Creatively Blogging From My Igloo

Brr. Its cold. Canada still rules though. and here is my blog on the play, as late as it is.
I thought that the play was frustrating to write because I couldn't really tell a story. It had to focus on dialog which meant that actions didn't really have a huge effect. Also during a play there is only so much shifting through time you can do, it really gave me a headache when coming up with ideas. Now that I've written this play I really don't want to have anything to do with drama, I wanted to be an actor when I was like 6, but I grew out of it. Clearly I'm not growing back into drama. No thank you.

Anyways, onto answer number two. I don't really know much about personal essays because I was in Canada for the last week while you guys talked about it and all that other fun stuff you do. Anyways, my idea's for my personal essay are short. I'll probably talk about when I first met my dad at 14. Or maybe moving out to Minnesota to live with him. Or when my brother was born. Who knows, maybe I'll think of something really funny to tell. We'll see when the time comes. But apparently the answer to this question needs to be a hundred words long, so maybe I'll ramble for a couple sentences to fill space. Or maybe I'll end my answer right about...now.

Advice for a 10 year old? thats easy, I have a 9 year old brother and an 11 year old sister, I got advice coming out the wazoo. Anyways, I would tell them always keep your head up, because if you don't, you'll probably run into something. I always tell my siblings that I got through that age, and so did plenty of other people, so just go with it. Plus what happens happens, be happy with whatever happens in life and enjoy experiences, both good and bad. Thats about it, most of my advice just comes out on the spot when my siblings need it.

So now I'm done posting my blog, for this class and all my other ones. Now I can go out again.
So hows aboot you let me get back to the snow Eh. PEACE!

Luigi & Mario Pirandello never did any 'playwrights' they did video games.

Theme is everything you write, it's the difference between an interesting subject or something that makes you want to take a nap. Even the most interesting things can be made boring with a dumb theme. I've noticed this a lot more lately. I think that that its hard to express that theme is not important and since I don't beleive this, i'm not going to talk about that viewpoint. Anyways, like I was saying, writing, needs to express an idea. But it's important that it doesn't drag on, and expresses the idea clearly, it only makes writing worse when a writer is forced to write a certain ammount.

Time for question number two. This one is kind of tough to answer, mostly because I haven't heard of a single one of these 'surviving' works of literature. However, I have heard of a few that survived awhile, like Shakespeare and all that fun stuff. Anyways, I think the only thing that makes literature survive for so long is making it so complicated that no one can understand it. That way people read it for a long time and wonder what it really even meant. But because my writing usually makes sense, it probably won't stand the test of time.

And on a completely unrelated note, if I could have a long lasting impact on the world, I would want world peace. Well that, and all the starving children to be fed and not be so hungry anymore. I might have this impact if I decided to write speeches for Ms. America contestants. But seriously, I don't really want to have an impact on the world, it's too much work.

PEACE.

Not what it used to be...

1. Something that concerns me is going to college. The decision between going far away or staying close. I want to go somewhere far away from here but at the same time theres a lot I would be leaving behind. I want to be close to my family, but not to close. It's also tough because I have family here in Edina but also in Toronto. It's tough deciding what to do.

2. Everyone I know is dynamic. Especially this one guy I know named Tyler. Probably the most dynamic person I know. Don't ask why, I don't really have any examples. He's just cool like that I guess.

3. There is a song by Swollen Members, that I wrote in one of my blogposts when our teacher was here. It's called Put On Me. It always gives me the inspriation I need and is really nice. Its all about no matter what happens still being yourself and being there for the people that need you. It is kind of cheesy, but I like it. Thats all.

Finally I'm done. Time to take a nap.

Happiness

I would define happiness as having everything or almost everything that is important to you. It can be material or just friends or things that make you feel emotionally satisfied.

In my life happiness is a few things. Most importantly its being close to my siblings, i'm the oldest of 6 and all my brothers and sisters are important to make me happy. I also think that being close to my friends and other family members is important, without my friends, I wouldn't be who I am. My greatest source of happiness has to be that I have know I have close friends all over the world and staying close to them, It makes me happy to think that almost everywhere I go there will be someone pretty close to me that I know well.

In my life the person that has the greatest influence is hard to decide. On one hand I would say Tom Melton, because he's pretty much the high point of my day. Either him or my 9 year old brother Jacob. He was the only sibling I grew up with and more than anyone I consider him my best friend. Family is most important to me and we know each other better than any of my other siblings. He is the greatest influce on my happiness.

I thought about who's happiness I affect the most and I decided it was none other than Sarah. Yes Sarah V. Because I know that I am the highlight of not only her third hour, but her entire day. To see me smiling from across the classroom pretty much says that the day is going to be just great. If I don't come to class, or come to class with a sad face on, Sarah's face turns sad. She is impacted by me because even though she always loses against me, she is always inspired to 'try' and win. Thats why I impact her happiness.

Finally my greatest need in life is family & friends. I treat my friends like family and my family comes before everything. It is who I am, where I came from, and who I will be. I love my family.
And now I'm done being deep. You can breathe again.

Tyler OUT

I can see my reflection in this quarter

1. Over this quarter I really enjoyed almost everything. But I probably enjoyed the short stories most, even though I really liked daily prompts and liked poems I think that the short stories were the best because for the most part we were free to write about whatever we wanted. It was also easier to get on a roll with the stories and just let the writing flow as funny as that sounds.

2.I also think I did the best short story writing, my poems were good but in stories I think I did a better job of using images and all that. I haven't really written a lot of short stories before though, in the 7th grade we had to in english class, I remember writing a story about a kid with superpowers. It was probably the greatest piece of writing ever. It's easy for me to get inspiration in short stories because everything from music, to tv, to pictures inspires me.

3. In all this writing I have learned that I am very inspired by everything around me, and all it takes is something to sit me down and get me to start writing, once I've started I get on a roll and I don't stop until I'm satisfied. It is also easier to keep going if I have freedom to do whatever I want with the story. If I'm really forced into writing something specefic I get bored and want to fall asleep on my desk.

4. For my writing I'd probably like to pursue longer stories or music, I know they aren't really close to each other writing-wise but I really think that both of them are interesting. I think that music is really good to write because it makes it easier to say things that are on your mind that you normally couldn't.

Well thats about it for the questions. Now that I'm done writing, I'm going to go back to saving the world.

Or something like that.

Creepy. Spooky. Ect.

1. I normally do like to be scared, I think it's the excitement that comes with being afraid of something that I love so much. As for setting, anywhere is cool to be scared.

2. I used to be really afraid of a huge list of things, bugs, especially spiders, clowns, dummies and snakes. Personally, I've never really liked big houses, and when I'm in them I need them to be filled with company. I just don't like the idea of so much space for stuff to happen and for me not to know about it.

3. To be considered mad by me someone would have to completely lose their mind. I'm pretty crazy as it is, so someone would have to do something extremely out of the ordinary and unforgettable for me to consider them mad.

4. I think what drives people to madness is a combination of things, or any one of many things. It could be normalcy, life becoming to routine and eventually causing them to reach for something unexpected. It could be something as simple as a build up of stress. Or just be something wrong with their brain entirely.

That's my thoughts on fear. You can go back to doing what you were doing before now.

Alternate Beginnings

Here it comes. The corner I've grown to increasingly detest over the past few months.

I'm worried that this will be the last time I walk this way.

I can't take it anymore, this is the day I take a stand.

That mans face lingers in my thoughts as I approach the final corner.

Its impossible to fight it, I have to walk this way home.

Not Sure Where I'm Going, Don't Know Where I've Been?

To start off I thought this story was really creepy. I think that the setting in the second half of the story is important because it sets the mood and shows her solitude well. Connie's character draws the reader in because shes a victim. But it drives the reader crazy because she just won't smarten up and listen to common sense. In the story Joyce Carol Oates seems to be adressing the vunerablity of teenage girls and how easy it is for stalkers to victimize people in this day and age. This story appeals to so many people because we sympathize for her and her stupidity, she is a victim, and we naturally feel bad for the victim no matter how stupid or ignorant they are. After she leaves the house I think she is taken advantage of and then killed, I only think this because I was told the story is inspired by a killer in Arizona. The man is very creepy and disgusting here because he lies about his age, stalks young girls, and takes them away. In our society today I think he represents the number of stalkers in our society today. That is all.




Okay now that I am done ranting about the stalker story. Here is my list of 10 things that I think make a short story great.

• A strong story line
• An obvious conflict
• Characters that are easy to relate to
• Characters that are unique and not just generalizations of personality types
• An underlining morale of the story
• A good choice of words(not too long not too short)
• Action packed stories
• Stories with good jokes and punchlines are good too
• A plot that has alot of surprises as you read
• Characters that you sympathize with'

Thats my whole list, love it or leave it.

Tyler OUT-

POW-ems

Untitled

I couldn't ask for anymore,
my pile of memories on the floor,
reach in and what do I get,
my one and only baby blanket.
The sight of it draws me in again,
her house and the smell of cinnamon,
seemed like when anything was torn she could see,
still the only one that knows the real me.
In a big world growing up too fast,
her stictching so the formfort could last,
the warm feeling of watching her knit,
from the couch where I used to sit.
Its the little things people do,
they never know how much it means to you,
I hope she knows what she did for me,
back when all that love was free.
Now I'm older and you are far away,
but I will never be to old to say,
thank you grandma you always made me smile,
I'll keep that warm blanket in the memory pile.

Brothers

August twelfth, ninety eight,
A day I didn't anticipate,
my life has never been the same,
since I helped decide on your name.
Promise to always be true,
I will look out for you,
my directions unknown,
you matter more than I've ever show.
I've got your back through thick and thin,
we are brothers to the very end,
no matter what happens i'm there unconditionally,
so young but still understand me.
From cuts to bruises I've seen it all,
even the time you got lost at the mall,
seems like we celebrated every halloween,
getting in trouble and coming clean.
From winter supporting your hockey dreams,
to summer coaching your soccer teams,
going to see every kids movie without a doubt,
scaring our parents when the power went out.
Fighting control of the remote,
sitting out on the boat,
when you live your life for another,
you know your finally a big brother.

The Power Of One [Assignment #2]

Last year In english class I was having a hard time figuring out what book I should read for my independant study unit. My mom decided to step in eventually and brought me this book called the Power Of One. Starting the book off I thought that I would be falling asleep through all 500 pages. But as soon as I opened up the book I was hooked.

The book is about is young boy named Peekay that is living in South Africa in the 1930's. He is very poor and loses his mother at an early age. He is sent to a boarding school for most of the book, where he is treated very horribly. The story basically follows Peekay as he grows up in this school, eventually becoming an amateur boxer, and so on.

This book hit me very hard because I was going through a tough time when I read this book. It amazed me that despite all his struggle Peekay never gave up in himself. He showed so much compassion to everyone around him, but still didn't completely rely on anyone else. He strived for what he dreamed of, and eventually made it. In the book Peekay's boxing coach says this to him.

'Always in life an idea starts small, it is only a sapling idea, but the vines
will come and they will try to choke your idea so it cannot grow and it will die
and you will never know you had a big idea, an idea so big it could have grown
thirty meters through the dark canopy of leaves and touched the face of the
sky.' He looked at me and continued. 'The vines are people who are afraid of
originality, of new thinking. Most people you encounter will be vines; when you
are a young plant they are very dangerous.' His piercing blue eyes looked into
mine.' Always listen to yourself, Peekay. It is better to be wrong than simply
to follow convention. If you are wrong, no matter, you have learned something
and you grow stronger. If you are right, you have taken another step toward a
fulfilling life.'

To me, its amazing how Bryce captures the way someone can feel at the very lowest but have nowhere to go but up. Whenever I read the book it reminds me that the only way to lose at the end of it all, is to give up.


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Prompt:
Do you think that you can do anything if you put your mind to it? If so, is there anything you read or listen to that helps you get into this mindset?

I DREW THIS

Check it out. I'm totally like an artist man.

Otto-Biography

I am Tyler. Yes, it is good being me. This is my autobiography.
My writing style is very...Canadian.
I like to write stories, preferably the ones that don't take up a lot of my free time.
That's about it. I'm really horrible at writing poems, and will probably never be a poet.
Over the next four months I'd like to spend lots of time on figuring out why the U.S. is better than Canada. Writing-wise, I'd like to spend the next four months becoming a better writer then I am now... I guess.

A writer I enjoy is Bryce Courtenay, I like him because his books are very inspiring. They have some action in it too so I don't fall asleep when I am reading. He also tries to keep his books short and too the point. As the laziest reader on earth, I appreciate that.

Here is an example of my writing. It is the metaphor poem I wrote in class the other day. Because I am too unoriginal to think up something new.

Behind every new face there is a story,
memories of times past and amazing glory.
THe first words are sometimes hard to say,
I am cold and uncomfortable like a winter day.

Looking back on all those lost faces,
good old friends erasing the traces.
THe first day is the most nervous of all,
I hear the ring of voices but can't answer the call.

Looking forward to those I have no met,
the footsteps behind me tired with regret.
The first smile is the hardest to show,
I am the invisible place you will never know.

Thats my poem...yep.