The Fight Against Cancer

 Relay for Life is a organization that benefits the American Cancer Society. Relay is a 24hour event hosted at Central Park in Santa Clarita, but there are others around the U.S, and at least one person from every team is supposed to be walking on the track, for the whole time. Even at three o’clock in the morning people are supposed to be walking around the track. This year there are 130 teams signed up to participate in Relay. All together these teams have raised $144,819.35 for the American Cancer Society.

Each team has a Team Captain whose job is organize what the team is raffling (or other money making games) off on the day of Relay. Each Team Captain gets to pick a camp spot around the track, the camp spot is where you have your booth for your raffle or whatever game you have and is also where you can set up your tents. The people who run Relay set up meetings for the Team Captains before Relay, at these meetings the Team Captains can get luminaries, luminaries are paper bags that either say ‘In Memory Of’ or ‘In Honor Of’ on the top that people can buy for people that they know that have died or survived cancer, and where the pick the teams camp spot.

My Relay team is called the Huck Healers. My team was started in a class room. My philanthropy teacher, Mrs. Koppenhaver, was already part of a Relay team (Athletes against Cancer) because her son was a cancer survivor and she wanted us to have the experience of Relay for Life. All my classmates are on Huck Healers and we have each raised $100 or more for the American Cancer Society. We have fundraised for our team though a bake sale at our school, Huckleberry Center for Creative Learning, and a lemonade/bake sale at my friends Home Owners Association clubhouse, not to mention personal fundraising such as face booking, e-mailing, skyping and texting that went on. Our team has raised $1,650.55 for Relay but we’re hoping to raise more money in the six days before relay *hint-hint* to meet our goal of $2,000.

I, for one, am excited about the looming prospect of staying up 24hours with little sleep to help raise money for the American Cancer Society, complete with smiling constantly while selling raffle tickets for my teams movie basket (complete with two movies, popcorn, soda, candy and a blanket) and walking around the ‘track’. Ok, so maybe the constant smiling at three o’clock in the morning doesn’t sound so good but the reason why I’m doing it will make it worthwhile.

The whole process of creating a team name, choosing the team colors (bright blue and neon green), picking the saying to go on the back of the shirts, fundraising, and all the other cool stuff I’ve gotten to do was so much fun and there’s more to come. With Relay only six days away there is a lot more to do. Between buying snacks and drinks for the day of Relay, packing, finding the camp spot, then setting up everything the day before Relay my team has a busy week ahead of us, and that’s not counting all the homework and regular things we do at home.

I am so glad that I am able to participate in Relay for Life so that I can help, inadvertently, to find a cure for the disease that has claimed the lives of so many people. I hope that Huck Healers continues so that I may continue to help the fight against cancer.

Writing again

          Disclaimer: Please bear with me this blog post, it’s earky (12:30 AM) and I’m tired from my track meet yesterday morning/afternoon. I’m falling asleep as I write this just so ya know. Sorry if this doesn’t exactly make sense……

Blog post helped along by Wizard Rock.

I’m assuming everybody knows about the budget cuts that the schools have been getting (who doesn’t know about them?). When schools get budget cuts one of the first things they cut is music, closely followed by art and then anything even remotely artistic (why I have no idea, those things are important to!). Creative writing is one of the things schools cut. Creative writing is 1) an important form of expression and 2) a very helpful way to practice thinking out side the box. Creative writing is an important skill in life.

First I’ll enlighten you about the tremendously significant qualities of creative writing. Just kidding, I’m merely telling you my views on how creative writing is an important form of expression. Some people express themselves through playing an instrument, art, singing, cooking, and several other forms. My favorite is writing because I like be able to put my thoughts down on paper. “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” said William Wordsworth (he was a poet back in 1780’s). I think that what he said perfectly explains how creative writers feel when they write, I know that’s how I feel at least. Writing a story is more then just creating a character and thinking of a story line, although those are very important, you have to have a passion for writing. You have to write from your heart, the words are already written you just have to transfer them to paper.

As I’ve said before, creative writing is good practice for thinking outside the box. Especially when you’re writing a sci-fi or fantasy book because, well that’s when you have really crazy plots and story lines. Don’t even try to tell me that’s easy. Creating an outline for a story is an exercise that can be used for creating and solving problems, which is distantly related to math. And yes, I do know that you think I’m crazy for saying that. I know that solving for X is not the same as figuring out how to create and solve story line problems but it’s a step in the same direction.

Now you know why I think creative writing is important, I hope you agree. Creative writing is an important skill that is not being taught in schools. I hope that the public schools will be able to add creative writing back into their list of classes because it is important. It’s a skill that can be used in other subjects, not only the arts.

Writing and Harry Potter Fan Fiction

This blog was mostly inspired by these songs: Cold by Crossfade, Pretty Girl by Sugarcult, Protecting Me by Aly and A.J, Perfect Enemy by TaTu and Get Over It by Avril Lavigne

Writing didn’t always come easily to me. After years of trying to get me to write my mom enrolled me in Mrs. Holly’s writing class. It was in that class that I learned the joy of writing. Mrs. Holly’s class taught me how to enjoy writing but it was one of my best friends in San Jose, Mikayla that showed me HPFF, Harry Potter Fan Fiction. Mikayla had showed me HPFF before the Mrs. Holly’s class and I was hooked instantly.

Now I write stories on HPFF instead of just reading them. Mikayla is also an author on HPFF (her name on HPFF is HerbologyGirl ) so she was able to help get me started writing and I am forever indebted to her for it. Writing is my way of relaxing, just like how my mom’s way of relaxing is sitting by the ocean, and now that I can write and have my stories critiqued by people who I don’t know. Having people I don’t know read my stories is amazing because they won’t feel obligated to tell me it’s good if it’s not, enabling me to get good feed back (no offense intended to those friends who have read my stories). About 31, 522 authors on the site critiquing and posting to their hearts content.

Another great thing about HPFF is that the site is completely devoted to Harry Potter. No stories are posted on the site that aren’t related, though there are some writers that do cross stories (example: Twilight/Harry Potter) but most of them are just pure Harry Potter Fan-Fiction. Of course, sometimes authors change the story, making Hermione fall in love with Draco instead of Ron or having The Dark Lord kill Harry Potter (which changes everything) and there are also lots of stories about the Marauders (those always make me sad, considering everyone of them die in the books) or the Next Generation by writing about James Sirius Potter II, Albus Severus Potter, Lily Luna Potter and the other Golden Trio’s kids.

You can see, there are plenty of types of stories, and there are some absolutely hilarious stories! I cannot resist giving some names such as, Our Little Secret, Things Haven’t Changed and A Lifetime of – What? NO! and those are just a few of my favorites. Not all of the stories are humorous, some authors are so good at sad stories that they make me cry (example: I’ll Tell Him… Tomorrow). HPFF has many different kinds of stories posted and some the of the authors have gone on the become published authors!

The two stories I am writing right now are called Help me Rose, I’m all alone and I Will Fight (waiting to be validated). Help me Rose, I’m all alone is about Percy Weasley and Penelopy Clearwater Weasley’s second daughter, Lucy. Lucy’s parents and older sister Molly are very stuck up and none of the other Weasley’s like them. Lucy always followed in Molly’s shadow and this is the story of how she breaks free and discovers herself. I Will Fight is about a vampire/witch (yes I know its original) that starts Hogwarts in fourth year with the Marauders and Lily Evans-then-Potter. She’s already condemned herself to being friendless for eternity before school starts. Lily however (and later Sirius Black) want to change that, and make her see that although she can live forever that doesn’t mean she has to be alone. I have thousands of other stories wrapped up in my mind just waiting to be typed but I’m trying to convince myself that three is enough for now. It’s only sort of working.

I am forever grateful to Jay for creating HPFF and hope that the site is around for people like me for a long time, if not forever. HPFF is one of the things I’m most grateful which sounds silly but it’s true. It’s saving me from becoming an angry teenager with pent up emotions inside, which I’m sure pleases my mom and dad immensely. I hope that at least one person enjoys my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

He ate and drank the precious words,

His spirit grew robust;

He knew no more the he was poor,

Nor that his frame was dust.

He danced along the dingy days,

And this bequest of wings

Was but a book. What liberty

A loosened spirit brings!

~Emily Dickinson

Jar of Hearts

       Ok, so this is a random event that is unlikely to happen again in the near future. Wow, that actually sounded intelligent…..interesting. Anyway, the random event is that I am blogging! Yes I know what you’re thinking, ‘you already do that idiot!’. But I’m not posting a blog because of a writing assignment finally!! Amazing I know. I was inspired by my new follower, Cait Hegarty. She inspired me because all my other followers are my classmates (plus the teacher), she was the first person to find my blog interesting (I hope that’s what she thinks).

I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m blogging about. Truth be told, I have no idea. I just wanted to blog. To write about something anything just as long as I was writing. I could write about how I’m going to Italy this summer, or my HPFF stories I’m currently writing, or how I’m suddenly in love with a song. Weird I know. ‘Who falls in love with a song?’ you might be wondering. The answer is staring you in the face, MUSICIANS! And, of course, singers like me. In case you were wondering (whoever you is) what the song is I will tell you, Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri. It’s an amazing song that was, according to my friend wintrborn21, wildly popular years ago. Apparently I’m not always up to date with the latest hits. But that doesn’t matter to me, as long as I hear it I couldn’t care less when it was popular. To me, a good song is always a good song. Another awesome song, although it may be a rendition I have no idea, that I love is I will follow you into the dark by Death Cab for Cutie. If this song wasn’t popular then I am extremely disappointed in my fellow music lovers. It’s a spectacular song.

Wow, this blog turned out so different then I expected. I didn’t mean to talk about songs, it just sorta happened. Interesting, it’s kinda like a journal minus talking about my ‘emotions’. This was strange, I haven’t just plain written in such a long time. It’s nice. Oh great, the blog’s becoming a journal, lovely. Well this was a pointless blog anyway so I’ll just quit while I’m ahead, at least that’s what I keep telling myself.   

Fallacies

        Fallacies are ‘a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning’ say’s Google dictionary. Most kids don’t know what fallacies are. Most companies use persuasive advertisements so that people will buy their stuff and within the advertisements are fallacies.  I think fallacies should be taught in public schools because they (as in the fallacies) help kids not only understand propaganda techniques but recognize them as well.

One fallacy is called ‘poisoning the well’, more commonly known as name calling. An example of ‘poisoning the well’ is one man calling another (we can call him George) a thief before giving George time to speak. Another fallacy is called ‘testimonial’. A testimonial fallacy would sound something like this, “Dolly Parton is voting for (insert name) and she think (insert name again) would make a great (insert government occupation) so you should vote for (insert name) to!”. I could go on and on about different fallacies but I won’t, it would be boring. Besides, if you are truly interested you can just Google it. There are so many different fallacies it’s hard to remember them all when you see an ad and wonder if any of the things said in it is true or what tricks are they using to get you to buy what they are selling.

I think that’s it’s important for people to learn about fallacies so that the people in this country don’t fall prey to turning into sheep, my term for people who do something just because everybody else is doing it. My friends were always badgering me to get a FaceBook but I never did because, one my mother wouldn’t let me and two, because I didn’t really want one so what was the point? Just to have one because everybody else did? I, for one, do not want to be a sheep, ever. They kept saying, did you ask yet? Did your mom say yes? When are you getting one? They just wanted to be able to talk to me on FaceBook but they used (not on purpose) a fallacy. Glittering Generality they call it, telling only the glamorous things about FaceBook (“When you get one you’ll know all the latest stuff about Willa and Cole!” and not the ugly thing (but in their defense the ugly stuff didn’t happen to them). All the ugly comments, the swearing and all the other stuff that goes on that site. I’m not against FaceBook, it’s just not the thing for me. Well, long story short, if kids, or people in general, learn about fallacies then they will be able to logically think about whether what they are hearing is true or not. Confusing I know, but that’s just it. The truth is hard to find.  

Even if teachers in the public schools taught students about fallacies and when they were adults the kids didn’t remember fallacies, but at least they had the chance! I know some kids don’t care about school and learning but just because some through away their education doesn’t mean to have to ruin the other kid’s! All kids should have a shot at learning logic and to become smarter then the advertisers. So have a little faith, and teach kids about fallacies.

I hope now you know a little more about fallacies and that you agree with me that kids in public schools should be taught about them. I know that most people, even if they remember what a fallacy is, probably won’t memorize the different fallacies but as long as they know some of them that is a lot better then many people. And because they know about fallacies they won’t fall prey to the advertiser’s tricks to convince them to buy whatever they are selling, be it car insurance or a new microwave. And last but not least, before you can outsmart the advertisers you have to learn about their tricks, their fallacies. So hurry up and start teaching kids about fallacies! It’s not like they are going to think to themselves ‘ Hmm, I wonder what a fallacy is?’ because they don’t even know what a fallacy is. Kids will learn if they are just given the tools to do so. My conclusion is that kids should learn about fallacies in public school because it will help them later in life.