Gloster.

http://www.glogster.com/jonnalynn/pinboard-glog-by-jonnalynn/g-6l3r5uviq9hirts7qji43a0?s=imgglog

Journal #1: The Art Of Racing In The Rain

"That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been bought on by none other than ourselves” (Stein 43).

Life is full of obstacles. They are what ultimately tests our commitment to life. In car racing, rain is considered an obstacle. Many race car “drivers are afraid of the rain, […]. Rain amplifies [their] mistakes, and water on the track can make your car handle unpredictably” (Stein 41). As a race car driver like Denny, they must drive and direct their race car, similarly, we are responsible for driving and navigating our lives. Life does not arrive the way we expect it to. We all have obstacles and fears that we tend to subconsciously avoid. However, in order to overcome our fear, we must face and adapt to them. A significant challenge I have encountered in my life is the inability to communicate. Eight years ago when I immigrated to Canada, everything changed. In a foreign country, I was unable to take charge of my life as language has became one of my greatest barrier. There are many barriers in communication. Language is a barrier if the receiver does not understand the words or gestures of the sender. I could almost understand how Enzo, the dog felt when he stated, “I cannot speak” (Stein 101) when time after time, I struggle to pronounce certain words, and repeatedly make grammatical errors. These incorrect pronunciations amplified my imperfections and discouraged me to speak. It frustrated me! But communication is essential and I reminded myself, the language will gradually become more accessible in my brain as I practice more. This will happen on a schedule that I cannot control. Just make sure I spend enough time practicing and it will come! Persistence and effort will make this possible. To this day, I still have not completely grasp the complicity concept of the English language, however, I have improved tremendously since then.

This quote not only helps Denny to be a better race car driver, but also applies to his life. When Denny is driving in wet or dry weather, he will embrace his mistakes rather than fearing them.  “Getting angry at another driver […] is pointless […] because any problems that may occur is ultimately caused by [him]” (Stein 91). This also applies to Denny’s life because learns not to blame anyone for his mistakes. Furthermore, it is only a mistake if we do not learn from it, otherwise, it is a memorable lesson.

Love At First Sight~

Once upon a time, on a beautiful morning with the rays of sunshine beaming down on the Eiffel Tower as it glistened across the endless horizon. Prince Charming was having the time of his life when he pranced around the interlocking streets, discovering intriguing objects and people. He stopped to smell the roses when all of the sudden, what he thought to be the love of his life graced his presence. The moment he laid eyes on her, he realized she was the apple of his eye and he was walking on cloud nine. She was fit as a fiddle, pretty as a picture, and sweet as sugar. He was in love at first sight. Prince Charming was nervous and his stomach is tied up in knots, but he gathered his courage and confessed to her because he knows it is now or never.

Paranormal Power ~~

Why are there only four pockets on a pair of archetypal jeans? Would it not be more beneficial to own a pair of dashing pants with bottomless pockets? Being part of the needy gender - a girl - we are usually more concerned about our appearances than boys, so therefore, we like present ourselves in our best conditions. In order to bring all the unearthly makeup everywhere we travel to retain our flawless image, a boundless sack is indispensable. Well, the paranormal power of "pocket space" provides that implausible volume. This ability allows one to hold and remove objects so that only the user can retrieve them. It prevents anything from being misplaced, lost, or stolen. However, there are numerous other fascinating super human powers such as being able to manipulate time, mind control, and teleportation, but those powers are just not needed as frequently as the pocket space. For instance, this is an extremely advantageous ability to have when one is traveling. It is the most secure place to store any important documents such as passports and birth certificates. Also, having an accumulating affluence amount of necessities in one's pocket without it looking bulgy is advantageous. This is much more convenient than luring around heavy and space-consuming luggages. In addition, the pocket space could also be used as an alternative place to hide valuables or when one is trying to transport goods from one place to another. For example, smuggling snacks into a movie theater--where food is not permitted--by hiding it into one's pocket space would be easy and effortless. Furthermore, this power can potentially save lives of people. How? If anyone is ever put into a lethal situation like the Peeta and Katniss, characters from the novel "The Hunger Games", they could obscurely cache their pockets with essential survival gears such as food, water, shelter, and unlimited amount of matches. Above all, this power enhances people's daily lives in endless ways, from convience to saving other's lives. Having all the space in the universe just stored in one's pocket is clearly the most superior power.

Plea Letter.

Wendy Tan
122 Ash Ave
Penticton, B.C.
123 456

February 2, 2012

Captain Draude

Commander
HMS Princess Margaret


O Captain, My Captain:

O my chivalrous Captain, after you read my heart-wrenching plea, I hope it will persuade you to make a wise judgement and possibly save me from this gruesome situation. Every person comes to this world with a mission to be fulfilled. I believe my task is to be successful and a child that my family could be proud of. Being only a young, naive 17 year old Asian girl, there is much more out there for me to learn and experience in life. If I'm fortunate enough to be one of the chosen verdicts to survive, I truly believe that my intelligent mind will lead me to a bright future that will benefit not only myself, but many others. Looking at the past years of my education, I have achieved an outstanding performance in all academic and elective courses, exceeding a 95% average. My excellent grades could potentially contribute to you, My Captain's graduation of your teaching practicum and future career. Also, my loving family will thank and pray for you like lost souls to God in case of any haunting "shadows" that might be chasing for you. In addition, my achievements have brought an immeasurable amount of pleasant memories among my family and I, which we all cherish very much. Furthermore, they heavily rely on me as their personal translator to the English-speaking society. If I suddenly disappear from their world, it would indubitably be an inconvenience in their considerations. As caring, warm-hearted as your Highness, I believe you wouldn't bare to see my family live in such troublesome and heart aching environment. Especially for my 81 year old fragile grandfather who had overcame several strokes and heart failure incidents. If I die, I do not guarantee if he will be able to endure this miserable news. Finally, I appreciate My Captain, your valuable time for reading my plea, I hope you can save my life from this horrendous situation. Keep in mind, if you save my life, you essentially save another (p.s. my grandfather ~~ save one = save two! ), and you're not only doing me a favour, but also for yourself in order to pass your practicum. So please My Captain, let your comprehensive brain make the most meticulous decision, one that you won't regret.

Sincerely,

Wendy Tan

About Me!

Every step she took, she was proceeding closer to the boundary that led to the other side of the world! Wendy was slowly walking home after school like every other day, taking the advantages of the beautiful sceneries that the Okanagan Valley offers. As she approached the corner of her cul-de-sac, she have spotted an enormous, aggressive, rowdy chihuahua. It was fenced in from the outer world because of how wild it was. The dog's nose distinguished people like a shark detected blood. It's threatening bark was a never ending playlist. Wendy was scared like a "scaredy" cat. Some how, the stranged tempered, obese man of the inner world who could be the devil's twin let the ratty chihuahua loose. As Wendy was running for her life, screaming to herself, "Ahhhhhhh! Who let the dog out?" Does she live or does she die? Dun-dun-duuuuuuun!