State playoffs round one: Holliston High School vs. Dedham

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked toward the gym after school. I looked at the lit up screen and saw I had a new text message from our captain Molly. As I read the message, excitement overwhelmed me. The message read, “I’ve been playing softball my whole life and this is the moment I’m going to shine. Everyone needs to go out there and play their hardest. We need to be confident and forget about everything but who we are, and what were made of and the reasons were playing. I love you guys no matter what happens so let’s go out there and show them what we do”.  This was the day that we were going to show the town and all other softball programs what we are made of. It was the first round of state playoffs and no one was ready for our season to end.

                As I walked out onto the field I looked up to see the sky covered with a ceiling of gray clouds. Perfectly cut green grass shielded the field and bright white lines marked the dirt of the infield. A light breeze blew through the air but it was a perfect day for a softball game. Not being able to play because of a concussion I sat on the cold metal bench in the dugout and watched our team warm up. As I watched through the fence it seemed like a clip from a movie, focus and determination sat among our players faces as neon yellow balls flew through the air and were caught in a brown softball glove while upbeat music played in the background. Our players ran back to the dugout after warm-up and sat on the bench and their shadowed faces were then illuminated by the sun as they turned to look at our coach at the end of the dugout. “No one is ready for the season to end, and no one wants to turn in their jerseys just yet. Don’t change anything we have learned and let the game play itself out”, our coach said.

The umpires walked to home plate, the game was about to start. The first Dedham batter was a tall girl with blond hair. As Molly threw her first pitch of the game, the batter swung and missed and the yellow ball flew into our catcher’s mit. On the next pitch the girl hit a single and sprinted to first base. The next batter our pitcher Molly struck out with three perfect pitches. On the third batter the girl hit the ball to left field and the batter runs to second. At the end of the first inning Dedham was in the lead with one run. By the end of the second inning the game was tied 1-1. In the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs Dedham gained another run. For the remaining two innings both of the teams played with amazing defense. Molly continued a great game and struck out five batters. As the sky started to darken around us the game entered the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning Lauren got up to bat. With a solid stance Lauren watched the pitcher. The pitcher threw the ball right down the middle and Lauren right away makes contact with the ball. The balls fly’s over the first baseman’s head and shoots into right field. The right fielder drop steps and sprints for the ball. From this moment it seems that everything happens in slow motion. Lauren has already rounded first base and her feet slap against the ground as she sprints towards second base. Our runner on second then sprints to third base, prepared to run towards home plate. But the right fielder is just under the softball. I look at the crowd and they are on the edge of the bleachers, silent with anticipation. The sky is dark and cloudy when I look back over to right field. Two feet short of the fence the right fielder towards and faces the descending ball. The right fielder looks eager but also scared. I looked again at Lauren who was then rounding second base, and her face revealed pure determination. Just then the ball dropped right into the right fielder’s hand. She covered the ball with her left hand and her team exploded with excitement. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with our winning run waiting on third base, the right fielder had caught the last out. Shock overcame our team as we couldn’t come to believe our season was over.

                Sitting in left field after the game it is hard not to cry. As a team we have been through a lot together and this marked the end of our journey for the year. Scanning the circle small tears drip from almost every one of my teammates faces. We cry because the season is over, but we also cry because it is the senior’s last game in high school softball. We have bonded with the seniors for almost three months and it will be sad to see them go off to college. Our coach makes his way over to the circle we have formed and kneels down. He looks around the circle and begins to speak. “I know that right now this feels like the worst thing in the world. But in the big picture it is going to be okay, you all are going to be okay. Sometimes things don’t work out, but I am so proud of each and every one of you girls. I am so happy to be coaching in this town and to have finally found a home”.

Word Count:950 

Open Response: Death of an Innocent

Chris's parents do not understand the path Chris has chosen for his life, while his sister understands why he is taking this journey. For instance, Chris has just graduated from college but decides to drop everything and travel as a "supertramp". Chris's parents have just paid for his college education and they do not understand why he is giving up on his education. They also do not understand the point of Chris traveling around the country by himself and begin to worry a lot about the path he has chosen for his life. Although Chris's sister, who Chris was very close to believes that his journey is worth it. She says that she feels fine about his adventure because it is making him happy and that he had to do it to prove to himself. Also, at the end of the story Chris's parents still feel bad because they can not bring themselves to understand why he wanted this journey. Leaving his parents without notice of his trip, Chris also left his parents without answers. When they received  word of his death they were devastated because they were left to wonder why such an educated young man took such a strange path of travel and ultimately died. Chris's sister was upset but believed that he died proving himself. As people tried to rule his death as a suicide she spoke out against the comment saying her brother was not like that, it was about proving to himself that he could survive the journey. During his life and after he died Chris's parents were confused and not understanding of his journey while his sister believed that he took the journey for self-reassurance.

Senior Night!

“Okay guys, we have two hours until the seniors get here. We have to make this place look incredible for one of their last memoires with Holliston Softball”, said Lauren as we pulled up to Damagella softball field.  It was senior night, our team’s last home game of the season and the senior’s last home game in high school softball.  Armed with red plastic cups, rolls of streamers, posters and balloons we were going to make the sight of the field unforgettable.

An hour and a half had passed and the field had been transformed from brown and dusty to a war zone of red, white and black. The fence in centerfield was covered with red plastic cups spelling out, “We love our seniors”. The metal fence of the dugout was covered in red, black and white streamers. Attached to the gray middle poles were white balloons with the seniors’ names on them. On all remaining space were neon colored posters with pictures of smiling faces from this season and past seasons with the seniors. We had twenty minutes for finishing touches, putting balloons anywhere we could. Then, from down the street we could see the three seniors driving toward the field. Their cars glowed with neon car paint reading “Holliston Panthers” and “Seniors of 2012”. As they pulled into the parking lot our team cheered and screamed as they blasted music from their cars and beeped their horns. As they got out of their cars tears of happiness rolled down their cheeks, “The field looks amazing!” they said at the same time.

As it neared game time I looked out of the dugout and was amazed by the amount of people here to watch the game. The grass was filled with lawn chairs with parents, grandparents, friends and other coaches. As the sky turned gray and darkened, the dim field was suddenly illuminated by the bright over head lights. It was game time. Our team was ready to play. It was our time to prove that Holliston was here to stay this season. We had so much determination for the game because it was a celebration for the seniors and we had to win it for them.  

After five innings Molly had thrown a no hitter and we had scored seven runs. As I looked into the other dugout the Dover Sherborn team looked defeated. They no longer moved with excitement for the game and they appeared like scared animals wide eyed in the batter’s box. We quickly finished the game with a final score of 10-1. At the end of the game our team gathered in left field. Our coach explained that we had a fantastic game but, tonight it was not about the game or the win it was about the seniors.

Everyone on the team ran to the third base line except for our coach and the seniors. It was time for the ceremony to start. Music erupted in the background and the announcer started to call the names of the seniors. First to be called was Ashley. She ran down the third base line and gave us all high fives. Then went Molly and then Lauren. They met in the pitches circle and their parents met at home plate. As their position and name were called again they met their parents at home plate and received a bouquet of flowers. We cheered for them and watched as they smiled for pictures. Again the seniors met in the pitchers circle and talked to our coach. He told them of how proud he was of them and how he wished he could have been their coach longer than one season. Next our coach motioned for the rest of us to come to the mound and we sprinted to the seniors. We all hugged in the middle of the field.

Tears streamed down almost every players face. As a freshman I had never been a part of such a close team. The seniors had been so accepting and kind and it was sad to see them leaving for collage soon. We huddled together and smiled through our tears. These tears represented the love and unity that this team has grown over the season. They showed was its like to be on a team and they showed how it feels to have a team behind you, always supporting you. The feeling in this moment we had to let overcome us. We will use this love and dedication to move forward in our season. With two more games left until we start playoffs we stay strong because, this is our season. 

Word Count: 771

By The Waters of Babylon: Why did Johns people, The Hill People revert to more primative ways of life?

          By The Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benet, The Hill people have reverted to a more primitive way of life because everything they knew before about life has been destroyed by a war. They now live simply because cities have been destroyed and many people do not remember what life was like before. For instance, the Hill people are living in tribes. Without working cities they live together to survive. They hunt and gather together and look for metal in the dead houses They have started to believe in different ideas. In this short story they now have more fantasy like ideas about what to believe in and how they should live. Also, many of the people have forgotton how to read and write. Without civilized living the tribes rely a lot on religion and stories told by the priests.With many people killed by the war they dont remember past ways of life and have gone back to living simply.

Theme of The Interlopers by Saki

                        In the short story, The Interlopers one of the main themes is friendship. Throughout the story both characters Ulrich and Georg decide that to save their lives they must give up their feud for land and become friends. For instance, after fighting over the same plot of land for many years both men know that they will die under the tree if they do not resolve the argument. Ulrich knows that he is supposed to hate this man for trespassing on his land but when suddenly he finds himself pinned down by a tree he knows that they have a better chance of surviving than working against each other. Also, in order to free themselves or call for rescue they two men must work together. The men realize that life is too short to be holding a grudge and that grudge will get them no help. Once their argument is buried they call for help together. Working together they keep calling for help and one man even offers the other man some of  his wine flask. In a tough situation both men realize that friendship is the only answer. Stuck under the tree with no help in the woods death looms ahead without friendship. To ultimately try and save themselves both characters give up their hate for each other and form a new friendship.

A Win for States

As I looked through the clear bus window I could see the freshly cut green grass from a mile away. An important day loomed ahead; this was our way into the state playoffs. As we arrived at the field the tension in in the air increased, this was the game we had worked all season to get to.  Everything we have learned from this season is put into this one game.

 As the first inning started I sat on the bench and watched the game through the slits in the fence.  Dark rain clouds rolled in over the tops of the trees. The crack of the bat brought me back to focus. Ashley had hit a line drive that flew right over the third baseman’s head. She ran to second base and saw that the ball was still in the outfield; she bolted and slid into third base just as the ball was caught. “Safe”, bellowed the umpire. Next up was Lindy, on the first pitch she hit a homerun which gave our team two runs.  As the pitcher continued to throw perfect strikes our team took advantage of this and had many great hits. At the end of the inning the score was 5-0.  

By the seventh inning the score was 9-1. Our team smiled with confidence as we went out for our last inning. As I threw the ball with my teammate Lauren to warm up I recognized the determination that crossed her face. Next our catcher yelled, “Balls in coming down”. I quickly took the balls from the outfield and jogged back to the dugout. As I watched through the dugout fence our team crouched in ready position. Black lines of war paint outlined their cheeks while dirt covered the crisp white of their jerseys. As the first batter approached the box I could tell she was scared. Our team looked like and army and throughout this game we had been relentless. On the first pitch the batter fouls the ball off to right field. Our sideline coach tells our outfielders to move back because he knows that she is a strong batter. On the second pitch the batter hits a line drive to center field. Our centerfielder Anna drop stepped and ran backwards toward the ball. Extending her arm the ball dropped into her glove.

With one out I could feel the excitement in the air. With two more outs we would be in the state playoffs. The next batter struck out looking at three perfect pitches. One more out! As the next batter approaches the plate I could tell that she would hit the ball far. With protruding arm muscles it was a warning for a homerun. The batter took a perfect strike for her first pitch. On the next pitch she swung and missed. She stepped out of the box and I saw her take a deep breath. Here we go, I thought to myself. She stepped back in the box and I looked at our pitcher Molly, she wound her arm back and sent the ball flying forward in a perfect strike. The batter shifted her back foot and swung and connected with the ball for a line drive to left field. Our left fielder Heather sprinted for and watched it drop into her glove. She held her hand up and smiled.

With the win behind us the rest of the season falls away. Everything we do in these next few games determines our future. Our determination remains unchanged and our energy even stronger. We will not go down without a fight as we continue for our championship title and we will not rest until our softball banner in the gym reads 2012 tri-valley league champions.

Word Count: 622

Twilight Zone Open Response

Cory's punishment is cruel and unusual. Spending forty five years in confinement on his own asteroid is both mean and unnecessary. For instance, Cory explained to the captain of the ship that he only murdered in self defense. If this is the case Cory's confinement onto an asteroid is an extreme punishment. If they are not able to prove the reason for why he killed, he should be locked up in jail on earth. This extreme form of punishment is unnecessary and not fit for the crime that Cory has allegedy committed. Also, this punishment seems to be very cruel. Being alone, nine million miles away from the earth has allowed Cory to suffer a lot more than he needs to. With no one around Cory says that he is dying of loneliness . This type of isolation is very cruel because it does not fit the punishment of the crime. On the asteroid Cory will drive himself made from being so lonely and probably die of it. This is also cruel and unfair because he does not deserve to die with a minor crime that they cannot prove. The treatment of Cory's punishment is very extreme, this makes is both cruel and highly unusual. Cory has a punishment that it severe compared to other people and they cannot be sure that he did not kill in self defense. On the asteroid he will die of loneliness which is unfair because he is suffering so much. Cory should be freed from the asteroid and be able to come home to planet earth!

Being A Team

Dark gray clouds cover the sky as we walk across the field. The humid air clings to my skin with every step I take. Gosh, I hope it does not rain, I think to myself. It is Saturday morning and we are here to practice. It is 6:00 am and the rest of the world is quiet. We stand in silence for a few minutes while we all wake up and begin focusing on being here. Then we start to smile and joke around. We stretch, grab a partner and a ball and start throwing to warm up.

 As we line up to hit rain pours from the sky. Within seconds our clothes are drenched but we continue hitting and no one complains. Standing in line to hit I realize the pure determination and respect of my team. Not a single teammate questions our coach about staying outside. We trust him we know that whatever he is saying is the best for us. After an hour of hitting our coach tells us to huddle up. We form a circle and he smiles, "Everyone can go home now". Surprise comes across our captains faces, practices are usually two hours, rain or shine. “You girls have stuck it out through the rain today, without any complaints, that’s impressive”, explains our coach. “You know that I believe with hard work also comes being a kid, you have to have time to have fun with your friends, even during the season. There’s no point in staying out in the rain”. Our team smiles and gathers our stuff, and we run back inside.

            Looking back at this practice, many people wouldn’t think this small gesture of ending practice early would make a difference. But it does. Our team shows the will and the power to play this sport. We stick everything out as a team. I have become so close with these girls and this coach. Before games and during practice, we laugh and joke but we know that we are serious. This is our season. Being part of this team gives you a strong feeling of acceptance. I know that we are always behind each other. It is a powerful feeling because with a team that is so close, you get an overwhelming feeling that makes you want to perform at your very best every single game. You want to make your team proud. I often think about the strength our team gets from little things. We are strong but not cocky. We can joke around, but we can also buckle down and get things done when we need to. With determination, strength, love and acceptance our team continues to move forward in the season. We give each game everything we have, and we are always improving. Only one motto stays in our thoughts and minds, this is our season. And we continue moving forward. 

Word Count: 482

Example Conclusion Paragraph

Smoking negatively affects an athletes ability to perform their best. Whether a decision  about smoking is to fit into a group or has become a bad habit, smoking does no good for an athletes performance. Imagine the affects smoking has on the body which in return affects preformance. Running with your team, or working out and an althete is suddenly short of breath and light headed. Smoking affects your preformance which can give other athletes an advantage over you. It could be the difference between you or someone else getting a scholarship. As a future habit smoking also causes many types of cancer and cigarette prices can be costly. Smoking has no positive affects and in the long run can cause many problems for your body and success.

Photo Essay, Thesis Statement homework

Thesis: Playing a team orientated sport requires communication, determination and respect among players. 

1. Communication is key for running successful plays during a game. 

2. Sports require determination to help players work hard  and  be successful. 

                                   3. All sports require mutual respect between players to create a good team environment.

Holliston High School vs. Hopkinton (April 13, 2012)

Game Five.  Getting into my mom’s car after practice I cannot help but be excited. Tomorrow is the big game. All night I cannot concentrate, all my thoughts are about tomorrow as Holliston plays Hopkinton for the first time this season.  As I lay in bed I have to contain myself from becoming too cocky. This is a hyped up game both undefeated teams meet on Hopkinton’s home field at 3:45. We will both show what this season means to us. Throughout school the next day, it is hard to focus. Every ounce of energy I have, I want to put into this game. Finally as the last bell of the day rings, I make my way to the locker room to get my equipment. Our team has waited weeks for this game, and there is only an hour and a half left until it starts. Pushing the door open to the locker room I hear the whoops and cheers of my team. Here we go!

Jumping off the last step of the bus, a confident air hangs over our team. Walking across the bright green grass to the field I start to relax. Being here all my thoughts from the day fade away. I can breathe and focus on one thing and one thing only, this game. Our team walks in two lines to the dugout. We grab our gloves from our bags and retrieve a neon yellow ball from the bucket. Throwing the ball around we start to warm up. After throwing we stretch and then we see the umpires walk onto the field. The game is about to start. Our captains walk towards home plate to talk to the umpires and the rest of the team forms a huddle. Our first baseman Lindy looks around the circle and starts to speak, “Guys, this is our game. Take everything you have and focus. We have worked too hard to just hand Hopkinton this game. We have to work together and fight for this game”. As Lindy finishes talking our captains come running over. They start cheering. “Here we go Holliston! Let’s start it off”.  We pass around high fives and jog back into the dugout. The game has begun.

With four shutout innings behind us, both teams are determined to put a run on the board.  Standing in right field I see our coach motion for us to move back, the next three hitters are the best on Hopkinton’s team. The first batter gets up and our pitcher, Molly, easily strikes her out. As the next girl gets up to bat, Molly winds her arm. As Molly releases the ball, the batter squares her bat and bunts the ball. Our catcher grabs the ball, but fumbles with the surprise bunt. The batter gets to first, leaving us runners on first and third. As the next batter approaches the plate I take a step back, knowing that this girl can hit. On the first pitch the girl sends the ball flying towards me. I drop step and run back trying to read where the ball is going to go. The ball flies over the fence behind me, giving the girl a homerun. At the bottom of the fifth it is now three to zero with Hopkinton in the lead.

As we run back into the dugout our coach calls a timeout and tells us to sit and listen for a second. He tells us that this game is to be played in the moment, “You girls cannot get caught up in winning or losing. Play every inning like an individual game”.  We nod our heads at our coach and become focused again. We came into this game with the desire to win. We have to continue to dig deep because we are still in this.

Watching from the bench of the orange and green painted dugout I can see the determination clouded over the faces of our batters. As soon as the pitcher releases the ball, our team moves as a machine taking four leading steps off the base.  This is it. The last inning of the game. We need four runs to win and three runs to tie the game. Our first batter of the inning approaches the plate. She sets back her weight and as the ball rockets forward she twists her hips and hits the ball. The yellow object fly’s over the center fieldsmen’s head and over the bright orange fence. With a homerun and two other runs batted in, we are now only behind one run, as the score approaches 4-3. Our next batter hits the ball to left field and she makes it to first. One of our best hitters then approaches the plate. Lauren takes two perfect pitches. Our coach tells her to relax as she looks at him for any signals. As the pitcher winds her arm back for the third time, Lauren shifts her bat and sends the ball flying to right field. The right fielder puts her arm up and with a blind catch, catches Laurens hit. Our runner on first runs to second base but forgets to tag first base. Hopkinton throws the ball to first and our player dives but is too late. Both runners are out which ends the inning. With a  shock the game is over and Hopkinton has won.

As we sit down on the bus, everyone is silent. This is our first loss of the season and it is not something that we were mentally prepared for. As the bus lurches forward, our coach walks to the back of the bus and sits down. “You girls played a great game today.  You have nothing to hang your heads about. You came back and played in the moment just like I told you to” he said. Even though we had lost this game, we are still united. We are still determined and we still want to win. Practice makes perfect, and one loss is not going to stop our team. As we walk off the bus our pitcher yells our names, we all turn around. She smiles and says, “No one go home hanging their head. This is our season, and we are going to have road blocks. The next time we play Hopkinton, they better be ready, because were coming for them”. With that our team forms a huddle and then we put our hands toward the sky. “On three everybody say Holliston”, said our captain. “One, two, three...Holliston”, yells our team. One loss was nothing in a season of twenty games and we will move on from it. For each and every player the determination to succeed overpowers any bad feelings about one loss. Our team will stop at nothing to improve, because this is our season. 

 Word Count: 1135

Holliston High School VS. Ashland (April 5, 2012)

Game one. Walking up the steps to the bus we start a new season. I walk to the back of the bus, putting my head phones in. I sit down and turn around and look at my teammates. I have gotten so close to these twelve girls in the past three weeks, through long tryouts and practices. We laugh and listen to music but it is clear that we all hold determination and focus on our minds. Ten minutes from the field our captain Lauren reads our team a quote, “Make your weaknesses your strengths and your strengths stronger”. This year our team is here to win. With a new coach, Holliston has a new face this season. There are brand new things to learn. But the most determining part is his will, to teach and help us. As we pull into the parking lot of the field, we get pumped up. We know we can win, but we are not cocky. We are here for the game. We are here with a new season to play softball. We are here as a united team that won’t stop at anything. We are here to play and we will not stop playing and fighting until the umpire says that it is time to go home. Welcome to my life, living to play the sport of softball. But welcome to my town, welcome to Holliston High School softball.

Stepping onto the field for the first time of the season, gives you a special feeling. This season the feeling is more intense with a great coach and a supportive team behind you. We put our head, mind and body into this game. Our coach keeps telling us that if we buy into what he is telling us we are going to be champions this season. Before the game we throw around the ball, we cheer each other on and start to focus on being here. We look like an army with our black and white wind breakers. But we also send a message that Holliston has a new face this season.  After a while we get into the rhythm of throwing the ball, and then we see the umpires walk across the field. At this moment we know the game is about to start. We walk back onto the dugout and take off our warm up jackets. Our coach tells us that we will be hitting first. Grabbing our bats and helmets we walk to the end of the dugout and align our equipment. As Ashland takes the field our first batter, Ashley, walks onto the field and to home plate. Here we go!

Looking out of the dugout we have runners on first and third. I am on deck batting and my pre-game nerves start to come back.  When my teammate strikes out, I put on my batting gloves. As I step into the box, I glance at my coach and he says, “Relax!” I take my first pitch, a perfect strike but I let it go by. I step out of the box and calm down. I have millions of butterflies in my stomach but at that moment I want nothing more than to hit the ball. I step back into the box and the world falls away. I can no longer hear the screams of my teammates or the claps of my coach; it is just the pitcher and I. As she winds her arm back, I shift my weight. When she lets go of the ball I take a step and lead with my right foot. I watch the ball all the way to my bat and keep my chin down. Time slows and everything is quiet. As the ball cracks against my bat all of the sound I heard before floods back. All the noise from my team and my family comes to me and I take off running.

Sitting down in right field after our game, a warm smile overcomes me. This is our first game and win of the season and it feels good. It shows that the endless hours of practice has paid off. And it shows that I can play on this team, and we can win. There is pride from wearing this Holliston jersey and there is pure determination on everyone’s mind for the course of this season. Small mistakes from this game do not matter. We take them and go back to perfect them at practice. Nothing is going to stop us this season. We take the pride and smiles and happiness from this game and we move forward starting our momentum, and think about this, you have a team with pure determination, want desire and love for this game…and its only April!

Word Count: 791

My Top Dozen Favorite Songs

12. Opposite of Adults- Chiddy Bang puts his creative mind to work when he opens this song with happy screaming children. It shows the love from his fans when he finally makes it to the top.  I love this song because the beat is different and Chiddy Bang goes through the story of becoming a rapper. I first heard this song last summer so it reminds me of swimming, cook outs and being with friends.

11. Feel So Close- An undiscovered artist Calvin Harris puts out a song that is so hard to resist. With its catchy up beat tune, it cannot help but be one of my favorites. Jogging out to the softball field this is always stuck in my head as I catch myself humming the tune constantly.

10. Magic Power- A Triumph song that is very unfamiliar to my generation, but one very close to my heart. Magic Power is my dad and my song, and we always listen to it on the highway when we are traveling. I love its slow tempo in the beginning but then how it progresses into a guitar intro and meaningful lyrics.

9. We are young- This is one of the best songs I have ever heard.  “Fun.”, creates a very upbeat song that to me represents my freshmen year. This song tells of being young and being with my friends and living in the moment. This is a popular song, and sticks with me because, either on the radio or playing from my IPod, I am always listening to it.

8. September- September is my summer anthem song with my family. Every summer we drive up to Maine in my mother’s 1970 Cutlass Convertible, and listen to this song. We drive around with the top of the convertible down listening to this song every summer; because it is on the same CD we keep in the car. We all sing along to and Earth, Wind and Fire classic, all pretending to know the words!

7. For the First Time- I love this song because it always shows me that everything gets better. To me this song represents making the best of situations where you have nothing. Going between slow and fast tempos it keeps your ears tuned and its words will warm your heart. This song has gotten me through hard times and holds a soft spot on my IPod.

6. Proud Mary- The first song I ever learned to play on the guitar. I rarely hear it on the radio, but when I do it sparks some of my best childhood memories of learning to play guitar and read music. I always know this song when I hear it because of the distinct sound of Creedence Clearwater.

5. Lose Yourself- This is the most empowering song I have ever heard. This song tells you to take every experience you have ever had and use it to your advantage. This rap song seems dark but has a positive message and pulls you through the hardest times. Eminem is my favorite rapper and I love how he raps from his life experiences. Once you have heard this song once, you will never forget it.

4. Not Afraid- This made my list because I believe in everything this song represents. Eminem shows that his struggles have made him stronger, and that he has changed to not disappoint his fans. This song to me represents the fight left in people.  I always listen to this song before every sports game I play, because it makes me focus and remember to be strong.

3. Waiting on the World to Change- I believe this is the perfect song for everyone to listen to. John Mayer portrays the world as everyone waiting for things to get better and showing how people have to deal with their problems. This memorable tune has a different beat but has so much meaning to me.

2. Good Riddance (Time of Your life) - I first heard this song at Natures Classroom in 6^th grade and it has stuck with me ever since. I also wrote an eight page paper on it in eighth grade. This song is about moving on in parts in life and making decisions for yourself. I love Green Day for their punk music but this is a rare softer side of them that I could listen to over and over.

1. Imagine- My all-time favorite song. My IPod says I have listened to this song two thousand five hundred and fifty three times. I love everything John Lennon stood for and believe that everyone should know this song. I heard this song when I started listening to older music, and shortly after this song I discovered The Beatles. This soft song always puts me in a somber mood and will remain my favorite for a long time to come.

What is an essay?

An essay is a paragraph or multiple paragraphs on a certain subject. An essay should include a introductory paragraph that contains a thesis, or your postion on the subject. It should have at least two body paragraphs. There should be a topic and concluding sentence to go with each of your body paragrahs. Body paragraphs should be made up of concrete details and commentary to go with them. Your commentary should not be a summary, but your thoughts on the subject. Following the body paragraphs you should have a concluding paragraph. The concluding paragraph reflects on what you have already said, as you add more commentary. Concluding paragraphs should not contain any concrete details. A concluding paragraph does not repeat words or your thesis! It is also important to revise your work, and peer edit to fix final mistakes. Lastly you can use other techniques including weaving to blend concrete details and commentary to make your writing more interesting.