Movie Review (by William)

Note: The imaginary movie Shaku is wrote/directed/lead by William based on his summer vacation at the Sea World.

Killer Whale at Sea World - Photo taken by William

There are lots of violence these days.  In some parts of the world, we humans don’t live in peace and harmony.  If we can have strong friendship and trust, the world can be a better and friendlier place.  This is one of the main points in the fabulous fiction film, the all-new 2018 Hollywood blockbuster about a captive killer whale and a boy.  So hop on board, and learn about this movie and why you should watch it.

I personally loved this film because of its many qualities.  They include the awesome cinematography and superb soundtrack.  But most of all, I loved the compassionate personality of the boy and the gentle yet wild spirit of Shaku.  My hands were trembling as the conflict reached its heights, and I wore a smile as the movie ended.

The ending scenery is majestic, the sun setting against the golden-pink water.  I haven’t seen many movies with such a beautiful cinematography.  Also, too many films I have seen have cheesy soundtracks.  “Time is racing toward us till the Huns…”  No, no, none of that.  The sound track, Ocean Blue, Ocean Wide is much better.  Even seeing the movie poster made my body tremble with excitement.

Movie Storyboard by William

Some highlights of this movie are the scenes you will be able to remember, such as when Shaku bites off a trainer’s arm, when people debate on if Shaku should go free, and when Shaku realizes he wants to be in the wild.  However, I didn’t rate this film 4.5 for nothing.  There is one low light.  When Shaku’s mom tries to free herself from a ghost net, Shaku tries to help, which makes the situation worse.  That scene is a bit silly.

This is a great movie.  Save up your money to buy tickets and popcorn because this movie is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  A must-see!

 

State of Mind (by Ethan)

State of Mind - phase one

Time
What is time? How did it form? Is it incorporeal or corporeal? I described time as "An invisible force that causes and controls change, and anything related to it. It self-ajusts its feeling to a person according to the action(s) of that person."  Time is NOT, the string of numbers on the alarm clock sitting on your nightstand. Although it shows time, they are just numbers. Time has no matter, but it is a powerful universally dependent factor that rules all of the cosmos (along with God).

State of Mind - phase two

Imagination
This is another "force" and it is just as mighty as time. It also forms the base of the mind of something that has existed for over 200,000 years. And that is ....us, Homo Sapiens. It is one of four tools that structure our minds, the other three are self-awareness, conscience and willpower. The imagination is rather like the headmaster/mistress of a school. It guides the mind. The mind is like a teacher, not as powerful but still possessing a great value of authority. The mind controls all of your organs, habits, actions, etc. These are like the students, who posses almost no authority except to themselves. No other living being, not even chimpanzees or dolphins has such a powerful brain tool. Imagination can also act as a planner for your future job, your mate, etc. All-in-all, imagination is the essential component in order to help our machine-like brain function well and be cohesive.

State of Mind - phase three

Summer
Needles are sharp, and the Sun is dangerously hot, and its heat can feel stingy, so wouldn't you say that standing outside in a frying day is like the Sun shooting you with needles of fire?
I am living in a chimmey. "The tempurature rising, sweat running down my temple like liquid beads of the finest glass. I reach for my water bottle and gulp down some stone cold water, the drink of life. My skin is going to burn soon... ," If you're like me, your main instinct is to rush insde! "And then I gallop to the air conditioner, but it isn't on. I plead with it, beg for it to give me its breath of rejuvination, and then, FWOOSH! as it starts up at last, it cool, crisp air blowing over me like a breeze. I am refreshed and renewed. I swallow the last of my water. I wait for the golden sun to make its fare well, and then, I go for a brisk run in the calm evening."

State of Mind - phase four

My favorite powers
Imagine that there is a cell. It splits into two cells. Next, those two cells each split into two cells. Then, each cell splits again. Or, imagine a piece of paper, which you divide into tenths. Then you divide each of the pieces into tenths. Then, you divide all of those pieces in tenths. You have just wittnessed the power of...POWERS!
The powers that have been listed above, along with those of 5 and 3, are found and being used all over the universe. I described them as "the powers that make our universe tick." They help to organize the world and keep us from going wild. You've probably learned about them in arithmetic, but I feel like they have deeper meanings. They thrive in both nature and the manmade world. All-in-all, I am very glad that these powers exsit, because if they didn't, the world would be much more chaotic.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens (Book Review by William)

I recently read the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.  This book is indeed an ultimate success guide for teens.  Through the chapters, Sean Covey, the author guided us through many challenges teens will be facing, and strategies on how to handle the difficult situations. 

My drawing below lists the 7 Habits, and instead of me spoiling the story, you may check out the book from library and start reading--it’s a must-read!

 

 

The chapter that applies to me the most is Synergy.  I liked how Mr. Covey stated that the world is diverse, so try to celebrate it.  I also enjoyed the Great Discovery questionnaire and characteristic quiz to better understand myself, and form my mission statement.  This book is also recommended by famous people such as Arun Gandhi and Michael Phelps.  Enjoy!

 

 

Where the Red Fern Grows (Book Review by William)

I just finished a book on my middle school reading list, Where the Red Fern Grows. This book stirred all emotions inside me, from making me smile to making my eyes water, the author, Wilson Rawls was able to reach through my feelings.

 

This story was about Billy, a boy with a terrible dog-wanting disease. He would keep asking his parents for two coon hounds. First of all, a coon is another word for raccoon. Although he was an expert on trapping, he couldn’t catch one coon. But when his dream of having two coon dogs finally came true, Billy found himself a champion coon hunter with his dogs. He named them Old Dan and Little Ann. Billy also found that the dogs would refuse to do anything if they weren’t together.

Their coon hunting became so good that they even entered and won a championship coon hunt. The happiness did not last long though. One night, while coon hunting, they encountered a mountain lion. Old Dan was severely injured before they killed the lion. Old Dan died from his wounds soon afterward. Little Ann moped for days and died of grief. The boy learned life must move on. He and his family moved to a nearby town for the kids’ education and experiences. On the day they were about to move, the boy spotted a sacred red fern growing between the dogs’ graves. The red fern was considered sacred because in an old Cherokee tale, a Native American boy and girl froze to death in a blizzard. In the spring following that, their bodies were found with the red fern growing between them. It is said that only angels can plant the red fern.

My favorite part was after the coon hunting contest, Billy came home with a gold cup, silver cup, and a box of money. The family was so happy that they had a huge celebration and feast. It made my heart content. It was also so vivid that I could practically see the dining table. Ham, cornbread, fried potatoes. The happy faces and the enlightening smiles.

I loved this tale of two dogs and a boy. Even if very bad things happen, life has to move on! I hope you will read this book sometime soon and enjoy it as much as I did.