the hidden temple ch.6

Today Jim woke the family really early because today was the day he would take them to the waterfall. Few families are fortunate enough to go since there is only 2 or 3 guides that knows where it is and how to get there. The trip is long and hard. but since they really wanted to go they couldn't complain. When they finally got to the waterfall they all wanted to get in the water but since they were at the top of the water fall and they had to get down to it to swim the only possible way was too jump. Cheryl really didn't want to jump and she didn't want riley and Jonah to jump either so she asked...

'is there any othere way to get down?"

looking down with a sigh jim said

"yes, just down that path along those trees.....but it won't be as much fun....ill come back up here to get you and our equipment.'

Riley and Jonah had been looking forward to jump off and weren't going to sacrifice that tingly feeling you get when you jump just because their mom was scared...so they were going to jump. Jim suggested that they all go down together and put their things down and then he will come back up with whoever wants to jump off the waterfall. They all agreed and had gone down but the trail was slippery because of the mist from the water and everyone occasionally took a small slip. When they finally got down and set everything up they all went back up jim told them how they should hit the water so they wouldn't hurt themselves. After they jumped off a couple times they had lunch and after that Jim decided it was time to get on their way. Jonah really didn't want to go and had a fit but lost and very soon again they were on their way. Along the way Jim pointed out to them more wildlife and they all seemed very interested. They had made it to a vast open site where you could see the ocean and everything looked so small in the distance. Jim said to the kids as he was pointing to an open field of tall grass.

" when you guys are playing around be careful....sometimes animals are found there and we don't know if they will attack humans....also some of the ground over there is known to be unstable so watch were you step."

Jonah was totally ignoring him although he would occasionally nod. But Riley hadn't had her bad dream again until that night. She saw herself being swallowed up from the earth and not knowing whether she would ever see her parents again. The next morning when she woke up she told herself that for nothing in the world would she go play in the tall grass. She thought that they we going to leave that same day back to the hotel but when Jim told them the weather looked to be good and they would stay there for a couple more days Riley was frightened.

What a long day...

This is a poem that one of my friends wrote for me. She is like my twin...we always wear the same jacket that we have on the same day and we don't even plan it. Its on a different day each week. It was a pretty long day and kind of weird and we were both pretty bored. Just goes to show that poetry is an art that has no boundaries.

Nellie

Where art thou Nellie my golden gummy?

You are like a cherish-able cherry

oh so great to go into my tummy

A young pretty thing you are. A berry!

I love how sweet berries are, just like you.

Oh so! For it can never be guile.

Do you know what else is sweet? Mountain Dew!

but nothing can beat your joyful smile.

You are so great at whatever you try

Just like swimming, polo, and work of all kinds

I can bet if you try you can even fly

And for every boy who passes, you must blind

Altogether i must say you're and 'A'

As i watch you lay, not in a creepy way.

She wrote this for me while we were doing English homework and tanning our ugly bad tan lines from swimming everyday. Like i told you its kind of weird. But thats why she one of my good friends. My day was really weird. It all started in P.E., there are these girls that are always mugging me and when i was going to ask them what there problem was one of the freshman came up to me and asked me something about this one guy that i don't even know. I set her straight and told her i didn't want drama but her and her friends are always staring at me as if i can't see them. I don't even know those girls and they talked to me as if they already knew me. Then it was lunch time...what was i going to have for lunch, well lets see.... League was only a couple days away and our coaches told us to stay away form junk food and to not stuff our faces and that meant no soda, sugar, or anything fired. I felt like i could die!! I ended up eating sushi which seemed to be somewhat healthy...nothing was fried...i think. Then came History and to my surprise we had a test on the Russian Revolution which i only knew so much about. Everyone basically cheated on the test besides the fact that we all got one page of notes everyone was whispering the answers across the room and our teacher didn't notice and he was sitting in the middle of the room. Almost to the end of my day there was Spanish. We watched a really creepy movie about a two sided mirror in which the ending made no sense. Then almost finally there was swim practice and besides the poem which was nice...practice was really easy :). Around the time for dinner i didn't know what to eat so i had a salad. A salad for dinner. So this was my long, weird and epic day.

Touching Spirit Bear letter # 1

Cole Matthews is an angry teenager who has been spending his life stealing and fighting for years. One day Cole bumps into his old classmate Peter Driscal, and fights him. In the fight Cole losses complete control and smashes Peter's head into the sidewalk and causes him permanent brain damage. He was very luck not to die. Cole is being offered a escape from being sent to jail or a special home, he is offered Circle Justice. Which is a system thats similar to Native American traditions to try and help the criminal offender. At first Cole thinks it is way better than to be in jail. He makes fun of the Circle of justice and ignores the opportunities that he was given. In his heart Cole blames his alcoholic mom, his abusive dad, wimpy Peter, everyone but himself for his situation.

If it weren't for his parents, Peter, and the stupid Healing Circle, he wouldn't even be here.

When he finds himself being heavily beaten almost to death by a mysterious white bear he wishes he was in jail. When he is laying there in the rain with his mouth filled with blood and his shirt riped up and his chest cut up and his arm broken and not being able to move or breathe he wishes he was someplace else, someplace warm. Being banished to a remote Alaskan island can doesn't sound fun but i guess it gives him more time to think being by himself.

Whatever you do to animals, you do to yourself. Remember that.

This quotes is totally true from what i have read. Cole tried to kill the bear with a spear that he made and failed and the bear wasn't going to let him get away with it. So far i think this book is interesting. It is certainty action packed but i feel it is too unrealistic for teens now in days.

Dear John Monthly Review

The novel Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is very well written, it is captivating with emotion and depth of two soul mates. It tells about young adults that must make difficult choices and knowing which path is the right path toward happiness. The story revolves around a couple who's lives intertwine and fine that they are one for the other. Nicholas Sparks writes imensly about Savannah Lynn Curtis and her passionate love for John Tyree. They first meet on the beach in North Carolina. From the start they were not similar at all. As a teenager John was a rebel and staright out of high school he enlisted in the army and Savannah was hardworking, and cared about her studies. But I've heard that opposites attract...maybe this is one of those cases. John has to leave after being on break from the army but returns to visit who he believes is the love of his life after he finishes his enlistment. Savannah writes to him overseas and tells him that she will wait for him so they can get married. An absolutely devastating thing occurs on 9/11 and after that day John thought it was his duty to reenlist in the army. Savannah was getting lonely and married her really good friend Tim. When john returns and finds Savannah married he is shocked. There love was truly put to the test after he returns. This book didn't have many flaws in my opinion. i could really only find one main one that bugged me throughout the story. At the beginning when we are introduced to Savannah i was a little bit surprised when the authour said she was a brunette. When in the movie and on the cover she is blond. Although i haven't seen the movie yet to me Savannah is like a whole different person. Since i saw the trailers she was blonde and since i didn't read the book before based on the trailers the actress was who i imagined savannah to be. Now in the book shes brunette so i get confused because when i think of Savannah i picture the movie actres but when i remember that she is brunette in the book i have a really hard time picturing what she looks like. Maybe its hard because there is no real brunette Savannah that i have seen..just a blonde one. For me this is one of the book's weaknesses so far. I really think that Nicholas Sparks should direct his own movies because the directors change a lot of small details but all the details are important form what the characters hair color is to what they wear to their personality. I'm sure he knows what he wants in the films about his movies. Hes the only one who knows how he really pictured all his characters. I love all his novels like the notebook,the last song, and A Walk to remember. The movies are also good. I think that John is the most changed character thta changes most throughout the novel, and the change is caused by Savannah. She makes him see the world differently, from a new perspective. Only a couple times did he visit his father since he was stationed overseas. On his leave he met Savannah and he showed her all the really nice places around the neighborhood. But she showed him something even better. She showed him how to be grateful for all that he has. In the past John rarely talked to his father. They had breakfast and hardly said a word and the same went for lunch and dinner and for past couple of nights John had gone to dinner with Savannah and his dad was alone. But i think he liked being alone. John always told his dad he didn't have a social life because all he ever does is stay in his den all day and look at, and adds to his coin collection. Over the years John's dad and his dad collected coins, it was something they enjoyed doing together but john found it to be stupid and worthless and he was wasting his time...little does he know the coin collection has a huge meaning. When Savannah tells John that she wants to meet his dad, John went in to total shock. He told her that all he talked about was his coin collection but Savannah thought it was interesting and cool that he had a passion for something. He's not wasting his time, he's doing something he loves. His dad's not much of a talker but nevertheless he was thrilled to meet Savannah even though he didn't show it. Savannah taught John to apprectiate his father because he has done so much for him, raised him all by himself and was there for anything he needed him for. In the end he opens communication with his father and john shares his feelings for Savannah. Before Savannah he didn't know how you can love someone in so little time. He felt like he already knew her. He started to picture his life without the army and only with Savannah and thought to himself how nice life would be if he only had Savannah. His dreams were crushed when he remembered that the army was there and that he would be leaving soon. He knew he would return to visit and marry Savannah. After John reenlists and comes back from iraq he comes to North Carolina to visit his dying father who had many heart attacks and unforunatly died from one. He finds out Tim married Savannah, he didn't like the fact at all. He remember that Tim had said he never had those feelings for Savannah. I think he’s thankful that someone was there for Savannah while he wasn’t able to. Tim gets sick and is close to dying, John feels sorry for him. John talks to Tim in the hospital and there Tim knowing that he is going to die tells john to make Savannah happy and to marry her. I think that it is at this point when John realizes that Tim would do anything to make Savannah happy and john knows that he has to do something to try and save him. After all Tim was the one taking care of Savannah while John was in the army. Savannah did love Tim and they lived together and taking care of Tims brother Alan who suffer autism. So John decides to sell his father coin collection and the money will go to save Tim. It was alot of money considering most of the coins were old, authentic, or one of a kind. Tim survives and with John selling his father’s coin collection to benefit someone else, Tim, shows that he’s a true hero and not just a hero at war. I think he still loves Savannah and wants her to be happy and that includes Tim being there because Tim loves her ad will sacrifice himself to make sure she is safe. I have high hopes for John and i know in the future he will go far. Im sure he will find someone he can love again maybe not as much as he did Savannah but someone he can be comfortable with. I am sure that it will be hard and love might not come as easily as it did with Savannah but whatever happens im sure it was for the best. At first John views Tim as a threat, then as a friend he can trust. The ending of the book made me sad..i really wanted them to end up tofether. It would have been more like a fairy tale ending. Nevertheless i would recommend the book to everybody. But please if you want to read it and haven't seen the movie....please read the book first. this book was filled with joy, sadness, hardships, and adventures. i really enjoyed this book and im looking forward to reading more books by Nicholas Sparks.

Questions:

#3- weaknesses

#8- pick a character and write about them in depth (most changed)

#question in back of book #11. How do you think John views Tim, and how do his perceptions change by the end of the novel?

Dear John Letter #3

John returns home, however after 9/11 John feels the duty to reenlist in the army. After years away from each other, Savannah writes John another letter. It starts with Dear John and ends with good-bye. In part 3 of the book John's dad suffers from a heart attack and decides to take leave for a while and visit him. He had several heart attacks and unfortunately dies. As he catches up with Savannah he learns that she is married and to no one other Tim. The guy who said she was like a sister to him.

I think Savannah is different when John comes back to visit her she’s older, a college graduate and married. Tim gets sick and she’s trying to keep her business alive and she’s taking care of Alan, Tims brother with Autism. I do think Savannah is in love with John. She never stopped, she just forgot about it because she didn’t see him for so long. Even though their love reignites when she sees John again it will never be as it had been in the beginning.

At first John views Tim as a threat, then as a friend he can trust. When John finds out Tim married Savannah, he viewed him as a thief, someone who stole what was his when he wasn’t there to protect it. In the end, I think John forgives Tim and feels sorry for him. I think he’s also thankful that someone was there for Savannah while he wasn’t able to.

Selling his father’s coin collection to benefit someone else, Tim, shows that he’s a true hero and not just a hero at war. I think he still loves Savannah and wants her to be happy and that includes Tim being healthy. I have high hopes for John and i know in the future he will go far. Im sure he will find someone he can love again maybe not as much as he did Savannah but someone he can be comfortable with. I am sure that it will be hard and love might not come as easily as it did with Savannah but whatever happens im sure it was for the best.

the hidden temple ch.5

It looks like things couldn't get any worse, being stuck in the jungle without flashlights, moving every night to a different site. As that night came sooner than most i had appeared to be. Jim had gone fishing for dinner at a near by river while William and Cheryl were setting up the campsite again. Jonah and Riley stayed close by and had gone to look for dead twigs to make a fire. When Jim came back and was cooking the fish he caught and it was a big one i might add Jonah asked him a question.

"are there any other kids in the jungle or are we going to see any other tour?"

Jim simply said

"no, we are not going to meet up with another tour. There are several tours that go on at the same time but they are on different parts of the island..in a couple of days we will be where they are and they will be where we are now."

"and as for if there are any other kids....i've heard stories from my co-workers that they have come across a few stranded kids before from time to time. THey say they try to have them come back to the hotel with them but the kids keep their distance and seemed to have gone wild and adapted and forgotten all about their outside world. The suspect they are some of the kids that went..."

Cheryl rudely interrupted

"i don't want you scaring the kids Jim, lets leave this story for another time."

"yes ma'am"

Shorty after cheryl and william went to sleep and the kids were still up and asked Jim to continue the story. Without hesitation he started..

"The suspect they are some of the kids that went missing. They get lost and rarely get found. We always keep a picture of all the kids that go missing and we have to carry them on the tours they are like school pictures they say their names on it and on the back its their parents information and contact numbers just in case we can get them to go back to the hotel and their parents can pick them up."

This seemed to make Jonah a little bit more curious about trying to find other kids to play with besides his sister. As the light form the fire died out and the jungle was silent and everyone almost everyone was asleep it was a pretty good night. Except for the fact that Riley was having alot of trouble sleeping, she would fall asleep and the wake up and then fall asleep and wake up again. She was having terible night mares about getting lost in the jungle and never seeing her family again and having to survive on her own. All of this scared her and went running towards her mothers tent and slept there for the rest of the night. The only noise in the air was the sounds of crickets but yet who doesn't like crickets... of course unless one happens to find its way into your house and then you'll be up trying to find it.

Dear John letter#1

So far in the book Dear John by Nicholas Sparks we meet most of the characters. We as readers are introduced to John, John's dad, Savannah, and all her friends. Savannah works with habitats for humanity, which helps people who need homes to live in. She would never hurt a fly and was really smart, talented, and was raised good. John on the other hand was a rebel, for his father never really cared about what he did. He enlisted into the army right after high school and had a lot of tattoos. Savannah and John meet how anyone can meet. She needed help and he offered it. It seems to me that they both are pretty into each other but they are not sure its real. John doesn't want to take it to far to fast because he doesn't know what kind of a girl she is and he really likes her and doesn't want to ruin things. He rathers they be friends than strangers.
At the beginning of the story when we are introduced to Savannah i was a little bit surprised when the author said she was a brunette. When in the movie and on the cover she is blond. Although i haven't seen the movie yet to me Savannah is like a whole different person. Since i saw the trailers she was blonde and since i didn't read the book before based on the trailers the actress was who i imagined savannah to be. Now in the book shes brunette so i get confused because when i think of Savannah i picture the movie actres but when i remember that she is brunette in the book i have a really hard time picturing what she looks like. Maybe its hard because there is no real brunette Savannah that i have seen..just a blonde one. For me this is one of the book's weaknesses so far.
I really think that Nicholas Sparks should direct his own movies because the directors change a lot of small details but all the details are important form what the characters hair color is to what they wear to their personality. I'm sure he knows what he wants in the films about his movies. Hes the only one who knows how he really pictured all his characters. I love all his novels like the notebook,the last song, and A Walk to remember, and im sure i will like Dear John too.
I think that the most changed character will be John, because at first he doesn't ever really talk to his dad they just eat breakfast and go their separate ways. His father owns a big coin collection and thats all he ever seems to talk about. John doesn't find real interest in his hobby because he thinks its a waste of time and he's missing out on life. But when Savannah comes his way she wants to meet him because she thinks its nice that hes has a passion for something and she makes John understand that. His dad's not much of a talker but nevertheless he was thrilled to meet Savannah even though he didn't show it. Savannah tells john to appreciate his dad because he was the one that raised him and took care of him and slowly John begins to take it all in and change.
I am really looking forward to finish reading this book because i want to see how John turns out in the end. After the book i really want to see the movie and then i will probably write a blog post about me analyzing it and comparing it to the book.