The Fault in our Stars by John Green

This week I read the book The Fault in our Stars by John Green. This book was about a 16 year old girl, Hazel, who has lung cancer where fluid fills her lungs making it hard to breathe. She also has tumors in her lungs making the fluid that much worse. She has to always be hooked up to an oxygen tank or else her she has trouble breathing. she has been pulled from school, has an over protective mother and the only thing she does away from her house is she goes to a cancer support group. One day at her support group though she meets seventeen year old Augustus. He is an ex-basketball player and amputee. He had had cancer in his leg and had to have it amputated. He came to the support group to support his friend Isaac, who is a regular and is going through a tough time, but also meets Hazel. They hang out after the first support group and from that blossoms a friendship. 

This was a really good book. It is a different read from what I am used to but I still enjoyed it. There is parts of this that have some more mature content but I think everyone could read it. I suggest this book. Its really good and worth reading.

Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff

This week I read the book Black Ships before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff which is basically a retelling of the Iliad. The Iliad is the story of where trojan prince Paris goes and steals one of Greece's kings, king Menelaus, wife Helen and takes her for his own. Menelaus than calls upon all of Greece's mightiest kings and they sail to troy to take back Helen and burn the city. The war than rages on and many men from both sides are lost. Gods interfere from time to time to speed up the war. The war takes nine years to finish but eventually it comes to the an end. Odysseus comes up with a clever way to end the war. This book was a reasonably okay book. I had heard many retellings and this was an average one. Its an extremely easy read. I suggest it for anyone who likes mythology and action. Overall its a fine book but not great.    

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This week I read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. This book is about a girl who has killed herself and has left behind 13 tapes each of them containing a reason why she killed herself. In each tape there is a person in there which is the main source of the reason. Hannah (the girl who killed herself) mailed these tapes to the first person mentioned in the tapes. Her only rule was that you listen to all the tapes and then mail them to the person after you on the list. If you did not mail them on then she had a way she set up of putting the tapes out in a public fashion for everyone to hear. If you were the last person then you can keep them forever. This book focuses on a boy named Clay who has received the tapes and listens to them to hear why he was a reason she killed herself and what the other reasons are.

This book is a very sad and depressing book but it is written extremely well. I enjoyed this book meaning it was a very powerful read but very sad. This is an extremely easy read though and not hard to get through at all. It is only 288 pages. Overall this is a good book that is worth reading.

Next week I am going to read Black Ships before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff.

Elanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

This week I read the book Elanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. This was a very good story and I liked it a lot. This book it about two kids who are sixteen years old. The book is set in 1986. Elanor is a "big girl" who returns to her home of Omaha after being kicked out for a year. She has bright red hair and that leads to kids nicknaming her Big Red. Her house is a very small house where she has multiple siblings and an abusive stepfather. Her family is extremely poor. Park is a reasonably wealthily fairly popular half-korean kid. Park would be an extremely popular boy if it wasn't his liking for comic books and different genres of music. On the first day of school though Elanor sits down next to Park and out of that springs a friendship that becomes much more.

I thought this was a very well written book and a realistic book about stereotypes, peer pressure and bullying. It focused a lot on real world issues and I thought that was very interesting. This is a more mature book for a little bit older kids. I think a couple of kids in the class are ready for it though. Overall I feel if you are ready for this book and understand everything this is a very good book.

The Client by John Grisham

This week I read The Client by John Grisham. This book is based in the outskirts of Memphis where eleven year old boy Mark Sway and his younger brother are hanging out when a new lincoln pulls up near them. Out of the car comes a man and he pulls out a boys body. Specifically dead. Mark finds himself caught in between worlds of a mobster and a the justice and he is one of the few who actually knows the whereabouts of this missing boy. This book was a really good and intriguing story. When reading it you get caught up in this crazy world of this young boy and the things he just accidentally saw that could change his life. During this book pictures are painted in your mind about what is happening. Its a really good and extremely interesting book. I suggest it for everyone in the class. It's not extremely intense. There's not really anything that is inappropriate. It is 576 pages so a reasonably long read. The story is very interesting and it really hooked me early. Overall I would defiantly suggest.

Next week I will read Elanor and Park.

Book Blog: Fahrenheit 451

Over spring break I read the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. This book is about a dystopian society. The main character in this book is a "fireman" named Guy Montang who job instead of stopping fires is to burn books or start fires. Guy has always loved his job until one night when walking home from work he runs into a seventeen year old girl who is not like everyone else. She and her family have just moved in next door. They start to talk and she asks peculiar questions like "why do you burn the books, when they are full of history and knowledge?" and makes statements such as "you know once fireman's jobs were to prevent fires not start them." These questions strike Guy in a peculiar way making him rethink his career and life. Then this girl asks him the question that makes him think the most "are you happy?". Guy realizes he isn't happy and thats when he starts to change his life.

This book is a very interesting and in some ways meaningful read. It goes through how lives change. Its more of a serious book then some others I have read but still really good. This is a 165 pages so a very quick read. I would suggest this book for a lot of people.

Next week I will read The Client by John Grisham.

SOL 31/31: Showers

To quote Kramer on Seinfeld The Shower Head Episode,

“A bath is like sitting in your on filth”.

Showers sprinkles nice hot clean water,

And it cleans your body and washes everything a way.

A bath is good for about four seconds before you realize,

“There is dirt and grass floating in the water around me”.

Showers can become baths but better.

All you have to do is sit down.

The scalding water trickles down your body

And it warms you up and cleanses your body.

On a cold wet day.

The ones everyone dreads.

Where the wind howls like wolfs.

There is nothing like get out of your wet cold clothes

And letting the steaming water warm you up.

It comforts you like a cushion.

It makes life better and all good.

Your worries wash down the rain with the dirt.

You doubts go away.

Happiness and calmness returns to your body as you sit there,

Your mind blank.

There is nothing to think or say or do.

You forget about your deadlines and due dates,

Your work, school, enemies, everything.

And you are put in a trance you never want to leave.

Each time you try to get it out end up staying for longer.

When you do get out all you can think about.

Is when you are going to be able to take that next long,

Comforting,

Warm,

Shower.

SOL 30/31: Backpacking Part 2

I wake up laying, staring at the ceiling of my tent. The world is still dark around us besides my dad's phone alarm that woke us up. We get up and dress silently. I take down the tent while he makes breakfast. We eat a quick meal in total silence as if not wanting to disturb the peaceful world around us. Then with our daypacks filled with some water, snacks, minor first aid kit, and a leatherman and my knife strapped to my hip we set off. By the time its sunrise we are past timberline. We stop and have a quick snack and water break sitting on the top of a hill looking back over the valley. Its painting worthy. I sit there taking in the warmth of the sun and the feeling of being out in the wilderness. We keep hiking and after a grueling three to four hours of hiking and two false summits I reach the summit. A feeling of accomplishment and happiness overcomes me. By the time I scout the top and look out at all the beautiful views its around midday. My dad and I sit at the top chatting and having some nice sandwiches. I get a picture of me at the top with the valley behind me. After absorbing every last bit we start our long way down but I still and beaming with happiness.

SOL 29/31: Backpacking Part 1

I am hiking up the trail my dad right behind me. We are going backpacking to Mt. Harvard near Buena Vista, CO. On my back is about and forty to sixty pound backpack that is making me break a sweat. On my hip is my trusty four inch Bear Grylls knife that I just sharpened. We are hiking on a relatively steep trail. I have a map in my pocket and am following a trail. Our plan is to make it quite a bit up the trail and then camp tonight and then hike the Mountain tomorrow with our daypacks and hike back down to the car tomorrow by evening. My thoughts wander as we hike. I think about school, sports, girls… everything you can imagine. I occasionally glance at the map to see where we are at. We make it to the site and I set down my bag for the first time. The cool air chills my back but it feels wonderful. The night starts to fade. I set up the tent while my dad makes dinner. I lean back and stare at the stars with a bowl of hot broth in my hands. Sometime after that I remember going into my tent and falling asleep in the my sleeping bag.

SOL 28/31: Water Polo Bus Rides

I wake up with my adrenaline pumping. Even though its around five in the morning I feel wide awake. I roll out of bed and throw and throw on some baggy shorts a tank top and my baggy hoodie. The rest of my house is silent as I make my way silently downstairs. I grab a piece of fruit and throw on my shoes. I then hear scuffling sounds behind me and see my dad coming down the stairs. For a big guy he doesn't make much noise at all. Nodding to each other we silently make our way outside to the cool air. The rest of the world is asleep around us but I feel more awake than ever. Tonight I will be in Albuquerque playing at a Water Polo tournament. I make my way to the car and when my dad turns it on it roars into the pitch night. We pull out smoothly and make our way to the meeting spot in the Best Buy parking lot at I-25 and Colorado. I look up and see our giant charter bus waiting there. Kids, parents and coaches swarm around getting ready.

After a brief goodbye I grab my stuff and run up to the bus saying, "Hey" and "Good morning coach."I throw my suit case underneath and immediately make my way to the back end of the bus. I sit about five rows from the back with my good friends Georgia, Andrew and Margaux. I sit next to Georgia and the other two are right behind us. We joke and laugh and say dumb things because it is way to early in the morning. After couple more minutes we pull out leaving the parking lot. A couple of the older kids run up and grab the bagel buckets so everyone at the back gets first pick. I grab a chocolate chip bagel with the strawberry cream cheese. I sit there sting and talking as we pull on to the highway.

Even though I am a younger kid, ever since I joined the team I was a "cool kid" and always got to sit with the older kids. Talent buys your way into that group. This group had a lot of privileges. We always got to go first for meals, we got the back of the bus and we get to choose our roommates first. It was always fun being one of the "older kids" even though I was younger than everyone else.

As I was saying we are driving along and we like to mess with each other. Now the bathroom on the bus is in the back so every time someone from this group got up (unless they were a girl) got pants and most likely locked in the bathroom till the next person came who needed to go. It was all fun and games. These bus rides are truly a ton of fun.

After talking, listening to music, laughing, playing on phones we finally make it to the lunch break. Here we stop for about forty five minutes and usually treat ourselves to high quality food such as; McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Sonic, Burger King… After forty five minutes off eating as much food as our wallets and stomachs can hold we hop back on the bus to ride another four-five hours. By the time we get there we are all feeling 100% phenomenal. We get there, change into our suits then hop in the pool to warm up for our first game.

SOL 27/31: Continuation

For eight years I have been staring up at all these kids getting there two minutes of fame at this school. A chance to express themselves or their gratitude towards this school, but somehow I just haven't gotten it through that this year I won't be a kid looking at the those kids, I will be one of those kids. I will stand up on the second to last day of school and get two minutes to say goodbye and thanks to what has been my home for nine years. The thought of not going to Logan is a little scary. It's just so familiar. The community, the building, my friends, the education… everything. I feel ready, ready to move on but a little scared. Nervous. I just completed the design for my banner. The first sign that I am also done here. Sad but excited, prepared but nervous, leaving but starting are all words that come to mind. I am preparing for another chapter in my hopefully long and happy life. This chapter is ending and I am trying to squeeze every last thing in before it does. Am I ready, yes. Am I nervous, absolutely.

SOL 26/31: Sorbet

It's a hot summer afternoon cloudless and absolutely beautiful. I stand outside standing over our basil plant. I pick off about thirty of the best biggest leaves and take them back inside. I have done this so many times I know it by heart. Juice four lemons. Put sugar, water, lemon juice, and the now freshly chopped and washed basil in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer, let it sit for ten minutes, then simmer again and then using a strainer discard the basil leaves because all the flavor has been extracted. I go through this meanwhile the kitchen starts to smell like fresh basil and lemons. I suck in the sweet air having just finished the straining. I then pull the ice cream mixer out and start to churn the ice cream. Thirty minutes later I check it and its solidifying. I stick my finger in there to taste it. My mouth pops with the sweet basil and tart lemon. I lick my lips. I then scoop it out and put it in the freezer and let it sit. We sit outside on our patio enjoying the late sunshine. I haven't told anyone I made sorbet  because everyone was out from home and I thought I would surprise them. My mom says:

"JP could you take in the plates and bring out the chocolate (our normal dessert)"

"Sure." I answer.

I am so excited to surprise them. I jump to my feet grab the plates and hurry inside dishing out the sorbet quickly I grab some spoons and bring it out.

My mom starts to ask "Where's the cho…" but I set down the sorbet. She has a surprised and pleasant smile.

"When did you make this?"

"This afternoon." I reply simply.

We then sit down all with smiles and enjoy the sorbet in the fading sun.

"Nice job on the sorbet." my family echoes.

I just nod and smile enjoying my last spoon of delicious Lemon Basil sorbet.

SOL 25/31: Kill Order by James Dashner

This week I read The Kill Order by James Dashner. This is the prequel to the Maze Runner series. I thought this was an alright book but I am not going to talk about the actual book that much because it gives a lot of answers that would ruin the first books. I think that it is not that key to the series to read this but it is mildly entertaining. It gets very dull and drawn out in my opinion. The only book I would suggest reading in this series is the first one the problem is though that once you read it you want to read the other ones but the other ones get pretty boring in my opinion. It kinda of is like a Hunger Games or Divergent but not as well written and not as good of a story. I wouldn't suggest this series as a whole.

Next week I am going to read  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

SOL 24/31: EAST

I am a little nervous. For a long time I have felt that I have a home and a place where every one knows me and to go in knowing not even a sixth of my class is a little scary. To know that I am the youngest and the smallest person is a little scary. To never be able to know the names of half of this school is gonna be weird. I am excited but nervous. I am going to be a small fish in a big pool but I feel ready. I know about 50 kids going into the year and I am sure that I will meet a lot more because my class of freshman alone is going to be 650ish kids. Having off campus lunches, having, classes, not knowing everyone, getting to choose your friends and going from a class of 30 to 650. Those are things that are going to be different and I am nervous and excited about. Next year is definitely going to be different.

SOL 23/31: Glasses

I stare down the road and I realize for the first time in my life I can't see anything. Everything is must colorful blurs. I close My right eye and it gets worse. I close y left sand open the right. It gets better but still blurry. My mom looks over at me and sees me doing this odd routine and asks what I am doing. I say "well for the first time in my life I might need glasses. Especially on my left side. she says "well that doesn't surprise me, both your dad and I have bad vision." I nod and go on to think about what the people at school will say when I wear the new feature to my face.

I then am at the eye doctors to get my prescription. After a series of clicks and bright things shining in my eye he tells me I have the prescription of three quarters in my left eye and a quarter in my right. I nod still slightly nervous of what I will look like and what people will think of me.

Next I arrive at the glasses store clutching my prescription so tightly my buckles are white. "Well this is it." I say. My mom just looks over at me and nods. I walk through the doors staring at all of the different frames I can get. Thick, skinny, wire, black, brown, blue, anything you can think of they had it was like a mall. I see a little corner and I am drawn to it. It has plastic frame glasses with lenses medium size in the the different colors you want. I pick up one and try it on. I shake my head put it away and try another. I then go through this whole shelf except one pair. They are a simple mat black that looks good, feels nice and comfortable. I look over at my mom and nod. She immediately understands that this are the glasses I want and there is no changing it. I walk out of the shop with my glasses in hand and a little smirk comes across my face. I think to myself "maybe glasses won't be the worst thing."

SOL 22/31: Spring Trip 2013

We all arrive early in the morning at the airport pulsing with energy. Nervous, excited. We all dance around and talk to each other forming our little groups. We ask each other "you excited?" and "what do you think your favorite part is going to be?" I walk around partially prancing. I am so excited. Adrenaline pulses through me. For 11 days we will walk around and drive between the cities Nashville, Asheville, and Charleston. Today we fly into Nashville and tomorrow we will wander the city in small groups. Through out the trip we will go Sea Kayaking,  go Caving, and tons of other small experiences that are unplanned. We make our way through the security line then board our plan. I am bouncing with excitement. All my classmates are exactly the same. I lean back close my eyes and feel us speeding up the run way and take off. The spring trip has officially started.

SOL 21/31: Olympics

I sit staring at the TV. I flip through the channels trying desperately to find something. I only get to watch it once every two years but I savor every moment watching every round and every event. The Olympics. The event where all the greatest athletes in the world come together to compete. It a incredible event where you get to watch all the unusual sports and the great athletes. Even if it is not a normal sport people should still respect the time and energy these athletes have put into this. Its amazing to me the strength, stamina,  distance, precision and/or speed these athletes have or create. Some of the sports I love to watch and find amazing are ski jumping, biathlon, ice hockey, skeleton, and different skiing and snowboarding events. My favorite event is the snowboard cross. It is such and unpredictable event where anything can happen. These reasons are why I love the olympics.

SOL 20/31: Banner

This is about my banner I get to make for continuation.

            On my banner I have five things. Snow capped peaks, a Colorado flag, two lightning bolts, a water polo ball and skies. Snow capped mountains represent my love for the outdoors and how I love to climb mountains, ski them and camp on them. The Colorado flag represents my love for this state and everything about is. I love the people, the towns, the mountains, the plains, the sports, everything. The two lightning bolts represent how much this school has done for me and where it has gotten me in nine years. The water polo ball represents water polo itself. I have played water polo for about two years now and I love it. I love the water and the intensity and speed of the game. Finally the skies represent skiing. I have been skiing since I was about two and it is a joy of my life. This banner represents almost all of my life throughout Logan, which is my love for skiing, water polo, the outdoors, this school and this state as a whole.

SOL 19/31: Frisbee

Sweat is pouring down my face. Even if it is just a harmless lunch game we take it very seriously. I am running back and forth down the field catching a foot in diameter plastic circle. I jump into the air catch it and then quickly release it to one of my teammates. Back and forth with only brief pauses for kick off's and dropped passes. Run catch run catch. My breath pounds to the rhythm of my feet. Left Right, backhand forehand. Everything is back and forth fast paced. Sprint up down. Through in a dive every once in a while. A nice defensive play. Everything happens in the blink of an eye but everything is based off of this disc.

SOL 18/31: Chillin'

I lay back my eyes closed. The sun warms my face the red glow coming through my eye lids. I lay in a comfy lawn chair on the beach. In the background I hear kids yelling and playing but most of it is dulled out by the pleasant sound of waves rolling in and crashing on the beach. It's about as close to paradise as I have ever been. The thoughts of Pina Colada's (virgin of course) come to mind. I can taste the fresh pineapple and tropical flavors in my mouth. I think of fresh fruit on a tree. It has just been knocked off and brought right to me. I taste the sweetness of it and the juices. I roll over on to my side and just barely open my eyes. The brilliant white sand around me to so pristine and the vibrant blue waves that are made from the purest and clearest water. I roll back on to my back and look up to so the slightly leaning plan tree towering above me. The air is fresh and humid. It's as if everything was perfect so peaceful. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

SOL 17/31: Homework

I look out the window staring at the beautiful blue day with no clouds and its the perfect temperature. Then I look down at the huge mound of homework that sits in front of me taunting me. I have spanish, math, unit, slices and lines to memorize for the play. I look back up out the window. The war has just started in my head. Its a sunday morning around ten o'clock and it gorgeous out. I think about maybe going to the park or walking down to cherry creek to enjoy some cold frozen yogurt on this hot day, but then I try to use some common sense because all my homework is due tomorrow and I haven't even started on it. I go back and forth probably wasting more time then I should just deciding what to do.

I think on the pros and cons of both and it just goes back a forth. I decide that I really should do my homework. I start to put my head down when I decide and stand up look at my homework and say "Screw it" then run outside to bask in the sun.

SOL 16/31: Passwords

Passwords. 

There are too many in your life.Theres one for each email, you laptop, your desktop computer, your combination lock, your locker, your phone, your iPod...Now a days its more surprising to have to not use a password then to use one.When you are like me and have six emails it frustrating to keep track of everything. 

Once I tried writing all the passwords down on my phone but then I forgot the password to my phone. 
I wish there was just a finger print scanner for everything. It's very hard trying to keep track of everything.In the end I end up taking off all my passwords but then whats the point of them.

I try and try to remember them but I never can. Through all of my electronics, locks, emails, gaming and social media accounts its all very confusing. In the end I usually just use the same word with some string of letters attached to it and that is how I remember the best.

SOL 15/31: Basketball in Backyard

I stand up and stretch. I'm nine years old. I start dribbling the ball. The ball bouncing softly up and down each time hitting my hand then making a soft plunk. The court is damp more a previous rain but the sun beats down on on my pale face. I put the ball through my legs and pop for a shot. I hear the familiar swish as the ball goes through the hoop cleanly. i run and grab the ball and repeat. I'm in a small enclosed area that is fifteen by thirty feet big with only one side opening it a grass part. I have a falling apart rusty weathered soccer goal on one side of this area with a hit away on the other side. I shoot the ball again. I am in a fully developed world. I imagine I am on a wood court with bleachers all around. I pass the ball to my teammate and slash through the lane. He hits me on the run and I score on an easy lay up. Next drive I fake left pass right stutter step then pull back out catch the ball and shoot a jumper. It bounces out of the rim but I run grab it and do a short fade way jumper that falls in. Over and over I score. Pass left, pass right, stutter, slash, drive, pull up. Everything just goes my way. My shoes are squeaky on the wood floor, sweats running down my face, lights pouring down on me, the ball bouncing rhythmically, the fans cheering. Then I look around. I stand there sweat pouring down my face looking at the sun, ball in hand in my little fifteen by thirty foot area. I start dribbling again in my own little stadium where my cement is wood, the walls are stands, the birds are fans, and the sun is my lights.

SOL 14/31: Junior Olympics

I wake up and turn over. My three teammates are still dead asleep one of the snoring. I work my way over our cluttered hotel room in the process almost stepping on my teammate who is dead asleep on the floor. After I get to my phone I turn it on and start to check my texts. After two water polo games the first day and four yesterday I'm very exhausted. We have a record of 4-2 and we have four games today followed by at least two more the next day. I am about to lay back down when my alarm blares out. My teammates groan and flip back over. I work my way back to the alarm and turn it off then slump back on the floor closing my eyes. I back asleep. Ten minutes later I wake when my teammates through a bottle of water at me. I started yelling at them and they run out the room down to breakfast. I grab my damp towel dry off then follow them down grabbing my bag on my way out. After a five minute breakfast and devouring three eggs, four pancakes, three sages, some bacon and an apple I run outside and hop in the van. BY the time we get to the first pool we have two minutes before our game. We deck change and run and jump in the water. After a few laps we are ready to start our game. I line up on the wall and hear the whistle blow. 

SOL 13/31: Snow

It tingles,

The tip of your nose,

Your lips and tongue

It makes them go numb.

When it piles up it is a big cushion,

Your body can fall on to or you can jump in.

Bare skin goes numb just at the touch.

Big flakes fall all around me,

Big and puffy,

They float around me looking like crystals.

The air becomes full of moisture,

Thicker and thicker it gets,

Light soft.

This is a key ingredient for one of the best sports.

You can’t just go buy this ingredient at King Soopers though,

You have to hope, wish and wait for it to come.

This is snow and the sport is Skiing.

Skiing wouldn’t be complete without snow though.

You could make an argument for water skiing,

But nothing can actually compare to the real deal.

Without snow we would be at a lost,

Because we would not be able to ski,

Or sled,

Or any other winter sports involving snow.

Also we would not be able to have any snow days,

That is a free day on no school.

In the middle of the week.

Catch up on what is behind.

Get a head on things so you can have a better weekend.

So everyone who claims they do NOT like snow,

You should get your head wrapped around to liking it.

Because Snow is your true Best Friend.