“Appreciating life” by Ana Boyzo Per. 6

Being inside a hospital is awful. The disgusting smell of medicine going through your nostrils, and the unpleasant air penetrating your face, just feels so uncomfortable! Worse of all, realizing that you are there because one of your family members is dying; it’s a fact that you’ll never want to picture in your mind.
My uncle suffered a stroke on March 17, 2006. We immediately took him to the hospital hoping he would get better, but unfortunately things didn’t go as we wanted them to. He passed away two days later, leaving all of my family in deep pain.
During this same year one of my friends also lost her grandfather. We both understood each other well since we had gone through the same kind of experience. One day as we were talking, she told me that she expressed all of her feelings by writing poetry. The next day she took her poetry journal, and handed it to me. As I read her poems not only did I notice her pain of losing her grandfather, but I also saw something deeper than that. In one of her poems she talked about how she had been sexually abused. I was in shock. A girl that seemed as if she had gone through a perfect life had been sexually abused when she was younger. This time I couldn’t understand her pain because I had never gone through the same experience as her, but I still helped her go through her hard times whenever she needed a friend.
As time passed by, I started to realize that no one goes through a perfect life, and that everybody in this world suffers, but yet life is precious, So its better to enjoy life right now, and live every day as if it was the last before its too late....

TOO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES by Iris Catalan

Have you ever had a lot of pressure around your house? Had you or someone around you felt like a person trapped and having too many responsibilities? Have you ever felt like you need to get away from your responsibilities or your problems? Well, these are some questions that I will be answering.
Around my house I feel pressured by my mom and brothers. They want be to do everything perfect. Around my house I have a lot of responsibilities. One of the responsible things is to, clean the house, wash the bathroom and the tub, the floors, clean the rooms, and help my brothers do their homework. Sometimes I think it’s too much, and I feel like I should escape into the wilderness for a grand adventure. In addition, I feel that all these chores can get overwhelming. Every now and then I wish for my own bedroom where its peace and quiet enough so I can hear my own thoughts.

"No Speak English" by Enrique G.

What is the sorrow of the woman across the street? How would you feel to not know the outside of your apartment? Why does she get upset when the baby boy begins to sing the Pepsi commercial song? Why do you think she doesn’t learn anymore English instead of just knowing only 8 simple words?

Tick-Tock by thomas franklin

Tick-Tock
the time was 6:30 and I was listening to my shiny new ipod as i brushed my hair prepairing for school.The phone rang. To me it was a normal ring as if no other, if only i had known that it would change my life forever.
Tick-Tock
it was 7:00, we should be leaving. I went to he kichen breathing in the wonderful smell of fried chicken. My mom was on the phone writing something frantically, a noormal scene for me, if only i had known that writing would alter my family for years to come.
Tick-Tock
It was now 7:05 i was in my Grandpa's room watching a gaming channel and listening to my ipod on commercials.
Tick-Tock
at 7:15 my sister rushed in and said "Grandpa's Dead..."
Tick...Tock
My ipod hit the floor as the clock changed to 7:18 so very slowly-my heart almost stopped.I stammered whats and hows in reply but my sister was to busy dealing with the shock on her own.
...Tick...Tock...
...time seemed to move slower at 7:20 I walked into my Uncle's room-for him it was the worse because his dog, Maxie, had just died-a catch 22. I left his room and headed for the kitchen, the fried chicken I had smelled before, now smelt like burned meat. I looked around for my mom chocking back sobs. I heard the similar sounds from the back of the house and i shut my eyes tightly as I heard my mom cry.
...Tick...Tock...
time couldn't have moved slower as 7:40 rolled around and my mom, along with my sister and uncle went to the hospital to see the body, I couldn't handle that. Numerous amounts of empty phone calls flooded my cell phone as i lay in my grandpa's bed, the surrounding darkness let little rays of lights of sunlight force it's way through.
...Tick...Tock....
Small rivers of tears rolled down my face around the time it was 8:00. Time as well as reality caught up with me as i realized what had happened.
...Tick...Tock...
...Tick...Tock
...Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock
Tick

The One and Only

My name is Jeronimo Diaz, pretty cool name dont you think? I got to admit when i was a small child, i really hated my name. My friends would make fun of me screaming out JERONIMO!! as loud as possible, without knowing that my name meant something. When i was born, I didnt have much time to live, in other words i was going to die. Therefore my mom made a promise to the saint San Jeronimo if i was to live, then i was goin to go by the name of Jeronimo. Thankfully i survived and therefore carry the name of Jeronimo. To me it's an honor to be named after a saint. Other than that i love my name because im the only one in my whole school with this name, pretty awesome.

"Bedroom freakout!!!" by Enrique G.

Ever since i can remember I've always shared a room. And always have the same problems. when it comes to having to deal with stepping on his things or being locked out or fighting for spaces i get pissed. it was bad enough that i had to share a room with only one brother but now i have to share one room with both of my brothers. now it's twice the things i have to put up with. but it's sort of okay because they have to put up with my behavior and stuff

the first day of high school by Raymond A.

wow i never thought this day would come! As i stand and watch the minuts go by.. i came to the realization that im in high school.I never thought this day would come so fast, now is the time where everything counts. The feelings and emotions are so intense like the sun on a hot summer day. What do i do? I dont know what to think. Im in high school.... just saying that makes me think wow, only three more years and then I'll have to make my own decision about what i want to do in life. It is almost scary to know that you have to start preparng yourself for the rest of the years to come. The world is a dfferent place, it changes everyday the reality of it is knowing what you do in high school will affect what you do with your life afterwards..