Saturday, November 30, 2013

What is a Thriller?

The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol is classified as a thriller.  As a thriller it keeps the reader anticipating what is to come.  Thrillers consist of plot twists that thrill the reader because of the unexpected turn.  This book is not only classified this as a thriller, but as a physiological thriller.  This book is constantly playing with the reader’s head.  The chapters are divided and shuffled around, so you know what everyone is thinking after each event.  By knowing so much about each character and what they are doing makes your brain go through so many possible solution.  Thriller is a subset of horror, an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.  A thriller specifically is a novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Fiction Stories: Meeting Vicky's Boy

Today, a Friday.
“Just jump come on!”  Brock’s friend Justin shouted, I really didn’t wanna do it, but Brock didn’t seem to understand.  I knew that if I jumped the community pool fence my dad would not know where I went and just assume I went back to Vicky’s place.  My parents trusted me, did I really want to break that trust?  Brock was my close friend, but I didn’t know anyone else and I would be the only girl besides Vicky who was trying to hook up with Brandon from physics.

Monday 2 Weeks Ago
This is the first week of school and I am so ready.  I woke up at 5:30AM on the dot, actually I just got out of bed because I honestly could not sleep all night. I was waiting for Vicky to drop by, she told me she was picking up Brock first and that she would be there at 6:45AM so I patiently waited clenching my schedule and imagining who would be in my class.  I already knew that for the most part thanks to Facebook where everyone posts their schedule.  I was sitting by a bench near the front door when I heard the car horn and Vicky screamed “Get in loser, we're going shopping.”  I laughed at the Mean Girls quotes and walked toward the car, of course Brock just had to mention,

“No! We are just going to school Mr. Jelenski.”  That made Vicki and I laugh even louder because he obviously did not get the joke.  I got a seat in the back next to all the book bags,

“Tomorrow I get shot gun.”  That made Brock laugh only enough to regain himself, turn to me, and say,

“No.”

“Brock you need to learn to say no to other things, not just me.”  I said jokingly and we began to talk about what we usually talk about, high school drama.

We finally got to school, found a parking spot, and made our way to school saying hi to everyone and anyone we recognized; you never know who will be your new best friend this year.  We all had physics together first period and then hopefully would find each other at lunch time.  Brock sat next to his friend Justin, meanwhile Vicky and I made our way to a lab table right behind two cute junior boys we have not seen before.  Vicky tapped them on their shoulder and they introduced themselves as Brandon and Dillon.  That was how we met Brandon.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A Sunken Ship with a Hidden Mystery

Present Day
“It’s there!  I swear!  Don’t leave until you find it.” Avia whispers before there’s a beep and she hangs up the disposable phone.  She said she was going to throw it away after the phone call and Gavin didn’t doubt that one bit.  Avia was known to be sneaky, but very smart.  I’m completely lost in this vast parking garage.  It is their responsibility in the first place, but I know I owe Avia big time.  Avia Rosie Haldain is like a sister to me, not only because we have known each other from a toddler age, but we have helped each other through so much.  They’re so many stories that we share and if we were to write them all up than it would fill at least 5 volumes.  Of course we fight so much that there would probably be twice as many editions.  I am looking for a suitcase, she describes it as black enough to disguise blood and big enough to fit a body.  Repeating those words in my head sends chills down my spine, but I push through it because I know that Avia needs me to, along with her twin brother Daxon who has been dead for over 3 years.

Four Years Ago
“Avia!  Hussle!”  Daxon shouted from downstairs to his sister that was franticly getting ready for their weekend beach trip.  “They’re waiting for us!”  Daxon added.  Avia never really listened to her brother, but she was finally ready.  She blew a kiss to the perfect reflection in the mirror and yelled, “their gonna have to wait!”  Avia always had a top notch attitude, but thats the cost to being perfect Avia believed.  She finally made her way downstairs 15 minutes later and she was satisfied that Daxon didn’t pressure her, but then she realized Daxon was no longer there.

Avia dropped her stuff at the bottom of the stairs and looked in the driveway: the car was gone.  Quickly, she dialed her brother’s number and there was no answer.  He must have went to their house! Avia mumbled under her breath as she dialed Gavin’s number.  It was a different area code then most people in Southern California, from Idaho or some land locked state.  They’re not picking up!  She screamed to herself in the empty house.  What Avia didn’t realize was that is wasn’t over for her, but it was over for Daxon because that day was the last time she would see him.

Present Day
I don’t know why I never picked up Avia’s calls the day Daxon died.  I know now that that made me a primary suspect in the murder case, but we were all like family and there was nothing the Haldain’s did to upset me: no motive that would persuade me to commit murder.  I should have listened to the voicemail at least once before I showed up at her doorstep with a golden retriever to tag along for the road trip.  Afterwards, I realized Avia’s emotions changed throughout the messages.  It started out as angry, but finished out in tears.  The last voicemail she sent me was a long one, and all she did was cry, until finally she muttered out the words Call me and hung up the phone.  The was one of the cruelest things I have ever done in my life, and that is why I owe her and her brother big time; Daxon is our brother because they’re still my family.  I say it’s their responsibility because I feel like this is their dirty work.

I found 3 parking spaces jammed of suitcases in the corner of the lot, also they all had boarding tickets on them.  Lucky for me, it seemed like no one claimed the suitcases as theirs, so I had over fifty to look through.  Avia never specified if it was their suitcase, but I assumed it was the first time I went around looking at the tickets that were attached.  I only recognized the name Millvina Dean, but I didn’t know where I had seen that name before.  The suitcases were not only abundant, but they’re all so very full that I did not want to go through each one.  I knew that they’re all from the same trip though, because the tickets all had matching departure dates of April 10, 1912 and their departure was from France or Ireland, but everyone has the destination to New York.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Film Major!

To be or not to be a film major.  I like to tell stories, I love twist endings, and I am addicted to humor.  I feel like adding everything I like to the stories I write is key to writing good stories.  In my videos, I try to incorporate everything I like to watch, even though I barely watch TV!  I think that it is all about being truthful, telling a story, and being humorous.  Of course, it all depends on what type of video is being produced!  I am excited to go to my first film class and see what projects wet are going to get assigned.  It seems like something that will be very interesting.  I want to be a film major because I am going to do what I love now, later!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Un Mensaje Español

Las enfermedades no deberían existir.  Hoy estuve todo el día sin poder caminar. Aún así al final del día me pude levetar y sonreir... y eso me hizo pensar en esa gente que no puede caminar nunca, que ni siquiera puede leventarde de una silla... Solo por un día estuve en du lugar y sin dude deben de ser las personas más fuertes del mundo.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Friendships

Sometimes it takes time to get to know someone... but sometimes time destroys a friendship because you end up knowing to much.

I have a friend who always tells me she never has a crush and in order to get one she has to really get to know the boy to like him.  However, for me this situation is completly different.  I see a kind gesture by the boy and I am in immediate love, especially if its toward me.  I have a huge spectrum of friends because some of them are completly drawn to looks, which is not the way to go. Of course, all of the girls who are looks orientated are the ones who are completly gorgeous. 

In the end, those who want love get love.  Except me, I haven't figured out whats wrong with...

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Best Music Player?

Music is such a distraction, but for the days where your either laying back or hitting up the gym, then music becomes very useful.  I like to listen to Spotify, because I love created the personal playlists.  I love having an emotional playlist and a separate party playlist.  Pandora is a more broad type of system, but it is constantly repeating songs. Therefore, it has become one of my least favorites.  iTunes Radio plays a bunch of popular songs and in my opinion does not repeat AS MUCH as Pandora.  Out of the 3 systems its a close tie between Spotify and iTunes radio, yet in the end my favorite is Spotify.  I especially love the feature of being able to follow people and their playlists.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

What is Critical Thinking?

Looking at a piece of text and memorizing important dates is not all it takes to think critically.  Some steps must be taken to read critically and improve critical thinking.  There are several types of critical thinking, but what it boils down to is how people understand the text beyond what it says on paper.  It takes some thinking and imagining all the "what ifs?"

I have been getting low grades on tests and essays because I am missing this factor.  I am not putting forth that extra though, also I never let a problem marinate in my head, but that is something else that is very important.  It is important to let your subconscious thinking do some of the problem solving.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Judging a Book By Its Cover

Taking a quick look at an object can not determine its worth.  In order to truly understand its content, consumers and leaders alike must look beyond the superficial appearance.  Last year, a crowd of people hated the homecoming theme, but they didn't say that when they left.  I can not explain how many times I have seen people judge a book by its cover.  Personally, there are so many shirts I see in the store that I believe to be horrible yet once I try it on it looks amazing.  It is very crucial to look beyond the superficial appearance and ponder the contents of the object.

On October 2012 I went to my first homecoming dance.  The theme was Tropical, but there were a crowd of people who complained it would ruin the magical night.  They took a look at the theme and came up with the worst case scenario examples.  No one knew how the student council was going to set everything up, until the night of the dance.  When everyone arrived they were astonished.  Several people loved the way the theme was set up.  When they left after taking a look behind the word tropical they were eleated.  Looking beyond physical appearance is very important.

Over the summer coming into my sophomore year we were given choice 1 between 3 books to read.  The longest book was a comic, yet several people turned it down because of the appearance of how long it seemed.  Are you going to continue judging a book by its cover?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Life With Different History

Way back in 600 AD religions were shaping the way people in Islamic and Asian Empires lived.  Christianity slowed down Islam and stopped it from spreaded past the south of Spain.  Just to imagine what life would be like if we were more Islamically orientated makes me wonder how different my life would be.  I would probably look a lot different, considering my once Christian relatives were once Muslim.  Plus since the Americans came from Europe, my dad who was from California would probably be a Muslim as well.  Not only will all the things I do in life change, but the holidays I celebrate would be radically different.  It is interesting to change history in my head and think about what would be different.