Fall is here!

             This morning as I woke up, I found that my windows were open and a cool sweet breeze had swept in. I shivered but couldn't help but smile as the sweet crisp air of a good rain greeted me! A long awaited rain finally came to us over in California. I've been dying in this heat, and with my calanderreading that it is now fall, i had been angered my the sun's annoying persistance to keep shinning. I need my fall rain!

 

               Today's blog write, I will be plainly stating my reasons for why I sincerely love fall.

         
              When fall comes: The leaves from the trees begin to crinkle as they slowly fall from the trees, creating a crunchy pathway for me to walk on. The big oak trees begin dropping acorns.  Stores begin to sell Halloween decorations and big fat kid bags of candy.

 

                The tastes of fall: When fall comes, so does the delicious tastes of fall. The warm foods begin to come. Stews, soups and noodles fill the kitchen with steam, warming you up as the rain freezes your hands. Bisciuts and turkey and green beans heat up in the later months of fall, as family comes in and noise echos through the house. The endless supply of candy you've collected over Halloween.

 

            The smells of fall: The strong smell of pumpkin guts as you carve your pumpkin. It's smell overpowers your nostrils as you clean the inside of the soon to be jack-o-lantern. While inside you light a small candle in your room. Both the smell of smoke and the clean smell of apple-cinnamon fills the house. Such a warm smell!

 

              The touch of fall: Rain drops falling on your face as you eagarly head outside to jump in puddles. It's cool touch chills your skin as the breeze begins to blow by. Or the coolness of night as you hunt down door to door for more candy as you trick or treat. Or the sticky, gross, feeling of the insides of a pumpkin as you carve it.

 

              The sounds of fall: A hard rain on your patio roof. The snapping of burning logs in a fireplace. The laughter of family members. Trick or Treaters running down the streets. Cool jazz inside a Starbucks. Charlie Brown.

 

           The style of fall: Thick sweatshirts and socks go along with your cozy pj pants as you curl up in your bed. Boots and gloves begin to show as you walk outside. Beanies and hats and scarves!

                And lastly, the refreshing feeling you get, when you take in a deep breath and your
                                          lungs fill with that super cold air. Ah, fall at last!

                    

Sincerely, Anne Frank

    I didn't know what caused it, perhaps maybe through school it kicked in, but not until about seventh grade did I firmly grasp what World War Two was about. I new it was a big war, America was in it, and Hitler was definitely in the whole scene. But I lacked so much of what trul went on in World War Two. The many men and women and children who died in the pits of Jewish concentration camps, who died in the bomb attacks over in Poland, who died along the shores of France. So many beautifal and honest people gave or had their lives taken from them, in a brutal ambush of races and discrimination. A longing for a perfect race.

 

  I remember reading about Anne Frank in my english class. The way the story was written, was as if we were reading a play or script. With stage directions and scene intro directions. I was very into the story, but seeing the way it was written, I imaginged it being simply a play, a memory or made up story representing a possibility of WWII. I had no idea that Anne was real, that she actually went through the months and years of silence and secrecy. Never knowing if your hiding place would be found.

   Do any of you remember playing hide and seek when you were young? You'd find a place, behind or inside of something, like in your closet. You cover yourself with some blankets, trying to hide yourself even more. Your heart beats fast, you try to quiet your breathing as you wait. Listening and staying alert, for those sounds of feet approaching your hiding place. You bite your lip as you watch them get closer, and closer, you close your eyes tight, hoping they'll leave. And maybe they do, but most times, they don't.

   Now imagine a game of hide and seek, but where if you're found, you're thrown into a camp full of scrawny un-human looking people. Starving and cold, you strive to survive. Your body covered in your punishment for hiding, and now you are found. This became a constant thought for Anne and her family. I can't even fathome this feeling. Fearing for my life that strongly, hiding away for years, praying that this war will end. But see, Anne was different.

   Despite this horrid nerve racking circumstance, Anne was still her happy self. Trying to keep the normalness of her past life, in her now crampt small world. Applying her favorite actors and actresses on her wall with tape, and keeping her attitude up. I'd imagine if i were in there along with Anne, i would have yelled at her many times to calm her attitude way down. I'd be on edge, fearful, and not in the mood for happy thoughts. And yet, she still kept going.

  I believe a big reason in this was her father. He tried to see the best for his family, and tried his hardest to maintain a normal life for his family. Though this new living situation was far from normal, he had them all continue their normal routines, school, chores, keeping a maintained bedroom and to obey his rules. The family got along well following these rules, and when another Jewish family arrived, they too were fine with the rules. Sometimes.

    As we all know, Anne did not survive WWII, but sadly in a died concentration camp months before the war was ending. The family was discovered by German soldiers, and later seperated into different camps.  Anne described this as a somewhat of a relief, no more envisioning that door opening wide, no more fear of their secret being found. And when she did arrive at the camp, she endured terrible treatment. Her hair was shaven off due to bugs, she grew skinny and weak. But she continued to look on the brighter side, trying to keep her sister's and her own chin up. Other Jewish women describe her as fearless, not afraid to still show happiness despite her situation. But when she witnessed her sister die, I believe this is when the happiness, could not cover things anymore.

     Soon after, she became depressed. Fearing that all her family was gone. And that she was alone in this. She died there in the camps, never being able to see the Americans who came months later. And she neer was able to find out she was not alone. Her father had managed to make it through the war, hoping to see his family once again, but was later told that both his daughters and wife had died.

              _______________________________________________________________

    Though her story holds much cold truths of war and its destruction, this is a story that has been an inspiration. A key to the past, an insider's look to how it was. And a warning to the future, a warning of what rage and hatred can lead to.

     Anne dreamt and wrote many times that se wanted to make a difference, wanted to be a writer and change the world with her stories. And though she didn't live to see them become that, through her death, her writes became treassures. She became a writer, she became someone who changed the world. And now she is a brave woman of war. And I pay my deepest respects towards her.

 

                                                            In Memory of all
                                                               who passed
                                                             away in WWII.

Seriously.. what happened?

  

      So has anyone noticed the funk our generation  has dug America into? With our dresses only covering as much as a shirt, our insane prices on things, our music with it's horrid lyrics and beat, it just goes on and on. Now I know it's not only our generation that these factors apply. If you go back into the 90's, 80's, 70's, 60's, it still shows. But notice the actions have increased way more in this time than back then.

      So my question is, what happened!? My thoughts take us to where I think it first started, the 1920's. A revolution of the first teen revolts. They revolted on clothing, ripping and trimming their traditional long gowns along with their long hair. Girls wanted more, to be apart of the fun and filth the men had at local bars and gang groupings. That's another thing that began, gangs. More violence, robberies, lack of respect toward the private property.

     Let's fast forward 30 years after WWII, where the 50's began to sprout. After years of wars, America was ready to re-start. Companies grew, businesses began making "want" items like, televisions, fridges, ovens, drive in's, fast food, themeparks. It was a time of pleasures and wants, easy living since the times of war. Teens had become more loose since the 20's, street racing began, drugs, early drinking. Though for today their clothing seemed modest and very cute, back then it was still a shock to the older community who had grown in the 20's or 10's.

    Ten years later and we approach the 60's. Now as much as I love this time period, believing that it was the seed of all things good, it surely wasn't. Teens continued to revolt, and drugs had reached a higher market than ever before. Schools and private properties were vandalized. Dresses had become tighter and shorter, sending the now openness of sex-appeal. And this is what I believe was the worst crime overall, the disrespect of soldiers. Now though many back then and today disagree on the whole Vietnam War, I still believe that it is our duty, as Americans, to honor our troops despite our opinions, these are men and women risking their lives for ours and other's freedom.

     The 70's were along the same boat as the 60's, so no need to review that chapter. But lets skip ahead to the 80's. Now by this time, teens were loose. Feeling that they were adults, they made adult decisions. The 50's is were it began and carried on. Teen pregnancy. A thing which still carries on today, a little too much.  Clothing of this time carried on the short style of the 60's, revealing more and more skin. Also, this is were the music gets bad.. By this time, rap music was now a thing to listen to. Though rap was only a mere catchy beat and about three guys yelling to it, it really had no outstanding qualities or words. But when the 90's came, we took it to a whole new level.

    The 90's. A great time, but a bad one as well. Television began showing more PG-13 shows, sending the violence, adult themes, and other bad influences to the young innocent eyes of kids. Though not all parents just openly watched these programs, back in these days, childlock was not an item among the 6 channeled television. Giving an open eye to anything. Getting back to the music factor, rap and loud mouthed pop songs began hitting the charts, giving teens horrible words to hear and influence their lives. And of course, drugs, drinking, pregnancies, disrespect, and vandalism were all still kept well intact with the teen world.

                               Which brings us to today. Now we know what happened.
                                            

• We lost innocence: giving into the world of sexual clothing, looks and tackiness.
• We lost discipline: falling into the pit of low punishment for bad behavior and actions.
• We lost our health: loosing ourselves to drugs, drinking, and moral.
• We lost our modesty: openly giving our love and gifts to anyone.
• We lost our respect: toward our soldiers, families, and country.
• We lost ourselves: not remembering the founders and challenges of forming America.

      It makes me sad to see these topics. A once great nation, brought down to such disrespect from it's youth. Being a teenager of America used to be a good thing. Being a teenager in general used to be a good thing. But now, I am embarrassed to be labeled as one. To be in the same age bracket as these gang members, disrespectful girls, and just immature people. I do not hat being an American though, for I know what was done to form this great country, and I am very honored to be apart of it. But I ask those who are reading this, please, please, please reconsider yourself. The world is sick of these poor acts, we're all tired of seeing these rapes, murders, crimes on television. We're tired of hearing the bad words on the radio.

    As the youth of America, we hold the future, and we desperately need to fix this problem now before it is to late. So don't give into the junk of today, rise above it ad be the better teen.

 

 

 

(Now, for those of you who disproved of my write, that is fine. We all hold difference in opinion. And for those of you who are hating on me for hating on rap. Well fix the lyrics of todays rap and I'll be more up to caring about it. And for those of you who are under hard times, dealing with someone or you yourself who is under drugs or alcohol or had been through a teen pregnancy, please don't feel like I am hating on you. I know that hard times or experiences happen, and sometimes it's just to much for us teens to handle. Please know that I couldn't hate you! What I hate is how teen pregnancy, drug addicts and drunks are displayed so fondly on television. Though pregnancies are a great thin, it is not okay to promote teens to do that. We are too young to have to live our lives as parents already! Or to be in jail for drugs or alcohol.)