Vocabulary

1. Reticence (noun) - disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved.

To an extent, I suppose, his reticence was typical of that part of Minnesota, where privacy still had value, and even if I'd been walking around with some horrible deformity -four arms and three heads- I'm sure the old man would've talked about everything except those extra arms and heads.

My reticence told her I was in a bad mood.

Own logic, it said he was respecting privacy.

2. Intrigue (verb) - to arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities.

The war intrigued her.

The unusual man in the bright green sweater intrigued me, so I followed him for awhile.

Own logic, I use the word intrigue in every day life.

3. Shrill (adjective) - high pitched and piercing in sound quality.

Elongated and narrow, like pieces of blackened leather, the tongues were threaded along a length of copper wire, one overlapping the next, the tips curled upward as if caught in a final shrill syllable.

The dog made let out a shrill bark when I accidentally stepped on its tail.

Own logic, they describe the high pitched sound.

Weekly Calendar

Need to do:
1. Do Read 96 Homework
2. Memorize Music for Concert Choir
3. Clean my Room

Have to do:
1. Oil change my car
2. Do my laundry
3. Get Valentines gift for my girlfriend

Want to do:
1. Play DC Universe Online
2. Go out with my girlfriend
3. Look for a job

Reflection

I know it is cliché, but the kids story “The Tortoise and the Hare” had an enormous impact on my life. In the story, a tortoise and a hare are to compete in a race. The hare is heavily favored because tortoises are known for being slow, whereas hares are quick. The hare taunts the tortoise relentlessly and tells him there is no way he can win. Halfway through the race the hare is far ahead and decides to take a nap. The tortoise ends up winning the race because the hare got lazy and overconfident. This story has affected me a lot and has shaped me into the person I am today, because I want to be like the tortoise, and not like the hare. I have tried to emulate, in my everyday life, the qualities in the tortoise, such as perseverance, determination, and a steady work habit. On the other hand I try to avoid the qualities of the hare, such as overconfidence, laziness, and a taunting attitude. The story also shows how you can do amazing things despite the odds, as long as you do not give up. Giving up will get you nowhere and will guarantee that you do not succeed in what you are trying to accomplish. Just like laziness will tend to make you fail, even in situations where you should easily succeed. Laziness is a bad character trait to have, because even if you do succeed, it likely caused you more stress than you would have had to deal with if you had not been lazy and had succeeded with hard work and perseverance.

Vocabulary

1. Stash (noun) - Hiding place for material property

Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down.

Nobody can steal my money when its hidden in my stash.

Own Logic - I have a stash that I keep my money in.

2. Dispense (verb) - to distribute

It dispensed with all those bothersome little acts of daily courage; it offered hope and grace to the repetitive coward; it justified the past while amortizing the future.

My pez dispenser distributed candy to all my friends.

Own Logic - I learned it from the words "pez dispenser"

3. Aggression (noun) - a forceful action or procedure

A war of national liberation or simple aggression?

He beat me up in an act of pure aggression.

Antonym - National liberation is an act of relieving forced actions.

Vocabulary

taut (adj.) pulled tight

It was an action shot- women's volleyball- and Martha was bent horizontal to the floor, reaching, the palms of her hands in sharp focus, the tongue taut, the expression frank and competitive.

Context clue- Logic, it was competitive, and your tongue gets tight when you are competing.

She slowly inched across the taut tight rope in front of a massive crowd.

The Things I Carry

I carry my phone everywhere I go, not because I use it often, but simply because I worry I may need it for emergencies, which stems from past experience when my dad crashed his golf cart down a ravine and had no phone to contact anyone. I also carry my wallet even though it would not really help me in emergencies. The things I carry are not all tangible, however. I also carry guilt, because I am quiet, I keep my mouth shut even when I should not. I carry responsibility, because I have to help keep my family together or else it will fall apart. I carry stress and worry, because I don’t know what will happen to my family after I move out, especially because I don’t want to keep in touch after I leave. I carry a sense of worthlessness because I feel like I have no goals in life, which seems to be an important part of life. I carry strong opinions, but only in a few areas, for example, I believe government is wrong no matter how it is run, I am an anarchist. I carry confusion, because there are many things I can not answer and others can’t answer it for me, such as questions about religion, and the point of life. I carry a sense of reserved calmness about me; I don’t let emotions overcome me, at least not outwardly. I am quiet and contemplative, keeping my thoughts to myself. I carry myself…