Pensamiento #4 – Roots

One wish, only one, what would it be? To be rich, to fly, I’d wish to be a tree. I’d wish to be a grand old Live Oak. I could live to see time pass by. Slowly, surely. I could live to be 300 years old. Slowly, Surely. I would send my roots down into the ground until I could go no more. I’d be one of those trees that are on the top of the hill, the ones that children always go to climb on or read under. I would sway in the breeze. Slowly, Surely. I would open my home to birds and owls and bats. I would watch the new born birds open their eyes for the first time. Watch them grow, watch them fly away. Slowly Surely. I would be the counting tree where children would stand, eyes closed, resting their heads against my bark. “28…29…30…Ready or not, here I come!” Slowly, Surely. I would be the tree where the young lovers go to sit under, engrave their names on my bark. I would be the “Race you to the tree and back” tree. Slowly, Surely. I would be the tree where the woodpeckers hide their acorns during the winter, when all my leaves would be gone. I would be the tree that is alone on the hill, buried somewhat in a sea of blinding white. I would feel each snowflake land on my branches. I would be the first to here the quite trickle of the stream that begins to melt in the spring. Slowly, Surely. I would be the tree that watches the far off city with the far off sky scrapers and the far off roads with the far off cars in the far off distance inch closer and closer each year. Slowly, Surely. I would be the tree that feels the distant rumbling of heavy machinary only miles away building the far off road with the far off cars. I would be the tree that watches in sorrow as the far off machines build the far off road that the far off cars drive on. Only they’re not far off anymore. I would be the tree that would droop my branches in sadness as I watch the far off cars drive on the far off road only feet from my roots. I would be the tree that is no more adored or wondered upon. I would be the tree that the little child in the car speeding by points to and says to his mother “Mom look at that big tree”. But the mom wouldn’t listen, she’s on the phone. I would be the tree that would reminisce about the days when the far off cities with the far off sky scrapers and the far off roads with the far off cars didn’t exist. When the children who lived on the farm nearby would join hands and play “Ring around the Rosie” around my thick trunk. I would be the tree that could take the sadness no longer. I would be the tree that loses its leaves in the Spring when all the other trees and becoming green. I would be the tree that becomes bare and old, the tree that releases its hold from the ground. I would be the tree that gives up, the tree that is tired of the cars and the cities and the sky scrapers, and the noise. I would be the tree that collapses in the next windstorm. The tree that is no longer a tree, only a a piece of bark with the engraved heart of the lovers who lived long long ago. Slowly, Surely.

Pensamiento #3 – Blueberry Pancakes

It was a normal Saturday morning with the normal Saturday morning schedule: wake up early, watch cartoons. My dad was making breakfast that morning and it was the breakfast I despised: blueberry pancakes. My grandma was up early like usually, passed by me in the hall, said “good morning” in her cheerful voice. Didn’t know it’d be the last “good morning” I’d get. Didn’t know it’d be the last smile I’d receive. She took the pancakes to her room, and got a stomach ache. Her stomach ache got worse, we said we should take her to the doctor. She hated doctors. Then she couldn’t move, was in so much pain, we tried to take her to the car, to the ER. She couldn’t walk, we couldn’t carry her. We called 911, the phone wasn’t working. Panic, all I remember, Panic, phone doesn’t work. All of a sudden 911 called back, the phone was working again, relief. The came, laid her on the ground put her on a stretcher. They said she’d be O.K. They lied, why did they lie? That day was the Christmas Parade, my mom asked a friend to pick us up and take us. We didn’t know if my grandma would live or die at the hospital. I had to feign fun that night. It was the worst Christmas Parade ever. It was late at night, still didn’t know if she was O.K. Our friends took us home, my mom came outside to say good bye. She didn’t say anything. Something bad was going to happen, I knew it. We went inside, sat down with my dad. I knew then that his mom didn’t make it. They told us so calmly, explained what happened, that she had an aortic anurysim. Then the storm erupted, tears started. Said I had to go to the bathroom. I pounded the wall in the bathroom, cried so much, all of a sudden a hole was burned in my heart. The hole slowly was filled again, but I’ll always miss my Gramama.

Vignettes aka Pensamientos

In Humanities right now we’re reading House On Mango Street which is written in the style of vignettes. Since we’re in our creative writing unit, we’re writing our own vignettes but calling them Pensamientos (spanish, because of the book). 

 

Pensamientos #2 – Clouds

May 13, 2008

There are so many things in life that people don’t appreciate. Especially the little things in life like rain droplets sliding down your bedroom window, the way the ink comes out of the pen, the way people’s faces make dimples when they smile. Clouds are another one of these things that most people don’t appreciate. Clouds are like little balls of cotton candy waiting to be picked from the sky. Each cloud is an individual, it’s own trait associated with it, just like humans, or snowflakes. It’s only when you step back and look at the whole cloud that you notice the individuality, the uniqueness, the imperfections that make perfection. We’re all clouds floating in the wind, waiting for our turn to be noticed by the little child lying on the grass below.

 

Pensamientos #1 – The Pan Am Keychain

May 12, 2008

I remember our condo. The condo that was my first home. It was a duplex, but I thought it was a perfect size house when I was little. Out or back door was a little patio with a fence. On the other side of the fence, down a little embankment was a golf course. Always so green and shady from the big trees. I would ride my big wheels around the patio and the side of the house. I don’t really remember my room except that it was green. However, I do remember my parents room where I’d go in the morning to watch Sesame Street. I remember some of the furniture too. It was very flowery. For some reason, I remember the kitchen being yellow, was it? The biggest thing I remember though was the keychain to get into the house and the community pool. It was rubber and a circle with wavy stripes making the Pan Am symbol. Kind of like this:  Except it was a keychain. I also remember the community pool where I had my birthday party and got a big red fire truck. I also remember “saving” my brother from drowning in the pool. My parents and there friends were sitting in the hot tub and I heard my brother screaming in the pool. I remember jumping in after him and trying to bring him up. It might not of even happened, but it’s my memory. We went back over by that neighborhood a year or so ago, the condo seemed so small. I miss the condo with the Pan Am keychain.

Multi-cultural day

Today was multi-cultural day at school and there was some awesome FOOD! We had Jamaica, Japan, Norway, Brasil, India, Polynesia, Canada, Italy, and… the 60’s? Yes, our group chose the 60’s, which is a culture of it’s own. Anyway, the whole event went well and again, the food was great. I don’t really have a thought today, just a “school story”.

It’s on my chore list!

K, doubt anyone’s actually reading this, in fact I KNOW no one is reading this because I’ve had no traffic (except for me Anyway, I’m putting “write blog post” on my chore list (yes I have a chore list, my mom insists that I need one) that I need to write a blog post at least three times a week. So now I can be consistent.

 

Back to my life…

I just got home from seeing Iron Man with some friends, it’s a really really really great movie. Lot’s of action and blowing things up :p But there was a lot of killing in the movie. Of course only the bad guys die, except after I got out of the movie I thought to myself “was I laughing with everyone else when people were getting shot?” It really made me think, and I still am thinking, it actually kinda scares me. People getting blown up, and we laugh?! I know it’s JUST a movie, but still… (tapping my head)

 

Yesterday…

Yesterday I went with some friends after school to one of their houses to watch The Kite Runner since we had been reading it in class. It’s sad like the book, but if I had to choose between the movie vs. the book, I’d have to go with the book. The book has so much more emotion. If you haven’t read Kite Runner yet, you really should. Now I’m going to read A Thousand Splendid Suns. One sad book to the next.

Stay Posted…

I’m Back!

I haven’t posted in like two weeks but I’ve been soooo busy preparing for this big project (it’s over) and STAR Testing (starts Monday). I finally will have time to post hopefully once a day. SO, like I said STAR Testing is on Monday and I’m a little anxious but I think I’ll do just fine. While we were working on a STAR test packet this week I made a list (in my head) of all the things we COULD be doing besides practicing for a dumb test (I really did!). I put:

Write about a world problem

Film a documentary

Study the Presedential Race

Build solar powered cars

Write Poetry

In the end, I’m just happy for this test prep week to be over, but I feel bad for the kids who have to learn like that everyday. 

 

Pangea Day!

I found this world-wide event called Pangea Day – pangeaday.org – that is awesome. Here’s what it’s about:

“Pangea Day taps the power of film to strengthen tolerance and compassion while uniting millions of people to build a better future.

In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it’s easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that — to help people see themselves in others — through the power of film.

On May 10, 2008 — Pangea Day — sites in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked live to produce a program of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music.

The program will be broadcast live to the world through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones.

Of course, movies alone can’t change the world. But the people who watch them can. So following May 10, 2008, Pangea Day organizers will facilitate community-building activities around the world by connecting inspired viewers with numerous organizations that are already doing groundbreaking work.”

I’m gonna talk to our ASB about hosting a private event at our school, hopefully they say yes. Hope you’ll watch too! That’s my thoughts for this Friday! See ya tomorrow!

 

Some thoughts about my first thought…

Hey, I doubt anyone’s reading this cuz I haven’t told anyone about my new blog yet, but if someone is… HEY! My plan for right now is to post on here once a day with a thought. Just a thought, could be long could be short, could be a story, could be a poem, could be a real life experience. I’m doing this more for myself than for others to read. I guess you could say it’s like a online journal. Keep Thinking…