9-29-10-1 Favorite Season (blog #3)

Every single year, I always look forward to the fall season. I believe that summer is too hot to move around in. Basically, you'd need a water bottle at all times. Winter is too cold at my house. Thank goodness I got a snuggie for Christmas, or I'd be an icicle. Fall is the perfect balance of temperature for me. It finally gets a lot cooler during the transition from summer to winter yet it still has a cozy warm temperature.

Another reason I like fall more than the rest of the seasons is because of all the leaves changing. When I was little, my mom would always take us down this one street to our house. The trees in the forest by the side of the road kind of made a tunnel over the street. Usually during winter, spring, and summer, the trees look normal, but during fall, each leaf changes to a different color every day. The combinations of the colors are so pretty.

As fall brings exuberant colors to the trees, it also brings a temporary end to wearing shorts. During this season, I can wear skinny jeans and a t-shirt and not die of heat. I don't mind wearing shorts, but most of the shorts I'd want to wear I couldn't wear to school because they're too short. With jeans, I don't have to worry about ever getting in trouble for them being too short.

All these elements of fall make me even happier to be in the fall season right now.

9-28-10-1 Visited Place (blog #2)

About two weeks ago, I visited my two older sisters in Rochester. My sister, Allison, goes to the Rochester Institute of Technology for interior design. My oldest sister, Andrea, got a job at a K-Mart in Webster for pharmacy. They decided to move in together so they could save some money. They also think that they will enjoy each other's company more. They started moving in on the first of September. They finally finished three weeks ago and my mom wanted to visit them. I always love seeing my sisters, but I mostly went because Allison's boyfriend Jared was going to be there. He's like a brother to me since he practically lived at our house for the summer. He wanted to stay with Alli since his family was going through some tough times over the summer, so he just stayed at our house. We all enjoyed his company because he always helped my dad with outside work, he ate all my mom's food so there was no left overs, he kept Allison occupied, and he helped me with my volleyball, since he is on a men's volleyball team in Albany and he played club for R.I.T. Ever since the school year started, he went to Albany, which is where his family lives, to help his dad with some work. However, he decided to visit Alli and he wanted to see the new apartment.

When we got to the apartment, Jared and Alli were already there, but Andi was still working. We looked around and the place was a huge mess. There wasn't a couch or a television, and the kitchen floor was covered in paper garbage and bubble wrap. There were two floors to the apartment and the top floor wasn't as bad as the first floor, but it was still dusty and there were a lot of clothes on the ground that weren't put away. Even though there was an extremely large mess there, we still made homemade pizza for dinner and it was delicious.

p.s. I'm sorry most of my blogs have something to do with food!

9-27-10-1 Interview (blog #1)

How many people really know Zach Dabb? To honestly know someone, I believe you'd need to know random facts about that person. For example, not many people know that Zach's biggest fears in life are drowning and crashing an airplane. Both these have the obvious reason to fear them, which is death. However, Zach feels that even if he survived these accidents his life would follow in excruciating pain, which is what he mostly fears. Another fact about Zach that some people may not know is that, in his spare time he enjoys watching television and playing different sports. He also claimed that if he could ever have a superpower, he would want to be able to fly. Zach merely likes the freedom aspect of flying.

The main goal in Zach Dabb's life is to fly in the air force. He wants to achieve this goal to have the feeling of accomplishment and the feeling of freedom. When faced with the question, "What three things would you like to do before you die?" Zach thought very carefully. He decided that he wants to jump out of an airplane, own a motorcycle shop, and see the Bills win a super bowl. Despite the fact that most people wouldn't know the answers to some of these questions about Zach, knowing them makes a more special bond between people.

9-23-9-24 Past (blog 3)

Probably the most important thing I learned in the past was how to make cupcakes. Some people may not like cupcakes, but my family is kind of in love with them.

Since I was in fourth grade, my mom always made me cupcakes to bring into to school every once in a while. For instance, I brought them in on holidays and some of my friends' birthdays. When I finally went into sixth grade, my mom told me that I had to start learning how to make cupcakes if I wanted to keep eating them. So occasionally I would help my mom with putting all the ingredients together. There are recipes on the box of cupcake mix, but my mom basically estimates the portion of each ingredient. Her cupcakes always come out delicious, but it was hard for me to follow how she guessed each portion size.

I then started the electric mixer my mom has. Right as I put it into the bowl of components, and started it, the mix went everywhere. My mom and I were covered in funfetti cake mix and eggs. It was hilarious at the time, but then we had to clean up afterwards. I put the cake mix into each of the cupcake holders on a pan, then we put them in the oven and waited for the timer. We waited for about 15 minutes and then they beeped, so we took them out and waited for them to cool off. While they were cooling, my mom made her homemade frosting. Again, she does most of the mixing in her head and doesn't write any recipes down. I still don't know how to make her frosting, but I think it's only good when she makes it. After the cupcakes were done cooling, we took two and frosted them. After that, we ate probably the most wonderful cupcakes I've ever tasted!

9-22-9-24 Present (blog #2)

Right now, my favorite part of life is being at school with all my friends and playing volleyball. I also love the fact that if I end up not being able to play volleyball or if I lose a friend, my family will always be there no matter what. Having them around continuously puts a smile on my face, since all we do in my family is make jokes and laugh. Besides my family, my friends are huge part of my life. The more I hang out and talk with them, the closer we get. We always laugh and make jokes that only we understand, which makes the joke even funnier when others don't get it.
Though it was a little difficult transitioning from a private school to a public school, making friends was really simple because of volleyball. Having friends in volleyball is part of why I play, but there are many factors that contribute to why volleyball is so important to me. Volleyball has been kind of a family sport for me and my sister, Allison. We both shared a lot of the same roles in volleyball. For example, we both moved up from junior varsity to varsity when we were sophomores, we both were starting players, and we both made captain our junior years. However, Allison was a libero, or defensive specialist, and I am a setter and a hitter. Other than family relation in volleyball, I play for the adrenaline rush from playing and the control aspect of being a setter.

9-20-9-24 Future (blog #1)

In my future, I see myself going to Niagara University or an Albany State School for teaching high school English. I've always enjoyed writing stories and reading different novels and short stories. I know Niagara University has a very good teaching program, but I received a college letter from Albany, and I was very interested. If I could get rid of anything in my life, I would want the negative attitude from myself and others out of my life, along with doubting myself. My strategy to achieve my goals is to apply for many scholarships and work really hard in all my classes. As of right now, I'm not sure what my plan is, but I am narrowing down my options and getting ready for college. I can see myself getting married and having a family when I get out of college as well. I would like to live in a more suburban area rather than a city or the country. I've been raised in a country setting and loved it, but it can seem secluded at some points in time. Then the city area is really busy and can be dangerous by driving or just walking. The suburban area seems very safe and distinct, yet there are still people around. The suburbs are sometimes close to schools, which would be very convenient for me when I become a teacher. I would have my family involved if I chose to move somewhere other than Alden. I'd like to live near Philadelphia since it is a very nice scenic place, but I don't know if I could part with Alden!

9-17-9-17 blog #3

Throughout the night, Lauren tossed and turned and just wasn't able to fall asleep. She couldn't figure out why she wasn't able to fall asleep for three nights in a row. She thought maybe it was the sea roaring in her window every night, or it could be the rocking of the boat every time a wave crashed on the side. But she quickly realized that she has lived on this boat house for almost five years and has never had this problem before, so obviously the sea couldn't be the problem. Lauren closed her eyes and tried to think about nothing but the sea to relax her, but she was never that great with focusing on one thing at a time. Since she has five younger brothers, a mother who works in a law firm, and her father who works all day on the boat, she has to care for them all on her own. She started thinking that all the pressure she's under could be doing this. But Lauren has also been caring for her brothers since they moved onto the boat, and it's gotten a lot easier for her. What could it be? What is making Lauren toss and turn all night long?


She opened her eyes quickly, and all she thought was, "Why do I have little boats all over my room?"


And that's when she realized that she had been sleeping in the guest bedroom for three nights in a row. She let her Aunt Mildred sleep in her room while she visited for the weekend. I guess no one really knows how important their room is until they've lost three days of sleep.

9-15-9-17 blog #2

The more and more I stare at those clouds, the more i feel like I'm loosing my mind. Why would I have a watch tower when there's nothing to search? And what is the point of having a phone when there's no one who will call? I stare out my window and all I see is the deep, empty canyon with no sign of civilization for miles. The sole reason I came here was to escape the excitement, the worry and the doubt, and now I live in seclusion and no worries. However, I haven't gone a day without that doubt creeping its way back into my head. I ask myself, what have I done? Why would I leave my home because of excitement, worry, and doubt? I would call a plane or a helicopter or anything that can fly to get me out of this isolation, but when I stare at those clouds I feel like I'm exactly where I should be. Some people should become doctors and some should be mailmen, but I believe I was destined to sit on my little plateau during a sunset with shades of red, brown, and orange without excitement, worry or doubt just to stare, for days on end, at those clouds.

9-13-9-17 blog #1

PICTURE #9

For me, this drawing explains how important certain support elements can be throughout our lives. The support in this picture is the vase. Without it, the flower eventually falls and loses its way, metaphorically speaking.

In relation to real life, this picture could represent a family life. The child, or the flower, is completely dependent on the parents, or the vase. Throughout the child's entire life, their parents have always been there, and the child becomes helpless without them. Eventually the parents will be gone, and the child is left by itself feeling abandoned and petrified. Unfortunately, this can happen to many children and parents. The one thing that people need to remember is their independance or individualism. With this, they will feel the sense that they can accomplish things on their own and that they dont need to depend on another person or persons for their entire life. However, they should still take some advice given by their parents or guardian. This drawing elucidates the point of being individual, yet reliant on some aspects