I just finished reading a novel called “Lullabies for little criminals.” This book is amazing…I do not like reading for pleasure, ever, but I finished this book in like 3 and a half weeks, which is crazy, for me anyways. I don’t want to say too much about it, because you all HAVE to read it, but I’ll give away some of the plot. The book is based over like two years of this young girl’s life. The little girl’s name is Baby and she is 12-13. Baby always only knew poverty and she eventually got into horrible things such as drugs and prostitution. It is remarkable how incredibly child-like her mind and description stays and at the same time, she is living a life no child should ever know. One of Baby’s descriptions that stayed in my mind, was one she made about the moon one night, she said the moon was “like a hole in the elbow of a black sweater”, describing how the moon peaked brightly out of an all black sky. I am never one of those people to encourage others to read, because I really never do but Oh my Goodness you must read this book! haha. You will be saddened, happy, freaked out, it just plays with all your emotions and makes you wonder how anyone could live the way Baby and her 25 year old Father do. This book helped me realized how severely-troubled children think, and how they feel that they cannot turn back, once they have gone too far with the wrong things. It was an amazing book! Thanks for letting me borrow it C-vet. — jo

where he sleeps at night

It really doesn’t matter

if he loves to fight

It really doesn’t matter

whether he’s happy or he’s sad

It really doesn’t matter

whether the doctors think he’s mad

It doesn’t really matter

If he changed his name

It doesn’t really matter

If he’s not the same

It wouldn’t really matter

If he were deaf, or if he couldn’t see

Nothing matters more

Than the fact that he’s family

I always learn the hard way (This is because I love learning the hard way, I hate NOT doing something, just because I was told not to, I have to do it myself and learn not to do it again, by my own mistakes.)

Money is nothing of true value (This is because I learned from growing up in a wealthy family that the things I have recieved from my parents that were material, really mean, not so much now. The times that my Dad took time to give me a hug before he made a business phonecall or that fact that my Mom still makes my lunch every morning…those things mean everything to me.)

Blessed with more than I deserve (Simple, I am truly blessed with so much more than I deserve, my friends love me no matter what I do, they know who I am, my family is the same, I know I could screw up horribly and still be loved and accepted and even the fact that I am a Canadian. What did I do that made me so blessed to live in Canada, instead of Haiti, or Uganda…places where I probably wouldn’t survive?)

You love, You risk, You trust (This is because I believe that in order to love someone, it takes alot of risk, risk of your own safety and a lot of untrust and worries you may have. Also, I believe that after taking this risk, you first learn to truly trust another person, and maybe which people not to trust.)

Ready to mature, stuck in adolescence ( This one I wrote because I hear people my age talking about how they can’t imagine heading off to college in September, or how they love being immature and in some ways, I totally agree…being immature will always be a small part of everyone! As far as being scared or surprised that I am moving into the next chapter in my life, I’m not. I am totally ready and I think it’s exactly the timing it should be. I feel as though, if anything, it’s going to slow. And I know, don’t be in a rush to grow up. I’m not, because I already have grown up, I am just ready. I’m not worrying about not fitting in, in college, or how things will work out, because I have a peace that it just will.)

LEONA LEWIS- BLEEDING LOVE

But something happened
For the very first time with you
My heart melts into the ground
Found something true
And everyone’s looking round
Thinking I’m going crazy

But I don’t care what they say
I’m in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don’t know the truth
My heart’s crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open

Trying hard not to hear
But they talk so loud
Their piercing sounds fill my ears
Try to fill me with doubt
Yet I know that the goal
Is to keep me from falling

But nothing’s greater
Than the rush that comes with your embrace
And in this world of loneliness
I see your face
Yet everyone around me
Thinks that I’m going crazy, maybe, maybe

But I don’t care what they say
I’m in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don’t know the truth
My heart’s crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open

And it’s draining all of me
Oh they find it hard to believe
I’ll be wearing these scars
For everyone to see

Pale green, long and thin strings of wild grass lean with the gentle gust,

it’s a draft on a winter night and my skin is chilled.

Chills from the cold and chills from the memory…

memory of a frozen place; reality.

But when I squint and I open my eyes I am reminded of this warmth-

this place in my head where I truly am, and I can truly always be.

The sun hurts my head and I have proof of this beauitful rapture in my own mind.

A never-ending shoreline,

my traced body in the sand,

a valley to my left

I’m with my essence, hand in hand.

Stuck inside a stare

and strangers wonder where I am.

I’m in this ecstasy,

my home in a faraway land.

“How’s your summer going?”

“Well maybe if you took the needle and mirror out of my mouth, I could tell you.”

Haha. I am so rude, but really, is it too much to ask to just do your job, and ask questions, when it’s a little less emberassing to answer. I always slobber all over the place, just trying to say, “going to college,” as I try to smile politely, and the flouride is going everywhere. It’s just a sketchy situation. I guess a lot of people hate the dentist to begin with, I actually don’t mind it, for the cleaning part, but I just wondered, if you all had any stories about the dentist, or if you guys agree. Is it just my dentist that talks to me with his tools in my mouth? Let me know, because if so, I think I’ll switch. – jo

In challenge and change, we are working on researching smoke-free ads and campaigns, and I know, on a more personal note, that my boyfriend is quitting smoking right now, and some of the facts I found, were so useful that I printed them off to show him. Even if you are a non-smoker, it is interesting to see what your loved ones or friends may be inhaling. Also, to see what happens to second-hand smokers, (especially if you are a second-hand smoker yourself.)

Anyways, Check it out and learn more about how to quit, or enforce non-smoking to the people around you.   — jo

the diamond in my necklace,

the bloodline of royalty.

You are forever in my heart.

You are the christmas wrapping,

the minute before a speech,

the last number in a countdown.

You are excitement in my fingertips.

You are a new born baby,

the wedding march’s tune,

the reunion of a soldier.

You are joy in my soul.

You are a concentration headache,

the calloused fingertips,

the view of the finish line.

You are the determination in my will.

You are the guard that doesn’t move,

the great wall of China,

the safe that I belong in.

You are the protector in my eyes.

You are the dawn and dusk,

the importance of winning,

the rotate of my earth.

You are everything in my life.

buzzing around her head,

never-ending, annoying, frustrating

she’s a harvested row, in a field of newly planted corn

she is ready for replanting, but she must wait for the frost to melt

the frost of decisions, stress, time, and not having enough of it

when she inhales, her throat itches, her back tense

her ribs are sore from unbelonging

here she exsists, merely exsists

but when she exhales, she goes to another place

to the life she’s a part of, she’s involved in

her tight toes release, and they crack all the eggshells beneath her

she blows up her own balloon, hangs on tight and flies away

   I know that as of now, WO has a World Issues course, and I am in that course, and let me just say, that we have not covered a single world issue, ( this may be because it is split between environmental studies and world issues, and our teacher happens to know more about the environment,) but I still think, that current issues, issues happening everyday around the World, would be such an interesting, and fulfilling course. It would allow us to speak intellectually about changes in the world today, and how they are impacting our lives specifically. I think it would also engage more students in groups such as students without borders. If more students were aware of some of the problems in the world, they might be more likely to want to help out with them. Just my thoughts on World Events as a whole. Feedback always welcome – peace out- jo

In a car, speeding by, I wanted to be a chaser

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a nurse

Or maybe reading minds, sending out a curse

Once upon a time, I wanted to fly

To breathe and feel, amongst the clouds in the sky

Once upon a time, my dreams could be anything

And now I feel my options for life are slim

Once upon a time, I was a child

Growing into an adult, I was in complete denial

My dreams now, are different, a little more real

With problems that I faced, I learned how to deal

Once upon a time, I was nieve and happy

Now, the pain and hurt, is what I can see

Once upon a time, I wanted to grow up fast

Not holding on to innocence, thinking it would last

Once upon a time, my life changed, just today

I realized that I am a voice, a voice with something to say

                        When my parents informed me for the first time that we were moving, I was very angry. Once I got to start planning my new room I got a little more excited, but still upset, because I remembered as a kid, I promise my parents, I would never move out of our house. I loved my house, and I thought it would be the only place I would ever feel at home. I feel at home, only at a few places, my old house, at my best friend Chantelle’s, and at my boyfriend Jay’s. After my father explained to me that the plans for building a new house on the lot we bought, would not work and tghat we would be living in part of a barn, I was furious. The deal is, we bought an 88 acre farm and it has a massive shop and office, and barn connected to it. The office part of the building, we rennovated into our house, so on the outside it’s a little rough, but the inside, became a beautiful home.  I love my new house now, and I love changing my room around, and expressing myself now, as opposed to living in my old room from when I was a child.

                     I am so happy I’ve moved on with my life, and grew up enough, to enjoy change, for once in my life. I could be ready to move out whenever my time comes, and I love changing things around now.  I’m just wondering, if you guys have as much trouble with change, as far as changing your environment or not.

At most, it measures wisdom

Age is just a symbol

Of the years that you’ve been given

Age is just a collection

Of thoughts and memories

Age is not a title

Of who you want to be

My age will not match up

With who I am right now

His age will always be far ahead

To catch up, I’m unsure how

But in truth, I never want to

For it would end the connection between

The person who I truly love

For who he has always been

      This movie meant alot to me, not only because itshowed alot of a totally different culture, and living through that,but it showed the perfect picture of what a strong woman is. I loved Angelina’s character, it was so in depth and it still remained realistic. The movie, “A Mighty Heart,” is a must-see, for both men and women, it paints a truly beautiful picture!

        I do not agree with this law,and I am curious to see our class’s opinion. Don’t be afraid to disagree with me, I wrote this for commenting purposes. This law shocked me, but maybe some of you think this is an acceptable age. Mr. Cvetich, I would love to hear what you think about this, because it’s a totally different ballgame, when you have children who these laws may apply to. Thanks for reading!

friends fall gracefully, just like leaves

the frost reminds me of the hearts

of those that choose to sit in the dark

they say those who matter won’t mind

not exactly the case, but still i find

she cares, but she’s there

she grows with me,

with changes everyone can see

we’ll always grow together

the pine trees standing forever

my childhood memories,

my future’s destiny

until we’re old and grey

that’s how we’ll always stay

we watch friends come and go

“we” being the keyword, we always know

we’re sisters with different bloodlines

…eternally entwining vines

        When I vacationed to Puerto Vallarta last Feburary, it was the most at home I have felt in my entire life. The University of Guadalajara is in Puerto Vallarta and it’s the one that I would love to attend. I got to see it when I was there, and since then, I always knew something would bring me back. I would love to live there and start a family, but because my family and friends are here, I would rather go to school there and come back to start my life, in a more stable environment. I speak broken/fluent spanish, if that makes any sense and I fell in love with the culture and pace of life in Mexico over my four experiences with different parts of the country. Puerto Vallarta is my favourite and I wanted to hear about what you guys thought about following a crazy dream like this, or if it would be better to get schooling here finished first, and a life, then decide whether that’s still in the cards for me. I don’t want to miss out on a once in a lifetime experience and I wanted your advice. Please feel free to be brutally honest.          – JO