Day Twelve~Write an Expository Paragraph

When it comes to writing, there are four basic forms that it can take. Descriptive, narrative, argumentative, and expository. All forms have their own uses.

Descriptive writing is used for describing, whether it be an object, a person, a scene, or even a feeling. Description is most often used in story telling, when the author wants the reader to imagine what a person, place, or thing in the story looks like. Most description is spent on what things look like, but they can also contain how something smells, sounds, feels, and even tastes.

Narrative is used to tell a story. To tell what happened, typically in chronological order. Narrative is the form taken with most fiction writing and some non-fiction.

Argumentative, also called persuasive, is used to argue a point, or persuade the reader to reach a certain thought, idea, feeling, or conclusion. Argumentative is the form used in debate.

Expository explains or give facts about a certain subject. It can either explain a process or an event, or it can give facts about a certain subject. Most non-fiction writing, such as essays and news articles, are in this form.

The four forms of writing are the basic components that make up the rich and complex world of the written word.

Day Eleven~Write a Narrative Paragraph

Jack brushed the dirt off of his pants, grumbling to himself. He jerked his head up, glaring at the tree which had the audacity to let the branch he was on break and snap off.

Jack rotated his arm, it being hurt by the fall. It was sore, bruised feeling, but other than that it seemed fine.

When he heard the snap of a twig, someone stepping on it, causing it to break in half, Jake leapt up and ran into the bushes. He worked himself deep into the green foliage, even though it snagged his cloths and pulled at his unruly hair.

Holding his breath, trying not to make a sound, Jake listened.

The soft yet elongated step of someone who tries to tread softly. Voice, quite.

"Are you sure." He could not be sure, but Jake though it Tim, the boy who had been chosen as it.

"Well, I heard him." This boy spoke louder, and Jake could instantly tell it was Samuel, who must have been found already.

"Are you sure it was him."

"Someone was making noise." The sound of walking stopped. "Jake, you know you are not supposed to change hiding places after the game starts, right?"

Jake bit his tongue. Lying prone in the bushes, Jake could see Samuel's mud crusted sneakers, the laces not tied by tucked in. Jake felt almost tempted to say her had no choice, his original hiding place had thrown him out, but he managed to resist the urge.

After what felt like an eternity, Tim and Samuel went on their way, and Jake let out his long held breath.



Day Ten~Write a Character Sketch

Annabeth was her name. Her hair was the color of mahogany. Brown with brilliant red highlights. Her skin was pale and a light flurry of freckles brushed the arch of her nose. She was thoughtful and quiet, she never did speak much. She mostly liked to think. She was always thinking. While baking, while walking, while doing chores, or simply staring into the fire place with a reflective look on her face.

Sometimes she would swing on the old wooden swing tide to an oak tree near her house. She loved the way her skirts wrapped around her legs. The way her pendant would lightly thump on her chest. her hair would fan out as if in water, and she would revel in the split second where she was weightless.

She took wonder in the small things, like swinging, but also like how things grew, where the wind came from, and why the sky was blue. She was never content with the answerer, "Because it is." She would look for what she deemed the real answer, knowing it was the real answer simply because it felt right. She would search till she found it, or dropped dead trying to. She never did find an answer to why the sky was blue that felt right to her.

She was stubborn. Not in a fit throwing way. She was very calm when it came to getter her way. And she would not sway or move till she had gotten what she wanted. Her kind of stubborn was very thoughtful. Full of long hours of plotting and planing, till the day she unleashed her plan. It was subtle, and most people did not realize what she was even doing, so no one ever really could stop her. She always got her way...nearly always anyway.

She was selfish at times, not so much a miser or greedy, simply thinking of herself first. If she cared about you though, you were lucky to be thought of second. She would use all that stubborn thinking of hers, and help you through thick and thin.

She kept most people out, only a lucky few got to see into her heart. Everyone who was allowed in could never really be sure why. All they knew was that they were an answer to a question. All she knew was that for some reason or another, the felt right.

Her name was Annabeth.



Day Nine~Write a News Artical

 Snow Day?

People everywhere in Central Oregon woke up on last Tuesday to a foot or more in snow. Central Oregon is known for its erratic weather. It can snow, rain, and be sunny all on the same day, but snow in January? Does not happen much.

Several feet deep in places, this sudden drop of snow caused delays, school cancellations, and several power outages. At least 12,000 households were without power for several hours. 500-1000 households were without power even longer than several hours. Days, actually. Some households had to go two nights with no power. While a shelter was provided by the city, families opted to sleep over at relatives and friends.

The snow, wet and heavy, collected on the branches of trees. Many branches, unable to support the extra weight, snapped, falling on power lines. This is the main cause to many of the power outages.

Over the next week, snow continued to fall. None with quite the result though. On Saturday, snow fell again, falling even deeper in some areas than the snow on Tuesday's. Yet being more dry, less heavy, and falling at a slower rate, it did not cause the problems that Tuesday's dump had caused.



Picture Randomosity

Is randomosity a word? Yes, yes it is, I just used it. It may be the only time this word is ever used, and it may never be used again. Even if it does not follow the rules of spelling for the English language, (not that the rules are consistent, there are more exceptions than not :p) or be grammatically correct, (this is redundant in a repetitive sort of way.) As long as some one used it with a certain meaning used in the way the certain meaning was meant, (I♥parentheses) then it is a word. Some people will deny this, but only look at the definition of the word, word, at Marriam Webster. Definition 1: something that is said.

Anyhoo, this is just a post of a bunch of random pictures I have taken over the last month or so. Enjoy.

These pictures are of a bunch of beads in a glass. A milk shake glass. You know, the type you see in old movies  when people get a milk shake or a malt at their favorite diner

My little brother's creation. Isn't cute?

I'm going to let you guess what this one is.

I do not know about you, but for some reason I think this picture really beautiful. I took it at 6:30 in the morning a day where we had a huge snow fall.

This is how deep the snow was

                          A scene from Gnomeo and Juliet.

Prodrayed with snow.

Sculpted by my siblings and I.

This is a monster my little siblings made from a box, a blanket, and some paper

This is Jacob, being eaten by the monster.

Took this today, actually. There was some water

dripping into a sled , and for some reason I had an

insane desire to photograph it.

This is a picture, of my feet. Also taken today, for the purpose of posting it.

For some reason it seems to be the blog thing to do. Hey, I know an awesome picture for my blog. Oh really, what? A picture of my feet! I suppose you do have cute shoes. Usually the picture is taken with the person holding the camera and looking down at his feet. I decided to be different for the sake of being different and thought I would take the picture lying down and my feet up in air.

Day Eight~Write an Argumentative Paragraph

This day proved to be difficult for me, actually. A part of me would rather write an argument that was not really serious, and purely a matter of opinion, not at all moral. (Such as whether it is more practical to use a pen or mechanical pencil.) But another part of me wants to write about something that states what I believe is more than just a matter of opinion, but of moral right and wrong. This first argument is of the latter type. The second one may be the same, or slightly less serious. I do not know yet. 

~*~*~*~*~

The Church, and society in general, has made a very grave mistake in separating the peer groups to the extent they have. The reasoning for this separation of age is this; one relates best to his peers. This is true, and I support that interaction with one's peers is healthy for mental and spiritual growth. Yet it seems now that people are only ever expected to spend time with their own age group, and it is odd if you do not spend most of your time in it. For reasons I state below, this is a very dangerous practice.  

For one, people have lost the ability to really interact with anyone who is not their age groups. They can only see the motives and desires of their own generation, and cannot understand when these things are different in a generation not their own. This separation is larger than just adults and teenagers. Such quick changes are happening in our world today that what motivated people between the ages twenty and thirty ten years ago are no longer are applicable to that age group. Each person is obsessed with his own generation, and often feels all other generation inadequate.

Related to this, is the fact that the older no longer teach the young, and the young no longer even want to learn from the older generation. The elder generation have the wisdom of experience, but lack the amount of energy and time that a younger generation has to better use it. The younger generation lacks the kind of experience that will give them guidance. When you separate the age groups, you have two basic work groups. The elder generation which has the knowledge to do something, but nevertheless does not get much done for lack of energy. The younger generation gets plenty done, but since they are not as wise, little of it is productive. They stand for change, which is good, for without change there is no progress. But without the wisdom provided by life experience, it seems those of us in the younger generation will support change for change's sake. With no guidance of direction, change will seem appealing simply because it is different than the old system, and the old system is flawed.

The elder and younger generation must mix if this is to be avoided. The younger generation to offer change and energy to make it come about, while the elder offers direction. 

Day Seven~Post a Picture of Your Handwriting

Today is fairly easy.

Day Six~Write a Journal Entry

This is an actual journal entry. Recently, most of my journal entries have mainly been the thirty day challenge. (I am actually a few days ahead now. For some reason I can find time to write them, but not to post them. Go figure.) Before I write the challenge, I typically write a page or less of anything somewhat interesting that happened that day or what I am feeling at the moment. It is extremely random and somewhat confusing for anyone who cannot crawl into my mind and see what is going on. But hey, it's me

~*~*~*~*~

                                                                                                          2~13~2011
Return to Cranford was amazing! Not quite as good as the first, but I still give it four stars. You know, I should probably actually read some of the works by Elizabeth Gaskell. I have absolutely loved every single movie adaptation of her novels. Cranford for one, Wives and Daughters, and North & South, (my favorite!) I looked her up at the library but I could only find a few of her most popular novels. That is over two districts! I guess I wasn't expecting there to be too many because Elizabeth Gaskell doesn't seem to be as well known as other Victorian authors, but when I looked up Dickens, I was surprised there was so little of him. I guess I just thought there would be more people checking out the classics.

Chirp, chirp, chirp. The crickets are so LOUD. I just wish Lotus would eat them already



Day Five~Write a Descriptive Paragraph

I know my description is more than a paragraph. In fact, most of my "paragraph" challenges will probably be more than a paragraph. It is my challenge, that I made up, so I say it is not against the rules.

~*~*~*~*~

The Birch tree's naked branches stretch up high over the roof tops. The limbs are thick and straight, splitting into branches, then sticks, then twigs, gently fanning out at the base then growing thinner as they near the top. This causes the tree to look in the shape of a rounded pyramid. The thick layer of grey clouds make the branches look starch against the gloomy background.

The cold breeze gently tugs at the branches, and they twitch with the soft caresses. The breeze is biting and smells of cold things. like ice and frost. The melancholy world offers nothing but dull agreement to the wind. A declaration that bitter times are here. Like the shivering tree, bare of its bright green dress, the bitter wind, the gloomy sky, and the dull air seem to say the sun has gone away. That the days where strands of sunshine littered the air, offering warmth to the breeze and life to the trees, are gone. Nothing but the barest memory, flickering deep inside and fading every day.

~*~*~*~*~

Yes, I know, that is really depressing, but I was at a lost at what to write for this challenge (really weird, there are hundreds of things to describe just around the house.) My answer to this dilemma was to look outside my window and feel inspired by the sight. This was actually a joke to myself, since my window looks out at our tarp covered bikes and hour neighbor's wall. When I angled my eyes up though, I saw the top half of our neighbor's Birch Trees stretching over the roof of his house. I was inspired, and, especially since where I am living had a warm spell recently, the sight struck me as incredibly dreary. I thought that I could yes, describe how it physically looked, but try to also carry the tone of dreary-ness that, that sight made me feel.

Day Four~Write a Pitch

Have you ever lost the cap to a marker and then have the marker dry out on you? Of course you have. Everybody has. Every year, hundreds of dollars are wasted with people buying new pens because their old one dried out.

Well not any more!

FulzeProdect  has given you the ScamPOW, an amazing cloth that provides limited absorbency, allowing you to thinly spread liquids over nearly every surface. And who could forget the Bottomless Drawer! Using cutting edge technology, it allows you to access bot the items at the top, and bottom of you drawer

Now we present to you, the CapLeash!

With its unique  design, the CapLeash will leave your markers nice and fresh. It is simple to use and effective. Just simply slip one end of the CapLeash on the base of the marker, then attach the other end to the cap. Simple and easy!

The CapLeash is also great for pens. And what kid wouldn't want some. CapLeash makes the perfect gift. Order now through this special offer, and you'll receive the official CapLeash marker!

Now you never have to worry about loosing you caps every again!

Giveaway!

Over at the Book Blog, Shaynie is hosting a giveaway. The sponsor is Amy Crystal, and who ever wins the giveaway receives one of the lovely book marks from her shop Forever Flowers.

The book marks are decorated with pressed flowers and they are simply gorgeous. There are several other beautiful items that can be found at Forever Flowers.

The rules to the giveaway are simply. There are several different "entries" and for each one you post a different comment on Shaynie's blog. The one mandatory entry is that you follow her blog, (chances are if you were reading that blog post you already are following.) Others include, following her other blog, putting her buttons on your blog, and blogging about the giveaway!

Day Three~Write a Poem

Price of a Broken Heart

To love as no love has before,

To be content yet still want more.

To have and hold the dearest thing,

yet to an end of it you bring.

What is loved is lost,

Or never had at all.

One must first climb up,

If down one is to fall.

So bitter is a broken heart.

Must be whole to be torn apart.

It needs life, if it is to die.

Joy is felt by those who cry.

For a heart is worth,

The love that it can start.

That worth is then the price,

Of a broken heart.

Day Two~Write a Letter*

To whom it may concern,                                       1-21-2011

I have long contemplated writing this letter. I cannot assure you it will reach its destination, yet I hope you receive it anyway.

   When I first received a letter from you I was only twelve. The return address was labeled, Dr. Will, and that was all. Understandably, I thought it a practicable joke. A trick someone pulled by slipping the letter in before my older sister picked up the mail. I was further convinced it was a joke when I opened it and all I found was a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Not viewing it important, I threw the piece away.

   Again, I threw away the jigsaw puzzle piece when I received a letter exactly like the first. Same with the third, each letter coming thee months after the previous one, always on the twenty-first.

   Two months after the third letter, I found myself living at a different address, in a different city. I did not expect your letter to come.

   Yet it did. This time I kept the puzzle piece.

   Like clockwork, your letters always found me. Through several moves, college, and even a different country. At first I did all I could to run away from your letters. Moving around, being on the road when your letter was due. But the desk clerk at the motel would give it to me, or the gas station manager. Sometimes even a random passer by-er who told you to give me the letter. After seven years of this, I gave up. I resigned myself to receiving your letters.

   I kept all the pieces to the puzzle in a box. The box had a lock on it and I kept the key which opened it on a chain around my neck.

   On time, while slipping in the latest piece, I realized some of the pieces fit together. As I probably should have realized already, it was all one puzzle.

   If one can be eager and hesitant at the same time, I was. I felt putting the jigsaw puzzle together, it would help fit together the pieces of what your letters meant. Then again, I feared what the answer may be. I was still missing some pieces, but every time I received a new piece, I would put the puzzle together again.

   I have never been too good at puzzles. Never put more than two or three edge pieces together.  Yet I have the image of the puzzle you have sent me, piece by piece, burned in my mind as if a red hot brand had  seared it into my brain.

   The puzzle is ten by ten, a hundred pieces exactly. Most of the picture is scenery. A stone work path, lined with weeping willows on either side. It is winter it seems. The moss between the stones is dead and the trees are nothing but bear branches. It is faded looking, unfocused.

   In the center, on the path, walks two people. They are in focus. One of them is me, wearing jeans, a jacket, and a bright red scarf. I am an adult, but beyond that it is hard to tell how old I am. I cannot tell who the other person it, what he is wearing, or even if he is male or female. All I can see of this person is a hand and two shoes. I had received all the pieces for this puzzle but the ones which made up most of this person.

   For several years I waited for these pieces; but your letters, which had come the twenty-first every third month, suddenly stopped.

   Yet on that date, the twenty-first every third month, I would put the puzzle together again.

   The pieces to finish the person walking besides me number exactly three.

   I write to you today to ask you a favor. Not to explain why you have been sending me letters with jigsaw puzzle pieces in them, or why it is me in the picture, or how you kept up with my moving, or even who you are. I simply ask that you would send me the last three pieces. I know they must be the first three pieces I received, the ones I threw away.

   A part of me feels this is my punishment. I would not have minded so much if only part of the scenery was missing. But no, you sent me three of the most important pieces first. It is to teach me not to disregard something just because I view it as unimportant at the time?

   For reason every I do not fully understand, I have chosen not to add a return address on the envelop I will send this letter in. It is inexplicable, but I feel it would find its way more easily to your hands if all I write on the envelop is, Dr. Will.

                                                

                                      I will not leave a name. You know   

                                      who I am if you are the right person.

                                      If you do not, you are not meant to

                                      have this letter.

*A few of you may have noticed that today's theme has changed from Post a Favorite Passage to Write a Letter. This is mostly so as not to break any copyright laws. I know that since I am not doing it to earn money, chances are I would not be infringing on any laws. I simply did not want to have to deal with the possibility. Day nine has also changed theme.

Day One~Write a Thirty Day Challenge

You know, those things you come across occasionally in the blog world where everyday for thirty days you're supposed to post about that day's topic. Right now my sister KatySue is doing a song themed one. When I saw it, it made me want to start up another one. I did one in the summer (Click Here to see it) and it was a blast. Only, I did not feel like doing one about songs. For some reason I was not feeling it. Sooooo, I made up my own, writing themed one.

Day One~Write a thirty day challenge.

Day Two~Write a letter. (Real or made up.)

Day Three~Write a poem.

Day Four~Write a pitch.

Day Five~Write a descriptive paragraph.

Day Six~Write a journal entry. (Real or made up.)

Day Seven~Post a picture of your hand writing.

Day Eight~Write an argumentative paragraph.

Day Nine~Write a news article.

Day Ten~Write a character sketch.

Day Eleven~Write a narrative paragraph.

Day Twelve~Write an expository paragraph.

Day Thirteen~Define an obscure word.

Day Fourteen~Post about a favorite book.

Day Fifteen~Post about five of your favorite things you have ever written.

Day Sixteen~Write a argumentative paragraph.

Day Seventeen~Write a book review.

Day Eighteen~Write an expository paragraph.

Day Nineteen~Write a story based on a real event from your life.

Day Twenty~Write a Narrative Paragraph.

Day Twenty-One~Write an Album Review.

Day Twenty-Two~Post About a Favorite Author

Day Twenty-Three~Write a story plot line.

Day Twenty-Four~FREEBIE

Day Twenty-Five~Write a descriptive paragraph.

Day Twenty-Six~Write a poem.

Day Twenty-Seven~Write a character sketch.

Day Twenty-Eight~Write a movie review.

Day Twenty-Nine~Write a conversation.

Day Thirty~Now, for the grand, epic, amazing, triumphant, (did I mention meandering?) somewhat okay, anti-climatic finale!!! Write a short story. Ah, HA! There is a catch. In this short story, five of the things posted on previous days have to be included. So the story could be about a poet, who was one of your character sketches. That way you could include both poems and one character sketch already. His friend could be the other character sketch, and he could change the oil in his car, which you wrote about in your expository paragraph. (That was an example, by the way. Feel free to use anything from the previous days-the conversation, the pitch, your handwriting, anything!-and more than five if you want to!!!!!!)

Yes, I know, quite a bit of them are repeats. I ran out of inspiration at about day ten so give my a break...please?

I will probably not do the days consecutively. On average there will be two or so days in-between each post. One, it will make is last longer, and two...well frankly, (not johnly) I am too lazy to post something everyday. Some of the days a easier, but several of them will take quite a bit of thought and time.

In case you missed it, today is day one. It was actually one of the last ideas I added. I was scrapping every inch of the inside of my skull, searching for more ideas, when I suddenly realized I was already writing something, why not use it!