China National Day

Today, my mom and dad were watching a show live from China on the Internet. It was about the sixtieth anniversary of a Chinese holiday, similar to Canada Day, celebrating the creation of the People's Republic of China. It was a huge gathering of hundreds of thousands of people. Most of it was parades.

Half of the parading was of the latest war technology. The tanks, trucks, planes, and many other vehicles, made their way past the cheering people. Those I was not interested in. What was impressive, was the way the soldiers walked. They were lined up in perfectly straight lines, and moved in perfect synchronization. They raised their hands and feet at the exact same time, and raised them to the exact same height. From above, they look like a mat moving across the Tianmen Square. I wonder how many years of training it took to reach this perfection?

The dancers that paraded a little afterwards were just as awesome. For example, there was a group of marching women, each holding a blue and a red pompom. They raised the pompoms in different patterns all at the same time, so that in a birds eye view, it looked like the "mat" of people, not only moved without falling apart, but changed colour every so often.

The coolest was at the end, where the group of children walked out in a formation while holding balloons. At the very end of the song that was sung, they all released the balloons all at the same time, and thousands of balloons floated towards the sky. The view was so majestic! The Chinese sure knew how to put up a good show!

Memories of Elementary

I know that switching from elementary to highschool is a hard thing. Most people, including me, hasn't gotten quite used to it yet. I sometimes think I still go to elementary school. Well this is an example of what I mean. I just remembered it today, had a pretty good laugh about it.

It was about a week ago when we went to the Bard on the Beach (to see the Shakespeare play). We just finished lunch and were waiting for our teacher to show up and give us the tickets. There were also other schools there too. One of the teachers from the other schools, probably just out of curiosity, asked us which school we came from. Me and my friend were both going to say Laurier, just when another guy blurted out, "Jamieson". Then we just realized and all was silent. Then the guy corrected himself and everybody started laughing.

I really miss elementary school days. It was way less complicated, we only have one teacher for the whole year (which makes it eazier when trying to impress them :D), it was a lot smaller, and WE were the big kids!

Clubs at the School

It was Clubs Day at our school, and it was for people who wanted to join certain clubs. It was held on a grass field. The band was playing, but barely anyone could hear the music over the chattering of hundreds of people. It was so crowded, that I could barely most of the club signs.

I only joined the Anime Club, but I only like learning to draw anime, and not watch it (since I take a long time just trying to figure out what the anime movie was about. There's always a twist to it). My friends also joined the anime club, and one friend joined the Secret Gardent Club, where they make fake flowers and plants out of cloth and other materials. I really wanted to join that too, but in order to pay for the supply fees, each person that joins has to give ten dollars. I know that I am really forgetful, so I didn't bother joining since I know I am going to forget the money.

I'm also feeling alot better today then Friday, because I skated much better than last time (the time I fell and scraped my knee).

A Delicious Dinner

My aunt invited my family to dinner at her work place today. She works at a senior residence place, and they have luxurious dinners every night. We were invited just because she was going to give us some fruits after, and just thought since we would come, that we should just stay and eat anyways.

When it was time to eat, the seniors all sat down in the tables. Most of them look like they're about 80-90 years old, and some of them were sitting in wheelchairs. My aunt put us in a private dinning room. I ordered a steamed meat with potatoes and vegies for the main course.

The food was quite good. I especially liked the sause that the vegies and meat were in. My aunt and mom ordered a fish and rice plate, and it didn't look half as good as mine or my dad's (we ordered the same thing)! But good as it is, there was too much in the plate for me to finish.

Stratego

Today was my cousin's birthday, and he turned nine. I was at my uncle's house along with my mom and dad.

One of the presents he got was a Stratego game board. He opened it, and we read the instructions. It was a war game. The objective is to get the oponent's flag. We didn't get to finish the game because my mom was getting really tired.

I really started to like the game when my dad started telling me about the strategies on the way home, like how I should pay attention to which ones he never moved, and those would either be the traps or the flag. Hopefully my parents will buy that game for me tomorrow if we find it in the shops, because I can't wait to design my own battle plan!

Ouch...

I went just as usual to skating class today, and the first class was strength and conditioning, and our coach made us run 30 times back and forth a small parking lot, and boy it was tiring. I thought my skating session would be the same as any other day.

I stepped on to the ice and did my stroking. Then, when I got to the jumps, they were just never right. I ended up falling way more than I did in a very long time. By the time I got to my lesson, my coach told me that I was going into jumps slower than usual, and that I was holding back. How could I not? After all those falls, who wouldn't be the least timid going into another element with the chance of falling again!

What was worse, was that after this session, we had enrichment ( a group lesson on edges, speed, etc.). We did double three turns (turns on one leg from forwards to backwards in the same direction). On the leg that I am not good at, I turned once, then on the second turn, my blade (the blade on the skate) got stuck in the ice and I fell twisted. That fall ended up giving me a bleeding knee. I sure hope my skating gets better nearing the competition in October.

Meet the Teacher/ Creature Night

The "Meet the Creature Night" was today, and my parents went. I didn't go, and my friend came over because her mom went too. We did some homework and played a little.

At about one hour and a half later, she went to go pick up her sister at a scout place, which was just beside my apartment. Apparently, her sister just joined today, and they made this thing that tells you which way the wind blows (I forgot the name). They will also start selling popcorn, and the more you sell, the better prizes you get. They took home a little magazine that advertizes the kinds of popcorn they have. There were choclate covered ones, plain ones, buttery ones, and many more. The most expensive one was $55! I wonder who will buy those!

My friend went home after my parents came back from my school. They were telling me how I was supposed to read the long list of books for the Independent Reading Program, and why I haven't started. Well obviously the grade eights can't check out books in the school library when we don't have a library card yet.

First Skytrain Ride and the Writer's Festival

Today was the first time I took the skytrain to my ballet class, and it went pretty smoothly. I got on the right train, and got off at the right stop. I wasn't nervous at all, probably because of all my experience taking the bus at least twice every week. I actually got there twenty minutes early, so I'm deciding to go a bit later next time.

Also today, we had to write a piece of writing to submit to the Writer's festival in English class. There were six words that we had to use in our pieces, and the writing could be anything; poems, short stories, news articles, anything as long as it contains the six words in them. The words were, Facebook, labyrinth, skytrain, sob, what if, and compost. I thought I did okay. I'm really anxious to know which five pieces of writing our English teacher will pick to submit to the contest!

A good change

My friend always walks to and from school with me. But the only problem is, that she has to pick up her little sister on Mondays to Thursdays. The reason that's a problem is because her sister was never eager to go home. A few times, we even had to take turns dragging her.

But these days, my friend's sister is actually being okay! Today, she asked me for candy, and I told her that, if I gave her candy, she would walk home. She told me that she wasn't stupid, and of course she would walk home even if I didn't give her candy. She said that she is normal right now. According to her, when she didn't want to go home, she wasn't normal. She even explained to me how she talks when she isn't normal compared to when she was, which was pretty funny. Sure enough, she walked home without a problem. It was even fun, since we played games with her along the way.

Now we can get home way faster than we used to!

People at a Bus Stop

Today, I was waiting at the bus stop at the Canada Line station for the bus that would take me to skating, and I observed the others around me to kill the time.

The people there were all waiting for buses, and most of them just came out from the sky train. Some of them were carrying suitcases, like they just left the airport. I was carrying a suitcase too, though it contained my skates, not my clothes. A woman behind me was constantly checking her watch with an annoyed expression, like she was going to be late for something.

Buses came and went. Most people boarded the bus to UBC, and also a lot for the airport station. The woman that was constantly checking her watch went on to the one to downtown. It was sort of interesting how I saw a mixture of irritation and relief on her face. Finally, my bus came and off I went to skating.

New Phone!

Finally, I got my very own cell phone!

Every time my dad goes into Rogers, Fido, or any other phone and electronics company to take a look around, I would always survey the different cell phones that they display. I would then sometimes get in to arguments weather I needed a cell phone or not. My parents repeatedly explain how I had no use for one, and buying one for me would be a waste of money.

But these days, they realized I might have use for one after all, now that I'm in high school, so my dad searched for plans on the Internet and decided to get me one with 30 minutes per month, and no texting included. The cell phone also had no camera. I know that I'm not satisfied completely, but I guess it was good enough that they actually decided to get me one. I'm really excited to use it!

Also, I've been spending some time decorating my blog, and I'm quite happy with the result!

The Pursuit of Happiness

I didn't write yesterday because we spent our evening watching a movie called, "The Pursuit of Happiness". It was a fairly good movie, and it was based on a true story. The movie was about a family living in San Francisco.

They had a five year old son named Christopher, who spends weekday at a daycare because his parents are way to busy. His dad, Chris, is always busy trying to sell scanners, and his mother, Linda, works at a factory. Chris tries hard to make money, but barely anyone is willing to buy the scanners. No matter how hard they worked, they still don't have enough money to even pay their rent.

One day Linda gets angry at Chis and decides to leave, saying that he cannot give her happiness. Chris couldn't stop her, so all he demands is to leave Christopher with him. Chris is usually the one that takes care of Christopher, so he is closer to his dad than to his mom. So his mom leaves.

Chris is very smart. The time all this happens, was the time when people were introduced to Rubik's cubes. He solved one in one try, and it was because of his talent, he was then introduced to a stockbroker company. He was interviewed, and accepted to take the learning course, but only one person out of twenty will be chosen in the end to work at this company.

All went well for him and his son until the day the tax bill arrived in a mail. He needed to pay $600.00. He was devastated, as this was all he had. The government took the money out of his bank account, and he was broke. He continued to sell scanners, take the stockbroker course, and at night, with his son, line up at the shelter for places to sleep.

A lot more happens. Too much for me to explain. But in the end, after all the twenty people took the stockbroker test, he was chosen. He cried with happiness as he took his son and hugged him tight.

According to the movie, Chris got a stable job, and eventually became a millionaire. It was almost like a miracle.

First school field trip

Our Synergy 8 class got to go on a field trip today to the Bard on the Beach, along with some other grade nine classes. We were going there to watch a Shakespeare play entitled, "All's Well that End's Well". The play took place in a tent on Jericho Beach. We got there in two private school buses.

I'll just describe the play. I understood most of the talking the actors did, and what was going on, but there were little parts I didn't catch. It was about Helena, who was a poor physician's daughter, trying to win the heart of a young Lord Bertram.

Bertram didn't like Helena, but he had to marry her because Helena cured the King of France, and the King let her choose a husband in his court so she chose Bertram. The main reason he felt hatred for Helena was because he didn't want to be called the "husband of a poor physician's daughter".

He ran away to fight in a war in Italy just to be away from Helena, and sent her a letter, challenging her to get the ring from his finger and bear his child, before he could ever be her true husband. In the end, Helena managed to meet these conditions and Bertram fell in love with her.

It was a pretty good play, and there were some really funny parts. The actors really knew what they were doing. If I could, I would want to watch it again!

Fairs and contests

Only once in my whole life, have I ever done a contest of some sort for school before, and it was a nightmare.

For the Heritage Fair that our class did in grade six, we had to research and make a poster board on a famous Canadian. During that time we worked on it, there was so much pressure. There wasn't a day we that we could relax and enjoy. It was always writing paragraphs after paragraphs, or endless research on the computer and flipping through books. The reason I'm bringing this up, is because now our English teacher and science teacher introduced us to a writing contest, and a science fair! It's putting so much pressure on me just thinking about it.

The way I look at it, there's no way I'm qualifying for the next level (provincials or city championships) because I am in a classroom of people the same level as me and/or higher. There's no doubt that there will be way more competition in these events then there was back in elementary school. I just hope I won't be the worst!

Bubble Tea

Coming out from my ballet class today, I had a sudden craving for bubble tea. My mom was with me, and she gave me the money. There was a bubble tea shop downstairs from the studio, but I wasn't sure where it was, so my mom told me to look for it myself. I went down, and spotted it right away. I ordered a cookies-and-cream flavoured one which was, in my opinion, the most delectable one. I waited for the employee (there was only one lady working there), and then took the cup and sprinted upstairs, when I discovered that my dad already arrived to pick us up.

On the way home, I drank about half way when my stomach started to feel uncomfortable. But I didn't want to disappoint my mom by saying that I don't want to drink the bubble tea anymore, because I didn't want her to get upset and say I wasted money. I kept taking little sips.

When we got to the apartment, I felt like I couldn't drink anymore, and if I did,then I would barf. Right now, I don't even feel like looking at it! I wonder, why will eating or drinking too much of one particular beverage or food, make someone feel too grossed out to have anything to do with it?

Thoughts About Shakespeare

In English class, we are learning about Shakespeare and his plays. We are going on a field trip this Friday to watch one of his plays, called "All's Well that End's Well".

Today, we watched half a movie about Shakespeare's life, entitled, "Shakespeare in Love". Some of it may not be true. It was about how a women named Violet, who loved the theatre, fell in love with Shakespeare and he fell in love with her. That inspired him to write a play on a love story. Queen Elizabeth didn't think that love could be shown in a theatre, and that it was all about comedy and making people laugh, so he wants to prove that he can.

That movie had many sexual content in it, that made it very uncomfortable for me to watch, but I guess it was okay. We also had to fill in some blanks on a work sheet while we watched. I didn't fill in every single one, since I found it hard to understand all of what the people were saying, because they talked in an old fashioned way, and they had sort of an accent that you would here from people from England. I can't wait until the field trip!

Crazy

It was such a confusing day! Well, the last half of the day at least. On our way home, my friend asked me where my keys were, just out of curiosity. That was when I realized that I forgot them! I could just go to my manager and ask for a key to my room, but this happened at least five times before, and it's kind of embarrassing to ask again. Instead, I decided to stay at my friends house to do homework until my mom comes home, which is, like about 6:00 pm. I thought it would be okay since I remembered my skating class was at 7:00 pm. So I told my mom and stayed.

At 6:00 pm I phoned home to make sure my mom was home before I left. She picked up and told me that my skating class actually started at 6:00! Since the sessions that I take are 6:00 to 7:00, then 7:15 to 7:30, and 7:30 to 7:45, I didn't have time to go to the first one anymore (I take the bus to skating). So I rushed home, got my stuff, and left. I got there with just enough time for the last two sessions.

Finally, when I was done skating, and was taking off my skates with everybody else, another high school girl, who also skates, came, but it seemed weird that she would come after we finished skating, since we were the same level. Someone asked her if she was skating in the senior session (we were intermediates).
She paused for a second, took off the earphones she was wearing and said, "Did I just miss my session?"

Obviously, she did, and we were all laughing. She laughed too, and then ran outside yelling,"I hope my dad is still here!"

So I guess I wasn't the worst! This just wasn't my day.

Busy day

All because of preparing for the different classes for high school, my family and I went shopping for binders and stationary the first thing today.

We went to Staples to buy my binders, and Richmond Centre to buy magnets for my locker (which was optional but I noticed a little white board and a pencil holder, both with magnets on their backs at the dollar store), and a French-English dictionary. That took about five hours.

Then I had to rush to ballet class. An hour and a half later, I came out of the studio sweating buckets. At home, I not only had to put everything in place, clean everything up, but also had violin to practice and theory to finish. I rushed my bath in the end to try and have time to watch a show on the computer... Anyways, I just have enough time so I won't waste any more!

Skating class

I went to skating class today. I skate in a figure skating club. I usually have to skate four times a week, but due to other busy schedules, I could only make it two times.

Today, it started with an off-ice strength and conditioning class. Our instructor made us do forty burpies and run two laps around a large field in less than five minutes. My lungs were on fire. He worked us for about an hour. It probably will be more tiring than P.E classes in high school, so if I can survive that, I probably would be okay.

Then would be the skating part. We do jumps and spins and some other things for an hour and a lesson with a private couch for about twenty minutes. Finally, the last lesson was fifteen minutes of tiring pushing and power skating with a couch in a group lesson, which made my lungs burn once more.

Physical Education is the only subject in school that I lack in. I am usually better in the running and track and field part, but usually worse in the ball and racket sports, such as volley ball and tennis. If only that would improve, then I probably would get one more A in my report card!

My classes

Well, today is the second full day at high school, and day two on the schedual. I didn't get to travel with my friends today because we all had mostly different classes, unlike yesterday, which was all Middle Years (I like this name better than Synergy) with the same people.

In Physical Education class, our teacher told us that we have to run around the school one to three times every time we have the class, and long runs every once in a while. The long runs were either six times around the track or running in the Langara Golf Course.

In fine arts, we got work sheets and our teacher told us that we were starting with guitar, which I am excited to learn!

In math and french, we didn't get any homework, but in math, we got work sheets to work on in class. We also played math games. In french, almost 3/4 of the class was from my old school, so it was pretty comfortable, and we used french to get to know each other. It was pretty fun, but I still need a map to get around!

First full day at high school

Today was the first full day at high school, and it was very confusing. I probably got lost more than five times in that HUGE building. At the start of the day, I had to find my home room. I forgot where it was as soon as we left it yesterday to find our lockers. After I found that, I relaxed a little.

Then during break, my friend was going to go with me to my locker. On the way, we walked into a large crowd of huge high schoolers and lost my friend, I couldn't find her anymore so I went by myself. I circled the school at least twice before I realized where my locker was.
It was a crazy day. I sure hope it will get better tomorrow!