Who Killed Wellington

     Wellington was found 7 minutes after midnight on Mrs. Shears front lawn. A garden fork was stabbed all the way through the dog. It would take a lot of anger to want to stab a dog with a garden fork. A stranger walking down the road wouldn't stab a dog out of nowhere. The killer was someone close to the dog, or Mrs. Shears. Before the killing, Mrs. Shears and Mr. Boone were very close, and now they don't talk anymore. Mr. Boone had motive, opportunity, and means. Which is why Mr. Boone killed Wellington.

     Usually when someone has done something bad, they will try to play it off or steer attention away from it. In chapter 41 on page 14, when Chris is at the police station, Mr Boone sternly tells Chris not to investigate. He says, "Christopher, you have to stay out of trouble, OK?" and "Just try to keep your nose out of other people's business." But when Christopher insists that he is going to investigate, Mr. Boone gets angry and says, "Leave it." He also tells him again in chapter 79 on page 32. Obviously he wouldn't want his child going around harassing people, but it's very suspicious when he gets so mad and frantic when he hears that Chris is investigating. In chapter 4 of The Hounds of Baskerville, on page 47, Stapleton tells Watson not to go into the Grimpen Mire. This is because he is hiding something. This would link to Mr. Boone because if he's hiding something, he wouldn't want Chris to investigate either. 

     In chapter 79, on page 32, Christopher gets in trouble for poking around Mrs. Shears garden. When his father confronts him about it, Chris shares that Mr. Shears is his number one target. He says that he may have wanted to hurt Mrs. Shears, and could have done that by killing Wellington. Mr Shears had motive, but he also had opportunity because he knew Mrs Shears and Wellington and could have easily gone back to the house, gotten a garden fork, and killed the dog. To other readers, this would make more sense because you can argue that Mr. Shears was very comfortable around the dog and Mrs. Shears, and also had a better opportunity. This draws attention away from Mr. Boone as well.

     As much as Mr. Shears has a good motive and lots of opportunity, that is just a ploy to focus attention on that instead of the real killer, Mr. Boone. In chapter 67 we learn that Mr. Shears left Mrs. Shears, and that is when she and Mr. Boone became very close. But throughout this whole story, Mr. Boone and Mrs. Shears never interacted once. It's seems weird that there was no explanation as to why they don't talk anymore. Clearly something happened between Mr. Boone and Mrs. Shears, which could have been part of Mr. Boones motive. Also, in chapter 97, on page 39, Mrs. Alexander tells Christopher that his mother and Mr. Shears were having an affair. If Mr. Shears was the one to leave Mrs. Shears, then he wouldn't have motive. Mr. Boone may have wanted to harm Wellington to get at Mr. Shears, because that is his dog as well.

     No matter how much Mr. Boone tries to encourage Christopher not to investigate, it is obvious that he is the killer. He has a short temper. He drinks a lot. His job makes him stay up late. Add up all those details and you have a case of a dead dog, an autistic boy, and a secretive father, who also happens to be a killer. 

       

Song I Relate To

The song I chose that I relate to most is "Storm" by Lifehouse. 

 

The lyrics are:

How long have I been in this storm?

So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form

Water's getting harder to tread

With these waves crashing over my head

If I could just see you

Everything would be all right

If I'd see you

This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

I know everything will be alright

I know everything is alright

I know you didn't bring me out here to drown

So why am I ten feet under and upside down

Barely surviving has become my purpose

Because I'm so used to living underneath the surface

If I could just see you

Everything would be all right

If I'd see you

This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

And I know everything will be alright

And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

I know everything will be alright

I know everything is alright

Everything's alright

Yeah, everything's alright

I chose this song for 2 reasons. The first is because it's a slow, peaceful song and when I feel stressed or worried it helps calm me down. I listen to it all the time. The second is because the lyrics actually relate to being in a stressful situation. The situation in the song is about someone missing someone who has passed away, and not knowing if they'll be able to get through that. When I listen to it, I don't think about someone who has passed away, but I think about someone who is close to me that I wish could be there to help me. The part in the song that says "If I could just see you

Everything would be all right

If I'd see you

This darkness would turn to light" relates to me because sometimes when I feel worried or stressed, I also feel alone. And I wish that I had someone there to talk to about it and could help me through it. The lines that say "How long have I been in this storm?

So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form

Water's getting harder to tread

With these waves crashing over my head" are a metaphor saying that they're in a tough situation, and they're starting to struggle to get through it. I can also relate to this because I get stressed out easily and I worry about stuff and I tend to always feel like it's the end of the world even if it's not. The last part I can relate to is "And I will walk on water

And you will catch me if I fall

And I will get lost into your eyes

I know everything will be alright

I know everything is alright". These lines are saying that they have one person in their life that they know will always be there to help them get through their hard times. For me, that would either be my dad or my best friend. I find that they're the easiest to talk to and they give the best advice. But they aren't always there the second I need them which is why I relate to the first part about wishing I could see the one person that helps me get through everything. 

http://youtu.be/4w0RGrTbbqw

R&J Relationship Essay

     Despite being centuries apart, the relationships in Romeo & Juliet and modern day relationships have many similarities. There are many relationships in the play including parent/child relationships, friendships, marriages, cousins and so on. The relationships that teens today relate to most is the relationship that Romeo and Juliet share.

     When Romeo and Juliet met they instantly fell in "love". Shakespeare described them as "star crossed lovers" and believed that it was their destiny that they be brought together. Nothing has changed between then and now. Even in today's time people say "it's meant to be" when they think they have found someone they're in love with. Romeo and Juliet were teenagers. Time does not change how a teenage brain works. Obviously social media has a large affect on today's relationships, but hormones and the things that happen inside a teenagers body haven't changed. That saying, "love at first sight" can be true. The first thing you notice in someone is their appearance. Romeo and Juliet were drawn to each other just based on that. It's unrealistic to be in love with someone without knowing who they even are but the aspect of wanting to be with someone because of physical appearance happens a lot. Teenagers get hung up on the idea of love. There is a quote that says "There are certain people that define how you classify what love is supposed to feel like." That saying basically sums up everything. There is no definition of what love is because it's a feeling. Tons of teenagers today go around saying that they're in love, just like Romeo and Juliet did. Yes, Romeo and Juliet probably set the standards for love a little high, but at the same time it goes to show that once a teenage has that feeling of what they think love is, they get hooked on it.

     It's easy to argue that you could never be in love with someone without knowing who they are and getting to know the person. Romeo and Juliet knew each other for less than a week before getting married. That doesn't usually happen in today's society. Most of the time people spend years together getting to know each other before they get married. The benefit of that is that you get to learn all about the person and see who they really are. You wouldn't want to marry someone based on looks alone. There were a lot of arranged marriages in Romeo and Juliets time though. A lot of people didn't have a chance to get to know their love and were forced to marry them. Romeo and Juliet was the opposite of an arranged marriage. They weren't supposed to even be talking because of their families rivalry. But at the same time Juliet was being forced to marry Paris. She didn't know him well either but she was instantly drawn to a Romeo. Teenagers today are like that too. Someone could have a crush on someone, but that person could feel nothing at all for them, and everything for someone else. It's not a matter of "you can't help who you fall in love with", but more that when you see something in someone, such as a trait or characteristic that you're drawn to, you instantly want to get to know that person better.

     Parents also had and have a big influence on relationships. In Romeo and Juliet their families hated each other. There was an ongoing grudge that neither side would let go of. When Juliet found out Romeo was a Montague, at first she was devastated. Saying things like "My only love sprung from my only hate." But then she realizes that "Montague" is just a name, and doesn't define who Romeo is. "Tis but thy name is my enemy; thou art myself, though not a Montague, What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part, belonging to a man O, be some other name." She tells herself this, and is willing to look past the fact that he is from a rivalry family because she loves him. This can relate to a teenager so much! If someone brings home their boyfriend or girlfriend or anything like that and their parents don't like them, the teen tends to go behind their parents backs, just like Romeo and Juliet. Teenagers are constantly rebelling against their parents so they can do what they want. There are tons of things to do with religion and race and sexuality when it comes to relationships that parents may disagree with, and in Romeo and Juliets case it was the fact that their families hate each other. Juliet basically said that she was willing to ditch her family to be with Romeo. In today's time that still happens! Teens seem to value relationships like that more than relationships with their parents. It's probably because teens like the feeling of being able to do whatever they want. Parents are there to look out for you, but just like Juliet, teens get their backs up and instantly rebel. 

      Each relationship from the play can relate to a teenager in some way. Every teenager experiences hormones differently, which means they also feels relationships differently. Teenagers are over reactive and feel like everything is the end of the world. That is exactly how Juliet felt about Romeo and vice versa. They were willing to do anything for each other and I'm sure every teenager has felt like that about someone before. The relationship Romeo and Juliet share relates most to a teenagers life.  

    

Essay Topic

For our final essay I decided to go with topic B

B) There are a wide variety of relationships in this play including lovers, marriages, parents/kids, cousins, friendships, and religious. Choose the one that you think best represents the complexity of a modern teenager's relationship and provide quotes from the play that help you connect them to one another. Why do you think the relationships are so similar despite being centuries apart? What do you think Shakespeare would think about current teens? Why? Support your position with research and or examples from the play.

I chose this topic because I can relate to it. Being a teenager I think it will be interesting to compare relationships teens have to the relationships in Romeo and Juliet. There are a lot of quotes in the play that can be incorporated into my essay as proof and can back up my argument. Not all teens are the same but each relationship from the play can relate to teens in some way. 

Love

Love is amazing. I stumbled upon Romeo by chance but now I know it's meant to be. He's my soul mate. I’m so deeply in love with him. I couldn't live without him. If I didn't have Romeo I would rather be dead. I can't wait to marry him. Who cares that he's a Montague? His name means nothing to me. I am destined to be with him and nothing it going to change that. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him. I don't know what I would do without my dearest Romeo. My family wants me to love Paris but I just cannot, now that I have experienced true love it’s impossible to go back. At this point I don’t care what my family says, I am willing to get rid of my last name and become one with Romeo, and I would not have a problem leaving everything just to be able to be happy with Romeo. I know it’s not just a phase or a hormonal thing because I am a teenager and I am going through hormones always so I would have felt something for Paris, but I didn't there was no connection no spark, unlike with Romeo with Romeo I feel like I’m on cloud 9 I’m ecstatic, I feel better, happier and I know in my heart I’m destined to be with him. I’m showing my love by risking it all, going against my families wishes, and marrying a banished man. If that's not love I don't know what is. I believe in love and marriage is the same thing, if one does not love someone there is no point in getting married to them. This became clear when I told Romeo to leave me alone and never come back if he did not love me, if he did not have good intentions. For example I do not approve of my parents marriage, it has become clear to me that my mother only married my father as a business` arrangement. I want my marriage to be inspired by love. That is why I don’t feel a "love" for them yes, I care about them but I do not love them, I love the nurse. She has been there for me all my life. She is a mother to me in every way expect biologically.

Midterm Reflection

 The time has come for first report cards and in our English 10 class we have to give ourself a grade. It is broken down into 4 sections, each out of 25. I'll rate myself on each section and then add up my percentage. I'm gonna include screenshots, examples, and lots of evidence to back up my assessment. 

The first section is made up of attendance, self regulation and staying on task. I wanna start off by saying that I'm always on time to class and I haven't missed one yet. If I am ever to miss a class I know it is my responsibility to find out what I missed and catch up on my own. If I'm ever late for class there will be a valid reason and I will talk to the teacher about it. So for attendance I think I do pretty well. For self regulation and staying on task I know I could improve. I do find myself getting off track sometimes but I try my best to get back on track when I do. I get distracted super easily and so sometimes it's hard for me to "control the elephant", but I'm gonna work on improving that! I don't have any screenshots for this section but if I did they would be messages between me and my classmates about homework or something like that. For this section I give myself a 23/25. 

The next section is about task completion. There were 15 assignments including blog posts, Edmodo comments and Google docs and I completed all 15. Im not sure if all of the blog posts submitted on Edmodo because sometimes I find I have to do it twice but if you refer to my blog they are all there. I know I don't comment enough on Edmodo and that's something im going to work on for the next term. Im all about setting goals! Being active in discussion is not only important in understanding the material, but also in sharing knowledge and learning things from others. I really wanna get involved in that more. For this section I give myself a 22/25. 

The third section is all about work quality. I think I did well on that because I find that when I'm expressing my own ideas  I can get them across to others easily. I also find it helpful when I read others pats because it helps me get ideas for my own work. I want to include examples from my tattoo assignment because I think that was one of the assignments I did well on. I noticed on Erlynns post that she included the tattoos her family members have.  

I thought that was a really good idea because it gives the reader background knowledge and it helped me decide on my tattoo. In my post I included all my family members tattoos and I think it made my writing better. Thanks Erlynn!

I think compared to classmates my work is pretty good. There are some really good students in the class (Erlynn) who I find do super well on all the assignments and I think it helps motivate me to do better. Margarita also motivates me. We work together a lot and share ideas and it helps both of us! I know there is always room for improvement and I can't wait to see how my work improves by next repot card! For this section I give myself 23/25.

The final section is class participation. Like I said before this is the category I think I need to improve most on. I do comment on Edmodo but I find that im always sharing knowledge that I feel like everyone already knows. I wanna start going above and beyond and finding new information to share with everyone. That is my goal for next term. But on the other hand when I compare my effort to some other classmates I think I do pretty well. So I think it's a bit of both and so im gonna improve for myself. For this section I give myself a 21/25.

After adding it all up the grade I'm giving myself is 89%. I stand behind this grade because I feel like it represents my work. I hope you agree and I can't wait for second term! 

To A Stranger

I think this poem is about a man who had a previous relationship with someone but this relationship was frowned upon. The reasons I think this poem is about that are that it says the writer isn't allowed to speak of this relationship, only think about it. I also think this poem is about the writer seeing someone who reminds them of a previous lover or relationship. The line "I have surely lived a life of joy with you" is the reason I think that. There's a line that says "you grew up with me" so I think the person the writer had a relationship with could have been a childhood friend or something. Since this poem is about walking past a stranger who reminds the writer of someone else, and it says "you must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking" I think it could mean that the previous relationship was either with a man, or a woman. If it was with a man, then the part about it being looked down upon makes sense. Homosexuality wasn't accepted in the 1800s. If it was with a woman then maybe their parents didn't approve or something. But overall this poem is about a stranger who brings back memories of a lover to the writer. 

How Is Your Heart

In my opinion the author should be allowed to be content. People might argue that if you're living a life like that then you would probably want to change it for the better, but I think that since his childhood consisted of an alcoholic father, being abused, and his mother not sticking up for him because she was most likely scared, he never grew up with a healthy relationship and probably doesn't know much better than what he saw. The life that he's living now is probably better to him than how it was before and I think that if he's satisfied  about that then let him be. Maybe he's the type of person who doesn't want a good relationship and prefers to be alone. You could argue that he would probably be lonely and depressed but maybe sleeping with prostitutes everyday and getting drunk is how he wants to spend his time. If he was really unhappy with his life then I don't think he would be smiling. He would do something about it. But since he doesn't and he's content then I say whatever just let him live his life however he wants to. Being content isn't a bad thing. He gets through his tough times and that's all that matters. Everyone has had a time in their life when they didnt like something that was happening but found the positive in it and didn't change it. He's just doing that with his whole life. 

Interm #1

If my parents were to ask me what I have in English 10 so far, I wouldn't be able to tell them. I would explain to them that in this class we aren't handed a letter grade. All my work is on my blog and Edmodo. I would give my parents to link to both of those and tell them that they can read them. I would show them all the assignments we've done (tattoo, teen themes, Myers-Briggs, extended methaphor) and show them how in each assignment I've handed them in on time and put full effort into them. I think I've improved each and every time and I would leave it up to my parents to decide how Im doing. I would also tell them that if they really wanted to that they could go read my classmates blogs and compare. Overall I think I'm doing pretty good in the course and I would hope my parents think so too. 

My Tattoo

I personally really love tattoos. I love the way they look and what they represent. I think it's really cool when someone has a meaningful tattoo. A lot of people in my family have tattoos too. My mom has the Japanese symbol for strength on her ankle. My grandpa has an eagle on his forearm. My uncle has two full sleeves and his chest and back covered. My aunt has a flower vine around her waist. My dad has 6 tattoos. He has the outline of a bulls skull on his back, his firefighter logo on his shoulder, my first and middle name in my own writing on his left bicep, and my sisters on his right, our last name across his chest, and a full sleeve on his left arm which has a bunch of Celtic knots and crosses and stuff to represent our background.

I would love to get a tattoo eventually. If I were to get one I wouldn't get a picture or anything. I would either get a word or a date that's really special to me. My great grandpa used to call me "Sparky" because my initials were AMP. When he passed away, my grandpa continued calling me sparky. Eventually my mom and dad did too. That's my nickname in my family. My friends all call me Ave and stuff but Spark`y will always be my favourite nickname. My great grandpa and I were really close even though I only got to spend 8 years with him. He died from skin and colon cancer. I think if I got a tattoo I would get "Sparky" handwritten on the back of my neck with the date he died under it. The back of my neck doesn't have any significance I just would want to get it somewhere not too noticable but also not somewhere no ones gonna see. He died on April 30, 2007. My tattoo would be "Sparky" with 04/30/07 underneath.

I hope one day I can get this tattoo because it would mean a lot to me to have something to remember him by.  

Extended Metaphor

The extended metaphor I chose was the song "Firework" by Katy Perry.  I chose this song because not only does it have an extended metaphor, it also has similes and regular metaphors within it. The extended metaphor that the song represents is comparing people to fireworks.

The first verse says:

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag

Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?

Do you ever feel already buried deep six feet under?

Screams but no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there's still a chance for you

'Cause there's a spark in you?"

The first two comparisons are similes. I think both of these (the plastic bag and the house of cards) represent being at the end and not having a lot left in you. Then when it says "buried deep" I think this means that you feel trapped and like no one can hear you and there's no way to get out of the situation. 

The chorus says: 

"You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine

Just own the night like the 4th of July

'Cause, baby, you're a firework

Come on, show 'em what you're worth

Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you're a firework

Come on, let your colours burst

Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"

You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe"

This is where the extended metaphor really shows. It's comparing people to fireworks. I think what it means is that you always have to find what's inside you and let it show and that you can surprise people by how you portray yourself. 

The second verse says:

"You don't have to feel like a wasted space

You're original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed

So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow

And when it's time you'll know"

This verse is saying that no matter what you're going through, it's gonna get better. 

Finally, the last little verse tning says:

"Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

It's always been inside of you, you, you

And now it's time to let it through-ough-ough"

This is saying that in a hard situation you just have to look inside you because you're strong and you're gonna get through it no matter what. 

I think overall this song is trying to say that people are like fireworks because they may seem like nothing but there's so much more inside them that you don't always see, but when you do see it it was surprise you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw

Literary Terms

Epigram: An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, and sometimes surprising or satirical statement. 

Epigrams usually appear in poetry, but sometimes not. Some epigrams are like oxymorons where there are 2 words that contradict eachother together. 

Examples:

"To see a world in a grain of sand,

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,

And eternity in an hour"

"Both robbed of air, we both lie in one ground,

Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drowned"

"Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker."

http://m.poemhunter.com/poem/epigram-for-wall-street/

Myers-Briggs Personality Test

After completing the Myers-Briggs Personality Test I got the letters ESFP. That means I am extroverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving. I think the test was pretty accurate because If I had to give myself the 4 letters that's what I would choose. 

I am extroverted because I'm the type of person who is very social, outgoing and finds excitement in the company of others. I don't like being alone. I prefer to go out and talk to people. 

I am sensing because I think about the present. I don't worry about what's gonna happen in the future and I don't look at the big picture. I think about the facts instead of the possibilities and I'm very to the point. I don't like having to figure things out on my own. I like to be told things how they are, especially in school. I don't like having to "read between the lines."

I am feeling because I make decisions based on how I feel. I think the letters S and F kinda contradict eachother but it makes sense to me. I make decisions based on not only myself but also the people it involves or could effect. I worry about others feelings, sometimes too much. As much as I like when others are direct to me, I feel like I'm indirect to them. Sometimes I don't say things because I don't want to cause conflict. It's sorta hypocritical because if someone did that to me I would probably be upset. 

Lastly I am perceiving because I like to go with the flow. When it comes to activities and stuff I'll basically do anything. I don't mind if plans get changed or anything. When it comes to school, like I said before, I like to be told exactly what to do but because I am percieving I wait til the last minute to do things. I prefer to mix work and play rather than work and then play. 

The careers that can go with ESFP range  from an actress or a musican to a lawyer or a church worker. What I noticed though is that all the jobs have one thing in common and that is that they all have to do with working in a very social environment, and possibly being the center of attention. I don't mind being in front of people and so I think any of this jobs could be good for me. 

The characters that go with ESFP are Homer Simpson, Kelly and Peggy Bundy, and a bunch of people I've never heard of. I guess you could say I'm like Homer. I'm sarcastic like him but I think I'm a lot nicer. 

Overall I would say this test is pretty accurate. I usually don't believe in this kind of thing because I don't think anyone knows me better than myself, but it was cool to see the results and all the jobs and stuff that go well with my personality. 

My Teenage Years

Being a teenager has its ups and downs. Right away all the bad things come to my mind. Dealing with high school, teachers, and homework and being stressed about tests and exams. Drama between me and friends or drama between me and a crush. My parents and wanting to be able to do whatever I want whenever I want and getting mad when I can't. Peer pressure, bullying, worrying about what everyone thinks of me. So many little things that add up and make everyday stressful. I personally get stressed so easily and so coping with all these things is a nightmare. But there are also a lot of good things about being a teenager. Going to school and dealing with the fun parts like seeing my friends or going to a class I actually enjoy. I personally love science for some weird reason and I look forward to it. Or being able to go out on weekends and not have to worry about stuff Ill have to later on like work and bills. Having good relationships with my friends and parents and crushes and knowing that I have a big support group that's there to help me get through all the bad stuff. Overall being a teenager sucks at times but it's also probably the years I'll look back on later in life and realize that they weren't as bad as they seemed.

Me + English

I have mixed emotions about english. I hated in it grade 8 because it was boring and we basically read the Outsiders the whole semester. I don't like reading at all. Last year I didn't mind it as much because we mostly wrote essays and stuff and I don't mind writing that much. I can't stand poetry or Shakespeare though, which is probably why I don't like english that much. Even though I don't like it I tend to do fine with it and I got an A in grade 8 and last year so hopefully I can maintain that grade.