BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I glance over and see its 6:30 I sluggishly drag myself out of bed “it’s too early”. I walk to the shower and turn on the shiny silver handles and I close the curtain a sensation of warm water overtakes my body. I say to myself “today is going to be a good day”. I hop out and get dressed I throw on my black SLIPKNOT shirt and put on my black pants and slide right into my size 13 black ADIO’s. My mom says “let’s go you have to go early today because I have to go in early the rest of this week”. So we go out the door I jump in the silver Grand Prix labeled Yankees. As we drive to my school I couldn’t wait to see the girl I was dating I just knew that today was going to be amazing, it was sunny, no clouds, feeling like a million bucks, nothing could ruin this. I have finally been ok for once in my life I have a caring family, at least where I was living we planed on watching the new Transformers movie my dad was so excited. We finally reach school and there she was standing and waiting for me I was so happy to see her she was the girl for me (or so I thought at the time) she runs up and jumps into my arms feeling of empty hope. The day seems to drag and feeling so anxious to leave I just stood up and walked out grabbed the love of my life my skateboard and went to heaven A.K.A. The skate park. Walking down the hall now equipped with the only thing that has not let me down feeling invincible. I get out the door and start down the side walk feeling like a free bird I skate across the street and its all empty feeling so specially like being V.I.P. I drop in and feel the overwhelming sensation of flying now the day is perfect can’t be any better. Bell rings time for lunch only running on half a tank so I need to get something to eat I sadly put away the love of my life in my dinky little locker. I get in line see that girl again so I go up by her and we kiss and we talk about what we doing tonight the rest of the day flew by so fast not really paying attention to anything just day dreaming. I head back to heaven and fly till my mom comes and I see my dad in the front seat I’m so excited I run and give him a hug and hop in the back seat like a little kid who sees his father after a long day at work. We go to the doctors like a normal day he had to get his blood taken for dialysis and whatever else goes on for him its hard to see him so feeble he is supposed to be like Superman. His weathered face was so amazing to see but, at the same time it was so sad to see what he has done to himself. He was only 35 he really looked as if he was 50 though and he looked as though he just was not happy with himself. It crushed me he always told me to worry bout the partying later in life because I have so much talent so I needed to use it and make a life. To me he was preaching and I never listened I wish I would have, look where I’m at now. So we head back to the house just a regular day I told all my friends to come over to kick it so that we could watch the Transformers movie. I was in my room with my friends Dominique, Xavier, Brody (my brother), I was on the computer being the room DJ. The song I chose was “Blowin Trees” By: Nappy Roots turned it up as high as the computer would; telling a story to my friends my dad walks in and says “hey I’m hopping the shower I LOVE YOU SON NEVER FORGET THAT”. I basically blew him off and said “ya I love you too” He says “I’ll be out in ten min. so we can watch our movie” “okay dad”. 5 min. go by and mom checks on him and he was slurring his words and his were rolling in the back of his head, she takes him out the bath and puts clothes on him. He says “just let me lay here come back in 10 min. I’m dizzy” “okay Kris”. Meanwhile the music is playing “broke with my girl last night so I went to the club put on a fresh white suit and mini coup sitting on dubs RORY!!!!” “yeah what’s up mom? “Help me your dad is too heavy he not really breathing!” As though someone has put an ice cube down my spine I get the worse chills I have ever had in my life. I run down the hall to my fragile father on the floor I said “Daddy please get up we got a movie come on” No reply. I pick him up his eyes rolled back I carry him to front room and lay his body on the oval rug on the floor. “CALL 911 NOW!!!” I scream at my mother she hands me the phone in sheer panic I dial as fast as I can I tell her where we are at what’s going on, she simply answers back “ Do CPR” “I don’t know it” “ I’ll guide you through it how may breathes does he take a min?” I count and its only a breathe every 27 seconds. As I cry on the phone this lady is totally treating me like I’m completely retarded. “Come on daddy” PUSH “please not now I need you” PUSH PUSH “how you doin kid?” “How do you think lady my dad is about to die!” “The ambulance is so close just 30 more seconds” PUSH tears streaming down my face “ Daddy NO please I’m here” finally the medics get there and push me out the way and say “ good job kid we got a pulse” An hour passes and my mother comes in tears running “he’s gone” my whole world was shattered so much for a good day.
Rory
Friday, April 10, 2009
Narrative Rough Draft
As I run back to my room, in disappointment, I jump onto my top bunk and hide under the blankets. I sat there, and sat. I would say about 2 hours or so went by that seemed like eternity! “It’s seven o’clock by now; I am so waking everyone up!” I thought. So I jumped out of my bed all pumped and excited for the morning ahead. I woke up my heavily snoring brother. “IT’S CHRISTMAS!” I yelled. Of coarse that made him excited so we both ran to the other side of our trailer where my mom and step dad lay hibernating. “GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!!!!” jumping on them and screaming we finally got them up. “What time is it now?” They mumbled. “It’s seven, wake up now, can’t you see Christmas is waiting for us?!” They dragged there lazy butts up and we walked a few small steps to the living room.
“Oh, my, gosh, the most presents I have ever seen!” I was sure they were popping out at us! There were presents everywhere, on the couch, on the T.V, on the table, on the floor. Our tree was very small, crooked, trashy, but cute with little lights and a bow on top. It was only about a foot tall, but we had that forever, it was tradition. As me and my brother start opening our presents we try all our clothes, toys, candy out. “This is the best Christmas ever, thank you!” Dairien, my brother, was being silly and trying on my princess shoes and dresses while I played with his play gun. We were there hours just playing and opening presents! We also pigged out on donuts and sugar, that’s just what we do on Christmas.
So by now we were full of candy and playing when all the sudden, “Where’s my dad!?” My mom just sat there for a second in concern. Kind of like she was worried he wasn’t going to come again and my world would be crushed. You would think by now I wouldn’t expect anything from him but for some reason he was my hero. My mom comes to me and says, “He will be here don’t worry baby, soon, just be patient.” I ran outside down my little pull out steps and look down the road. “My dad should be coming anytime.” I thought. Ten minutes went by as I wait, wait, and wait. Oh, my, gosh, I see a white car! It’s him! They speed by, obviously not being him. My little heart staring, waiting, anticipation killing me, so excited to see my daddy not knowing he wasn’t coming anytime soon. About an hour or two passes and my mom comes out to get me. “Kesha it’s time to come in he will come soon but you can’t wait out here it’s to cold; come and play with your new toys.” “Okay mom…sniff, sniff, I’m really sad mom where is he?!” trying to fight the tears she gives me a hug, the smell of alcohol on her breath.
Knock, knock, bangs our medal door. “HE’S HERE, IT’S HIM!!!!!!” I nearly fall on my face trying to get the door. I open the door and there he is, my long hair, tattooed, cigarette smelling daddy with his black leather jacket. “I love you dad, let’s go!” With the blink of an eye we left to his house where I find more presents! As I’m opening presents with my dad’s new girlfriend, with five kids, I see a rectangular box that usually holds clothes. I open it and my prediction being true there were clothes there. To my surprise they happened to be my first pair of bra and panties. I must also add they matched and all my dads girlfriends kids were boys but one. I hide my face of embarrassment. “DAD, UGH, why did you get me these?!” He just laughs. I hurry, hide them and open a new present. It’s a Barbie! Now I have a collection! My dad was always the best at giving me Barbie stuff. He took me home; I hated that part, and drove off concentrating on the new girlfriend. She was the new one to replace me, as usual. I probably saw him a few weeks, maybe months later, doing the same routine, watching, waiting, hoping, innocent.
Kesha
“Oh, my, gosh, the most presents I have ever seen!” I was sure they were popping out at us! There were presents everywhere, on the couch, on the T.V, on the table, on the floor. Our tree was very small, crooked, trashy, but cute with little lights and a bow on top. It was only about a foot tall, but we had that forever, it was tradition. As me and my brother start opening our presents we try all our clothes, toys, candy out. “This is the best Christmas ever, thank you!” Dairien, my brother, was being silly and trying on my princess shoes and dresses while I played with his play gun. We were there hours just playing and opening presents! We also pigged out on donuts and sugar, that’s just what we do on Christmas.
So by now we were full of candy and playing when all the sudden, “Where’s my dad!?” My mom just sat there for a second in concern. Kind of like she was worried he wasn’t going to come again and my world would be crushed. You would think by now I wouldn’t expect anything from him but for some reason he was my hero. My mom comes to me and says, “He will be here don’t worry baby, soon, just be patient.” I ran outside down my little pull out steps and look down the road. “My dad should be coming anytime.” I thought. Ten minutes went by as I wait, wait, and wait. Oh, my, gosh, I see a white car! It’s him! They speed by, obviously not being him. My little heart staring, waiting, anticipation killing me, so excited to see my daddy not knowing he wasn’t coming anytime soon. About an hour or two passes and my mom comes out to get me. “Kesha it’s time to come in he will come soon but you can’t wait out here it’s to cold; come and play with your new toys.” “Okay mom…sniff, sniff, I’m really sad mom where is he?!” trying to fight the tears she gives me a hug, the smell of alcohol on her breath.
Knock, knock, bangs our medal door. “HE’S HERE, IT’S HIM!!!!!!” I nearly fall on my face trying to get the door. I open the door and there he is, my long hair, tattooed, cigarette smelling daddy with his black leather jacket. “I love you dad, let’s go!” With the blink of an eye we left to his house where I find more presents! As I’m opening presents with my dad’s new girlfriend, with five kids, I see a rectangular box that usually holds clothes. I open it and my prediction being true there were clothes there. To my surprise they happened to be my first pair of bra and panties. I must also add they matched and all my dads girlfriends kids were boys but one. I hide my face of embarrassment. “DAD, UGH, why did you get me these?!” He just laughs. I hurry, hide them and open a new present. It’s a Barbie! Now I have a collection! My dad was always the best at giving me Barbie stuff. He took me home; I hated that part, and drove off concentrating on the new girlfriend. She was the new one to replace me, as usual. I probably saw him a few weeks, maybe months later, doing the same routine, watching, waiting, hoping, innocent.
Kesha
Narrative: Conclusion
On the last day of my trip to California, we had the biggest breakfast at our hotel and went to Universal Studios. I had a lot of fun at universal studios. We went on things as a family and me, my grandpa, sister, and cousin went on the Jurassic Park boat ride. After we went on all of the rides, we had lunch at the Jurassic Café. It was a really good place to eat at. It had Chinese food and ate a lot of chicken.
After we ate at the Jurassic Café, we went up and out of the theme park because we had to go to the air port to leave California. While we were on the airplane, me and my cousin played Uno because we were bored on the way back home to Salt Lake. We had soda and peanuts on the way back.
It was very sad to go back home when we were having so much fun in California. I wanted to stay in California because I was having a lot of fun especially in Disneyland because it reminded me of my childhood when I went there when I was a child. The funnest thing that I liked about going to California was me and my cousin was able to go around by ourselves because our grandparents trusted us.
The coolest thing about the trip was my grandparents filmed our whole trip so we could watch it and remember our trip to California. I remember the day we got up at 4:00 in the morning because we needed to be at the air port in time and early so we didn’t have to wait. We were out of the air port by 6:00 in the morning and reached California by 8:30 in the morning. I cant wait until I can go back to California again.
Tayler
After we ate at the Jurassic Café, we went up and out of the theme park because we had to go to the air port to leave California. While we were on the airplane, me and my cousin played Uno because we were bored on the way back home to Salt Lake. We had soda and peanuts on the way back.
It was very sad to go back home when we were having so much fun in California. I wanted to stay in California because I was having a lot of fun especially in Disneyland because it reminded me of my childhood when I went there when I was a child. The funnest thing that I liked about going to California was me and my cousin was able to go around by ourselves because our grandparents trusted us.
The coolest thing about the trip was my grandparents filmed our whole trip so we could watch it and remember our trip to California. I remember the day we got up at 4:00 in the morning because we needed to be at the air port in time and early so we didn’t have to wait. We were out of the air port by 6:00 in the morning and reached California by 8:30 in the morning. I cant wait until I can go back to California again.
Tayler
Britney Spears
You all know who Britney Spears is, but do you know who she really is? People seem to think that the paparazzi are 100% correct. You most likely think she’s crazy just because she shaved her head. I know I sound like a little girl when I say I’m going to her concert on the 14th of this month, but I truly admire her.
One night when I was 5, I was having a really hard time falling asleep. My dad had happened to have her CD and said to put it in my stereo and it might help me, so I did. I don’t even remember listening to it, but ever since that night, she’s always brought the memory of my dad back. It’s like when you think of something, and it reminds you of an amazing memory of someone or something you love.
Throughout all my Christmas’s and birthdays I’ve gotten all of her CD’s, gone to concerts, bought posters, books, etc. As I started reading them, I noticed that she had a really hard time trying to pursue her dreams. Her family was barely making it, but Britney really wanted to enter a competition. Her parents were hesitant, but entered her. Her winning led her to getting on the “Mouseketeers” and started her career. Look where she is now: making millions and millions still, even after her divorce, break-ups, custody battles, and sicknesses. Don’t judge someone from the magazines and act like you don’t like her, because you don’t really know anything about her.
Rachel
You all know who Britney Spears is, but do you know who she really is? People seem to think that the paparazzi are 100% correct. You most likely think she’s crazy just because she shaved her head. I know I sound like a little girl when I say I’m going to her concert on the 14th of this month, but I truly admire her.
One night when I was 5, I was having a really hard time falling asleep. My dad had happened to have her CD and said to put it in my stereo and it might help me, so I did. I don’t even remember listening to it, but ever since that night, she’s always brought the memory of my dad back. It’s like when you think of something, and it reminds you of an amazing memory of someone or something you love.
Throughout all my Christmas’s and birthdays I’ve gotten all of her CD’s, gone to concerts, bought posters, books, etc. As I started reading them, I noticed that she had a really hard time trying to pursue her dreams. Her family was barely making it, but Britney really wanted to enter a competition. Her parents were hesitant, but entered her. Her winning led her to getting on the “Mouseketeers” and started her career. Look where she is now: making millions and millions still, even after her divorce, break-ups, custody battles, and sicknesses. Don’t judge someone from the magazines and act like you don’t like her, because you don’t really know anything about her.
Rachel
They say that the first things animals hear when they enter this life is the voice of their mother. When I came back to this life I heard something like “if you’re a good boy I’ll untie one every half hour”, definitely not Elizabeth, my mother. It was sometime around three in the morning. The only light in the inky blackness was provided by a three foot by six inch window showing the nurse’s station. I didn’t have my glasses so everything more than a foot away from my face was distorted, but that wasn’t the first thing I noticed, I was tied to my bed. What would you do if you found your wrists and ankles fastened to a bed? I began to bite at my bonds. This upset the male nurse reading in the dark; I think he was supposed to supervise me. He told me rather forcefully that he would untie me if I was a “good boy”. So I laid back and fell asleep. When I awoke it was day and I was untied, apparently I was a good boy.
I want to say it was around seven in the AM. Elizabeth came and sat by my side. I can’t remember what I said. She said I was über-pissed. Soon there came a social worker. He talked about my family dynamic and why I did what I did. He asked if I was safe to go home. I essentially told him to f-off and die. After he left my mom looked at me with sad, weary eyes, she wanted me to be safe. We watched TV and I fitfully slept. Dinner came and it was heavenly. I had the best cake I can ever remember. I was almost like a Napoleon, but was not a soggy. I think it had coconut in it, that pastry was the highlight of my day. Finally a nurse came in with bits of paper. She gave them to Elizabeth to sign. She told me in a mocking tone “no more Tylenol”, I think I grinned sardonically at her. We collected my meager possessions and left.
Days later I was told that I became violent during my blackout and I punched a nurse in the face when she held me down. Mom said I tried to pull out my IV. That was why I was tied up. I felt bad about hitting the nurse, yet I had no qualms about treating my mom like a lower form a life, interesting.
It turns out that there is Benadryl (hydrocortisone) in Tyelnol PM. In small doses it induces sleep; in large doses it makes you crazy. I was also told that I would have destroyed my liver because of all the acetaminophen (Tylenol) I had consumed. That chemical kills your main filter cell by cell until your skin turns yellow and you die. But my liver moves on and so do I. Why did I want to die? I wanted to know what death was like, a much more noble reason than wanting attention, like my suicide threat a few weeks after this odyssey. Looking back I don’t want to put my mother, or any other family member through what I put them through that February evening. I don’t want to experience death until I have tasted life. This and the label “manic depressive” are what I took from my attempt--my vain attempt to experience the eternal.
Nick B.
I want to say it was around seven in the AM. Elizabeth came and sat by my side. I can’t remember what I said. She said I was über-pissed. Soon there came a social worker. He talked about my family dynamic and why I did what I did. He asked if I was safe to go home. I essentially told him to f-off and die. After he left my mom looked at me with sad, weary eyes, she wanted me to be safe. We watched TV and I fitfully slept. Dinner came and it was heavenly. I had the best cake I can ever remember. I was almost like a Napoleon, but was not a soggy. I think it had coconut in it, that pastry was the highlight of my day. Finally a nurse came in with bits of paper. She gave them to Elizabeth to sign. She told me in a mocking tone “no more Tylenol”, I think I grinned sardonically at her. We collected my meager possessions and left.
Days later I was told that I became violent during my blackout and I punched a nurse in the face when she held me down. Mom said I tried to pull out my IV. That was why I was tied up. I felt bad about hitting the nurse, yet I had no qualms about treating my mom like a lower form a life, interesting.
It turns out that there is Benadryl (hydrocortisone) in Tyelnol PM. In small doses it induces sleep; in large doses it makes you crazy. I was also told that I would have destroyed my liver because of all the acetaminophen (Tylenol) I had consumed. That chemical kills your main filter cell by cell until your skin turns yellow and you die. But my liver moves on and so do I. Why did I want to die? I wanted to know what death was like, a much more noble reason than wanting attention, like my suicide threat a few weeks after this odyssey. Looking back I don’t want to put my mother, or any other family member through what I put them through that February evening. I don’t want to experience death until I have tasted life. This and the label “manic depressive” are what I took from my attempt--my vain attempt to experience the eternal.
Nick B.
Narrative Rough Draft
How do you deal with death?
Yesterday one of my good friends, mentor, and big brother past away in his sleep and I will never know why or how, other then as Doug has told me “the good die young.” When all of us got the news that he has been found dead, we already new something was wrong. We were hoping that we where in trouble and that everything was alright with him. I heard the news but didn’t really hear it tell like ten minutes later, I started to cry and recall all the things that have happened between us. All the help he has been to me would be a waste if I didn’t improve my life or work on the things I need to.
His name is Adam Jay Wilkinson, he has worked at the group home for two years, and the last thing he said to me was. “I don’t work here for the pay because it’s nothing compared to the pay you give me”.
I have seen about fifteen people deal with this and most of them have been similar in the way then act. I cried and talked about all the amazing times we had together, and then I went to sleep and I hope that’s all the crying I well do for now because I think crying is a waste of time, but not really I say that because I don’t like crying. Some people it really hasn’t had much affect on, from what I have seen. One of us is taking a vow of silence and I could hear Adam saying “If you think it will help, go ahead.” Also some are dressed in black for appreciation of the “White Rasta Man.”
The love and compassion he had for the people in his life was truly amazing. I was able to attend his funeral service on the first of this month. It was vary healing for me and all who went. Real quick wouldn’t it be a sick joke if someone played on anyone to say he is dead, I would rather have cried and still got him back even to say goodbye forever. He would listen and always try to understand what’s wrong. This one time I was so broken up with how to feel, I barfed because I was crying really hard. He told me take a deep breath and drink some water, but most of all sat there next to me and listened to everything I was saying. The whole time, trying to help me fix the problem or make is better in way he could.
He was the only staff that most of my peers could really relate to. When he was sixteen, he was sent to Provo canyon lock up place for misbehaving. He was in Oregon, three o’clock in the morning with two big cops holding night sticks saying “we can do this the hard way or the easy way.” He was then put on a plane and taken to this Provo place. The stay there was a year and he was there for a little over seven months. Because is cleaned up his act and worked super hard and got out and back to his life. The reason I say all of this is because he did relate to us the best out of all the staff.
I think of him as one of my brothers, he was given the love that one of your family members would give. I haven’t seen my brother for, well all year wow I need to get out and make up the time with him. I would wake up every Saturday with some smell of food that he was making for us. I will miss him; he made my group home stay easier. He will always have a spot in my heart for helping me to change and make better choices.
After reading this I hope that you have made the choice to become better and have a better life. When life is so crazy stop and take a deep breath and think before you act on what you are doing or about to do. Ask yourself, why you are doing this and if it will help out life. But most of all I think you need to forget yourself and help out everyone around you. The peace that comes with that is amazing. I wish I could put it in a jar or box and give it to people that need a boost because it helps, I promise. Go do it because it isn’t try; it is ether doing it or not.
Mark
Yesterday one of my good friends, mentor, and big brother past away in his sleep and I will never know why or how, other then as Doug has told me “the good die young.” When all of us got the news that he has been found dead, we already new something was wrong. We were hoping that we where in trouble and that everything was alright with him. I heard the news but didn’t really hear it tell like ten minutes later, I started to cry and recall all the things that have happened between us. All the help he has been to me would be a waste if I didn’t improve my life or work on the things I need to.
His name is Adam Jay Wilkinson, he has worked at the group home for two years, and the last thing he said to me was. “I don’t work here for the pay because it’s nothing compared to the pay you give me”.
I have seen about fifteen people deal with this and most of them have been similar in the way then act. I cried and talked about all the amazing times we had together, and then I went to sleep and I hope that’s all the crying I well do for now because I think crying is a waste of time, but not really I say that because I don’t like crying. Some people it really hasn’t had much affect on, from what I have seen. One of us is taking a vow of silence and I could hear Adam saying “If you think it will help, go ahead.” Also some are dressed in black for appreciation of the “White Rasta Man.”
The love and compassion he had for the people in his life was truly amazing. I was able to attend his funeral service on the first of this month. It was vary healing for me and all who went. Real quick wouldn’t it be a sick joke if someone played on anyone to say he is dead, I would rather have cried and still got him back even to say goodbye forever. He would listen and always try to understand what’s wrong. This one time I was so broken up with how to feel, I barfed because I was crying really hard. He told me take a deep breath and drink some water, but most of all sat there next to me and listened to everything I was saying. The whole time, trying to help me fix the problem or make is better in way he could.
He was the only staff that most of my peers could really relate to. When he was sixteen, he was sent to Provo canyon lock up place for misbehaving. He was in Oregon, three o’clock in the morning with two big cops holding night sticks saying “we can do this the hard way or the easy way.” He was then put on a plane and taken to this Provo place. The stay there was a year and he was there for a little over seven months. Because is cleaned up his act and worked super hard and got out and back to his life. The reason I say all of this is because he did relate to us the best out of all the staff.
I think of him as one of my brothers, he was given the love that one of your family members would give. I haven’t seen my brother for, well all year wow I need to get out and make up the time with him. I would wake up every Saturday with some smell of food that he was making for us. I will miss him; he made my group home stay easier. He will always have a spot in my heart for helping me to change and make better choices.
After reading this I hope that you have made the choice to become better and have a better life. When life is so crazy stop and take a deep breath and think before you act on what you are doing or about to do. Ask yourself, why you are doing this and if it will help out life. But most of all I think you need to forget yourself and help out everyone around you. The peace that comes with that is amazing. I wish I could put it in a jar or box and give it to people that need a boost because it helps, I promise. Go do it because it isn’t try; it is ether doing it or not.
Mark
Have you ever thought about time travel? I mainly think of how it would be to go back in time to change something you would like to change. I always wondered if it would make life more interesting, satisfying, or even better. It’s an invention that needs to be created.
This idea takes me back to Napoleon Dynamite on the idea to put so called crystals into a machine for so called time travel. It turns out connecting it to your testicles and getting a good shock isn’t a good idea. It makes me laugh, because they believed it would take them back to the time they desired. There attempt may tempt anyone who really desires to go back.
I’m quite sure if our country or even Japan continues to succeed in technology, I’m most positive we will see time travel, but I’m sure this won’t be for some later years. Maybe not even until the 3000s, ha ha that’s if we don’t die from so called global warming. I wish I could live to see the future, to see time travel, but Napoleon Dynamite will be good enough for now.
Madeleine
This idea takes me back to Napoleon Dynamite on the idea to put so called crystals into a machine for so called time travel. It turns out connecting it to your testicles and getting a good shock isn’t a good idea. It makes me laugh, because they believed it would take them back to the time they desired. There attempt may tempt anyone who really desires to go back.
I’m quite sure if our country or even Japan continues to succeed in technology, I’m most positive we will see time travel, but I’m sure this won’t be for some later years. Maybe not even until the 3000s, ha ha that’s if we don’t die from so called global warming. I wish I could live to see the future, to see time travel, but Napoleon Dynamite will be good enough for now.
Madeleine
Love is a great thing that everyone has. I recently memorized a poem by Langston Hughes. The poem is “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow.” I decided to put this into my journal because everyone dreams of love. If you let it go then you won’t have dreams and if you don’t have dreams then you won’t have something to look forward to in the future. In the future, I have lots of dreams. I want to become a caseworker, and I also want to find the girl of my dreams and marry her. I won’t get married till I’m at least 21 though. So, don’t let your dreams go ever because when you do and the thing you wanted comes, you might never get it. I have been dreaming that I will find the girl I am in love with and date her and hopefully my dream will come true soon. It’s looking like it is going to happen, so I am way excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dani
Dani
Narrative: Conclusion
Now as I get ready to leave Summit and everyone here, I feel so many different feelings. It’s going to be hard to be away from the people who I have become so close to and even though we will still try and hangout it just won’t end up the same. Whenever I move or change schools, my best of friends I end up eventually hardly talking too. Maybe this will be a test. A test to see if I can keep in touch with a few of the people I love. Part of me doesn’t want to leave, but I just crave the old life I used to have. The good parts anyways. I just love the crowd and all of the people that I just love talking to. I just really hope I don’t leave and forget about the people who have made such a difference in my life because I have done that so many times that it kills me to think about it. I guess it’s just another life lesson that I have to learn. If I want something, I actually have to give it my all to achieve it. I will achieve my goals because I am the master of my fate and I am the captain of my soul.
Alex
Alex
Friday, April 3, 2009
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
She told me I was going to get registered in a high school. I was devastated. I couldn’t believe that I would have to be going to a school with immature teenagers. It was bad enough that I was starting late in the year, but I also had no idea who these people were. She told me that I would be going to Lone Peak High School for the rest of my high school years.
We went into Lone Peak to the front office. The whole place was huge. I knew I could get so lost in this school. Then, the bell rang, and all these people started pouring out of the classes. I was immediately aware that this was a total prep school. I was right in assuming that I didn’t know anyone there. Everyone was staring at me like I was some foreign, giant insect that they had never seen before.
I was taken to a room where this lady told me what papers I needed before I could enroll. I went and told my mom and she said that we would have to go to a different school to get those. We headed to Orem to get them, at a school called Summit. I recognized the name because my brother and sister used to go there. They had always told me how fun it was, so I was interested in seeing what it looked like. When we pulled off the freeway, I had no idea what was in store for me.
When we got to Summit High School, we were told to go to Dan’s office. We went in and told him about our situation with the papers. He told us that he would need to be contacted by my caseworker and my judge before he could release them. I liked Dan so far. Then, my mom suggested something. She suggested that I start going to Summit.
-Aubri
We went into Lone Peak to the front office. The whole place was huge. I knew I could get so lost in this school. Then, the bell rang, and all these people started pouring out of the classes. I was immediately aware that this was a total prep school. I was right in assuming that I didn’t know anyone there. Everyone was staring at me like I was some foreign, giant insect that they had never seen before.
I was taken to a room where this lady told me what papers I needed before I could enroll. I went and told my mom and she said that we would have to go to a different school to get those. We headed to Orem to get them, at a school called Summit. I recognized the name because my brother and sister used to go there. They had always told me how fun it was, so I was interested in seeing what it looked like. When we pulled off the freeway, I had no idea what was in store for me.
When we got to Summit High School, we were told to go to Dan’s office. We went in and told him about our situation with the papers. He told us that he would need to be contacted by my caseworker and my judge before he could release them. I liked Dan so far. Then, my mom suggested something. She suggested that I start going to Summit.
-Aubri
Narrative Introduction
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I glance over and see its 6:30 I sluggishly drag myself out of bed “it’s too early”. I walk to the shower and turn on the shiny silver handles and I close the curtain a sensation of warm water overtakes my body. I say to myself “today is going to be a good day”. I hop out and get dressed I throw on my black SLIPKNOT shirt and put on my black pants and slide right into my size 13 black ADIO’s. My mom says “let’s go you have to go early today because I have to go in early the rest of this week”. So we go out the door I jump in the silver Grand Prix labeled Yankees. As we drive to my school I couldn’t wait to see the girl I was dating I just knew that today was going to be amazing, it was sunny, no clouds, feeling like a million bucks, nothing could ruin this. I have finally been ok for once in my life I have a caring family, at least where I was living we planed on watching the new Transformers movie my dad was so excited. We finally reach school and there she was standing and waiting for me I was so happy to see her she was the girl for me (or so I thought at the time) she runs up and jumps into my arms feeling of empty hope. The day seems to drag and feeling so anxious to leave I just stood up and walked out grabbed the love of my life my skateboard and went to heaven A.K.A. The skate park. Walking down the hall now equipped with the only thing that has not let me down feeling invincible. I get out the door and start down the side walk feeling like a free bird I skate across the street and its all empty feeling so specially like being V.I.P. I drop in and feel the overwhelming sensation of flying now the day is perfect can’t be any better. Bell rings time for lunch only running on half a tank so I need to get something to eat I sadly put away the love of my life in my dinky little locker. I get in line see that girl again so I go up by her and we kiss and we talk about what we doing tonight the rest of the flies by so fast not really paying attention to anything just day dreaming. I head back to heaven and fly till my mom comes and I see my dad in the front seat I’m so excited I run and give him a hug and hop in the back seat like a little kid who sees his father after a long day at work. We go to the doctors like a normal day he had to get his blood taken for dialysis and whatever else goes on for him its hard to see him so feeble he is supposed to be like Superman.
Rory
Rory
Narrative Rough Draft
Family
Have you ever felt like you don’t have anyone to turn to? When you need someone to talk to, do you ever feel alone? This used to be a problem I had every single day. I felt like my parents were just some friends that occasionally dropped by to see how I’m doing and what I’ve been up to. I have some amazing friends that I know will be there when I need them, but a lot of the friends I had growing up were really fake to my face.
When I turned 11 I was taken away from my parents. I felt like it was the worst thing that could’ve happened to me, even though they were never really there for me. I left all of the good friends I had as my supports to move to another family. A few months passed and I ended up going to live with my aunt and uncle. Going to live with them meant I was living with at least some family and I got to go back to the school with my best friends. Well turns out that my so called “family” disowned me and wanted nothing to do with me. I once again had no where to go, no one to turn to.
I fell into a deep depression and just decided to give up on thinking people could actually love me for the person I am.
A few more months dragged on. One rainy day, a very kind woman came to the group home where I was staying to meet me and see if I would like to go live with her in Eagle Mountain. We spoke for actually a very brief time, but I felt like she was caring enough that I could maybe give having a family one more shot. I know that it’s a foster family and it never crossed my mind that I, Rachel, could have a family that’s always there for me, cares for me, and doesn’t expect me to change the person I am to fit better into her family. Jen Miles is honestly the best thing that’s happened to me.
I’ve been living with her for a year and a couple of months, and she’s in the process of adopting me. I am so happy. I’m so very excited to have somewhere to belong and someone to belong to. My advice to you, “Never give up. Never think that there’s no one in this world that will love you and no one that you can belong to. You’ll all find a family some day. It may take sometime. It took me 16 years, but keep your faith and hope strong.
Families are the compasses that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter and fall. I know why families were created with all their imperfections. They humanize you. They are made to make you forget yourself occasionally, so that the beautiful balance of life is not destroyed. “Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.” -Anthony Brandt
-Rachel
Have you ever felt like you don’t have anyone to turn to? When you need someone to talk to, do you ever feel alone? This used to be a problem I had every single day. I felt like my parents were just some friends that occasionally dropped by to see how I’m doing and what I’ve been up to. I have some amazing friends that I know will be there when I need them, but a lot of the friends I had growing up were really fake to my face.
When I turned 11 I was taken away from my parents. I felt like it was the worst thing that could’ve happened to me, even though they were never really there for me. I left all of the good friends I had as my supports to move to another family. A few months passed and I ended up going to live with my aunt and uncle. Going to live with them meant I was living with at least some family and I got to go back to the school with my best friends. Well turns out that my so called “family” disowned me and wanted nothing to do with me. I once again had no where to go, no one to turn to.
I fell into a deep depression and just decided to give up on thinking people could actually love me for the person I am.
A few more months dragged on. One rainy day, a very kind woman came to the group home where I was staying to meet me and see if I would like to go live with her in Eagle Mountain. We spoke for actually a very brief time, but I felt like she was caring enough that I could maybe give having a family one more shot. I know that it’s a foster family and it never crossed my mind that I, Rachel, could have a family that’s always there for me, cares for me, and doesn’t expect me to change the person I am to fit better into her family. Jen Miles is honestly the best thing that’s happened to me.
I’ve been living with her for a year and a couple of months, and she’s in the process of adopting me. I am so happy. I’m so very excited to have somewhere to belong and someone to belong to. My advice to you, “Never give up. Never think that there’s no one in this world that will love you and no one that you can belong to. You’ll all find a family some day. It may take sometime. It took me 16 years, but keep your faith and hope strong.
Families are the compasses that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter and fall. I know why families were created with all their imperfections. They humanize you. They are made to make you forget yourself occasionally, so that the beautiful balance of life is not destroyed. “Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.” -Anthony Brandt
-Rachel
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
I watched as my mother walked upstairs to make sure I was alone. It seems to me that everything from that point gradually becomes fuzzy. From here on out I will need to use the accounts of others to supplement my own.
I moved into her bedroom. I knew what was there. On her new nightstand from Wal-Mart sat a bottle, a white, generic Tylenol PM bottle from Costco. It held somewhere around 400 pills. It had been used before, but it had enough for my purposes. I took the bottle into the bathroom, and setting it down I took off the lid. With two or three handfuls I, and the hospital staff, think I took forty or thirty of those blue capsules. After the first handful I knew that my stomach would have none of this. After struggling to keep down each dose of chemical, I hid the bottle in the bathroom and walked back to my computer to continue playing on the internet. There I sat, each minute my insides aching worse and worse. Soon I feared that I would not be able to hold it down. I got up and somewhat staggered back to the bathroom. My vision blurred slightly I vomited in the toilet, on the seat, and on my hand. I recall seeing bits of blue amongst the remains of my meal.
Everything below my heart felt like it was being mixed with an egg beater. I decided that a bath would help transition me between consciousness and the eternal. I sat there, stewing it felt like in the hot water and soap bubbles. After a half hour of slowly becoming sicker, I realized the bath was not helping. So I got out, drained the tub, and moved for my bedroom. I laid there, on my queen sized bed trying to suck it up and keep quiet. I heard my mother go back down stairs. Finally the second decision came. I got dressed and stumbled down the hall, down the two flights of stairs and into the basement. I lurched into her room and sat on her four poster bed. I looked her in the eyes, with mine full of tears. I said we need to go to the hospital. She asked why and I repeated the statement and said nothing more. She asked again, and I told her I overdosed. She got up and hurriedly put on another dress over her nightgown. The clock said it was around five now.
Every moment my mind grew more distant from my body. I became sleepy but could not sleep. So, after several minutes my grandmother, mother, and I set out for UVRMC. I tried to sleep as we came down the hill, past the sub station and followed the cliffs at Provo’s border to the hospital, all the while Elizabeth, my mother, told me to not fall asleep.
We parked at the far end of the ER parking lot. I slowly tottered my way through the darkening lot toward the double glass doors. We finally made it and I sat down. Elizabeth was doing something important as I surveyed the place. Soon my surname was called, and I slowly arose and reeled into the small examining room. A large, shaved headed man asked me what happened. I told him I overdosed because I was depressed. I said this five times, each more angry than the last. He kept asking why I did it. Was he not listening? Apparently I was slurring my words. We moved into a hospital room and they drew my dark almost maroon blood. My memory fades much from this point, but here is what I perceived.
I was given a Styrofoam cup of what they call charcoal. It was black, acrid, and thicker than motor oil. I tried to suck it down with a straw, nice wish. I saw a woman in black standing a little ways off in the hallway looking at me. They said that no one was there. Was this a woman a person who succeeded in her overdose? I remember reaching for a string that hung from my bed. It, like the specter, was never there, but I saw it. The last thing I remember is feeling something trickle down the back of my throat as darkness overcame me.
Nick B.
I moved into her bedroom. I knew what was there. On her new nightstand from Wal-Mart sat a bottle, a white, generic Tylenol PM bottle from Costco. It held somewhere around 400 pills. It had been used before, but it had enough for my purposes. I took the bottle into the bathroom, and setting it down I took off the lid. With two or three handfuls I, and the hospital staff, think I took forty or thirty of those blue capsules. After the first handful I knew that my stomach would have none of this. After struggling to keep down each dose of chemical, I hid the bottle in the bathroom and walked back to my computer to continue playing on the internet. There I sat, each minute my insides aching worse and worse. Soon I feared that I would not be able to hold it down. I got up and somewhat staggered back to the bathroom. My vision blurred slightly I vomited in the toilet, on the seat, and on my hand. I recall seeing bits of blue amongst the remains of my meal.
Everything below my heart felt like it was being mixed with an egg beater. I decided that a bath would help transition me between consciousness and the eternal. I sat there, stewing it felt like in the hot water and soap bubbles. After a half hour of slowly becoming sicker, I realized the bath was not helping. So I got out, drained the tub, and moved for my bedroom. I laid there, on my queen sized bed trying to suck it up and keep quiet. I heard my mother go back down stairs. Finally the second decision came. I got dressed and stumbled down the hall, down the two flights of stairs and into the basement. I lurched into her room and sat on her four poster bed. I looked her in the eyes, with mine full of tears. I said we need to go to the hospital. She asked why and I repeated the statement and said nothing more. She asked again, and I told her I overdosed. She got up and hurriedly put on another dress over her nightgown. The clock said it was around five now.
Every moment my mind grew more distant from my body. I became sleepy but could not sleep. So, after several minutes my grandmother, mother, and I set out for UVRMC. I tried to sleep as we came down the hill, past the sub station and followed the cliffs at Provo’s border to the hospital, all the while Elizabeth, my mother, told me to not fall asleep.
We parked at the far end of the ER parking lot. I slowly tottered my way through the darkening lot toward the double glass doors. We finally made it and I sat down. Elizabeth was doing something important as I surveyed the place. Soon my surname was called, and I slowly arose and reeled into the small examining room. A large, shaved headed man asked me what happened. I told him I overdosed because I was depressed. I said this five times, each more angry than the last. He kept asking why I did it. Was he not listening? Apparently I was slurring my words. We moved into a hospital room and they drew my dark almost maroon blood. My memory fades much from this point, but here is what I perceived.
I was given a Styrofoam cup of what they call charcoal. It was black, acrid, and thicker than motor oil. I tried to suck it down with a straw, nice wish. I saw a woman in black standing a little ways off in the hallway looking at me. They said that no one was there. Was this a woman a person who succeeded in her overdose? I remember reaching for a string that hung from my bed. It, like the specter, was never there, but I saw it. The last thing I remember is feeling something trickle down the back of my throat as darkness overcame me.
Nick B.
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
I dream of the day when I can go back to being in your arms, we can reminisce of the good times we had. Remember when I was little, You, Me, and Lu; we used to go see the animals at that farm? I remember.
Remember Joey Simpson? My best friend when I was five, then me and Lu got taken from you, we were on a visit when you told me he died. Maybe what they say is true, the good do die young. I know you couldn’t forget Bryce B. D’s friend, He was another brother to Dallan. And even me and Lu, he was a son to you. I don’t think Bryce thought twice about getting on that bullet bike after hitting the pipe. They kept him alive for a little while after, but he couldn’t stay, there was no happily ever after. Grandpa Poulsen was a lot like my dad that’s all I remember of him, I still cried when I saw him lying in that casket. I never saw Dallan cry as hard as I did at Bryce’s funeral until that day of December 25, 2006. That day we were all crying over you, I hate to say it but you let that meth get the best of you. It was tiff that was next to you when it happened; I had been there earlier that day, telling you to relax, “its Christmas mom stop cleaning.” But you didn’t. It’s sad that the last memory of you that I have was you cleaning, tweaked out.
I do remember the good times when Lu and I were little, we used to sit in the truck and draw and color with pens. I used to comb your hair, we would “run away” and drive up the canyon just to get away. We would sit outside and eat chocolate chip cookies with chocolate milk and just talk, catch up on things. Mom all the time I am thinking of you, and the day when you went away, what a life to take, its kind of hard with you not around, I know you’re in heaven smiling down. Till the day we meet again in my heart is where I will keep you mom. Today it feels like I have lost another friend another person I truly loved, but she isn’t dead mom she just left me there crying on my bed, but not once did I think it would be better off if I was dead, because I got my brothers, my family Lu, and Dallan, I can’t go on without them, I can live without her, It will be hard for awhile, but its just another trial, but its missin you that’s making it hard to make do. I love and miss you all. I will keep my head up and stand tall for you all.
Nick
Remember Joey Simpson? My best friend when I was five, then me and Lu got taken from you, we were on a visit when you told me he died. Maybe what they say is true, the good do die young. I know you couldn’t forget Bryce B. D’s friend, He was another brother to Dallan. And even me and Lu, he was a son to you. I don’t think Bryce thought twice about getting on that bullet bike after hitting the pipe. They kept him alive for a little while after, but he couldn’t stay, there was no happily ever after. Grandpa Poulsen was a lot like my dad that’s all I remember of him, I still cried when I saw him lying in that casket. I never saw Dallan cry as hard as I did at Bryce’s funeral until that day of December 25, 2006. That day we were all crying over you, I hate to say it but you let that meth get the best of you. It was tiff that was next to you when it happened; I had been there earlier that day, telling you to relax, “its Christmas mom stop cleaning.” But you didn’t. It’s sad that the last memory of you that I have was you cleaning, tweaked out.
I do remember the good times when Lu and I were little, we used to sit in the truck and draw and color with pens. I used to comb your hair, we would “run away” and drive up the canyon just to get away. We would sit outside and eat chocolate chip cookies with chocolate milk and just talk, catch up on things. Mom all the time I am thinking of you, and the day when you went away, what a life to take, its kind of hard with you not around, I know you’re in heaven smiling down. Till the day we meet again in my heart is where I will keep you mom. Today it feels like I have lost another friend another person I truly loved, but she isn’t dead mom she just left me there crying on my bed, but not once did I think it would be better off if I was dead, because I got my brothers, my family Lu, and Dallan, I can’t go on without them, I can live without her, It will be hard for awhile, but its just another trial, but its missin you that’s making it hard to make do. I love and miss you all. I will keep my head up and stand tall for you all.
Nick
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
How do you deal with death?
Yesterday one of my good friends, mentor, and big brother past away in his sleep and I will never know why or how, other then as Doug has told me “the good die young.” When all of us got the news that he has been found dead, we already new something was wrong. We were hoping that we where in trouble and that everything was alright with him. I heard the news but didn’t really hear it tell like ten minutes later, I started to cry and recall all the things that have happened between us. All the help he has been to me would be a waste if I didn’t improve my life or work on the things I need to.
His name is Adam Jay Wilkinson, he has worked at the group home for two years, and the last thing he said to me was. “I don’t work here for the pay because it’s nothing compared to the pay you give me”.
I have seen about fifteen people deal with this and most of them have been similar in the way then act. I cried and talked about all the amazing times we had together, and then I went to sleep and I hope that’s all the crying I well do for now because I think crying is a waste of time, but not really I say that because I don’t like crying. Some people it really hasn’t had much affect on, from what I have seen. One of us is taking a vow of silence and I could hear Adam saying “If you think it will help, go ahead.” Also some are dressed in black for appreciation of the “White Rasta Man.”
The love and compassion he had for the people in his life was truly amazing. I was able to attend his funeral service on the first of this month. It was vary healing for me and I think all who went. Real quick wouldn’t it be a sick joke if someone played on anyone to say he is dead, I would rather have cried and still got him back even to say goodbye forever. He would listen and always try to understand what’s wrong. This one time I was so broken up with how to feel, I barfed because I was crying really hard. He told me take a deep breath and drink some water, but most of all sat there next to me and listened to everything I was saying. The whole time, trying to help me fix the problem or make is better in way he could.
He was the only staff that most of my peers could really relate to. When he was sixteen, he was sent to Provo canyon lock up place for misbehaving. He was in Oregon three o’clock in the morning with two big cops holding night sticks saying “we can do this the hard way or the easy way.” He was then put on a plane and taken to this Provo place. The stay there was a year and he was there for a little over seven months. Because is cleaned up his act and worked super hard and got out and back his life. The reason I say all of this is because he did relate to us the best out of all the staff.
I think of him as one of my brothers, he was given the love that one of your family members would give. I haven’t seen my brother for, well all year wow I need to get out and make up the time with him. I would wake up every Saturday with some smell of food that he was making for us. I will miss him; he made my group home stay easier. He will always have a spot in my heart for helping me to change and make better.
Mark
Yesterday one of my good friends, mentor, and big brother past away in his sleep and I will never know why or how, other then as Doug has told me “the good die young.” When all of us got the news that he has been found dead, we already new something was wrong. We were hoping that we where in trouble and that everything was alright with him. I heard the news but didn’t really hear it tell like ten minutes later, I started to cry and recall all the things that have happened between us. All the help he has been to me would be a waste if I didn’t improve my life or work on the things I need to.
His name is Adam Jay Wilkinson, he has worked at the group home for two years, and the last thing he said to me was. “I don’t work here for the pay because it’s nothing compared to the pay you give me”.
I have seen about fifteen people deal with this and most of them have been similar in the way then act. I cried and talked about all the amazing times we had together, and then I went to sleep and I hope that’s all the crying I well do for now because I think crying is a waste of time, but not really I say that because I don’t like crying. Some people it really hasn’t had much affect on, from what I have seen. One of us is taking a vow of silence and I could hear Adam saying “If you think it will help, go ahead.” Also some are dressed in black for appreciation of the “White Rasta Man.”
The love and compassion he had for the people in his life was truly amazing. I was able to attend his funeral service on the first of this month. It was vary healing for me and I think all who went. Real quick wouldn’t it be a sick joke if someone played on anyone to say he is dead, I would rather have cried and still got him back even to say goodbye forever. He would listen and always try to understand what’s wrong. This one time I was so broken up with how to feel, I barfed because I was crying really hard. He told me take a deep breath and drink some water, but most of all sat there next to me and listened to everything I was saying. The whole time, trying to help me fix the problem or make is better in way he could.
He was the only staff that most of my peers could really relate to. When he was sixteen, he was sent to Provo canyon lock up place for misbehaving. He was in Oregon three o’clock in the morning with two big cops holding night sticks saying “we can do this the hard way or the easy way.” He was then put on a plane and taken to this Provo place. The stay there was a year and he was there for a little over seven months. Because is cleaned up his act and worked super hard and got out and back his life. The reason I say all of this is because he did relate to us the best out of all the staff.
I think of him as one of my brothers, he was given the love that one of your family members would give. I haven’t seen my brother for, well all year wow I need to get out and make up the time with him. I would wake up every Saturday with some smell of food that he was making for us. I will miss him; he made my group home stay easier. He will always have a spot in my heart for helping me to change and make better.
Mark
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
As I run back to my room, in disappointment, I jump onto my top bunk and hide under the blankets. I sat there, and sat. I would say about 2 hours or so went by that seemed like eternity! “It’s seven o’clock by now; I am so waking everyone up!” I thought. So I jumped out of my bed all pumped and excited for the morning ahead. I woke up my heavily snoring brother. “IT’S CHRISTMAS!” I yelled. Of coarse that made him excited so we both ran to the other side of our trailer where my mom and step dad lay hibernating. “GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!!!!” jumping on them and screaming we finally got them up. “What time is it now?” They mumbled. “It’s seven, wake up now, can’t you see Christmas is waiting for us?!” They dragged there lazy butts up and we walked a few small steps to the living room.
“Oh, my, gosh, the most presents I have ever seen!” I was sure they were popping out at us! There were presents everywhere, on the couch, on the T.V, on the table, on the floor. Our tree was very small, crooked, trashy, but cute with little lights and a bow on top. It was only about a foot tall, but we had that forever, it was tradition. As me and my brother start opening our presents we try all our clothes, toys, candy out. “This is the best Christmas ever, thank you!” Dairien, my brother, was being silly and trying on my princess shoes and dresses while I played with his play gun. We were there hours just playing and opening presents! We also pigged out on donuts and sugar, that’s just what we do on Christmas.
So by now we were full of candy and playing when all the sudden, “Where’s my dad!?” My mom just sat there for a second in concern. Kind of like she was worried he wasn’t going to come again and my world would be crushed. You would think by now I wouldn’t expect anything from him but for some reason he was my hero. My mom comes to me and says, “He will be here don’t worry baby, soon, just be patient.” I ran
Kesha
“Oh, my, gosh, the most presents I have ever seen!” I was sure they were popping out at us! There were presents everywhere, on the couch, on the T.V, on the table, on the floor. Our tree was very small, crooked, trashy, but cute with little lights and a bow on top. It was only about a foot tall, but we had that forever, it was tradition. As me and my brother start opening our presents we try all our clothes, toys, candy out. “This is the best Christmas ever, thank you!” Dairien, my brother, was being silly and trying on my princess shoes and dresses while I played with his play gun. We were there hours just playing and opening presents! We also pigged out on donuts and sugar, that’s just what we do on Christmas.
So by now we were full of candy and playing when all the sudden, “Where’s my dad!?” My mom just sat there for a second in concern. Kind of like she was worried he wasn’t going to come again and my world would be crushed. You would think by now I wouldn’t expect anything from him but for some reason he was my hero. My mom comes to me and says, “He will be here don’t worry baby, soon, just be patient.” I ran
Kesha
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
Death of close ones
My brother Jacob passed away with half a heart. It was horrible; my dad and I believe that is why my mom divorced him, but we are not for sure. We took so many pictures of Jacob he was a cute baby. The only picture I have right now is his obituary-it’s depressing. I need to get some more from my parents. Jacob lived longer than the doctors said they guest around a month and he stayed with us for four months. He was a tough little soldier.
So I had three very close friends pass away I will talk about two now, one later. So the first friend was in his 40’s. He went in for heart surgery and something went wrong and he died of heart failure. This friend was Rocky D. Miller he was such a nice guy cared about everyone even those he didn’t know.
My next friend is Thomas C. He jumped off of a bridge thinking that there was a ledge on the other side, and there wasn’t. When I went to Cedar City for his funeral, I went to see the family and they said I was consider family they let me stay with them and I had the privilege of joining the family prayer. I feel/felt so bad because the last thing I remember ever telling him is “you should learn how to treat a friend”. I was not the kind of friend he deserved.
My grandmother passed away of old age. She was a good lady I went to visit her every chance I had gotten. She worked so hard to get her family the necessities and then some. She very a fun lady who loved everyone, and she would have helped a complete stranger. She always believed if she had to get something done she had to do it herself. She was a very strong woman. I love and miss her so much I one time spent a full summer with her which is what I think created such a good bond between her and I.
Next would be a very close friend though I had only known him for about 2 years he was practically considered family to me. His name was Adam. He worked at the group home but to him it was more than just a job. He cared for everyone he worked with. We were practically family to him. I may not have been the nicest but Adam didn’t care. He was never rude or mean to anyone. I really cared for Adam and will always miss him.
Not even 4 days after Adam’s death a lady who I called Grandma McCarry passed away of cancer. Though she was not family she might as well have been. Her house was a place I could go to just to get away from the world. She would share everything of hers with me. Though I didn’t spend the last few years of her life with her I still cared for her just the same.
James
My brother Jacob passed away with half a heart. It was horrible; my dad and I believe that is why my mom divorced him, but we are not for sure. We took so many pictures of Jacob he was a cute baby. The only picture I have right now is his obituary-it’s depressing. I need to get some more from my parents. Jacob lived longer than the doctors said they guest around a month and he stayed with us for four months. He was a tough little soldier.
So I had three very close friends pass away I will talk about two now, one later. So the first friend was in his 40’s. He went in for heart surgery and something went wrong and he died of heart failure. This friend was Rocky D. Miller he was such a nice guy cared about everyone even those he didn’t know.
My next friend is Thomas C. He jumped off of a bridge thinking that there was a ledge on the other side, and there wasn’t. When I went to Cedar City for his funeral, I went to see the family and they said I was consider family they let me stay with them and I had the privilege of joining the family prayer. I feel/felt so bad because the last thing I remember ever telling him is “you should learn how to treat a friend”. I was not the kind of friend he deserved.
My grandmother passed away of old age. She was a good lady I went to visit her every chance I had gotten. She worked so hard to get her family the necessities and then some. She very a fun lady who loved everyone, and she would have helped a complete stranger. She always believed if she had to get something done she had to do it herself. She was a very strong woman. I love and miss her so much I one time spent a full summer with her which is what I think created such a good bond between her and I.
Next would be a very close friend though I had only known him for about 2 years he was practically considered family to me. His name was Adam. He worked at the group home but to him it was more than just a job. He cared for everyone he worked with. We were practically family to him. I may not have been the nicest but Adam didn’t care. He was never rude or mean to anyone. I really cared for Adam and will always miss him.
Not even 4 days after Adam’s death a lady who I called Grandma McCarry passed away of cancer. Though she was not family she might as well have been. Her house was a place I could go to just to get away from the world. She would share everything of hers with me. Though I didn’t spend the last few years of her life with her I still cared for her just the same.
James
Narrative Rough Draft
“Whoosh” was the sound as the wind blew towards us. We were slowly going down the mountain until one of us fell. For the four whole weeks we were up there it got harder and harder. They pushed us as far as we could go. The pain was like a deer getting hit by a truck. I am still sore from all of the work that I put into the four weeks. The instructor was getting angry. We all were frustrated, for it was difficult. At the end it was easier, but we still were in pain. My last fall was the worst.
When I found out that I could go with my program, I was excited. I had everything planned out. We had to start the new group which I thought would be easy. I was very wrong. I started to snowboard on March 4, 2009. I only had to pay $150.00 for four times plus all of my gear. I kept falling, but I kept on getting up because I didn’t want to quit. I thought to myself, “Well if Aireal can do it, then so can I.” That day the goal for all of us kids we had to focus on patience. I thought I was doing well, until I fell and hurt my knee. I ended up at the end of the day going on the lift for my first time! I was so happy about that. I also ended up learning my J turns which was fun.
The second time that we went up there we immediately got on the lift and went straight up. This time we ended up going down the whole mountain which was way cool. The second lesson for our group was persistence. The meaning to me is when you don’t succeed try, try again. Those words to me say a lot. I thought that it got a lot harder the second week because we had to strap both feet in and actually work on out toe and heel turns. I thought I was going to break my leg or something as bad as that.
The last couple times that we went were easy, then hard. The third time I went down the hill three times and I ended up getting hit by Rachel’s brother Jeffery. That hurt really bad. He didn’t just hit me once, but he hit me twice. It was funny after though. The lesson for the third one was responsibility. The fourth lesson was pride. The last day was actually the worst because I went on two runs I have never been on and I crashed and burned really hard.
So, in conclusion snowboarding was way fun, but it was also hard. I learned a lot, but I also got hurt. I had a lot of fun. Too bad I can’t go next year. I think when I have a chance to go again. The only thing I will tell people is to wear a helmet because I think if I didn’t have one I could have been really hurt or even dead.
Dani
When I found out that I could go with my program, I was excited. I had everything planned out. We had to start the new group which I thought would be easy. I was very wrong. I started to snowboard on March 4, 2009. I only had to pay $150.00 for four times plus all of my gear. I kept falling, but I kept on getting up because I didn’t want to quit. I thought to myself, “Well if Aireal can do it, then so can I.” That day the goal for all of us kids we had to focus on patience. I thought I was doing well, until I fell and hurt my knee. I ended up at the end of the day going on the lift for my first time! I was so happy about that. I also ended up learning my J turns which was fun.
The second time that we went up there we immediately got on the lift and went straight up. This time we ended up going down the whole mountain which was way cool. The second lesson for our group was persistence. The meaning to me is when you don’t succeed try, try again. Those words to me say a lot. I thought that it got a lot harder the second week because we had to strap both feet in and actually work on out toe and heel turns. I thought I was going to break my leg or something as bad as that.
The last couple times that we went were easy, then hard. The third time I went down the hill three times and I ended up getting hit by Rachel’s brother Jeffery. That hurt really bad. He didn’t just hit me once, but he hit me twice. It was funny after though. The lesson for the third one was responsibility. The fourth lesson was pride. The last day was actually the worst because I went on two runs I have never been on and I crashed and burned really hard.
So, in conclusion snowboarding was way fun, but it was also hard. I learned a lot, but I also got hurt. I had a lot of fun. Too bad I can’t go next year. I think when I have a chance to go again. The only thing I will tell people is to wear a helmet because I think if I didn’t have one I could have been really hurt or even dead.
Dani
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
I don’t know what it is about being around a lot of people but I love it. There’s something about knowing everyone and having everyone wanting to talk to me that empowers me. It makes me feel untouchable. At regular a public high school that’s the way things are for me. As soon as I walk in the door, I’m constantly talking to people. I can’t walk more than a couple of feet without being stopped by someone just to talk to them. I love being able to walk around from group of friends to another group of friends. I guess I just get tired of people kind of fast and that’s why I go around from group to group but it’s also kind of nice to have a lot of friends because when there is drama with one group of friends than you can always just go to another group until things cool down. Plus another major thing that I like about my old school is that they sell breakfast in the mornings. I can barely live not having breakfast, and as amazing as Summit is, it still doesn’t have breakfast and I almost go hungry everyday. Finally the last thing I love about mainstream schools are that you can walk around with your iPod and phone and nobody cares. Plus I like not having the same classes everyday.
When I went to Lone Peak High School, I would constantly skip class because even though I would eat lunch every morning I still got really hungry and so did my friends, so we would go to one of there houses or somewhere to get food. Plus another thing that I have always had trouble with is the discipline to get up in the morning, so I would sleep in for a long time. And then when I felt like it I would go to school which was evidently not the best idea. I hated class mostly because I would miss so much that I never knew what was going on so it would be frustrating and embarrassing to go to class and have no idea what was going on. Since I hated paying attention in class because I was so far behind, I would just go back to sleep or I would just go walk around the halls. If I had money, I would go buy myself some food from the vending machines. I loved it because I would just go and screw around, I wouldn’t have to do hardly any work and I would just go hangout with my friends. I would go and talk to everyone in the halls and go with them out to lunch, basically I did whatever I wanted and I loved it.
School was a lot of fun when I wasn’t in class but eventually my dumb mistakes caught up to me. During the last term of my tenth grade year, my counselor brought me into her office and we sat down to talk. She told me that I needed to get my grades up, that I needed to start coming to school everyday and if I didn’t than I would have to find another way to get my credits. I kind of blew it off and didn’t really start doing much better but then she brought me in a couple more times and brought my aunt and uncle in too. She told us that if things didn’t improve than next year I would have to go to either East Shore, do electric high school or there was a third option of going to another school. Now that scared me. That meant I would have to leave all my friends. That was the last thing I wanted to happen so I kicked it into gear but it was to close to the end of the year to get them up. I tried really hard and I talked to my teachers trying to figure out a way to get my grades to at least passing. My grades went up and some of them were pretty decent but they weren’t good enough I still failed a couple of classes. So during the last couple of weeks of school my aunt, uncle and I all sat down with my counselor and talked. I was not going to be able to go to school next year. We had to figure out where I would go and finally my aunt decided that Summit was the place that I should go. She didn’t want to drive me to East Shore everyday and she didn’t want to pay for electronic high school.
I had the option of working with the janitor to get my credit for the classes that I passed but just had no credit for because of my lack of attendance but I only did that once and for some retarded reason decided that I’d rather hangout over the summer instead of taking a couple of hours to get my credit. So I went the whole summer just having a great time and finally the school year crept up on me. I was furious to be going to another school but decided that there was nothing I could do about it because I really needed that credit to graduate. My plan was to not make any friends and to just go to class, get good grades and then leave back to Lone Peak as soon as I could. I found out that the soonest I could go back was the following year, my senior year. That made me so livid that I could barely stand it. I started skipping school again and going to visit my old high school. I was still passing my classes with pretty good grades but things weren’t going to end up good if I continued to skip school so after talking to Doug a bunch I started going to school a lot more. I still miss a day every couple of weeks but I have definitely improved. My progress has been substantial. My grades are really good but for some reason I can’t get any better than a 3.4 gpa. I swear I’ll be planning on having a bunch of A’s and they’ll be A’s till I get my report card and they end up being B’s. It doesn’t make sense to me because I’ll have A’s on the last day of the term but then on my report card it somehow changes. All together I couldn’t stand not making friends and eventually I became very social. Now that I have let Summit change my life I am very grateful for having been sent here. The people and faculty have really made an effect on my life. When I go back to Lone Peak next year I will not go back to my old ways. I will be getting good grades even if it kills me. Life has a strange way of teaching you lessons but I am so glad that I finally got the life lessons that I have from Summit.
-Alex
When I went to Lone Peak High School, I would constantly skip class because even though I would eat lunch every morning I still got really hungry and so did my friends, so we would go to one of there houses or somewhere to get food. Plus another thing that I have always had trouble with is the discipline to get up in the morning, so I would sleep in for a long time. And then when I felt like it I would go to school which was evidently not the best idea. I hated class mostly because I would miss so much that I never knew what was going on so it would be frustrating and embarrassing to go to class and have no idea what was going on. Since I hated paying attention in class because I was so far behind, I would just go back to sleep or I would just go walk around the halls. If I had money, I would go buy myself some food from the vending machines. I loved it because I would just go and screw around, I wouldn’t have to do hardly any work and I would just go hangout with my friends. I would go and talk to everyone in the halls and go with them out to lunch, basically I did whatever I wanted and I loved it.
School was a lot of fun when I wasn’t in class but eventually my dumb mistakes caught up to me. During the last term of my tenth grade year, my counselor brought me into her office and we sat down to talk. She told me that I needed to get my grades up, that I needed to start coming to school everyday and if I didn’t than I would have to find another way to get my credits. I kind of blew it off and didn’t really start doing much better but then she brought me in a couple more times and brought my aunt and uncle in too. She told us that if things didn’t improve than next year I would have to go to either East Shore, do electric high school or there was a third option of going to another school. Now that scared me. That meant I would have to leave all my friends. That was the last thing I wanted to happen so I kicked it into gear but it was to close to the end of the year to get them up. I tried really hard and I talked to my teachers trying to figure out a way to get my grades to at least passing. My grades went up and some of them were pretty decent but they weren’t good enough I still failed a couple of classes. So during the last couple of weeks of school my aunt, uncle and I all sat down with my counselor and talked. I was not going to be able to go to school next year. We had to figure out where I would go and finally my aunt decided that Summit was the place that I should go. She didn’t want to drive me to East Shore everyday and she didn’t want to pay for electronic high school.
I had the option of working with the janitor to get my credit for the classes that I passed but just had no credit for because of my lack of attendance but I only did that once and for some retarded reason decided that I’d rather hangout over the summer instead of taking a couple of hours to get my credit. So I went the whole summer just having a great time and finally the school year crept up on me. I was furious to be going to another school but decided that there was nothing I could do about it because I really needed that credit to graduate. My plan was to not make any friends and to just go to class, get good grades and then leave back to Lone Peak as soon as I could. I found out that the soonest I could go back was the following year, my senior year. That made me so livid that I could barely stand it. I started skipping school again and going to visit my old high school. I was still passing my classes with pretty good grades but things weren’t going to end up good if I continued to skip school so after talking to Doug a bunch I started going to school a lot more. I still miss a day every couple of weeks but I have definitely improved. My progress has been substantial. My grades are really good but for some reason I can’t get any better than a 3.4 gpa. I swear I’ll be planning on having a bunch of A’s and they’ll be A’s till I get my report card and they end up being B’s. It doesn’t make sense to me because I’ll have A’s on the last day of the term but then on my report card it somehow changes. All together I couldn’t stand not making friends and eventually I became very social. Now that I have let Summit change my life I am very grateful for having been sent here. The people and faculty have really made an effect on my life. When I go back to Lone Peak next year I will not go back to my old ways. I will be getting good grades even if it kills me. Life has a strange way of teaching you lessons but I am so glad that I finally got the life lessons that I have from Summit.
-Alex
Narrative: Body Paragraphs
On the first day of my trip me and my family went through Knott’s Berry Farm. Me and my cousin were able to go through the park by ourselves. We went on some of the fastest rides there. The fastest ride that we went on was the silver bullet. It’s one of those rollercoaster rides that your feet dangle down. I felt very excited to go on the silver bullet because it looked fun and when I went on it. It was one of the funnest rollercoaster rides that I have been on.
The next day, before we went to another theme park, we ate at our hotel. Our hotel was awesome. We had a big suite room. Both rooms had bathrooms, a TV in it and comfortable beds. The breakfast was magnificent. It was one of the best that I have had at a hotel. They had a big buffet and a big dining room. I felt very happy to eat all of the new things that I have never tried before.
After we ate breakfast, we went to California Adventures theme park. California Adventures is right across Disneyland so if we get bored at one theme park we can just go over to the next. Me and my cousin went on one of the coolest roller coasters. The roller coaster was called the screemin rollercoaster. It stops and starts to count down from 10 then takes off at a dead speed. The roller coaster goes through tunnels, loops and big turns. I really liked that rollercoaster. Me and my cousin liked that roller coaster so much we went on it like 10 times.
The last day of our trip we went to Universal Studios Hollywood. I thought that Universal Studios was really cool. It had all of the movie rides. This time we went as a family through this park. We went on the mummy rollercoaster, back to the future, and the Jurassic Park boat ride. I really liked the Jurassic park ride because it showed all of the dinosaurs and went down an 84 foot drop. One of the scariest things that we went on was the haunted house of horrors. That had all of the scary movies in it. One of the things that scared me was a guy chasing people around with a real chainsaw. There was also a box that chucky popped out of with a knife out of random.
Tayler
The next day, before we went to another theme park, we ate at our hotel. Our hotel was awesome. We had a big suite room. Both rooms had bathrooms, a TV in it and comfortable beds. The breakfast was magnificent. It was one of the best that I have had at a hotel. They had a big buffet and a big dining room. I felt very happy to eat all of the new things that I have never tried before.
After we ate breakfast, we went to California Adventures theme park. California Adventures is right across Disneyland so if we get bored at one theme park we can just go over to the next. Me and my cousin went on one of the coolest roller coasters. The roller coaster was called the screemin rollercoaster. It stops and starts to count down from 10 then takes off at a dead speed. The roller coaster goes through tunnels, loops and big turns. I really liked that rollercoaster. Me and my cousin liked that roller coaster so much we went on it like 10 times.
The last day of our trip we went to Universal Studios Hollywood. I thought that Universal Studios was really cool. It had all of the movie rides. This time we went as a family through this park. We went on the mummy rollercoaster, back to the future, and the Jurassic Park boat ride. I really liked the Jurassic park ride because it showed all of the dinosaurs and went down an 84 foot drop. One of the scariest things that we went on was the haunted house of horrors. That had all of the scary movies in it. One of the things that scared me was a guy chasing people around with a real chainsaw. There was also a box that chucky popped out of with a knife out of random.
Tayler
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