Our English class has moved from studying the book: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas to reading William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.  I am a fan of plays.  I think it takes real talent to be able to memorize a small book.  And then to deliver it with character and class; now that is true magic.  And although the language Shakespeare uses is somewhat complex for most people, the themes he addresses are always relevant to the time in which it is being read.  I do enjoy watching Shakespeare being performed and I cannot wait until we begin to perform the play.

Last year in English class, we put on a small production of A Midsummer Nights Dream.  This was probably the most fun I have had in English in my entire life.  We performed on a small 5′x10′ stage but the set, aside from our small stage was spectacular.  We had people bring in branches for trees.  We had amazing costumes.  And perhaps best of all, we had a high powered, professional, stage spotlight.  As We prepare for this year’s production, I can only hope that is is as good an experience, if not better, than last year.

Freewrite Post 1

As my brother gets ready for Outdoor Education, I start to remember that hectic weekend, right before the trip when everyone is rushing around to all corners of the earth, trying to get everything together for Monday. It is a time when tempers run high in most house holds. All the stress of the trip is pretty much laid on the parents. They start to fell rushed and nagged. “Mom, I need more bug spray.” “Dad, I need to go get hiking boots.”  I can remember all this insanity like it was yesterday.

In fact, I can remember a lot like it was yesterday. But, some memories are more vague than others. For example, I can barely remember the first day of sixth grade, but I can recall fifth grade graduation and the excitement of preparing for middle school vividly. It seems ironic, that in a few months, I will go through this all again. High School awaits.  And even though in the back of every rising ninth graders mind, they know that high school won’t be half as scary as their older friends say it is, they can’t help but freak out at the prospect of a new school.

You spend more than half of your lower education in elementary school. And then it all changes to the world of lockers, cliques and seven teachers. And then the minute you start to get used to middle school, it gets ripped from your hands, and in its place lie SATs, college admissions forms, and crazy football games. It’s education’s cruel joke: just as you get comfortable and understand the way things work, it gets exchanged for a completely new and even more complex system. it was so funny, I forgot to laugh.