Putting down the first Blocks

   It wasn't until a few months ago that I finally got the Minecraft Pocket Edition. I was at school when I found out that there's this program where you can get free apps. I checked it out at home, and the next thing you knew I was filling up my Ipad with all sorts of apps. But, it wasn't until I pressed the download button for Minecraft PE that the adventure really started.

   I'll be honest I wasn't very good at playing Minecraft, oh, who am I kidding I didn't know a thing about it! But, with how lucky I am to be born in the generation of awesomeness (a.k.a better tech than the time of my parents), I did a bit of research online and I learned so much. A few weeks later I was joining in my friends world, happily stealing all of their goods. I started out playing in Creative Mode a whole bunch, but after a while I got bored of just building for endless hours, with no mobs making respawn every minute. 

   I decided to get the REAL adventure started (hopefully this is the last time I say adventure in this blog). The first time I played survival it was normal. Then as I watched the pretty sunset go down, I watched in horror as mobs spawned everywhere, I ran to block after block having a trail of mobs behind me. I luckily got them of my back due to their short span of attention. Those were some scary mobs back then, but I'm a pro at this now. Whenever I see a mob now, I just run away waving my arms in the air (can you do that in Minecraft?). But greatly that's not what I do when I see a mob. I quickly press on my sword and start tapping my screen furiously at the mob. 

  I still switch back from Creative mode and Survival mode, and I'll admit I'm not a pro at Minecraft, but I do know I enjoy playing it a lot. Sometimes I laugh when I think back to my first time playing Minecraft, but that was in the past when I made the mistake of critizing the history of technology.

How fast can you read?

   Last year in fourth grade near the end of the year my teacher did a sort of test/assessment. A few days before the test/assessment, my teacher told the class that she would start giving the tests out AGAIN. I transferred in the middle of the year on October 8 (I can't believe I still remember). But, I was at the school when I was in third grade, but then I transferred back (long story). Anyway, where was I, so when I found that out my legs started getting all shaky (I tend to have them problem when I'm nervous). But then she announced that another girl and I didn't have to do the test, and I was like "YES!!!" (inside my head), she said the people who got a great score for the test last semester didn't have to do it this semester. The next day, while I was happily doing some writing, the teacher suddenly announced that I would still have to do the reading test/assessment (also the other girl). As each person got called up one by one I was trembling. When it was at last my turn, I started sweating. My hands felt all moist and sticky. I sat down and started reading from a short little story. I read as fast as I could not even stopping when I made mistakes, because then I could get father into the story so I could get a better grade. Before I knew it I had finished the test. As I was walking down the aisle  back to my desk, many people were looking at me in awe. I later found out that I got one of the highest scores for the test (not trying to boast). I could have improved on stumbling over words, and I'll make sure to remember that if I ever do that again.

What will happen next?

   Have you read my blogpost " The Book that hooked my brain"? If you haven't you should scroll down and read that first before reading this. If you try reading this without reading the other blogpost it will help you know what's going on a bit better in this blogpost.

   I've been reading this exciting book, and I'm dying to tell you about it. The book I spend everyday wishing I could read on and on is called Goodbye, Vietnam by Gloria Whelan. There is a very poor village in Vietnam. In the village there was a family. Which included Mai (oldest), Anh (middle), Thant (youngest), Mom, Dad, and the grandma. With the government threatening to take away Dad and the grandma, Mai's parents decided to flee Vietnam. So with Mai's dad skillful mind he got a boat fixed for many people to flee to freedom. Then it took nights and days until one day..........I'm not a spoil the book so if you want to find out what happens read the book yourself. 

   I would recommend this book to people who like adventurous stories, and are people who are always like "Must keep reading" until midnight. Goodbye, Vietnam definitely has it's ups and downs but it's a great book. I had doubted the book in the first place but when I got to the voyage it was like I couldn't put the book down, but I had to because I didn't want to get ahead of my group. But, really don't doubt a book, I think this book is like a cream puff. The outside tastes bland, but once you get into the middle you can't put the book/cream puff down. Together they taste incredible. But like cream puffs not everyone likes Goodbye, Vietnam, but still you never know unless you try (that kind of rhymed).

The Greatest Creation from Dominique Ansel yet

   Dominique Ansel is just coming up with too many great ideas. First it was the cronut, and now the waffogoto. 

The waffogoto is basically just affogoto. Affogoto is an Italian dessert. It's ice cream with espresso drizzled on top. It's usually served with vanilla ice cream though. What's different about the waffogoto is that the ice cream is shaped like a waffle, so that's why it's called the "waff"ogoto, and not just affogoto. The waffogoto is served with a maple syrup espresso, which melts the ice cream waffle, freeing bits of Belgian waffle and tapioca bubbles. Dominique Ansel said that in the end it's kind of like a milkshake. I have never tried any of Dominique Ansel's creations, but just looking at the cronut and waffogoto makes my mouth water. I would really want to try the waffogoto someday, but maybe when I grow up since it has espresso. Although I would kill for some cronuts anyday. 

I think Dominique Ansel is so amazing in so many words that I can't even say. I mean I would have never thought of combinations like a crossiant and donut [cronut], and affogoto, with ice cream that is shaped like a waffle, and when melted frees pieces of tapioca bubbles and Belgian waffle. 

If there was a word in the dictionary that was the definition for all the good things in this world, I would describe Dominque Ansel's creation with that word.   

What a Change!

   Music has been on earth throughout history for a long time, and has favored people all the way back to the cave people. In this post I'll be talking about how music from long ago and music today, and how they have changed. 

   Music from the time period of Mozart long ago to Modern Tech music today has changed so much. The era of music that Mozart was in, played soft music, with string instruments, such as the violin or the cello. The music usually had no singing in it, just the beautiful soft sounding music. Today if you crank up the radio to hear some music, you'll most likely hear some rap, pop, and hip hop, etc. genre of music. The main difference of music today and music from long ago, is the power of technology today. I'm pretty sure that the music Mozart composed and performed wasn't fixed with computers or fancy devices. The music was all played by the movements of their arms slashing their bow across the strings of the instrument they're playing. Famous artists today [some of them] use laptops, computers, etc. to add background music to their singing voices, some of the background music was probably made with technology.

    In class we did a mini lesson on how music changes. Our teacher gave us pieces of music from different time periods to listen to. We listened to many interesting pieces of music. The music time periods ranged from classical, jazz, rock, dub step, and all the way to pop. The time periods of the music we listened to had big gaps, since we skipped many years between classical and pop. Even though we skipped between the time periods of the music, it sounded like it could be a real song remixed and put all together to make a famous song.

   When I listened to the pieces of music, there was one big difference I noticed in the music. It was that the instruments in the music was changing dramatically. One minute I would be listening to the violin playing softly, and the next thing I knew I heard an electric guitar blasting out my eardrums, as the artist rocked out.

   I think that even though songs like what Mozart composed was long ago, it's still interesting to listen to, sometimes to relax I listen to music that was composed long ago.

The Book that hooked my Brain

   Recently in class, we have been assigned books to read with a reading group. I am in a reading group with Fiona and Nina. There is another reading group reading the same book as our group, but if we combined the two groups we would have six people in the group, so we got separated into threes. The book we are reading in my group is called "Goodbye, Vietnam" by Gloria Whelan. Together we worked as the power of three to create a mini poster with a constitution that we made and taped on, which had our signatures, and I felt like a one of the U.S presidents signing the U.S constitution. On the side we had five rules for our group. The rules were that you had to.....1. Respect others, 2. Work together, 3. Help explain when someone falls behind on the reading, 4. Pay attention, 5. Everyone must participate. After awhile we came up with a brilliant group name that we all agreed on, we called our group, "The Dessert Group". Since, each one of us loves desserts we decided it was a perfect name. For homework we would start having to read our book. The first page of "Goodbye, Vietnam" was actually not really that interesting. But, after I got into a few chapters, it was mesmerizing me."Goodbye, Vietnam" is about a girl named Mai , and her family has some problems with living in the village in the country, like when the police threatened to take away Mai's grandmother. So, Mai's parents sold some of their valuable possessions, and the next thing I knew I was reading about their journey on the boat. I am currently at chapter four right now and I want to read on so badly, but then I would be ahead. I feel really glad that I got assigned with this book, because it takes me away to another land.

What Performing Arts means to me

   In music class we have been recently talking about the performing arts. So today I'll be telling you about what we talked about the performing arts.

   I think that we have the performing arts for entertainment, and to make money. By being a performer you probably made a decision that it would be your job. And in jobs they pay you money. So, I think performers entertain to make money. But, maybe also to see the joys and smiles of people watching you perform. And, if you've never been to a concert, you missed out on a lot because if you're at a concert where your favorite artist is performing, it can be thrilling to see one of your favorite artists right in front of your eyes.

  I'd say that I'm a consumer, performer, and composer. But, I'm mainly a consumer. I perform a lot at school concerts, but other than that I don't perform much. And, just recently in music class  we had an assignment to compose a song with a partner. And that was my first time composing anything, so I'm just barely a composer. I am a big consumer though. In fact on weekends, and I hate to say this, but on weekends I'm basically a couch potato and spend my time watching a TV show. And once in a while I'll go to the movies. Occasionally, I go to some concerts once in a while with my friends and family.

  The performing arts are important to me because without it the world would probably be glum all the time. I can't imagine life without my favorite TV show. Also I can't think what a world would be like without  a cinema. Not only does the performing arts entertain people, but since music is part of the performing arts, I can honestly say that some genres of music really can calm you down and relax you.

  I don't know about any changes the performing arts has made on history, but there was probably a lot of events where music has had a big impact on history.

  I think I can make a change with the performing arts by sending a message, by maybe writing a song. So, people could sing the song , and others would hear the message of the song, and help to change the performing arts.

     

 

Chills up my Spine

   In music class we have been working with a partner to compose and perform the music that we composed.

   When I was listening to "The Mysterious Secret" [one of the songs] I really felt like the title fit the song. Which is why I really enjoyed the song. When the person who was playing the metallophone had all these high and low pitches, it felt like you were in a room where there was a mystery case, and you were a detective. Then suddenly you turned around and saw a vampire. Then your heart would automatically beat rapidly. So, I think that when the person who was playing the metallophone would start playing high notes, it was like what I just said. Also when the person who was playing the metallophone would stop, the other person would gently hit a metal stick against a metal triangle, and I imagined myself in a long hallway, where there were doors on both sides of the hall. And each time I heard the person hit the triangle, I would imagine myself hearing a door creak open behind me, and when I looked back it would be closed, so it was like a big mystery.

"The Mysterious Secret" song was really amazing. I only have one suggestion to them though. Eye contact. I would say that their eye contact to the audience wasn't that great. But, I think that it's hard to face your audience directly. I have serious trouble with my eye contact to the audience. It's so hard to be trying to focus on what you're playing or presenting, that you get the butterflies [or at least I do]. And even if I tried to face the class, I would see all  these eyes staring back at me so, it just made me more nervous. But, I think that "The Mysterious Secret" partnership did a great job overall, and they seemed really calm actually, so the only thing I have to suggest to them is to face your audience.

   As I was listening to "The Mysterious Secret" group play, I could feel a chill go down my spine. As I had said in my first paragraph, I was imagining myself somewhere. This time i imagined myself in a castle, no not a pretty princess castle, more like Dracula's Castle. I imagined it was a stormy night, and all the torches were blown off by the heavy winds, except for a little oil lamp in my hand. Whenever there were high pitches in the song I would imagine a thunder bolt cracking in the sky, shaking the ground a bit. Then when the triangle would play I imagined I was hearing whispers. When the song was over I had goosebumps on my arms [partly because I was cold, but still].

   I don't think that "The Mysterious Secret" changed me at all. Although that night instead of sleeping well, I was starting to freak out. I just imagined myself back in Dracula's Castle, and I had the creeps. So, I guess you could say the song slightly changed how I was sleeping. And instead of sleeping in the middle of my bed, instead I was shivering in the corner with all my blankets and pillows surrounding me. So, I guess the song did change me a bit.