Electricity is Necessity

If all electricity/devices stopped working, I would spend my free time writing, drawing, reading, socializing and sleeping. I am often on my phone or on the internet, so this also might be a good time to make use of myself and organize. But I would probably distract myself by doodling or drawing instead because I am an excellent procrastinator. I also might sit down and write a bit due to my cool kid imagination that is constantly flowing with stories, so it might be fun to write some down to share with others in my same bored predicament. This brings me to my next point, I would also get a lot of reading done.  I'm a fast reader, but I never have the time lately, so in this situation I would probably buzz through my to-read list. I might sit outside and get some fresh air, or spend more time with my friends. Because there is no electricity or devices, my alarm clock wouldn't work, so I could just sleep in all day. This is what I would probably do, but thankfully it hasn't happened so I don't know for sure.

I am Iron Man

If I had a secret identity, I wouldn't mind telling the world about it. If I didn't I would get no credit and might be forced to become a vigilante like spider-man and have to run from the police. If I was like Iron Man though, I could be a philanthropist and get mucho dolores due to saving the world. It would be pretty rad. Besides, if people knew my real identity, I could have guards protecting me. Why have a secret identity when you could just have a really cool double identity? Also, people wouldn't be after me trying to reveal my identity so they could exploit my secrets, they would already be aware! And because people already know, I wouldn't have to worry or sneak around so people wouldnt find out. Overall, it would be hare-brained to keep my identity a secret.

Friendship is Magic

I take responsibility when it comes to making friends. When I see someone alone, or not as integrated in a group, I like to involve them in the things we're doing. I feel like it's my responsibility to make people feel better and like they belong. When someone is getting picked on, I usually stand up for them. No one deserves to be alone or hurt by others, no matter what they've done or what they've been through. I think I feel this responsibility rests on me because if we all just wait until someone else integrates them, then no one is going to and they will feel left out. I know what it's like to feel awkward or alone in a situation, so I feel the need to help them. I also know what it's like to be bullied, and I know that it would've been great to have someone stand up for me.

OGT advice

My advice to you, little freshmen, would be to chill out. Stressing over the OGT is foolish, no matter what your teachers say (yes I mean you Jaworski). As long as you do what you are assigned in class you will be fine. The OGT is a lot like the OAA or any of those tests we had to take in elementary school; you don't need to study because it's all basic knowledge. Another piece of advice would be to calm down during the test. It may look like a lot, so just take it one step at a time. The answer will come to you. The tests on the websites given to you by your teacher are much much harder than the actual thing, so if you do well you'll be fine, and if not then no worries. So just sit back, relax, and let Jaworski have the stroke for you.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

Saturday.
I was sitting on my hardwood bedroom floor, listening to the rain as it poured outside my window. The constant hiss of my furnace and the smokey smell it was emitting made me wish I was in the downpour, taking in all of the scents of a world being washed clean. But I knew I needed to stay inside, and that the world being washed clean wasn't as great as I was making it seem; it was cold and wet and harsh. The scents of that world would be damp and earthy, like worms, or worse, mud. I was perfectly content sitting in the dull room, listening to the nothingness of the rain. BRRRRZ BRRRRZ. The vibrations of my phone jolted me from my alter consciousness. The bright flashing screen hurt my eyes. I looked away for a second, then went back and read.

We have your dog. Bring $5,000 to Pearl and Huntington by 8 AM Monday. No police or other witnesses or he dies.

-TM

I was in shock. My baby, my love, my son, my best friend, my dog. I could not function properly without him. And this TM character supposedly had taken him. . . Who were they?? I don't have five grand to give anybody--or even to use myself!! This was horrible, I had to get my dog back! But I couldn't tell anyone about it or I wouldn't have a chance of seeing him again. I had to come up with 5,000 dollars. But how? 

I needed a loan; but I knew I wouldn't be able to get the money by Monday. I attempted reaching the number, but the phone was "No longer in service", as stated by the female's monotone voice on the other end. I knew it was a reach, but I had to do something. Thinking about the loans and money gave me a new idea; banks. Specifically, robbing one. I had seen many movies about this and I knew it would be hard to pull off, but I could do it. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

Sunday.
It was 9 PM and I had everything set. My masquerade mask and water pistol were sitting quietly in the back of my car. Driving to the bank, I started to wonder if this was the best idea; if Jasper was worth all of this trouble. I shook away my doubts. Of course this was the right thing to do; I had to get him back. Suiting up, I put on my purple mask from Mardi Gras. It wasn't the best thing to use (a ski mask would have worked much better), but it was all I could find in my room. Same for the water gun; but at least it looked realistic and more like what a professional criminal would use. I entered the bank; hoping no one would notice the giant gun-shaped bump under my shirt. There was only one woman there; that made things a lot easier. I went up to the teller with my gun in hand. She doesn't say anything.
"Five thousand dollars please?" The woman looked at me strangely, then abruptly turned around. Tick Tick Tick. Her shoes ticked annoyingly on the tile on her way over to the vault. She put in the pin and took out a large wad of cash. I was surprised, everything was going so smoothly!! She brought the money to me, and said nonchalantly (almost with a bored tone of voice), "Here." and left the wad in front of me. Wow. That was easy. I walked out cash in hand. I got in my car and sped away. All of that robbing was tiring. Time to go home and get some beauty sleep.

Monday.
An hour before I had to give the kidnappers the money, my phone buzzed.
Huntington and Pearl. Meet at Dog Park by the Tree. $5,000 or hell reigns loose. 
-TM

I had the money thankfully, and I put it in a bag for "TM". I drove to the park; about ten minutes early. I assumed the tree they were referring to was the tree in the middle of the wide green expanse; the lone tree was a dog's favorite spot. It would be easy for us to make the trade; there were so many people trying to get to the tree, our hands would be lost in the flurry of others. Arriving, the park was nearly empty. I assumed it was because of the early time; but it was nearly 8- prime time for the morning dog walkers. That was weird. I felt so alone and strange. I smelled something. Putrid, from the direction of the tree. Then I saw him.
My dog, my baby, dead. The carcass looked as if it had been left by that tree for days; TM probably killed Jasper before he even sent the text, thinking I could never achieve the money. I was struck with shock and grief. I fell to the ground, shaking. Why would someone have done this? I got the money. I ROBBED A BANK FOR HIM. And there he was. I walked over to him and looked at his sweet eyes; open. I closed them for my own sake. I had hoped that maybe it could have been a ploy; it couldn't have been my dog. But it was, no doubt about it. Suddenly the stench was too much, and I walked away, crying. This was awful. I wanted to curl up and die so I could see my poor puppy again. 

Saturday.

I heard the customarily loud BRRRRZ BRRRRZ of my phone and jolted awake. What a terrible dream; but looking back it wasn't the most realistic. This thought lightened my spirits a bit. Going back to my phone, I looked at the text message. It was unknown, which meant it was probably Erin. I checked it and was right. She had sent a simple hello and wondered what was up. I was about to answer "the sky" as that was my normal tacky reply, but before I could type I saw a message was already written out in the text box.

We have your dog. Bring $5,000 to Pearl and Huntington by 8 AM Monday. No police or other witnesses or he dies.  

-TM

Jasper

I convinced my stepmom to adopt a puppy over the summer. We had frequently been stopping by the animal shelter just to look at cute dogs, but Kim and my dad weren't planning on getting one until months later. We had found a couple cute ones, but they either shed or they were too rough with Sophia (my three year old sister). But as we were leaving the shelter one day, a litter of puppies were being dropped off. They were all so adorable I asked Kim if we could look at them before we left. She thought they were cute as well, so we took two twins into one of the rooms. One was scared of Sophia, but the other was playful, but not too rough. They were mutts that didn't shed too! It didn't take a lot of convincing to let Kim and Dad take him home. We named him Jasper. He knows he's my dog, even though I don't see him that often. I miss him a lot, but at least he is with my family and not someone else's.

Mien Kampf

Disorganization has always been a problem for me. Even my nickname stems from this (messy Jessy evolved into just Jessi). My locker is infamous for its inability to close without excessive force, so sometimes I refuse to go to my locker because I do not want to deal with it. This makes me unprepared and can cause me a zero or lower score on a paper. But when I do go to my locker, the time and effort it takes to get my things often makes me late to class. My lack of organization causes my life to be a mess. I’m never sure where things are when I need them; especially when it is important. But this lifestyle also causes me to do the opposite of what is expected- my stress level is significantly low. After a while, I had learned to deal with the fact that I will not always find my papers, so I decided to work harder in other areas in my life and not care about those few missing papers. They were lost, gone; no hope of finding them. I would just have to make up a new plan. I learned to work around these papers; I may have had to work twice as hard, but at least I was able to turn them in. I am now a much more flexible and carefree person because of my disorganization.