Bullet Journaling By Mrs. Kopp

Each year, in December, I start to think about my goals for the upcoming year.  I used to write long lists of resolutions, but was then perpetually disappointed when I wasn't able to fulfill all of them (who has time to run for 100 days in a row?).  Then, for a while, each member of my family would choose one word that we hoped would represent the new year (I'd make little wood signs with each word because I love to paint and use my Cricut machine). 

As I think of 2017, I realize that there is one area of my life that I want to focus on and that is my life as a writer.  Before I was married and had children, I used to write all the time.  I would fill journals with thoughts, poetry, and drawings, but then suddenly- I just stopped.  Despite the fact that I still collect journals (and bookmarks) because I LOVE THEM, I wasn't writing.  

So, in 2017, I want to write every single day.  But, I know that I won't have time for that and it makes me sad.  Then I heard about something called Bullet Journaling.

Bullet Journaling is supposed to be a way to quickly organize plans, activities and thoughts.  I loved this idea and I'm ready to go. 

First, I purchased a fun planner that had enough room for me to bullet journal on each day of the year.

I purchased this at Michael's craft store (another favorite of mine- I wish I could live there) for only $11.99 (70%off)

Then, I got some pens that make me happy (I know, I know it's weird).  Now I can write a few sentences a day or more, if I have the urge and time.  I already added some poems leading up to the January calendar. I am so excited about this and I encourage each of you to find a way to achieve one goal in 2017. 

Happy New Year! 

10 Reasons Why Claire Riley Loves Christmas 

By Cynthia Loh

#1 Presents

Everyone at some point has experienced the joy of receiving a gift from someone, especially around Christmas. Seeing the pool of presents under the Christmas tree can excite even the grouchiest of people as they wonder what their friends and loved ones has gotten them this year. However, according to Claire, what she loves about Christmas is not just receiving presents, but also giving them. Claire expresses that the true joy of gifts and presents is the look of pure joy on the face's of the people obtaining the gifts.

#2 Decorations

How can anyone get into the Christmas spirit without the dazzling Christmas decorations that can be a real pain in the butt to set up most of the time. Most people decorate their house with the essentials: Christmas tree, ornaments, wreaths, garlands, and some more. I know some really enthusiastic folks will have seven trees, inflatable snowmen, and a bunch of reindeer across their lawn. To Claire though, the best Christmas decoration are the lights.

              "The lights people put up are pretty and flicker, setting a nice mood against the dark night."
                                                                                                  - Claire Riley                              

#3 Family

Even though some people care more for the materialistic side of Christmas, Claire, also, loves the aspect of family during Christmas. This holiday isn't just time for free gifts, but also a time in the year for families to gather and spend time with each other. In the words of Claire Riley, Christmas is a time when family gets to come together again and enjoy a heartfelt day together. While gifts and objects can last for a couple years, family will be there for you forever (till they die).

#4 No School 

Although this might be pointless to most adults, students like Claire can finally relax and enjoy a well-deserved break after the grueling week of tests before Christmas. Winter Break provides a stress-free Christmas to students of any age and allows them to truly enjoy Christmas without the usual, lingering worry of school assignments in the back of their heads. The long break, also, affords family time to take a vacation and escape from their normal, everyday lives for a short amount of time.

#5 The Tree

Debatably, the most important part of Christmas itself, the Christmas tree is basically the heart of Christmas. Someone once told me that the best part of Christmas is the excuse to wear ugly Christmas sweater. If it really was the best part then they put a ugly, gigantic sweater instead of a Christmas tree in front of the Rockefeller Center. The tree is an icon of Christmas and I can't imagine a Christmas without it.

#6 Food

Food it great! Who doesn't love food? I know Claire Riley loves it, According to her, on Christmas delicious food is served everywhere and people can gather around to have a nice meal. Some things that must be eaten on Christmas are hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes, eggnog, fruitcake, gingerbread, pudding, and last but not least, pie!

#7 Santa Claus

Every child grows up believing that a fat, jolly man with a big white beard and a red suit comes down their chimney and leaves them presents under the Christmas tree. Santa Claus is one of the great mythical figures every child trusts in, along with the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny. Santa is one of the things Claire loves about Christmas because of the joy he brought her as a child and the joy he will continue to bring to other kids.

#8 Christmas Movies

There are so many amazing and universally known Christmas movies that are essential to getting into the Christmas spirit. Movies like  Elf, A Christmas Carol, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Home Alone 2, and so much more.

                                    Fun Fact: Donald Trump was in Home Alone 2

#9 Christmas Caroling and Songs

Coming from someone who's in choir and likes to perform in musicals, this isn't very surprising. According to Claire. "Caroling and songs shared between SUCH A HUGE amount of people that everyone knows and can sing along to," is another thing she loves about Christmas.

#10 The Smell of It ????

                                         "The smells of Christmas smell like heaven itself "
                                                                         -Claire Riley

I'm not really sure what Claire means when she says the smell of it. I'm just guessing she really likes the smell of peppermint or pine cones or something.

Christmas in Puerto Rico by Julia Loewen

This year, my family and I will be vacationing in Puerto Rico during the winter break. Since we will be celebrating the holiday season on an island off of the land we live on, I thought it would be necessary to look into the traditions of the holiday season in 

Puerto Rico.

The Holiday Season

To prepare for the Christmas festivities, special Catholic masses called 'Misa de Aguinaldos' are held in Puerto Rico from December 15th to December 24th. The services are typically all sung with traditional musical instruments. People also go caroling some nights around Christmas time, from nighttime to dawn wearing straw hats as seen in the photo. The tradition is for others to be woken by their singing, but they usually are expecting the singers. In December, Puerto Ricans decorate their homes with different types of greenery. They decorate with leaves of palm trees as well as typical USA Christmas trees. 

Nochebuena

In Puerto Rico, Christmas Eve is known as 'Nochebuena'. Unlike America, this is when most of the main celebrations and the Christmas meal take place. On this day, there is a special Misa de Aguinaldos called Misa de Gallo. At this mass, many candles light the church, many carols are sung, and a nativity play is put on my local children. Nochebuena is also the day that Puerto Ricans eat Christmas dinner. Their plates are filled with roast pork, rice, peas, plantains, and pasteles. After their feast, they must refill themselves with dessert. Desserts that are served consist of rice pudding, custard, and eggnog with rum.

Navidad

After the festivities on December 24th, Christmas day, known as Navidad, is the day to recover from Nochebuena.

Holy Innocent's Day

On December 28th, the Puerto Ricans celebrate a traditional holiday that is very different from American holidays called Holy Innocent's Day. On this day, Puerto Ricans go to the town of Hatillo where a carnival is held. At this carnival, men dressed soldiers 'kidnap' children and people must pay the soldiers with treats to give the children back. 

Despedida de Año

The New Year's Eve holiday in Puerto Rico is called 'Despedida de Año'. On this day at midnight, the people celebrate by eating a grape for good luck, light fireworks, and honk their car horns. Shortly after, a poem known as 'A Bohemian Toast' is played on the radio and everyone listens.

Dia de Reyes

The holiday that is closest to the traditional American Catholic Christmas is Epiphany, or 'Dia de Reyes' on December 6th. The night before, called "Víspera de Reyes", Catholic Puerto Rican families go to Church to honor the Three Wiseman/Kings, and the children put grass in shoes for the camels, hoping that the Wise Men will leave them gifts when they are sleeping. The next morning, kids open the gifts the Wiseman left, similar to how American children open the gifts Santa left them.









References: JPC-DESIGN, whychristmas?com. "Christmas Around The World On Whychristmas?Com". Whychristmas.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 Dec. 2016.

Greek Mythology of Winter- by Abraham LaBelle

Since it is currently winter, I thought it would be interesting to look up the history of the season of winter.

Our ancestors understood the basic seasons of summer and winter. They realized one was good for growing crops and the other brought cold temperature, snow, and sickness.

However, at this time, they never could have imagined the science of it all. For example, why seasons change, what causes snow, etc. So, our ancestors came up with mythologies to explain these weird phenomenon's.
I found many civilization's stories, but I think the Greek's is the most interesting, especially since we already read some Greek mythology.

Greek Mythology of Winter

Background:

Demeter- god of corn, grain, and the harvest

Hades- god of the underworld (hell)

Story:

Demeter's daughter, Persephone, was taken by Hades into the underworld to be his wife. This, of course, angered Demeter, so she made a curse that made all plants wither and die.

Now, Zeus had to step in, but he could not simply take Persephone away as she had eaten food in the underworld which meant she was then bound there and belonged to Hades. So, Zeus decreed that Persephone would spend 4 months in the underworld with Hades, and 8 months on Earth with her mother, Demeter.

When Persephone was in the underworld for 4 months, Demeter would grieve and cause Winter to occur, where plants would wither and the world would get colder. But, when Persephone was united with her mother, she would rejoice and Spring would start.

American Sniper Book Review Beck Gozdenovich

Summary:
American Sniper is an autobiography written the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, Chris Kyle. He guides us along his life before, during, and after his time spent as a navy SEAL in the military. He gives a brief background about his childhood and what it was like growing up in Texas. Then he moves on to his motives for joining the military. He describes his training and boot camp in extreme detail and it is very eye-opening. Then he extensively describes his life in active service. He dives deep into each category of military life, the combat, the missions, the gear, the stress, and even the downtime. After he finishes his duty, he then describes how his life was after his service and how he was effected by the war both positively and negatively.

Recommendation:
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It highlights the sacrifices soldiers make to keep their country safe, and their incentives for doing so. It is a very eye-opening read, even to those with little to no interest in war-style books. Even if you don't read the book, the movie is a great alternative.

Overall Rating:
I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 because the great life lessons this book teaches and because of how intriguing the whole book is

Haiku Compilation by Kate Fontes

I love poetry. There is such a wide variety of poems in the world, all unique in their own ways. A haiku is a three-lined poem, with the first line having 5 syllables, the second 7, and the third 5. They are so fun to write, so for this blog post, I thought I'd write a few of mine. Hope you enjoy(:

She smiles brightly
Her joy is so contagious
I smile myself

Will it ever change?
I wonder, my heart fragile,
Can I love again?

A crown of flowers
Hugs her head of messy hair
She's her own princess

The sun sets at last
Colors splatter the whole sky
 The earth, a canvas.

Seize every day
Life comes and goes way too fast
Make it beautiful

Holiday Miracles by Julia Flake

           As we are already deep into the holiday season, I wanted to stop and think for a moment about what it is really about. Although it is always fun to wake up Christmas morning to find a ton of presents under the tree, what this time is really about is spending time with family. Specifically, I came to reflect on my family situation this time last year which ultimately turned out to be a Christmas miracle. Here is my true and inspirational story...



    Although I may not know every bit and detail about this situation since my parents didn't want to upset my siblings and I, I came to learn and figure out what had happened over the past year.
My aunt Kim (my mom's sister) is in her early 50's. A year or two ago she was diagnosed with cancer (which I believe was in her kidneys). After countless doctor visits and stressful times, it continued to get worse and worse. The cancer eventually spread to many different parts of her body...it was everywhere. At this exact time last year, my aunt was so sick that she was basically told that she did not have much time left to live. As the strong and uplifting person that my mom is, she very rarely showed my siblings and I her sadness and disbelief. She never once stopped fighting to help my aunt get all the care she could possibly have. Specifically, she started an online fundraiser for my aunt to help raise money to fly her out to the Cancer Center of America in Chicago in order for her to get a life changing surgery. With the help of many, many countless generous friends and family, my mom raised thousands and thousands of dollars. She was able to fly to Chicago with my aunt!
     She had her surgery probably a week before Christmas at the time and it was very stressful and hard on my whole family. To everyone's surprise, the surgery ended remarkably well, which was very lucky and unexpected. The doctors got all of the cancer out! It was completely gone!!
My family rejoiced and thanked God for what had happened for keeping my aunt alive. She lives a happy and normal life today with her husband and three kids with some visits to the doctor here and there to get checked out. However, I couldn't be more grateful for what had happened and I wanted to share my Christmas miracle with everyone (:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Rhetorical Triangle by Matt Dumbroff

Today in class we learned about the rhetorical triangle and it's three parts- pathos, logos, and ethos. As we learned, one thing fascinated me, the aspect of pathos was simply intriguing. It is shocking, but immensely true that a large part of our judgement comes from our emotions. Subsequently part of the rhetorical triangle deals with appealing to a person's emotions, and writing in such a way that your writing does just this. Before learning about the rhetorical triangle I never realized what an active role these three principles play in everyday life. Pathos is used as a tool manipulate people in many situations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO9d2PpP7tQ

The ASPCA commercial linked above is a perfect example of what an active role Pathos plays in our everyday lives. ASPCA is not alone in manipulating people's emotions to get them to do things. In this commercial with sad, slow, lethargic music playing in the background, pictures of dogs being locked in shelters with helpless and forlorn expressions on their faces are shown with a woman speaking of the terrible abuse they have endured. This commercial can make anyone including Arnold Schwarzenegger himself want to curl up in a ball and cry. However at the end of the commercial they propose a call to action by saying you can help these animals with an extremely small monthly donation. They claim that this small donation will provide things like medical care, food, and even love for these animals. Through manipulating viewers' emotions this company effectively makes people want to give money to their cause. All of this comes back to the rhetorical triangle, and pathos!

Origin of Santa Claus- Brianna Falco

The word Santa Claus comes from the dutch word" Sinter Klaas", another name for Saint Nicholas. St. Nicholas died on December 6, A. D 342 and December 6th is his feast day. For many countries this is the day he arrives with his presents and punishments. Nicholas had a remarkable childhood and while still a young boy he was named Bishop of Myra. He is known as the Boy Bishop. Nicholas lived in what is now present day Turkey. Nicholas was renowned for his generosity and kindness taking presents to the needy in the night. Nicholas was also named a patron saint in the Catholic Church and essentially the face of giving and generosity.

My Canterbury Tale by Joseph Dempsey

As we all know from our introduction to this unit, the Canterbury tales were tales told by English immigrants to pass the time on their journey to Canterbury. If I were one of those immigrants, this is the short story I would tell:

"As dinner approaches on Christmas Eve, my stomach was already doing barrel rolls. Although I had hardly eaten anything that day due to the fast, my stomach was still not craving this food. We sat down to say grace, and then I hesitantly dug in. The gooey, purple kidney beans were enough to drive anyone away from the traditional meal. Next up was the mushroom barley soup. We usually empty our bowls of this instantaneously (by shoveling it into my brother's bowl who gladly eats it). By this time I needed a break so I consumed the plainest thing I could find-the fried fish. After I managed to get that down, I moved on to the tolerable foods-the potatoes with sauerkraut, and the bobal'ky (bub-all-key, small bread balls covers in honey). These I devoured as if they were candy. Finally, the meal was finished and I got to relax and be excited for all the delicious foods for the next day. However, that joyous thought was instantly destroyed by the thought that I would have to do that all again next year."

 Even with that said, I DO actually look forward to this dinner known as Velija (vuh-lee-a). This tradition will be one of the greatest memories of my childhood and teen years. The suffering that my family and I (mainly my cousins) go through and the fun we have at the table while eating it is unforgettable.

Here are pictures of the 5 foods:

Bobal'ky:
 
Potatoes:



















Mushroom Barley Soup:
 
Fish:
Really any old fried fish
Beans:
Could not find a picture (trust me, they look disgusting)

"Body House" by Sarah Dioneda

Poetry is very common in literature. We still read classics, (like Beowulf or the Illiad) in class, thousands of years after they were written. It has evolved immensely as the English language has, to the point where there are now poetry clubs and open-mics dedicated to tell stories through this type of writing. This poem was written on a whim after listening to some unheralded poets like Blythe Baird and Sarah Kay, and I was inspired by how raw they were. I call this poem Body House.

~

If my body were to ever to be a house, it would look a little something like this:

At the end of a cul-de-sac, there is a house. It is strange, beyond belief, and short, and flat, like the way a city looks from a plane. 

It is made of brick and wood, and each brick is painted an array of colors—the wood is white. 

The lawn is overgrown with flowers, chrysanthemums, mostly, and vines slither up the walls and to the roof. 

People often glance at it and the first mistake they make is that they think it’s abandoned. But the flowers and the paint are too pristine to be unkept.

The doors—they creak. So do the floorboards. But that’s what happens when you tire out a house too much; two years are added to the construction date. 

You should be warned that the outside matches the inside. 

The bed is unmade, every cabinet is wide open, and so are the windows. I have a habit of keeping everything too open. There were some things people should not have seen. But as corny as it sounds, I can’t seem to leave the windows closed; I have a penchant for bare sunlight.

Even though with sunlight, comes rain, and rain ruins all the furniture. 

The last time it rained, it was a hurricane, and it sopped up the  floors for a week. 

Sometimes, as I walk through the halls, I feel the water seep through the carpet, and they soak my feet. I am reminded that this water reached places dust and cobwebs occupy, places I haven’t dared to touch yet, and I think about all the things I had let in. I think about all the things I had let go.

Those are the days when I can’t bear to stay in the walls surrounding me. It feels like I am standing in cages, shrinking boxes, and I have to step outside. 

I stare at this short, flat, colorful, peculiar house for a while. It sometimes takes months to finally open the door again. 

When I do, I am greeted by the sound of squeaky door hinges, creaky floorboards, and the bristling sound of chrysanthemums behind me. 

I stop and, I listen. The house is whispering, “Hi—it’s been a while. Welcome home.”

~

No Matter The Wreckage by Sarah Kay

(my favorite book... next to A Monster Calls)

The Meaning Behind Christmas by Briana Cotten

While some may view Christmas as just a time to receive gifts, mostly children for that matter, there is a bigger purpose behind it. No I'm sorry to say Christmas does not just mean Santa Claus visiting with his reindeer. Christmas is a time to really find joy in life, not from running rapid throughout the malls nor trying to make Christmas unforgettable with the most perfect presents. One discovers the true meaning of happiness by taking a step back and looking at all of the things one should appreciate in this world. Hearing Christmas carols and the movie Elf playing on T.V, seeing all the lights on houses illuminate the sky, smelling the gingerbread as well as pumpkin spiced lattes from a mile away and having a fresh pine tree bundled with decorations in your living room all are common things one may experience. Christmas is a time where friends and families come together as one and spend time together. Snow covered houses, snow boots and sleds just waiting to be used. It is the little things in life that give it meaning.

People become more happy and jolly during the month of December. When I was a child I remember my parents made my brother and I sing a Christmas song to our freshly cut pine tree before we were able to eat a chocolate ornament my aunt had brought from Switzerland when she visited. An everlasting memory that still lives on to this day is decorating a gingerbread house each while baking Swiss cookies in the oven. From the time when I was barely old enough to walk until now my aunt has not only brought Swiss tree ornaments with chocolate inside, but also cookies. I have come to love using cookie cutters to create unique and beautiful shapes from the cookies, not to mention they are quite delicious. A wise man once said, "Christmas is not a time nor a season,  but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas" (Calvin Coolidge). Sometimes we all need a gentle reminder that there is a lot to be thankful for, and just one way to show our appreciation is through the holiday known as Christmas, the happiest season of all.

Below is a survey taken of what the first word the following people think of when they hear the word “Christmas” furthermore proving we need to be reminded of the meaning behind this wonderful holiday...

~Anya Helmer “Presents”

~Faith Davis “Presents”

~Caroline Coleman “Jesus”

~Sarah Dioneda “Sweater”

~Kristine Le “Tree”

~Hope Davis “Jesus”

~Jenna Dittrich “Presents”

~Eve Curras “Jesus”

~Valerie Moline “Tree”

~Bailey Kellenberger “Marshmallows”

~Rachel Tyburczy “Santa”

~Olivia Cella “Cookies”

~Luke Romano “Snow”

~Josh Williams “Santa”

~Beck Goz “Presents”