Summerohnine

This summer is going to be the best.
Once I graduate 8th grade and get out of school my family and friends are going to Sun Lakes Resort, Coulee City WA like we do every year. It is so nice there, around 95 - 100 deg all the time. There is not that much to do but the best parts are laying around on the boat, hanging out at the RV, playing golf, driving in through the desert, watching the Lazar light show on the Grand Coulee Dam and meeting cool people.

After that I am heading off for California!
Hanging out with some cousins, the grandparents and going to Mendocino.
I will probably hang out with my aunt and uncle most of the time and get to go to cool places. hang out with Christyna and meet her friends in Mendo. I can't wait to go back.

A couple weeks after I get back from Cali I am going to fly off to Illinois to see my cousin Rachel.
I didn't even know she existed till December 2007 and now we are really tight. Shes 17 now and I know a lot of her friends so we are going to drive around, hang out in the sun and see her friends.

When I get back from Illinois
It will almost be the fair and I will have some time to go swimming and hang out with friends. Maybe golf or just hang out around Langley.
Hopefully the fair this year will be better then last.

Presentation Reflection

Did you stand up straight but stay relaxed?
Yeah, I stood up straight but I was still relaxed. I tried to be as relaxed as possible but sometime it was kind of hard to focus.

Did you pause for a moment before you began your speech?
Yeah, I waited till it loaded then started speaking. Mr. B cut my presentation so there were a couple seconds before I started to speak.

Did you look at your audience?
I looked around the room. Sometimes at the computer or Mr. B I was also looking at a lot of the people looking at me.

Did you let your facial expressions naturally reflect what you were saying?
For the most part yes but some of the parts you couldn't really tell. You can't see my face super well but you can tell I am trying to express what I am talking about.

Did you use your hands?
Yeah, I moved them to describe things. I also showed where things were on the screen or just flailed my arms.

Did you speak loudly enough so that everyone could hear you?
Yeah I spoke as loud as I could without yelling! It was kind of hard to tell exactly how loud I was speaking because the speakers aren't that good on this computer.

Did you change your tone to show how you felt (upset, excited) about an idea or to emphasize a point?
Yes I did that a lot. I tired to show and tell with my arms and voice exactly what was going on.

Was your speed of delivery too fast, too slow or just right?
Some parts were a little to fast. But some of them were alright too. It just depended what I was talking about.

Did you practice your speech at home before giving it?
No I didn't. I read it over but i didn't practice it.

What did you notice that you did well in your speech?
I spoke pretty loud. I also tried to use my hands to show what I was talking about.

Describe one aspect of public speaking you will work to improve?
I would like to be more comfortable. I want to be able to just jump up and start speaking off the top of my head sounding great!

Metaphor Face Assignment

Eyes - are like a deep dark tunnel
Ears - are like a fox
Mouth - makes my ears hurt when she sings
Nose - is like a speed bump in the road
Forehead - is like a shinny new quarter
Hair - looks like Medusa's hair
Cheeks - are round a plump like bowling balls
Teeth - look like potholes in the road
Lips - are like rough sand paper
Skin - is like a vat of oil

Fronter House Application

Frontier House
OFFICIAL APPLICATION
Family Name: The Landel Family

Occupations/Schools:
Jeff Landel: Whidbey General Hospital - Paramedic
Kathleen Landel: Mayors Assistant
Walker Landel: Student


Open answer questions (attach additional pages. All questions must be answered.):
What attracted you to this project?
Being outdoors, working hard to survive, finding ways to make make hard chores easy, building a life outside of the 21st century.

What hobbies and interests do you have?
Working, Woodworking, Outdoors, Camping, Hiking, Baseball.

What image do you have of pioneer living?
Hard work, surviving, Working for food and survival.

What's the most challenging thing you and your family (or group) have experienced?
Traveling to 38 states in 3 months in our motor home.

If you were chosen what do you think you would most miss about modern life?
My friends, 21st century clothes, cell phones.

What qualities do you and your family have that make you suited to this experience?
We all love to go camping, we work well outside, we can come together and get things done, were a strong family.

What skills do you have that may help you?
Wood working, outdoors skills, community skills, I am a hard worker.

What would you hope to get out of the experience?
Working better with my family, making a home and life out of nothing, surviving in the middle of nowhere for months and months with very little.

What do you think will be the most difficult challenge of pioneer life?
Building a house, growing food, getting ready for winter.

What skills would you like to learn from the experience?
I would work better with other people, better with outdoors, better wood working skills, work better with my family and my dad, build a home.

We'd like you to tell us:
What interests you about this project?
Being outside of the 21st century and in the middle of nowhere surviving with nothing.

Do you have any concerns about your participation?
I think it is going to be harder then it looks but if you work hard, stay warm, work well, get things done it will be fun in the end.

How much do you know about your family history -- do you have pioneer roots?
My moms family history goes back to kings and queens, I don't know about my dads.

How did you hear about Frontier House?
I watched the show in Mr. B's class!

Ski Bus.

This year over the winter I did the ski bus.

I went with a bunch of friends and had a really fun time.
I love to Snowboard and I am way better at it then Skiing.
We went to Stevens Pass every Saturday morning.
I had to wake up at 4:30am every Saturday to get ready and leave at 5:45am
Every day I went was really long and exhausting but more fun then I have ever had.
I got to hang out with my friends.
Listen to music.
Watch movies.
Learn better snowboarding techniques.
Eat good food.
Go on fun trails.
Get lost.
Find new trails.
Go into random parts of the woods.
I had a lot of fun and I think I am going to do it next year.
Anyone who is thinking about it should really consider doing it.
It is some of the most fun I have had.
There is a lot to do and even though it's a really long and exhausting day.
It is a TON on fun!

This is just to say.

This is just say...
I am sorry for not being there,
helping you with projects,
being there to help you with your problems,
making sure you are safe,
I was never really there for you,
like a bowling ball,
hitting only one pin at a time,

I fixed one problem at a time,
but I never could be the best,
never able to knock everything down,
never able to beat this game,
never able to fix everything,
never able to put it all back together

Riddle

Dark and cold.
i weight you down.
soft noises on the pavement.
i keep you inside...
away...
away from the dark chill.

(Click below for answer)
------
[Click here]
------


Nice and soft.
as I fall.
faster and faster.
every hour...
little by litte.
I weight down the world.

(Click below for answer)
------
[Click here]
------