Sunday, November 9, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Autobiographical Incident
It was the regional track meet and there was a crowd full of fans including the whole track team, my family, and my coaches. My fellow teammates and I wished each other good luck and headed off to our designated positions for the 4 by 100 meter relay. While I walked to my spot and listened to my coach as he gave me some last minute advice, I glanced to the sky and saw the bright stadium lights shining down upon me like the sun on a summer’s day. I could smell hot dogs and popcorn in the air and the stench made my stomach turn, like the smell of dead fish washed up on the beach. I looked to the packed stands and knew there was cheering going on, but I could not hear a thing. I was thinking about my race, and was picturing the perfect hand-offs in my head. The gun fired, and the race had begun. I jumped a few times while waiting for my teammate to round the track. She hit the mark and I started running. I heard “HEY,” threw my hand back like a bullet, and felt the cold baton in my palm. I was off, and before I knew it I had reached the second exchange zone. Our hand-off went just how I had pictured it, and we had improved to third place. After just completing my leg of the race, I watched in disappointed as my teammates ran out of the exchange zone on the last hand-off.
The first runner came up to me and we both felt very disappointed and upset because we were disqualified. As a result, we were not able to proceed to the second day of the regional meet. Even though we were upset, we knew that our teammates were angry at themselves and needed our encouragement. From this experience, I learned that you have to be forgiving and understanding, even when things do not go the way you hoped.
The first runner came up to me and we both felt very disappointed and upset because we were disqualified. As a result, we were not able to proceed to the second day of the regional meet. Even though we were upset, we knew that our teammates were angry at themselves and needed our encouragement. From this experience, I learned that you have to be forgiving and understanding, even when things do not go the way you hoped.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Credo
Always say thank-you.
Never lie.
Don’t sit too close to the television.
Brush and floss your teeth.
Raise your hand if you want to speak.
Just because everyone else is doing it, does not mean you should be.
Do not talk back.
Clean your room and make your bed.
Never go by yourself, use the buddy system.
Help your parents with the chores.
Do things on the first request.
Close the door; you don’t live in a barn.
Never lie.
Don’t sit too close to the television.
Brush and floss your teeth.
Raise your hand if you want to speak.
Just because everyone else is doing it, does not mean you should be.
Do not talk back.
Clean your room and make your bed.
Never go by yourself, use the buddy system.
Help your parents with the chores.
Do things on the first request.
Close the door; you don’t live in a barn.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Where I'm From
I am from flour,
from Brownies and butterscotch bars.
I am from the sun breaking through the sunroom doors.
Warm, bright, it felt like a blanket.
I am from the rhubarb patch,
the birch tree whose bark I peeled
as if it were paper.
I'm from clam chowder and brown hair,
from Francis and Mary-Ann.
I'm from the don't chew like a cow
and the sit up straights,
From annunciate and don't pick on your sister.
Im from Our Father who art in Heaven
and ten commandments I should know by heart.
I'm from Berea and Francis' Branch,
apple pies and mashed potatoes.
From the finger my father lost to the
dog who can jump seven feet high.
In my basement are boxes of old pictures,
a collage of memories to float among my dreams;
I am from those moments that are still reminisced,
brought to mind when life takes you back.
from Brownies and butterscotch bars.
I am from the sun breaking through the sunroom doors.
Warm, bright, it felt like a blanket.
I am from the rhubarb patch,
the birch tree whose bark I peeled
as if it were paper.
I'm from clam chowder and brown hair,
from Francis and Mary-Ann.
I'm from the don't chew like a cow
and the sit up straights,
From annunciate and don't pick on your sister.
Im from Our Father who art in Heaven
and ten commandments I should know by heart.
I'm from Berea and Francis' Branch,
apple pies and mashed potatoes.
From the finger my father lost to the
dog who can jump seven feet high.
In my basement are boxes of old pictures,
a collage of memories to float among my dreams;
I am from those moments that are still reminisced,
brought to mind when life takes you back.
Phases of the Moon
New Moon- Occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun. The three objects
are in apporximate allignment. The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see.
Waxing Crescent-After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half.
First Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun.
Waxing Gibbous- After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more
than half.
Full Moon- Occurs when the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new
moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. The shadowed portion is entirely hidden view.
Waning Gibbous- After the full moon, the light continually decreases.
Last Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun. So
we are seeing exactly half of the moon illuminated and half in shadow.
Waning Crescent- Following the third quater is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light
is completely gone (a new moon).
are in apporximate allignment. The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see.Waxing Crescent-After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half.
First Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun.
So we are seeing exactly half of the moon iluminated and half in shadow.
Waxing Gibbous- After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more
than half.Full Moon- Occurs when the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new
moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. The shadowed portion is entirely hidden view.Waning Gibbous- After the full moon, the light continually decreases.
Last Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun. So
Waning Crescent- Following the third quater is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light
is completely gone (a new moon).
Quotes to Live By
"We can not direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails."
- Anonymous
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail."
- Confucious
"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
- Walter Winchell
"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
-Charles Caleb Colton
"Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."
-Anonymous
"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
-Anonymous
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."~
-Mark Twain
"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
- John W. Gardner
- Anonymous
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail."
- Confucious
"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
- Walter Winchell
"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
-Charles Caleb Colton
"Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."
-Anonymous
"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
-Anonymous
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."~
-Mark Twain
"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
- John W. Gardner
Not Potato Salad
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 pounds gnocchi
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ribs celery, from the heart, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 jarred roasted red peppers, finely chopped
1 small jar marinated mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Preparation:
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to boil the gnocchi.
Once the water is boiling, drop the gnocchi into the pot and cook them according to package directions. When they're finished, drain the gnocchi and reserve them in the colander.
With your gnocchi cooking, grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together the Dijon and white wine vinegar. Stream the EVOO into the bowl while whisking then season the dressing with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the veggies and parsley to the mixing bowl, and toss in the cooked gnocchi. Give everything a good stir to evenly combine and you're all set! You can serve the salad now or let it chill out in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to develop more of the flavors.
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 pounds gnocchi
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ribs celery, from the heart, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 jarred roasted red peppers, finely chopped
1 small jar marinated mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Preparation:
Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to boil the gnocchi.
Once the water is boiling, drop the gnocchi into the pot and cook them according to package directions. When they're finished, drain the gnocchi and reserve them in the colander.
With your gnocchi cooking, grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together the Dijon and white wine vinegar. Stream the EVOO into the bowl while whisking then season the dressing with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the veggies and parsley to the mixing bowl, and toss in the cooked gnocchi. Give everything a good stir to evenly combine and you're all set! You can serve the salad now or let it chill out in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to develop more of the flavors.
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