SOL 11/31: The Death Cure by James Dashner

This week I read the The Death Cure by James Dashner. This is the third book in the Maze Runner trilogy. This book is about how Thomas, Newt, Minho, Brenda and Jorge make a run for it and escape the WICKED facility and make a dash for Denver. Along the way the run into troubles and in the end someone makes a key sacrifice to help benefit the rest of the group. Thomas deals with a constant fight over who he really likes and then above all Thomas deals with feeling betrayed. He has to make hard and difficult choices a couple which break his heart. WICKED is after him and the most important part of him, his brain. He just wants to be free and have it all over with in the end. This book is an okay book. It can gets a little old and repetitive by the end. I had wished for a better ending from a reasonably good series. I feel like it kinda dropped off at the end. Overall a decent book that was necessary to finish the series but wasn't great on its own.

SOL 10/31: Persian Rugs

Smooth, silky

My feet slide across like butter.

The very fine knots

And carefully tied strings.

Fragile but strong

Delicate but robust

Breakable but durable.

These are words that I would use to describe this piece of art.

Tightly bound but feel like they could fall apart any second.

These masterpieces can be so fine,

So durable.

They are meant to last for decades,

Centuries.

The workers sit there

And just work on one rug on one loom for as long as a life.

The ten by twenty silk rugs can take a lifetime.

They have 1,000 knots per square inch.

They pieces of art that people spend their whole life working on,

Are commonly ruined,

Uncared for,

Not paid attention too.

People don’t realize what is on there shoes

And how they might be ruining a piece of art.

It would be like walking all other the Mona Lisa with muddy shoes.

Would that be looked upon kindly?

NO.

These Persian & Tribal rugs are the same.

They should be treated like paintings.

I am not saying we should hang them up.

But at least show respect.

So next time you walk through your house,

Think twice about walking with muddy shoes on.

Art is Art and there is no changing that.

SOL 9/31: Snow Day

Every year we used to have multiple Snow Days,

Of recent days

They seem too rare.

It’s Colorado we deserve more,

I think the number should be four.

Four every year that is it.

This year we have had a draught.

And that has made me pout.

None so far,

Why,

Why.

Well today was my lucky day.

I could feel it coming.

It would be today.

It had to be.

I sprang from my bed full of hope and desire.

Please let it be,

It had to be.

I leap down the stairs and flip on the news.

“All Denver Public Schools Have Been Closed”.

Could it be,

Could it be true.

I had to look it up just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming,

Imagining.

Yes it is!

It is true.

It is far over due

but at last it has come.

There is only one thing that I mill over in my head.

“What to do First?”

There are snowmen,

And snow forts,

Steaming cocoa,

Computer Games,

TV,

And of course the thing that I think first,

Sleeping.

Go back to bed and forget I had to wake up,

Sleep.

There is no way to describe the feeling,

I guess cause there is no feeling for it.

This is what makes a snow day a snow day.

Not the adventure or fun,

The rest.

Nothing is on your mind.

You curl up in a ball wrapped in a robe or blanket,

And just fall asleep,

It doesn’t matter where,

Who is watching.

What is happening,

When.

It just matters that you,

Sleep.

SOL 8/31: Chobani

Honey,

Passionfruit,

Blood Orange,

Pomegranate,

Raspberry,

Apple Cinnamon,

Black Cherry,

Blueberry,

Strawberry,

And Strawberry Banana.

Some many choices how do you choose.

Well you start with two of each.

Go in to each one with an open mind.

You always have to do two incase one has gone bad etc.

Start the process of elimination.

Well I like Raspberry better than Blood Orange,

Blueberry better than Honey.

And on it goes until you have three.

I had Pomegranate, Apple Cinnamon and Raspberry.

They are each creamy,

silky,

smooth,

tart.

Everything I look for in a Yogurt.

I kept going back and forth.

I couldn’t decide.

I was undeceive.

Then it came to me.

The most brilliant idea.

So simplistic.

It was,

“Who needs to have a favorite when I could enjoy all the flavors”.

Why did I need to choose.

If I chose one I would soon become sick of it.

Why become sick of any of it

Just enjoy the creamy, sweet, tart, smooth in whatever flavor I felt like.

SOL 7/31: Fireworks

The stars shine bright in the sky.

Then the lights shoot up.

They explode way up in the night sky.

The light shimmers down.

It looks as if it was raining sparkles.

Then I hear the cracks of sound.

It’s like thunder but sharper.

I stare out the window, my faced pressed against the cold glass.

I watch them go up and explode one by one.

It’s a cold and dreary night but still is a beautiful one.

Watching them shoot up and explode is like an artificial sunset.

Overall these were the best 4^th of July fireworks.

SOL 6/31: Writing a SOL

I sit with my computer open staring at a blank page that I am supposed to fill with words. Nothing comes to me though. Desperation takes over. I type a letter to stare at it then delete it a second letter. I am thinking about memories, trips I have taken, experiences I have had but nothing comes to me. I just sit staring blankly at the screen. Then it hits me. So obvious it is funny. I start going on about what I am doing. Like a stream of consciousness. I just sit here writing about how hard it is to write about something. It's funny how things like that work out. I sit here staring at that screen words just coming to me formulating sentences in my mind that come together. All the while new slice ideas come to my mind: skiing, making a movie, frisbee, basketball, olympics, amazing race. All these just suddenly pop out of know where. Sometimes if you just start writing about anything things will just come to you. Well at least I have my next seven slice ideas. At the thought of all this and looking down at my now finished product I laugh out loud.  

SOL 5/31: Water Polo Fighting

Kicking.
I wince as a foot strikes my throat.

Punching.
The breath is knocked from me as a fist collides with my stomach.

Grabbing.
A hand grabs my suit and is holding me so I can't move.

Thrashing.
I gasp for air trying to get free.

Sinking.
Two hands come down on my shoulders pushing me further under.

Clawing.
Nails slide down my skin tearing it apart.

Kicking, punching, grabbing, thrashing, sinking, clawing. Finally breaking free I see my surroundings. The ball is being passed around just like nothing is happening, because what is happening is called normal. I dive back into the mix with this kid. It's like wrestling and boxing in thirteen feet deep water all the while trying to concentrate on the game. From a spectator's view it would be hard to tell who's hand, leg, head is who's.

I dive back in with this kid determined not to let him win even if he is twice my size and twice my strength. I kick, grab, punch fight my very hardest. He gets me in a head lock. I am losing air fast. I bring my knee up slamming it to his chest I break free and pop out on the surface. I hear three whistles and look to see the referee has kicked us both out. I stare out him thinking he's crazy. Why would he kick me out? I give my coach a surprised look who tells me to shut up and get in the box. Begrudgingly I do it still a look of disbelief plastered on my face. I ask her what I did wrong and in answer she points at the kid I was fighting. He was out of the pool hugging his chest where I slammed my knee into it. In a retort I show her the claw marks on my body.

"Part of the game".

That's all I get in response while I wait the last five seconds of my penalty before I can go back.