Silver Lining

Ok, here is a list of the top 5 things to do that will help me learn:

5. Mix things up. Even doing the way I learn best, if done ALL the time, will get boring, and boredom leads to zoning out, which obviously leads to a lack of learning!

4. Computers are great! Doing something other than the traditional really gets my attention and makes me want to try whatever it is you want me to try.

3. Discussion within short periods of time are really good.

2. Hands on activities are great. Something that we can take part in in a way other than notes or writing. Maybe acting something out.

1. DO NOT LECTURE ME. You might be saying something extremely important but if you stick it into the middle of a lecture I will not hear you. Short talks are fine, but ixnay on the 30 minute lectures.

Victory! I finally know what semi-colons, colons, and clauses! This, is a semi-colon —-> ;

It is used when you want to put two things together that COULD be separate sentences, but you want them to be the SAME sentence. For example: I like pink shirts; my brother likes blue shirts. Super simple, but effective. The two sentences on either side of the semi-colon are called CLAUSES. A colon is easier to explain. A colon is this —–> : and its job is to introduce things like lists. For example:

You will need: a eggs, milk, flower, baking soda, etc.

Grammar is way harder then it needs to be. Why bother making things so complicated when you can say things simply? One question I would REALLY like answered is who invented grammar and why? I can understand general rules, but not super specific rules that seemingly do nothing to promote the actual quality of writing. *Sigh* Oh well.

One of my goals was to put my horse on a training program and complete it. I definantly did just that. I went to the barn 5-7 days a week and worked my butt off (as my poor mother who had to drive me there, stay there, and then bring me home will testify to.) Even though it isn’technically “school work” I really learned a lot. I learned that animals don’t care what kind of day you had, you have to control you temper and frustrations because trying to get a 1400 pound animal to do what you want with a bad attitude doesn’t work. They can make a bad day worse or totally turn it arround. Training my horse taught me about commitment. This winter it was way below freezing, and sometimes 5-10 degrees. I still had to go to the barn in the dark, check on the horse, warm her up really well, then cool her down, blanket her, and bring her water.

I taught her to jump up and down banks, jump into water (when the weather warmed up) and how to jump in a small arena. She had never done any of this before. I call her the Evil Pony (along with everyone else in the barn) because if she doesn’t respect you she will buck, kick, take off, run out of jumps, or flat out refuse to move at all. Trying to MAKE 1400 lbs of thick skinned attitude move will teach you the meaning of WORK.

I experienced moments of extreme frustration as well as those of triumph. My training program took me all the way to my first show, and I’m now taking it to the next level in hopes of having a succesfull showing career with my little mare =) Even though it was tough, the lessons I learned from Amaretto (my horse) will definately stick with me. This was a tough but rewarding personal curriculum.

This year went by the fastest of any year in my life. School was amazing. Yes, I just said that school was amazing. I got to try so many things I had never done before like blogging. I got so into projects that couldn’t wait to work on them at home. Math was tolerable and I didn’t feel like I was failing every 10 seconds. I learned that the computer is my FRIEND.

 I met some friends that I’m never going to forget. We had good times together and were totaly spontaneous and didn’t worry about what other people would think. We slept in Falena’s living room, tied a cat bed to someone, and then couldn’t get it off. We also learned things NOT to do, like sneak out of the house wearing hot pink pajama pants. Why no pink pajama pants? It makes old ladies in nice cars stick HALF OF THEIR BODY out of the car and stare at you at stopsigns wondering where you are going at ONE in the morning all alone carrying your shoes because they kept falling off. I learned that you will have severe paranoia when walking through a dark field at night where creepy people have been known to chill. I learned that you can say no to something, you can gain more respect then you would have gotten otherwise. I learned that I am more spontaneous then I thought: I learned that my friends changed me for the better. I learned to do things on the spur of the moment (like flinging rice out of a spoon at someone in the lunch room) and it will create a great memory to look back on. I learned not to let your possesions or your relationships define you. I learned that its hard to remain YOU when everyone wants you to be someone else but you can do it. I learned that trying to walk up bloods acting like a crypt would have got me in a LOT OF TROUBLE if not for my friends. I learned that you had better make sure your friends know that a door DOESN’T LOCK before the try making out behind it. I learned that your friends always have your back even when you don’t think you need them. I learned that the Lucky Charms song does NOT say “don’t forget the red baloons”. I learned that Declan doesn’t recieve gifts of panty hose very well, but he will wear a pink crown and run and spy-role down the aisle at a serious event with parents watching. Having a squirt bottle fight in Math class with Eric complete with ninja rolls is a bad idea! Using “I WILL BITE YOU!!!” as a threat to a guy doesnt work. They will twist it into something nasty! Even big kids love Disney and Veggie Tales! Reading a note that has classified material in the open is a dangerous operation. It WILL get stolen. I learned that sometimes it takes a while to see through what people want you to see into who they really are but it is worth it. I learned that holding you tongue is a skill that should be practiced more often. I learned that pool parties at someones house are amazing. I learned that if you want something, you better work for it. I learned that you really do need to manage your time, or you start hyperventilating.