After four months of waiting impatiently for the movie to come out, the movie finally came out today.
I've been waiting for so long for this movie to come out! I got so excited this morning about the possibility of going over spring break. Of course, I asked my parents if I could go earlier (being the obnoxious HG-lover I am) but I wasn't able to convince them. I was originally going to go with my friends Tyler and Garrett to see the movie for the first time with them over the break, but they couldn't wait any longer and went today. We may still be going together, but we're not too sure.
After waiting months and months for this movie to open in theaters, it's finally here! Whenever I'm going to watch it, I can't wait. I'm planning on wearing my hair in a braid and getting an HG t-shirt from Hot Topic. (Maybe I can get my hands on a mockingjay pin before we watch it if I'm lucky!)
I'm psyched to see this movie. I'm definitely going to write a review about it later, as I did to "Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 2".
-Dom
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
PLANTS!
Two days ago, I started working on my school science fair project. We have to make a display board and a research paper. It took me a while to decide, but I finally decided on what to do the project about. I'm doing the project to determine whether plants grow best naturally (with only water) or with plant food/fertilizer.
The hardest part, of course, was setting up for it. We bought a cart to display the pots and whatnot on. We had to get the pots, plant food, seeds, soil, etc. We bought special Brassica rapa seeds from Wisconsin Fast Plants online. They go through the entire life cycle in 35-40 days, which my dad and I thought was perfect for the project since we didn't have much time. We got Schultz Plant Food Plus, soil and whatnot from Home Depot, and two fluorescent light-bulbs (Fast Plants seeds, rather than requiring sunlight, need fluorescent lights in order to grow). I am growing four plants; two grown naturally and the other two grown with plant food.
We also got these things called HydroSpikes which automatically water your plants for you. They are similar to AquaGlobes, but you need a reservoir at hand rather than just filling it up in order for it to work. We put them in the soil and they work wonderfully. They stopped lots of likely scenarios from happening. If I had watered my plants manually every single day, I could water too much or too little. This would make my project inconclusive, which would not be very good for my grade or for my presentation.
My dad also set up a camera to take a picture of the plants every half-hour. This way, we could put together a stop-motion video of the plants growing. Later, we also decided that I would wake up at 6:30am to turn off the lights so that they could cool down, then turn them back on at 7:00. The same thing at night; I would turn the lights off before dinner, then turn them back on after we were done eating.
Today, the plants finally started to bloom. Buds have appeared and I'm very excited about it! I can't wait to see beautiful flowers blossoming. It will look wonderful. My hypothesis is that the plant food supported plants will grow best because of the nutrients that come with it. I hope that my plants will grow smoothly and that my project is a success. Let's just wait and see!
-Dom
The hardest part, of course, was setting up for it. We bought a cart to display the pots and whatnot on. We had to get the pots, plant food, seeds, soil, etc. We bought special Brassica rapa seeds from Wisconsin Fast Plants online. They go through the entire life cycle in 35-40 days, which my dad and I thought was perfect for the project since we didn't have much time. We got Schultz Plant Food Plus, soil and whatnot from Home Depot, and two fluorescent light-bulbs (Fast Plants seeds, rather than requiring sunlight, need fluorescent lights in order to grow). I am growing four plants; two grown naturally and the other two grown with plant food.
We also got these things called HydroSpikes which automatically water your plants for you. They are similar to AquaGlobes, but you need a reservoir at hand rather than just filling it up in order for it to work. We put them in the soil and they work wonderfully. They stopped lots of likely scenarios from happening. If I had watered my plants manually every single day, I could water too much or too little. This would make my project inconclusive, which would not be very good for my grade or for my presentation.
My dad also set up a camera to take a picture of the plants every half-hour. This way, we could put together a stop-motion video of the plants growing. Later, we also decided that I would wake up at 6:30am to turn off the lights so that they could cool down, then turn them back on at 7:00. The same thing at night; I would turn the lights off before dinner, then turn them back on after we were done eating.
Today, the plants finally started to bloom. Buds have appeared and I'm very excited about it! I can't wait to see beautiful flowers blossoming. It will look wonderful. My hypothesis is that the plant food supported plants will grow best because of the nutrients that come with it. I hope that my plants will grow smoothly and that my project is a success. Let's just wait and see!
-Dom
Friday, March 9, 2012
Script Frenzy
More countless hours spent on the computer trying to write a story, but in a different format? BRING. IT. ON.
As most of you know, I participated in YWP NaNoWriMo 2011 (and won!). Earlier this year, I registered for YWP Script Frenzy, which is a challenge similar to NaNoWriMo. During Script Frenzy, you (and maybe a partner) write an entire 100-page script in a month. You can write screen plays, TV scripts, and things of the like. Like NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for the same goal as the adult challenge.
Unlike NaNoWriMo, I'm going to have A. experience and B. a plan. I found out earlier that Script Frenzy is hosting elementary, middle, and high school boot camps to prep up for the event. I haven't decided what kind of script I'm going to write yet, but I'm definitely going to find out soon (and if not, I'm going to have to wing it like last time. And that isn't going to turn out very well),
-Zoe
As most of you know, I participated in YWP NaNoWriMo 2011 (and won!). Earlier this year, I registered for YWP Script Frenzy, which is a challenge similar to NaNoWriMo. During Script Frenzy, you (and maybe a partner) write an entire 100-page script in a month. You can write screen plays, TV scripts, and things of the like. Like NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for the same goal as the adult challenge.
Unlike NaNoWriMo, I'm going to have A. experience and B. a plan. I found out earlier that Script Frenzy is hosting elementary, middle, and high school boot camps to prep up for the event. I haven't decided what kind of script I'm going to write yet, but I'm definitely going to find out soon (and if not, I'm going to have to wing it like last time. And that isn't going to turn out very well),
-Zoe
Friday, February 10, 2012
Sick
Being sick isn't something I find enjoyable. Besides the consistent napping and hours of free time reading and doing whatever comes to my mind, everything else is a blur that I want to clear up as fast as possible. Trust me. Sitting at home all week with my ears infected, my head throbbing and my throat clogged up is not something I look forward to.
When I'm sick, I usually read most of the time that I'm not asleep. However, since my mom got an iPad this October, it gives me something else to do. I usually play on an app, watch YouTube or FaceTime with my friend from Germany with it. (TV in the morning isn't very interesting, so it isn't something I do normally on weekdays that I'm sick.)
Something else that makes being sick even worse than it sounds when I get back to school and have to make up for all the work that I missed.
UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
When I'm sick, I usually read most of the time that I'm not asleep. However, since my mom got an iPad this October, it gives me something else to do. I usually play on an app, watch YouTube or FaceTime with my friend from Germany with it. (TV in the morning isn't very interesting, so it isn't something I do normally on weekdays that I'm sick.)
Something else that makes being sick even worse than it sounds when I get back to school and have to make up for all the work that I missed.
UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Post-Aladdin Reflection
If you don't want to read something dramatically depressing to the point where it seems desperate, don't read ahead of this. I am a writer, so I express my feelings in a way that seems seriously dramatic to the point where it doesn't seem real. This is what is going to happen to me after after every theatrical performance, you see; I will go into some sort of long-lasting depression where I wish to go back in time and experience what I experienced before it was gone. Since I'm unfortunate enough to have a heart made of glass that shattered the moment I stepped offstage today, I needed to post something that could express my dramatically exaggerated feelings that are something I don't want to experience, unlike my experience with Team Aladdin. If you want to dwell with my messed up emotions that never give me a break, read ahead. And because I am a writer, this is the kind of post that happens when I am depressed. :|
The past three months have been three months I can never possibly forget. They're those kind of memories that you never really appreciate as they happen, and only start to realize how precious and wonderful and beautiful they are when they are just. About. Gone. They're those kind of memories where you know that it's going to happen again soon, but that soon just seems so far away and out of your grip.
"Aladdin Jr." was my first theatrical performance. I never thought that theatrical performances would take more effort than you put into something you're doing for your own benefit, or because your best friend pleaded for you to, or for the sake of saying I did this and I am proud. Although I did first audition for this play for all three reasons I've just listed, the effort it took for this beautiful memory to happen was more than you'd think.
I've met amazing people through this, gotten closer to people I thought I was close enough to, and learned from my experience. Although I know there will be another play for me to audition for and meet more people and reunite with everyone I've gotten to know and love for the past three months, today was the last time the same exact cast would perform altogether
Long giggling fits, awkward silences, catchy tunes, familiar voices and standing ovations ring in my head. It's been four hours since we all split up. I've invented a name for my depression. "Post-Aladdin Depression", I call it. I wonder how long it's going to last. I hope it's not too long. My emotions really never give me a break. >:(
The past three months have been three months I can never possibly forget. They're those kind of memories that you never really appreciate as they happen, and only start to realize how precious and wonderful and beautiful they are when they are just. About. Gone. They're those kind of memories where you know that it's going to happen again soon, but that soon just seems so far away and out of your grip.
"Aladdin Jr." was my first theatrical performance. I never thought that theatrical performances would take more effort than you put into something you're doing for your own benefit, or because your best friend pleaded for you to, or for the sake of saying I did this and I am proud. Although I did first audition for this play for all three reasons I've just listed, the effort it took for this beautiful memory to happen was more than you'd think.
I've met amazing people through this, gotten closer to people I thought I was close enough to, and learned from my experience. Although I know there will be another play for me to audition for and meet more people and reunite with everyone I've gotten to know and love for the past three months, today was the last time the same exact cast would perform altogether
Long giggling fits, awkward silences, catchy tunes, familiar voices and standing ovations ring in my head. It's been four hours since we all split up. I've invented a name for my depression. "Post-Aladdin Depression", I call it. I wonder how long it's going to last. I hope it's not too long. My emotions really never give me a break. >:(
Friday, January 13, 2012
An experience I will NEVER get used to
This year, I had another amazing opportunity to participate in my school's spelling bee. Last year, I had participated and won. I was overwhelmed by all the words I had to commit to memory, the long time I had to study that seemed so short, and the competition that worried me greatly.
If anyone tells you that the pre-bee jitters only last the first few rounds, that's a lie. That's a big fib. A prevarication. A nasty, no good, filthy, dirty, rotten lie. This was the fourth spelling bee I had participated in and my knees were wobbling until my last word. The big audience, small chance and mind-blowing words take over and your brain doesn't work right. Your knees shake, you start to twiddle with your thumbs and sweat is trickling down your back. Unless you can shove off the hardest of emotions, there is no way to avoid the feelings you are going to feel. Unless, of course, you've got some hardcore confidence in you. That's a different story. Just don't let the emotions overpower you. Be careful with what you say, because before you know it, the dreaded bell might ring in your ears and you'll be sitting right back down.
Never let yourself be too confident during a spelling bee, though. You'll start to spell the words that shoot at you too fast and skip a letter or two. You'll think you've got all the brains, but in reality, your brain is busted. Your confidence will take control. You might even spell the easiest of words with an extra letter.
There is also no such thing as "enough studying". The more words you have committed to memory, the better chance you have. There'll be long, confusing words stuck in your study list here and there. You need to get them in your head as quickly as you can. In my case, the hardest words are usually the easiest to spell because I start studying them first.
By the way, the advice I'm giving you? That was my key to winning again this year.
If anyone tells you that the pre-bee jitters only last the first few rounds, that's a lie. That's a big fib. A prevarication. A nasty, no good, filthy, dirty, rotten lie. This was the fourth spelling bee I had participated in and my knees were wobbling until my last word. The big audience, small chance and mind-blowing words take over and your brain doesn't work right. Your knees shake, you start to twiddle with your thumbs and sweat is trickling down your back. Unless you can shove off the hardest of emotions, there is no way to avoid the feelings you are going to feel. Unless, of course, you've got some hardcore confidence in you. That's a different story. Just don't let the emotions overpower you. Be careful with what you say, because before you know it, the dreaded bell might ring in your ears and you'll be sitting right back down.
Never let yourself be too confident during a spelling bee, though. You'll start to spell the words that shoot at you too fast and skip a letter or two. You'll think you've got all the brains, but in reality, your brain is busted. Your confidence will take control. You might even spell the easiest of words with an extra letter.
There is also no such thing as "enough studying". The more words you have committed to memory, the better chance you have. There'll be long, confusing words stuck in your study list here and there. You need to get them in your head as quickly as you can. In my case, the hardest words are usually the easiest to spell because I start studying them first.
By the way, the advice I'm giving you? That was my key to winning again this year.
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Little Things
Since 2011 has come to a close, I wanted to make a list of the really little things that I never stopped to appreciate.
I thank 2011 for
I thank 2011 for
- the little hugs I got from my best friends every morning
- the kiss I got from my parents before bedtime every night
- the small things that I tripped over that made me look like a real klutz
- the thick books I read at school that made me look like a nerd
- the strange outfits that I picked out that made me look like I was color blind
- my first guitar that everyone raised their eyebrow at because it was so small
- the inches that never grew to make myself look taller than Thea
- the soft ear of my stuffed animal rubbing against my nose before I go to bed
- the friends I took for granted that made a great impact later on
- the long talks I had with my mom after dinner that went on for hours
- the short conversations I had with my dad that consisted of nonexistent words and jibber-jabber
- the glasses I put on every morning that helped me see the world clearer
- the books that were there when no one else was
- the tears that I cried that were worth it after all
- the laughs that I held in so I wouldn't look like a freak
- the laughs that came out anyway
- and the years that I have ahead of me that are yet to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)