pieces of writing.  You must post the comment here on the blog (below the post is the "comments" link to click) AND cut and paste your published comments, complete with dates and time stamps, on to a Word document and turn it in to me by April 23, on Google Classroom.  You must do both to get credit for comments this month.

Remember, comments must be positive, supportive, constructive, and SPECIFIC.  No "Good Job!" comments, unless you follow that with specific things you thought were done well in the piece.  Show them you actually took the time to read and enjoy their work!

"Unexpected Experiences " by Salvador B

     It was a weekday. I was in seventh grade when I made one of my biggest baseball
accomplishments. During seventh grade, I was a very small statured individual and was not
necessarily the strongest on my team. Despite my size, I remember being a mediocre hitter on
my team. I wouldn’t always get a hit, but it was pretty hard for other people to strike me out.
Regular season had already ended and we were in the playoffs. In this tournament, there were
three teams from three different leagues so in totality, there were nine teams. I don’t remember
the exact day we played on, but I do know that it was during a week day since I remember being
excited and at the same time nervous for the game that was scheduled for five thirty. School
ended at two thirty and I had to wait roughly fifteen minutes since my brother was in elementary
school at the time and my mom needed to go pick him up first since his school was just closer to
the house. I get in the car at two forty five and get home at around two fifty. In middle school, I
did not procrastinate nearly as much as I do now, so I did all of my homework, got ready, and
left the house at four o’clock. I arrived at the park at four fifteen. One by one, my teammates get
to the field and we start warming up at four thirty. The sun began setting and the lights for the
field turned on not long after. It almost felt instantaneous when five thirty arrived and when the
first pitch was thrown. We were the home team and I started at third base that game. The first
batters struck out, It was now our time to hit. I was batting sixth in the line up so I was not
expecting to hit that inning. Our lead off gets a single, followed by a double by the second
batter. Our third batter struck out. Then, the fourth batter came up to hit. DINK! It was a no
doubter. The ball was hit at least two hundred and seventy feet. It wasn’t even a surprise since
the clean up batter was the strongest and one of the best hitters on the team. The fifth batter
goes to the plate. I am in the on deck circle putting the bat weight on my bat when I hear a
sudden CRACK! I look up and see my friend trotting the bases. My anxiety for some reason
went through the roof. I walked into the batter's box, sweat running down my forehead from the
insane amount of anxiety that I had and not because of the physical activity I was participating
in. The pitcher throws the first pitch and I let it go since I thought it was going to be a ball.
“STRIKE!” yelled the umpire. The next three pitches were balls. The count was three balls and
one strike. The next pitch, I completely miss a pitch down the middle. Full count and my
nervousness is through the roof. I step out of the batter's box. I catch my breath. I step back in
the box and get ready for the next pitch. The pitcher lifted his leg and I simultaneously lifted
mine. I see a fastball. I put my leg down and I hit the ball. I look for the ball and see it in the air
going towards the right-center gap in the outfield. I started rounding first base then I saw the ball
go over the fence. All of my anxiety was quickly shifted into excitement. I was basically skipping
around the bases with my arms up.  I never expected to hit a homerun considering how small I
was, but I did. It was surprising and unexpected and most importantly, awesome! 
     As I grew older, I made more and more memories playing this sport like pitching a
perfect game and few no hitters. I made the highschool baseball team my freshman year and
was able to stay on it throughout the entirety of highschool. This year was my first year on
varsity and I was extremely ecstatic to make some more memories like the one of me hitting my
first and only homerun. Unfortunately, my season was cut short. I never expected something so
microscopic to have such macroscopic effects. I never expected my time playing this sport to be
cut short an entire season. I never expected my only highschool season with my little brother to
be taken away from me because of a global pandemic, but that's life. It’s just unexpected for the
better or the worse, but it’s okay though. Life goes on.

" I WANT TO EAT YOUR PANCREAS BOOK REVIEW" by Aaron P

(YEP Note: this title is a manga, or a Japanese comic-book-like graphic novel. You are able to find this piece in
your local bookstore or in Japan.) Despite its peculiar title, ​I Want To Eat Your Pancreas ​ , written by Yoru Sumino is a coming of age title about bittersweet romance, love if you would rather.  Love found, love lost, a common
motif throughout the book, in which gains meaning and emotional weight as the momentum of
the story drives the audience into the story, with foreshadowing and suspense to pull the readers’
attention in the story and set up an edge-of-your-seat buildup of anticipation of an unbearable
heartbreak foretold in the introduction of the book. 
Sumino’s piece is a story about a young kid, [Who Shall not Be Named-Kun] (his name is kept
secret and replaced with other phrases in brackets), who finds out that his popular classmate,
Sakura, has a terminal illness of her pancreas. The kid learns this as he finds her diary left in a
waiting room in the doctor’s office. At this point, the kid involves himself into Sakura’s life as
they adventure together, through the city of Tokyo along with their own emotions. Despite her
current condition, Sakura isn’t sad about it, rather she’s full of life and optimistic and shines as
bright as the sun. It’s rather refreshing to see that a terminal illness isn’t keeping a character
captive, but setting her free and allowing her to experience things knowing that her time is
coming soon. Sakura makes it an effort to try to see the world and experience things she
normally wouldn’t see or do without a time constraint. [Main Character-Kun] is quite the
opposite of Sakura, in that he is a very sullen and robotic person. As the work is written through
the point of view of first-person narration, it becomes apparent to the audience that Sumino
sticks true to his character. The dialogue and emotional involvement are what Sumino focuses on
to make his stories well thought out and good. Not only does this give readers something to
relate to, but they can also feel empathy towards the characters and hardships each of them go
through. In my opinion, when the author goes beyond a story and allows a connection between
his piece and his audiences, it creates a more heartfelt and relatable story. The two characters,
[Main Character-Kun] and Sakura share real chemistry between one another and their interaction
makes their two character foils more wholesome, as well as instilling complex insights of life
and faults in the human race in the main characters, which broke readers’ hearts in the end when
the chemistry between the main characters inevitably falls apart. Overall, this story is solely
driven by their relationship, which is why Sumino focuses on creating an amazing relationship
between these two characters. The ending is something that you wouldn’t expect and packs quite
a punch. The author illustrates a delectable, but cruel depiction of human life, that being
unpredictability and unreliability.
I have nothing but good words to say about this book. It was definitely a book worth picking up.
Not only did the author reel me in with its impending heartbreak at the very beginning of the
story in order to build up the anticipation of the ending, but Sumino also created the connection
between the book and the readers and that’s what every book strives for, as it allows readers to
put themselves in the middle of the story and relate towards the characters, their emotions, and
their relationship(s). This trait by far is what makes the book a worthy piece to pick up in your
free time because it takes you along with [Main Character-Kun] and Sakura and their adventure
through Tokyo. Personally, I became attached to Sakura’s character and her optimistic
personality and her ability to find light in every sad or unfortunate event. However, I also related
heavily towards [Main Character-Kun], as he was much of a pessimistic person who didn’t enjoy
talking to other people or interacting with people outside of the house. As the kid interacted with
Sakura it was a heartfelt interaction due to the influence that Sakura had on [Main
Character-Kun], essentially making him see the bright side more often than not. There is a lot of
morals that I learned during my time reading this book, including look at the positive side despite
the horrible situation that you are in and make the best of your life because life is unpredictable
and unreliable, thus no one should have certain expectations of life itself. I highly recommend
this book if you are looking for a bittersweet romance. You’ll find that the work is a very
pleasant read with a satisfactory ending, as well as an emotional connection to the characters. :)

" My Abstract Idea of Social Distancing" by Reginald M

     On March 30, 2020 there were currently over 5,700 confirmed cases of the coronavirus connected to the state of Florida opposed to the 160 cases recorded about 14 days before, according to an interactive dashboard from the Florida Department of Health. If the symptoms are estimated to become apparent roughly two weeks after an individual was initially exposed, what happened two weeks prior to March 30th? Spring break happened. NBC News stated that the population of beaches in Florida began to surge around March 17th. All of this occurred despite the local authorities already suggesting its communities to reduce their amounts of social activity and the duration individuals spent outside. This means we as a society must temporarily practice a way of life referred to as “social distancing”. By the standards of Merrium-Webster, social distancing translates to, “the practice of maintaining a greater than usual physical distance from other people or of avoiding direct contact with people or objects in public places during the outbreak of a contagious disease in order to minimize exposure and reduce the transmission of infection.” This implies keeping physical socializing to a minimum and, ultimately, staying home. Many seem to get this confused with “solitary confinement”. Florida assumed social distancing meant they couldn’t enjoy themselves and their spring break, resulting in the nonessential trips to the beach regardless of a pandemic.

      The nation may appear to be as though we are all under house arrest, completely devoured by boredom, but that couldn't be more on the contrary. Social distancing can be more than just a lockdown. While this is obviously a precaution to keep all United States residents healthy and safe, as well as prevent any excuse for society to break out into anarchy, to distance oneself means much more than simply safety. Social distancing is an opportunity to be productive. Having little freedom to do as you please in an event like this only allows for people to catch up on everything they didn’t have time to do before because they were too busy doing other things that involved going outside. Now there is no excuse for “not having enough time” to start working out at home or even to finish that book that’s been collecting dust on your desk. You can finally rearrange your room, watch that Netflix series all your friends keep talking about that may or may not be about tiger scandals, or even play all the video games you’ve had to sacrifice during a normal week of school. You can go through all of your old photos, learn new recipes, maybe even write poetry if that’s your thing, whatever it is you had no time to do before. If you’re missing the sun, now’s a better time than ever to put your backyards to use. No more waking up extra early to get ready and look good because now you have the pleasure of doing your notes and homework in bed. Sure, you won’t get to see a lot of friends or your favorite teachers anymore but at least now you can educate yourself in the comfort of your own home and put your focus into other things. Take this time to reflect on yourself, the goals you want to achieve during and after this quarantine, as well as appreciate the friends, family, and activities you are missing out on while we are confined to our homes.

      While social distancing may be an extreme inconvenience for those who are accustomed to their obligations outside of home, I see it as an opportunity to spend time with yourself and take advantage of the excess time and energy that the absence of many outside world
responsibilities has given us. The whole nation being grounded by the government doesn’t have to result in us being miserable. The whole idea of this isolation is to keep ourselves and each other safe, and to get through this drama as quickly and easily as possible so we can go back to how things were before. It is important that we are educated on this idea and understand that it is not nearly as terrible as it seems so we can combat the effects of the virus and the damage it causes to our society, all just by staying home. However you decide to spend your quarantine, try to make the most out of it, and if you cannot, know that social distancing most importantly means that things will return to normal much sooner than if we weren’t all staying home. 

"Albondigas Soup Recipe " by Luis G

1.) Preparation of ingredients: We will be starting off by just getting our ingredients together and prepared to make this process easier especially for people who don't often cook.

Start by taking 1 large yellow onion and finely chopping it into little squares, to make this easier if a chopper is available use that instead of cutting by hand with a knife. Then proceed to take 1 large garlic clove minced and wash, peel and clean it. You also need either 2 quarts of ​chicken stock​ or beef stock which is up to you on which brand and flavor you want. 1 quart of water is also needed obviously to pour in eventually which should be available to everyone at home. There are various brand names of tomato sauces but we use the “hunt” tomato sauce, 1/2 cups will be needed. Next prepare 3 large potatoes, by peeling and cutting them into halves. Carrots are optional but if you are putting carrots in, either buy 2 large carrots or baby carrots, if using large carrots cut and peel into the size of baby carrots. Next we need to get 1/3 cup of raw white rice preferably Jasmine Rice found in almost any grocery store. You will now need to have 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey if possible 80% lean. 1 egg will be needed and 1 and a half teaspoon of salt along with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. You can use cayenne if some extra flavor is what you want this is optional. For the last bunch of ingredients 1 and a half cup of frozen or fresh peas which is also optional can be bought almost anywhere, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, crumbled, or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano and for the last ingredient needed, Limes cut into slices is the last touch to it all. This sums up all ingredients in order to make albondigas.

                                                                                imgres

2.) Now that all your ingredients have been prepared to make the albondigas your first step would be making the soups broth. You’ll need a large soup pot at least 9 quarts or bigger, to cook all the ingredients. Add chicken stock, water, tomato sauce and salt to the pot. Bring water to a boil and add potatoes and carrots to the mix you already have going. This can vary depending on what you personally want in your soup, some may leave some vegetables out or some may add other vegetables they want. 
3.) Now for the second part you will be preparing the meatballs In a large bowl, mix rice into meat, adding salt, pepper and oregano. Get a good mix of those ingredients and mash them into a ball shape to get your meatball shapes. Then proceed to mix the meatballs you have made in raw egg to help the meatball stay together when you throw it in the pot to cook. Add the chopped garlic and onion you already have prepared into the pot of ingredients now. Also on a side note the meat ball sizes shouldn't be bigger than about 2 inches, don’t stress on measurements of the meatballs and just eye it and your meatballs should be perfect.
4.) To start the third step add meatballs to soup now, when adding the meatballs be sure to gently place them one by one in the soup as you don't want them to be thrown in
there, that may break your meatballs in half and ruin their shapes which also can speed up how fast some meatballs cook depending on their sizes, and we don't want some cooked more than others. Add peas last since they cook fastest and anything else that you have decided to add that is cooked quickly. Cover the pot with the lid and let everything cook for half an hour.
5.) Now for the finishing touches add a few pinches of oregano and also add some sprinkles of salt and pepper, and a small dash of cayenne for some flavor, the amount you put in can vary on how you prefer your soup to taste. That being said you will have to experiment a little with your soup to get it just right for your own personal liking. You can also add lime juice to give extra flavor and if available some chile also for some extra spice. 6.) Now you got a tasty soup that in my opinion isn’t very complicated to make, I hope you enjoyed this “How To” tutorial about making (Mexican) Albondiga soup.
 

"How to make: The Flourless Chocolate Coconut cake " by Rebeca S

Growing up I have always loved cooking and baking. Coming from a family that is from Brasil it takes a huge part in my culture as well. I have been making this coconut cake since as long as I can remember. On top of the cake is this Brasilian dessert called Brigadeiro. If you want to, you can eat it by itself too. It is a bit different than most cakes because you make this one out of the microwave which is what most people I know do. It is a quick and easy thing to make especially if you have a sweet tooth. 

Ingredients for Cake:

❏ 6 eggs

 ❏ 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar

 ❏ 6 tablespoons of chocolate powder

 ❏ 1 teaspoon of baking powder

 ❏ 6 tablespoons of butter

❏ Half a bag of coconut shreds  Ingredients for Brigaderio:

 ❏ 1 can (14 ounce) of condensed milk

❏ 2 tablespoons chocolate powder

❏ 1 teaspoon of butter

How to make the brigadeiro:

 1. Gather all the ingredients

 2. Have a medium size pan ready to put the teaspoon of butter on it

3. Have the heat at medium as well

4. Once the butter has melted add the whole can of condensed milk

 5. Add the 2 tablespoon of chocolate powder 

6. You need to stir the condensed milk constantly while mixing the chocolate  powder

 7. Keep stirring until the mixture get thick and has a fudge consistency

8. Once at the fudge like consistency turn off the heat and let it still until needed for the cake 

    a. Know that it is sticky to deal with so keep that in mind

                                                  This is how the consistency should be. 

   ➢ Now there are two ways to make this cake: one with a layer of cake, then  a thin layer of brigadeiro than another layer of cake with brigadeiro on top  Another way is just making the cake and only with brigadeiro on top. It is all in preference and the time you personally want to take to make the cake. 

How to make the cake with brigadeiro layer inside -

    ➔ I recommend this one be out of the microwave as it gives you the best results
1. Gather all the ingredients but the coconut shreds into a bowl
 2. Mix the ingredients in the bowl a. Either by hand, a mixture or a blender
3. Add the coconut shreds into the mixture  a. Slowly fold the coconuts shreds
 4. Add half  mixture to a pan
   a. Preferably a silicone baking pan for best results in microwave (wet before putting in mixture)
5. Put the mixture into the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes 
   a. Make sure the first half isn't fully cooked but has firm hold
6. Pour the thin layer of brigadeiro onto the cake
   a. Be careful with is process brigadeiro can be sticky
7. Pour the other half of the cake for 3 to 4 minutes until fully cooked 
8. Now pour the brigadeiro on top 
  a. This can be tricky since brigadeiro can be stick once you start it will come along
  b. You can also add toppings like sprinkles as well 


  ★ If you want to use the oven just add the mixture into two metal pans at 350degrees for about 6 minutes but depending on the oven will be longer or shorter in time. Just add the thin layer of brigadeiro in the middle. Just top with brigadeiro as you would. 

How to make the cake with brigadeiro on top

 1. Gather all the ingredients but the coconut shreds into a bowl
2. Mix the ingredients in the bowl
    a. Either by hand, a mixture or a blender
3. Add the coconut shreds into the mixture
    a. Slowly fold the coconuts shreds
 4. Add half  mixture to a pan
    a. Preferably a silicone baking pan for best results (wet before putting in mixture)
    b. Make sure you use a nonstick spray in the metal pan
5. Put the mixture into the the microwave for 6 minutes or the oven at 350 degrees for about 6 as
  well
6. Once done just add the brigadeiro  on top 
   a. Remember it can be tricky to deal with, just take your time.

Tip:  As long as you have the ingredients and bake it fully you will have a delicious cake. Just know there are ways to make the simple cake fancy with the topping. Either way you choose to make the cake just keep an eye on it because it does cook quickly if you don’t.  When dealing with brigadeiro butter is the best way to go. If you want to smooth down the brigadeiro on top of the cake just just any tool you see to fit best and just add butter. This will make sure that the brigadeiro doesn't stick to your tool. 

                                     Have fun making flourless  chocolate cake and enjoy!!

"The Second Half of Senior Year" by Kori Y

     In the days leading up to March 13th, I didn’t know what to expect anymore. Emails were sent out throughout the week informing students that we should be prepared for remote learning in case of a school shutdown. At the start of the week, I was fairly certain that the school wouldn’t shut down. Why would it when all the other times I wished it would close, it wouldn’t? However, as the week progressed, I grew more and more convinced that the possibility of the school shutting down was a considerable one. Then, March 13th arrived and the announcement came that the school was closing. To many students, the shutting down of school was probably a grace they’d get to experience only once in their life. Based on the reactions I heard in the hallway of the B building after the announcement, this seemed quite true.

     I was still a little confused about how I was feeling by the time I got home that Friday as I was overwhelmed with all sorts of different emotions. To be honest, I would’ve been lying to myself if I said I felt completely and absolutely opposed to the idea of not going to school for the next few weeks. In fact, there was a part of me that was relieved that school was “out”. Maybe then, that test that was planned for Monday could be rescheduled or I wouldn’t have to turn in that assignment I hadn’t started yet. However, I was also feeling lost. There was another part of me that hated the fact that school had shut down, not because I didn’t recognize the dangers of continuing to keep school open at times such as these, but because of the time I had left in high school that would slowly be slipping away. As I went to my room, I was already considering the impacts that this school shut down would have. It hit me that the school shut down would have a different impact for seniors that the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen just couldn’t understand. For us seniors, the time that we’d spend at home was time that was originally intended for us to close out our 4 year journey. As a result of the school shutting down, we wouldn’t be able to talk to the teachers that we had grown to respect and admire throughout the years, see our friends, possibly make new ones, and make our last finishing touches on the impact we wanted to leave behind. Before I knew it, my first week of distance learning had begun and immediately, it didn’t feel right. With no incentive to get up early in the morning and no school environment, I wasn’t in the mindset to focus on doing school work. Thankfully, spring break came just as quickly as the first week of remote learning did but unfortunately, it wasn’t much better.

     I sat in my room as the days of spring break passed by. There wasn’t simply a feeling of emptiness but one of confinement. Funny enough, it was one of the most peculiar feelings of confinement ever. Although spring break was here, no one was going out to malls or theatres or to each other's houses. There was no parent keeping me from going outside because I was in trouble. Yet, there was an invisible force keeping me inside. From what I remember, every day of spring break was a beautiful one with just the right temperature and good amount of sunlight. When I went out into the backyard, the air seemed pure and cooling while the sun brought warmth like how a campfire did on a chilly night. However, that was all I could experience from within the confines of my house. I would always find myself eventually returning to my room with a whole lot of time to let my thoughts wander. The outside almost seemed to be mocking me by deciding to bring such great weather while I couldn’t go out. The days eventually all sort of blended together. It didn’t matter much whether it was Monday or Friday or whether it was a weekend or a weekday. The date of the month didn’t matter much either unless it was for a due date to turn in an assignment. However, I still knew that spring break was coming to a close and I would soon be receiving more Google classroom and Remind notifications than I ever had. 

     Eventually, our return to school got pushed from April 3rd to May 1st and then the rest of the school year although I wasn’t surprised. Although this situation brought along a lot of inconvenience, it also gave me time to think, time that I never really had before while I still went to school. Until this quarantine, it had never occurred to me just how much I actually valued time at school. Time away from my senior year made me recognize that although I wouldn’t be able to make a few more last memories from the year, I did at least make some in the beginning of the year and those are the ones I should appreciate. A year ago or maybe even half a year ago, no one would have dreamed that everyone would be stuck inside for so long. Because no one ever really knows when events such as these will occur, it is important to cherish the times where you’re free to be out in public without worry or go to school and be with friends. All the time alone in quarantine helped me understand that we never really see the value of some things until it is taken away from us.

     I hope everyone is okay during this time and thank you to everyone from doctors to nurses to scientists to even your average everyday person for their efforts to make this situation better. Whether it be from treating sick patients directly, studying the virus, or simply social distancing, it is all appreciated.

"Masculinity" by Rinel-Christian A

     A college student stumbles across a friend.  The friend says, “Hey man! How has life been? I haven’t seen you since school started.” The student replies, “Oh hey, it’s been great. Yeah, hardly see you anywhere nowadays.”
     “We should totally grab something to eat some time! You know, to catch up on life and whatnot.”   
     “Totally!”
     “Great! Well… I’m on my way to class right now, so I have to go. Text me if you need anything! You know I’m always here.”
     The college student heads back to his dorm and closes the door. Soon, he finds himself on the floor, facing an emotional breakdown. After recovering, his first concern is, “I’m glad no one was here to see this.”
     Too often, men grow up to believe that revealing their emotion is the “unmanly” thing to do. Social construct has taught us that the highest value of man is to assert dominance at all costs. We associate masculinity with not being able to cry in public, having no weaknesses, being violent, and treating women as objects. These ​broken ideals ​ of the socially-accepted definition of “masculinity” have tampered with a multitude of relationships, and have led us to build a “glass ceiling” around their own character. It has hindered the ability to see past our privilege and recognize that these exact ​ideals ​ have manifested issues that only exist because of a facade we feel the need to put up to avoid getting their guy friends to say, “Just man up.”
     According to the NISVS’s 2010 Sexual Violence Report, “90% of sexual violence against women was from men, and 93% of sexual violence against men was from other men.” Then one may say, “Well there are many factors that affect their upbringing.” To counter, Dr. Valerie Hudson accounted for 350 of these external variables in 175 countries and concluded that not only does patriarchy and male aggression contribute to numerous global issues under the sun, but also found that men have the highest suicide rate. Some may believe it is because men have more testosterone than women. Contrary to this belief, professor of psychology from Knox College, Frank McAndrew says there is little to no connection between testosterone and aggression. Toxic masculinity has been an issue under our noses, and it is time to cast away the negative terms that are so often linked to it.
      I am not saying men should stop being courageous, tough, and powerful. Masculinity should be redefined to mean “the ability to use the qualities that make us who we are to deepen the understanding of our heart.” What I mean by this is to be ​courageous ​ enough to be ​vulnerable ​ , ​tough ​ enough to be sensitive ​ , and to drop our ego and listen to the women in our life. We need to break from this glass ceiling and rise above this brute nature. Through this, we can build fruitful and genuine relationships, romantic or not. Many of us find ourselves in situations similar to that of the college student at the beginning. With this new definition of masculinity, it can spare many of us from suffering alone. 

"Dancing With The Stars" by David G

DISCLAIMER:​ THIS STORY IS NOT ABOUT ME ​PURELY FICTION

      Look, if you thought this might be about the show. Not to disappoint but you are mistaken. I will skip the formalities of introduction because my name is not all that important. What I will say is that I lived most of my life seeing life in black and white. I grew up without parents and my aunt who took me in, goes on oversea business trips often so I usually live alone with her sending me money to help myself. I’ve always been alone. That's how it should be. I don’t really think people like me anyways because I don’t show emotion. The interaction I have between people, felt nothing, hanging out with people, felt nothing, every gift they gave me, felt nothing. I felt nothing.  I thought feeling nothing was normal, until it happened. I felt a sensation in my chest. My heart started to beat faster. What is happening to me? I was scared, I didn’t understand, but whatever display of images that bleed into my eyes truly was a sight to behold. The bright illumination, the brilliance, the beauty, It was amazing. The passion, the fiery anger, the sadness, the vastness. Is that what it is? Huh? Tears? But why? Is this what people call emotion? Sadness? Joy? No, it's both. The feeling of happiness, the feeling that my doors to my heart has finally opened. This feeling is amazing. I have never felt like this. I do not want to lose sight of it again. The feeling of sadness, the fact that I have felt empty for most of my life brought sadness to me. These emotions that have been sealed away for most of my life that makes the very fiber of a being together disappointed me. I started to see the world in true beauty. They way it was meant to be seen. I finally started to see the world in vibrant colors. I have found the river in the desert. No, I have found Earth within the vast universe. I was traveling in the emptiness of space, floating in nothingness. I didn’t know where I was. I lost all hope of finding sanctuary. Then I have finally found it. Mother nature's beautiful creation. The breath of life. This all happened after I went stargazing. Waiting till midnight away from the cities, I thought my life was coming to a close. Nothing in my life brought any emotions so I thought “What was the point of living?” There's nothing for me. I was always unmotivated, apathetic, isolated. Then I saw it. The North Star. The one thing that guides a vessel on its journey to discover the new land. The one thing that keeps ships going on the right path. Then I also noticed Orion's belt, the big dipper, the little dipper. Then the whole sky filled up with stars. But how did I realize what and where these constellations were? Oh I forgot. It was thanks to you. You were the one to guide me all along. I just never realized it. You were there for me every step of the way, but I thought your efforts would be for nothing. You confessed your love for me, but I thought there was someone better. You never gave up on me. I was stupid, If only I had realized that you have always been a part of my life from the very beginning. After that moment, I truly felt like I was Dancing with the Stars.  We spent our days together enjoying each other's company. Laughing together, hanging out together. These were the days we longed for. I can never be more grateful in my life that you have stuck with me all this time.   You have saved me. I love you.  One day you texted me to meet you in the hospital. She ensured that she was completely fine. Upon arrival to the room she told me to meet her in, She was the one on the hospital bed. She lied to me. She told me her mother was feeling ill and she wanted me to come visit. The first thing she told me was that she needed to confess something to me. This whole time she never told me she had a rare genetic disease. I couldn’t believe it. She never told me?
     “Why did you keep this from me? Why? Why! You should have told me! I could have prepared myself for this moment if you have told me beforehand! Why did you keep this from me? I don’t understand. I DON’T UNDERSTAND!” I couldn’t hold back my anger, my tears. I was scared. I was scared that I was gonna lose you that's why I lashed back. She explained to me “I really am sorry for keeping it a secret from you but I did it because I wanted to help you. I knew you were in pain and I knew I would hurt you more if I told you. If something happens to me I want you to know this. Don’t ever lose sight again. Even if I am not with you anymore. I will still always be with you.” A couple days have passed. I visited her in the hospital everyday but we couldn’t have conversations; it was mostly just small talk, long pauses of silence, and more small talk. One day as she was talking, it happened, she suddenly stopped talking. I turn towards her after looking outside the window. My eyes widened. I was in terror. I ran out to call the doctors. She was having a seizure. Many doctors ran into the room to try and save her. I was pleading, and pleading, and pleading that she will survive. What felt like an eternity, doctors came out and with the look on their faces, I knew she had passed away. She left me alone. By myself. This is how it should be. My world is once again black and white.

"Youth: Our Gains and Losses " by Kristin H

     The moment you’ve been waiting for: your name is called from onstage, you raise and
walk up the steps, cheering and yelling all around you. The administration that you barely
interacted with in the past four years will clasp your hand and give you a firm shake. You walk
down their line to receive the piece of paper that defines the grades you’ve earned and the work
you've done for the past 18 years of your life. Smile to the crowd, give a little wave, and the list
goes on. That’s the end. You sit in your seat and wait for it all to end only to take a few pictures
and shuffle off into the unknown of adulthood. That’s the end of your youth. 

     According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, youth is defined as “the period
between childhood and adult age,” a subsidiary definition being “the state or quality of being
young, especially as associated with vigor, freshness, or immaturity.” The coming of age films
we’ve grown up with would have you think that youth is the fun you have prior to college,
including wild parties, hook-ups, and rebelling against your parents. Hollywood lives vicariously
through these carefree cool kids just as we do because real life isn’t a 140 minute film that ends
on the perfect moment. What is in these unattainable characters that we do not have is their
endless youth.

     To put it simply, real life has consequences. In the past two years I’ve seen many former
friends of mine become these caricatures of youth: carefree, rebellious, and draining all the life
juice they can get from every possible moment. I’ve also seen their fear of missing out grow
exponentially, making sure to record every possibly enjoyable moment they can and save it to
their Snapchat memories. I’ve seen their nicotine addictions come to fruition, their anxiety grow
so large they find themselves crying on the floor of the J-building handicap stall, and the hope in
their eyes fade as they realize that the best years of their life are over.

     Yet, these have not been the best years. The youth we hold within us is carried
throughout our lives. Many of us didn’t have the opportunity to make use of the youth we did
have because we spent so much of this short time trying to grow up or deal with circumstances
that did not allow us to enjoy the little time we had. The Journal of Developmental & Behavioral
Pediatrics published a study in 2018 that revealed lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety in
adolescents ages 6-17 have increased over time, increasing from 5.4% in 2003 to 8% in 2007 and
to 8.4% in 2011–2012. I was one of these children suffering from both major depressive disorder
and anxiety, and for the majority of my life I felt that the time I had lost to suffering from these
two disorders could never be gained again and I viewed myself as a lost cause in the youth
department. 

     In the past when I have brought this thought process up to the therapists I’ve had, the
answer I received was more or less the same; Those that tell you that these are the best years of
your life are lying to you. In the grand scheme of things, these past 18 or so years have made up
a small fraction of your life. The mistakes you made, the suffering you endured, the inner turmoil that comes with being a teenager ​will ​ be a fleeting memory, if that. Your youth is not confined to
these few years and you will find that it will spread throughout your long life for quite some
time. The happiness you will find in knowing yourself, in learning about the world around you, and in the love you ​will ​ find will exponentially increase the youth you now have. There is no true loss of youth that you will find in your life. Even the most draining and insufferable
circumstances will lead to your growth in heart, spirit, empathy, and mind. There is no need to
worry about these being the greatest years of your life, those years are only starting now. 


     Works Cited

Bitsko, Rebecca H., et al. “Epidemiology and Impact of Health Care Provider–Diagnosed
Anxiety and Depression Among US Children.” Journal of Developmental & Behavioral
Pediatrics, vol. 39, no. 5, 24 Apr. 2018, pp. 395–403.,
doi:10.1097/dbp.0000000000000571.

"How To Do CPR" by Hannah C

 
In any state of emergency, knowing what to do and what you actually can do is essential to have everyone that is involved have the highest chances of survival. CPR is the right action to take when someone is unconscious, not responding or breathing, and with little or no heartbeat. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and it can help start up the heart again by manually pumping their body’s blood from the heart and giving lifesaving oxygen by blowing air directly into the lungs of the person in need. There are specific steps in order to do CPR properly and following them accordingly can be the difference between life and death. Anything can happen in an emergency and being properly prepared and aware to handle any situation is essential. 

Obviously, reading this how to once or twice won’t make you a qualified professional, or make you get certified in CPR.  Professionals trained in CPR go through hours of in class learning and hands on training before they can even touch a person in real immediate danger. Data has shown that doing CPR without proper training has a higher risk of injury to the individual than not performing CPR until medical professionals arrive. Without knowing exactly what you are doing, you risk breaking the individual’s ribs, cause them to vomit, induce additional brain damage, and lodge forgin objects within the person’s body. This is also not a certified training course in any way, so pulling this up instead of dialing 911 is not recommended. This guide should be used as a foot in the door to understanding the steps of CPR and will hopefully inspire many to obtain their certification which can save the life of a stranger or even someone you hold dear. 

There are three types of CPR, the CPR intended for adults, children, and infants. This guide will just be going over the CPR for adults because it is the simplest and most likely to be used. 

STEP 1: Immediately after noticing a person unconscious on the ground, first ensure your safety, then tap and shout to try to wake them up. Immediately shout for help to dial 911. Look for any normal or not normal breathing, including gasping. Check their carotid pulse on the neck which is the most convenient. If they continue to not respond or you notice their heart is not pumping, lay them down on a dry, flat, firm surface, call for 911 again and immediately begin high-quality CPR. If the individual is breathing fine with a pulse, monitor them till emergency responders arrive. If they have no normal breathing, but have a pulse, provide rescue breathing, one breath every 5 - 6 seconds and check pulse every two minutes. If you do not definitely feel a pulse within 10 seconds, begin CPR. 

STEP 2: Once 911 has been called, EMS (Emergency Medical Service) has been activated. If there are other people around, call for help, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), and emergency medical equipment. With or without help, start chest compressions. 

STEP 3: Carefully remove the clothing that is covering the victim's chest to allow you to locate the correct hand placement for compressions and allow placement of the AED pads. Position
one heel of your hand on the center of the victim's chest, on the lower half of the breast bone, while placing the heel of your other hand on the top of your first hand. Straighten your arms and hover directly over the individual, with your shoulders over your hands. Always remember the ratio of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Once you begin compressions, compress with a rate of 100 to 120/min and press down 2 inches deep. Giving consistent compressions are very important, because each time you stop chest compressions the blood flow to the heart and brain decreases and it takes several compressions before the blood flow returns to normal. If an AED arrives before the round of compressions is done, finish all 30 then follow the directions that the AED says out loud as explained in step 5.

STEP 4: When a person is lying down, their airway is naturally obstructed slightly by the tongue, so in order for breaths to be effective, the victim’s airway must be opened. The head tilt-chin lift method is exactly what the name implies. Push down the individual’s forehead down lightly with your palm to tilt their head back, then use your other hand to lift their jaw and chin forward from right under the chin. Another method is the jaw-thrust maneuver, which is used when the head tilt-chin lift method doesn’t work or a spinal injury is suspected.  Place one hand on each side of the victim's head, then place your fingers under the sides of their chin and lift with both hands, moving the jaw forward. Finally, opening their lips with your thumbs. Their airway is now opened and you can begin administering 2 breaths. Each breath should last over 1 second and should be enough to make the victim’s chest rise.

STEP 5: When the AED arrives during any point of the procedure, it is essential to hook it up to the victim immediately. Before doing anything with the machine, turn it on and wait for the instructions to speak out loud. The instructions will tell you to attach the AED to the victims bare chest accordingly. Then, connect the cables that are connected to the pads to the AED machine. Clear the victim, allow the AED to analyze their heat beat and wait for it to instruct you what to do next. If the AED advises you to give the individual a shock, do not touch the victim and administer the shock. Immediately after it is administered resume chest compressions. If it tells you no shock need, continue doing CPR, starting with compressions again. Every five cycles of CPR, it will analyze the victim again, repeating the same steps. 

STEP 6: Continue compressions and manual ventilation until medical professionals arrive or the person begins to move again. Another person can take over CPR every 5 cycles or more frequently if the rescuer becomes fatigued. 

Following each step carefully will lead to saving a person’s life and can be gratifying to the rescuer to know they did something to help a person in a desperate situation. Getting your own certification to do CPR is absolutely worth the effort and time. Hopefully this inspires you to be interested in taking a class for yourself. 

Source: American Heart Association, Basic Life Support Provider Manual

____________________________________________________________________________
This part is not meant to be in the blog, but I am aware of how much this passage is highlighted as not my work, but I assure you I attempted to tweak as much of the diction as I could without changing the accuracy of the directions. 

All Students:  Be sure to read the entries for this group  (March writers).  Everyone is required to comment on at least THREE different pieces of writing.  You must post the comment here on the blog (below the post is the "comments" link to click) AND cut and paste your published comments, complete with dates and time stamps, on to a Word document and turn it in to me by April 2, on Google Classroom.  You must do both to get credit for comments this month.

Remember, comments must be positive, supportive, constructive, and SPECIFIC.  No "Good Job!" comments, unless you follow that with specific things you thought were done well in the piece.  Show them you actually took the time to read and enjoy their work!

"Su Amor " by Hazel C

     In her 40 years of life, there have been many impactful events. I know for sure that one of
them happened on December 4th, 2001. At such a young age, she stopped thinking only about
herself, she stopped worrying only about herself. She now had one of the biggest responsibilities
a woman could ever have. She now had to make choices and decisions selflessly, because the
consequences of her actions would not affect her only anymore. As the years passed, she realized
that to take care of her daughter she needed to work extremely hard and try to do her best to raise
a good woman. She knew she was not perfect and she knew it was not going to be easy. But I
can assure you, she definitely did more than that. 
     During my first 14 years of life, my mother always showed me the importance of family
and made sure that I never forgot that my family will always support me unconditionally. She
taught me the significance of respect. She always emphasized the valuable importance of being
humble. She always found ways to make me learn something new, ways to motivate me to excel
in my academics. She taught me how to control my emotions, and how to clearly express my
thoughts in ways I wouldn't hurt other people. She showed me how powerful forgiveness can be,
and how living without grudges is the key to being happy. She even blessed me with a sister. The
only thing she wanted for me all those years, was the best. 
      On July 13th, 2016, both of our lives dramatically changed. I moved to Rancho
Cucamonga and started living with my father. For me, leaving El Salvador was one of the most
difficult experiences I’ve been through. Honestly, the first couple of months were not that bad.
The idea of starting high school in a completely different country was sufficiently exciting to
distract my mind and emotions from the fact that I didn’t live with her anymore. The first couple
of months were full of enthusiasm and anxiety as I had to assimilate to new customs,
academically and culturally. Eventually, I made new acquaintances which later on became very
close friends. Luckily, I can still call some of them my best friends. At home, I constantly
worked on my relationship with my father’s side of the family, people with whom I had never
lived with before. It later started to hit me. The fact that nothing was the same. It did take me a
while to adapt to the community I had settled in. But it was all for the best, it was all for a better
future.
     Over time, I got over all of this. All my relationships, at home and at school, were great
and I had already gotten used to visiting El Salvador every six months. Also, thanks to my
mother's new job she was able to visit me pretty often, which relieved me and emotionally
helped me cope with such a drastic change at such a young age. It's life, you know. I understand
stuff happens. I understand it's a process that many people go through and react to it in various
different ways. However, what I will absolutely never be able to understand is how this woman,
the one that brought me to this world, was able to handle this situation. I genuinely don’t
understand how she was capable of letting me leave and stay 2,000 miles away from her. How
she could go more than one day without holding me in her arms, without yelling at me for
procrastinating and not cleaning my room (I mean, whenever we facetime she still yells at me for
not cleaning it). But that is one more lesson this incredible woman taught me. Regardless of the distance, I can still say that our relationship is the ​most ​ valuable thing I can have in this world. She sacrificed so many delightful moments together, so many cheerful laughs, so many
heartwarming hugs. That’s what this is all about. True love is really about putting someone else’s
happiness before your own. No matter how bad it’s going to hurt, no matter for how long it’s
going to hurt. At the end, as long as the other person ends up happy in a better place, you won’t
mind going through whatever you have to go through. Her love is what keeps me going. Because
her love is patient, her love is kind, her love is not self-seeking, and her love always perseveres.
There’s nothing that I admire and treasure as much as her unconditional and heartening love.

"Color of Life" by Linda H.

I look around me in this beautiful world I was born in and wonder about the endless possibilities
that come with the vibrant colors of my surrounding environment. Red is my favorite color
because it represents the school I go to, the blood that was bled through many pains, and the
infinite love I receive daily by those around me who care. High school has allowed me to grow
as an individual and as a leader through an amazing program like the marching band. Although
some of the classes I took may have been challenging, I learned through those courses some life
skills and time management. Through all my experiences so far, life hasn’t always been easy as
knees were scraped and cuts were made from words said by others. Love is the one thing that got
me through it all and the support that came with this from my family meant the world to me. The
nights around a fire bonding with friends at the beach or cooking s’ mores while camping
reminds me of the dangerous red that can lead to vulnerability and the radiant glow of orange
that lit up each face as we sat in the presence of each other. Many memories were made sitting
around the fire, talking about whatever came to mind without the worry of time passing by too
fast. I can’t remember a time where I had a bad experience around a bonfire whether it was with
my family, team, or friends. Happiness always reminded me of a yellow sunflower growing in
the direction of the guiding light source. From when I was young, my parents would say that the
sun was big, bright, and shining a precious yellow-ray filled with many smiles to last the whole
day. Looking out the window of my car, watching as the trees stand tall and the hills so broad, I
think about the exciting adventures that will soon come with time. I usually try to pass this time
by playing with my dog on the green grass which gives me a type of joy that I can’t express with
words. All the little journeys that me and my family go on, trudging through nature and
exploring new places, have left many stories for my children to hear someday. As we go across
the calm river, our shoes and socks get soaked, making us all a little blue. We continue on the
trek nonetheless but stop at our destination and look up at the blue sky above for a minute as I
begin to think about the numerous blessings we have been given with the sounds of the river
flowing through our bodies. Upon observing the beautiful sights, I start to wonder about the
things unknown similar to the color indigo. No one knows many items are correlated with indigo
but they still acknowledge its existence. The vast ocean deep that is still yet to be fully
discovered and the universe that has so many wonders and scares. These unknowns make life
interesting as there is much more to discover in this world that we live in. Passions that come
from learning about the things untold by man create this violet aura that expresses how no skill is
perfected without practice and patience. The drive of desire allows this color to show through
their achievements as they are accomplished over time. Learning unceasingly to find my true
passion and make it my purpose here, I am in awe of everything that I have become so far. There
are white clouds floating in the bright sky that make me dream about the beauty of life with each
breath I take. As I think about how I will achieve my dreams, there is this black darkness that I
have to fight my way through to reach the white light that gives me all the colors I can imagine
with no bounds. There are still some gray areas in my life that I am still figuring out as I am
learning and growing every day, but there is nothing that will hinder my will to continuously try
if my passions, desires, and love for it remain. There is one thing that I know to be true and it is
that the rainbow won’t always shine and there will be rain that causes me to fall, but if I look at
each situation in a different light, the rainbow will be what gives me opportunities to experience
the endless possibilities of this wonderful universe. 

"I Lov- I Miss You…" by Kira S

     I walk up slowly from my car, after driving for much too long, with my head facing down with a picnic basket containing a blanket, some homemade sandwiches, and water bottles. Along with that, I had some beautiful magnolias in hand. I stop walking, lay out the blanket in the basket, place the flowers beside the basket, and take a seat on the blanket.
    “Hi. Long time, no see. I have so much to tell you.” I take a deep breath so I can blabber nonstop to him. “I got a letter in the mail saying I got accepted into college. I’m so hyped that I did. Graduation is so soon too. It’s going to be insane. I’m honestly ready for it. The family is doing alright as always. They’re living their best life right now if I’m honest. Oh, and guess what happened? I fell up the stairs today and almost broke my arm. A ten out of ten situation if I do say so myself.” I let out a small giggle.
      I take a pause and pull the sandwiches and water bottles out of my basket. Taking a bite, I look up at the bright blue sky taking a deep breath. I start eating the sandwich, taking a drink of water shortly after. I’m sitting, observing other people having picnics and hanging out with their friends and family.
     “You know what’s crazy?”  I pause to make sure you’re paying attention. “I haven’t had a picnic for the past, like, 14 years of my life. Mom and Dad didn’t really like them. It’s okay though, because I can have them with you now.” I started laying down, it had been a while and my back hurt. Gazing at the sky, I think about how the past year went. “Oh, random train of thought. Remember that time we went to Disney a few years ago? Honestly, best time of my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better day with you, hanging out, doing absolutely nothing and going on all those rides together. I miss that a lot. I miss being able to hang out with you.” Breathing slowly, I sit back up. 
     “It’s been six months I think. Six months since your funeral Grandpa. It was really hard at first. We all knew it was coming, but we… I couldn’t believe it. You were and are seriously the most important person in my life. I got the news and I couldn’t function at all, I stopped being able to eat, talk, or even move. I eventually got up and started functioning again, I had to. I couldn’t lay in bed for the rest of my life, starve until the end, stop talking for all of eternity. I visited every day for about 2 weeks straight and weekly for 4 weeks after that. I’m sure you remember our conversations about school and life. There’s no way I could forget.” I started getting teary-eyed and had to pause. I stood up, understanding that there was nothing I could do but move on. “It’s really hard Grandpa, and I honestly can’t understand why everything had to stop so suddenly.” I stopped before I started crying. I couldn’t cry in the middle of a cemetery in front of no one I know. That’s terrifying. 
     I started packing up my things, folding the blanket nicely, throwing everything back into the basket. I picked up the flowers and placed them right by his headstone. After I gathered my things in my arms, I took one more look at the headstone. “I lov- I miss you Grandpa. I miss you
more than anything and love you beyond compare. I'll see you later.” I walk away, back to my car and throw everything into the trunk. It had been a hard couple of months, but I’m starting to manage. It is something that should have never happened and it definitely happened too early in his time, but that’s life. There is nothing we can do to stop the circle. I drive away, looking in my rear-view mirror at the flowers. I love and miss you Grandpa, more than anything. 

Author’s note: This is all based on a dream that I recently had and my imagination. It’s one of my deepest fears and pains me any time I think about the possibility, but it has not happened. :)

" So This is Love? " by Justin L

     I didn’t even know what that meant. I had “love” for select people and that was my
family and friends but holding out so long on my own, I couldn’t bear to hold any more. I
expected people to come around, but I held fast because holding onto myself was enough. It was
the peak of high school and there was too much going on. Life was too busy, too stressful, and
too emotionally taxing as it is, why add another's burdens to it all? Why carry the weight of
someone else’s world and be their hero with no guarantee that they would be yours?
     Relationships were tiresome (they always were) and loving someone like that meant giving a
piece of me for them to do whatever they pleased. It meant vulnerability and commitment, things
I didn’t have to spare.  It didn’t seem worth it to give myself up and to put my heart on my sleeve
hoping that someone wouldn’t break it. But then again, I had never met you. 
     You came on a Summer breeze, although I barely noticed when you waltzed into my life.
I blinked and there you were. Nothing overtly special, but just… there.  It was slow at first.
     When you came, there wasn’t an introduction. There never really was a need for one. First it was
a hello in the hallways. Next came the chit chats in the classroom. You clicked so well into my
daily routine that I just came to expect the habitual acknowledgements.  It was slow at first.
     Slowly the chit chats grew into midnight messaging and my understanding of you deepened. I
didn’t know everything and I didn’t need to, knowing you were there for me was enough.  Knowing that even if neither of us ever said a word that we could read each other like open
books, like the menus to our favorite restaurants, like the backs of each others’ hands. Hands we
began to hold.
      Our relationship started on an Autumn day. I remember the golden leaves on the trees as
I looked at the golden gleam in your eyes. All I cared about was being there for you, to carry the
weight of your world even if it meant putting mine down, to be your hero even if it meant taking
the beating and the bruises that life dished out. All I cared about was seeing you happy. Seeing
you smile. I remember the early September days and the late October nights as time passed us
by. I remember a kiss. Short and sweet, but I remember well. A soft touch of lips. A longer
embrace. Time rolling slow and hearts beating fast. I thought to myself. So this is love? Love
wasn’t the butterflies in my stomach. Love wasn’t the static in my head. Love wasn’t the beats
my heart skipped. Love was you. Everything I was feeling was because of you. I felt vulnerable
yet safe, committed yet free, I wore my heart on my sleeve trusting that you wouldn’t break it. 
     The fighting started on a Winter night. I don’t even remember what it was about. Maybe
it was something I said, or something I didn’t. Maybe it was something you did, or something
you didn’t, I don't know. Maybe it was nobody’s fault.  There wasn’t any yelling, or screaming.
     Just disappointment, confusion.  With every argument, it seemed like we were just getting in
each other’s way. Every day it felt like we were becoming each others’ problems, not their
solutions. We kept lying to ourselves, telling each other, “Hold onto hope for better days” or
“We’ll work things out” but we both knew the truth… 
     It ended on a Springtime’s rainfall. When we left, there wasn't really a goodbye. It didn't
seem like there was a need for one. Midnight messaging turned from fighting to faintness to
nothing at all. It faded. I knew everything about you but stood powerless to keep you by my side. With all my efforts at trying to keep the world up and playing your superhero, it didn't work, you
still had to go and I was stuck here waiting to see if you came back.
     It's been months now and yet I still know your favorite songs, your favorite time of day,
your favorite movies and TV shows, your favorite seasons, your favorite holidays, your favorite
bag of chips, your favorite everything. I still knew what you wanted to be when you grew up. I
still knew the sound of your voice after all this time. After all this time…  I still knew the back of
your hand as if it was my own, it was just no longer there to hold. 
     I should've appreciated the fact that you were there in the first place, that I found you and
got to be with you, but after months of puzzling I finally figured it out. It was love and I’m sorry I kept asking if it was. With all of the good and the bad, when you were there or not, with all of
my sadness and my grief, feeling so vulnerable and still so committed. I still wear my heart on
my sleeve but it beats a different rhythm, no longer does it sing “So this is love?” Instead it cries,“So is this love?”

"How to Change the Oil in Your Car at Home " by Tyler D

     Most people spend a lot of money to get the oil changed in their car multiple times a year.  It is
actually very easy to do at home, and it will save you time and money throughout your life.  It is
also important to understand why you even need to change the oil in the first place.  Over time,
the oil in your car engine gets diluted with dirt which can corrode your engine, shortening it’s
lifespan.  Also, since oil serves as a lubricant in the engine, if it completely runs out of oil, the
parts in the engine will get so hot that they could warp or melt, possibly damaging it beyond
repair.  This is why it is important to change your oil about every 3,000 - 5,000 miles, or every
few months if you don’t drive that much. 

Tools needed:
● The correct oil for your car
● A funnel
● An oil pan
● Rags or paper towels
● A wrench
● Car ramps or a jack to lift the car

     The first step towards changing your oil is to know the right type of oil needed for your car.  You
can check this by opening the hood and reading at the oil cap, or you can read the owner’s
manual.  You can buy oil at any auto repair shop, and you will probably need anywhere from
five to eight quarts to fill the engine, but be sure to check your owner’s manual.  Be sure to buy
the new oil before you drain out the old oil because you won’t be able to drive your car until you
put the new oil in. Now that you have the right oil for your car, you need to remove the drain
plug to empty out all of the old oil.  It will usually be underneath the car, so you will need to lift
it.  You can lift it by using either a jack or ramps.  It is extremely important to make sure your
car is stable when lifted so that it doesn’t fall on your head.  Ramps are a lot easier to use for
people who are inexperienced, but you still need to be extra careful. I recommend using chalks
and having somebody help you if possible.  Before you can drain the oil out of your car, it first
needs to be cool or else you may get burned.  If you have been driving a lot, you should wait at
the very least thirty minutes or longer before draining, but if you had only driven the car for a
few minutes or just onto the ramps, then you should be good to go. 

     Next, you will need to get your wrench, oil pan, and rags ready as you will need them to drain
your oil.  Place the oil pan on the ground beneath the drain plug, and keep a rag nearby in case it
spills or splashes.  If any oil gets on your clothes, it will ruin them.  When you are ready, use the
wrench to open the drain plug, and be sure to move the wrench out of the way quickly, or else it
will get caught in the stream of oil.  It will take a few minutes for all of the oil to drain out, and
after it does, replace the drain plug and tighten it with the wrench. 

   











      Now that you have successfully removed the oil, clean up any spills and remove all materials
from underneath the car.  You will now need a funnel, and the new oil that you bought at the
store.  You may need a step-stool if you used ramps, but if you used a jack, you can just lower
your car.  You will need to find the oil cap, when you do, remove it and place the funnel in the
hole.  Pour the new oil into the funnel, and check to make sure it is full after you finish filling it,
don’t forget to replace the cap when you’re done.  Now you can lower your car if you haven’t
already. 

     Lastly, to dispose of the dirty oil, you can take it to most auto shops and they will properly
recycle it.  And that’s it!  You have now successfully changed your oil on your own.  It is
recommended that you note the date and mileage of the car after changing the oil so that you’ll
know when you need to change it again.

"Guardian Angel" by Ariana H

     On January 10, 2020 my life changed forever. A very close family friend of mine was admitted into the hospital. She was super sick and she refused to go to the hospital because she believed nothing was wrong and that she was just coughing. In the middle of the night she woke up coughing and she was bleeding. Her husband immediately took her to the hospital because he knew something was wrong. I got the text the next day from my mom saying she was in the hospital. I couldn’t believe what my mom had told me and every night I prayed for her to get better but she only got worse. My mom and few others were the only ones who were allowed to see her. My mom would come home and tell me what she looked like and that she wasn’t doing so well. I was hoping for the best but expecting the worse because I didn’t want to get my hopes up. She was such a strong and intelligent woman and I couldn’t have imagined my life without her. It was so hard to think that our 5 years of friendship could just end so soon. Two weeks later on January 27th I got a call from my mom during 6th period and when I didn’t answer she text me and told me that she had passed away. I have never Experienced a death of someone who is close to me and I would never wish that upon anybody. When I saw the text message my heart broke into 1 million pieces and as I sat in sixth period I began to cry because it did not seem real. When I came home I saw my mom and we both just started bawling her eyes out. It was such a hard time for my family because we were so close with her. For a whole week any time that I saw anything that reminded me of her or someone talked about her I would just cry. I didn’t understand why it happened to me and to her family. On the day of the funeral I remember getting ready and I told myself that I wasn’t sad. I thought to myself I cried about it for a week and a half and I think I have gained closure. But boy was I wrong. With my family and I went to the church the moment we walked into the room I got so overwhelmed. My entire family started to cry and I couldn’t believe what was going on. My mom was asked to give a speech but she decided not to because she couldn’t handle it. I decided to get up and go and speak about our friend because someone in our family needed to recognize all she had done for us. When I went up and talked I remembered all of the memories and who she really was as a person. After my speech I feel like I finally got to say goodbye. I held onto guilt because I wasn’t able to visit her in the hospital due to school and work. I felt  like I never got to say goodbye and it tore me to pieces. When I walked off after speaking I felt like I could breathe again because it felt like she was right next me and I was able to say goodbye. Since the funeral my family and I have visited countless times and it’s almost like she is always with us. I know people haven't experienced a loss yet but it takes a big toll on you. I have learned so much in the past month about myself and who I want to be. I remember her every single day and I will not forget the lessons that she has taught me. I have been able to connect more with God and just understand that her death shouldn’t take over me. I should always remember her and remember the good. I pray for her everyday and hope that she is finally free. Even though I wished this wouldn’t have happened you cannot cheat death and what God has in store for you. I have also used this
experience to live my life to the fullest and live with no regret. I think about her all the time and I wonder if she watches me and subconsciously helps me through my everyday life. I am so blessed to have been able to know her and her family because she was such a big asset in my life. She supported me and went to my games and cheer competitions. She is my guardian angel and I wish I could just hug and talk to her one last time. 

"Hello! You Are Alive! " by Izaiah R

  Hellooooo. Yes. Hi there. Yes you. Silly little one. Making wretched noises. Welcome to the world little bag of hungry cells. In essence a literal sponge, with the highest brain plasticity and capacity to learn you will ever have in your existence; before your great decay and return into the elements of the sandbox universe. All of this on the floating asteroid you call home... I’m sorry that was a rather strong introduction. Maybe enjoy this pacifier a little, while I share some basic average human life problems. Oh, what's that? You’re more interested in your thumb? Ah yes the thumb. A wondrous sucking apparatus and wonderful choice. Very comforting … but you’ll upgrade to sucking your mother’s nipple in a few short hours, because sustenance and all. It’s important, trust me. It allows you to better grow and become a young healthy grub of subsistence to where you’ll be expected to do some things here and there. Minor in the start. Kinda big in the middle. Meaningful in the end. Or maybe you’ll waste it. Eventually after a couple many full moons you will find yourself going to a stereotypically brick structure with no clue what anything is, with other small walking squawking little cherubs that just know how to say, “HIIIII!!” really loud awkwardly in a damn adorable manner or that the sky is blue. You’ll say, “HIIIII!!” back. Suddenly it’s a friend. The hieroglyphics on the wall will start to make sense. Drawing the connection that a DHA, OH, and JUH equals a fluffy companion that is commonly referred to as a ‘dog’. Congratulations, your first step to being a more exceptional human being was taken. Few years of memorizing irrelevant things, parents divorce, grandpa passes, cousin marries, adopt a vertebrate friend and to remember barely a third of everything. One must love the brain for its storage efficiency. The game of life continues on but it’s principals are the same. Most do a few years on a larger campus with more buildings, mostly retaining Hitler equal bad and how to sparknotes. Graduate with a paper that probably came from the Amazon saying “YOU ARE READY FOR LIFE”. Realize you don’t know what you’re doing. Panic. Continue on. Go thousands into debt for college, or enter the workforce or the military. Not that one cares what you want anyway, you’re just another breathing corpse. They don’t share your goals or desires. On each application remove any personality and be ‘normal’, because no one cares about your sock collection passion, how impressive your card tricks are or any other of your idiosyncratic pleasures; only just how well you can follow rules. No one
believes in you, until one day they do. For the time being stick with your side hobby and the chosen path. Fondly reminiscing on the happier times. When life was Mario Kart or dancing with cousins past midnight. In comparison to the utter hell you live in now. Give it some years. Some depression. Lack of purpose to spice it up. Get Lost. Age more. Maybe suicidal thoughts? Alcohol. Sex. Lots of that ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) . Both are excellent coping mechanisms and while doing that perhaps consider finding someone who will tolerate/deal with your quirky nature and not just do it for the looks/pleasure. Hit the 10,950 day mark also known as 30. Congratulations. You made it past the worst, maybe but you still let your crippling fear of others hold you back despite being GROWN. Ironic how we still are victims of basic instinct despite advancements Galileo, Socretes or Einstein would’ve wet themselves over. We don’t have Atlantis but if you were to tell people 100 years ago what today is like, they wouldn’t believe you. Have the mid life crisis understanding a typical natural death is closer than ever somewhere in between the 30 to 40 year marks or anytime after realizing how much time you wasted. Vow you won’t waste anymore time. Vow you won’t hesitate anymore. Then forget that because of your fear or self sabotage. Continue the path you’ve taken. Play it safe. Stay in your lane. Keep the course. Don’t kanoodle. Stay in the miserable, easier path. Sacrificing your happiness and unwillingness to be remarkable in the name of image for people you don’t care about. We all have debts to pay and you apparently can’t pay them if you compromise your perception or inability to be flawed. Get older. Get wiser. Regrets start to pour in as life reflection begins. Queue the why questions you already know the answers to. Why did I let the one run away from me and not tell her that I loved her and just wanted to adore her for our lives? Why couldn’t I get over my embarrassment and give mom one last hug and “I love you”? Why was I too ‘busy’ to cheer up grandma down the street after she lost grandpa? Why did I hesitate and question everything? Why did I care so much about what people perceived of me? What one would do if time could fall back. Return the in-exchangeable currency of time for the better hopeful outcome of a new life. Instead only gaining wisdom and allowing more reflection. Yet you still fear exposure. Realize that no one really knows why they are here or what they are doing here and that we are all trying to cope with that. Everything breathing dies eventually; nature, she is under no obligation to grant you another successful beat, but at will start another new one and so is the cycle called life. One day
you will follow suit in whatever manner you believe in, passing on into whatever you think is the right answer to death; but the universal answer will be the return of life into the ground which it was borne from; in a grave. In your final waking moments, as the life hourglass empties you will probably be there afraid and unaware of your future, the same principles which dictated the majority of your life. Hopefully moments before your passing you’ll wonder of the good moments, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. Hopefully it’ll flash through and you’ll be content. Or maybe you wasted it all. Still, yet to think this is all predicated from your decisions and choices you make in the ‘today’ but most don’t see that. So please dear little one, choose wisely and It’ll serve you some good. Choose the stars, not the ground. Choose happiness, not misery. Choose solace in the wrongs and empathize. Take good action, for it will determine your destiny. 
 
*Just a small note to those who finished reading this. First, thank you, secondly if you were wondering yes I am fine and thirdly this is not intended to convey a sad message and if it doesn’t make complete sense that is also a way to interpret this. Though if it did make you sad, I would advise to eat some oranges. Those always make me feel better. 

“Date Cake” By Vibhuti P

     Do you have something in your pantry that you haven’t liked all your life? Was your mother able to turn that into one of your favorite desserts? Well, when I was little, my mother went on experimenting with different recipes to see which ones would be tasty and would be beneficial to my health. She soon came across a recipe called “date cake” and for a while, she didn’t tell me what it was made of.

(pictured without cashews or walnuts)










Ingredients:

 - 18 dates
- ¾ cup milk (to soak the dates)
 - ¾ cup sugar - I cup all-purpose flour
 - ½ cup oil (or ¼ cup oil + ¼ cup applesauce)
 - 1 tablespoon cashews + walnuts (optional)
 - Chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
1. Soak the dates in warm milk
2. Add the sugar and grind them to a smooth paste
3. Add oil and mix
 4. Sieve together the flour and baking soda
5. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and mix slowly
6. Add nuts and chocolate chips and mix
7. Preheat oven at 350F and bake in a greased pan for 35 - 40 minutes


     As you can see, this recipe is really easy to make and also eggless! One of the reasons it has stuck with me for so long is because this recipe made me realize that if I didn’t like a certain
type of food, I could always turn it into something better! Also, this is the cake that my mother prepared on any given occasion, no matter what.

"How to Make a Carnation Lei" by Jaelani P

     We all know graduation is coming up in about two months which is getting closer and closer each day. As to prepare, my family is making multiple kinds of leis to celebrate graduation. Since my mom was born in Hawaii and is Filipino as well, it is tradition on my mom’s side to make leis for those who graduate, whether from middle school, high school, or college. Now some may ask what is a lei? The original definition of a lei is a Polynesian garland of flowers but a lei can now be made with all kinds of different material (ex. candy, ribbon, and even money). A lei is used for greetings, farewells, congratulations, friendship and more. In Hawaii, leis are given to you and placed around your neck when you arrive on the islands with a kiss on the cheek to show affection and welcome. In addition, the ancient Hawaiians wore these leis to beautify themselves, give to one another, or give to the gods. Today, there is such a wide variety of leis you can make that can be used for numerous occasions. However, some leis are easy or difficult to make and can be very time consuming but a carnation lei is a simple and fairly easy lei to make. 

Materials needed:
 ● Two dozen batches of carnation flowers (any color of your liking will do) - Be careful when choosing the bouquets, some carnations are too small and won’t look as nice when put together for the lei. Look for a well bloomed carnation that is fully to almost bloomed, DO NOT get carnations that are barely bloomed or are still buds.
 ● Thread or floss (the line of floss not the sticks) - I recommend the line of floss (as long as it’s not a scented one)
● Scissors
 ● A small tub of water - warm water and wide in width
  ● A long thread needle 

 

     To make the lei like the image above, you will first need to separate the flowers from your bouquet and cut the flower part away from the stem, so that you separate the flower bud part from the stem. Do this for every flower with your bouquet and gently fluff your flower buds so that the petals will look fuller on the lei. After fluffing, place them in the tub of water so that they stay fresh while you weave them together. Now get the sewing needle and place the thread through the needle. Once through the needle tie the end with a knot as if you’re sewing, make sure it’s a big enough knot so that the thread won’t slip through the flower while making the lei. Select a flower bud and carefully poke the needle through the center of the bottom of the flower and carefully push through until it goes through the other end. When you get the needle through and place another flower make sure the bottom of the second flower is on top of the previous flower, place them so that the bottom of the flower bud is hidden within the flower petals. After that, continue this process until you reach your desired length, place the lei around your neck to measure. Once you reach your desired length tie the end of the threat and make sure it is secure and tight. If you wish to keep it fresh overnight place the lei in the fridge and take it out the next day, keep it in the fridge no longer than a day. Now you are ready for your graduation! Now you can either make that lei for a friend, family, or even yourself! I hope this was helpful or even just an interesting tip to know and if you want other tutorials on how to make other kinds of different leis let me know. 

" Number 518 " by Katera P

      “No no no no-Please!” As I was being pried away from my husband’s arms I fought for my life...I fought for him. I’m finally seeing the effects of this new “utopia” and it’s not great. Love is prohibited, no more independence, we are all “equal”, slaves to the higher class, and we are hurting, “Please let me say one more thing to him-please!” My fight ended as quickly as it started once I’m thrown into the back seat of a car.    The pictures outside my window are only blurs of a town I once lo- I mean liked. The blurriness of my town disappears as the car ride gets longer and longer. We’ve been driving through dirt and shrubbery roads for what seems like ages. A building finally comes to view and it towers over the car with its grey and reflective glass windows. The car door opens and I’m yanked out of the car. The sun is blinding and my feet feel like a thousand small needles. I’m pushed to follow a line of people entering the building. All of them are women...why? We are led down a long brightly lit hallway that looks like it stretches for miles. I let my fingers pass along the grey bumpy wall as we walked farther and farther down. We finally reach a door and we are told to sit on the floor. There's a man on the podium looking at us settled onto the floor, “ Thank you all for being here.” The man says once we are all sat, “Today we will be filming an educational video about the old world.” I can’t understand where this is going and why there's only women in this room.   “Today we are going to get rid of your pain. Since you won't understand the procedure on how we will rid you of this pain I’ll simplify it for you...brainwash.” I questioned if I heard him correctly, but my body reacted before more. Goosebumps and tears roll down my face, and my breathing shortens. I’m terrified of what this means for me. I don’t want to forget my husband,friends,family, and myself. I don’t want to be a blank canvas like the people I see on the news. The man continues to speak, “ We will start with releasing section by section so please remain seated.”   The next hour consisted of yelling, crying, slapping, shoving, kicking, and praying. I was actually in a living hell. I couldn’t run or attack. I just listened to the women being taken into the rooms and then silence until another wave was taken in.    It was my turn next and I was too numb to even fight it. Two men pulled me into their arms and walked me toward the door. Inside was a brown chair, in front of it was a camera, and next to the camera stood a man with thick black glasses. I sat in the chair and waited for what would happen next. The man spoke, “Hello Bex I am Aspen and I will be helping with today's procedure. I will be recording you as you speak your last thoughts. During this recording there will be series of flashes each one washing away your memories. As you will soon be able to tell this is painless...any questions...no? Ok let's get started.” The camera started rolling as the man says the time and date and looks at me to start. I began to think maybe this is a good idea and maybe getting rid of my memories won’t be a bad idea...so I can forget this day. All I wanted to do was talk like this is normal, so if I have a chance to look at this I can look at the women I used to be. So I began  “Hey it’s Bex...I’m 30 years old...a psychologist and I have a pet dog. Um I- ok I’ll start my final statement ….I once knew love. It was like yesterday I was able to hold
you...hm. I’ll never forget the fuzzy feeling when you asked me out on a date...and we both showed up late ha! And I dropped my food on the floor haha...I’ll miss that. I’ll miss your smile and your hand in mine….why? Why can’t I scream your name from the rooftop, dance with you, sing for you…die for you?” I pause and look at the monitors watching me. I just look at it’s blinking red dot mocking my failure. “Huh! Why! What’s so wrong with loving another being and being ourselves!I will NOT be a puppet!! Why God!...why.” The pain no- the anger I’m feeling is almost unbear- flash! I was blinded by the first flash, “ WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! This isn’t right! You CAN’T change everyone-“ another flash ends my sentence. I don’t want to forget but I feel my memory sloping already, “I will never forget! This world you created will crumble just as quickly as it was built...I promise” flash…


Number 518
Year 3020
Subject: Bex Mare
Video log part 2

   “Ok Bex let's continue the video shall we? Ok first question… Are you excited for your future?” Bex looked into the monitor with a smile on her face, “I look forward to what is to come and I support every decision made for me with open arms”. 

Number 518
Year 3020
Subject: Bex Mare
Video log part 2  Complete