"My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke

  This week, we were required to read a poem from our poetry books and interpret it in a blog. I chose the poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke. I chose this poem because I really liked the way it sounded after reading it out loud. It is a shorter poem, and I felt that the length gave it depth. It was short yet still interesting. It was also very easy to understand. After reading it once, I understood the purpose. The poem must be about a personal experience, because while reading I could actually picture a little boy dancing with his dad before bed time. However, the experience does not sound pleasant. In the first stanza, line 2 it says "could make a small boy dizzy." One line after that one it says "Such waltzing was not easy." This means that the boy had difficulty dancing and did not seem to enjoy it. Also, these two lines do not have a definite rhyme scheme, however I do notice that the words dizzy and easy sound similar. In the second stanza, the rhyme scheme becomes evident. The last word on line 6 is "shelf", and the last word in line 8 is "itself." Also in line 7 the word countenance appears, but I have no idea of what that word means. It also discusses how the mother is frowning. It seems to me like dancing was not what this father and son were doing. However, I cannot figure out what they were actually doing.
  In the third stanza, the rhyme scheme even becomes more evident. In fact, lines 9 and 11 rhyme while lines 10 and 12 also rhyme. By rhyme, I mean the last word in the line rhymes with the other last word in the other sentence. In the third stanza, a battered knuckle is also mentioned. I do not know what these means, I guess the fathers knuckle was cut or something. Also, in line 12, it says "My right ear scraped a buckle." I think this means that the little boy was getting hurt some how. I picture this little boy with his head up against his dad's belt buckle. However, I am not sure that this is the true meaning. There is lots of imagery in this poem. I so vividly can see this little boy dancing with his dad. In the fourth stanza, the rhyming continues to progress. The first line in this stanza says "You beat time on my head." I am not sure what this means. Maybe the father is tapping his hand on the son's head keeping the beat of the music. Once again, there is a reference to a hand. Line 2 says "With a palm caked hard by dirt." This must mean that the father is hard worker. Finally, the last two lines say "Them waltzed me off to bed, Still clinging to your shirt." After reading the last two lines, I think that the dad must have been singing the child to sleep while dancing with him. Maybe the family is suffering from a hard time or something of that matter. I really enjoyed the sound of this poem and how it almost sounds as if it could be sung like a song. I also love the imagery.

The Lullaby

  This week for outside reading, I have continued to read The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. I read 150 minutes with a total of 70 pages. In the past blog post, I predicted that Remy and Dexter's relationship would get more serious. It turns out that I was right. They are learning more things about each other. Remy is also noticing flaws such as how messy he is and how he is also tapping his foot or hand. However, there are small things that are keeping them together. She feels like the relationship is turning into something she did not want it to turn into. I think that the relationship will continue to grow, even if she does not want it too. There is something holding them together, but I haven't figured it out yet. Remy is starting to be aware of how the relationship has to end soon because she will be going to college. I do not think the relationship will end when she goes to college. I think that they will continue to stay together, even if it has to be long distance.
  Remy is fascinated with all the fans that Dexter has because he is in a band. I think that this makes her feel good because she has someone who is wanted by others. I also think that there may be a conflict in the relationship soon. Perhaps Dexter cheats on her with one of his fans. I just think the relationship seems too perfect at this point, and something must happen soon. Or, maybe I am completely wrong. There has already been lots of conflicts with her mothers relationships, so Remy has learned from these conflict. I think she is wise enough to not let the same things happen in her relationships. I am about half way done with the book, so I am sure a lot will happen in the second half because the first half was almost uneventful.

Outside Reading

  This week, I have continued to read The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. I read for the full 120 minutes, and I read a total of 70 pages. I really like this book. It is different from other books I have read. Remy (the main character) works at a beauty salon. In the pages I read, a boy from Dexter's (the boy who really likes Remy) band wants to get a job at the beauty salon. At the salon, she meets this boy whose name is Ringo. After working at the salon, she goes to her mom's fourth wedding. She is not happy to be at this wedding. Her brother is with his girlfriend who Remy does not like at all. Remy's friend, Lisa, has a bit too much to drink at the wedding so she feels herself taking care of Lisa. Also, it just so happens to Dexter is in the band that is playing at the wedding. After the wedding, Remy goes to her brother's girlfriend's house for dinner. Remy brings up childhood memories that the brother is not fond of, and he ends up calling her a name. He calls her bitter and something else. After that, she goes to her friend Chloe's house and has a bit to drink. After leaving her friends house, she goes to a bar. She ends up getting in a fight with someone at the bar, and Dexter comes to pick her up. She wakes up the next morning having no idea where she is, even though she is at Dexter's house.
   I was surprised by what all has happened so far. I knew that her mom would eventually get married. I was also surprised when Dexter said that his mother is on her fifth marriage. I think this was a bonding moment for Remy. Remy all this time is trying to avoid Dexter, however I am not really sure. She has described him as really cute and he really seems to like her, so I don't know why she does not like him. Maybe it is because her mom has had so many relationships that did not last. At the end of the part that I read, Remy ends up kissing Dexter. Like I predicted, I know she would eventually give in. I predict that they stay together for a while. I do not think it will last long though, because Remy seems to be having some issues with family. I look forward to what happens next.
 

Fun Weekend

   This weekend has been very fun. On Friday, me and my friend Victoria went shopping for Sadie's and the Baton Rouge Cotillion dance. We only had a little bit of time because Victoria had to be at school at 7 to be in the play. However, we found an outfit for the Baton Rouge Cotillion. We thought we would not find anything to wear before going to the mall because the them was "Out of This World." We thought that no store would have crazy enough stuff for this, however we were wrong. Forever 21 seemed to have the perfect clothes for this event.
  On Saturday, I went to my cousin's soccer game which was lots of fun! It was just good to be outside because yesterday was such a pretty day! After that, most of my family and I went to eat lunch. After lunch, we drove back home from the game, and Victoria came over to get ready for the dance. The dance was lots of fun! Today, it is time to do homework. I have to work on reading for english, two projects, and vocab. cards. It is so pretty outside, so I wish I could be out there but I have to do homework. Tonight, I am going to a sports banquet and a cheer dinner. This weekend has been really fun, but homework is not fun!

Outside Reading: The Lullaby

  After finishing Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, I wanted to read another book by Sarah Dessen. I picked up The Lullaby because I thought it might be similar to Someone Like You. I just started this book this week, and so far I really like it. This week I read the full 120 minutes and read 65 pages. I am a slow reader, so I tend to read at this pace. Although the two previous books that I have read are similar because they are written by the same author, they are also pretty different.
  So far, they have introduced the main character and a few of her friends. They have also written a bit about her family. Remy is 18 years old, and has a mom who writes romance novels. Her mom is getting ready to have her fourth marriage. Her mom spends most of her time writing, instead of taking care of Remy and her brother. Remy has just recently graduated high school, and she looks forward to leaving her house. It seems as if she has trouble with relationships because she never seems to keep a boyfriend for very long. She does not like when boys flirt with her. In fact when a boy named Dexter tried to flirt with her, she reluctantly started to call him names. Remy also hangs out with a group of girls who drink and smoke. It seems as if these girls are rebellious. They all like to party, and they act as if they are 10 years older than they actually are. From what I have read, Remy is currently dating a guy named Johnny who is a bad boy. She wants to break up with him. I think that she will leave Johnny and end up dating Dexter. She will also attend college soon, and I think something bad will happen. Usually Sarah Dessen writes novels that have some sort of conflict, and I have yet to find out what this conflict is yet. I look forward to what ends up happening.

Spring Time

   I am so happy around this time of the year because I love spring time! In the last couple of days, the weather has been beautiful! The sun is always out and that makes me happy! I love how colorful everything is. The trees are bright green and the flowers are all starting to bloom. It is not too hot outside, but not cold. It is just right. Yesterday, I spent a lot of time outside playing with my baby cousin, Ellison. We blew bubbles, played in the hose, and drew with chalk on my drive way. It was so nice to be outside playing with one of the cutest kids I have ever seen. It was also great doing all these things that I did as a kid.
 Also, me and my friends went to the St. Patrick's Day parade. It was perfect weather for a parade! I am loving wearing sandals and shorts because I got so tired of wearing jeans and boots. We had lots of fun at the parade! Also, Easter is coming up and that is definitely one of my favorite holidays. I love all the Easter activities and every year my family eats crawfish on Easter day. I am hoping that the weather will be pretty on Easter because it is not Easter when it is raining and dreary outside. Spring is my favorite season. I love everything about it, and not because it is my last name.

Free Reading

  After finishing Nervous Conditions, I finally had time to continue reading Someone Like You.  In fact, i actually finished this book. A lot happened in the chapters that I read. Macon, Halley's boyfriend wants to take their relationship to another level, and Halley is not ready for that. He takes her to a party, and she ends up getting sick. On the car ride home from the party, they end up getting into a car crash. Macon does not get hurt, however Halley hurt her wrist and bruised a few ribs. This even makes Halley really not fond of Macon, and her parents are very mad that she continued to see him after they told her not to. Also, Scarlett is disappointed in Halley for letting that happen. After the accident, Macon visits Halley at her house, and she breaks up with him there. Since being newly single, Halley spends a lot more time with Scarlett, helping her prepare for when the baby arrives.
  A few weeks after the break up, Halley gets asked to prom by her ex boyfriend, Noah. Noah's family is very good friends with Halley's family. She is not very happy to go to prom with Noah. Scarlett, being nine months pregnant, decides to go to prom with her friend, Cameron. I do not understand why she would make this decision. Halley's date, Noah, shows up at her house drunk right before prom and ends up ripping her dress. As if Halley isn't already overwhelmed enough at prom, Scarlett's water breaks at prom. I predicted this right when they described Scarlett being nine months in a prom dress. I knew this would happen. Macon actually ends up giving Scarlett and Halley a ride to the hospital, along with his new girlfriend, Elizabeth. At the hospital, Scarlett does not want Halley to leave her side. She is in lots of pain and wants Halley to be there with her. When the baby finally comes, Scarlett decides to name her baby Grace. Halley thinks about this baby as if it is her own. It is almost like she is the second parent to the baby because of Michael's death. At the end, it is implied that Macon has feelings for Halley again, but we do not find out if they get back together. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. After reading this, it makes me want to find new books written by Sarah Dessen.

My Three Day Weekend

   I have had a really good three day weekend. I think that every weekend should be a three days. A long weekend was just what I needed after the last week of the quarter. The last week of the quarter is always a stressful week because it is the last time to improve grades. It is also a time where teachers tend to give lots of tests and quizzes because they feel like they have to fit them in before the quarter. I am happy that third quarter is over because that only means that we are getting closer to summer! Also, third quarter is always my least favorite quarter of the school year.
 This weekend, I have had lots of fun. On Friday, I went to the mall and I got a really cute pair of Steve Madden wedges. I saw a lot of people at the mall on Friday because it was a rainy day and there is not much else to do in Baton Rouge when it is raining. I had lots of fun just shopping around. Yesterday, my friend Sarah and I spent most of our day getting ready to ask our dates to Sadie's. We made cupcakes and posters, and while doing it we had lots of fun. After that, I went to eat dinner with my cousins. My cousins are really funny and dinner was lots of fun. Today, I get to do homework:( Also, the time changed last night, so it seems like my day is unusually short. I guess all good things have to come to an end, but I do not want my three day weekend to end.

Nervous Conditions

  I just finished reading Nervous Conditions. I am actually surprised that it turned out to be a good book. The beginning was kind of slow, but towards the end everything started to speed up. I actually grew to like the characters in the story. I felt for their situations because with the descriptions given of these characters I felt like I knew them. It was a difficult story to read, because it is full of conflict and sadness with the occasional bit of happiness. I would describe this story as a tragedy in some ways because all of the characters end up in a difficult situation that they have to fight through.
 I feel like the beginning of the story should have given more details about the actual plot because I felt like the end was rushed. I think the author should have spent more time talking about Nyasha's condition at the beginning of the book rather than just focusing it in the very end of the story. I really liked that I got to see what it was like for a African family trying to survive in this time period. I am sure that there were many cases just like this families in this particular time period. I also couldn't help but think about what it is like in Africa today. I am sure that there are still problems with society and women's rights. I also like that the book was mostly focused on the life of females. It was interesting to learn about this culture, and I wish that I could learn more about what happened after she stopped writing the story. For example, I want to know if Nyasha ended up living. I also want to know if Tambu is successful in her life. These are things that were left out of the story, and I wish they would have been included. Overall, I think this story was Ok.

My Weekend

  So far, I have had a great weekend full of rest and fun. Yesterday I went to eat lunch at Cheeburger Cheeburger which was very good because I had a peanut butter burger. Before I actually tried a peanut butter burger, I thought it would be disgusting but it is really good. After we ate, we went to see This Means War. The movie was really funny and was actually a lot better than I expected it to be. Reese Witherspoon is one of my favorite actresses, and she was really funny in this movie.
  Today, I slept really late because I was really tired from last week which seemed like a really long week. I got up and watched tv for a while, and now I am about to go play tennis with my dad. I really like playing tennis, and today seems like the perfect day to do so. I haven't played tennis in a while because I have been busy cheering for basketball, but now that basketball is over, I look forward to playing tennis a lot again. I hope that the weather will stay warm because I love spring weather. After tennis, I get to do all the homework for this weekend which I am not looking forward to doing.