Neera’s Blog

This school year was great, and now it is coming to an end. I have made many amazing memories this year, and I would like to share three of them with you. My first memory was when I went to Disney Land with my ASB class. This was an amazing memory because of all the fun I had with my friends at the amusement park. First we went to a leadership training, which involved many long lectures. Then we had the rest of the day to have fun at all the rides at the park. I had a blast hanging around the park with my friends, and we went on many fun rides that involved a lot of screaming. The food was also amazing! We got churros and caramel apples and popcorn and pizza, and I was surprised by how little money was left in my pocket! My second favorite memory was when my friends and I made sushi with our math teacher. We had so much fun making delicious sushi after school in the teacher’s lounge, and me and my friends had a blast joking around as we made our food. I had no idea that my math teacher was so talented! She was exceptional, and we were all amazed by the way her hands moved so smoothly, folding hand rolls as well as your normal circular rolls. We ate so much that day, and out is definitely one that I will never forget! My final favorite memory was when I made my pajama pants in Home Ec. Sewing is a very calming activity for me, and I enjoy doing meticulous work on my own. This was the first project where we got to buy our own fabric, and I really enjoy seeing all of the different colors and patterns all around the room. I love hearing all the machines buzz and hum, and seeing what amazing creations people make! I really enjoyed this school year, and I can’t wait for the next one to begin!

This week, my goal was to Mod Podge all of my pieces in order to seal and protect them. Thankfully, I was able to complete my goal. However, Mod Podge is a really weird substance. It has a white cast when you first apply it to your pieces, but then dries clear. It also takes a very log time to dry. It felt like I was sitting with my hairdryer hovering over my canvas forever! It did dry eventually, but I was still surprised by how slowly it dried. This task was fairly easy, so thankfully I didn’t have any struggles this week. I also can’t really make any adjustments because this was the final week of our 20% project! Still, I have to create a trifold to present my project at the night event and in class, as well as a speech to captivate my audience. I also can’t tell you what my goals are for next week because we aren’t doing this project next week! Thank you for listening for the past six weeks and I hope you enjoyed reading about my time painting!

It’s the little things that count. In the image below there are two boys. The boy on the left looks like he is having a tantrum and is crying. The boy on the right looks happy and seems to be having fun. You might’ve noticed that the boy on the left seems to be very privileged and well to do, while the other isn’t. The boy on the left has a mountain of toys in front of him while the other boy only has one. The setting in the left picture has a television while the setting on the right has only a house/hut. The boy on the right is wearing worn down and old clothes while the boy on the left has nice clothes. The caption for the image below states, “Happiness and satisfaction in life depends on how much is considered enough”. I think the caption perfectly describes the situation in the photos. It’s strange to to think that someone who has so much doesn’t even think what they have is enough, and that someone who has very little finds the best part of every moment. Now, I’m not saying that only the poor can be happy, or that only the rich have tantrums. I think that as long as you find something nice or good about even the smallest things, you will live a great life. Looking at the good sides of things isn’t only helpful with materialistic things, but also situations as well. Looking for the bright side can make even the worst days great.

This week, my goal was to finish my second painting and start my third. All I had to finish on my second painting was the edges, and I was able to finish it pretty quickly. Time wasn’t an issue this week because we had plenty of time to get our project done. I also acceded my expectations with my third painting. I just wanted to start my third painting, and I actually ended up finishing it! I think it looks pretty good, but it does look little messy and the paint looks thin. Still, I’m happy with the results even if they aren’t perfect. I didn’t have any real struggles, but I had a hard time painting the edges on my second piece. It was hard getting the edges perfect without messing up the painting, so it definitely got messier then I wanted. I learned from the experience though and I painted my edges first rather than last on my third painting and I think the edges look good! I didn’t have any more struggles but as I said before, my third painting looks a little thin and not very bold. It’s not that big of a deal though and it won’t cause any real issues. Because I finished all my paintings this week, I won’t really have to make any adjustments. My friend Aubrey did give me another tip though. Some of my stars on my second and third piece are quite large, and she told me that if I wanted smaller stars I need to dip my brush in a little water first, then get some paint. Thanks, but a it’s little too late to change anything, Aubrey! Next week, my goal is to fix any mistakes on my paintings and add Mod Podge to seal it all in. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you all next week for the final week of our 20% project!

This month, I read Keeper of the Lost Cities: Nightfall by Shannon Messenger. Sophie Foster always knew she was different. As a twelve year old girl she was already a senior in high school, and on one class field trip she met someone who changed everything. She soon finds out that she’s an elf, and isn’t actually human. However, she was created in a laboratory by a group known as the Black Swan. She now knows that they are the good guys, even though many find what they did to her crazy. Elves not only have crazy genetics that give them an indefinite lifespan, the ability to levitate, the ability to change their body temper, and much more, but also gifts that are different for every elf. Some are empaths (where they can read emotions), some are frosters (where they can manipulate ice), some are hydrokinetics (where they can manipulate water), and many more that include being able to manipulate fire, light, turning invisible, and being able to manipulate shadows. However, because Sophie’s genetics were tweaked, she has multiple gifts that include telepathy (where you can read someone’s mind), polyglot (where you can speak and understand every language), Teleporter (where when you’re free falling you can crack a void into space and go wherever you please), Inflictor (where you can inflict emotions like pain on others), and enhancer (where you can enhance anyone’s ability if they touch your fingertips). Elves are one of the intelligent species that also include gnomes, trolls, goblins, and ogres. If you haven’t noticed, humans aren’t one of the intelligent species so they’re separated from the rest of the world, and that’s why everyone thinks Sophie’s situation is so unique. Her family’s mind had to be erased so that they could keep on living their life. She was then adopted by Grady and Edaline Reuwen, and she loves them like she’s never had a different family. Because Sophie’s been in so many dangerous situations especially with a rebel group called the Neverseen, she and her friends Fitz, Biana, and Dex all have goblin bodyguards. Now, their friend Keefe has a bodyguard as well, and it’s not a goblin, but the ogre king’s daughter, Ro. Sophie’s human family is in danger, and her previous parents have been kidnapped by the Neverseen. Even though all her memories of Sophie have been erased, her little sister Amy recognizes her. All paths lead to a place known as Nightfall, where horrible people do horrible things. Sophie and her friends must trust those who have been previously deemed untrustworthy, and they must do whatever it takes to save her family.

I would recommend this book because of the plot and character development. All the characters not only grow throughout the book, but you get to dive a little deep inside of each of their personalities as well. It is amazing to see how the characters in this book can thrive off of hope and friendship, and have the dedication to complete amazing things. The plot also develops nicely in this book too. There are a number of plot twists and jaw dropping moments that always make my heart stop. I love not knowing what will happen next, and create my own guesses on how the story will play out. It really shows just how wonderful this book really is. 

My favorite character from the book is Keefe because he had confidence. I know this because Sophie and Keefe figured out that the only way to get to Nightfall is to get Keefe’s mom’s hairpin that is made out of starstone. Keefe’s mom’s name is Lady Gisela, and she was apart of the Neverseen, but then they threw her in ogre prison for revenge. After coming into contact with Lady Gisela, Sophie and Keefe realize that they need her help to save Sophie’s family. However, her hairpin isn’t in her custody anymore, but instead it’s with the ogre king, King Dimitar. Sophie and Keefe go with Blur who is a member of the Black Swan’s Collective and Lady Cadence who is also a member of the Black Swan as well as having lived with the ogre’s for many years. Lady Gisela’s only request was that they give King Dimitar a letter for her. When they meet the king they give him the message and he demands a duel. Keefe agrees to this duel, and he shows his confidence when the text states, “‘I got this,’ Keefe said for what had to be the tenth time as they followed King Dimitar through another palace tunnel. It seemed even darker than the last one-or maybe that was Sophie’s mood. ‘You don’t,’ she told him before she turned to Lady Cadence. ‘You can’t stop this, can you?’ Lady Cadence shook her head. ‘Dimitar has named his terms.’ ‘Then let Blur steal the starstone and-‘ ‘I can hear you,’ Dimitar warned, even though she’d been whispering and he was far ahead. ‘And you’d never get out of my palace, much less down the river past all of my guards.’ ‘You might be surprised,’ Blur told him. ‘No, you’d be surprised by how much security this palace has,’ Lady Cadence corrected. ‘Beneath our feet is an entire barracks of soldiers ready to spring into action. besides-we didn’t come here to steal.’ ‘We didn’t come here to die either,’ Sophie snapped back. ‘It’s a sparring match,’ Keefe told her. ‘He’s not going to kill me.’ He glanced at Dimitar, who gave a pointed-tooth smile that knocked the grin off Keefe’s lips. ‘The bloodshed will be kept to a minimum,’ Lady Cadence reassured them. ‘I don’t know about minimum,’ Dimitar corrected. ‘But … if he’s smart, he should be able to walk out of the ring. And if he’s foolish he should be able to crawl to one of your medics.’ ‘Even if I am crawling,’ Keefe said, his voice strong, despite how pale he was turning, ‘I won’t be losing'” (316-317). As you can see, this quote clearly shows just how much confidence Keefe has. I would be crying or screaming or something if I had to fight with the ogre king! Ogre’s are considered the strongest and most brutal species, so the fact the Keefe has the guts to challenge one nonetheless the king is crazy. Keefe has always been over-confident, but this really shows how much he believes in himself. Confidence is necessary to be able to achieve anything in life, and although it’s a good trait to have, it can be annoying. This confidence is great, but it won’t stop Sophie from wanting to murder him after scaring her all the time.

My favorite quote from the book is, “Sophie bit her lip, glancing at Amy. ‘How scared are you of heights?’ Amy’s eyes stretched huge. ‘We can fly with them?’ ‘Only if you want to.’ ‘Are you kidding? Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s Go!‘ … ‘I have to admit, I’m a little jealous,’ Bronte said, coming over to watch as Silveny knelt to let them climb onto her back. Sophie gave Amy the front spot and settled in behind her, wrapping her arms around Amy’s waist to hold her steady. ‘You’ve never flown with the alicorns?’ Amy asked him. Bronte shook his head. ‘Maybe someday.’ Sophie tried to imagine a giddy silvery looping through the sky with Bronte on her back-but she couldn’t picture it. ‘Why not today?’ Amy asked. ‘Couldn’t he ride Greyfell? All eyes shifted to the male alicorn, who seemed to understand what they were discussing-and did not seem happy about it. … ‘Awww, you should let him,’ Amy told the grumpy alicorn. ‘You’d make his day. And I’d bet he’d give you a bunch more of those spicy sticks as a thank you. Greyfell gave her sister the alicorn equivalent of side-eye, and Sophie assumed the snuffle that followed was a no. But Greyfell slowly dipped his head and bent his knees, inviting Bronte to climb o not his back. ‘Well, I’ll be,’ Bronte whispered. His hands trembled as he hauled himself up, and Sophie could’ve sworn his eyes looked misty” (522-523). In this quote, Sophie’s sister Amy came to visit her home in the Elvin world, and all of Sophie’s friends and adoptive family are there. Surprisingly, even one of the Councilors, Bronte, came to meet Amy to be able to finally meet a human in real life. Councilors rule the elves and there are twelve in total, and Bronte is the oldest and most stubborn Councillor. Oh, and you know how multiple species of animals have gone extinct, well they actually haven’t. The Elvin world has many sanctuaries for all animals, and none have gone extinct yet. One creature that was very close to extinction though was the alicorn. However, Sophie found a female alicorn telepathically whose name is Silveny. The elves already had one male alicorn, Greyfell, but they were worried that it wouldn’t ever have a mate. Luckily Silveny and Greyfell are happy together and are pregnant! Sophie offered Amy the chance to ride Silveny with her, even though most elves haven’t gotten to ride one of the creatures yet. Bronte was one of them, and when he got a chance to ride with them, he was so happy. I love this quote because I love seeing characters who are generally really stubborn or angry be happy. Everyone deserves to be happy, and I really enjoy seeing the stubborn Councilor enjoy himself. I love seeing how Amy and Sophie act around each other because I think Amy brings out the eras in Sophie. I don’t know if Sophie would’ve ever offered Bronte the chance to ride Greyfell without Amy. Sisters have a special bond that is unlike most others, and that bond makes me very happy to see. 

My favorite room in my house is the kitchen. The first reason why this room is my favorite because I get to make food in it. Food is a necessity, and I not only need it to survive but also to be happy. I love making food in the kitchen as well has being with someone while they cook in the kitchen. Holidays such as Thanksgiving revolve around this happy place, and I make many memories of the occasion in this space. The second reason why I love the kitchen is because I just had a big renovation. I renovated my kitchen last April-May, and I am very happy with the result! It is much more open than it was before and looks more like the trending styles that my family likes and appreciates. We spend even more time in the kitchen now, and makes it an even more enjoyable place to be. The last reason I love the kitchen is because we have very expensive and nice appliances. In December of 2021 we went and purchased high end appliances from Thermador, which I think is a German company. They were all very expensive, and with our luck they didn’t all arrive until early 2023! Also, when we got our fridge, the delivery trucks were pulling it out of the van and they literally dropped it! It had a huge dent in it and we had to get it replaced. Our vent came dented as well, and we are still waiting for a replacement. These appliances are very nice, and because of the long time we spent waiting, they are even more enjoyable. As you can see the kitchen is a very fun place to be!

This week, I my goal was to finish my second painting. Last week, I finished my gradient which turned out gorgeous! All I had left to do was to paint the mountains, a moon, and the edges of the canvas. after I mixed my colors together it didn’t take long to paint the mountains. However, I’m not very happy with the way that my colors turned out. One mountain looks great in the dark navy, but the other had a sort of green hue that doesn’t fit well with the rest of the piece. Still, I’m fine with the result and am not going to change what I have already done. I did complete my moon as well, and also added some stars and a meteor too. Although I didn’t finish painting the edges, I finished painting what actually matters and I’m happy with what I have done. Sadly, I did face some struggles this week. I had less time to do my project this week, and that really hit me hard. I was on track to complete the painting this week, but only had forty-five minutes instead of an hour to do what needed to be done. I’m not mad though, and that definitely wasn’t the only struggle. I was super distracted this week. I’m not going to name any names, but I will say that some people felt that it was reasonable to very loudly sing annoying nursery rhymes the entire time I was working. It felt like I’ve never been this distracted in my life! I can normally get what I need to get done, but I just couldn’t under this weeks condition. Next week, I will paint the edges of my second painting and start my third. Thanks for listening and I’ll see you next week!

This week, my goal was to finish my first painting and start my second. Last week I learned that I need to move quicker to get through this project and achieve my goals, and I am happy to report that this week I did just that! I got straight to work, and finished my first painting with loads of time to spend on my second painting. Looking back at it now, I’ve realized that my first painting looks kind of thick and not as smooth and pristine as I would have hoped. Still, I am proud of what I have done with my first painting, and it might not be perfect but I am still happy! I started working on my second painting as well, and I am very happy with how it’s looking! When I first showed Ms. Moffat my references, she told me that doing a gradient is very hard, and I needed to do them for my second and third pieces. As I was completing the gradient, it was pretty simple and easy although it took some time to perfectly blend the colors smoothly together. I got more than halfway done with my second piece, and overall I was very productive giving me more work time. Thankfully, everything went smoothly this week, and I didn’t have any struggles. Next week, I won’t have to make any drastic changes to help move things along. Still, I would like to clean up sooner so I don’t have to stay in class a few extra minutes. My goal for next week will be to finish my second painting. We are halfway through our project, and I’ll see you all next week to report back on my progress!

This week, I continued working on my first painting. Thanks to all the tips I got last week, I was able to use what I had learned on my painting! I brought a hairdryer from home, and I am so thankful that Ms.Moffat told me to bring it. It has made this process so much quicker, and I have made a lot of progress on my work! Also, I am happy my friend Aubrey told me to use multiple coats of paint to layer up the color, because when I used that trick this week I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome! I was thankful to have had no severe struggles this week, and I hope to have the same luck in the next weeks. The only issue we had was when we tried to use the hair dryer. Something happened between the power cord and the appliance and it wouldn’t turn on, but we figured out how to turn it on eventually. Also, it took me some time to figure out what settings worked best, so I lost some time there. Some adjustments I will make to stay on track will be to keep better track of time. I want to move quicker in the next weeks because I lost quite a bit of time trying to figure out the hairdryer, and I hope to move faster next time. My original goal for this week was to finish painting #1, however I got most of the way there only needing to add some small details. Next week, I need to finish my first painting and get about halfway done with the second. See you then!

This month, I read As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson. After completing her previous two cases successfully, Pip is still haunted by the way her last one ended. Pip can’t wrap her head around the traumatizing incidents that happened during her last case and is struggling to find the barrier between her memories and the present. She has started having secrets of her own, ones that she never thought of herself having. Her mind isn’t coping well, so when her doctor took her off medication and told her to go to therapy instead, she decided to take action. Finding it impossible to sleep, Pip starts taking unprescribed Xanax from a local dealer that she already knows. She says it’s helping, but she knows it’s not. After creating her podcast, she’s used to random threats and trolls from the internet. However, she soon notices that the threats are getting harsher. She later realizes that she’s being followed. Pip thinks that her stalker and a serial killer that has already been arrested have a lot in common. The DT Killer (short for duct tape) was put behind bars ages ago, but she realizes that the man in jail might be falsely accused. Knowing her mental state, Pip says that this will be her final case, one that will end cleanly and not get messy. She wants her last case to put her mind at ease, and hopefully ditch trauma. Later, she sees how much her situation is escalating, and knows that nobody is on her side. Pip walks on thin ice, putting not only herself but everyone she’s ever loved in danger.

I would recommend this book because it is so relatable. Pip, like a lot of teenagers right now, is struggling with drugs. It’s a common topic today, and it’s something important to talk about. Pip is under so much stress, and her mind is having trouble coping with the extravagant events in her past. Other big topics are talked about in this series, and they are all important in today’s society. Knowing what can happen to those who are innocent and don’t deserve anything but to live life is scary, and should be known to all. Pip has very loyal friends as well. She has helped them through so much, and they will do whatever she asks. They’ve been through the thick of it together, and they are always available to Pip as a shoulder for her to lean on. After all, Pip has been that shoulder for long enough, and is falling under all that weight and pressure. Her family is very relatable as well. Her parents are a great example of how amazing parents are. Even though they have no idea what Pip’s doing half of the time, they have always supported her. They pushed her to achieve her goals and were one of the reasons she ended up at Columbia. They act the same way that most good parents do, and it is always comforting to know that your parents will always do the same. Because this book is relatable, it makes all of these life-or-death situations less harsh and adds a little bit of cushion to the fall of the amount of murder that happens in this story.

My favorite character is Ravi because he is very loyal. Pip has done something very bad, and I can’t tell you what without ruining the book. Her first instinct is to call Ravi because after what happened she needed to hear his voice. Ravi shows his loyalty while he was talking on the phone with Pip, “He was angry, but Pip couldn’t help smiling, holding the phone tighter to her ear, to bring him closer. She had disappeared and he had…he had looked for her. ‘Pip?!’ She could imagine the look on his face: stern eyes and a cocked eyebrow, waiting for her to explain herself. ‘I-I love you,’ she said because she never said it enough and it was important. She didn’t know when she’d last said it, and if she said it again, that wouldn’t be the last time either. ‘I love you. I’m sorry.’ Ravi hesitated, and his breath changed. ‘Pip,’ he said, the hard edge gone from his voice. ‘Are you OK? What is it? Something’s wrong, I can tell. What’s wrong?’ ‘I just didn’t know when I last told you.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘It’s important.’ ‘Pip,’ he said, steadying her. ‘Where are you? Tell me where you are right now.’ ‘Can you come here?’ she asked. ‘I need you. I need help.’ ‘Yes,’ he said firmly. ‘I will come right now. Just tell me where you are. What’s happened? Is it something to do with DT? Do you know who he is?’ … ‘It’s … I’m at Green Scene. … Do you know where it is?’ ‘Why are you there?’ His voice higher now, confused. ‘Just-Ravi, I don’t know how long the battery lasts on this phone. Do you know where it is?’ ‘What phone are you using?’ ‘Ravi!’ ‘Yes, yes,’ he said, shouting now too, though he didn’t know why. ‘I know where it is, I can look it up.’ ‘No no no,’ Pip said quickly. She needed him to understand without her saying it. Not on the phone. ‘No, Ravi, you can’t use your phone to get here. You need to leave your phone at home, OK? Do not bring it with you. Do not bring it.’ ‘Pip, wh-‘ ‘You have to leave your phone at home. Look at the way on Google Maps now, but do not type Green Scene into your search browser, whatever you do. Just search on the map.’ ‘Pip, what’s going-‘ She interrupted him, something else occurring to her. ‘No, wait. Ravi, you can’t drive on any highways. Not any. You have to take the back roads, small roads only. Highways have traffic cams. You can’t be seen on any traffic cams. Residential and back roads only. Ravi, do you understand?’ Her voice was urgent now, the shock gone, left behind in that room with the dead body. She heard the click of his trackpad in the background. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’m just looking now. Yep, that way. Up Brookside, toward New Canaan,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘Avoid Route 15, take these residential roads instead. Then…Yeah,’ he said to her. ‘Yeah, I can find it. I’ll write all this down. Back roads only, leave phone at home, I’ve got it.’ ‘Good, she said, exhaling, and even the effort of that made her feel weak, sinking farther into the gravel. ‘Are you OK?’ he said, taking charge again, because that’s what teammates did. ‘Are you in danger?’ ‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘Not anymore. Not really.’ Did he know? Could he hear it in her voice, raw and scratchy, marked forever by the last three hours? ‘OK, hold tight. I’m on my way, Pip. I’ll be there in twenty minutes'” (254, 255). Ravi shows his loyalty to Pip at this moment because even though he had his doubts, he still went to Pip with no issue. Ravi trusts Pip and knows that if she needs him, he needs to be there with her. He does whatever Pip asks of him because he loves her and treats her as his teammate. Pip didn’t need to beg or plead to get him to come, because he was already ready to go to her. His loyalty is something I envy, and I hope I can act the same in someone’s time of need. Ravi is not only an amazing boyfriend but an amazing person as well. Loyalty is a trait that is important to have, and that is why I think Ravi is so great.

After investigating her stalker and figuring out The DT Killer might be behind it, Pip’s mind is overflowing with thoughts about who he is. Pip has been called by DT before, but it was under ‘No Caller ID’ and he didn’t speak. She then downloaded an app to uncover phone numbers that are under ‘No Caller ID’ to try to catch him. While she was about to walk into her friend’s house, DT called. She picked up the phone and used her new app to receive a number that wasn’t in her contacts. Seconds later, Pip hears a phone ringing, and she knows whose phone it is. Pip turns to finally deface the DT only to find herself with an arm around her neck, being choked. She blacks out for about a minute, which is plenty of time for DT to get her into the trunk of his car. My favorite quote from the book is taking place while Pip is in his trunk, “A new feeling now. Not panic. It was less bright than that, heavier, sadder, slow-moving, but it hurts so much more. She was never going to see them again. Any of them. Not Ravi’s lopsided smile or his ridiculous laugh, or any of the hundred ways he had of telling her he loved her. Never hear him call her Sarge again. Never see her family, not her friends. All these last moments with all of them, and Pip hadn’t known those were her final goodbyes. … At least she’d told her mom she loved her before she walked out the door. At least her mom had that small moment to hold on to. But what about her dad? When had she last said it to him, or Josh? Would Josh even remember what she looked like when he was all grown-up? And what about Ravi: when was the last time she told Ravi she loved him? Not enough, never enough. What if he didn’t truly know? This was going to destroy him. Pip cried harder, tears gathering around the tape across her mouth. Please don’t let him blame himself. He was her best thing, and now she would always be the worst thing that happened to him. A pain in his chest he’d never forget” (212). I love this quote for a few reasons. As I said before, I love how relatable this book is, apart from all the murders. This quote makes you think about how anything can go wrong at any time. If you’re not careful, you could also get kidnapped and taken away from everything you love. I dislike knowing what could happen to me if I’m not careful, but it is important to recognize it so you know how to act in a time of danger. The thought of being taken away from my family, and not living life to the fullest, really haunts me. I don’t want to look back on life and think of what I should’ve done. However, I still think this moment is beautiful. I feel so much emotion for Pip because her family is like most others. I can’t help but feel sad when she’s talking about her life because it kind of reminds me of mine. This quote reminds me of what’s important in life, and that even the little things matter in the end.