Packing and unpacking is my nightmare..As much as I love travelling, I hate it when I have to do the preparation. Trying to minimise the time, have created two small beauty bags one for the 3 days trips and one for the longer ones (so no need to try to find that toothbrush you forgot once you get at the airport of New Delhi around 4am…) and follow my grandfather’s rule: prepare your traveller’s list.
I used to make a joke out of him preparing lists for whatever he was doing or wherever he was travelling to. But as soon as my trips started to become more frequent, I realised that, hey, Granpa was correct. It saves me time, energy and money due to overweight when everything is planned well and in time.
So, last Monday I prepared my list, filled my luggage and left for the wonderful island of Serifos on the west part of the Cyclades islands in Greece. All necessary in the luggage, reached the island with all my summer basics : beach tent, sunscreans, hats, flip-flops, bikinis..
But obviously my Granpa thought that something was missing..and so just one day after getting there he decided to make me return back home urgently: it was time to give him a last kiss goodbye. And that was the only thing I hadn’t even thought of putting into my list..

The notebook, a name so succinct and mundane you’d be forgiven for casting it aside as a film about a book of notes, and whilst that’s essentially what it is, a more befitting name could have been used. What if the notes consisted of nothing more than a shopping list, or a teenager procrastinating in school. Perhaps they drew a willy; That wouldn’t be a film, would it?

The film is not one I’d normally watch, but I put it on in the background and slowly – but surely – started getting into the story, and once I’ve done that, well, I can never stop watching. T’wud normally be a man’s secret weapon if English charm fails, as I think women are infatuated by the story, and by transfer of property, the closest person next to them.

So I have watched it once before, but I was watching the girl I was with rather than the film itself, and when that’s done, you just catch glimpses of the story. So I thought ‘why is this girl crying, this film is essentially about a vintage floozy committing adultery, the swine!’ And so the most prominent feeling I perceived during that period was not one of heartfelt emotion, but a cramp in my leg.

And yet it turns out the feelings expressed linguistically in that film are so semantically beautiful, so heartfelt and sincere, that it holds sentiment; but even sentimentality itself has been dubbed ‘the unearned emotion’.

I think love is transcendental, or perhaps metaphysical, something we’re meant to spend our life searching for, never to discover. The pro-verbal lapis philosophorum to a naive alchemist.

So I still don’t think that film has the right to be so tear inducing, the only person that dies is old, it was bound to happen soon.

But that film, it almost makes you want to fall in love. Almost.

I Recently made a trip to the internationaly famous Sea World in Orlando Florida; where i was met with the most fantastic yet terrifyingly eye-opening experience i have ever encountered. At this point i would like to admit that -just like many other visitors- i was captured in a sense of great awe as i watched Shamu leap through the air, splash the crowd and many other praise-worthy stunts.

But this Does not change the fact that Shamu is a living creature, and it’s purpose is not the entertainment of humans. The living fercilities in which these whales are living in are cruel and un-just! I was absolutly flaberghast when i saw the size of the pool in which the whales would be performing, as although it may look big, these animals are used to living in oceans, where they have all the room they need, and the pool in SeaWorld is just not up to the standards it needs to be, for the whales to be happy in their enviroment.

It is no wonder that terrible accidents occur. Just recently on 24th February 2010, a trainer who had worked with killer whales for 16 years, and had a pleanty of experience was tragically killed by Tillikum, a whale at SeaWorld Orlando. The Orca is a huge 26ft weighing 12,000 pounds, dragged Dawn Brancheau- a trainer at SeaWorld- under the water and thrashed her around until she drowned.

Although neither Dawn nor Tillikum can be blamed for this brutal attack. Using wild animals such as Tilikum in the way they do in SeaWorld is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. The huge Orcas are natuarl predeators, and no amount of training will change that. It is un-fair to the animals being used and also to the trainers that work with them. Tilikum has continued to be used in shows at SeaWorld and was actually there on my visit to SeaWorld just a few days ago; although procedeurs have changed, and the trainers no longer go in the water with the Orcas.

Orcas born into captivity must remain in captivity as they would not survive in the wild having to fend for themselves. Which is very un-just on the animals, as if they are not ill or in need of special care they could be free in the wild where they belong, but instead must remain in the tiny pool of a tourist attraction.

The way these animals are treated is not right, and should be changed imediatly! Humans have rites, so why shouldn’t animals? If you agree then do something about it, because this is cruelty, the Orcas deserve to be in better living conditions.

written by Courteney age 13

With all the controversy concerning race, I think it’s time for the National Association for the Advancement of Color People to rethink it’s mission. I’m suggesting a name change to the NAAPP or the Advancement of Poor People. It’s time for the world to look beyond race.

Chihuahuas, the most ridiculed dogs in the United Sates, the dogs that are held in purses and dressed up in outfits that match their owners, are they, “Friend or Foe?” The little mexican dog, has one of the largest brains of all dog breeds, and a “kick-ass” attitude.

“Did you hear about the little boy who was playing in the yard with his pet chihuahua when a large pit bull came in through the gate? Well, the pit bull came after the little boy, so the chihuahua attacked it. The chihuahua lost his life, but he saved the little boy’s.” said a citizen on the “Friend” side of the issue.

A citizen who has strong feelings for the “Foe” side, had this to say, “Chihuahuas are a great nuisance! My daughter bought one and I had to watch it over the weekend. Within the first hour of me watching it, the little devil pooped on the carpet. So I shoved his nose in it and kicked him while wearing my favorite new shoes. Then a little while later after my nap, I slipped my feet into my shoes to pull them out as quickly as possible. The demon dog pooped in my new shoes. These stupid little rats are “stupid,” but also dangerously clever.”

Another citizen, who is uncertain on the subject, had this to say, “Chihuahuas, I have one. Um, whether I like them or not is not for me to say. Well, there are good and bad points. Like this one time when Taco (chihuahua) was outside and these joggers came around the corner. Taco ran down the driveway as fast as he could, barking all the way. The joggers looked at the commontion and saw this little dog running full speed at them, making such a racket, and they stopped and laughed. Meanwhile, Taco, who was still running, stopped about 10 feet from them and turned back around and started squealing. It was the funniest thing I ever saw.  Also, everytime I sit on the couch, he jumps up and sits in my lap. I can’t really say that they are a “foe,” because if they are, they can be thwarted easily, Taco still trembles and hides under the bed when there is a storm. And I can’t really say that chihuahuas’ are friends either because my chihuahua, not trained very well, still goes in the house. They aren’t mean unless you raise ‘em mean. I think they are just a little dogs that want to be loved.”

Whether chihuahuas’ are friends or foes, agreeing with the last quote, “they are just little dogs that want to be loved.”

I am a sixteen year old boy living in a technologically savvy world. Maintaining that thought delivers the question, what kid wouldn’t want to go to to E3(the biggest electronic entertainment convention in the world)? Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to that question, but would guess that everyone wishes to go, hence the massive ticket sales achieved by the convention each year(yes, I’ve done my research). During my research I uncovered a distressing truth which happens to be a very saddening restriction. A restriction that deleted all hope of ever achieving my goal of getting into that convention. This restriction states that no person may enter the convention unless they are employed into the video game industry, work as a journalist of any kind, or are invited or sent on behalf of a journalist. As you may know, I am only sixteen, and have no college education in journalism, nor do I have the skills necessary to work in the video game industry. Seeing as becoming a freelance journalist was the easiest challenge for me to accomplish, I began to search the internet for game reviewing websites that were offering no-pay writing positions. Unfortunately, my plan regretfully failed and I have been led here for help, and I must say, any would be appreciated.

In the course of 12 years, across 11 states, in 11 cities there has been a spree of disapperences all relating to college males.
typically, the victim was last seen partying with friends, drinking tremenous amounts of alochol, then somehow winded up staggering all alone, never to be seen or heard from again. Now, they may be missing for weeks, months, or even days but their bodies are eventually found in a body of water close to where they went missing. could it be an accident? maybe so, but could that same “accident” continuously keep reoccurring over and over all in the exact same way? no, it is scientifically and logically impossible for that to happen. what is even weirder is at most of the scenes, lay a freshly painted smiley face. could that have a meaning? since similar drawnings were found at other crime scenes as well. the smiley face gang, an urban legend to both the police and college students, may just be more real than people think. There is something going on in the midwest that involves the nation’s male population and it is on it’s only going to be a matter of time before it spreads to the other states as well. little evidence or not somethings needs to be done, the truth needs to be told and maybe we can start to save the next smiley face victim before it is too late.

Chasing your dreams

I still remember walking into this huge institution with yellow walls and green doors.I still remember the introductory class and the spat i got into with a senior.I still remeber the first goal i scored in the lunch break.I still remember going up on the stage and forgetting my lines.I still remember making my best friends.I still remember getting elected as the house representative.I still remember breaking the school record in high jump.I still remember going to Dublin as a part of our school exchange programme.I still remember dropping the baton in the relay.i still remeber taking the oath as the Vice-Captain.I still remember my first fight and my bleeding nose.I still remember carrying the house flag as the Captain.I still remember lifting the house cup.I still remember being a Xaverian.I still remember chasing my dreams.

Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam,the ex-president of India once said-”dreams are not what you see in your sleep,it is that which does not let you sleep.”

I have this habit of lying down in my bed, weaving tales of fantasy.”In my such day dreams,i would be the best journalist in the country or the Casanova of the city,seducing woman to my charms or being the most popular guy in my school or taking a long vacation with a special someone in Venice.I love to dream and i must say that i am pretty good at it.While some dreams are just plain stupid and fantastical,some are more realistic and achievable.The next day,i always recall my dreams and having been convinced that they do can come true,i put my heart and soul into achieiving it.Some dreams take a week to come true while some take upto six months,while some dont come true at all,leaving the bitter taste of failure and disappointment in my mouth.But the sweet joy and the high i get when i see my dream materializing before my eyes,cannot be put to words.And the best part is that it gives me the courage and inspires me to chase ten more dreams even though i know i’ll fail in six of them.For me,life is continuos chain of dreaming and then chasing them.

I firmly believe that one must dream in order to succeed and its not always neccessary to dream big.one can dream of small things and make sure you achieve them.As a wise man once said-”its the small things that make the big ones.”

Don’t ask, and don’t tell if your boss demands sex as a requirement to keep your healthcare plan? How many people would have the moral courage to say no to both? I think it’s outrageous for us to be considering attaching healthcare benefits to jobs because getting one can be so vital to happiness that “Happy Endings” could be required after each interview. The economy is that bad and too few of us would object if the rent was past due.

What regulation would prevent any employer from demanding sexual favors as a pre-requisite for getting and keeping a good job? Would we permit “Integrity” self-police the porn or the policy? In politics we see the advantages of “Putting Out” to get ahead. Interns can get “Jobs for life.” Photographers can get “lawyered up” by uttering the words, “You’re Hot.” In television, David Letterman provided women with plenty of inside advancement opportunities. Yes, these are great jobs if you can get them and healthcare is definately required when doing the boss. It would be unprofessional for the boss to show up with a veneral disease. That transgression could get one fired for cause especially if his medical records got out. Confidentiality in the field of prostitution comes at a high price.

What’s my rant here? I’m ranting about fairness, equal protection, and getting ahead illegally by abusing the system. How many people in high places got to where they are now through this so called “Boardroom Back door?” If we tie healthcare benefits to jobs, how many CEO’s will become “Chain Smokers?” How many politicians like Rep. Eric Massa will make “Tickling” and “Naked Fridays” a job requirement and vital to job retention? I’m laughing, but this isn’t funny. Will sexual orientation be a topic of discussion before getting any job that requires dictation? Apply Now does give “Taking one for the team” a whole new meaning. A boss with access to your health records can be dangerous and or a good thing.

Paul Rowley
Creative Writing II
2/5/10
Poetry Assignment 1

Ode to Colorful, Shiny Sea-Glass

If your heart is clad in stone,
I pray there still be dimensions to heal,
For if not, your spirit will be glass blown,
Cracking, and longing to anneal.

But my aura began as molten light, then shaped for a person its own,
In heavens kingdom, by he, the glass welder alone.

And lo! It’s fall from felicity’s fays was not as such,
For it were more in the nature of a transcending,
A luminous alma was received by my infant being,
And kindled my first touch;
What a precious god-sending,
Hath ascended from kingdom come, a creation of the welder all-foreseeing

So he begets another radiant essence to bring about the fight,
To “see what God hath wrought” for light to conquer darkness;
The welder sent vivid innocence to dwell in a watery, permanent night,
Among a galaxy of sea stars, they, the smooth, round and colorful glass, lie in beautiful starkness.

And he says, “Fear not, for I am the artist, the science and thy soul,”
And off his vessel’s foreyard, he throws the glass shards into the sea,
Cast away, disappearing to the great depths below;
But you’d no need to condole,
For the pieces are brilliant debris, after they fell to Earth like you and me,
Illuminating the bottom, spread out like toppled dominoes.

So the next time you find a piece of the welder’s art,
Place it back were you saw it, where it can shine,
For ocean currents will timely bring back together all the broken parts,
And their light will spiral together, like a delicate, silk twine.

Terminology:
Anneal (v)- to heat, then cool, such as in steel or glass- to repair.
Felicity (n)- the quality or state of being very happy; in this poem, used to describe heaven.
Fays (n)- Fairies; small beings in human form, compared to angels.
Alma (n)- Soul, spirit- in this section, I tried to describe the spirit’s journey to human body: “precious god-sending”- narrator as infant.
Beget (v)- to parent, to produce
Foreyard (n)- yard on the lower mast of a ship used to support the foresail.