How To Relieve Stress

I do believe that music and writing are ways to help prevent stress. When I take the time to write down some thoughts while listening to my favorite songs, it makes me feel a lot better when I am struggling. Writing is a form of expression. It is as if you are using emotions in person but on paper or in something such as a blog.

Writing. It can be as simple or complex as you would like it to be. You could create a poem, a short story, the list is neverending.

Writing is a form of art. Use it to express yourself. Shout out to the world in the form of words!

A few words from your peer,
Nicole D.

Hidden Life

And into the light she stepped

with graceful caution,

unkown entirely to what lingers

in it's profound purity.

The lightness,

the rays illuminating

what lies in the inconcievably depressed,

decrepit black shadows of humanity.

It allows all eyes

to not just see,

but feel

and know

and comprehend

the truth,

for nothing can hide

in the enlightened corners

of this life.




Courtney (Amber) Stiles
Period 4

Help Me Santa!!

dear santa;
all i want for cristmas are good grammer so that i can write good? all my friends write good and there papers are well to. plez help me.
sincerely: worse grammer student


Dear Bad Grammar Student,
I'm sorry but the elves in my workshop only build toys here at the North Pole. Luckily for you though, I have helpers in B20 who can help improve your writing. They are excellent writers (even if their ears aren't as pointy, and they are much taller than your average elf).I ho- ho- hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Sincerely, Santa

Livin' the Teenage Dream

Livin' The Teenage Dream

Sleeping through school, going home to a ficticious social life we brag about at school when we aren't sleeping, blowing off homework till' the last minute, and staying up late to accomplish the homework that won't get done. The life of a teenager is not quite a glamorous as our parents may think...or is it?

Having a giant (if educational) party with all your friends for 7 hours a day, not worrying about bills or debt, free meals, free stuff, and little to no responsibility. Our parents only seem to hate us because we're living the life they can no longer live. The teenage dream.

It's all about perspective!

No life is really completely that glamorous. For instance, as talented as Rick Astley is, he only had one hit single. As intelligent as Hermione Grainger was, she still had to go to college. The point being, everything has its benefits and its negatives.

So next time you're about to complain about being tired or hungry, think of all the things you have going for you. As we enter this Holiday Season I encourage to spend it happily with your family. Don't waste this opportunity arguing with them...because pretty soon they will be paying for your college.

Connecticut: Moving Forward

A lot of hearts were broken Friday morning when 26 people lost their lives to a cruel, unecessary crime. The day started so normal: The children woke and went to school, ready and eager to learn new things from their teachers and mentors. But at 9:30, their lives ended suddenly, long before they ever should have. Almost immediately, news crews arrived to publicize the scene and show the world what a terrible thing Adam Lanza did. It's understandable that the world should know what happened on that fateful day. The world should remember those victims, and preserve their lives and sacrifices so that this action may never happen again. But at some point, the families and loved ones should be left to grieve in private. There needs to be a point where the news crews and press leave the scene and let what happened fade from the news lines. The last thing we need is to idolize Adam Lanza in the press, giving him the attention he so desperately craved. It was an unforgivable thing what he did, and the lives that he took should never be forgotten. But we should remember then privately, in our memories and our hearts. Not in the thousands of news articles and headlines throughout the world. We should remember these children and the teachers that gave their lives to protect them, and let their souls rest peacefully, knowing they will never be forgotten.

Giving Back

The Milford Writing Center is truly getting festive. If you come down to B20 you can see all the streamers and lights hanging from the walls. We even have a reading tree as well as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I think that all of us are so excited for the holidays and especially for break. From our Secret Santa gifts to our decorations, I think it is really easy for us to get caught up in all of the Holiday celebration. Then we forget about what this time of the year really means. That is why the Writing Center has also started collecting gloves and mittens. We are trying to reach out to those in the community that cannot afford to have necessities like gloves. It was really exciting seeing the box fill up over the past 2 weeks. Today counted our collection and we received 90 gloves/mittens, 2 scarves, and 1 hat.

Snow Day

Snow Day   

By Billy Collins

Today we woke up to a revolution of snow,   

its white flag waving over everything,

the landscape vanished,

not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness,   

and beyond these windows

the government buildings smothered,

schools and libraries buried, the post office lost   

under the noiseless drift,

the paths of trains softly blocked,

the world fallen under this falling.

In a while, I will put on some boots

and step out like someone walking in water,   

and the dog will porpoise through the drifts,   

and I will shake a laden branch

sending a cold shower down on us both.

But for now I am a willing prisoner in this house,   

a sympathizer with the anarchic cause of snow.   

I will make a pot of tea

and listen to the plastic radio on the counter,   

as glad as anyone to hear the news

that the Kiddie Corner School is closed,   

the Ding-Dong School, closed.

the All Aboard Children’s School, closed,   

the Hi-Ho Nursery School, closed,

along with—some will be delighted to hear—

the Toadstool School, the Little School,

Little Sparrows Nursery School,

Little Stars Pre-School, Peas-and-Carrots Day School   

the Tom Thumb Child Center, all closed,

and—clap your hands—the Peanuts Play School.

So this is where the children hide all day,

These are the nests where they letter and draw,   

where they put on their bright miniature jackets,   

all darting and climbing and sliding,

all but the few girls whispering by the fence.

And now I am listening hard

in the grandiose silence of the snow,

trying to hear what those three girls are plotting,   

what riot is afoot,

which small queen is about to be brought down.

       A poem is a great way to easily capture a feeling, thought, or emotion. Snow Day by Billy Collins captures my thoughts on this time of year.

Who doesn’t love a day when you wake up and find snow covering the ground, the world around you completely whited out, and school closed for the day!? I certainly do! A snow day is a day that is meant to be a freebie to relax and play and not have a care in the world. Many times its a nice day off from the stress and work of school. The line that says “ the dog will porpoise through the drifts” reminds me so much of my own dog in the snow, using a whipping like motion like a dolphin just to get through the snow. I just love snow and everytime it snows I get that excited feeling, like that feeling you get on christmas morning before you open presents, that’s how excited I get about snow.

I think that Snow Day is a poem that can bring out the youth in all ages. Something as simple as snow can bring back fond memories of spending a day trapped with snow. I really hope that this year we will have at least one snow day so we can all experience that excitement and happiness of a SNOW DAY!!

Keeping it Simple

Keeping it Simple

We all want to sound smart when writing a paper; you know what I mean, like using a lot of big words that sound like you know what you’re talking about. Especially if you didn’t actually read the book and your final grade for the class is hanging in the balance. (Don’t pretend not to know what I’m talking about, we’ve all been there). However, there is such a thing as over-doing it, like when you’re using so many “smart person” words that you don’t even know what your point was anymore.  Believe it or not, there is something even more important than sounding smart, reliability, because teachers live in the real world too.  Anyway, what I’m trying to say here is, when in doubt, always opt for simplicity. So even if it doesn’t seem as “intelligent”, it’s always better to know exactly what your paper is saying because if you don’t know what you’re talking about, chances are, no one else will either.

~Emmy Peña- First Period Writing Center~

P.S. I found this clip from “Friends” as proof! Don't be a baby kangaroo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1tOqZUNebs

Reading Shakespeare

For most kids reading Shakespeare, and more importantly understanding his work, sounds like the most boring thing they could ever do. I, however, fell in love with and started studying the Bard at age nine. In the hopes that you find comprehending Shakespeare less unbearable, here are some tips for reading his plays and poems.
1) Have a positive attitude. If I could do it in the fourth grade, I promise you can too. Treat it like it will be fun!
2) Break it down. Take it sentence by sentence. Every time you reach a period, exclamation point, or a question mark, stop and think about if you understood it. It takes a while, but it is way more effective than just rushing through and hoping for the best.
3) Look words up. If a word confuses you, look it up. Even if it is a word you know but not in that context. http://shakespeareswords.com/ is a great resource; it contains the words Shakespeare used and their meanings as well as examples of where they are in his plays.
4) Do not view at as complicated. If you see it as complicated, that is how it will be. Remember, Shakespeare and his theatre group had to perform these plays for a vastly uneducated audience. Focus on the story instead of worrying about all of the little things.
5) Practice makes perfect. If you refuse to give up, soon it will be way easier.

I hope this helps!

-Jamie Kuhn

It's Elementary

There are some things we learn in elementary school that should remain with us for the rest of your lives--treat others as you want to be treated, wash your hands often, warm up for any sort of physical activity by stretching out your arms and vigorously rotating them. Academically, we learn so many simple, yet crucial grammar and spelling conventions that should live on whether we're writing a book report on a selection from the Magic Tree House series or a corporate memo. We must always keep the elementary concepts in mind.

Everyday, I find myself cringing at the sight of so many erroneous errors in writing of all types. Here, I'd like to focus on my greatest pet peeve in writing: the confusion of there, their, and they're. The distinction between the three forms of this word was made in elementary school, so we should all know better by now. For once and for all, I'd like to lay it all out again. THERE indicates a place, THEIR signifies possession, and THEY'RE is a contraction combining the words they and are. It's that simple. Really. I'm continually baffled by the number of people who either don't know or don't care about the proper placement of there, their, and they're.

I have a dream: that one day we will live in a world where spelling mistakes stem not from lack of knowledge, but instead from hasty typing. Kind of like the errors I have undoubtedly made in this post.

Kali J

Festival of Lights!

Want something fun and uplifting to do during this Christmas holiday? Go to the zoo festival of lights! There is something cheerful about seeing live exotic animals from around the world while walking through an awesome display of Christmas lights. If its too cold out, bundle up! Then grab a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate. If you have kids with you, take them to the petting zoo and then let them get a picture with Santa. If you are going with a group of friends, watch the silly singing elves and get a hot dinner. If you are still concerned about the cold, visit the indoor exhibits such as the cat house, reptile house, and bug house. Also, the girraffes and elephants have indoor observation areas (however, the elephant house smells terrible!)Visit the zoo festival of lights this holiday!

~Annie Nesteroff~

My Unhealthy Relationship

I wrote the following editorial for a project for my AP Language and Composition class last year.  I imitated the style of Nora Ephron by using sarcasm and humor.

My Unhealthy Relationship

By: Laura Fend

I met him while stumbling around on the Internet.  I was bored and lonely; I was just looking for a fling.  He asked me for my name, email, and a small picture.  I obliged.  He wanted to know what I was interested in, what movies I liked, what bands I listened to, what books I read… It all seemed innocent enough.  And so things progressed.

Our relationship was easy and fun.  Sometimes he wanted me to share pictures of friends, family, places, and myself.  I obliged.  If I was going somewhere interesting, or doing something fun, he wanted me to share about it.  It all seemed innocent enough. 

We were far enough into our relationship that my family wanted to get to know him.  After introducing all of them to my newest love, they were soon hooked.  They simply could not get enough of him.  He was alluring, fascinating, ever-changing, always bursting with new and valuable gossip about all the people in my life.  Even more, he made me feel valued and appreciated.  Whenever I shared details of my life with him, however extraneous, he always let me know just how much he “liked” it.  He made me feel special and important.

Things began to change.  I just could not take my mind off him.  When I wasn’t with him, all I ever thought about was the next time I would get to see him.  I was obsessed.  I found myself bringing him up in every conversation I had.  I was addicted to him. I was staying home just to spend more time with him, instead of going out with friends.  My grades began to slip as I repeatedly put homework aside to focus on him.  I needed him.  He even began to invade my subconscious world and creep into my dreams at night.  I simply couldn’t even begin to imagine life without him.

Things between us began to change.  He was always checking up on me- watching who I was friends with, who I talked to, who I looked at… and then things got worse.  He started to watch every move I made- my comments to others, new acquaintances…. And shared these personal details with everyone.  My life was no longer private.  He wanted me to share every s move I made, let him know everywhere I went, and always let him know who I was with.  I knew things weren’t right anymore, but I just couldn’t tear myself away from his charm and allure.  I was in too deep, and completely powerless.

My relationship with Facebook just wasn’t healthy.  I’m trying my best to move on, but I just keep coming back to him. I need to break up with Facebook.  For good.  I’ve started seeing a new guy now.  His name is Twitter.  He’s young, fresh, and most of all, he respects me, and my privacy.  So far.  We’ll see how this goes. 

Mother Nest Egg

Theatrical performances miscued and obscured
Athwart from the others, one stands alone
Fragmentations of an embered past
Recollection triggered by hapless squalls

Dignified men in attendance this forenight
Outspoke only by whispered engagements
Their trophies, well-dressed and made up
similarly accentuate the third party egos

Fate perhaps perpetuated the first domino
But it was the people's player that toppled
Collisions, Derisions, Decisions, and Hope
Kept what was dead alive for Him

Gothic temptations cloud the minds of developers
While the Player rests for his next performance

Do I Know Them?

Hello world! Recently, I received the assignment to write a narrative. I chose to write about the clan of weirdos I call my grandparents. Here's a small excerpt to give you an idea of what I deal with on a daily basis.

          Now, I’m about to share some experiences with you all that have been both extremely embarrassing, but hilarious at the same time. Some of these stories, I haven’t shared with anyone outside of my family; you should feel lucky. Although my grandparents can’t help it, all four of them are EXTREMELY embarrassing and odd people. I’ve tried to narrow it down to one embarrassing time for each of them, but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t decide on just one for certain people. Let’s start with Maury. Due to his friendly nature, my grandpa has gotten me into some situations I wish I never had to go through. Although he definitely has good intentions, sometimes I don’t understand the logic behind what he does. For example, my grandpa is a very sociable person, especially with teenage boys. Now, trust me, I would be totally fine with this if he didn’t try to hook me up with each boy he talks to. For example, almost every vacation we go on, there has to be a group of teenage boys walking around our hotel, and my grandfather feels inclined to talk to them. One time, I specifically remember, he asked a boy if he thought I was pretty, and would consider being my boyfriend. That is all I have to say about that.
           As for Carol, I have way too many ideas for embarrassing times. I’ll start off with the less embarrassing, cute grandma story. My grandma enjoys coming to her grandchildren’s sporting events, which I love but fear all at the same time. Not only does she talk to everyone around her about random things, she also feels the need to scream out “score one for grandma” after almost every single point. She’s an interesting person. In addition to her cheerleading, my grandma also specializes in getting sick on planes. My grandparents took me to Spain my freshman year and on the way back, my grandma ate a bad egg and suffered the consequences. She threw up all over the seat and didn’t do it quietly. Everyone around us was staring with quite disgusted faces, as one should. I get grossed out just thinking about it.

I hope you've learned something today, and maybe learned to value the normal qualities your grandparents possess. If this sounds entertaining to you, I have an add on craig's list for them. Contact me anytime about prices.

Disney Songs

I love Disney songs, and in 7th period we listen to them all the time.  I recommend watching the video on Youtube with the Top 60 Disney Songs.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zblXvT7MpH8&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
My favorite Disney song is "A Whole New World" which is in Aladdin.  Mason Johnson's favorite song is Hakuna Matata in "The Lion King".  As seventh period we enjoy watching our one and only Grace Brown dance to these multiple songs.  Lastly, Margaret loves "Hercules" because he is a stud and is super nice to Meg, every woman's dream.
Comment your favorite Disney song!

- Jessica Winstel

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Hey guys! For starters, I would like to inform everyone about Creative Writing Club's "Open Mike Night"! The official date and time is uncertain (some time in February), but everyone is welcome to come. We will share original pieces of writing with eachother and refreshments will be provided. If you are interested in sharing please see Mrs. Lombardo, Joshua Lepard, Skippy, or me (Sam Bryant). This is just an introduction, more information and details are to come!
Next, I would like to share a poem (more like a ramble) that i wrote in Creative Writing Club. (:

Sustained Happiness

I am often skeptical about sustained happiness.

That is, the smile I wear should have some time to rest.

But lately I have found it to be so bright and irresistable,

So vaguely interested in the traditional tedium,

So painfully proud of the ridges in it's teeth.

One would think I should enjoy this,

but I only find myself fearful of what is

to come.

Being Spontaneous

The importance of spontaneity is way unstressed. For those who know me, I wouldn’t know if spontaneous would be the best word to describe me, but it is certainly a huge aspect in my personality. And in my honest opinion, I am a pretty fab. person, therefore, spontaneity is a good thing, right? Before we examine the wonderful outcomes of being spontaneous, let’s define what it means to be spontaneous: coming

or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned. Alright, so: being spontaneous is just being yourself and speaking your own mind. As we grow older, kids lose their creativity because their minds are trained to filter their thoughts, which in time create the creative flow to be hindered. They are taught at a young age to “think before you speak”. Wrong. The main objective in that is to supplement a mindset of being kind to one another, which is absolutely fine. The problem with it is the word choice they use to get their point across. Instead of that phrase The Golden Rule is an easy replacement. And let me clarify, there isn’t anything wrong with keeping a thought in your mind so you can articulate your stance on an issue. What’s wrong with thinking about things too much is that your original notion is morphed into one that doesn’t necessarily reflect your personal views. Over thinking is bad. Think for a moment, if everyone would say what were on their minds. Of course, controversy would arise, but over time it would be highly beneficial. Imagine: instead of answering the question “How are you?” with a, “I’m good and you?” with your actual thoughts of: “Today is stupid, I don’t like today or you, why are you talking to me? I’m not even going to ask you how your day is because I could care less.” How liberated would you feel? In turn, the person may feel hurt, however, if they really voiced their opinions they probably wouldn’t care about your feelings for the current day.

            I’m straying from the point. Spontaneity is a far underrated idea. The only way to pull of a life of spontaneity is to not care what others think of your opinions. People today are a little too sensitive of others opinions, but if we just thought what we think, without persuasion of others, think of how wonderful life would be without the burden of peer pressure. Which finally ends to my conclusion, and challenge for you: Be spontaneous. Do what you want to do, (For the record, I am not condoning you not doing you homework just because you didn’t want to do it) but rather be yourself! If people don’t like you for who you truly are, and think, then why would you like them? Be spontaneous, think freely.

-Lindsey Bugajski