Friday, May 19, 2017

Creative Writing Final

1.) I had a lot of pieces that I enjoyed this year. These included:

  • My poem "Freedom Rings" from our Maya Angelou project.
  • The various collages we did. 
  • Our color poems, particularly the haikus.
  • The photos we took from around Kickapoo.
  • The poems from our adventures outside.
  • Our children's book!
  • Bringing back memories through some of these writing prompts.
2.) I really like Bailey's piece "Avenue of Poplars in Autumn". It had a really strong sense of voice, and I like the rhyme scheme. Outside of class, I've read quite a bit. One of my favorite books thus far is the Night Circus, because it had a good use of imagery to drive the plot. From my English class, I read Ella Minnow Pea, and I thought that prohibiting letters throughout the novel was an intriguing idea.

3.) Setting up my blog was an interesting experience. While I prefer transcribing my thoughts and ideas into a notebook, as it feels more tangible. Typing my ideas straight from my head to the keys doesn't work. However, writing the posts had a different kind of satisfaction. It felt more like a portfolio, like an end product. My notebooks, despite my best efforts to keep it focused and organized, ends up a jumbled mess of unedited thought. Putting it online makes it feel more complete, like an end product to my daily scrawls.
I came up with the name of  my blog through rhyme, as "Rad" rhymes with my name "Chad". I think mostly people from class read it, but who knows? Maybe Oprah or Emma Watson found it. I'm not really sure who I want to read it, since this blog was for me, yet is out for the world to see. I may use it in the future. Let's find out. ;) I'm most likely going to post pieces that I'm personally proud of that I've written outside of class.

4.) I found journaling to be therapeutic. Writing things down always makes me feel a little better. I have a lot of variety in my journal. I have some scattered pieces of prose here, some panagrams there, and then I'll cut back to a short story idea, and then it'll go back to how I'm feeling, and then it'll end with a collage of things we did in class. I'd rather not have other people read my notebook. The blog is the end result, but the notebook it the method to my madness. I don't want people to read every thought I've had over the past three months. Those are my thoughts, for my eyes only. I will continue to journal through. It's relaxing to have complete control over something, even if it's only what goes on a blank sheet of paper. It's freeing, like being able to make sense of things by understanding more about myself. Everything you write is for a reason.

5.) I really want my writing to be seen. Actually, no. Not that specifically. I want my voice to be heard. Writing is my way of doing that, since I don't have the voice to speak my mind outside the realm of pen-and paper. I hope that through hearing my own voice through this medium, then I can strengthen the power of my own voice. One thing I learned about my life- it's not always the loudest voice that's the one that needs to be heard.

6.)
Through the Glass
The blossoming of summer flowers
and a few clusters of trees create a shield
against the crumbling outside world.
A glance over our fence and  into my neighbor's yard
and can catch a glimpse of their well-manicured lawn,
a couple of blue jays fluttering int he birdbath,
and their one of their many cats, this one a deep ebony
attempting to sneak through their hydrangeas.
Light usually shines though the canopy of trees
but today's overcast
and there is no sunshine left for me to use.
Time always finds a way to leak through.

The slither of light is considering departing the sky
and letting the ash take over for the night.
Between the shades of lotus and shadow
a gentle melody can be heard from an unknown source
and a hidden pile of memories.

7.) I think I want to major in English in the future, so writing will remain a significant part of my life. I plant on becoming a writer as a career, so writing novels in particular will be crucial to my life. I also plan on doing prose as well as journaling. I genuinely enjoy doing things like this. I think writing creatively is important, as sometimes it takes exploring things outside of your world to understand ours. I like that I can make a concrete universe that could touch the hearts of others, yet stays meaningful to its creator. It's different than other types of writing, because it doesn't have the same limitations. It is truly the freeing type of writing. There's no set way to go about doing it, it's about making something that fells right, not about technical mechanics and such.
8.) 
Find your light to illuminate the world.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

101 Things About Me

1.) I am currently seventeen years old.
2.) I hate the sound of people crunching on ice. I just can't stand the sound of something hard grinding against teeth.
3.) I love the smell of lavender in everything:  shampoo, candles, extracts, and even the little air fresheners in my car.
4.) I despise country music; it just all sounds the same to me.
5.) I have an older sister named Kayley, who's four years older than me.
6.) While I have lots of "favorite" books and others, one I really enjoy is Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.
7.) My star sign is the Sagittarius, as I was born on December 12th, 1999.
8.) My aunt and I have a ritual where we'll watch a superhero movie, and then eat sushi together at Haruno while we discuss books.'
9.) I am the worst at memorizing names. If I do bother to memorize someone's name, then that means that you're important to me.
10.) I think I want to teach English as a second language in another country for a couple of years after college.
11.) My dream is either to be a writer or an engineer of some kind (actively I'm leaning towards environmental).
12.) When I was young, I wanted to be an inventor. I'd always show my mom designs of the amazing things I wanted to build (but never would).
13.) I act super extroverted around people, but for some reason I always test as introverted on Myers Briggs.
14.) My Myers Briggs personality type is INTP.
15.)  I have had two dogs. One was named Snowball and died when I was little, and the other was Snuggles, who died in the summer of last year.
16.) My lucky number is four.
17.) I really want to travel all over Asia and Europe as soon as I can.
18.) Mystery and fantasy novels are my favorites, but I'm not a fan of anything that is straightforward and required little thought to understand.
19.) I'm terrible at spelling things. Spellcheck and Google almost consistently come to my rescue.
20.) I have lived in the same house throughout my entire life.
21.) I can't snap my fingers.
22.) I played the bass in the sixth grade for a year, and the trombone for two years.
23.) I have currently played the piano for five years, so I started late, but I can still hold my own at competitions and such.
24.) I've been a colossal night owl ever since I was young, but now that usually translates to getting less rest than I should.
25.) When I was a child, I would eat ketchup on just about anything, and I wouldn't eat any other condiments.
26.) In kindergarten, I remember being so proud of being the first kid in my class to win two character Ed certificates.
27.) I was also the kid that cried when he got his card flipped from green to yellow for "playing" while the teacher was talking (Thanks Mrs. Fusch).
28.) I loved the color red when I was little, but then switched to the color blue in middle school. I think that I'm beginning to lean towards it being green now.
29.) I gave blood for the first time last week, apparently I'm type O.
30.) I had the same name as my pastor at James River, and immediately made him my competitor in every task.
31.) I've won a lot of medals throughout high school for academic competitions, but the one that means the most to me are my 2nd place at state for Science Olympiad in forensics. My partner was in tears she was so happy, and I was on the verge of them because we somehow beat Ladoo.
32.) I want to live somewhere that's warm, but not like broiling.
33.) My wardrobe in basically decked out in shorts and nothing else. I like having the freedom or being able to run and jump
34.) I have grown to not like Christmas music, mostly because they overplay it long before the Christmas season even begins.
35.) I have a bad habit of biting my nails.
36.) I got my first science Olympiad medal in the seventh grade in sound of music with my PVC pipe trombone. We got second.
37.) I really like buffalo chicken wrappers from Cheddars, but my favorite food has to be sushi.
38.) I'll randomly spend like two months drawing nonstop, and then I'll take a break for a few months.
39.) There are these spicy pickles called "Dilly Bites" that my mom picks up. I love them so much.
40.) My first real videogame was Pokemon Diamond and Pearl that my grandparents got me, and I choose Turtwig as my starter.
41.) I used to think I'm good at math... until I took calculus.
42.) I had a toad named Tony for about four years until I forgot about him. Apparently he died, and it took me over a week to notice (I still cried).
43.) My favorite childhood memories were having sleepovers with friends. We would try to stay up all night, but usually at least one of us would fall asleep.
44.) WINGS is one of my favorite places on Earth. I really like their butterfly garden, and it was a great break during the school week for me. I went on Wednesdays in elementary school, and Tuesdays in middle school.
45.) My grandpa has a watermelon patch, and he always sends us watermelons in the summer.
46.) My voice was really high in middle school, but I got a cold one day and my voice dropped a couple of octaves and never went back.
47.) I refused to eat tomatoes as a kid, but now I actually kind of like them.
48.) I hate horror movies, but I love really bad ones.
49.) I had this bulldozer toy named Chomper as a kid that was super sensitive to motion. One bump would cause him to go "My name's Rover, and digging's my game". It quickly got sold at a garage sale.
50.) I had a flip-phone until my sophomore year of high school. I got it my sixth grade year.
51.) I have like sixth throw blankets on my bed, I'd rather have those than my comforter.
52.) Calculus is not exactly my strong suit, yet I want to be an engineer.
53.) I really like watching Cutthroat Kitchen. It's one of my favorite shows.
54.) If I'm feeling sad, I'll watch Bob Ross paint. His "happy little trees" bring me so much joy.
55.) I have a negative opinion of veggie straws. Went running after eating an entire bag, and it was not a good time.
56.) I could never be a vegetarian. Chicken and fish are just too tasty.
57.) I have never left the country, but I desperately want to.
58.) Kum and Go has the best ICEES. Coca-cola ones are the best, but I'll occasionally get a Dr. Pepper one to switch it up.
59.) I kind of want to get cosmetic glasses. I think I'd look good with them.
60.) Bumblebees are absolutely adorable. Their wings are so useless.  :P
61.) I can play like three chords on the guitar.
62.) I'm terrible at basketball, but I'm insanely good at free throws.
63.) I have heterochromia(two different colored eyes).
64.) I really want a large garden in my first house/apartment.
65.) My sister is allergic to nuts and soy, so the places that we can eat at are very limited.
66.) In the third grade, I got third in a reading contest, and won a bag of toy dinosaurs.
67.) When I was in gymnastics as a kid, I could do the full splits.
68.) I played soccer from when I was about five into middle school, but quit because of conflicts with the coach.
69.) The noise fidget-spinners make annoys me for some reason. It's like a high-pitched buzz in my ear.
70.) I would pack myself peanut-butter sandwiches and peanut-butter crackers everyday for lunch in elementary school.
71.) I have a bad nail-biting habit.
72.) I am terrible at remembering when my library books are due.
73.) I am allergic to ragweed.
74.) As a kid, I would run around the house with a yarn trial for fun. My mom would get so frustrated when she came home and saw the colorful web I made.
75.) Blue's Clues was my favorite show as a kid.
76.) I think the Great Gatsby is heavily overrated. It wasn't that it was bad, it just didn't live up to the hype.
77.) I had four cavities as a kid, but none on my adult teeth.
78.) I was really shy in middle school, but I cam more out of my shell in high school. The thing is, I still have antisocial tendencies. I'll just recluse up in my room for a couple of days a week.
79.) I really enjoy running. I try to go on a 6-8 mile run every day.
80.) I can grow a full beard, but I choose to shave it every day because I prefer a smooth face.
81.) I went on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee with HOSA my sophomore year.
82.) I cried in the third grade when my family died on my Oregon Trail game during computer lab.
83.) I would always catch grasshoppers during recess, and put them in my cage. However, I always forgot to feed them.
84.) My parents would take me to Cardinals games all the time as a kid.
85.) I always loved to drink apple juice, but my mom only let me drink it during breakfast at hotels.
86.) I have a severe addiction to Diet Coke, and I can't stand Coca-Cola Lite.
87.) I'm a night owl, and sleep until noon on the weekends. School messes up my sleep cycle.
88.) I ran for student council every year of elementary school, and lost every election.
89.) As a kid, my favorite ice cream was birthday cake. Now, my favorite ice cream is mint-chocolate chip.
90.) Tangled is my favorite Disney movie.
91.) My favorite candy is licorice, and my least favorite candy is Milk Duds.
92.) My favorite animals are owls. They seem so cuddly and cute, but are also mysterious and creatures of the night.
93.) When I go to the countryside, I love to count how many stars I can see, even if it's futile. It's really relaxing.
94.) I get the worst bed-head in the morning. My hair refuses to cooperate, especially if I'm running late.
95.) Loud noises easily startle me, but I find lightening oddly calming.
96.) I am one of the worst spellers, but one of the best editors.
97.) I have asthma, but I never carry my inhaler around.
98.) I always sit with my laptop with a throw blanket on, even if it's the middle of summer.
99.) I basically always wear shorts, regardless of the temperature outside.
100.) When I'm nervous of scared, I'll talk my way through it.
101.) ...... I'm really bad at goodbyes.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

About A Boy

Such a Thing as Too Much Free Time
There is no such thing as too much free time. Frankly, I'm not really a huge fan of school in general, even though I love learning. It's just that I don't feel like school actually teaches me what I need to know, or even what interests me. Don't get me wrong, school's not horrible, it's just those times where I feel like I'm getting stressed over a project or paper when I'm not getting anything out of it. Sometimes I just wish I could go home and actually do what interests me specifically so I can actually learn. Why should I have to memorize all those tidbits of history and jumbled formulas that most teachers will even acknowledge that I will forget when I leave the class, when I could stay home and define my interests based off what I like and what I want to do in the future?
"Did you know when I was born that I would be a vegetarian?"
Parents that force their child to have the same views as them frustrates me. Getting angry every time your kid disagrees with you on an opinion doesn't make sense to me. If I was talking to a stranger and said "I like the color blue." and they went "How dare you like the color blue. My favorite color is orange, and therefore yours should be as well.", I would probably walk away confused, yet I see parents treat their children with less respect for their opinions than they would give a stranger.
What is the Point to your Life
I don't really think there is a predestined point to my life. I mean, people should never define themselves to one niche. People are complex, but if people define themselves to a single purpose they end up simplifying themselves, which is toxic to them. I prefer that there are many points to a person's life. Maybe it was planting that tree over by Wilson's Creek, but that may just be as much of a point to your life as when you won that Nobel Peace Prize. A "point" is a complex, interconnected thing. You can't just take out one and expect the rest to be there without some serious consequences. It's more of a series of many points, not defining yourself to one singular purpose.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Music Questions and Things


Image result for music10.) Country music. Country music is the sum of everything I despise. Every song in that genre sounds the same, usually starting with their cold beer on a Saturday night, trucks, and wet T-shirt contests. Ew, no thank you, I'd rather not. The instruments and rhythm rarely ever vary, and it's not technically difficult most of the time. Honestly, if the banjo riff starts up, I'll pull your aux cord out, and then promptly ask you to leave my car. It will not be tolerated. 
1.) When I listen to music, I have the sudden motivation to complete whatever task or problem I face with renewed zeal. Normally I'm like "ugh running, I'm getting sweaty and gross", but when by earbuds are in it's like "Heck yeah, watch out wold, here comes Chad Myers!" It's like a sense of urgency, not really a particular emotion, more of just like that I need to do this for myself.

15.) I think it would be great to be a musician professionally, even though my singing voice is... well... awful. My piano skills are my strength musically, and I really enjoy it. However, since I started quiet a bit later that my peers, I'm still behind but I'm creeping up on them in skill. I think that playing the piano on stage would be fulfilling, even if now I'm too timid about by abilities to play in front of others. That'll come with time.

4.) I mostly gravitate toward music through repetition. The more times I listen to a song, the more I grow to like it. Eventually, the love dies, and I find a new song. It's like with piano: if I spend the time to and energy to learn to play a song, then I'll eventually grow to like it, or I wouldn't have finished it. I guess familiarity makes me naturally learn to love it.

3.) When I was young, I abhorred music of all genres. Weird, right? I just didn't see the point of music, and I thought it was a waste of time and energy. I saw the point behind things like painting: you have a tangible product that can last for centuries. Music isn't as definite and tangible. Music is fleeting, and doesn't last forever. I didn't understand how I could like something that will not be able to stick with you. It was until about the end of middle school to early high school when I learned that music has a quality that other types of expression don't possess: the beauty of the now. Music does stick with you, at least the good music does. You hold it within your thoughts and memories, and that's enough.

6.) Without music, the world would be a lot more dreary and desolate. It would be like time was standing still. Music is the thing that proves that time goes on. Art's the concrete things that stay, but music keeps things in motion and change. Without change, the world would truly be boring place, as change is what keeps things in order and balance; otherwise, things would continue perpetually, and nothing would ever be fixed. It's the desire for change that separate us from any other species, without that we're no more than the primates that we descended from.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Fruit Puns

Fruits are the base of my food pyramid.
Eating dairy is just the PITS.
Proteins are just unbeLEAVEable
Vegetables have always been a bit SEEDY.
And Sweets have always put me into a JAM.
Fruits deserve a CROWN
for the BERRY good job they do.
And I think that's just PEACHY.
Actually, it should be on the pyramid twice
so then it could have a PEAR,
because after all,
it takes two to MANGO.
and should be in every smartphone,
because then it'd be an APPLE product.
I think that idea would be subLIME
Of exemplifying the GRAPENESS 
of this endeavor.
It make me MELONCHOLY
just thinking of a world without them.
I FIGure I would go BANANAS, 
and be grades would begin to SLIP 
in the school's CORE curriculum.
I think I would rather be PUNCHED,
and be beaten to a PULP
than miss their tangy PASSION,
that would be perfect on any DATE.
That's why I find them so APPEALING,
and need to eat a BUNCH of them.
Well, this idea is getting a little RIPE,
but it's going pretty SMOOTHIELY
and I´ll never take fruits for POMEGRANATE.


and if the police ever finds this blog post
I guess I'll be

a PERSIMMON of interest.

And with that final terrible pun, my post comes to a close.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Revised Story

Chad Myers 

Wally Goes to Hawaii
Page 1
There once was a town called FrostBerg, located on an iceberg somewhere between the North and South Pole. It is a beautiful Winter day there. 
Page 2
The penguins are outside skating. Polar bears are enjoying their ICEEs and narwhales are skiing down the various slopes.
Page 3
There is only one animal not joining in on their Winter fun: Wally the Walrus.
Page 4
Wally has never liked the cold. He prefers to go home to his igloo and relax in his bundle of blankets reading a good book.
Part 5
He enjoyed being able to water plants in his green house. The ice and snow just wasn't the life for him, trust me, he tried.
Page 6
Sledding was never really his thing. He'd always scream on the way down.
Page 7
Peppermint mochas just burned his tongue.
Page 8
Snow kept getting caught in his mustache. It would make his lip cold.
Page 9
Eventually, the animals of Frostberg stopped inviting him to play. He just couldn't be part of their Winter fun.
Page 10
One day, he meet with Morris the Moose, Frostberg's local travel agent. Wally meet with him to discuss where he would like to go this year.
Page 11
"Where would you like to travel?" Morris the Moose asked.
"Where can I go?" 
"Anywhere, from the highest peaks to the lowest of trenches. Anything particular in mind?"
"Just someplace warm." Wally replied. He hates the Winter weather of his hometown. 
Page 12
"I think I have just the place in mind." the agent replied with a smile.
Page 13
When Wally stepped off the plane, it was like an whole new world was opened up to him. There were palm trees and beaches everywhere.
Page 14
He went to his new hut on the beach, and laid in his hammock sunbathing. He pulled out his map, and decided to explore the island.
Page 16
He took a walk on one of the trials, and found that Hawaii had plants he had never gotten to see in the Artic! The entire island was covered in the brightly colored tropical fruits.
Page 17
At the end of the trial were several shops that scattered the beach. One vendor offered him a mango-pineapple smoothie. He didn't really know what either of those things were, but he was open to trying anything (but peppermint mochas, those are gross).
Page 18
He was surprised to find that he liked it! It was very sweet, and was different from anything that he had tried at home.
Page 19
He went up to the local surf shop, and bought a surfboard. He ended up getting to try some free surfinglessons. At first, he stumbled, but he quickly improved.
Page 20
Eventually, he was surfing like one of the pros. He shredded some sick waves until the sun went down.
Page 21
There was a luau on the beach that night. The place was lit up with hundreds of lights, and he could hear music all the way from the ocean. 
Page 22
He decided to join them. Apparently, Wally is quiet the life of the party, and he is crazy good at limbo. 
Page 23
Once the night was done, Wally came back to his hut and got some much needed rest. He had such a busy day, and was looking forward to the rest of his trip.
Page 24
Before Wally knew it, his stay in Hawaii was over. He had to say goodbye to his newfound friends, but it was time for him to go home.
Page 25
Wally realized where his home was, and realized he'd be back sooner than he thought.

THE END

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Wally Goes to Hawaii

Page 1
There once was a town called FrostBerg, located on an iceberg somewhere between the North and South Pole. It is a beautiful Winter day there. 
Page 2
The penguins are outside skating. Polar bears are enjoying their ICEEs and narwhales are skiing down the various slopes.
Page 3
There is only one animal not joining in on their Winter fun: Wally the Walrus.
Page 4
Wally has never liked the cold. He prefers to go home to his igloo and relax in his bundle of blankets reading a good book.
Part 5
He enjoyed being able to water plants in his green house. The ice and snow just wasn't the life for him, trust me, he tried.
Page 6
Sledding was never really his thing.
Page 7
Peppermint mochas just burned his tongue.
Page 8
Snow kept getting caught in his mustache, and his lips got cold.
Page 9
Eventually, the animals of Frostberg stopped inviting him to play. He just couldn't be part of their Winter fun.
Page 10
One day, he meet with Morris the Moose, Frostberg's local travel agent. Wally meet with him to discuss where he would like to go this year.
Page 11
"Where would you like to travel?" Morris the Moose asked.
"Where can I go?" 
"Anywhere, from the highest peaks to the lowest of trenches. Anything particular in mind?"
"Just someplace warm." Wally replied. He hates the Winter weather of his hometown. 
Page 12
"I think I have just the place in mind." the agent replied with a smile.
Page 13
When Wally stepped off the plane, it was like an whole new world was opened up to him. There were palm trees and beaches everywhere.
Page 14
He went to his new hut on the beach, and laid in his hammock sunbathing. He pulled out his map, and decided to explore the island.
Page 16
He took a walk on one of the trials, and found that Hawaii had plants he had never gotten to see in the Artic! The entire island was covered in the brightly colored tropical fruits.
Page 17
At the end of the trial were several shops that scattered the beach. One vendor offered him a mango-pineapple smoothie. He didn't really know what either of those things were, but he was open to trying anything (but peppermint mochas, those are gross).
Page 18
He was surprised to find that he liked it! It was very sweet, and was different from anything that he had tried at home.
Page 19
He went up to the local surf shop, and bought a surfboard. He ended up getting to try some free surfinglessons. At first, he stumbled, but he quickly improved.
Page 20
Eventually, he was surfing like one of the pros. He shredded some sick waves until the sun went down.
Page 21
There was a luau on the beach that night. The place was lit up with hundreds of lights, and he could hear music all the way from the ocean.
Page 22
He decided to join them. Apparently, Wally is quiet the life of the party, and he is crazy good at limbo.
Page 23
Once the night was done, Wally came back to his hut and got some much needed rest. he had such a busy day, and he was looking forward to the rest of his trip.
Page 24
Before Wally knew it, his stay in Hawaii was over. He had to say goodbye to his newfound friends, but it was time for him to go home.
Page 25
Wally realized where hishome was, and realized he'd be back sooner than he thought.

THE END


I would love to have a graphic designer to illustrate this.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Author's Bio

Image result for walrusThe writer is Chad Myers, and this is the first book he has written for children. He lives in Springfield, MO with his parents and his sister, Kayley. He's planning on going to go into the medical field someday, or perhaps a career in writing. He has an affinity for gardening, and loves to read mysteries and science fiction novels in his spare time.




*totally Chad Myers